Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time

For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?

Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving
Ah, but then you know it's time for them to go
But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving
I do not count the time

For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?

And I am not alone while my love is near me
I know it will be so until it's time to go
So come the storms of winter and then the birds in spring again
I have no fear of time

For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes?

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

I see the leaves of autumn changing falling turning what was green
I see a door standing open, open to curiosity we could be together tear
it all apart would you ever notice what was hidden in my heart
heartstrong do we ever listen closely
as willows start to weep there as we stood upon the threshold
who said forever was for keeps?
would you ever notice what was hidden in my heart,
my deep heart is reeling forward and steady on to keep,
who made me miss the last ferry?
who made this river so deep?

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

I saw time turn so much there to unlearn,
you were envy you wouldn't say you tore heart strings
that sorry day dark light hid the tears one for each of the years
love has reasons reason never knows
time turns over love overflows I should have spoken sooner
on that sorry day your arms are open
and I wondered why
wondered why
five years passed to the day time heals some people say
when you hurt the ones I love you're also hurting me
and time turns over turning you from me I thought you'd never reach me
on that sorry day your arms were open wide and I wondered why

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

In the quiet morning
There was much despair
And in the hours that followed
No one could repair

That poor girl
Tossed by the tides of misfortune
Barely here to tell her tale
Rolled in on a sea of disaster
Rolled out on a mainline rail

She once walked tight at my side
I'm sure she walked by you
Her striding steps could not deny
Torment from a child who knew

That in the quiet morning
There would be despair
And in the hours that followed
No one could repair

That poor girl
She cried out her song so loud
It was heard the whole world round
A symphony of violence
The great southwest unbound

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

When the day ends and church bells are ringing
when the valley is shrouded in snow,
when you're feeling that hope somewhere vanished
and there's no poetry left to console you,
with the smallest step you'll find a way oh of fate borne
and life is a jewel but stone will tarnish as dust will descend take a minute
and wipe free the lustre,
it'll mirror a day without end with the smallest step you'll feel
it starts a journey your way.
oh they tried to tell me but I'll learn for myself
and when they tried to tell me you know the words disappeared
on the wind I was running away
and when the laughter echoes through you in a pale beaming ray
and you'll know always and ever within you anyway

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

I was thinking today if you would remember you choose to remember
what you left me out there in the cold days fading away
I see you so near I hear your voice calling
it calls me from these pages to you beyond the blue,
so sudden too soon the secrets we knew
I was thinking today if you would surrender to feelings
that you tried deserting and if given the choice
I'd still wait for the moment still wait for the moment
when I could have a hero like you days fading away
but I see you so clear I hear your voice calling
it calls me from these pages to you

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

Shards of glass cut through my gaze broken streamers hanging
at my legs drunk and giddy full of fate at the cabaret smokey stares
from the bar do stray bottles tumble I feel the misty spray what a perfect,
perfect day for the cabaret from afar he sees Venus rise
overwhelmingly beautiful he sighs the look of love was in her eyes
puts his hand upon her leg looking closer his lust begins to fade "what a drag,
" the queen did say. could this be a dream I'm in?
Fellini would be proud. gluttony enfolds the scene "give them one last round"
shining faces dance away swinging skirts between the panted legs
kaleidescoping then shassez in a blink the glasses fly suddenly joy
becomes a fight there they tossed and turned a sight

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

There like a feather you fell someone's heaven above me floating
so fickle tempting me teasing my ways thrown from
its clutches I struggle to free what escapes me
Absalom hanging like you I'm caught in between heaven
then earth then heaven between you release me untangle my hair
Absalom hanging like you I'm caught in between heaven
then earth heaven between you patient I wait
as I hold a small feather that floated from somebody's heaven

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

Out through the foggy window there just to see the eyes of my future children
looking back at me back through the foggy window
on and on miles pass years turn over
on and on there from that rolled down window ponies run free
cradled protectively there in the greenery somewhere I keep this picture
on and on miles pass years turn over
on and on for all the roads we've travelled
and all the bridges burned I was thinking out loud the ways
of the world that all seem so constant how few
of the lessons we really have learned.
out through the foggy window frozen in frame capturing passing pictures
life's last refrain, memories ashes scatter
on and on miles pass years turn over
on and on

