1. |
Circle
04:04
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Circle
[can’t go forward…can’t go back…]
I circle round and round again
and every time I near the end
I grasp the edge and I look down
and then I lose my nerve and then
I go around again
daylight comes another day
I drink my coffee make my eggs
another bombing on the radio
but your voice is gone so off I go
and I circle…
the people out on the street -
where do they go? how did the meet?
can they see my heart broke open wide?
is the tv on when they’re inside?
I’ve got so many sisters living through me
so many dreams coming to me
I try so hard to hold it all but then I
lose my nerve and down I fall I fall
I circle round and round again
and every time I near the end
I circle round and round again
and every time I near the end
I circle round and round again
I circle round and round again
I circle round and round and round and round
and round and round and round
again
[I…can’t…do…this]
I circle round and round again
every time I near the end
grasp the edge and I look down and then I
lose my nerve lose my nerve lose my nerve
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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2. |
26 Degrees
04:01
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26 Degrees
So I waited there for you
all through the night
but you could not get through
and bit by bit flake by flake it became clear
I was running dry
it was 26 degrees
on the wrong side of zero
and the snow was coming down
like a child’s feather pillow
torn open and flung to the sky
cattails and mitten strings
cumulonimbus things
mufflers and rabbit fur
buried me alive
in the snowstorm in my mind
my thoughts freeze before they hit the ground and shatter
and the snow makes me blind
sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s better to be blind
it was 26 degrees
on the wrong side of zero – wrong side
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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3. |
Mama
04:00
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Mama
My mama raised me up to believe that I am strong
and she raised me up to understand right from wrong
when the day is over and the night can seem so long
she helps me find the strength to carry on
my daddy raised me up to see the beauty in the sky
and he raised me up to never fear asking why
when I stand beside him I feel the wisdom of the years
running through my veins beside his
and now I rock my babes sweetly in my arms
I drink in the pleasures of the journey that I’m on
is this how they felt when I was small?
why does it take so long to know that we have it all?
we raise our children up to believe that they are strong
and they raise us up to show us right from wrong
when the day is over and night can seem so long
we stand together and we are strong – we are strong
we spend a lot of time looking for happiness
when we don’t have to look that far
[mama raised me, mama knows I am strong
mama raised me, mama knows I belong]
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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4. |
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Time Is How You Spend Your Love
JMP and MGG went away on a trip
across the land and over the water
they greeted future sons and daughters
and the clouds were like smoke from a train
and the trees said come back again
with arms open wide to the sky
and the gulls flew in circles above
the fresh new green of their love
and for a while they forgot how to cry
time is how you spend your love
time is how you spend your love
and now they live in a box that’s on top of another box
that’s on top of the box that’s on the bottom
and the dishes pile up in the sink
they don’t have time to think
that dreams are soon forgotten
time is how you spend your love
time is how you spend your love
time – time is how you spend your love
but the clouds were like smoke from a train
and the trees said come back again
with arms spreading wide to the sky
and the gulls flew in circles above
the fresh new green of their love
and for a while they forgot how to cry
time is how you spend your love
time is how you spend your love
time - time is how you spend your love
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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5. |
Im Garten (Nur Ein Wort)
04:45
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Im Garten (nur ein Wort)
Schrieb ich heute nur ein Wort,
so richtig groβ an deinen Gartenzaun
Ich schrieb es glatt ein Meter hoch,
Rosen rankten sich hindurch
Was wӓre wohl mein Wort? Wie erklӓr ich dir meine Welt?
Wann wird sie sich mir offenbaren?
Wӓr mein Wort die Zӓrtlichkeit,
ich malt es gelb so wie Narzissen sind,
Doch wӓr mein Wort die Einsamkeit ich nӓm gewiss ein Blau
Doch hier in dei’m Garten all‘ die Farben uns’rer ganzen Welt
Singen im Chor ein Lied für dich
Ich wollt mein Wort gehaun in Stein,
mit Moos das dicht darüber wӓchst,
Es zeigt der Liebe Gnade die so unendlich ist
Denn hier in dem Garten
umgeben nur von Efeu und grünem Farn
Steht da mein Wort im Mondenschein – Wahrheit
(Translation)
If I wrote a word today
in great big letters on your garden wall
if I wrote them two feet high
let the roses trail through
what would that word be? how do I define my philosophy?
