Lyrics

Songs on Better Late Than Never CD (all songs copyright Terry Scott):

Room With a View
When she was a young girl she lived in her dreams
Of what she might do with her life
So many ideas swam 'round in her head
She hardly could sleep at night
She might be a dancer or a singer of songs
and maybe somebody's wife
She might be a pilot and soar through the clouds
Or be a doctor and save someone's life

Chorus:
'Cause, hey, when that brand new life calls you
You know you pack your bags and you run
And, hey, don’t that new life sparkle just like a diamond
Beneath that golden sun
Beneath that golden sun

Well she grew up strong and she grew up fine
Living her life day by day
And though she still dreamed of things she might do
The time just kept slipping away
'Til one day it hit her from out of the blue
Like a jolt straight to her heart
That if she really wanted to change her world
It was getting past time to start

Well it’s been seven years since she took the risk
To make her dreams come true
She's inventing her life one sweet step at a time
Aiming for a room with a view
And sometimes in the stillness just before dawn
She thinks about all she's been through
And if you were to ask if she’d do it all again
Her answer would ring sure and true

It’s Your Life
The ‘lectricity sang on the overhead wire
Bells rang in the distance from a church house spire
as a fat city pigeon struggled to fly higher
And with a flash of awareness that burned like a fire
I thought to myself…
Girl, you’re a liar

Well you call yourself a writer but you don’t ever write
You say you want balance yet you’re spoilin’ for a fight
And you’re often lonely though he’s beside you at night
And if you had one more chance you could just get it right
But this ain’t a dress rehearsal
Woman, it’s your life

If you lost those 10 pounds, you’d be quite a sight
With a little more time you could fight urban blight
And if you had some more money you could make it all right
“if only, if only…” you’d soar like a kite
Well it might not be perfect,
but woman, it’s your life
Yeah, woman it’s your life
Hey, woman it’s your life….

I Tried
Flock of parrots in the trees overhead
Makes me think of you
And all those warm nights down in Mexico
When our love was still new
But now you’re working half a world away
in the cold London rain
And I’m thinking I might not be here
When you come back again

Chorus:
Cause love, my love, you know I tried
To give you your freedom, coolly stepped aside
But love, my love, the truth is I lied
Thinking I could live this way

I should have seen it down in Mexico
with your freewheelin’ ways
But I got caught up in the force that is you
When you set my bones ablaze
And somehow ‘neath that white hot sun
Seemed like we’d never end
Guess I’s reachin’ for a part of myself
That got left behind some bend

I’m Going to Leave You
It’s after midnight, you’re still at the bar
And I’m laying here listening for the sound of your car
But it’s quiet tonight in this dusty old town
Just the lonesome whistle of a train heading south
It’s been eight long years, where did our love go?
You’ve turned into someone I no longer know
And I guess you might say the same’s true of me
And it sure turned out harder than we thought it would be

Chorus:
And as I lay here awake in the dark
I know things that I don’t want to know deep in my heart
Like I’m going to leave you, it’s just a matter of time
Just as sure as that train’s going to roll down the line

Our baby’s curled up asleep in the bed
Small fingers still clutching the story we read
And, God, I wish I could spare him this pain
But my hope’s as dried up as last winter’s rain
I’m hurt and angry and feeling confused
There’s so much at stake, and we all stand to lose
And it’d be so easy to blame it all on the booze
But we both know that wouldn’t be the whole truth

I wish I could be on that train heading out
Away from this hurting and fear and doubt
You know I’d ride it straight through to the morning light
But it still wouldn’t block out the truth of the night

The Ticket
I met a woman on the road
she was just passing through
when I asked her how she picked her path
She said, “to your heart be true.”
Well, it seems she’d been traveling
the back roads of Idaho
And hearing her stories
made me long for the open road

Chorus:
But the ticket to the freedom of the open road
is bought with the treasures of home
It’s a hell of a choice to have to make
when what you really want is both

I gave her a ride in my old truck
to the crossroads outside town
I was heading home for the night
but she was Baja-bound
And though we lead two different lives
with different twists and bends
We sailed down that two-lane
like two old friends

Maybe she’ll do a dance for me
on the beaches of Mexico
I’ll rock a baby for her in the night
as the dawn begins to glow
And though we each have our sacred dreams
held fast inside
Whoever said you could have it all
well, you know they lied

Maybe we’ll meet up 50 years from now
when we’re both old and gray
trading stories from rocking chairs
as the daylight slips away
And I hope to God neither one of us
will look back on it all
and wish that things had turned out
different somehow

Closing of the Day
When I was 17, you set out on your own
Traveling north in search of truth, a bedroll for your home
I wish I'd had your courage, I wish I'd had your faith
And do you ever think of me at the closing of the day?

