1. |
Moon Language
05:03
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// Lyrics from “With That Moon Language” from Love Poems From God: Twelve Sacred Voices of the East and West copyright 2002 by Daniel Ladinsky, and used with his permission. //
With that Moon Language
Admit something: Everyone you see, you say to
them, “Love me.”
Of course you do not do this out loud, otherwise
someone would call the cops.
Still, though, think about this, this great pull in us
to connect.
Why not become the one who lives with a full
moon in each eye that is always saying,
with that sweet moon language, what every other
eye in this world is dying to hear?
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2. |
Powder in the Air
04:23
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There’s this funny trick or call it a test
Maybe you’ve seen it, it’s hard to forget
A hollow mask spins around
And when it’s time for the other side
No matter what you do
No matter how hard you try
You just can’t see it right
you just can’t see it right
You just can’t see it right
Unless you’ve lost your mind
You just can’t see it right
All those great men who loved their parchment
Some were great men some good at dressing-up
All those great men also loved their wigs
They kept them powdered to cover the scent
It was the fashion
It was what everyone did
Except the few guys
Who wore their own hair
Now we wear our own hair
We wear our own hair
But there’s powder in the air
So much powder in the air
There’s powder in the air
There’s powder in the air
So much powder in the air
Why’s there still powder in the air
The Wild West, nice concept
Cowboys and their friends
Great day for a big run
Grab your things, grab your flags
At high noon, make the mad dash
Stab the dirt hard, do it for the kids
We didn’t loot this
We didn’t loot this
Somebody else did
So can we keep it? / We're gonna keep it
There’s powder in the air
There’s powder in the air
There's powder in the air
So much powder in the air
Additional notes:
Verse 2 inspired by this Jeffrey A. Larson's answer to the q "What was the Founding Fathers' real hair like?" on Quora: https://www.quora.com/What-was-the-Founding-Fathers-real-hair-like
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3. |
The Blue and the Silver
05:07
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Somebody took my body, I can’t find my body
I’ll spend my whole life just trying to get it back
somebody took my body, I can’t feel my body
this is so much more than just a thorn in my side
I was always your baby, you were supposed to save me
when we danced by the water, you were blinded by the silver
I was always your baby, you were supposed to save me
where was your head, where was your head, where was your heart
cash reward for safe return, up late at night for safe return
cash reward for safe return
you’ll find me in the water between the blue and the silver
I’ve been waiting for you out here, I’ve been waiting for you out here
you'll find me in the water between the blue and the silver
I’m still waiting for you, I'm still waiting for you
you'll find me in the water between the blue and the silver
I’ve been shimmering out here, I’ve been shimmering out here
you'll find me in the water between the blue and the silver
I’m still waiting for you, I'm still waiting for you
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4. |
The Hunted
05:55
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Nothing left to cover yourself
They cut off your words, they taught you good
All that you had wanted is gone now, abandoned
Pick it up, quiet and gather yourself
It’s hard to tell how many miles
The sunset, dust and gravel
Your letters can’t help you now
The hunted, hunted, haunted, hunted
Decked in all that colorful rope
Your feet are hard, you’re far from home
The gravel gives off diamonds
The metal sound follows you now
Bet you never thought you’d be like this
Bet you never imagined but you’d be the entertainment
The hunted
The hunted
The hunted
The haunted
- - - -
Notes:
Inspired by Paul Bowles' short story "A Distant Episode"
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5. |
Wilder
05:20
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If I can’t sleep it’s because of you
If I can’t think clearly it’s because of you
My head is spinning, the room is spinning
My heart is beating fast for you
Because of you
If I’ve been acting crazy it’s because of you
Can’t get anything done lately because of you
I feel like dancing with you, I can’t stop dreaming when I’m with you
My heart is beating for you, fast for you
Because of you
Does the moon seem brighter because of you
Do the flowers seem wilder because of you
I can’t keep time with you, I can’t keep time when I’m with you
My heart is beating for you, fast for you
My heart is beating fast
My heart is beating fast for you
Because of you
My heart is beating fast
My heart is beating fast for you
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6. |
The Other Way
04:48
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File under violence under violence under violence under
Violence under violence under pavement under violence
File under violence under defense under violence
File under violence
For the kids, for the kids
Follow all the headlights, all the headlines to the noise
Follow from the porchlight to the streetlight to the noise
Dream of an island of an island of an island
Dream of a meadow where the children play with lions
Gather a parish, follow the water, follow the treeline
Light up the harbor
For the kids, for the kids
I’m dreaming of an island
File under violence under violence under violence
File under careless under crisis under violence
File under damages under violence under all of it
File under violence
For the kids, for the kids
Follow all the cameras, all the flashlights to the noise
Follow all the moonlight, blue and red lights to the noise
Fight all the hardened, all the hoarders and the frightened
Fight all the silent, all the wicked and the ruined
Fight for the lovers, the heroes, the warriors
Fight for the dreamers, fight for the kids
I’m dreaming of an island
Dream of an island
Dream of a meadow
Gather a parish
Light up the harbor
Light up the island
Light up the meadow
Gather the parish
Light up the harbor
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7. |
Dad the Robin
05:01
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In 2012, I came to live with you and mom in Taiwan in a little town called Grey Mountain. Had no idea you lived right at the top of a faculty dorm overlooking the school track. Every day we followed all the young people, down stairs and ramps to the dining hall on campus. We grabbed our trays, piled up our plates – for two or three dollars we got whatever we wanted.
