Freedom Was

don’t want to think about you trying then kneeling at the altar of our past to grieve the lie 
I’m poisoned by this image of a life with someone else holding you saying “it’s alright, time won you over too” 

freedom was and now it’s gone away 
tears did fall, they fell down from your face 

well I’m thinking ‘bout you now driving round with my brother 
don’t know that he understands how hard it is to let you go 
got a pen in my hand, think I’ll move it to the other 
don’t know what I’m gonna write only hope it pulls me closer to you 

freedom was and now it’s gone away 
tears did fall, they fell down from your face 

but that was a long time ago when your eyes were on me and we weren’t on this telephone saying it is better now that we are on our own 
I tell you now that cuts me straight down to the bone even though I said it with you 

freedom was and now it’s gone away 
tears did fall, they fell down from your face


Shida

my visit is a gift, most miss the calling 
my whisper is so light to hear it is hard 
here’s another chance, wind’s changed it flowing 
one jump to jump this fence you built round the yard 
with no sound I made my exit you turned your head too long 

I put my faith in you now night is falling 
and so I search for you inside my yard 
I’ve seen you here before oh thankful feeling 
oh God I pray that you let peace come 
with no sound you made your exit I turned my head too long 

shida inke inhie eh ka ono 
beke eba ewoh min toh woh boh 
shida inkebuh inhie eh ka ono 
numo, chwah! amañabah 

handed another day, mind and heart are waring 
one has a lot to say, the other is calm 
the final outcome lies with you, this I’m hoping 
oh God I pray that you let peace come 
with no sound you made your exit I turned my head too long 

shida inke inhie eh ka ono 
beke eba ewoh min toh woh boh 
shida inkebuh inhie eh ka ono 
numo, chwah! amañabah 

(translation of chorus) 

thanks, I put my faith in you 
night is falling so I turn to you 
thank you, I say that my faith is in you 
dear Lord, let peace come


Grandfather Clocks

grandfather clocks, time in two beats 
why am I alone father, why must I be? 
quiet and discreet; burn with tempered heat? 
children are at play and I want to be with them in the streets 

hey there big man framed in the clouds 
I am tired of how strong and proud you are 
turning away, turning ‘round when I ask you what it’s all about 

walking back and forth, to and fro 
I believe that’s from the Book of Job 
pacing like a lion, defending my pride 
don’t look too long upon me 
don’t cross the line! 

I am a siren calling from the deep, begging for mercy to stand me on my feet 
I come to share a song, one minute on the waves then gone 
sailors pay me with their lives, I put these pennies in the jar 
and I know that they want to meet with me 
and though there’s so much tragedy in the method that they chose 
still feel it’s better that we not meet on the shore 

walking back and forth, to and fro 
I believe that’s from the Book of Job 
pacing like a lion, defending my pride 
don’t look too long upon me 
don’t cross the line! 

spheres are buzzing with a sound 
rattling, rolling and the source can’t be found 
just underneath, hey, just out of reach 
stop watching TV, listen, stop tapping your feet 

if we concentrate I am sure we can find the cause of uneasiness in the heart of mine 
turning away from father time with one word on my lips and that word is “why” 

walking back and forth, to and fro 
I believe that’s from the Book of Job 
pacing like a lion, defending my pride 
don’t look too long upon me 
don’t cross the line!


This Is The One

this is the one, this is the one, this is the one day you can’t get me to run 

won’t be moved along 
I’m here to finish what I came to do 
today I can’t be dissuaded 
I can’t be put down 
fire your warning shot across my bow 
I don’t see the danger where you want me to 
and I don’t see how you can unseat my resolve 

used to bow down in my own home 
you are the ruler of a doomed dominion that I must dethrone 
didn’t used to feel a part of it so i let you run the show 
now this is the one, the one day, you can’t get me to run no, no 

learned along the way I can never win 
love and understanding, patience wearing thin 
slapped me in the face and now you’re the victim 
there’s something wrong here 
learned along the way I can never win 
love and understanding, patience wearing thin 
fog rolled in and now it’s slowly burning off


Phony Hat

here comes the man with the phony hat on telling us what to do 
when the day is done you'll be made a man of, or at the very least 
a spoke in the wheel that rolls the cannon 
look sharp coming through, and don’t you stop until his hands up! 