Postcards and letters couldn't bind me to you
Bits and pieces of your life came floating through
Hard I've tried to picture you in some faraway place
But the image always fades into shadows on your face

And me I stayed in our hometown, married at 19
Bobby's still a mechanic down at Burke's Gasoline
And I guess we've made a pretty good life, the kids are almost grown
But cold winter days my mind still strays to that summer you left home

Now twenty years have come and gone, my forehead's lined and creased
Last I heard you’d packed your dreams and then you headed East
Tom Wolfe says you can't go back, not sure I'd want to be that young
I just wonder if you think of me when your day is done

If I could send you a letter, not sure just what I'd say
Maybe that I think of you and the heart you gave
You came to me so sweet and tender, that's how I'll remember you
I just wonder if you think of me when your day is through...

Do you ever think of me like I think of you?

The Beauty & the Curse
The waves are crashing hard tonight
the sound rolls ‘cross the dune
It’s two AM and I can’t find sleep
in the soft light of the moon
A car rolls by in the dark outside
another restless soul
looks like there’s no peace tonight
in this bed or on that road

Chorus:
Sometimes you just don’t know
How it all will end
Guess that’s the beauty and the curse
That makes us try again

Nighttime fears and daytime dreams
chase each other in my head
the sheets are twisted and in a mess
from their fight in my bed
my heart says go-- the waves are green
but the taillights were red
Should I take it as some kind of a sign?
God, I need some rest

Bridge:
When did I start to think this much?
When did the stakes get so high?
I used to leap before I’d look
Trust in hello instead of goodbye

Nana’s Song
Spring rains have blown in on the wind
The flowers she planted are blooming again
The old house is silent as a long lost friend
Soon someone new will move in
And though it’s been many years since I left
And I’ve traveled down many a road
In my mind, it’s her and this old house
That I picture when I think of home

My grandpa built this house for his bride
She lived here more than seventy years
And he made it with hand tools, and love and pride
It’s seen its share of laughter and tears
The way that it smelled when I was a kid
Still seems so real today
Cinnamon applesauce, coffee on the stove
The scent of love don’t fade away

My hand prints are pressed in the driveway outside
Guess I must have been about three
And inside are pencil marks on the wall
To measure my brother and me
She loved all of us and this old wood house
With a heart that was made out of gold
It’s hard to believe she’s really gone
Oh, Nana, I miss you so

In my own home I have some of her things
An afghan she knitted by hand
A faded photo of her wedding day
And in the pantry, some homemade jam
And though her house now sits all alone
And these mementos will fade with time
The love that she planted so long ago
Grows strong as a honeysuckle vine

Homeless
I was starin’ at the rain
Through the window of the Winchell’s Shop
My hands wrapped tight around
The warmth of a styrofoam cup
And it was then that I saw her
As she made her way to the door
Well she blew right in
With a cold gust of wind
Dropped her bags on the floor

Chorus:
She’s homeless
Do you look right through her?
Do you tell yourself it must be her fault?

She spent the past 3 nights
At a shelter down on South Main
Told the lady working there
That Sally was her name
She’d had some trouble back home
Her step-daddy said she was to blame
So she left last fall
From a town near St. Paul
Said she was needing a change

As I headed out the door
She asked if I could spare a buck
When I reached in my pocket
Her eyes never even looked up
And the last that I saw her
She was shiverin’ out in the rain
She’s a hard luck case
In a hard luck town
Filled with too much pain

The End of the Line
Billy’s 19 but tells folks he’s 22
He came here from Memphis with just his clothes and his shoes
We work together at Caesar’s-- he parks cars, I serve drinks
Days off he’s out at Lake Mead, says the quiet helps him think
With a cold beer at sunset ‘neath that endless Western sky
He can picture it so clearly when he closes his eyes
Dreams of dealing Blackjack, sees the cards flash and shine
Yeah, he’s lookin’ for that good life at the end of the line

Chorus:
‘Cause, hey, this is Vegas
You know it glitters and shines
The jewel of the desert
The end of the line

