Fred’s Song
He was a man from the prairies, and from ancient lands before
Who sorted grain in massive hands, and sold insurance door to door
On weekends he’s haul scrap iron, and give haircuts for a buck
He knew the value of a dollar, and how hard work brings you luck
He was called into the city to learn the city ways
Working 18 floors above the ground without a field within his gaze
But sometimes he’d remember a prairie sky so fair
Then smile and look on forward to the time he'd get back there
He was a man from the prairies, and from ancient lands before
Who sorted grain in massive hands and sold insurance door to door
On weekends he’s haul scrap iron and give haircuts for a buck
He knew the value of a dollar and how hard work brings you luck
He had wrestled with his demons, and he overcame them all
To make a good life for his family beneath a sky that seemed so small
And magic tricks for grandkids brought joy into his life
Second only to those special times, when he was dancing with his wife.
Our fathers always leave us, and I guess they always will
The sun sets in the wheat field, and the robin leaves the sill
But then winter turns to summer, and lilacs bloom in spring
And sometimes if you’re lucky, you remember everything
He was a man from the prairies and from ancient lands before
Who sorted grain in massive hands and sold insurance door to door
He was called into the city to learn the city ways
But his heart was in the prairies, and he’ll return there one fine day
Hummingbird Flutter
Waving in the wind like a hummingbird flutter
Staring out a window all alone
Looking for a reason to love you like no other
Looking for a way back home
The coffee’s waiting on the window sill; the sun is pouring in
It takes forever for a wound to heal; and forever to begin again
We slipped apart in that midnight garden
Without a tear, and nothing to say
So many words that were left unspoken
So many debts to pay
The coffee’s cooling on the window sill; the clouds are rolling in
It takes forever for a wound to heal; and forever for to begin again
We could have tried to bring it back together
We could have learned to let it go
But we both know we’ve run out of forevers
‘Cause forever sometimes comes too slow
The coffee’s cold on the window sill, so now it’s time to go
It takes forever for a wound to heal, and forever sometimes comes too slow
The coffee’s cold on the window sill, so now it’s time to go
It takes forever for a wound to heal, and forever sometimes comes too slow
Yeah, forever sometimes comes too slow
Rory’s Song
Little man with eyes so blue, I catch your little smile
And I wonder where you’re going to, with your little feet so wild
With your bumblebees and Christmas trees, I know you’ve started well
But I wonder where your road will leave, ‘cause from here it’s hard to tell
I’ve not that much to give you; you’ll have to learn it on your own
With the times that change, you’ll come to know; why dreamers dream alone
I’d keep you in a castle if I thought it would do some good
but instead I guess I’ll free you, and leave you with a word
May the strength that lies within you guide a skilled and steady hand
May the wisdom of your boyhood laugh be transferred to the man
May the years ahead bring good and bad with love mixed in between
And may the man that you become to be know true what each one means
Well it’s too late now for castles, although I thought I told you so
There’s just no way around it; life’s a row you gotta to hoe
Sometimes up and sometimes down, and sometimes half absurd
And all I have to give you once again is just a word
May the strength that lies within you guide a skilled and steady hand
May the wisdom of your boyhood laugh be transferred to the man
May the years ahead bring good and bad, with love mixed in between
And may the man that you become to be; know true what each one means
I’d keep you in a castle if I thought it would do some good
but instead I guess I’ll free you, and leave you with a word
Matt’s Song
Here I am at 31, with the world beneath my feet
Making big decisions, moving quickly down the street
My life’s a constant whirlwind, there is so much I must do
To keep the home fires burning, and remember to stay true
But lately I’ve been worried, about the way that lies ahead
There are bills to pay and mouths to feed, and kids to tuck in bed
What’s the constant in the chaos, what’s the hand that pulls the thread?
What’s the path toward the future, what’s the road that I must tread?
In the heartbeat of my children; in the strength within her eyes
In the laughter of their voices; in the time we set aside
In the fortune of our friendships; in the bonds across the sea
Is the answer to the question of the man I’m meant to be
It’s up at dawn and out to work, then ‘round the corner for a jar
Then home to do the dishes, and put petrol in the car.
With ups and downs and all arounds; and jobs that must be done
I’m a man in constant motion; I’m forever on the run.
In the heartbeat of my children; in the strength within her eyes
In the laughter of their voices; in the time we set aside
In the fortune of our friendships; in the bonds across the sea
Is the answer to the question of the man I’m meant to be
But lately I’ve been wondering; what a man’s supposed to feel
In the frenzy of the moment, to see what’s truly real.
In a world so full of turmoil, where the future blinds the past
Where’s the footing in the quicksand; where’s the rope around the mast?
