Lyrics Of My Youth

Sound, Followed

2006-05-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

In the night, I have followed
A Sound, I have followed
Away, I have followed it long

In the dark, I have wandered
Seeking what I once heard
Away, I have sought it so long

Gentle rhythm that carries me
Rhythm won't set me free
I have been captive so long, so long

Rhythm keeps tempting me
To touch that sound I cannot see
I have been groping so long, so long
I have been groping so long

Now I'm doomed to follow
All my days, doomed to follow
A restless song bourne on the wind

In the night, I have followed
A Sound, I have followed
The sweetest sound that I've ever heard

~~~~~
From 1974 (Maybe)

Bethel Island

2006-04-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

Tryin to find my way to Bethel Island
Someone once told me it was nice
Though I don’t know how to get there
I think if I head north I’ll be all right

Shadows growing taller
Fall across the dusty roadside
While twilight thumbs a ride home
To his summer bride
Nightime paints the concrete fields
With magic velvet darkness
And with her sweeping hands
She makes my dreams

They tell me a river flows around the island
That it has no beginning and no end
There are golden trees with golden leaves
And endless golden days
I’m headed there
I don’t know where
My heart will find the way

Sunrise calls softly now
To wake me from my slumber
Warm and dappled sunlight fills my mind
And if morning is my lover
Then I shall need no other
I shall need no other
All of my days

~~~~~
From March 1973
Bethel Island, CA, in the Sacramento River Delta is a real place.

If I Could

2006-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

If I'd some money I would buy
Drums and flutes, rings and shiny things
If I'd a hammer I would build
A house on the hill that overlooks the meadow

And each morning just before sunrise
I'd walk to the field to touch the sleeping flowers
Let the dew drops wash away my sadness
And dawn kiss, dawn kiss my eyes

If I could I'd look where I'm going
If I had time I'd look behind
I'd learn the things I think are worth knowing
Wouldn't waste my life being unkind

If he were only somewhere near me
I'd bring him flowers, picked wild from the field
If I'd some sense I'd say I loved him
And stay with him, stay with him a while

If I could I'd look where I'm going
If I had time I'd look behind
I'd learn the things I think are worth knowing
Wouldn't waste my life being unkind

If I'd some money I would buy
Drums and flutes, rings and shiny things
Id I'd a hammer I would build
A house on the hill that overlooks the meadow

~~~~~
From October 1971

Stormy

2006-03-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

The morning is suspended by a single silver string
And wrapped around with dew drops fallen
From the crowns of kings
The river is a crystal road
Beyond the world's end
Stormy, won't you come with me
I'm aching to begin

Stormy, Stormy, Stormy, won't you trust me
Stormy, Stormy, Stormy, won't you trust me

I have a thousand faces but no name I call my own
The words I now sing to you
Are the only truth I've known
Written deep in heaven's vault
Before creation's light
Stormy, if you'll look at me
Those words are yours tonight

Stormy, Stormy, Stormy, won't you trust me
Stormy, Stormy, Stormy, won't you trust me

When all my yesterdays are made into a strand of pearls
Perhaps I'll claim a treasure
On the far side of the world
But the sea that lies before now
Is filled with tears of men
Stormy, won't you laugh with me
I want to be your friend

Stormy, Stormy, Stormy, won't you trust me
Stormy, Stormy, Stormy, won't you trust me

From April 10, 1975

Let My Life Be A Song

2006-01-29T09:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes creative people go through a religious period. This gospel tune was from mine:

Let my life be a song
Let that song be of love
Let it echo with splendor
Like music heard above

Let me be there
In that chorus
When they sing to Jesus praise
Let me stand among God's children
Let me glorify His name

May my love run deep
May my love run wide
May my love be forever
Reaching out to touch the sky

Tomorrow I'm Leaving

2006-01-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

Dreams like springtime blossoms
Must be captured while they last
Before time's careless hand
Steals them from our grasp

If everyone's a singer
When love's his fleeting song
Then love me while I'm here tonight
Tomorrow I'll be gone

For tomorrow I'm leaving
I'll be gone come early morn
As sunrise pours her dawnlight on
The town where I was born

Go to the meadow for me
When the berries there are ripe
Take the poetry I left
Unfinished in the night

For tomorrow I'm leaving
I'll be gone come early morn
As sunrise pours her dawnlight on
The town where I was born