And Megan she’s a dreamer, tries to look for the good
She’s determined not to end up like her Daddy said she would
Her and Sam left San Diego when the Navy set him free
Gonna buy a little house, maybe start a family
Sam’s been working construction for the last year or so
Meg works at a Day Care, she don’t know where the money goes
But I see Sam at the tables, looking hard for that win
Just something to tide him over 'til he’s on his feet again

And me I came softly in the middle of the night
Cause there ain’t nothin’ prettier than that pure desert light
And yes I came freely, you know I jumped at the chance
With that same old abandon, like when you’d jump in my pants
Still I thought it’d be different out here on my own
I thought I’d find Mecca for these weary old bones
Still if anyone asks you, please tell ‘em I’m fine
Just say I made it safely to the end of the line

You Are My Compass (for Jim)
Like a ship upon the ocean
Like a bird upon the wind
I’ve drifted with the currents
‘til you call me home again

Chorus:
You are my compass
You guide me through the stormy times
And you give me courage
To step across the boundary line

Like a doubt that lingers out of sight
Like a fear that stills the mind
I’ve struggled with demons
As I’ve walked a crooked line

Like a fire on a winter night
Like a kiss in the dark
You found your way into my life
And you warmed my heart

Mermaids Are Singing
Chorus:
The mermaids are singing over the sea
Calling me home, calling me home
The mermaids are singing over the sea
Calling me home to Ireland

In 1847 I left my home
bound for America’s shore
I was 8 long weeks in a coffin ship
crammed full with Ireland’s poor
Now I work in Lowell at the Merrimack Mill
Changing bobbins as quick as I can
And I’ve no more hope of seeing my home
Than a mermaid has of living on land

The looms hiss so loud I can hardly think
But my thoughts they often do stray
To County Cork and my Da and my Ma
And I wonder have they eaten today?
On Sundays I go down by the river shore
To walk along the wet sand
How I miss the smell of that salty air
And the touch of my mother’s hand
Oh, the touch of my mother’s hand

Original song on Songs of the UFW CD (copyright Terry Scott):

Brand New Life
Pedro was twenty when he came from the South
Juanita was just seventeen
They both come looking for work in the North
Chasing that golden dream
Well, they met in Mexicali in the back of a truck
Waiting to cross the line
Both feeling scared and already missing
The families they were leaving behind

Chorus:
Hey, when that brand new life calls you
You know you pack your bags and you run
And, hey, don’t that new life sparkle just like a diamond
Beneath the California sun
Beneath the California sun

They walked through the desert for three days and nights
‘Til they hitched a ride to L.A.
Juanita had an uncle in Huntington Park
And Pedro had friends near San Jose
He found work in the fields picking fruit from the trees
And he wrote to Juanita each week
At the end of a year he bought a car and a ring
And he asked her while on bended knee

Well it’s been seven years since they tied the knot
The ties that bind still hold strong
They live in a trailer on the outskirts of town
With their third baby due before long
And sometimes in the stillness they make love at dawn
They talk about all they’ve been through
And if you were to ask if they’d do it all again
Their answer would ring sure and true

Songs in Odds and Ends Section (all songs copyright Terry Scott):

A Hug Ain’t the Same
I’ve got heartaches buried like a river’s got stones
And I’ve got troubles now but I try not to moan
You tell me that loss is part of life
Well, that don’t help me feel better tonight
‘Cause what I wanted was for you to hold me tight
And to tell me that everything’ll be right
You’ve got your burdens just like I’ve got mine
They get in the way and make us blind

Chorus:
And a hug ain’t the same if you have to ask
A check ain’t as good as cold hard cash
We’ve both been hurt some in the past
Gonna work for a love that will last and last

When you come home at the end of the day
You say you’re worn out from keeping the wolves at bay
And I guess I feel just about the same way
Though it makes no sense we push each other away
Don’t want to fight about who’s more tired than who
Don’t want to argue ‘til we both turn blue
‘Cause before too long there’s a distance creeping in
And I’m not even sure what started it again

Ballad of Franky Carrillo
If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll tell you a tale
Of justice denied for so long
Of a young man named Franky, and a lawyer named Ellen
And their long fight to right a wrong

‘Twas a dark winter night in the gang wars of Lynwood
A father lay dying in the street
Felled by a drive-by with six young boys watching
But the shooter still managed to flee

In the nearby town of Maywood young Franky was home
A 16 year old watching T.V.
Little did he know that his life would soon change
And it’d be twenty years ‘til he’s free

Chorus:
But sometimes the clouds part, the sun shines through
Sometimes the good guys do win
If you’re stuck with hard time, don’t give up hope
That life can be good again

It was six months later when the sheriff came calling
With a six-pack of photos to show
Well the witnesses named Franky though they weren’t really sure
'Cause it’d been too dark to know

And while Franky was in prison two others confessed
That they had done the crime
The years dragged on, somehow Franky held on
But how he grieved when his own father died

‘Twas in Folsom Prison where Franky met Ellen
She boldly took up his cause
Witnesses recanted, the shooting was re-enacted
Which laid bare the first trial’s flaws

In a courtroom in Compton, the judge asked Franky
Which is the greater wrong?
That a killer went free or the wrong man was jailed
And robbed of his freedom so long?

