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Description of Nappy Martin's tunes Show me the tune descriptions
All compositions, ©1996-2008, Nappy Martin. All rights reserved
41 compositions listed 
5:4 Alleluia

Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu-u-ia,

Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu-u-ia,

Praise to the Fath-er, Praise to the Son, They, and the Spir-it, One

As we sing,

Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu-u-ia,

Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu--a, Al-le-lu-u-ia,

Al-le-lu-u-ia,

Alberta Calls Her Home

 

 

ALBERTA CALLS HER HOME

 

the autumn air is brisk and clean, the painted leaves a timeless scene

for those who ply their dreams round new englandís hills

but westbound rolls a train with my love on board again

as in dreams of her own, alberta calls her home

a friendly smile at first belies the sense of distance in her eyes

as she comes on to play, sing a song or two

but each note, as it fades, renders vain this masquerade

for in sweet, gentle drones, alberta calls her home

 

fare she well, through the wilds, God protect her, ëcross the miles

keep her warm, as she might be, in new england, here with me

the lakelands of ontario laid far behind

the sunset over manitoba bids goodnight the berms of clover

 

racing through the prairie lands, her destination near at hand

she rides on through the night, bound for edmonton

and fall to winter fades, while her yankee lover waits

pay no mind, deal is done, alberta calls her home

fare she well, through the wildsÖ

 

for nothing i could offer here would change her mind

and stayíng with me would only leave her

stranded in a world that bleeds her

 

that would never do for me, my loved one feeling less than free

and as i bide my time, quite contentedly

i think about her smile, and that laugh that bridges miles

while i wait for the morn, alberta calls me homeÖ

==========================================

c. 2000 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Ask Me Again (Pretty Darling)
ASK ME AGAIN (PRETTY DARLING)

it seems like yesterday you hardly knew my name

now you know more about me, than many would dare to see

through misted mem'ries like that park bench in the rain

first time i held a hand, guess it was mighty grand,

but if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies

the words are so hard to find, and they'd only make you cry, oh

ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes

and if i take your hand, oh, don't you be surprised

we've been just friends so long, it must be hard to see

how anything else could be, so right for you and me

you ask those silly things like what came over me

first time i kissed someone, you blush and i make fun

but if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies

the words are so hard to find, and they'd only make you cry, oh

ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes

and if i kiss you, oh, don't you be surprised

whatever it was i found each time,

i know i could bring it back for you

so don't ask me what it felt like then,

unless you've a mind to feel it too

but if you're int'rested, i've got so much to tell

tales from when love was new, only to share with you

of moonlight shadows poised to catch me as i fell

first time i held her tight, guess we were quite a sight

but if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies

the words are so hard to find, and they'd only make you cry, oh

ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes

and, if i hold you tight, oh, don't you be surprised

whatever it was i found each time,

i know i could bring it back for you

and don't ask me what it felt like then,

unless you've a mind to feel it too

girl i just can't win

the hint of a smile from you, is all that it takes to do me in

please help me understand what brings you back again

what good am i for you feeling the way i do,

well if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies

the words are so hard to find, and they'd only make you cry, oh

ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes

and if i say i love you, oh, don't you be surprised

(c) 1981 ryeside music (bmi) ================================================================

Ask Me Again (Prety Darling)
ASK ME AGAIN (PRETTY DARLING)

it seems like yesterday you hardly knew my name now you know more ëbout me, than many would dare to see through misted mem'ries like that park bench in the rain first time i held a hand, guess it was mighty grand, but if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies the words are so hard to find and they'd only make you cey oh, ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes and if i take your hand, oh, donít you be surprised

weíve been just friends so long, it must be hard to see how anything else could be, so right for you and me you ask those silly things like what came over me first time i kissed someone, you blush and i make fun but if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies the words are so hard to find and they'd only make you cey oh, ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes and if i kiss you, oh, donít you be surprised

whatever it was i found each time, i know i could bring it back for you so donít ask me what it felt like then, unless youíve a mind to feel it too

but if youíre int'rested, iíve got so much to tell tales from when love was new, only to share with you of moonlight shadows poised to catch me as i fell first time i held her tight, guess we were quite a sight but if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies the words are so hard to find and they'd only make you cey oh, ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes and if i hold you tight, oh, donít you be surprised

whatever it was i found each time, i know i could bring it back for you and donít ask me what it felt like then, unless youíve a mind to feel it too

girl i just canít win the hint of a smile from you, is all that it takes to do me in please help me understand what brings you back again what good am i for you feeling the way i do, well if you really want to know, then

ask me again, pretty darling, i won't tell you no lies the words are so hard to find and they'd only make you cey oh, ask me again, pretty darling, and this time close your eyes and if i say i love you, oh, donít you be surprised

Back to the Mirror
in my day iíve been called unforgivably vain

with a special affinity, for the reflecting pane

but itís not my demeanor, my smile or my eyes

through which i seek my prize

no itís back-to-the-mirror where i get my laughs

musing on what my accusers would see

if truly they could see through me

as i pour out my song for this intimate crowd

they can hardly imagine, a time i was well-endowed

with bravado befitting the range of my schemes

no more, nor less, it seems

so itís back-to-the-mirror where i make my stand

shining, transparent, yet fully in view

where they can find me just like you

and itís back to the mirror, my image is free

of wrinkles and blemishes

itís just as well nobody else can see

at the end of my set iíll meander backstage

where the answer will come to me, silent, beyond the rage

and that ìpieceî of my soul will be differently spelled

no grief to buy nor sell

for itís back-to-the-mirror where iíll take my rest

casting the limelight that never found me

through what then seemed eternity

and itís back to the mirror, my image is free

of wrinkles and blemishes

itís just as well nobody else can see

yes itís back-to-the-mirror where i get my laughs

musing on what my accusers would see

if truly they could see through me

Beholding You

 

