Tortoise and Hair

I wrote myself the sweetest song I believe I ever heard
And I loved it like a preacher in the pulpit loves the Word
I loved it like a daddy loves his chubby little girl
It ain’t for no one else in the world

I painted myself the finest scene I believe I ever saw
And I put it up behind a piece of glass and hung it on my wall
It’s the last thing that you see before the bedroom in the hall
So that each night I could dream of all the beauty that I saw
It ain’t for no one else in the world

And all I want in this world is to be your only song
To be the picture in the portait that is hanging on your wall
To be the hero of your dreams as you are sleeping all night long
To be the only one in the world

And all I need in this life is to share this joy I have
But I’m riding on so before I leave won’t you step into my cab
It’s crowded with my things, you’ll have to sit up on my lap
But I’ll show you over time that I would never treat you bad
I don’t need anyone else in the world

It’s the simple life of the songs and of the paintings I have seen
That’s the only life that I would ever choose for you and me
We can have it if we both believe

And all I need in this life is to share this joy I have
But I’m riding on so before I leave won’t you step into my cab
It’s crowded with my things, you’ll have to sit up on my lap
But I’ll show you over time that I would never treat you bad
I don’t need anyone else in the world

There’s a superhero lesser known
I’m sure you haven’t met her, KR from Marietta.
But much to her efforts do we owe
A better world to live in, the streets are free from villains

What are the powers that she boasts
She very organized, punctual, and never lies
With confidence she’ll face her foes
There’s not one item lost, her list is all checked off

She soars so high above us all
She knows she always should use her powers for good
She’s on the scene before she’s even called
She’ll take some liberties to set the captives free

There are those who would put good KR down
You’ll win some enemies taking life so seriously
And I’ll admit I’ve wandered through that crowd
But I’m not proud of it, no I’m not proud

And it’s well-known that KR gives advice
She knows her vitamins, she knows her garden plants
And I am sure that she once saved my life
When she told me “don’t despise meager beginnings”

Do you think we’ll ever see the world divided evenly
Some are rich and some are poor and some are strong and some are weak
All playing friends and enemies

Some are first born of the earth, giving names, assigning worth
You looked behind enough to get a glimpse of someone new
You said a name and then were through

It was all I could do not to laugh, all I could do not to cry
All I could do just to could my head up high

See I believed in everything, I pour myself out like a spring
In the surface of these waters you only saw a shallow pool
And disregard the simple fool

So I take up ranks among the lame; untimely born and poorly named
Though after every battle of your victory did boast
You strike my shadow and wound my ghost

Sometimes I just had to laugh, sometimes I just had to cry
Somewhere I learned how to hold my head up high

Well you’re older now you’re on your own, any wonder why you’re so alone
Your pride’s a golden crown your anger is a fire
Refine yourself by and by

You don’t see me but I see you, perhaps you’ll never know it’s true
Still some are born to see and some are born to do
You for all and I for you

All I could do not laugh, all I could do not to cry
All I could do just to hold my head up high

Summertime and we were starting to know
If we were to be we’d tell our friends tomorrow
You had jumped into the quarry below
Squinting up at me, would I follow

Some would speculate what our future would hold
Said we were something we’d one day outgrow
But we knew what lasting lovers all know
You find something rare, never let go

Each year goes by with new insights gained
Makes me different from before
But through each phase one thing remains
That I’m forever yours

Glass in hand explaining some of life’s philosophies
You claimed to have once had romantic views of poverty
Everyone laughed but from what I see
We live on music, what more could we need

Each year goes by with new insights gained
Makes me different from before
But through each phase one thing remains
That I’m forever yours

Lady Midnight long time friend
Comes to talk with me again
Will her whispers echo out as she sows her seeds of doubt
How long ‘til this night will end

Well you know that my mind begins to roam
When the night on me has found a home
And beside me settles down, she wraps me in her gown
And soon my thoughts are lost within its folds

