Nightmares

songs:

November * I'm Not the One * I Didn't Know * Cocaine * Forevermore * Dance of Lily * No Chemistry * Mr. Chips * Red * The Way Things Go * Nightmare/Daydream * In My Dream

November

November, November
skies are dark all day
November, November
talk to me
November, November
the wind is blowing hard
November, November, November . . .
won’t wait

Memory flies through the past
I stand alone
Seems that love didn’t last
last October
I’d love to hope for the best
in December
Take a vow with the rest
January

November, November
skies are dark all day
November, November
talk to me
I want you, I need you
but you don’t even try
so tell me November
is love a lie?

You wouldn’t tell me on your own
(what’s that to me?)
You wouldn’t even say good-bye
(walking from me)
I’m the phantom in your dream
( . . . )
Be much better in your arms
(is that too frightening?)

The silence has spoken
and you have gone away
You told me, you tell me
with all you didn’t say
The winter has fallen
the sun has left the sky
so tell me November
is love . . .

I'm Not the One

Tryin’ to sleep
and I think I’m goin’ crazy
‘cause there’s nowhere left to go
‘Cause I hear my name
bein’ called

Oh well
‘Cause I don’t sleep much anymore
I shouldn’t have taken that philosophy course

Okay, I know who you are,
and I know what you want
But I’m not the one,
I’m not the one
to start the revolution

"I envision a ‘Moses’ type character speaking in this song; it’s about our reluctance to answer God’s call."

I Didn't Know

Leap from the nest
undue time
learn the way from the ground
why so bent on the course
will it end?

Meet the man
broke my hip
wrestle hard
bring me pain
in my life
why so bad to myself?

I saw you downstream
so I burnt the forest
dancing with my shadow
watching my own play

Had to learn my lesson
‘cause I didn’t know

Heard the word
from the sphinx
answered right
saved the town
found the fate
that I thought
I could fight

Foolish child
kill your dad
was the best friend you had
married mother
I wish you’d a known

Winter goes on forever
the Son of York won’t concur
summer shines when it wants to
we all had hoped Hamlet knew

Had to find the answer
‘cause I didn’t know

Coax a note
pound a rhythm
and the soul might go
with ‘em
but more oft than not
it’s the groin

Strike a cord
brass-wound cables
will tremble
and minds disassemble
the havoc that’s
been there for years

Murder in the temple
offering to a void
I said love was simple
years gone since that day

Thought I had the answer
but I didn’t know

Spilled the wine
on the corpse
it awoke
we awaken
visions seen of
something great
cruel dreams (was I too late)

Out of time
out of order
circles lines
won’t unwind
why’d you leave me?
take me with you
up the ladder

I said truth would be
beautiful
beauty be truth –all you
should know

"Camden, NJ, 1991 (Nov.) Literary allusions to Finnegan’s Wake (J. Joyce), Genesis 32:22, Oedipus Rex (Sophocles), Richard III (Shakespeare), Murder in the Cathedral (T.S. Eliot), Ode On A Grecian Urn (Matthew Arnold)"

Cocaine

Tell me how has death undone so many
Corpses cross the bridge the clock strokes nine
And if the clear reflection don’t appease you
Use it as a tray to hold your snow

Wouldn’t want to deal with I can’t help you
Wouldn’t want to have to help you too
The problems that you found began to haunt you
While we do what we were meant to be

Everyone alone
Rock beside a stone
Boulder rolling down

Everybody’s doin’ cocaine
Everybody that I know
Everybody’s doin’ cocaine
Everybody’s doin’ blow

Wedding bells are ringing can you hear them
Children they are crying in the night
Teacher hold my hand and we will bless you
While we do what we were meant to be

I think I missed confession
I think my soul is gone
And someone’s screaming

Chorus

Do cocaine, lose your brain
Feel the pain, who’s to blame
Ride the train, all the same
Everybody does cocaine

Love unfeigned, Purple rain
Drop the crane, call her Jane
Everybody, everybody does cocaine . . .

"Jan/Mar 92 / Cocaine as a metaphor . . ., well, okay maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t . . ., (it does for me; this is one of my favorite tracks)."

Forevermore

Hold me in your love
and carry me away.
Take me in your arms
and let me hear you say
that I am yours, I am yours
forevermore.

Keep me in your heart
take hold of my hand.
Look into my eyes
and you will understand
that I am yours
forevermore.

Once upon a time
in a dream long ago
I held a gentle dove
with wings as white as snow.
I opened up my hands
to let the bird fly free
and it came back to me.

So comfort me with hope
and brush my tears away.
Share in all my joy
and you will hear me say
that I am yours,
forevermore.

Once upon a time
in a dream long ago
I came upon a garden
and stopped to watch it grow.
I nurtured it and cared for it,
loved it tenderly,
it gave a rose to me.

So hold me in your love
and carry me away.
Hold me in your arms
for it's there I will always stay,
for I am your, I am yours,
forevermore.

