disc 1

Chamber Ride

something subtle has been offered here
something charming ringing in your ear
when i find you swinging up inside
when i find you swinging up inside
something tells me
something tells me chamber ride
something tells me
something tells me chamber ride

laying down the awful disappears
loading up a cylinder of fear
Holy Spirit, if You’re really here;
pay attention to the One inside
something tells me
something tells me chamber ride
something tells me
something tells me chamber ride


Good Sleeping

it’s a black and green evening
yellow
alley light
bathing
breathing leaves

it’s a tall clouded ceiling
yellow
lightning strike
faintly
filtered
looming

cool
cool
cool
breeze

good
good
good
sleeping

please bring me rain; before i dream
i need to see the street steam.

come on, clean.
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean
come on, clean


Cover My Eyes

cover my eyes, it’s an accident
innocent lies make it easy for me
to cover my ears as the victim appears
crying for comfort in agony

and a man dies
and the crowd cheers
so i close my eyes
cover up my ears

don’t wait for me to be sorry
for saying His name when i swore
i’m wearing this weapon as an ornament
a beautiful pendant of torture
a beautiful pendant of torture

cover my eyes, it’s an accident
and a Man dies
innocent lies make it easy
and the crowd cheers

cover my ears as the Victim appears
crying for comfort, in agony
everyone here has their own special cheer
no one would morn for an enemy
no one would morn for an enemy


Squad Car

hey, help is on the way
i heard your crying
hey, help is on the way
they’re coming in a squad car
so put your knees on the floor
they’ll lay their hands on top of your head
to duck you in the door

hey, i’m your rotten friend
i’m your only friend
i’m kind enough to turn you in
kind enough to take away your freedom
there is a squad car
screaming out your name
lighting all our faces red

hey, think of what you did
hey, think of what you did
hey, think of what you did
lay your hands on top of your head
to duck you in the door

siren
lighting all our faces red
siren
turning all our faces red


Hallway

you should be leaving
i shouldn’t stay
only the evil
gets in the way
hidden in makeup
sleeping a sweet dream
only to wake up
covered in cold cream

‘mm,  bye bye
beautiful lie
‘mm,  bye bye
beautiful lie

good for the body
bad for the mind
i miss the purity
we left behind
Jesus is waiting
out in the hallway
i should be leaving
you shouldn’t stay

‘mm,  bye bye
beautiful lie
‘mm,  bye bye
beautiful lie

“better than heaven”
that’s what they told me
now that i’ve tried, i
am dying to be clean
wash off my makeup
waters not working
Jesus is waiting
holding the cold cream

‘mm,  bye bye
beautiful lie
‘mm,  bye bye
beautiful lie


Purity, Rise

purity, rise
cover my eyes
so i can see
heaven above
bring perfect love
to the least of these
God awful things happen here
when can we disappear?
i do believe
You promise bigger things than these

every day
sins fall away
every hour
all of Your power
yet everyday
friends walk away
into the fire

everything’s real
except how i feel
’cause my mind’s a liar
and in the end
i’m still born again
but what about them


Brave Again

i don’t think i’ll ever be brave again
now i know how many mistakes it takes
to close all the windows and block me in
oh, i don’t think i’ll ever be brave again

i know it’s waiting around for me
in the space between the floor and the door
something is hiding it’s feet from me
i know it’s waiting around
for sure

oh, no
i don’t go outside any more
i don’t think i can
i don’t think i’ll ever be brave again

soft spoken; she said, “i’ll never leave.”
heart broken; grieving,
fool to believe

oh, no. i don’t go outside anymore.
i don’t think i can.
i don’t think i’ll ever be brave again.


Dog

couldn’t You keep me
couldn’t You keep me
in the yard
on a chain
i’d be completely easy to maintain
i always remember
what it was like before the catcher wagon came
running around
making my one sound
now i’m lost and found
here in the cold gray pound
wondering why i ran away
wondering why i ran away

couldn’t You keep me
couldn’t You keep me
i could be happy on Your chain
i could be happy on Your chain

wouldn’t have believed it could happen to me
such a sad cliché
well, i guess i got my day

talk to the lady
she always feeds me
smile and point at my name tag
i turn two years old today

couldn’t You keep me
couldn’t You keep me
i could be happy on Your chain
i could be happy on Your chain
i would be happier on Your chain
i would be happier on Your chain