Without hesitation, Franky spoke of his life
Of the hardship he’d faced all those years
An innocent man locked away in a cell
Embodies our very worst fears

Now at 37, Franky finally is free
To start his life up again
While Ellen fights on, defending the poor
And I’m proud to call her my friend

Betwixt and Between
I’d paint you a desert of purples and reds
And soft greens that fade to gray
I’d make us a home in the warm country
If you would only stay
Ooooooh, won’t you stay?

I live on a mountain of deep forest green
Where leaves turn gold before the snow
Clear icy streams are calling me home
And soon I must go
Ooooooh, I must go

Can love survive betwixt and between?
You in your place, me in mine
My head says “don’t,” but my heart says “there’s hope”
But the only one that really knows is Time
Ooooooh, give it time

Changes
The fishermen were on the lake
while we huddled by the fire
The ashes looked like snow flurries
when the wind spiraled higher
And you played your fiddle for me
while I sang a song or two
And in the quiet I wondered where
this life will lead me and you

Chorus:
'Cause I can feel the changes in the air
the seasons they will roll
And looking at you sitting there
I'd really like to know
But I won't ask your plans today
'cause time will surely show
If you're thinking about staying with me
or if you will go

There's just something about these late summer days
when the chill hangs in the air
The kids are heading back to school
Brand new clothes to wear
The aspen leaves'll be turning soon
And I feel restless in my bones
And if I had the patience of these mountains
I could wait for my life to unfold

Grass is Greener
In your mind you dream of Alaska and building us a home in the wild
of rushing rivers and northern lights with no neighbors for miles
but for now we’re stuck in the city, there’s all those bills to be paid
you worry about growing too old and we’ve still got the kids to raise

Chorus:
And the grass may always seem greener
There’s still another mountain to cross
There’s always one more rainbow to chase
And today sometimes gets lost

But as long as I’ve got you to hold me, and you’ve got me to keep you warm
Together you know we’ve got what it takes to weather the fiercest storm
And I’ve heard that it sometimes takes losing what you’ve got to really understand
It’s not the end of the trail that counts but the journey that makes the man

Chorus

And I guess it don’t really matter if we never do make it to Nome
Because in all of the ways that really count you know I think we’re already home

Chorus

Hole in My Heart (Loving from Afar )
All my friends tell me I just need to let go
He's got some choices to make
Needs some room to grow
He left here a child, gonna come back a man
Oh, please come back just as soon as you can
Please come back just as soon as you can

Chorus:
'Cause there's a hole in my heart that no one else can fill
You might not believe it but I'll miss you until
the end of time

When you were two years old
and you'd run into my arms
was the sweetest love I'd ever known
I'd give my life to keep you safe and warm
I did my best to make us a home
Yes, I did my best to make us a home

Driving to your Dad's in the dark of night
The road is swimming through my tears
The silence in the car
and the coldness in your eyes
How'd we ever get from there to here?
How'd we ever get from there to here?

Chorus

Now you're thirteen
fighting your own private war
Angry at the world and at me
With a kicked in door and a fist in the wall
You don't like my rules at all
No, you don't like my rules at all

I feel sad thinkin' 'bout what I'll miss
Meeting your first love, hearing 'bout a first kiss
But I know you can't tell me
'cause that's just how you are
It's so hard loving you from afar
It's so hard loving from afar

Chorus

And one of these days I hope you understand
Sometimes the choices all stink
Sometimes life's a struggle
and that's OK
It's the love that sees you through another day
Yes, it's the love that sees you through another day

In the Blink of an Eye*
(*Written the day after the bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995.)
A clear Spring day in the heartland
And the feeling we were safe
Both shattered like a thousand shards of glass
With the blast of a bomb, with the blast of a bomb

We thought it could not happen here
No need to post a guard
Well it looks like there's no place left to hide
It's reached our own backyard, oh it's reached our own backyard

Chorus:
There are babies who won't pick flowers this Spring
Lovers who won't kiss on a front porch swing
And how do you pick up the pieces
When your life has been shattered in the blink of an eye?