BEHOLDING YOU

the dawn and the dew, the sun in my eye

remind me of you, imagine the high

like sundays in june

are the moments i spend beholding you

who could help falling in love

in the sunlight you bring to the early morn

as for me, i dream only of

that kiss on my brow that awakens me to

only you, only you

no wind and no rain can bother me here

nor sorrow nor pain, as long as you're near

no time for the blues

when there's time i could spend beholding you

i was lost in the lonely wee hours

gazing at stars from my window sill

but you know, the stars turned to showers

of a sun-basted glow, and within it i saw

only you, only you

long ago, seems i was told

to have and to hold is a passing dream

but i know, here in my soul

that dream has survived, and it finds me beside

only you, only you

(oo-oo-oo-oo, ooh... )

like sundays in june

are the moments i spend beholding you

=========================================

Copyright ©1981 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Berkshire Blue

 

BERKSHIRE BLUE

hoosie runs by, under my sill,
winding her way, through mountain and mill
gleaning from these her mysterious hue called,
berkshire blue

lindsay and i played to the crowd
speaking our minds, brazen and proud
but townie persuasions would rend us in two, bleedingÖ
berkshire blue

river rolls on, nursing her sheep
here on the heights, my silence i keep
passively mending, sadly but sure
small my troubles by what she's endured

hoosie my friend, wend as you will
lumb'ring your way past haven and hill
but render for me a more certaining hue ofÖ
berkshire blue
berkshire blue

     (break)

trying to break in, just being me
grave was my sin to those not so free
free of the airs that keep them in chains
chiming liberties they'll never claim

summer has waned, autumn draws nigh
deciduous rainbows on choc'late-grey skies
fade in a dreamscape so richly imbued, withÖ
berkshire blue, yes
berkshire blue

hoosie my friend, wend as you will
lumb'ring your way past haven and hill

render for me a more certaining hue ofÖ
berkshire blue

Cognito

 

COGNITO

 

how dassed you wish beyond your star

that youíd presume to go so far

as those of nobler name, of whom not oneís to blame

for whatís become of you

at least we know now who you are

though still we mock you from afar

we never thought to trust, you might be one of us

that took its toll on you

now that youíve licked us at our game,

and wonít go back to whence you came

weíll take you in awhile, until youíre out of style again

cognito, at long last weíve found you

cognito, we canít get around you

nor all that youíve done so well, rising each time you fell

no need your side to tell, we always knew

though not cut out for wealth or fame

your quest for both deserves no shame

for selfless diligence has brought you recompense

beyond our wildest dreams

in friends who proudly can proclaim

they stood behind you even when

there was no telling how you might survive till now

despite our every scheme

those vast ambitions of your soul, that always left us in the cold

now find you realized, within our very eyes to hold

cognito, at long last weíve found you

cognito, we canít get around you

rising each time you fell, to a heaven you carved from hell

no need your side to tell, we always knew

=============================================

c. 2001 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Counterfile

 

COUNTERFILE

 

Alone in a bag in my closet,

hangs a suit with a story to tell.

I had it tailor made for an interview date,

that would lift my career out of hell.

But the date met with swift cancelation,

no reason, no charges, nor trial:

I wonder what they found this time, in my counterfile.

My wife's got the same occupation,

at least by credentials, you see.

But searching for suitable placement,

she's done even worsely than me.

In this I find no consolation,

it's prob'ly from our trip down the aisle.

I'm sure there's a record of that in her counterfile.

Yeah, living's a bitch, when there's a glitch,

in your counterfile.

I still got that blurb from the paper,

that says Joe McCarthy expired.

If that was the end of such capers,

what keeps me stuck in the mire?

Perhaps it's positions I've taken,

on issues of equity true.

But why should I beg, for a chance to renege,

when I'd only profess them anew.

'Cause what would be shown for such changes?

Just another round of revile,

drawn from the palette of lies in my counterfile.

Yeah, refusing to mime is a capital crime,

says my counterfile.

When someday I answer to Jesus,

for what with my talent I found,

I hope in His mercy He'll notice

how squarely I stood my ground.

And so, come the day of my judgment,

on which I surrender my soul,

I'll reach for the hand of Saint Peter,

and ask if there's room in the fold.

Though I got no claim to no halo,

I pray only just for this while,

the truth will be measured against

what's in my counterfile.

Or is there a hold, on the fate of my soul,

in my counterfile, in my counterfile,

in my counterfile, in my counterfile.

==============================================

Copyright ©2000 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Damon the Co-dependent Caiman
damon, the co-dependent caiman


out on a warm tropical day,
with no inclination to hunt for his prey
lurks a most curious reptilian
relying on his partners for all that he can
(say, is that shell picked clean?Ö oh, honey, pass me that fin!)

razorlike teeth, slow on the jaw
languorous feet with manicured claws 
declining attack he lingers in wait
to gather the scraplings left by his mate, he's
damon, the co-dependent caiman, damon, the co-dependent caiman

before you condemn the way i get by
give me the chance, to say that i tried
enable my lungs, empower my legs
shore up my spine, or swim in my pla - ace

down on the shores, of mother caribe,
they're gathered in scores, would you believe
excepting for one who waits in the blind
for honey to leave her booty behind
(you gonna eat that antenna?Ö no, i just need it for my stereo!)

equipped for a diet of livers and scales
never pursuing, how can he fail
with plenty of time to play on his charm
submissively mating will do him no harm, he's
damon, the co-dependent caiman, damon, the co-dependent caiman

before you denounce the life that i lead,
draw me a map, to find what i need
enable my claws, empower my feet
waken my jaws, but watch for my te -eeth

(mmmmmÖ rat-tail stewÖ man, this is the lifeÖ)

Ö he's damon, the co-dependent caiman
damon, the co-dependent caiman
<!-- end of AOLMsgPart_3_473de96b-b611-4f09-aa8a-035ceb310657 -->
Don't Rush Me

 

DON'T RUSH ME      (expect long intro!)

ba-by ba-by, what-cha try-in' to say
no it's not that i don't trust you, but i know
things ain't work-in' in their na-tur-al way
and it's time i set my mind to tell you so
in-se-cur-i-ties are hold-ing you fast
to the no-tion you must tight-en up these reins
un-der-stand-ing you've been hurt in the past
still i can't a-bide you tug-ging at my veins

heed me close-ly and iíll spell it out once more,
sen-si-tive and tact-ful as i can
i can't whisk a-way what's hap-pened be-fore
but this i know for sure, iím ready to im-plore