left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, don’t you stop ‘til I say stop 

gone are the old days 
gone are the old days 
they’re underneath the whip that they carry 

four star general, the private men 
they are wearing the phony hat 
politicians on us grow fat 
they are wearing the phony hat 
white shirt, red tie, ironed slacks 
they are wearing the phony hat 
media with the circus act 
they are wearing the phony hat 
where do they get the power at? 
you’re looking at, you’re looking at 
phony hats, phony hats, we are wearing the phony hats! 

gone are the old days 
we’re underneath the whip that they carry under the phony hat


I Don't Mean to Stare

when the fish doesn’t bite and the wind doesn’t come 
and the water is poisoned by the rust in the drum 
and you’re far out to sea, not a soul knows you’re there 
in a boat that you built with your hands that were bare 
with your hands that were bare 

well I don’t mean to stare but you all seem to know something I don’t 
was I missing when it was told? well I won’t ask you even so 

the meat on my bones is not with my head 
I am off on an astral plane while my body reads in bed 
the story is ancient, another human on a quest 
I am tired of dreaming, lift this weight from my chest 
lift this weight from my chest 

well I don’t mean to stare but you all seem to know something I don’t 
was I missing when it was told? well I won’t ask you even so 

to the beacon of light, I am traveling there 
I am waiting for no one, I’m feeling no fear 
I’m stripped of my armor, there is nothing left to fight 
I am traveling yonder to the beacon of light 
to the beacon of light 

well I don’t mean to stare but you all seem to know something I don’t 
was I missing when it was told? well I won’t ask you even so


Sweet Girl

when I was young I didn’t understand why people act as they do
then I got older and I joined the plan, their secrets gave way to some major clues 

and if my two feet fail me now I’ll be fine 
I’ve walked through a valley where sweeter than wine 
flows a river, I drink my fill every time until I am satisfied by my 

sweet, sweet, sweet girl 
you got sugar all over my fingers and I don’t know what to do with it 
sweet, sweet, sweet girl 
taking all my time up, but that’s alright I’m doing fine 

when I’m given all my choices, I like to be where it’s warm 
so to my surroundings I pay attention, seek the sunny spots, for me that’s not a chore 

so when I saw you I knew why I had been born 
to conquer and worship all of your form 
gives me what I need, still I need leaving more 
and it takes a special moment for my 

sweet, sweet, sweet girl 
you got sugar all over my fingers and I don’t know what to do with it 
sweet, sweet, sweet girl 
taking all my time up, but that’s alright I’m doing fine 

and if my two feet fail me now I’ll be fine 
I’ve walked through a valley where sweeter than wine 
flows a river, I drink my fill every time until I am satisfied by my 

sweet, sweet, sweet girl 
you got sugar all over my fingers and I don’t know what to do with it 
sweet, sweet, sweet girl 
taking all my time up, but that’s alright I’m doing fine


We All

every night I dream the same 
red and green and not a change 
no book has told me the meaning 
though many they try to claim 
I might be the stable servant 
I might be behind the reins 
but in this dream, of this certain 
I don’t get to know your name 

I’m looking for my own Joseph 
but not on the road traveling 
remember he gave dreams meaning 
long before they parted the sea 
but I’m not a great big pharaoh 
I don’t have the world to sell 
just give me a modern-day hero 
come to life from the fairy tales 

we all, we all, we all dance and sing to the rhythm 
it’s a heed to the call, that’s just the way things are 

we all walk in big grooved circles 
harnessed up to pump at the well 
we all wear our bits and blinders 
humid air, flies, swishing tails 
you may pity the beast of burden 
but in me I know there's one 
promise me, I keep working 
for the day that will never come 

we all, we all, we all dance and sing to the rhythm 
it’s a heed to the call, that’s just the way things are 

we all 
ostrich heads in the sand 
we all 
escape over sea or land 
we all 
don’t talk about it, it’s coming back 
we all 
don’t ask cuz answer we can’t


Far From Me

out on your own going through hard time too dark to see 
leave the light on only you can allow the wounds to heal 
drops too deep, walk a fine line, falling down 
introduced to the great unknown heat 

heat in the kitchen, you’re gonna get burned 
another hard lesson, another page to turn 
out on a mission you never did find 
must a missed something, better rewind 
heat in the kitchen, you’re gonna get burned 
another hard lesson, another page to turn 
hard on your way, indolence, cold, reticence pushing you 

far from me 

against all odds generously you were given a gift you never did see 
racing thoughts that riddle the mind stir it all up when you’re in it alone 
into the web you fall involved in solving the problems you wove 
into the web you fall involved in solving the problems you wove 