Some don't read the papers
Say they just can't bear the pain
While others search every story for clues
To stay safe in a world gone insance, to stay safe in a world gone insane

Thought I'd grown used to tragedy
'til I saw it in my four-year-old's eyes
But no matter how many times I explained
All he kept asking was why, all he kept asking was why

Chorus

I wish I had some answers
For my little boy and me both
To wipe out the risk, soothe the pain
Change the anger to hope, change the anger to hope

But I'm fresh out of brand new ideas
In a world gone crazy with hate
So I'll hold those I love a little bit closer
And pray that it's not too late, and pray that it's not too late

Chorus

Kansas City Fall
I heard from a friend that you stumbled again
Living on words and wine
And I can’t help recall that Kansas City Fall
When I was yours and you were mine

Well it seems that old bottle got a-hold of your dreams
And it just won’t set you free
But you know that old bottle stole my dreams too
And it don’t care about what I need

Bridge:
And on my better days I try to let it all go
‘Cause I’ve got this new life to live
But it’ll take a heart much stronger than mine
To learn how to forgive

There are times late at night I can still feel your arms
I can see how your love shines
And then I can’t help recall that Kansas City Fall
When I was yours and you were mine

Live Life to the Full
We’re up before the morning paper lands upon the street
It’s starting to turn pink on the horizon looking east
And the day lies before us with lots of things to do
But nothing could be better ‘cause I’m spending it with you

Chorus:
And we always swore we’d live life to the full
Not a single day would pass us by
The laughter and the smiles
The heartaches and the trials
Cherish every moment of our lives

We’re home before the setting sun slips into the sea
Waiting for that evening star than shines on you and me
And the night lies before us with nothing left to do
But to snuggle in together and say “I love you too!”

Chorus:
‘Cause we always swore we’d live to the full
Not a single night would pass us by
The laughter and the smiles
The heartaches and the trials
Cherish every moment of our lives

Look to the Stars
You slid into this world like an old soul
A kind heart and patient mind
It’s been a gift to watch you grow
And build the ties that bind

Like your grandpa many years ago
You sought a distant shore
Kids are only briefly ours to hold
So spread your wings and soar

Chorus:
I wish you health, I wish you joy
I wish you always love
And when you’re feeling far away
Look to the stars above

It warms my heart to think the stars I see
Shine their light on you too
And no matter where in this world you be
Spread love in all you do

Looking for Love
She wants a Harlequin hero, a fantasy mate
She’ll know that it’s true love on their first date
He’ll be a professional, wear a suit and tie
Financially secure, with marriage on his mind

He’ll be tall, dark, and handsome, strong and sensitive too
He’ll massage her aching back when her day of typing’s through
Surprise her with flowers, walks by the ocean blue
She thinks with a little luck she could be a bride by June

Chorus:
She’s says I’m looking for love in the personal ads
Trying to read between the lines
‘Cause somewhere buried in ten words or less
Lies a heart to match mine

He wants a Playboy Bunny, younger than 25
No matter that he’s balding and pushing 45
She’ll be as sweet as honey, she won’t have PMS
She’ll wear high heels and a short clingy dress

He’ll be her Prince Charming, she’ll be his lady love
Together they will fit just like a hand and glove
She won’t play the games that the other girls do
With her he knows he’ll find a love that’s true

Mean Wind
Rosa called yesterday
She’s been thinking of home
Life is just so hard here
She’s sinking faster than a stone
And she might have stayed in Guatemala
If she had only known

Chorus:
There’s a mean wind blowing through this town
Lots of folks will kick you when you’re down
And me, I like to look for the good
But life don’t always go the way you think it should

Rosa came north two years ago
But her baby boy stayed
Now she gives her love to someone else’s kids
For thirty dollars a day
And though she cries most every night
She says there ain’t no other way

Rosa came here for a better life
What we want is just the same
There are those who would throw her out
Saying she’s the one to blame
But I can’t turn from human pain
I’ve seen her face and I know her name

Chorus:
There’s a mean wind blowing through this town
Lots of folks will kick you when you’re down
And me, I choose to take a stand
Against this mean wind blowing through the land

Middle Ground
I raised my hand to wave goodbye
As you drove off with the kids
And ten years ago who would have guessed
That we’d be meeting like this
‘Cause our friends thought we had the perfect love
But love sometimes ain’t enough
And a rock that looks smooth from a distance
Often turns out to be rough