10000 Maniacs - Glow

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

In the coolness of the morning sparing moments here in magical tide
I would meet you without question to share a starry gaze
a look through the sky from the start there was this kind of glow the start
when it's right you'll know,
fascinating love's a secret an ancient riddle with no reason
or rhyme unpredictable the muses
they play never knowing whether teasing or shy

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

This was once a city harmony a common theme
but these complications now make life a bit uneasy hallowed buildings scrape
the sky voices ride the airwaves once a city years gone
by will they still be standing in the centuries ahead going
underground little children hiding,
bullets never meant for them must there be such bloodshed in our hearts,
our homes, our heads? will I be walking, walking so free?
this was a city once this was once a city harmony a common theme
but these complications once a city, once a dream

10000 Maniacs - Ellen

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

Eager to please was just the way
that he was though his attempts there falling short,
expectation see he would tell of all his conquests, was he bragging?
but in the evening all alone Ellen unplanned delays saving for someone
who really cared about you invincible
they say married to your name she was the kind between a child and a lady,
quick was her temper like a blaze from an ember no one had measured
to her standard, so in the evening all alone all alone how do I tell them
to open their minds and to take a chance maybe on finding
life's treasure stubborn they stay set in their ways really not wanting
to be lonely not alone

Album - The Earth Pressed Flat

Detroit, L.A., Boston, San Francisco,
first time o'er the ocean on a plane a billion stars below me lay,
circle slowly JFK,
so much there to see inside of a week they came looking for something new
try to press it flat inside of a few days Old Dominion Saturday,
Arlington's eternal flame Sunday tour Niagara Falls in the mist.
Monday I'll be heading south New Orleans the Cajun sound
Tuesday's Tupelo Elvis's home . . .
try to press it flat inside of a few days what a wonderful stay,
on a mule Grand Canyon ride on Wednesday,
hope to get to Denver in a day Friday ride to Washington,
in the glacial mountain sun hop a train for Canada
to the east they came looking for something new
try to press it flat inside of a few days what a wonderful stay

Album - Love Among The Ruins

Well they left then in the morning, a hundred pairs
of wings in the light moved together. In the colors
of the morning I looked to the clouds in the cirrus sky and they'd gone.
Across the marshes, across the fields below.
I fell through the vines and I hoped they would catch me below.
If only to take me with them there,
tell me the part that shines in your heart on the wind.
And the reeds blew me in the morning.
Take me along to the places you've gone when my eyes looked away.
Tell me the song that you sing in the trees in the dawning.
Tell me the part that shines in your heart and the rays of love forever,
please take me there.

Album - Love Among The Ruins

Something was pulling me without knowing what was leading me on:
your shining light.
In my darkest hour the only way to bring the dawn was your shining light.
But you're unaware your shining light is even on.
Like with a little glance when you take me by surprise
and I take a chance and see it all through your eyes.
Free me from my history and show me where to draw the line,
by lighting up the mystery, and you don't even know that it shines.
I'm not worried now about flying too close to the sun.
When December skies are cold, you know I will always run to your shining light.
I won't abuse it so please just let it glow behind your smile.
Let me use it, let me feel the warmth like a little child
who understands your glance, though it takes me by surprise.
And I take a chance and I see it all through your eyes.

Album - Love Among The Ruins

She walks alone on the brick lane, the breeze is blowing.
A year had changed her forever, just like her grey home.
He used to live so close here, we'd look for places I can't remember.
The world was safe when she knew him, she tried to hold him, hold on forever.
For all that never happens and all that never will be,
a candle burning for the love we seldom keep.
The earth was raw in her fingers, she overturned it.
Considered planting some flowers, they wouldn't last long,
no one to tend them. It's funny how these things go,
you were the answer to all the questions.
The memories made her weary, she shuddered slowly, she didn't want to.
As a distant summer he began to whisper, and threw a smile her way.
She looked into the glass, liquid surface showing that they were melding,
together present past.
So where can I go from here?
The color fading, he didn't answer.
She felt him slip from her vision.
She tried to hold him, hold on forever.
So close forever, in a silent frozen sleep.