(don't rush me) i want you so,
but need to know, you'll let it grow
just give me time, in which to find
if i'm in-clined, to make you mine
don't rush me please

hav-ing made the point and hold-ing my ground
though itís not been my con-ven-tion to ab-stain
why risk lay-ing our re-la-tion-ship down
for to bear the same in-dig-ni-ties a-gain
re-al-iz-ing iíve had hurts of my own
can you find it in your heart to let ëem heal
thereíll be time e-nough for mend-ing whatís blown
and weíll need it all to har-vest what is real

heed me close-ly and iíll spell it out once more,
sen-si-tive and tact-ful as i can
i can't whisk a-way what's hap-pened be-fore
but this i know for sure, iím ready to im-plore

(don't rush me)  i want you so
but need to know, you'll let it grow
just give me time, in which to find
if i'm in-clined, to make you mine
don't rush me please, please

i want you so, but need to know,
you'll take it slow, and let it grow
please give me time, in which to find,
if i'm de-signed, to make you mine
don't rush me

don't rush me, don't rush me,
don't rush me, don't rush me,
don't rush me, don't rush me,
don't rush me, don't rush me
===============================================

Copyright ©2001 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Druthers

 

DRUTHERS

evëry night he wakes, bracing for tomorrow
morning soon to break, canít afford the sorrow

reaching for the nearest phone
he replays a voice-mail that she moaned, early last evening
said she needs more healing time
nothing he can form in phrase or mime will stop the bleeding
with a sigh he concedes

sheís got that "iím gonna tell him i need more time to think
but iíve made up my mind" look
designed with intention to see his name in ink
in her suitors declined book

and evëry time she rings, still he runs to answer
bending to her voice, bowing to romance her

then the all-familiar news
leaves him with his tongue tied to those shoes he wonít be needing
flowers to be flushed away
with her late respondez síil vous plait, so much for breeding
yet he still canít believe

sheís got that "iím gonna tell him i need more time to think
but iíve made up my mind" look
designed with intention to see his name in ink
in her suitors declined book

and evëry lie she tells generates another
oceans waves may may swell, many tears to smother
iíd fare just as well hitting on her mother
'cause potions no one sells to wash away her druthers

=========================================

Copyright ©2003 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Edie's Song (Who'll Miss You More?) with bass tabs

whoíll miss you more (edieís song)

when i first set eyes upon you

a strange light filled the air

had anyone noticed the sparks

that flew high and low

was it love or just chemistry

could either find a way

in a flash you'd be gone for good

whose good i donít know

oh i could be free without you-u

if i could foresee without you-u

any way to grow, any where to go

far beyond the reach of the whispering fools

and I could find peace beyond you-u

from the madness they wreak upon you-u

showing them the score, not to settle for

whisp'ring at the door who'll miss you more

 

sunny skies, the gentlest of winds,

bring only stagnancy

till the dance of your cigarette smoke,

refreshes the air

silly rules and disparities,

have done their distancing

but the moment is ours for now,

whatever the fare

oh i could be free without you,

if i could foresee without you

any way to grow, anywhere to go

far beyond the reach of the whispering fools

and i could find peace beyond you,

from the madness they wreak upon you

showing them the score, not to settle for

whispering at your door, whoíll miss you more

 

to see you starved for tender graces

while mine are trapped in reserves

look at us defending places,

that neither deserves

oh, i could be free without you,

if i could foresee without you

any way to grow, anywhere to go

far beyond the reach of the whispering fools

and i could find peace beyond you,

from the madness they wreak upon you

showing them the score, not to settle for

whispering at your door, whoíll miss you more

 

(c)2006 Ryeside Music (BMI)

===========================================

Bass Tablature: 

Edie's Song (Whoíll Miss You More)

Verse

-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------

22------ 22------ 22------ 22------ 22------ 22------ -------- --------

-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- 44------ 22------

======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ========

 

-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------

22------ 22------ 22------ 22------ 22------ 22------ -------- ----4-4-

-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- 44------ 5-5-----

======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ========

 

Chorus

----2--2 -------- -------- -------- 4--4--24 5------- ----42-- --------

5--5---- ----2--4 5--5---- -----242 -----4-- -----2-4 5--5---5 ----4--4

-------- 5ó55---- ----3--3 5--55--- -------- ---3---- -------- 5-5-----

======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ========

 

----2--2 -------- ---45-4- 2------2 4--4--24 5------- ----2--- --------

5--5---- ----2--4 5------- -----24- -----4-- -----2-4 5--5-5-4 5-5-4-4-

-------- 5ó55---- -------- ---55--- -------- ---3---- -------- --------

======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ========

 

                                               to bridge       --------

                                                               5--55-3-

                                                               --------

                                                               ========

Bridge (then rep. chorus)

-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------

-------- -------- -----3-4 5--55-3- -------- -------8 7------- ----4-4-

6--66--- 6--66--- 5--55--- -------- 6--66--6 -----8-- -----3-6 5-5-----

======== ======== ======== ======== ======== 6==66=== ===55=== ========

 

Coda (post chorus)

-------- -------- ---12-1- -------- -------- -------- ----21-- --------

2--24ñ-4 -------1 2------- 4-----14 6--6--46 7------- 2--2ó--4 2222----

-------- 2--224-- -------- ---224-- -----6-- -----4-6 -------- --------

======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ===55=== ======== ========

Fonder Times

 

 