In the heartbeat of my children; in the strength within her eyes
In the laughter of their voices; in the time we set aside
In the fortune of our friendships; in the bonds across the sea
Is the answer to the question of the man I’m meant to be
Is the answer to the question of the man I’m meant to be
Burton’s Song (Canoe Song)
I like the morning mist on a clear blue running stream
I like the wind blowin through the trees
I’ve watched the clouds roll by, and I’ve felt the endless rain
I know what they’ve done for me
I’ve heard the screaming loon, and I’ve seen unpunished land
I know it’s time to let them be
I’ve paddled many miles, and I’ve worn through both my hands
And if I could, I’d keep those things for me
I’d cling to my paddle, keep my freedom by my side
And then I’d roam until the end of time
But these things I’m dreaming of, they can never come to be
I’ll just have to keep them gentle on my mind
I’ve watched the sun go down; I’ve counted stars at night
The campfire has often caught me staring
And I’ve felt the warmth of friends where harmonies unite
And I guess that’s something that we all can share in
I’d cling to my paddle, keep my freedom by my side
And then I’d roam until the end of time
But these things I’m dreaming of, they can never come to be
I’ll just have to keep them gentle on my mind
Where the eagle flies, my spirit soars; I’ve been there twice before
Where the paddle blades and windswept waves, kept the time from shore to shore
And the lullabies of starlit skies, used to rock me to my sleep
With dreams today remembered, and the promises I keep
I’d cling to my paddle, keep my freedom by my side
And then I’d roam until the end of time
But these things I’m dreaming of, they can never come to be
I’ll just have to keep them gentle on my mind
I’ll just have to keep them gentle on my mind
A Perfect Friend
You want to know the reason; why I’ve come for you today
And why I’m now believing; that life’s better lived this way
Well the answer comes quite simply; it’s the little things you do
Like the special way you see me; like the coffee that you brew
Like the trousers that you made me; like the stained glass in my den
It’s the little things and so much more; It’s because you’re a perfect friend
You’re with me when I’m lonely; you leave when I need room
You may not understand me; but you keep on listening through
You smile when I am happy; you cry when I am down
You love me through the good times; you make my world go round
You give me strength for living; my fears you always mend
And you only want the best from me; that’s because you’re a perfect friend.
What you give is special; what we’ve got is good
It may not be outspoken; but it serves us as it should
As long as we’re still talking; it’ll mean we really care
It’s a promise to be open; it’s a thirst for life to share
It’s a blessing for the future; from beginning to the end
It’s the little things and so much more; that’s because you’re a perfect friend
And after 40 years it’s still the same; that’s because you’re a perfect friend.
Kelty’s Song
When I wake up in the morning; and remember that you’re gone
The sun sinks low beneath the clouds; and the rain dissolves the dawn
But you told me not to worry; you said you'd be all right
You said you had to find a place; where darkness turns to light
Go in peace to the river; Go in peace to the shore
Go in peace to the mountain; Go in peace evermore
Go in peace for your family; Go in peace for your friends
For when the journey’s over, I will be with you again
In every hour of every day; in every empty chair
In every place I look for you; I know that you’re not there
But in every smile upon a face; every triumph over fear
In every burst of laughter; I know you must be near
Go in peace to the river; Go in peace to the shore
Go in peace to the mountain; Go in peace evermore
Go in peace for your family; Go in peace for your friends
For when the journey’s over, I will be with you again
I will see you in the alpenglow; I’ll watch you dance with stars
I will hear your whisper in the wind; I will keep you in my heart
I will put you on my shoulder; I will use you as my guide
And for all the roads I travel down; I will have you at my side
Go in peace to the river; Go in peace to the shore
Go in peace to the mountain; Go in peace evermore
Go in peace for your family; Go in peace for your friends
For when the journey’s over, I will be with you again
Go in peace to the river; Go in peace to the shore
Go in peace to the mountain; Go in peace evermore
Go in peace for your family; Go in peace for your friends
For when the journey’s over, I will be with you again
Riley’s Gift
There was a little girl who laughed so hard; that you couldn’t help but smile
With her little hands and little feet; and her spirit running wild
She was an angel and a fighter; she was an apple of an eye
She was a child of God, a scared soul; she was a seeker of the light
She’s on her way, like the turning of the dawn;
Like the rolling of a river out to sea
She’s on her way, with her story and her song;
And a lesson sent with love to you and me
She soon became a woman; paid her dues along the way
Searching for the centre; in a world that’s gone astray
She had a silent kind of wisdom; though she didn’t know it then
She know how to love and how to cry; and how to be there for a friend
She’s on her way, like the turning of the dawn
Like the rolling of a river out to sea
She’s on her way, with her story and her song
And a lesson sent with love to you and me
In a coffee shop in Thailand, she finally got the news
The person she was looking for was standing in her shoes
She got an answer to her question; a truth for all to see
What matters most is who you are; and who you want to be
She’s on her way, like the turning of the dawn
Like the rolling of a river out to sea
She’s on her way, with her story and her song
And a lesson sent with love to you and me
In a day that’s filled with sorrow; with the coming of the snow
There’s one thing I hold on to; there’s one thing that I know
She’s an angel, she’s a fighter; she’s an apple of an eye
She’s a spirit in her own right; and now a keeper of the light
She’s on her way, like the turning of the dawn
Like the rolling of a river out to sea
She’s on her way, with her story and her song
And a lesson sent with love to you and me
Lauren’s Song
She sits and through the window softly stares
At the unicorns and mermaids in the air
She hums herself a happy little tune
Then counts her toes and compliments the moon
She’s six years old, going on twenty-three
She’s a rabbit, she’s a sparrow, she’s a bee
She likes to speak her mind; she does so all the time
And now and then she speaks for you and me
I don’t want to put my clothes on; I don’t want to brush my teeth
I don’t want to eat my breakfast; I don’t want to go to sleep
I don’t want to be a superstar; I don’t want to reach your height
I just want to know from you that I’m all right
He sits and through the window sadly stares
At the thunder and the lightning in the air
He struggles for the words that will not come
Then shakes his head and shuts away the sun
He’s forty-two, going on eighty-three
He’s a river, he’s a mountain, he’s a tree
He likes to speak his mind, he does so all the time
And now and then he speaks for you and me
I don’t want to lose connection; I don’t want to drop the ball
I don’t want to cut the ribbon; I don’t want to see you fall.