Chorus:
And so we do now what we couldn’t do then
We meet on the middle ground
And for the sake of our sons we both come ‘round
To meet on the middle ground

You moved north and I moved south
You’ll drive home under starry skies
While the lights of the city are calling to me
Where my new love waits tonight
But we’ll meet here on Sunday night
It’s a routine we know so well
The kids’ll climb from your car to mine
From our hug goodbye you can tell

We’re linked forever by two young boys
We love them with all our might
And though we’ve done a lot of things wrong
This is one thing we’re doing right
‘Cause no matter where our paths lead from here
We’ve both learned to give and take
And I guess in some way we beat the odds
‘Cause so often love turns to hate

Mothers & Daughters
Chorus:
Some stories seem too big to tell
Like mothers, like daughters everywhere
It’s a love that runs as deep as a well
Which nothing can ever tear

You weren’t my first girl but the one I got to raise
And I stand here in awe of you
You carry the scars of childhood
In a heart both strong and true
You see the world in your own unique way
Through eyes of deepest gray blue
And one day I know you’ll land on your feet
And find what you’re meant to do

So you chose a new name, fair play to you
You’ve traveled to lands far away
You’re a master of language and a wonderful cook
And your humor brightens my day
I ask too many questions, I step on your toes
But what I really want to say
It’s a balancing act, holding on - letting go
With trust that you’ll find your way

Pure Love
It was a day in May when the sky was so gray
you could almost mistake it for winter
But then you flashed your smile and said in a while
Everything would be better

Chorus:
'Cause we are all evolving to pure love
Doesn't matter where we're starting from
'Cause we are all evolving to pure love
In our hearts, we all are one

It was a dawn in June beneath the sliver of a moon
We were dancing and we were laughing
I held my worries at bay and simply welcomed the day
You know my heart is yours for the asking

Chorus

It was a hot night in July under starry skies
We were lying on the grass and kissing
The tiny fireflies and the love in our eyes
Ain't nothing in this world we are missing

Chorus

Rebecca's Song
She wears a ballerina tutu with her cowboy boots
A shy smile and a giggle or two
Oh, sweet Rebecca, sweet Rebecca raboo

A quick mind behind bright blue eyes
She’s down to earth but one day she’ll fly
Oh, sweet Rebecca, sweet Rebecca raboo
Oh, sweet Rebecca, sweet Rebecca raboo
Oh, sweet Rebecca, sweet Rebecca raboo

Resting Place
Sometimes I get so tired
of chasing after the things I can’t get
And despite many turns and twists in the road
I ain’t found that resting place yet
I ain’t found that resting place yet

Many’s the time I’ve told myself
just accept the gifts that you’ve got
but my feet have been itchin', my mind’s been driftin’
And I can’t be what I’m not
No, I can’t be what I’m not

And life would be so much kinder
if no one walked and no one stayed behind
But one of the things I’ve learned in this world
is truth, she won’t be denied
No, truth will not be denied

Bridge:
Though it pains me to tell you now
I won’t be here come ‘morn
But you’re the closest I’ve come to settling down
with your love so sweet and warm
with your love so sweet and warm

Sometimes I get so tired
of chasing after the things I can’t get
And despite many turns and twists in the road
I ain’t found that resting place yet
I ain’t found that resting place yet

Richard Malotte
They say we come into this world all alone
And that’s the way we go out
Most of us hoping the years in between
we make a difference somehow

Chorus:
And who were you, Richard Malotte
before they found your bones?
Who were you Richard Malotte
And why did you die all alone?

It seems you didn’t have any friends
though many knew your face
it’s so hard to believe after 23 years
of living in the same place

Chorus

Word travels fast in a small town
people can’t believe their ears
But is it you—or is it us?
Who’s most in need of these tears?

