Heart, warming in the afterglow
Right here, where I see the world below
Time stands still when the thunder rolls
With a thousand angels singing
And every bell is ringing
I go
Love has really got a hold on me
I know exactly where I want to be
Alive--moved in grace and liberty
Floating lighter than a feather
Knowing this will last forever
I'll be
You take me dancing (dance on light)
You've got a hold on me (dance on light)
(Terry & Rob contributed most of the background vocals on this one with help from Jerry & Beau.)
My beautiful dreamer
This bird has flown [1]
Arise and come follow
My love, my own
And we'll leave the Wild Wood [2] maze
And we'll end our Wild Wood days
On a sea of dreams
We'll sail through still-scene-haze
...home!
Here's an open invitation, "Wish on a star"
Winter's past, the way is washed in light
Time to change your occupation
Come as you are
Where forever calls, beyond the night
(Spoken)
"Come away!
The rains will soon be over and gone."
(Clerk)
"Afternoon, Mr. Borthick. I believe a telegram arrived for you
this morning"
When you receive your invitation,
"Wish on a star"
Here forever calls beyond the night
[1]The alternate title to the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood":
So I lit a fire isn't it good
Norwegian wood?
I'm waiting for the endless dawn
I'm looking out for clouds to walk upon
The sun's rising, in a golden sky, rising
Waiting for You
I am here, waiting here for You
I'm waiting for the happy end
I'm looking for the time to start again
The day's breaking, heaven, earth are new
Waiting for You
I am here, waiting here for You
And through the day I listen for a word
Your voice, my name
I'm waiting for the angel's call
I'm looking to the day
With You and all your sons, singing
In a golden sky, rising
Waiting for You
I am here, waiting here for You
(The "wall" of vocals heard here is not a synthesizer, but actual voices: Rob & Terry)
Bop! Bomp!
Eddie saves money and time
He puts them in a bottle for Sue
They'll have the rest of their lives
To figure out what they wanna do
Get that operation
It's a facial reconstruction
Or a second television
And a Mexican vacation
Sgt. Chandler dragging the lake
He's the best cop on the beat
He takes pride in keeping the peace
At night he takes his wife home the hate
He's feeling the frustration
Up against his dedication
Should he make the big decision
And change his occupation
Terry's in the studio
Can't get the vocal down
Rob is pulling out his hair
And writhing on the ground
"We gotta get this record out
before the trumpet sounds.
So who on earth do we call 'friend'
and who's this coming down?"
Mrs. Doyle sleeps in the park
Dreams pictures of a better time
Panes break into shards of sharp glass
Falling down and bleeding her mind
Driving mad frustration
Mental consternation
But a wall around the nation
Can't keep out this invasion
In my weary soul I hold
The treasure of Your ever-present love
It's never dark enough to put me out
or take me down
Out of reach, out of bounds
In my trembling hand I hold
The message of your neverending Grace
And now I see Your face, I lift my hands
I close my eyes
I understand, I realize
(Bridge)
And in the time I will come to see You as You are
And my picture comes true when I see You as You are
A child floating down on a cloud in the sky
Said "Sing me a song 'bout a lamb" [1]
So I sang and he smiled, so I sang again
As he placed a reed in my hand [2]
And with my rural pen I stained the water
clear
And wrote this song for every little child to hear [3]
A song of innocence
A song of goodness & light
A song of innocence
A song of goodness & light
Said the child hovering there on his cloud in the sky
"Please sing me the song once again" [4]
And when it was over, he vanished from sight [5]
These are the words sung to him
The One who's meek and mild [6]
you'll find is always near
And I will sing this song
for every child to hear [7]
A song of innocence
(Little lamb, who made thee?) [8]
A song of goodness & light
(Little lamb, I'll tell you) [8]
A song of innocence
(He is called by thy name) [8]
A song of goodness & light
(He became a child, too) [8]
A child floating down on a cloud in the sky
Said "Sing me a song 'bout a lamb"
A song of innocence
A song of goodness & light
A song of innocence
A song of goodness & light
A song of innocence
[1] From the Introduction to Blake's "Songs
of Innocence"
"On a cloud I saw a child,
And he laughing said to me:
`Pipe a song about a Lamb!"
[2] From the Introduction to Blake's "Songs
of Innocence"
"And I pluck'd a hollow reed,"
[3] From the Introduction to Blake's "Songs
of Innocence"
"And I made a rural pen,
And I stain'd the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear."
[4] From the Introduction to Blake's "Songs
of Innocence"
"`Piper, pipe that song again;'
So I piped: he wept to hear."
[5] From the Introduction to Blake's "Songs
of Innocence"
"So he vanish'd from my sight"
[6] From Blake's "The
Lamb"
"He [Christ] is meek, and He is mild;
He became a little child."
[7] From the Introduction to Blake's "Songs
of Innocence"
"And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear."
[8] From Blake's "The
Lamb"
"Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
He is callèd by thy name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb.
He is meek, and He is mild;
He became a little child."
(With your host, Rev. JJ Beverly)
Presenting the Riders of the Western Skies
singing their famous Gospel Medley:
Note: JJ Beverly is actually Dr. Ward Chandler. The "gospel quartet" vocals are Terry multi-tracked to create the illusion
She makes her way to the factory
She's living this side of the rainbow
Oh, broken hearts giving up on "happy ever after"
She seldom cries
She's gotten used to steel-grey skies
Out to the train, thru the turnstile
Down to the city he goes
Oh lovely view, but he just sees a job to do
They all get by
And Grandma's there when baby cries
Evening--and she sets the tableware
He is delayed at the depot
Late home again, she asks him how his day has been
He says, "The same. The paper says it looks like rain."
Over black coffee and cigarettes
They try counting blessings and old debts
So much for dreams--they just come true on TV screens
Oh they'll get by
And Grandma's there when baby cries
Baby sleeps and [baby] sails up over the moon
Jesus in a castle meets her,
feeds her with a golden spoon
Baby wakes, and in her eyes
shines light from the soul
The kind that mommy used to carry
so long ago
(Terry, Rob & Jerry do background vocals on this one. Percussion at the bridge is everything--including the kitchen sink!)
a. Christmas 1980
b. Knowledge & Innocence
(The baby's voice is Terry's son Andrew)
Gone beyond the gate
We must all pass some day
You took a part of me
A broken heart left here to play
This sad/sweet music [1]
The air that I breathe fills me with longing
I thought that I saw your face in the crowd
But that couldn't be
'Cos you walk beyond the stars
Here, inside a dream
I see you standing on a hill
You smile, then turn away
Now I must go--the air is filled
With sad/sweet music
I open my eyes and I feel the longing
I thought that I heard
Your voice call my name
But that couldn't be
'Cos you walk beyond the stars
[1] Reminiscent of Wordsworth:
". . . For I have learned
To look on nature, not as in the hour
Of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes
The still sad music of humanity,"
(From "Lines Composed a few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye During a Tour. July 13, 1798")
Also, compare "this sad sweet goodbye" from A Briefing for the Ascent.
Hand to teary eyes
Brush shadows (I see it now)
Much to my surprise
A light grows (I see it now)
No, I could not hold
This child in my arms
So I let her go and she
A gift taken away
From my world (I see it now)
No, she could not stay
In this world (I see it now)
I have few answers
I quit asking "Why"
Since she's lighter than air and she's
Mmmmmmmm........
I see it now, I see it now.
No, I could not hold
This child in my arms
So I let her go and she
Mmmmmmmm........
"The Light Princess" is the title of a story by George MacDonald.