1. |
Say She's Wrong
03:21
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She says Heaven is a hot dog cart
In the middle of a city block with sauerkraut and peppers
The blue and the clouds as they ought to be
Who am I to say she's wrong?
She says Heaven's the archangel on the corner
With a banjo and a gritty voice, a cinder block to sit on
Those bare feet and that handsome chin
Who am I to say she's wrong?
The busker's case propped open with a stick
Inside it's an outer space galaxy of nickels and dimes
He's singing out a hymn to his hurried congregation
About “Oo-oo child, oo-oo”
She says they say Heaven is a far away “Fly, fly away”
She says how come she can see it peeking through the cracks of every single day?
She says Heaven is a hopscotch easy walk
A park bench pew, a crocus cup, a chapel choir of chickadees
And time to turn the gospel in her mind
Who am I to say she's wrong?
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2. |
A Little
03:45
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A little too much let down lately,
A little too much uphill,
A little too much running late lately,
I think I’ve had my fill
I need a little sun on my face,
I need a little wind at my back,
I need a little something to set me right,
I need a little you
A little too long since the rain blew in,
A little too much chill,
A little too long since winter set in,
Until my heart stands still
A little sitting still, a little rest,
A little quiet, a little trust,
A little listening, leaning on you,
A little something true
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3. |
Maybe One Time
03:57
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I’ve never felt this way before -
Never felt such scintillation;
Never been lost in eyes before -
Never drowned in pooled perfection;
Well, maybe one time, in a dream
I’ve never touched this way before -
Never with such fascination;
I’ve never heard your voice before -
Never heard such invitation;
Well maybe one time, in a dream
A dream I know I must have had one day,
A dream that all too quickly slipped away,
A dream I only can remember when,
When I feel this way
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4. |
Summer Breeze
03:48
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Tell me, can you keep a secret, summer breeze?
I hear you dancing ‘round up there in the leaves
I know you really love to whisper but I ask you please
Don’t tattle on my love and I
Summer breeze, I’m glad you came for the ride
Down the path along the riverside
Now we parked our bikes and found a place to hide
Don’t tattle on my love and I
We found the perfect spot to be
Cool and soft beneath a shady tree
We’ve got a blanket and a basket and an afternoon
And no one knows but you
Summer breeze, you’ve got things to do
You won’t linger like we’re going to
But when you get to where you’re going and you pass on through
Don’t tattle on my love and I
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5. |
Just Ask Him
04:07
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He grew up free and farming, never wanted to live in town,
But you can’t farm with old knees and a back that’s breaking down,
Sold up and took a mainstreet flat, two storeys from the earth,
Going down and up those damn stairs is a good day’s work.
Warm evenings he plants himself out on the concrete steps,
His back against the brick wall, and a smoke between his lips,
While all them pretty city-faced newcomers go strolling by,
And he frowns, and flicks his cigarette, and curses out a sigh.
But just you ask him where the coffee’s good on a Monday morning
Just you ask him where the fish’ll bite when the river’s running low,
Just you ask him who’s an honest man and who you should be scorning,
‘Cause there’s nothing, not much he doesn’t know
He’s got no use for much pretentious, for suits and all of that,
He wears the same old denim shirt, blue jeans and Massey hat,
He don’t like feeling useless, like he’s two steps from the tomb,
But he’ll never curse with a lady or a preacher in the room.
But just you ask him…
His whole life born and bred, north of town near the wood,
Learning how to work to live in the days when he still could,
He grew and married and fathered, loved the best he knew how,
But that was then, this is now.
He watches all those strangers fill his streets more every year,
Wearing shiny shoes they sure as hell didn’t get no place ‘round here,
Buying what they call antiques from where the dairy used to be,
Looking at him like he’s just part of the scenery.
But just you ask him…
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6. |
Come To Get Me
02:52
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I wish that cloud would come to get me
Swing low lift me, Come to get me
Wish that cloud would come to get me
Fly me to see what I dream I’d see
‘Cause that cloud’s making me want to
To be breathless way up there
Wish that cloud would come to get me
Come to take me who knows where
I could get there if I tried
I suppose, I suppose
There are ways I could get there
I suppose, I suppose
I’d just walk away from the shade tree overhead
Say goodbye to the tickling grass that’s cradling my head
And this loves me, loves me not
Loves me, loves me not
Loves me, loves me not daisy
And dreaming….