don’t know what they do 
they’re as random as am I 
chaos is the cause and the rest is me 
caught up in my time as it rushes to a close 
take me to the shore from a restless sea 

heat in the kitchen, you’re gonna get burned 
another hard lesson, another page to turn 
out on a mission you never did find 
must a missed something, better rewind 
heat in the kitchen, you’re gonna get burned 
another hard lesson, another page to turn 
hard on your way, indolence, cold, reticence pushing you 

racing thoughts that riddle the mind


Por Favor Querida

she walks as a princess, I walk with disease 
I must go to find her with sound mind and peace 
if she lets me see her I will be as a king 
calmly stand before her and begin to sing 

por favor querida, no me dejes como asi 
por favor querida, no me dejes solo aqui 
por favor querida, no me dejes solo aqui 
por favor querida 

ella camina como princesa, camino con la soledad 
debo ir para encontrarle con mi alma en paz 
si ella me deja ver su cara yo me sentire como un rey 
tranquilo yo me acerco a ella y le cantare esta cancion 

please dear don’t leave me alone here like this 
please dear don’t leave me alone here like this 
por favor querida, no me dejes como asi 
por favor querida


Redemption Song

old pirates yes they rob I, sold I from the merchant ship 
minutes after they took I from the bottomless pit 
but my hands were made strong by the hands of the almighty 
we forward in this generation triumphantly 

won’t you help to sing these songs of freedom 
all I ever had, redemption songs 
these songs of freedom 

emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind 
have no fear for atomic energy cuz none of them can stop the time 
how long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look? 
some say it’s just a part of it, we’ve got to fullfill the book 

won’t you help to sing these songs of freedom 
all I ever had, redemption songs 
these songs of freedom 

in every way now, in everyday now 

emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind 
have no fear for atomic energy cuz none of them can stop the time 
how long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look? 
some say it’s just a part of it, we’ve got to fulfill the book 

won’t you help to sing, please, these songs of freedom, yeah! 
they’re all I ever had, all I ever had 
redemption songs, please, these songs of freedom, yeah 
they’re all I ever had, they’re all I ever had, all I ever had 
redemption songs


Hold Your Fire

I had a trip in San Diego, the night went down like a video game 
I never reached the controls, I let others play it 
I’ve driven through God’s country, in the back seat where I lay 
I vaguely remember conversations that had something to do with my fate 

when did you slip the blindfold on? 
Hold your fire! 
feel like I should have caught on 
Hold your fire! Hold your fire! 

I have a dish in San Francisco, I can taste it when I close my eyes 
taste is different every time, hope the day never comes when they get it right 
out here nothing pleases the taste buds, the grass is greener on the other side 
of this big country, I hitched a ride, ended up just waiting in line 

when did you slip the blindfold on? 
Hold your fire! 
feel like I should have caught on 
Hold your fire! Hold your fire! 

you’ve been gone a long, long time, haven’t done that much with my life 
but I could tell you a long, long story that would bring tears to your eyes 
rented a room in Santa Barbara nine years ago to the day 
walked the boardwalk, cast two shadows, didn’t have a whole lot to say 

when did you slip the blindfold on? 
Hold your fire! 
feel like I should have caught on 
Hold your fire! Hold your fire!


Gone Fishing

gone fishing, fishing in my pond 
gone fishing, it’s a thing of which I’m fond 
I jump over that hill that’s just beyond them trees 
gone fishing and I’m whistling a song 

it’s not that I’m not social but I sure would be obliged 
if you waited here on the porch and didn’t come wailing by 
you see this is the one part of the week where it’s me, myself and I 
so grab yourself a lemonade and rest your feet a while 

gone fishing, gone fishing in my pond 
gone fishing, it’s a thing of which I’m fond 
I jump over that hill that’s just beyond them trees 
gone fishing and I’m whistling me a song 

this is my own personal Eden, wholesome, living and clean 
the water is teeming with trout that’s jumping just for me 
there is no place on earth where I feel such peace of mind 
if the lord chose to take me now I’d go off to his side 

first thing you’ll see is my nappy head of hair 
next thing my body will surely soon appear 
coming over that hill, if it’s not too dark a time 
you’ll also see upon my face a smile a half mile wide 

cuz I’ve gone fishing, gone fishing in my pond 
I’m gone fishing, it’s a thing of which I’m fond 
just over that hill that’s just beyond them trees 
gone fishing, I gone fishing 
gone fishing and I’m whistling me a song