Eden
[ buck/drew/gustafson/augustyniak/merchant ]
We are the roses in the garden, beauty with thorns among our leaves.
To pick a rose you ask your hands to bleed.
What is the reason for having roses when your blood is shed carelessly?
It must be for something more than vanity.
Believe me, the truth is were not honest, not the people that we dream.
Were not as close as we could be.
Willing to grow but rains are shallow.
Barren and wind-scattered seed on stone and dry land, we will be.
Waiting for the light arisen to flood inside the prison.
And in that time kind words alone will teach us, no bitterness will reach us.
Reason will be guided another way.
All in time, but the clock is another demon that devours our time in eden, in our paradise.
Will our eyes see well beneath us, flowers all divine?
Is there still time?
If we wake and discover in life a precious love, will that waking become more heavenly?
song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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The Latin One
[ lyrics: wilfred owen/music: j.c. lombardo ]
Bent double like old beggars in sacks
Knockkneed and cursing or coughing like hags
Men marched on sleeping some without boots
Fatigue drunken deaf still to the hoots
Of breaking gas shells
Dropping softly behind
But limped on bloodshod
All went lame all went blind
Gas gas quick boys fumbling helmets in time
Someone still screaming a man in fire or lime
Under a grey cloud dim dark through green light
In all my dreaming before my helpless sight
He plunges at me
Choking guttering drowning
Put in a wagon he had to keep pace
As his eyes melt to his face
If you could hear blood
Gurgling from ruptured lungs
If you could witness
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song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Few And Far Between
Times are far between,
and few I bet,
when we can look upon our lives
without regret.
Of all the things I have done,
you think I'm proud
of everyone
without exception?
'Till you make your peace with yesterday,
you'll never build a future.
I swear by what I say.
Whatever penance you do,
decide what it's worth to you
and then respect it.
However long it will take
to weather your mistakes,
why not accept it?
My hands, for now, are tied.
I'm a body frozen.
I'm a will that's paralyzed.
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song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Katrinas Fair
[ lyrics: natalie merchant/music: robert buck ]
Gretas cedar hope chest
Is full of pamphlets
Glass shelves of romantic vignettes
A journal laced with sedimentary prose
Norma gathers and collects vintage photoplays
Hair combs valentines
Lillian allows the animals to scratch
Leather crack
Mail collect in the box coatings peel
Agnes veiled cathedral dweller
Smiles with benevolent pain
Its katrinas fair tuesday morning
As she with caution unlatches the flat door
She alone cascades to the basement
Careful not to spoil her
Calico printed pinafore
Composite traits mannerists
All others dissipate
Margauritte vigilant dwells upon frigid casements
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song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Wildwood Flower
I will twine with your mingles of raven black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
With myrtle as bright as the emerald dew
The pale and the lyd-er and eyes of light blue
Oh he promised to love me; he promised to love
And to cherish me always all others above.
I woke from my dream and my idol was clay
My passion for loving had vanished away.
Oh he taught me to love him; he called me his flower
A blossom to cheer him through lifes weary hour
But now he is gone and left me alone
The wild flowers to weep and the wild birds to mourn.
I will dance and Ill sing and my life shall be gay
I will charm every heart and each crown I shall sway
Though my heart now is breaking he never shall know
How his name makes me tremble, my pale cheeks to glow.
I will dance and Ill sing and my heart will be gay
Ill banish this weeping, drive troubles away.
Ill live yet to see him regret this dark hour
When we won and neglected this frail wildwood flower.
song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Cotton Alley
[ music: john lombardo/lyric: natalie merchant ]
One time
You made me cry
Be proud that i
Remember
My chin is sore
The bruise is gone
But the spot is tender
Gave my hand a sister coy
To cotton alley where
You did enjoy
Your wicked games
You curious boy
Tied my laces up together
When I fell
You laughed
Until your belly was sore
In the brick laid aisle behind
The five and dime store
Thats how
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song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Dont Go Back To Rockville
[ original version by r.e.m. ]
Looking at your watch a third time waiting in the station for a bus
Going to a place thats far, so far away and if thats not enough
Going where nobody says hello, they dont talk to anybody they dont
Know
Youll wind up in some factory thats full time filth and nowhere left
To go
Walk home to an empty house, sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
Youll be coming back before too long
Dont go back to rockville
And waste another year
At night I drink myself to sleep and pretend
I dont care if youre not here with me
cause its so much easier to handle
All my problems if Im too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or its gonna be too late to bring you back
Its not as though I really need you
If you were here Id only bleed you
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song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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City Of Angels
[ robert buck/natalie merchant ]
Heaven, is this heaven where we are?
See them walking, if you dare, if you call that walking.
Stumble, stagger, fall and drag themselves along the streets of heaven.
Where is the blessed table to feed all who hunger on earth,
Welcomed and seated each one joyfully served?
See them walking, if you dare, if you call that walking.
Stumble, stagger, fall and drag themselves along the streets of heaven.
Where is the halo that should glow round your face,
And where are the wings that should grow from your shoulder blades?
Show them to me.
These are sobering sights Ive seen in the city of angels
Have all been one rude awakening that was dues to me in heaven.
There would have been heavenly music I was convinced before.
A host of the dearly to meet me with hosannas sung at the door,
But these are sobering sights Ive seen in the city of angels
Have all been one rude awakening that was dues to me in heaven.
In this city of fallen angels.
song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Please Forgive Us
[ music: robert buck/words: natalie merchant ]
Mercy, mercy, why didnt we hear it?
Mercy, mercy, why did we read it buried on the last page of our morning papers?
The plan was drafted, drafted in secret.
Gunboats met the red tide, driven to the rum trade for the army that they created.
But the bullets were bought by us, it was dollars that paid them.
Please forgive us, we dont know what was done in our name.
Therell be more trials like this in mercenary heydays.
When theyre so apt to wrap themselves up in the stripes and stars
And find that they are able to call themselves heroes
And to justify murder by their fighters for freedom.
Please forgive us, we dont know what was done.
Please forgive us, we didnt know.
Could you ever forgive us?
I dont know how you could.
I know this is no consolation.
Please forgive us, we didnt know.
Could you ever believe that we didnt know?
Please forgive us, we didnt know.
I wouldnt blame you if you never could, and you never will.
song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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Hello In There
[ john prine ]
Had an apartment in the city
Me and loretta liked living there
Its been years since the kids have grown
With lives of there own
All left us alone
John and linda live in omaha
Joe is somewhere on the road
We lost davey in the korean war
I still dont know what for
Guess it doesnt matter anymore
Chorus:
Old trees grow stronger
And old rivers wider everyday
But old people, they just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say hello in there
Say hello
Me and loretta we dont talk much now
She just sits staring at the back door screen
While all the news it just repeats itself
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song performed by 10000 Maniacs
Added by Lucian Velea
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