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7. |
Bully Wind
03:57
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Bully wind, quit pushing me around
All I’m trying to do is keep my feet on the ground
Bully wind, don’t hardly seem fair
You push my hat down in my eyes, lift the eagle in the air
I want you at my back, you’re in my face
I don’t want you at all, you’re all over the place
Bully wind, bully wind, won’t you please get gone
Put my best boots on and started on my way
How was I to know you’d treat me this way?
Bully wind, quit pushing me around
All I’m trying to do is keep my feet on the ground
Bully wind, don’t hardly seem fair
You push my hat down in my eyes, lift the eagle in the air
I want you at my back, you’re in my face
I don’t want you at all, you’re all over the place
Bully wind, bully wind, won’t you please get gone
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8. |
Kinda Like An Apple
04:01
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Ya know what it’s like?
It’s kinda like an apple
Kinda like an apple that still remembers the tree
‘Cause ya know an apple
Is a long time coming
From the blossom to the plucking
From the dream to me
From the first look to the reach, touch, hold, and taste what true can be
It’s kinda like that,
This you and me
Doesn’t it remind you of a sweet and saucy morsel of sunshine?
A moment on the lips, it's a kick, it's a trip to that sweet spot in your mind
Can't you just savour every waiting moment making it finer fine?
And now, now, now, oh my, ain't it kinda divine?
Doesn’t it remind you of a sweet and saucy morsel of sunshine?
A moment out of time, to a fine fine wine, to that sweet spot in your mind
Can't you just savour every waiting moment making it finer fine?
And now, now, now, oh my, ain't it kinda divine?
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9. |
Starlight Call
04:00
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Starlight calls me and I shiver, shimmer
Dreams and daring dancing down my spine
'Til my soul is Jacob's ladder
I'm climbing on a song my ears can't hear
And I'm soaring, somersaulting, dizzy and free
I'm braver and I'm brighter than I ever thought to be
When starlight, starlight, starlight calls
My starlight, starlight, starlight call you are.
Torchlight calls me and I'm gone and gallivanting
A road I've never seen or been before
The lantern knows there's one more step
One turning, one more sight to see
And I must, I'm wanderlusting, trusting the light to lead
More turned around, more lost, more found than I ever thought to be
When torchlight, torchlight, torchlight calls
My torchlight, torchlight, torchlight call you are
So shine for me
Shine for me
Hearthlight calls me and I'm homeward, heartward heading
Voices, places, faces I'm recalled
There's a door I have a key to
And a smile that has the key to me
I'll be sleepy settled, cupped and kettled, all-the-outs-in-free
More welcome and more welcoming than I ever thought to be
When hearthlight, hearthlight, hearthlight calls
My hearthlight, hearthlight, hearthlight call you are.
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10. |
Nana
04:27
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Nana takes the flowers I brought and puts them in a jam jar on the windowsill
Just like always
Nana says she loves them and that cornflowers are her favourite and how did I know
Just like always
Nana sits across from me and pours two cups of tea and asks me how I've been
Just like always
Nana smiles and listens warm and dear and laughs and calls me by my mother's name
Nana doesn't know me anymore
Nana says her husband Jack is funny and he loves the kids, they have five kids
I remember Grampa
Nana sighs and says I'm pretty, what's my name again, I say I'm Charlotte's girl
Nana doesn't know me anymore
But I know her, she's always been beautiful
Nana says somebody brought her cornflowers, aren't they lovely on the windowsill
I say, yes they're lovely
Nana takes my hand and says it's good of me to come, what was my name again
Nana doesn't know me anymore
But I know her, she's always been beautiful
I know her, she's always been beautiful,
I know her
Nana smiles and listens warm and dear and laughs and calls me by my mother's name
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11. |
Just 'Til Dawn
04:34
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Take me in, I've been out there being brave
Battles fought, barely won, barely saved
Let me hear the door shut behind me
Firm in the face of what's followed me home
Let it wait, Just 'til dawn, just 'til dawn
Pour a glass that will burn going down
Flood my skin with that homefire found
Slake my thirst, ease my shoulders
Let vigilance melt with a trusting sigh
Let it wait, Just 'til dawn, just 'til dawn
Morning comes soon enough
And I’m not as tough as I thought I was
Let me dream, under weaving warm
Quilted peace, thick and heavier than storm
On a pillow my neck has known before
In sheets my toes can remember
Let it wait, Just 'til dawn, just 'til dawn.