Chorus

Running in Place
Me and my love live on the right side of town
In an old house that needs some work
We’ve got a garden out back and our own compost pile
To mix in with the dirt

Chorus:
And don’t it seem funny that as strong as we are
We’re running in place just to stand still
But there’s no one I’d rather have here beside me
And together we’ll climb that hill

We both went to college, got those “important” degrees
Though I can’t say just how much they’re worth
And he makes the commute while I work from home
Ever since our last child’s birth

We’ve got no desire to keep up with the Joneses
Our tastes are more simple than most
But it’s a downright crime how hard it’s become
Just keeping the kids fed and clothed

Our kids, we’ve got four, they’re as sweet as can be
They go to school in hand-me-down clothes
And somehow we manage to get the bills paid
But there’d be trouble if not for “float”

These are hard times it seems for kids and their folks
There’s a lot of us feeling the pinch
But hold tight to your dreams, we’ll paint the town red
If we ever get out of this ditch

Seasons Come & Seasons Go
It’s Friday morning and the rain comes down
The cat is snoozing in the chair
Think I’ll take a little walk outside
Just to get some air
And send these hopes on broken wings
Up into that winter sky
The new year’s coming right around the bend
Anticipation’s running high

Chorus:
Seasons come and seasons go
The year winds down, not too much to show
Some dreams delayed but still alive
And life flows onward by and by
Life flows onward by and by

Come Saturday I’ll light a match
To old regrets and pain
I’ll hold a candle in a trembling wind
Of curling ash and flame
And when the smoke has finally cleared
I'll gaze into that winter sky
And make a vow to help our fragile dreams
Seize their chance to fly

Shot Heard 'Round the Block
Chorus:
It should have been the shot heard round the world
But instead it just rang through the block
And another child is robbed of life
Can you tell me when it'll stop?

The other day I saw such a sight
It cut right to the bone
Teddy bears and a birthday gift
Left on a child's headstone
Oh, tears of anguish and tears of rage
For a child who'll never come home

First was Brianna, just four years old
Walkin' to the store with her Dad
Pink tennis shoes and long brown braids
She loved to sing and dance
But when that bullet flew through the night
Brianna never had a chance

Chorus

When I was a kid we played after dark
Tag and hide and go seek
We'd run like the wind through the sprinklers in the park
Trying to beat the heat
But now the kids play inside all day long
'Cause it's just not safe in the street

And Danny was nine, kinda tall for his age
With freckles and curly red hair
He could stand on his head and tell silly jokes
He did everything with flair
But then his friend found the gun in the drawer
And another scream pierced the air

Chorus

Can you tell me who'll remember their names?
Who knows that they might have done?
And what about those left here behind
to mourn for one so young?
It's hard to believe we've come to this
And all for the right to a gun

Chorus

Smokey the Bear (Updated Verse Lyrics by Terry Scott)
Chorus:
Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear
Prowlin’ and a-growlin’ and a-sniffin’ the air
He can spot a fire before it starts to flame
That’s why we call him Smokey
That was how he got his name

If you want to camp way out in the woods
You’ve got to take care of things like Smokey says you should
‘Cause he loves the forest just the way it is
And you can come back years from now
And even bring your kids

Smokey wants to tell us that he’s got lot of friends
Living in the forest, deep inside their dens
But if there is a fire, they’ve got nowhere to run
And living in a burned-out forest isn’t any fun

Now Smokey is hopin’ that you will do your part
When you build a fire, please be extra smart
There are critters all around depending on you
And he thought that you’d be careful if you only knew

Song for a Son
You and I have seen some hard times
Every now and again
But it’s only the changing of boys into men
Still I cannot keep from wishing for
A way to hold you close
But if letting go is part of growing up
Then, Baby, I’ll try… but it’s tough

Chorus:
So may all your clouds have a silver lining
May your streets be paved with gold
May you wake up to a sparkling morning
And watch the day unfold
May you find the answers to the questions
You are searching for
And may your heart be filled with a love that lasts
Forevermore

Well you’ve started down the highway
Where it leads only time will tell
I’ll think of you every time I smell the rain
And I hope that if you find yourself
Underneath a stormy sky
You’ll find a way to smile through the pain
And, Baby, I’ll try to do the same

Tail Song
If you had a tail what would you be?
Would you live in a burrow or up in a tree?
And if I had a tail would you recognize me?
You can be anything you can think in your mind
With your beautiful tail behind you
With your beautiful tail behind

I can run with the wind on the African plain
Around my face I’ve got a great mane
And all through the jungle they fear my name
Can you guess who I am in your mind? (Lion)
With my beautiful tail behind me
With my beautiful tail behind

My gorgeous tail is a beautiful brown
The bushiest tail for miles around
I spend my summers finding nuts on the ground
Can you guess … (Squirrel)

Everywhere I go my trunk goes with me
I never forget what I hear or see
And though I’m very large a tiny mouse frightens me
Can you guess … (Elephant)

I am truly humankind’s best friend
If you throw a stick I’ll bring it back again
And when you crawl into bed I want to snuggle right in
Can you guess … (Dog)