Lady Midnight knows me well
She’s perfected all the lyrics of her spell
And she sings into my ear words that I don’t want to hear
But I listen all to well

She holds me in her tender arms
Sheltering her pupil from all harm
When heavy hours stake their claim upon this weary frame
Her grip begins to tighten all around

I don’t know who I can believe, I try to make the best of me
As I walk these steps of an unknown destiny
But The Lady wants me at my best, sees I get a good day’s rest
And wake up just in time to welcome in my guest

Lady Midnight stays for hours
Exploring all the facets of her powers
For she knows her time is dear as the morning’s drawing near
Who knows how long her spell will last

For when those golden beams come shining down
And reveal the sheerness of her gown
Well she knows her pupil might become sober in the light
And see it’s time a new teacher is found

Not so long ago I always knew for sure exactly which way is North
Now I need a clue, my compass seems confused and the signal’s losing force

I could make the journey far if I had a guiding star
But I can’t find my way around in limbo
I could wait the end of time if I had you in my sight
But I can’t wait another day here

Always tending to the faith to keep is strong while the heart suffers long
Closely watching, longing to see wondrous things again, those that made me who I am

Don’t know why I can’t sleep at night when all day this body is so tired
Tomorrow’s fears and discarded years are fuel for the racing mind

I could shave my head and learn to bow, I could stake my claim among the proud
But I don’t know who I am in limbo
I could walk the highest mountain road, I could trudge the valley far below
But I don’t know which way to go here

Does anybody recognize a faith that is strong and a heart that suffers long
Closely watching, longing to see wondrous things again, those that made me who I am

(Hebrew)
And I want to see wondrous things again, power revealed make me who I am

I can’t do this anymore, I’ll kick open every door, gotta find a way out of here
I could dodge their arrows, let them aim, I could dig my way up from the grave
But I know I can’t survive here

And does anybody recognize a faith that is strong and a heart that suffers long
Closely watching, longing to see wondrous things again, those that made me who I am

For once in my life I want to have nothing to do
And nowhere to go and someone to go nowhere with
‘Cause I’ve a mind to be taking a look at the these plans in my book
And ask if this really is who I am

I get so exhausted and I get so tired
Trying to keep up on somebody else’s time

For once in my life I want to be a little bit lost
And a little bit found finding my way around
She’ll hold the map and I’ll take the wheel
And we’ll chart a course for whatever the road reveals

And I get so tired and I get so down
When it seems each moment is already written out

For once in my life I want to have nothing to do
And nowhere to go and someone to go nowhere with
She’ll hold the map and I’ll take the wheel
And we’ll chart a course for whatever the road reveals

It’s just another road you can go down
Lately this one’s calling out my name
And I don’t mind if you think it’s foolish and you just don’t get it anyway

There comes a time you’ve got to sit down
And total all the dues you’ve paid
And if it don’t add up like so much wishful thinking
And the number say you’ve gotta make a change

When I think about the lessons learned in story time
When there never was a question about wrong and right
Well, if I am anyone or anything at all I am what I am today

And I do mind if you say I never loved you
No it’s not right to call me insincere
Don’t you know how hard I tried every day

The only currency I know is freedom
And all the many forms it takes
And when you see a light in the corner of your vision
I’ll be damned if I don’t follow ‘til it breaks

When I think about the question: was it wasted time
When we were always wondering about wrong and right
Well, in my heart I still believe in black and white, but I’m living in the gray

And I do mind if you say I never loved you
No it’s not right to call me insincere
Don’t you know how hard I’ve tried every day

T&H can now be heard on IM radio (www.imradio.com). Also, new album out soon.

The new project progresses! Last Tuesday we brought in slide guitar wiz Steve Cunningham to add some  extra colors. It was a beautiful session.

The studio’s closed for the next two weeks, so we get a forced break (thankfully). But then it’s full speed ahead with mixing and mastering.