FONDER TIMES

alone at night i wonder, where iíll find the might

to face tomorrow morningís wake-up call, after answering todayís

of weak and sad demeanor, iím finding it hard

to place my self-assurance on the line, and itís wasting away

ëcause the night is long and iím feeling blue

more so yet when the sun lets through

light that shone upon all we knew when yours was mine

and this rolled up blanket that once was you

must through now and forever do

half for one what it did for two, in fonder times

since youíve been gone, my darling

the face that i don is one of empty smiles and distant sighs

with your name engraved

and when iím asked about you, in memíries i bask

until reality comes racing home, and the truth is betrayed

by the telltale furrows upon my face

morning coffee with teardrops laced

still so bitter the aftertaste you left behind

and the fading photo that smiles at me

wakes no more to what she canít see

dreams we nurtured so lovingly, in fonder times

in fonder times, when the world was our wishing well

and every penny we threw it came to life

so complete was the laughter inside, not a pleasure could we be denied

would you tell me, dear love how it died, so i can move on

ëcause the night is long and iím feeling blue

more so yet when the sun lets through

light that shone upon all we knew when yours was mine

and the fading photo that smiles at me

wakes no more to what she canít see

dreams we nurtured so lovingly, in fonder times

in fonder times

===========================================

©2001 Ryeside Music (BMI)

For the Ages

FOR THE AGES

a smile, when fond remembered can perpetuate the light 

that so faithfully illuminates one's way

and of yours it can be said, that a flame was resurrected

when i heard it in your laugh the other day

though the miles have long since rendered your affections dim and slight

how the pattern of consistency remains

for our plans may have diverged, at a time of lesser urgency

and now we see the frailty of our gains

for what is a life but a phrase now filling pages

woven through chapters of the heart that play as one

and if the wealth of tears and laughs, dwells in a single paragraph

scribed above, that's a love for the ages (2x)

the best i might remember, is the worst i could forget

of a child i can't relate to anymore

and of you iíd say the same, though i truly couldnít blame you

for the time i watched you fading from my door

as our chance return engagement takes an old familiar turn

toward the wayward same directions of our prime

though we still must say goodbye, now at last we say it eye to eye

and find weíve made the better of the time

for what is to love but to turn the flaming pages

knowing the words thereon will singe but never burn

and if the warmest of laments, swells from a fire still unspent

that's enough, it's a love for the ages

that's enough, it's a love for the ages...

 

(c) 2006 ryeside music (bmi)

For This Bird

(father:)

angel dearest, answer me true, was there something i didn't do

all that time invested in you for this bird

tell me princess, where did i stray, private schooling, you did okay

now you plan to throw it away for this bird

if he's so smart, when does he start

building a home for two

life in a flat, that's where it's at for him

not for you

darling daughter, listen to me, don't be hast'ning just to be free

free to feel, to think, and to see for this bird

(daughter:)

father dear, if only you knew, all the things my honey can do

maybe then you'd soften your view for this bird

what he lacks in chattel and bonds, i fear not for looking beyond

don't begrudge me how i respond for this bird

please understand, i didn't plan

growing with grace and style

now if i may, i gotta say it's time

i could smile

so, sweet pater, listen to me

if that means it's you or it's he

take this number, that's where i'll be

for this bird

la la, la la, la-la-la la... for this bird

Holidays My Ass

HOLIDAYS MY ASS 

 

the first few weeks of winter

are a jolly time for all

sleigh bells ring, children sing

friends and neighbors call

and if you are lucky enough to have them

all off work, or out of school

be joyful your vacation,

from there itís up to your nation

brand new scarves and britches,

cookies for little snitches

toys, or coal and switches,

fast away theyíll pass

your season may be chanuka,

or christmastime or kwanzaa

but letís agree on one thing:

holidays my ass

catalogues and discount flyers

fill the sanitation pyres

all reduced to embers

each twenty-sixth of December

serve eggnog, ale or spritzen,

save some for donner and blitzen

and dedicate your kitchen

to memories that last

let kwame have his kwanzaa,

and harvey have his chanuka,

for me, the tide be christmas:

holidays my ass

holidays my ass

I'll Still Be Loving You

 

I'LL STILL BE LOVING YOU

 

when the silver maples turn to blushing blue

what can i do, i'll still be loving you

when the ships of naples sail for katmandu

tested and true, i'll still be loving you

because forever, like never, has no beginning nor end

no signs of order, nor borders, our embrace to rend, so

when the misty mountains melt into the sea

melt into me, for i'll still be loving you

melt into me, i'll still be loving you

(whistling...) ooooh, ooh, i'll still be loving you

(whistling...) ooooh, ooh, i'll still be loving you

     who cares if the sun should reach down from the sky

     kiss an ocean and turn it to sand

     on granules like this i could somehow subsist

     as eternity with you i plan, so

when the leaves of autumn rush back to the tree

rush back to me, for i'll still be loving you

rush back to me, i'll still be loving you

bop, ba-da, bop, ba, doot, doo-doot, doo

what can i do, i'll still be loving you

deet, dee-dee, deet, dee, shoop, shoo-bee, boo

tested and true, i'll still be loving you

bop, bop, bop, bop, bada bah, bah, bah bah, bah...

========================================

Copyright ©1999 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Illusions of Pretense
This is a call-and-response song; (la femme) is in parenthesis ================================================================

the latest in fashion (the old double breaster)

created with passion (befitting a jester)

illusions of pretense, making your day

(i wouldnít have it any other way)

the heels of a dancer (the soles of a flounder)

recall the romancer (though shorter and rounder)

illusions of pretense, making your day

(i wouldnít have it any other way,

ëcause how can you be a loser when

youíre not invited to the game)

though iím champion till iíve been proven chump

from here where i stand, itís really the same

my spirited phaeton (the old rumble-seater)

can easily take on (the best of the beaters)

illusions of pretense, making your day

(i wouldnít have it any other way...)

(yeah, how can you be a loser when

youíre not invited to the game)

though iím champion till iíve been proven chump

from here where i stand, itís really the same

a jaunt to the ballpark, (a roast in the bleachers)

thereís beef in these hot dogs (among other creatures)

illusions of pretense, making your day

(i wouldnít have it any other way...)

yeah, we really show íem how

(better call the plumber now)

illusions of pretense, making your day

i wouldnít have it any other way...