I don’t want to be a superstar; I don’t want to reach your height
I just want to know from you that I’m all right
They sit and through the window share the sun
As the clouds roll by and the day is almost done
They sing themselves a silly little tune
As she counts her toes, he waits upon the moon
They’re six years old, going on forty-two
Tied together like the laces through a shoe
They like to speak their minds; they do so all the time
And now and then they speak for me and you
I don’t want to put my clothes on; I don’t want to drop the ball
I don’t want to eat my breakfast; I don’t want to see you fall
I don’t want to be a superstar; I don’t want to reach your height
I just want to to from you that I’m all right
I just need to know from you that I’m all right
Best Day of My Life
It was an early morning weekend, in the chaos of a life
Filled with work and children, and many sleepless nights
I sat down in the hallway, with my arms out open wide
And my daughters ran toward me, with laughter in their eyes
They were two years old and full of joy, without a worry or a care
Full of wild abandon, face-first flying through the air
The world outside just fell away, nothing mattered anymore
Just those seconds in the moment, before the closing of a door
It was the best day of my life, ‘though I didn't know it then
Sometimes stuff just happens, that won’t come round again
Like a photograph untaken, like a look across a room
Like a perfect song at a perfect time, in a moment gone too soon
It was an afternoon excursion, with my father who’d grown old
When we stopped into a coffee shop, to get out of the cold
We said nothing of importance, yet somehow said it all
When we took the time to linger on, before the coming of the fall
It was the best day of my life, ‘though I didn't know it then
Sometimes stuff just happens, that won’t come round again
Like a photograph untaken, like a look across a room
Like a perfect song at a perfect time, in a moment gone too soon
It was an early evening dinner, some 40 years ago
When a new found love before me, burrowed deep within my soul
The room was full of people, who were never really there
‘ cause that moment held between us, had sucked up all the air
It was the best day of my life, ‘though I didn't know it then
Sometimes stuff just happens, that won’t come round again
Like a photograph untaken, like a look across a room
Like a perfect song at a perfect time, in a moment gone too soon
Like a perfect song at a perfect time, in a moment gone too soon
Saint Natalie
There’s a woman of the prairies who has lived a thousand years
Through a multitude of stories, bringing happiness and tears
She’s been a daughter and a mother, and a worker and a wife
Who has come to grace and beauty, through a radiance of light
There are those who tend the garden; There are those that bake the bread
There are those who lay a gentle hand; On a tumbled, troubled head
There are those who help their friends along; And guide them on their way
And there are those who find a spark of joy; In every living day
They used to lie together; A daughter and her mom
In the comfort of the twilight; Just before the setting sun
Oh, the daughter she had worries; About the way that lay ahead
So the mother held her closer; And this is what she said:
There are those who see the sunlight; In the darkness of the clouds
There are those who find the quiet ones; In the massive, roaring crowds
There are those who see the difference; Between what’s right and clearly wrong
There are those who know the joy of life; And there are those who sing her song.
They used to lie together; A daughter and her mom
In the comfort of the twilight; Just before the setting sun
The daughter listened quietly; And began to understand
That there’s a gentle way to go in life; When you take your this mother’s hand
There are those who tend the garden; there are those who bake the bread
There are those who lay a gentle hand; On a tumbled, troubled head
There are those who see the difference; Between what’s right and clearly wrong
There are those who choose the joy of life; And there are those who sing her song.
There’s a woman of the prairies, been a worker and a wife
Who has come to grace and beauty; Through a radiance of light