Without

i thought i saw you sitting
i thought i would approach you
i thought that we could talk a while
-it’s been so long
but you looked so happy

i’ve never been without before


It's Good To Be Grounded

i was drifting away
and You knew it
no easy way to undo it
i was hoping You’d stay
but i blew it
softly sinking my teeth in the bullet

well, it’s harder to win when i’m weightless
Your image of me is now faceless
i may be floating free
but i’m graceless

under the strain, find the strength to confess:
without You i am worthless

under the strain, find strength to confess;
that it’s good to be grounded
it’s best to be broken
it helps to be helpless

leaving is lonely
and pride is a postcard
and freedom is restlessness


Washing Up

can’t you believe in something
can’t you believe in something
can’t you believe in something
besides me

can’t you believe in something
can’t you believe in something
can’t you believe in something
besides me

i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
i’m ‘gonna leave you someday
temporary
i’m temporary

just like everything
leaves you washing up
after everything

but for the moment
while you’re still breathing
stay with me

and in passing
grow the grasses
beautifully

i’m  ‘gonna leave
i’m  ‘gonna leave
i’m  ‘gonna leave


And God Said I Will Build A New Detroit

sat in a new car
surrounded by plastic
hours of labor
spent on a casket
i lovingly picked her
through hours of toil
here lies the victor
here lies the spoil
it’s sat in a new car
and mom and dad said it’s not bad to have
and have
and have
and have

it’s a new creation
direct from detroit
tested by fire
iacocca anoint
perfectly painted
perfect upholstery
perfectly paid for
perfect sacrifice; me
and mom and dad said it’s not bad to have
and have
and have
and have
a new creation
it’s a new creation
a new creation
is crumpled inside


Gloria

gloria’s fallen
no one has caught her
send out the troops, she is
the presidents daughter
if only we knew
gloria was through
before we begot her
we would’ve dropped her

and her early american dream
cool aid and cold cream
better than me
cool car and nightshade

oh, you know that her story is true
‘cause she’s everyones’ you
and everyone’s you
oh, you know the american dream won’t come true
‘cause everyone’s you
and everyones’ you has now spoken
what are they saying
look what they’ve broken
look where it’s laying
read right and true
from the hand to the pen of  the for founding writer
with red white and big dreams
big dreams
bigger dreams
of gasoline, a rag, and a lighter

and her early american dream
cool aid and cold cream
better than me
cool car and nightshade

oh, you know that her story is true
‘cause she’s everyones’ you
and everyone’s you
oh, you know the american dream won’t come true
‘cause everyone’s you
everyone is you


Machine Press

i saw union man thin smile
as he donned blue collar costume
for an image on the t.v.
he was told chance of a lifetime
get a cut and shave and shake a hand
for an image on the t.v.

you must have caught him dreaming
time to meet the president
you must have caught him dreaming
he said i’ve got time for him
you must have caught him dreaming
time to meet the president
you must have caught him dreaming
he said i’ve got time for him

came time for dialogue
and collar blue said let me show you
how i make my pay on the machine press
and as they drug the chief of  war away
he had time to say oh that’s o.k.
i’ve got one of my own

you must have caught him dreaming
not often he forgets who he is
takes a big bar tab to accomplish that
you must have caught him dreaming
not often he forgets who he is
just ask the wife and kids
you must have caught him dreaming
not often he accomplishes that


Pink Heart

what’s your favorite picture today
what’s your favorite picture
what’s your favorite picture today
monet

were you drawing from a mind of clay
when painted was a grey charade of
melancholy faces laid on
canvas bodies slowly fading to
a sea of five cent lemonade

so glad to see your failing eyes betrayed
it was your favorite picture
it was your favorite picture today

pictures worth a couple of words
in all these years is all you’ve learned
when i have made a tapestry
and colored it your favorite things
like something close to tangerine
tangerine

picture me
and i will bring
picture me
and i will paint you
a pink heart


what’s your favorite picture today
tell me, lucky
what’s your favorite picture
what’s your favorite picture,
too

is it children waking up real soon
to charming breakfast bowls and strewn
between the oats a sweet platoon of
diamonds blue and yellow moons

hope you picture me real soon

i hope you picture me
and i will bring a pink heart


Before I Go

before i go
i’ll let you know
i’ll put a flare on the highway
that you travel home
and a note
etched in your door
letting you know
i’ve come and gone
forever more

you’ve seen me desperate
and i’ve been regretful
i feel like i gone and gave
half of my time to the devil
you may think everyone’s candle
burns long and low
but i want you to know
that thirty five summers
it’s not a hell of a long time
the road that we travel
is only a short drive
the flare’s on the highway
my notes on your door
waiting for you to arrive

before i go
please write my folks
and tell them i’m important
no more regrets
and i hope the good Lord can
take my life
use these words and
save your soul


Marketing King

marketing king
is going to help me
so don’t look at me that way
i know he can see me
through two way t.v.
i was his favorite number today
here it comes
channel three
do you recognize me
do you recognize me
here it comes
channel three
do you recognize me
do you recognize me
from your pie chart
it’s a lost art
i’m your popular tart
when you shine through
can i be you
show me what to do
show me what to do
here it comes
it’s coming
channel three
enlightening
here it comes
it’s coming
with the wisdom
of all history
and i’m listening
and i’m listening
with the wisdom
of all history
show me what to do
show me what to do
i’m listening
i’m listening

disc 2

One Gorgeous Moment

a glorious morning
another new day
a restful awakening
letting the sleep slip away
the windows are glowing
they carry a sunbeam
and for one gorgeous moment
i get to believe i didn’t dream

i get to be innocent
without blocking anything
unaware that i cried all night
over these make-believe tragedies
i can’t feel my car collide
into that boy on his bicycle ride
i didn’t come home to find
she’s soaking in suicide

for one gorgeous moment
it’s as it should be
a glorious morning
an honest reality
then turning to trembling
too quickly remembering
it’s only one gorgeous moment
stolen from these dreams