In Love You Survive

IN LOVE YOU SURVIVE

there is a God who tends us watchfully

demanding revërence unconditionally

but there are times weíd like to know,

why all the good ones have to go

hear the mockingbird sigh

we sing our praises through each laugh and tear

and thus betray our most relentless fear

to be among those left behind,

bereft with wounds we cannot bind

but the love will not die

we can see your face, we can hear your voice

in reflections of what weíve come to be

marking evíry pace, making evëry choice

with attention, panache and empathy

and when times get hard, we will stand our guard

though we miss you, we'll somehow get by

for if God is life and if life is love

in love you survive

there are more question marks than answers here

in this departing of a friend so dear

who could've known our precious time,

would stop abruptly on a dime

as we remember how you touched our lives

pain and bewilderment that cut like knives

when just allowed their own relief,

will soon becalm us in our grief

if we hold our heads high

we will see your face, we will hear your voice

in reflections of what weíve come to be

marking evíry pace, making evëry choice

with attention, panache and empathy

and when times get hard, we will stand our guard

though we miss you, we'll somehow get by

for if God is life and if life is love

in love you survive

for if God is life and if life is love

in love you survive

Insensitons

 

INSENSITONS

 

having served us well, as accounts will tell

now you're wond'ring what more we can offer you

though your files attest you're among the best

our concern is available revenue

for our bottom line shows a slight decline

we know, it's not that you're slowing down

still our pundits say that at half your pay

we could turn all these numbers around

 

they will break your heart, with their graphs and charts

oo-ooh, here they come, insensitons

then they'll do you in, on a godless whim

oo-ooh, here they come, insensitons

insensitons, with a stroke of red

insensitons, youíve been left for dead

insensitons, are there any questions

 

please withhold your gripes, you'd be set for life

had you dabbled in bonds and commodities

your retirement plan was a dreadful scam

on the model of social security

all these years you blew every dime we threw

your way, on shelter and sustenance

it's a crying shame, no one else to blame

that you can't turn your fortunes around

 

they will break your heart, with their graphs and charts

oo-ooh, here they come, insensitons

then they'll do you in, on a godless whim

oo-ooh, here they come, insensitons

insensitons, with a stroke of red

insensitons, youíve been left for dead

insensitons, are there any questions

==============================================

Copyright ©2000 Ryeside Music (BMI)

It's Hitting

 

IT'S HITTING                         (** =  4 notes)

 

it's hitting, it's just now hitting

that you've gone**, gone from my life 

tears welling, our sadness telling

and each one** cuts like a knife

i feel you slipping through me, whenever i hold you tight

your silence whispers to me the cry of the endless night

and every time i say i love you

you turn your eyes to a dim and distant light

it's hitting, it's just now hitting

that you've gone**, gone from my life

tears flowing, my sorrows growing

and each one** cuts like a knife

for all the times you told me, how happy i made you then

i'd give the world for knowing you feel that way again

but something's died, there's no denying

it's just a matter of how and where and when

it's hitting, it's just now hitting

that you've gone**, gone from my life

tears welling, our sadness telling

and each one** cuts like a knife

 

==========================================

Copyright ©1987 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Keep Gilmore Green

Politics, anyone?  My hometown Selectmen got this brainstorm of trying to build a fire station in the park of a residential neighborhood.  Keep Gilmore Green, my answer, became an anthem for residents many of whose homes had been purchased because of the park.  I hereby grant my blessing to any homeowner in the free world who might be tempted to use this song toward the same objective.  -- njm

===================================================

KEEP GILMORE GREEN

The voters of our town repeatedly shot down

That Gilmore site

Some firemen even would have you believiní

It just wasnít right

Couldnít their new station be more sensibly placed

Gouging out a playground would be such a disgrace

So now that Iíve reached you, may I beseech you

Keep Gilmore Green

The kids and their T-ball, does anyone recall

When they werenít there

The hers and the his be, a dog and a Frisbee,

With no other care

Isnít that why people leave the city behind

Rather than be preyed upon like ducks in a blind

Reject all the nonsense, vote with your conscience

Keep Gilmore Green

Keep Gilmore Green, friend, Keep Gilmore Green

Open fields are scarce enough

Dontcha know what I mean

Send the word to the corporate sector

Set their sights along a different vector

Use the old bean and Keep Gilmore Green

Lake Windsor Lady

LAKE WINDSOR LADY

 

beyond the byways where shell gives way to ground

far from the highway that skirts the nearest town

begins a swath lined with grasses overgrown

where chirps and trills tell me, iím not alone, and

frills from the moon tide ripple the sand

lake windsor lady stands out a hand

to still the waters of this bleak and troubled land

beads from the night fog sprinkle the grass

lake windsor lady fends off the pass

of evíry fisher boy who to her heart would cast

and from the shallows they fix a wistful gaze

how dare they shadow this princess of the haze

if lame desire rose to opportunity

their quenchless fire would return through her to me

 

for i as well was enraptured by her way

and from my cell i can only rue the day

offíring my soul confidently to her guile, i came removed

in the shackles of revile, now

shoots from the campfires flecken the blue

lake windsor lady taking the cue

backpedals aimlessly and stumbles out of view

but sheíll return to the anglersí crude delight

no need to nurture what gestures can requite

their dogged cat calls are all she needs to hear

no time for love, too much anguish too much fear

and from her lair ëneath the beechwood canopy

her silent blare reaches ëyond the iron to me

till my response which to this day hasnít changed,

returned to her

leaves me all the more estranged, while

frills from the moon tide rippling the sand,

lake windsor lady stands out a hand

to bless the waters of this bleak and troubled land

Little Girl Giddy

 

LITTLE GIRL GIDDY

 

well i've been called at times rather unrefined

but what do they know

because to neon signs i prefer the pines, and movin' real slow

for through their smog-tied urban philosophy

it seems they fail to see

that she's pretty, from the city, and a-little girl giddy over me

they tell me, don't be coy, little country boy, what is it in you

that makes her bounce with joy like a wind-up toy, whatever you do

though i don't know their motives, i guarantee, i know my chemistry

and she's pretty, from the city, and a-little girl giddy over me

she is pretty, from the city, and a-little girl giddy over me

if these nitties could admit-ty there is nothing in the city more to see

than a pair of flitty eyes, would they find it a surprise

that all my little lies send her straight to paradise

now i'm telling all the city of a pretty girl a-giddy over me

 

you know that sticks and stones they can break my bones

but words'll not harm

all that's ours alone when i take her home and into my arms

so, go on, search your sea of humanity but save your jealousy

'cause she's pretty, from the city, and a-little girl giddy over me

she is pretty, from the city, and a-little girl giddy over me

if these nitties could admit-ty there is nothing in the city more to see

so, go on, search your sea of humanity, but save your jealousy

'cause, she's pretty, from the city and a-little girl giddy over me

she is pretty, from the city and a-little girl giddy over me

yeah she's pretty, from the city and a-little girl giddy over me

=============================================

Copyright ©1993 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Madeleine

 