I ruled the earth a million years ago
I was big or small; could move fast or slow
But now all that’s left are my fossil bones
Can you guess … (Dinosaur)

My fur is orange but my stripes are black
If you’re not careful I’ll eat you for my snack
‘Cause no one is safe when I’m on the attack
Can you guess … (Tiger)

My long ears are silky and soft as can be
I hop everywhere easy as one-two-three
And around Easter time you just might see me
Can you guess … (Rabbit)

I’ve got such power in my two hind feet
I can jump a lot farther than everyone I meet
And I’ve got a warm pouch where my baby can sleep
Can you guess … (Kangaroo)

I live in Australia high up in a tree
The only things I eat are eucalyptus leaves
And I’m not quite as cuddly as everyone believes
Can you guess … (Koala)

Take the Risk
Just twenty years old, never really left home
Been writing songs since she was sixteen
She quit at the Grocery and packed her bags last night
She's ready to follow her dream

Chorus:
'Cause a dream not lived is a dream soon lost
It's a wish not made when that coin is tossed
There's a million reasons not to give it a shot
But go for it, baby, give it all you've got

Waitin' for the bus, full of fear and hope
She's holding tight to that old guitar
She's headin' to L.A. with a pocketful of songs
And hopin' that she'll become a star

Chorus

Bridge:
I wonder how many dreams have started out
With a ticket on that old Greyhound line?
Sometimes it's luck but mostly it's faith
That if you take the risk you're gonna be just fine

Chorus

When the Wind Calls Your Name (Bill's Song)
She wants forever but the wind calls your name
It tells you to ride 'cross the wide, open plain
There's adventures a-waitin' but they can't be had by the tame
And her wishing won't change things 'cause you'll leave just the same

She can't understand why the two of you must part
Though you told her straight out and right from the start
Sex and affection are fine but you don't give your heart
Still she fell in love too fast for what started out as a lark

Chorus:
'Cause the road's in your blood
It runs right through your veins
You've been a-rambling for too long now
To ever change
And though you don't mean to cause her any pain
There ain't no forevers when the wind calls your name

She's not the first one and she won't be the last
To think she could change you, make you let go of the past
And maybe it's the bike, or that leather jacket you wear
That draws a woman to you like a rabbit caught in a snare

Soon you'll pack up and promise her that you'll write
You might call her long distance on a cold, lonely night
And in a couple of years you'll ride into town again
You'll stay for a while 'til you feel that restless wind

Chorus

Wings of Love
You woke me this morning with kisses and hugs
Carry me away on the wings of love
You're real sweet inside for looking so tough
Carry me away on the wings of love
Carry me away on the wings of love

I had some worries but I laid 'em all down
Carry me away on the wings of love
My heart was lost but now I think it's found
Carry me away on the wings of love
Carry me away on the wings of love

Bridge:
You make me think dreams could come true
Carry me away on the wings of love
Feel my soul getting lost in you
Carry me away on the wings of love
Carry me away on the wings of love

You be the eagle and I'll be the dove
Carry me away on the wings of love
Head for the sun, gonna rise above
Carry me away on the wings of love
Carry me away on the wings of love
Carry me away on the wings of love
Carry me away on the wings of love

Worst of Me
You left for work this morning without saying goodbye
Fine lines of tension framing your blue eyes
A storm is a-brewing ‘tween you and I
Little hurts are piling up and sleeping dogs don’t lie

Now that you’re at work I‘ve been thinking all day long
About just what it was you think I did so wrong
And I can’t wait to tell you I just don’t see your point
I wanna have a drag-out fight blow the roof off the joint

Chorus:
You get the worst of me, darling
Maybe I get the worst of you
but the worst of me, darling
is pretty damn good too
So if you can love the worst of me
I’ll love the worst of you
And I’d say we stand a pretty good chance
of seeing this love through

Remember when we were kids how time’d flow slowly by
Laying back on the grass, faces to the sky
For hours of watching clouds rolling by
And hours of dreamin’ 'bout loving and life

Well, you’re the one I dreamed about - hope that you know
Even when I’m so worn out my love hardly shows
But I don’t want us sinking further into this hole
‘cause too much hurting has a way of filling the soul

Chorus

(Alternate tongue in cheek 3rd verse)
The way that I see it things could always be worse
You’ve still got a job and there’s money in my purse
The kids ain’t been suspended since the week before last
And things ‘round here might just get boring if I wasn’t so crass