Sometimes we’d eat there, sometimes bring it back up. The days were too warm and it rained a lot. I watched soap operas and subtitles and stared out at the misty mountains. I was frustrated and curious, didn’t you guys want anything more?
It was a strange time, pretty chaotic. Why’d I leave LA just before my birthday? You took me out to a brand new restaurant by the side of the road, you could feel the highway. We ordered beers and mom prayed for us. The food was alright, we got whatever we wanted. Over dinner you told me I talk too much, you thought I should know, thanks now I know.
I got up and moved to the city. It got cold and it rained a lot. Thought I would spend time with grandma. We’d cook and joke all day, I’d bring her secrets back to California. But the years had changed her a lot, so we sat around and ate guava and chatted with the tv on.
There is this one day I’ll never forget, Christmas Day back in Grey Mountain. All the seniors at the center wearing santa hats. Mom looked pretty, you looked handsome. There was this lady all dressed in a gown, modern haircut, high tech headset. She sang out of of tune and for way too long. Nobody liked it and at the end she made a girl deliver her flowers.
Then you went up there in your red sweater vest, you looked like a robin. You said this was your favorite song and tried your best to keep your arms right by your side. You did good till the final verse. Then there was nothing you could do, something else was moving you.
Your arms came up, your arms came up, your hands made circles, your arms came up. Your hands made circles, your arms came up, you closed your eyes, held out your palms.
It was beautiful! It was Ave Maria! It was everything that you were meant to be. Your voice rang out, it sailed across the people and I swear your feet were nearly off the ground. When you finished, you sat back down, the ladies in front gave their congratulations. You looked happy and mom looked proud and I felt calm for the first time in a long while.
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8. |
Summer Color
03:43
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Do you remember all the times we had
Can you remember for us
Do you remember the first time that we met
I don’t recall there being magic
Do you remember all the things you told me
How much of it you really meant
Do you remember saying this could be forever
By forever did you mean the end of summer
I remember singing to your kid
Things were different then
I remember the way we used to dance
I’d lay my head against you and listen
Do you remember that day the clouds were so wild
We had to stop the car
Do you remember how it rained all night
And when we woke it smelled like soil
And we ran outside, we ran outside
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9. |
Lost Boy
05:51
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I never left you
but the room got crowded
after your mama died
you didn’t mean to
but it was just your ghost
and me hanging out for a while
never met you
feels like I never met you at all
I'm not mad at you
I’m just so so so tired
I’ve been told by people who know
when loves comes apart
you gotta get up again
you gotta keep on trying
you'll figure it out
I’d never let you suffer by yourself
walk through the fire by yourself
why didn't you let me help you
all you had to do was let me in
I would have carried the weight for you
I couldn’t catch you
you were falling so fast
I couldn’t break the fall
I was looking right at you
couldn’t tell if you were coming in
or going out
how can something so magical
suddenly fall apart
how’s a girl supposed to know
what to do with a broken heart
gotta get up again
gotta keep on trying
it's gonna take time
you get tired of crying
last night I dreamed you took me to the edge
you said darling this is where I’ve been
and I'm sorry I have nothing left to give
I held you in my arms, we sat like that for hours
watching the stars go by
my lost boy
my lost boy
go on and take your time
my lost boy
my lost boy
you’ll always be a part of me
you’ll always be a part of me
you'll always be my lost boy
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10. |
The Year I Met Your Mom
06:30
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Hey there, little one, you and I don’t share blood, but I have known your mom for a long time. I have seen her cry through sorrows of the deepest kind and shake and laugh to tears just as often.
Everyone knows from the way she plays song, she’s force of nature. I always knew from the way she talked she wasn’t afraid of much.
Hey there, little one, life can be so sweet, I hope that you discover
Hey there, little one, I don’t have to tell you, you will come to all this on your own
The year I met your mom an early snow buried all the cars and took down the heavy branches of old, big trees around the neighborhood that hadn’t thrown off their leaves yet. I was in love with a boy with gold-rimmed glasses, whose best friend was living with your mother nearby.
One night they just showed up asking for a broom and I marched with them through the ivy and darkness. We drank tea among your mother’s things while she was out of town, we swept the checkered floors and talked into the night.
Hey there, little one, life can be so sweet, I hope that you discover.
Hey there, little one, I don’t have to tell you, you will come to all this on your own.
Things went up then down then down with the boys but your mom and I stayed friends. Years went by, then she writes why don’t you come to NY, we should try and write some songs.
I slept on the couch and every day we played music like we were kids again. 18-inch snow turned to people in lawn chairs at the edge of the park.
I went home and you started casting spells to help your mother find your father. On the phone one day she mentions she thinks she’s found the One.
Hey there, little one, life can be so sweet, I hope that you discover.
Hey there, little one, I don’t have to tell you, you will come to all this on your own.
Now you are fast asleep both arms up by your head and your mom has had a chance catch her breath. In a few days I’ll be headed home again.
We organize and she tells me about the night you were born. She says nothing prepares you for the pain or what comes after. Nothing prepares you for the pain or what comes after.
Hey there, little one, life can be so sweet, I hope that you discover.
Hey there, little one, I don’t have to tell you, you will come to all this on your own.
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Alice Ava Richmond, California
Alice Ava is the solo project of Alice Lin. She is half of experimental rock duo Eagle and Talon and chamber pop project Alice and Michi. She also sometimes plays drums with Bodies of Water.
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