Live Album

when all that's left to do is 
reflect on what's been done 
this is where sadness breaths 
the sadness of everyone

just like when the guys 
built the dam at otter creek 
and all the water backed up 
deep enough to dive

we took the dead man in sheets to the river 
flanked by love 
deep enough to dive 
deep enough to dive
be here now

we took him there and three 
in a stretcher made from trees 
that had passed in the storm 
leave the hearse behind 
to leave the curse behind
be here now

and to love: a god 
and to fear: a flame 
and to burn a crowd that a name
and to right or wrong 
and to meek or strong 
it is known, just scream it from the wall

I've willed, I've walked, I've read 
I've talked, I know, I know, 
I've been here before

hey, now we won't be raped 
hey, now we won't be scarred like that

it's the sun that burns 
it's the wheel that turns
it's the way we sing that makes 'em dream
and to Christ: a cross 
and to me: a chair 
I will sit and earn the ransom from up here

it's easier not to be wise 
and measure these things by your brains
I sank into Eden with you
alone in the church by and by
I'll read to you here, save your eyes 
you'll need them, your boat is at sea 
your anchor is up, you've been swept away 
and the greatest of teachers won't hesitate
to leave you there, by yourself, chained to fate

I alone love you 
I alone tempt you 
I alone love you 
fear is not the end of this!

it's easier not to be great 
and measure these things by your eyes
we long to be here by his resolve 
alone in the church by and by 
to cradle the baby in space 
and leave you there by yourself chained to fate

oh, now, we took it back too far, 
only love can save us now, 
all these riddles that you burn
all come runnin' back to you, 
all these rhythms that you hide 
only love can save us now, 
all these riddles that you burn yeah, yeah, yeah

I liked the way my hand looked on your head
in the presence of my knuckles 
but the beauty of this vision alone just like yesterday's sunset
has been perverted by the sentimental 
and mistaken for love

the felix of your truth will always break
it and the iris of your eye will always shake it 
and the armies, the armies I have created 
will always hate it 
will always bait you on

I liked the way my hand looked on your head 
in the presence of my struggle 
but the beauty of this vision alone I can't shake from my tree just yet 
it keeps invading all my private moments 
listen to me now

lightning crashes, a new mother cries 
her placenta falls to the floor 
the angel opens her eyes 
the confusion sets in 
before the doctor can even close the door

lightning crashes, an old mother dies 
her intentions fall to the floor 
the angel closes her eyes 
the confusion that was hers 
belongs now, to the baby down the hall

oh now feel it comin' back again 
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind 
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again
I can feel it

lightning crashes, a new mother cries 
this moment she's been waiting for 
the angel opens her eyes 
pale blue colored iris, 
presents the circle 
and puts the glory out to hide, hide

Barbara Lewis (1973-1993)

this is not helping me at all 
what you are doing here
in the name of god and love 
it's the distribution of fear 
pyramids, healing wires, analysts with fame 
I haven't got your degree 
and I forgot your name

pick me up and put me on the ground 
set me up and spin me all around 
no, you are not the one I wish to see

this is not helping me at all where did we get this plan? 
that you could give to me what I might already have
pyramids, healing wires, a musician's fame 
I volunteered you my eyes 
in place of facing me

oh Hitler, in a robe of truth 
my emptiness has built your altar
and I've worshipped myself in you forever
until now!

our love is like water 
pinned down and abused for being strange
our love is no other 
than me alone for me all day 
our love is like water/angels pinned down and abused

all over you, all over me 
the sun, the fields, the sky
I've often tried to hold 
the sea the sun, the fields, the tide 
pay me now, 
lay me down

the weavers live up the street from me
the crackheads, they live down the street from me 
the tall grass makes it hard to see 
beyond my property
hey man, this is criminal, 
this hard line symmetry 
of people and pets

we don't bother anyone
we keep to ourselves 
the mailman visits each of us in turn 

we don't bother anyone 
we keep to ourselves 
the mailman visits each of us in time

gotta live, gotta live, gotta live
in shit towne 
gotta live, gotta live, gotta live
in our town