~~~~~
From August 1972

Carnival

2006-01-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

Life's a carnival
Time's ferris wheel
Luck's a tatooed lady
Fate's a fortune teller
And I'm a clown
Who'll stand upside down
If you ask

I'm gonna join the circus
I've got to pack my things
Gonna join the gypsy caravan
And learn, learn, learn to sing

Life's a carnival
A touring circus company
Traveling on that endless road
Drawn by six white ponies
And I'm along
You're along
And we're all
Clowns
We'll stand upside down
If they ask

I'm gonna join the circus
And leave the past behind
Gonna join the gypsy caravan
That's rolling, rolling
Beneath the diamond sky

~~~~~
From May 1972

Keys To The City

2006-01-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

Open your curtain
I’m under your window
Don’t slam that shutter
I’ve something to tell you
I’ve the keys to the city
Oh, my love, please come with me tonight

Don’t turn away
I’ve some coins in my pocket
We’ll go where the champagne
Flows in crystal goblets
I’ve the keys to the city
Oh, my love, please come with me tonight

No time to waste
I am leaving at sunrise
I’m sailing for Holland
I am sailing for France
My heart’s running wild
Won’t you come help me celebrate
Why do you hesitate
This is your last chance

Come down your stairway
I’ll wait by your front door
I brought some flowers
I picked at your neighbors
I’ve the keys to the city
Oh, my love, please come with me tonight

~~~~~
From 1973 (I think)

Come My Love

2006-01-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

Come my love, into my arms
Come my love, to my side
Bring me fruit of your dreams
And I'll bring the sweet, mellow wine

Bring me diamonds of starlight
Bring me gold of the day
I'll bring my heart and my soul
The rest will be given away

Wake now, the morning is dawning
See how the light fills the sky
Wake now to joy and to gladness
Spread your wings and fly

~~~~~
From June 1972

Sail Away

2006-01-03T04:01:00.000-08:00

Sail away, tonight I'll sail away
And if my love, you'll sail with me
We'll write the ocean poetry
On the everchangin' colors of our minds

The stars are dancing wildly to the music of the wind song
And the night laughing free
While the restless ocean rhythm calls me on
For magic swept away the storm clouds
And cast bright starshine in the sky
And magic built a boat for me
Of balsam wood and pine

Sail away, tonight I'll sail away
And if my love, you'll sail with me
We'll write the ocean poetry
On the everchangin' colors of our minds

~~~~~
From November 1972

I Wasn't Ready For The Sunshine

2006-01-03T03:47:00.000-08:00

I wasn't ready for the sunshine, I was still strung out on the rain
I wasn't ready for the sunshine, I was still strung out on the rain

The court of fools they asked me to come sing for them
With beer and a slice of pizza I'd be paid
But when I started they turned up the houselights
And just cheered for songs that I could not play

I wasn't ready for the sunshine, I was still strung out on the rain
I wasn't ready for the sunshine, I was still strung out on the rain

She took my coins and cast them on the spinning wheel
For a chance of fame and fortune all life long
But my numbers came up empty, Guess I'll leave this place
Let some other fool finish off the song

I wasn't ready for the sunshine, I was still strung out on the rain
I wasn't ready for the sunshine, I was still strung out on the rain

~~~~~
From February 1972
My performance of this was always upbeat and rythmic; in the folkrock tradition.

The Other Shore

2006-01-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

Crazy now, my mind is turning
Ov'r the pages of my learning
Looking for a truth that won't be found

Lost now, the darkness binds us
Till the morning comes to find us
Ages older than the day before

Towards eternity we're sailing,
And in spite of my failings
Sometimes I can see the other shore

Spinning mad, my senses leave me
And I find they have deceived me
Left me tripping, reeling like a fool

In my heart a song is burning
And the sky above is twirling
To the distant music that I hear

Towards eternity we're sailing
And behind us we're trailing
Garlands of flowers in the wind

Towards eternity we're flying
Even though I'm scared of dying
Sometimes I can see the other shore

~~~~~
From June 1972