MADELEINE

 

when we said that last goodbye, half my life ago

i somehow didn't realize it was forever more

i didn't know what i was feeling then

or if i'd ever feel it again, oh but

madeleine, madeleine, i still remember

how we danced to the radio, just me and you

swaying to each mellow song, and on through the news

i guess i never mentioned loving you

didn't quite know how, oh

madeleine, madeleine, i sure miss you now

 

SPOKEN:  you know, i often thought of calling you,

                 madeleine, or at least of dropping you a line

                 but then i somehow felt we'd say it all

                 if we could meet but one more time

 

but it's funny how time slips away

till tragedy turns years back into days, oh

madeleine, madeleine, i never told you

what it really meant to me, having you near

now it's just sweet memory, of a lost one so dear

so if i never mentioned loving you, let me sing it out loud, oh

madeleine, madeleine, i sure miss you now

madeleine, madeleine, i sure miss you now

==========================================

Copyright ©1981 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Mercutio in Penny-Loafers

MERCUTIO IN PENNY-LOAFERS

twelve were my kin; e-lev-en, my broth-ers
ten were my slaves, oh, where have they gone
nine were my fools, eight were my her-oes
se-ven, my min-strels draf-ting their songs
six were the en-e-my, five were my friends
how might i see them and touch them a-gain
four were my spies, three were my lov-ers
two were my bib-les
one was my tes-ta-ment

for-ward i flew, fast toward to-mor-row
of-ten for-get-ting the tasks of to-day
ig-nor-ing the ruins of yes-ter-day's free-doms
these in my mind for-e-ver will stay
oh what a pi-ty i've ne-ver out-grown
cot-ton-tailed dreams that pro-fit me none
but still i've got time, and still i've got wis-dom
and, come the chill
my har-vest-ing will be done

loud-ly i laughed with the outs of my in-no-cence
sound-ly i scoffed at the knights of my day
like mer-cu-ti-o, in pen-ny-loaf-er shoes
bend-ing the truth to my blade

loud-ly i laughed with the outs of my in-no-cence
sound-ly i scoffed at the knights of my day
like mer-cu-ti-o, in pen-ny-loaf-er shoes
bend-ing the truth to my blade, and
bleed-ing my best years a-way

Midweek in Massassippi
Preface: You'd have to live in The Berkshires

------------------------------------------------


Piece of Salvation

 

a single generation... tradition doesnít make

but now and then creation... gives the genes a little shake

 my papa's high position... left mom to tend the fold

which begs for inquisition... ëbout the music in my soul

the rockers call it country... the cowboys call it folk

while the minstrels say itís funky... which keeps me free and broke

a lett is not a russian... a lapp is not a finn

and christ was not a christian... till the gen-tiles want-ed in

evërybody wants a piece of salvation

and they canít just let the whole kingdom come

 

the listeners grow impatient... the laughers grab the scene

and critics trash in silence... what in truth they canít demean

while passively pretending... to honor their elite

itís all that i can do...  to keep my rhythm in my feet

the rockers call it country... the cowboys call it folk

while the minstrels say itís funky... forgive me, whereís the joke

a lett is not a russian... a lapp is not a finn

and christ was not a christian... till the gen-tiles want-ed in

evërybody wants a piece of salvation

and they canít just let the whole kingdom come

 

 

Prime Time

 

PRIME TIME

prime time, i need some prime time

and nothing less will change my mind

you were such a sorry sight when you came to me

you promised me nothing

while showing me how i could set you free

and now you're forsaking those plans

we were taking for granted then

explaining to me reassuringly, you'll see me when you can

but now i want prime time, i need some prime time

and nothing less will change my mind

so gimme some prime time, it's got to be prime time

'cause talk is cheap and i'm not buyin'

no more, no more, no more, no more

 

i don't wanna spend my nights prayin' till monday comes

awakening myself on the job from a weekend of sweet ho-hums

and wondering if maybe his flight's been changed and he's still in town

'cause what would you do if he called on you

while i was still around

begging for prime time, i need some prime time

and nothing less will change my mind

so gimme some prime time, it's got to be prime time

'cause talk is cheap and i'm not buyin'

no more, no more, no more, no more

 

i don't want you to feel like you're being made to choose

between the life that you love and the love you're afraid to lose

but remember we made plans of our own

and i can't face them alone

so tell me what i need to know

and gimme some prime time

and nothing less will change my mind

so gimme some prime time, it's got to be prime time

'cause talk is cheap and i'm not buyin'

no more, no more, no more, no more

no more, no no, no more

no no, no more

Rear-View Lives

REAR-VIEW LIVES

trudging through the auto graveyard, trying to buy some time

and time i found, in great abundance, to reflect on mine

starting out, all i sought for, was a sounder wheel

but so much than iíd bargained for lay amid the steel

     old maps and ledgers, old cams and gears

     and chrome-plate headers i hadnít seen in years

     all through this rubble, there still survive

     old rear-view mirrors, old rear-view lives

tommy hyde was all tri-county, till the harvest ball

a wayward turn, a lesson learned, the scent of alcohol

life forgets, but love remembers, as the heart demands

and from this feeling comes the healing of a higher hand

     old maps and ledgers, old cams and gears

     and chrome-plate headers i hadnít seen in years

     all through this rubble, there still survive

     old rear-view mirrors, old rear-view lives

          velvet dice and woven poppies, a tangled rosary

          speak the mind of generations, and their voices of freedom

after which my ambition to milk a few more miles

has given way to a kinder day, when we drove in style, so it's

blow a kiss, goodnight gracie, time to set you free

but i'll just leave your mirror trappings, as my legacy

          (1/2bridge break)

          add to theirs my generation, and the voice of my freedom

as i sing, in conclusion, when you're feeling grey

drop on down to the wreckers' round-up, and strip the years away

     old maps and ledgers, old cams and gears

     and chrome-plate headers i hadnít seen in years

     all through this rubble, there still survive

     old rear-view mirrors, old rear-view lives

==============================================

© 2003 ryeside music (bmi)

