by Robin Eschner and Dennis Hysom • Chimney Full of Birds
It was easy to float with all that salt in the water
everything was soft, in the land of your grandfather
the air, the light, the waves, with their gentle silver breaking
and you drifted in the place between the dreaming and the waking
oh, close your eyes, imagine when they didn’t want you here
imagine how you slept beneath your blanket of fear
the prayers you said at night, to a god you had to hide
the letters from your brother, the photograph inscribed… America
CHORUS:
Oh, America – only an ocean, only a dream away
is it true what they say, are you forgetting?
oh, America, when there’s so much more to do
America, the dream remembers you
close your eyes, and dream, and then…
America, be beautiful, again
now the boats form a line, heading home to the harbor
and here is a gift from your own granddaughter
it seems another time, this fortress in the sand
in the shelter of the cliffs, with a billion year-old fossil in your hand
imagine when they didn’t want you here
imagine how you dreamed, beneath your blanket of fear
with the ancient skills of your modest trade
the flowers you could grow, the accordion you played
CHORUS:
Oh, America – only an ocean, only a dream away
is it true what they say, are you forgetting?
oh, America, when there’s so much more to do
America, the dream remembers you
close your eyes, and dream, and then…
America, be beautiful, again
Fire Cannot Burn What It Cannot Find
Because Fire Cannot Burn What It Cannot Find
Because fire cannot burn what it cannot find
they cut down all the trees, to the water line
I’m gonna pull some cedar branches from the logging slash
build myself a sturdy little river raft
float on out to sea, leave it all behind
because fire cannot burn what it cannot find
at night when all the world has gone to blue
I will drift beneath the stars and dream of you
I’ve got all this love that wants to shine through
love that waits to burn, bright and true
when the wind comes screaming fire from the south
like a dragon with the Devil in his mouth
let the others gas their cars and catch their cats
stuff their lap tops in a gunny sack
strap their memories to the luggage rack
I will be miles and gone from shore, no lookin’ back
because fire cannot burn what it cannot find
fire cannot burn what it cannot find
at night when all the world has gone to blue
I will drift beneath the stars and dream of you
I’ve got all this love that wants to shine through
love that waits to burn, bright and true
Oh, you are in my heart, you are on my mind
but fire cannot burn what it cannot find
no, no, fire cannot burn what it cannot find
fire cannot burn what it cannot find
Hole In The Master Plan
There's a hole in the master plan
things keep falling in
we stand around the edges
counting
we stand around the edges
trying to hold on to things
to the babies
the old ones
the wandering
CHORUS:
lay your roses on the ground
drop a stone into the black
you can listen for the sound
but nothing’s coming back
you can drop down to your knees
tie a ribbon ‘round your prayer
everybody, is going there
hold on to what you can
there’s a hole in the master plan
there’s a hole in the master plan
things keep falling in
drop a stone into the black
start counting
drop a stone into the black
through the desire and neglect
we’ll shake a little chatter
from the bones we resurrect
When the bully on the block is the money man
striking matches on the lid of the gasoline can
beware the hand you shake
you’re only what you make to the money man
When the bully on the block is the money man
steal of a deal on his, quicksand
careful where you go
you’re only who you know to the money man
CHORUS:
trouble on the street (watch your back man)
trouble in the city (another gunhand, for the black man)
trouble at the border (Hey, Mister Barrio, go back to Mexico)
trouble in D.C.
every time he opens his mouth to talk, we hear the ticking of the clock
tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock,
time to take a walk, Mr. Bully on the Block
When the bully on the block is the money man
locking up your dreams in a • Brink’s Van
you’ll trade away your sleep
for the secrets that you keep from the money man
When the bully on the block is an angry man
with his bigger than yours and his, better than
it’s hard to know your place
shrinking at the face of the angry man
trouble on the street (watch your back man)
trouble in the city (when America, is un-American)
trouble at the border (Hey, Mister Barrio, go back to Mexico)
trouble in D.C.
every time he opens his mouth to talk, we hear the ticking of the clock
tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock,
time to take a walk, B–B–B Bully on the block
If loud means right, he must know all the answers
if angry means smart, he must be an Einstein
if rude means he’s got a plan, to help save the working man
we’re gonna love you, we’re gonna love you,
we’re gonna love you, Mr. Bully on the Block
When the bully on the block is a guilty man
crossing his fingers, with a bible in his hand
who will call his bluff?
TRUTH, are you enough to get the guilty man, when he’s the money man?