when will it be revealed to me?
if my word was tenderness
I’d paint it yellow like the daffodils
if my word was loneliness I could only paint it blue
but here in the garden all the colours of the universe
sing in one choir a song for you
so let my word be carved in stone
and let the moss grow o’er its’ face
let it be a testament to love’s unending grace
cause here in the garden
surrounded by the ivy and the maidenshead
let the moonlight shine upon my word – truth
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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6. |
Hard Times
03:28
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Hard Times
Down in the dell the farmer sits
kicks off his boots and checks his wits
up in the house the farmer’s wife
cuts off the tails with a carving knife
will it really be this way?
hard times are here to stay
hard times are here to stay
And there he leans upon his axe
no going on no turning back
no matter how much wood is split
the rains won’t come the prices hit
rock bottom and they stay
hard times will be the way
hard times will be the way
How fast the change can come
how soon we come undone
when fortune turns her eye the other way
lady luck has changed her mind
hard times are here to stay
And has it really come to this
this ancient land this hard rock kiss?
stripped of its timeless forest coat
she gave you life but now you float
on the sea of day to day
Hard times are here to stay
hard times are here to stay
hard times are here to stay
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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7. |
Gravenhurst
04:30
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Gravenhurst
It’s early September the light’s getting low
and I miss you baby more than you’ll know
I’m drinking and singing alone with my beer
with just your guitar for company, keeping time with my tears
The whistle across the lake, it sounds so alone
Though some travel aboard the ship it won’t bring you home
And the train in the station just passes on by
You left me in Gravenhurst and I’m wondering why
Oh laya da, daya deeya dee
laya daya da, ya daya dee, ya daya dee
The train in the station just passes on by
You left me in Gravenhurst and I’m wondering why
Are her hands so soft – her face unlined – no grey in her hair?
Has she heard of me or your babies three in that sweet love affair?
Well love’s all fine but it’s the daily grind that puts food on the plate
Oh baby I remember when we just couldn’t wait
Oh laya da, daya deeya dee
laya daya da, ya daya dee, ya daya dee
Well love was fine when you were mine, we thought it was fate
Baby I remember when we just couldn’t wait
Now I’m waiting for morning more days all the same
I took off your wedding ring and I buried your name
Let the angels come and take me now set me down by the sea
cause I’m nothing without you babe -- let me go and be free
Oh laya da, daya deeya dee
laya daya da, ya daya dee, ya daya dee
Let the angels come and take me now set me down by the sea
cause I’m nothing without you babe let me go and be free
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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8. |
Simple
04:56
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Simple
When I am old and grey
will you recall the day
that I gave you my hand
and you took it?
The world is spinning round
yet I just hear the sound
of your heart next to mine
till the end of our time
cause you gave me your hand
On and on and on we go
on and on and on we go now
And how our garden grows
The flowers stand in rows
and the birds come to dine
sing the songs of our time
and the melody rings through the trees
On and on and on we go
on and on and on we go now
But the song is wearing thin
it’s time to start again
It’s simple you say – a few chords, a few words
Music is easy, it’s life that’s hard
And you step away walk away
from the fire that you built
from the hole in the ice
from the flowers that wilt
On –
And I am old I am grey now
I can’t walk so well today now
It’s simple you say and you offer your arm
Walking is easy, it’s life that’s hard
And you hold my hand and we walk to the sun,
together as one
It’s easy – it’s easy
On – on and on and on we go –
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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9. |
Palmteller
04:40
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Palmteller
Palmteller you sit there with golden sequins in your hair
Your bangles they jangle till all the men must stop and stare
A slice across my palm and I am falling in a well
The branches on my lifeline have me heading straight for hell
But your luminous murmuring
brings on a hush brings on the dawn
My gangrenous wretchedness --
we’re thick as thieves we’re golden and gone
Dreamreader, you’re with me - our shadows passing through the wall
You snuff out the candle and bedlam claims us all –
Your luminous murmuring
brings on a hush brings on the dawn
My gangrenous wretchedness --
We’re thick as thieves we’re golden and gone
Soothsayer, your vision is clear behind your clouded eyes
Your black teeth and foul breath can’t hide the truth’s disguise
But one day we will sail across the seven salty seas
And you and I will vanquish day and fall down on our knees
Your luminous murmuring
brings on a hush brings on the dawn
my gangrenous wretchedness
we’re thick as thieves
Your luminous murmuring
brings on a hush brings on the dawn
My gangrenous wretchedness --
We’re thick as thieves --
We’re golden and gone.