Rita by Candlelight
rita by candlelight

a smoke ring flies past misty eyes the kind that say, look out, i'm wise i've been through guys like you before and gave till my heart could bleed no more

a touch of blues in fragrant hues, the air surrounding just the two of us, within the crowd alone refreshingly dulls my sense of right from wrong, oh

and she's mellow as mountain moonshine soft as the northern lights warm as a first-time newlywed in afterglow at night rita by candlelight, rita by candlelight dash me with rays of amber bright, lighten my soul tonight

where's her heart now, i can't see she looks about so aimlessly than catches my eye so charmingly and whispers my name, disarming me

no i don't think she's teasing now perhaps she's not forgotten how to trust, and share with confidence well give me the chance, i'll be quick to make amends, oh

'cause she's mellow as mountain moonshine soft as the northern lights warm as a first-time newlywed in afterglow at night rita by candlelight, rita by candlelight dash me with rays of amber bright, lighten my soul tonight

rita by candlelight, rita by candlelight dash me with rays of amber bright, let soft, mellow warmth be mine tonight 'cause nothing quite makes me feel so right, oh rita by candlelight, rita by candlelight

Ruby
RUBY

good to see you again, ruby brings to memory a friend who only flew my banner in fair weather dontcha think i deserved better

save your breath and your time, ruby got your fair share of mine back when we shook the rafters as one, taking love to laughter with none faking

where did it go, wo wo wo wo wo, was it greed or image how could you know, wo wo wo wo wo, that my line of scrimmage was hopelessly short of your goals, ruby

saw your picture in town, ruby on a poster surrounded by the perpetrators of my slamming are they staging your own shamming

would they make such an effort, to keep a journeyman down what defense did you offer, having been part of my sound

half the blame there is mine, ruby cause you know i'd be lying if i should say i'd pass on the same gamble with the rats to at last ramble

where would it go, wo wo wo wo wo, there is no pretending this much i know, wo wo wo wo wo, i'll be there commending the slightest of steps toward your goals, ruby

Stop Awhile
STOP AWHILE

youíre running so hard you canít keep up

burning your candle outside in

while beating a path from failing love ñ

got to make sure it never befalls you again

oh, stop awhile, put out your fears and smile

running just ainít your style

darling, stop awhile

youíre driving yourself beyond your reach

losing more ground with every stride

the lesson is yours to learn, not teach

and someone you know is longing to serve as your guide

oh, stop awhile, give up this vain denial

would you be standing trial

just to stop awhile

rising so fast and falling stray

thatís how they play their game

watching you lose your mind that way

wouldnít it be a crying shame, so

rid all your sorrows, rest your soul

love wasnít meant to bring you down

and when it returns your way, behold

there iíll be standing, waiting to squire you around

oh, stop awhile, show me a favoring smile

and on our secluded isle

we can stop awhile

rid all your sorrows, rest your soul

love wasnít meant to bring you down

and when it returns your way, behold

there iíll be standing, waiting to squire you around

oh, stop awhile, show me a favoring smile

and on our secluded isle

we can stop awhile

Strummingbird

STRUMMINGBIRD

in a dimly lit yard does a lover stand guard

for a sign from a maid in seclusion

for awhile he's alone then a light switch is thrown

will tonight he find life or illusion

in a moment their fate is decided

heíll awaken to love unrequited, strummingbird

vanity romancer, cantors to a jewel box dancer

playing out his valentino dream

hinging on her smile his self-esteem

floating toward her window, verses of cielito lindo

wondering if mam· downstairs can hear

seÒ orita cries come save me strummingbird

doot doot, doom-by-yayÖ

 

with his trophy in view, it is all he can do

to await her reply to his flaunting

but with eyes made of stone and a spine void of bone

in her silence sheís all the more daunting

be it questionable his ambition

heíll at least lead her not to perdition, strummingbird

wistfully he winces, pleading to his porcelain princess

loneliness was never meant to share

havenít you a dance for me to spare

lavishing attention, stripped of every known convention

loverboy asserts his fantasy

longing for the cry come save me strummingbird

how she wishes that she were so free

strummingbird

doot doot, doom-by-yayÖ

============================================

c. 2004 Ryeside Music (BMI)

 

The Home Game

 

 

THE HOME GAME

it's a turnkey house on a landscaped hill,

says our half-page ad in the rag

never mind the foam by the septic dome,

such a bargain someone will snag

sure the price seems high but the rates are low,

the american dream yours at hand

and we trust you've come here to stake your bum, in the home game

 

shall we skip the drill, this foundation sill,

can be patched where you found the veins

and the pond we saw on the basement floor,

it's the slant of the outside terrain

say the roofing man and the siding team,

don't surrender your self-esteem

for a grand or ten, you can rise again, in the home game

 

here's your family lounge, there's your fireplace

martha's office is straight down the hall

your children on swings, the laughter they bring

and it all can happen right here, honey, letís do it!