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12. |
Stand Tall
04:17
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Stand tall, turn your face into the wind and stand tall
I’ll stand beside you, walk beside you
Stand tall, if you can, stand tall
Stand tall, straighten your cap, square your shoulders, stand tall
I’ll stand beside you, walk beside you
Stand tall, if you can, stand tall
Stand tall, blink the rain out of your eyes, and stand tall
I’ll stand beside you, walk beside you
Stand tall, and if you can’t, then fall
If you fall, remember fallen’s not forever, if you fall
I’ll stand beside you, stay beside you
Just fall, then when you can, stand
Stand tall, turn your face into the wind and stand tall
I’ll stand beside you, walk beside you
Stand tall, if you can, stand tall
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13. |
To Be Two
03:41
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Don’t say it’s time to go home yet,
Hold my hand while the moon comes up
This is as sweet as things can get,
Walk with me as the sun goes down
While we still have time to be two
While we still have time to be two
Wandering together fits me fine,
Hold my hand while the moon comes up
Feeling the way your stride suits mine
Walk with me as the sun goes down
While we still have time to be two
While we still have time to be two
Take a slow deep breath
Take a slow deep breath
Take a slow deep kiss if you want to
If you say will then I just might
Hold my hand while the moon comes up
Tomorrow is miles from tonight
Walk with me as the sun goes down
While we still have time to be two
While we still have time to be two
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14. |
Where I Want
01:54
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Where I want to be right now -
Up to a little no good
Doing what I want to
Not so much what I should
Where I want to be right now -
Someplace I’m not s’posed to be
Not even trying to behave
Dancing diagonally
Up to my knees in trouble
Splashing with both hands
Pockets full of plunder
And contraband
Make a little mischief
Turn some heads
Throw a handful of pebbles
And watch the ripples spread
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15. |
Little Heart
03:30
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A little heart can love like no great one ever can
‘Cause a little heart sees wonders done by ordinary hands
Working everyday miraculous impossibilities
Like a birthday candle, a jelly sandwich, a bandaid knee
And that little heart grows.
A little heart finds safety in two so much bigger arms
Never knowing that they tremble as they keep away the harm
That they’re more afraid of losing, loosing or letting go
Than all the monsters underneath the bed that little heart might know
And that little heart grows.
A little heart grows older, bolder, colder as it goes
A little heart forgets the more, the more and more it knows
What’s impossible, what can’t be kept and what it is to sigh
‘Till that little heart lies lonely under years gone by
But that little heart can waken when it’s grown and looking down
Into mirror eyes of need and trust when the love comes back around
To what it is to be the looking up one, reaching to me
For a birthday candle, a jelly sandwich, a bandaid knee
‘Cause that little heart grows.
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16. |
Two Inches From Home
04:52
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Someday someone will open that door
Draw him into the warmth he's been starving for
And she'll say his name and she'll say so much more
The smell of enough will fill his breath like before
He can see it now,
See it somehow
Though he's still
Two inches from home, curled in the doorway
Two inches from home, dreaming deep in the cold
'Cause it's one door too many
that will only open from inside
Someday someone will smile and say
“It's all over now”, close the door against yesterday
Hold him and whisper the winter away
With warm words from warm lips, and hands she says “Stay”
He can see it now,
See it somehow,
Though he's still
Two inches from home, curled in the doorway
Two inches from home, dreaming deep in the cold
'Cause it's one door too many
that will only open from inside
He's been outside too long, too inches from home
He hasn't always been out here alone,
hasn't always been poor
But he can't tell the difference
between memories and hope anymore
All he knows is someday someone, one day
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17. |
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Please don't sit on my ukulele
That's his chair, way over there
It's got his favourite cushy cushion where he lays his weary headstock
At the end of the day
So, please don't sit on my ukulele
Honey, come and settle next to me
I know I've been playing, I've been working
Just to learn something new
Seems my fingers, they have had enough of notes and numbers
Now they want to hold hands with you
So, please don't sit on my ukulele
Honey, come and settle next to me
I've been busy, so have you
Now the busy busy day is o'er
Much as I love my ukulele
I love you a whole lot more
We can...
We can...
We could even...
'Til the evening's done
So, please don't sit on my ukulele
Honey, come and settle next to me
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Ruth Wilkinson Port Hope, Ontario
Proud mom of two sons, wife of one husband.
Waitress, bartender,
magician's
assistant, medical secretary,
nurse’s aide, bookkeeper, short order cook, landscaper, cafeteria lady, singer, songwriter.
Travelled by train, plane, bus, canoe, tractor, motorcycle,
horse and cow.
Writer, singer, pianist, bassist, uker, storyteller,
puppeteer and failed soccer coach.
Occasional baker.
... more
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