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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10. |
Once Upon a Time
05:01
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Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time he asked her to be his wife
once upon a time she told him that’d be nice
but run away she always had to run away
nice isn’t good – good isn’t nice
They lived in a house with roses all around
the neighbours were so nice they thought that true love was found
but run away she always had to run away
footsteps on roses don’t make a sound
In this way the years went by
and in this way she made him cry and he made her cry too
they don’t know what to do – don’t know what to do
Windows’ on the right – door is on the left
escape is everywhere but they are too bereft
And in this way the years went by
in this way the years went by
in this way she made him cry and he made her cry too
they don’t know what to do – don’t know what to do do do do do oh –
Once upon a time seems so long ago
memories are fine but now is all they know
so they’ll stay another day so they’ll find another way
so they’ll stay so they’ll stay another day
so they’ll find another way
once upon a time
once upon a time
Too many words can’t be unsaid
too many wounds can’t be unbled
too many lives can’t be unled
and they’re getting old, yeah, they’re getting old
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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11. |
Dans le Jardin
03:30
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Dans le Jardin
Si je voulais t'écrire un mot
en grandes lettres sur le mur du jardin
et si elles mesuraient deux pieds
que les roses grimpent entre elles
quel serait ce mot? comment pourrait-il me définir?
quand me serait-il révélé?
si ce mot était "tendresse"
je le peindrais jaune comme les jonquilles
si ce mot était "solitude" je ne le peindrais qu'en bleu
mais là, dans le jardin toutes les couleurs de l'univers
chantent en chœur une chanson pour toi
que ce mot soit gravé dans la pierre,
et que la mousse le recouvre entièrement
et qu'il soit un testament de la grâce sans fin de l'amour
car là dans le jardin
entouré de lierre et de virginité
que le clair de lune brille sur ce mot – vérité
(Translation)
If I wrote a word today
in great big letters on your garden wall
if I wrote them two feet high
let the roses trail through
what would that word be? how do I define my philosophy?
when will it be revealed to me?
if my word was tenderness
I’d paint it yellow like the daffodils
if my word was loneliness I could only paint it blue
but here in the garden all the colours of the universe
sing in one choir a song for you
so let my word be carved in stone
and let the moss grow o’er its’ face
let it be a testament to love’s unending grace
cause here in the garden
surrounded by the ivy and the maidenshead
let the moonlight shine upon my word – truth
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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12. |
Hamlet
03:30
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Hamlet
How is it the clouds hang upon you?
how is it the clouds still hang on you?
I am too much in the sun
but break my heart for I must hold my tongue
the time is out of joint
and I have lost all my mirth
doubt that the stars are fire
doubt that the sun moves
doubt the truth the be a liar
but never doubt my love
when sorrows come,
they come not one by one
but in battalions
if it be now tis not to come
tis not to come it will be now
you would play upon me
pluck the heart of my mystery
there is so much music in this organ
yet you cannot make it speak
you may fret me but you cannot play me
when sorrows come,
they come not one by one
but in battalions – battalions
I have bad dreams
I have bad dreams
I have bad dreams
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
(lyrics adapted from William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet)
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13. |
Winter 1819
06:00
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Winter 1819
Through the mist she carried us to the shores of this new land
missing sweet scent of heather and the ones too old to stand
Cast ashore nearing wintertime we gather to our breast
scant supplies but hope abounds and love will do the rest
To the caves to the hillsides and beneath the fallen trees
sheltered there our babies cling to us as we search for food to eat
Through the storm ones in buckskin find us sick and wearing out
bring us fish and ancient medicine for time is running out
Round the fire we gather though our numbers now are few
try to learn the secrets of this place this life anew
In their eyes we see tenderness – all try to understand
we give thanks for our bounty and the peace of this new land
Many years now are over – winter’s terror has no sting
we give thanks now to ancestors to this land did us bring
Here we live in comfort – our children gather round
looking up to the same stars – peace and mercy have we found
(c) 2010 Paisley Jura
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