 

when your ship comes in with a dorsal fin,

you can bet that somethingís awry

hatís it worth to know where our kids will grow,

an advantage you cannot deny

weíd be happy here, tell me, daddy dear,

that you wonít let this doll-house get away

and weíll plant a tree, you and moms and me, for the home game

 

i can see that you have reservations

where's your spine, the investment won't break you

what made you think you could settle right in

for a mere thirteen hundred a month -- we're not a charity

 

can't you see yourself on the mantel shelf,

flanked by those you've nurtured and loved

having earned your stead as a household head,

though the rains have their say from above

or will you resign to another client,

who can pay for the upgrades in cash

so you can't be blamed for the dearth of shame, in the home game

 

or will you resign to another client,

who can pay for the upgrades in cash

so you can't be blamed for the dearth of shame, in the home game

no, you can't be blamed for the dearth of shame, in the home game

=============================================

c. 2002 Ryeside Music (BMI)

 

The Promontory (Point Judith Suite)

 

THE PROMONTORY (The Point Judith Suite)

on the undulant carousel
where the foaming white stallion is cantering, toward his bride
nosing forward impassively
to be grounded in patient obscurity, come the tide
from a phrase of divinity
to conjunctions of timeless reality
here i ride, here i ride, here i ride

and on the promontory fishermen are gathering
casting lines to barter for sustenance
knowing not what their wage is for idling away
such a momentary day
in the everlasting infinite immeasurable continuum of time

far above these frivolities
through the cross-winds beyond such idolatries
i will glide, i will glide, i will glide

la la, la-la, la, la-la la, la-la, la-la-la, la, la

aloft, one's reflection escapes one's shadow
and changes direction toward eternity
aloft, one's reflection escapes one's shadow
and changes direction toward eternity

aloft, one's reflection escapes one's shadow
and changes direction toward eternity
aloft, one's reflection escapes one's shadow
and changes direction toward eternity

a-loft, one's re-flec-tion es-capes one's sha-dow
and chan-ges di-rec-tion toward e-ter-ni-ty


=========================================

Copyright ©2004 Ryeside Music (BMI)

What About Me

 

 

WHAT ABOUT ME

you're lonesome tonight, lookin' to be amused

so leave on your light, what've you got to lose

my funds, they are shy, two beers they won't buy

but i'll treat you right

the world that you found, where is it finding you

with no friends around, what are you gonna do

a wink and a smile, will waft you awhile

but soon let you down

you laugh, when in fact, youíre pained for the lack

of a plan to set you free

if i may suggest, it's time for the best

what about me

 

some guys love to fight, i am the peaceful kind

or dance through the night, flagging their big behinds

theyíll drink dusk-to-dawn, lay siege to your lawn,

and cringe come the light

while you tag along, sharing their empty world

where you donít belong, where are your senses, girl

with eyes half-aglaze, you sob through the haze,

some jerkís done you wrong

it tears at your heart, to play such a part

in their mindless vanity

but joy could resound for iím still around

what about me

 

i am no stranger to all the dangers

of feeling trapped in a cage of lies, sweat and rage

but still iím hoping, the door will open

to a straight and steady run on my stairway to the sun

 

the loves that you lost, never could i replace,

but where lies the cost, meeting me face to face

iíve served time alone, with hurts of my own

and none gone to waste

the lock on your soul is rusty and cold,

but i just might hold the key

youíve tried all the rest, itís time for the best

what about me

 

you are no stranger to all the dangers

of turning page after page of lies, sweat and rage

but keep on hopin', the door will open

to a straight and level run, on our highway to the sun

 

so hang up the phone, powder your pretty nose

and throw something on, maybe your sunday clothes

we'll watch m.t.v., make love, nine-to-three

and rave till the dawn

i'll plunk out a tune, weíll wail at the moon

and the song shall set you free

begone all the rest, it's time for the best

what about me

what about me, what about me

===========================================

c. 2002 Ryeside Music (BMI)

What Did I Do

 

 

WHAT DID I DO

what did i do to deserve you

what did i do to deserve you

given my dreams, given my means

how did it seem i could serve you

what did i do to allure you

what did i say to assure you

through all the pain, can you explain

was it the way adored you

for you bent for me the sunlight

through every drop of rain

and true to all the years of hindsight

i knew at last iíd reached the rainbowís end

then you filled my days with gladness

that warmed those once-eternal nights

and lost was any cause for sadness

by God above, to win your love

tell me angel true, what did i do

 

+ half-step (break, verse form)

 

why did you choose to abide me

seeing the view from beside me

how would we find treasure divine

were you assigned here to guide me

for you season with the sunlight

every luscious drop of rain

and through these blessed years of free flight

weíve shared a world of rainbows end to end

for you fill my days with gladness

that warm the coldest winter nights

and gone is any cause for sadness

by God above, to win your love

tell me angel true, what did i do

========================================

Copyright ©1999 Ryeside Music (BMI)

Whisky Eyes
=================================================

WHISKY EYES

briskly by slip the tides, oblivious to what they bring whisky eyes takes to flight on a lifeless wing

risky lies, brusque replies, to how my approaches ring whisky eyes tells as only her heart could sing

self-apprised of my sweet unabashed flirtations whisky eyes hears a song of encircling elations

mystified, can't decide to love me or leave me be whisky eyes 'neath her lashes alone can't flee

wed to chance, laced with all that romance can be

waxing wise to my shamelessly dull provocations whisky eyes plays a song of discreet accusations, so

chill the ice, roll the dice, this evening i won't be free crisp and dry, with her smoke-flavored sights on me whisky eyes finds to love me nor leave me be

(c) 2006 Ryeside Music (BMI)

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Yours Forever More

 

YOURS FOREVER MORE

 

With a mountain for a pulpit did Our Savior sound the call

To a gathíring of the masses who had come to be enthralled

By the promise of a Kingdom where in peace theyíd tend their herds

And they marveled at His wisdom taking comfort in these words:

 

For the homeless and the broken, for the meek and for the poor

For the guileless and the slandered, all who emnity endure

For the victims of injustice, I will hold open the door

To the shelter of My Kingdom, Yours forever more

 

And for countless generations has the call been tolled anew

To the souls of ev'ry nation our commitment to renew

Seeking Jesusí endless mercy, may in joy we tend His herds

Growing stronger in His wisdom, as reflected in these words:

 

For the helpless, and the blemished, for the lonely, fraught with fear

For the thirsty and the hungered, who in My Name shed your tears

For the patient, eversuff'ring, I will rush you through the door

To the shelter of My Kingdom, Yours forever more

To the shelter of My Kingdom, Yours forever more

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Copyright ©2004 Ryeside Music (BMI)


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Copyright © 1996-2008 Nappy Martin. All rights reserved.




Last update: Friday, May 15, 2020 at 12:44 PM.