in the moment I was losing my head 
readin' too much and losin' my head and I was 
reachin' forward, I was already there 
readin' too much and losin' my head
this information caused a cut in the line 
now I'm remembering God and readin' too much 
it's so nice 
the print is smaller than the ants in the grass
I'll have to put it away now

in the morning there are things to be read, 
words to be said, and food to be fed,
but I won't be there 
I'll be clutchin' on a megaphone pointed at my head,
would you be there,
would you kindly, read this word for word 
so loud and clear, 
I can't remember it all, 
it needs to be clear, I tell you, 
if the feeling drops out of your voice, 
would you kindly pick it up

this is how, I'll go out tonight 
dressed in blue, by the book tonight
this is how, I'll go out tonight
but I don't need a book

we're talkin' anchors, talkin' ships, we're talkin' seas, 
we're talkin' everything you need 
you should be workin' now, 
not only askin' how 
and the whereabouts of where you'll be 
I don't suspect you will be thinking 
when the brain is dead 
and the mind has taken over, 
this is a skill, this is not a game, 
where have you been, 
are you with us? 
can you hear us? 
got the megaphone pointed at you

I wanna feel 
I wanna try
I wanna rock in the city tonight 
I wanna deal 
don't wanna die 
I wanna bring my captain hook into the light

people I've seen my day
ranting and raving this beauty away
we are by and large the same 
but words are too feeble, they cannot contain

he was a "rock and roll messiah" 
she was known for her childcare 
the truth is gonna give up the world 
if you can give up the stage 
if I can give up the stage
if we can give up the stage

come to this, 
I can't come to you don't do this, 
wake me up tonight 
come to this, 
I can't come to you don't do this, 
wake me up tonight 

(ps do not drive and swear!)

come on baby leave some change behind 
she was a bitch, but I don't care
she brought our food out on time 
and wore a funky barrette in her hair

come on baby leave some change behind 
she was a bitch but good enough
to leave some change, 
everybody's good enough for some change

the girl's got family
she needs cash to buy aspirin for her pain, 
everybody's good enough for some change

we all get the flu, 
we all get aids 
we've got to stick together after all, 
everybody's good enough for some change, 
SOME FUCKING CHANGE!!!

warm bodies, I sense 
are not machines that can only make money 
past, perfect, tense
words for a feeling and all I've discovered 
I'll be along son with medicine supposed to, 
designed to make you high
I'll be along son 
with words for a feeling and all I've discovered

old, bad eyes 
old, bad eyes 
old, bad eyes

on loneliness comes 
go see the foreman, go see the profiteer 
on loneliness drives 
we're takin' our time movin' shit for this holy slime

old, bad eyes 
old, bad eyes 
old, bad eyes, almighty fear

the shepherd won't leave me alone 
he's in my face and I 
the shepherd of my days 
and I want you here by my heart and my head, 
I can't start till I'm dead 

Background Lyrics:
here I am locking horns with the stallion
failing to hold my head up, I'll go back again
pillar of davidson feeling to hard to go down
cheaper than all souls he will walk upon
deeper and deeper in love so I hold my head up
cheaper than all souls he will walk upon
pillar of davidson feeling to hard to go down

I talk of freedom 
you talk of the flag 
I talk of revolution 
you'd much rather brag 
and as the decibels of this disenchanting discourse 
continue to dampen the day

the coin flips again and again, and again, and again 
as our sanity walks away
all this discussion though politically correct
is dead beyond destruction 
though it leaves me quite erect 

and as the final sunset rolls behind the earth 
and the clock is finally dead 
I'll look at you, you'll look at me 
and we'll cry a lot 
but this will be what we said 
this will be what we said

Look where all this talking got us, baby

all the things that they make you say
and all of the love that you hide away 
I'll pick you up and it will be all right
I'll pick you up and it will be tonight 

she rode a horse into my head
she won't discipline the children 
and now they're running wild on the beach
and I don't care 
oh, I don't care 
no I don't care hey, hey, hey

it's the middle of the night and you're here
playing dominoes and drinking beer 
I tried to think of something deep to say 
but my well is dripping dry today, hey 
hey, hey, hey