Dance of Lily
instrumental

No Chemistry

There’s no chemistry between us
surely we’re just friends
And if emotions should rise to greet us
then with our logic we’ll defend

I don’t like you
You don’t like me
We know feelings can’t be free
‘cause when they’re free
don’t they always hurt somebody

That someone may be,
someone may be . . ., me

But we don’t have to worry
‘cause we’re not the type
to act emotionally

There’s a pain inside my stomach
but I think it’s just the food
And my thoughts are hard to settle
I hope it’s just the mood

I don’t want you
you don’t want me
we know passion shouldn’t be free
‘cause when it’s free, well,
that just ain’t the way to be

"NO CHEMISTRY is another experiment in free form whatever it is . . ."

Mr. Chips

She wants to sit in my window
But I’m right here on the davenport
So she paces back and forth
All the time
with her eye on the window

Finally she gets a little tired
So she sits down on the floor
When she awakes will she remember
what it is she came here for
Babe you’re off in a bad way
To think that you’d hate me that bad
You never tried never even tried . . .

Think I’d like some party cake
Think I’d like some sassafras tea
An’ try the hula hoop, oh oh
SO I CALLED HER MR. CHIPS
DOES SHE LIKE THE WAY I SING
YOU CAN CALL HER MR. CHIPS
AND PIN THE TALE ON ME . . .

And the band was playin’
You know the night went on
Mardi Gras masks strewn on the blocked-off road

Yes the party’s over
Wouldn’t you agree
It’s time to take my hand and come home

And I find you there in the window
You look back and see me here
Well at least you have a life now
I won’t disturb your peace

SO I CALLED HER MR. CHIPS
DOES SHE LIKE THE WAY I SING
OH CALL HER MR. CHIPS
OH OH

Red

I want to sit
by the red-headed girl
across the room

I think she’s funny
and she has a nice smile
and she’s pretty too

I tried to stop
but she noticed me staring
so I look down

Oh God, does the whole class
know about this
I feel strange

WHAT IF I, WHAT IF I
-think I’m in a dream
WHAT IF I, WHAT IF I
-reach out and touch her hair
WHAT IF I, WHAT IF I
-never say a word to her
WHAT IF I . . ., die

SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL
I’M SO LONELY
SHE’S SO WONDERFUL TO ME

But I saw her yesterday
With a football player
He doesn’t have no brains
How can she like him?

Fate must be a tyrant
Justice must be sleeping
I wonder if she’ll ever know
The love that I’ve been keeping

WHAT IF I . . .,
-fall in love and hate
-reach out and cut her hair
-never say word to her

"July 93, Chicago"

The Way Things Go

I’m washed up on the shore
before I go to sea
The wind has brought me back
before I go

And you have read my mind
before I speak a word (Oh)
I guess that’s just
the way things go

Some call it providence
Some say it’s in the stars
And we must reap
what we have sown

And though these times are hard
I’ve always had a home
I guess that’s just
the way things go

What can I tell you, man
If things look bad for you
There ain’t no secrets
That I know

If you accept the joy
You must accept the pain
You must know that’s just
the way things go

"(Aug 93 –Chicago)"

Nightmare/Daydream

And I wonder what nightmare this could be
You told me that I had a choice
I’m a pawn on the chessboard that’s lost in Eur-Asia
Love your tie

Fools that never bring progress
Jesters and harlequins all
Balance the world on an ounce of their courage
Who’s gonna save your soul

Stare at the cross for a moment
Tell me what shame did you see
Sinners and lovers on old variations,
(New) complications

And I wonder what nightmare this could be
I saw it there in my daydream

Oh, oh, oh

Here’s a coast where it seems unfamiliar
Kicking the cannibals down
Detribalized warriors that know they’re defeated
Bang the drum

The helmsman is speared with an arrow
Marlow takes care of the blood
This is the feast of the victory Passover
Come to me carry me now

Chorus 2x

And I wonder what nightmare this could be
It used to be I had a voice
I’m the elephant tusk flying out of Nairobi
Hurry me back to your home

"5-15-93 / C.f. The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. / Q: ‘What’s it about?’ A: ‘Early European Colonialism.’ Reply: ‘Oh.’"

In My Dream

Down towards the altar
walking then floating
No one but me
and You
I bow down in prayer
with my face to the ground
candle lights singing sweetly
The organ starts playing
the church bells are ringing
communion is dancing
as the angels sing
Nightmares are ending
the demons start shaking
evil collapsing
in my dream

Alcohol, needles and
bats left from looting
Scar-beaten children
and starving old men
Women on welfare
in section-8 housing
beggars and conmen
pimplords and whores
Bombs set on airplanes
and mines left on bridges
tanks in the town square
and children with guns
Rebels with causes
and cruel sandanestias
hopeful salaroes
in my dream

Where were you when I was dreaming
Tell me where were you

Multiple languages
startling colors
handshakes and kisses
smiles embrace
Tears of remembrance
laughter and heartbeats
singing and dancing
celebrate joy
Cities that sparkle
and have no pollution
Mayors that work
and refuse to be bribed
Families that care
and policemen with morals
love without hatred
in my dream

Where were you when I was dreaming
Tell me where were you

A walk through the park
with a beautiful lion
A lamb in the doorway
a star in my hand
A crown on my head
and my name on a white stone
A glistening stallion
rides through the air
in my dream