All Old History

if only it were all gone
instead of inside of me
it’s sickening to see pain
it’s sickening to see pain
even if it’s all old
all old history

we’ve both been trained
that, even if you see me grin
it’s only motor function

it’s sickening to see pain
especially all old history
the kind that’s dried up inside of me
i scrape away at it incessantly
while making much light of the irony
but anyone who loves the way you do
can see the injury has spread to you
i only want to somehow be
outside of all old history
but it beats my heart incessantly
and says, “sentimentality is beauty”



Found Folded Arms

too slowly for me to perceive
i found folded arms
wrapping around me
too slowly for me to perceive
i folded my arms
refusing to grieve
embracing a passionless pain
i have become
a cloud without rain

somebody, please
oh my God
someone please help me
how many tears does it take
for the bottle to break
break open and pour
how many more

too slowly for me to perceive
i twisted the lid
too tight to breathe
for languish, for long wasted years
slow building up
to a storm cloud of tears

misfortune can no more elude
a figure of speech
than blemishes, Jude

somebody, please
oh my God
someone swing at me
how many tears does it take
for this stagnant lake
to crest and to drain
this cloud without rain

too slowly for me to perceive
i found folded arms

Outdoors

i was raised outdoors
on fallen timbers for floorboards

were you raised outdoors
or did you catch your death by walking past
the draft between your mansion’s double doors

do you know my Lord
He’s fallen timbers for my fire several thousand cord

do you know my Lord
is He standing by your bedside
while you’re waiting for your strength to be restored

i have come undone
always straining to see clear
before the beauty brings me tears to blur my vision

have you come undone
only holding in a curse
unbuttoning doctor’s leather purse
to find a poison

mercy for me; mercy for you
mercy for me; mercy for you

mercies for me
mercy’s for me
mercies for you


Fresh and New

this is a fresh and new
suffering for you
hard and telling
overwhelming
both hands broken
from folding over
knee caps crack
it’s overdue

you will want to know why I am not around
you will wonder – wonder what I’m after
who’s to say if I am angry
who’s to hear the Holy laughter
who’s to bring My Kingdom down
it’s Me in you

some will try to lie and deny that I am in love with you
while you suffer fresh and new, let My love come comfort

both hands broken
from folding over
I’ve been folded over you
knee caps crack
to bring you back
I’ve been broken over you

some will try to lie and deny that I am in love with you
while you suffer fresh and new, let My love come comfort


Every Gift

every gift i’ve ever gotten was completely undeserved
and never meant a lot to me
my intention was to tell You i am grateful beyond words
but i forgot to be
now the years have added up into a trial of tragedy
and if i could, i’d pack them up
and give you back the gifts You gave to me

if i turn them all back over
will You come comfort me, please
Yahweh You know i am broken
doubled over on my knees

i always believed i have an awful enemy
someone giving gifts with strings to me
and it was true; but i found out it wasn’t You
i took so long that now i am worthless and empty

was i born to be a victim
do i live on charity
if i turn it all back over
will You come and comfort me

and now the coward knows he’s costly
and now the mercy means i’m guilty
i return to You, albeit incomplete
ruined gifts
and i lay them at Your feet
to be restored to You, Lord


Keeping The Ring On

is this a house
or a home
am i allowed to ask
if this is a cathedral
or a catacomb

is this a family
or empty relationships
if this is a holy kiss
why did you wet your lips?

am i allowed to ask
is this a mirror
or a mask?

am i allowed to ask
is this an overflowing fountain
or a flask?

when can i come and confess
i can’t find my joy
perfect peace or rest

are we ready
for a wedding
are our knowing faces glowing
or is this
nervousness

this is my family
dysfunction and everything
an unbuckled belt
after a holiday of eating

this is my only home
a glorious gathering
and deep down inside
a beautiful bride
is wearing a bright
white
ring


Ham Lake Folk Song

We live outside of town
on the outskirts
all our roads are dirt
and no one ever plows
the snow slowly packs down
a couple of cars an hour

i’m all dressed in brown
sweating in my snowmobile suit
and my new moon boots
waiting for my turn to taste
adrenaline and fear
tying my red sled behind
a bigger kid’s three wheeler
give it gas and go
go, go, go
whip across the snow
go, go, go

the cold must have froze
all our common sense
yeah, i’m o.k.
but somehow we wrapped the rope around
a barbed wire fence
come untie me quickly
turn upright the a.t.v.
i don’t want dad to see me
i don’t want dad to see me
you know it’s true
i’m not allowed to play with you

everybody knows
be home by dark
it’s every mother’s code
so everybody goes
one by one
off into the shadows

and all of the stars are
out on a new moon
so i get on my red sled
lay on my back, flat
lift up my legs and
push with my feet and
slowly slide my way back home

i’m waiting for my favorite part
i’m waiting for that sound to start

c’mon, mom
say my song - like name

and let it echo

let it echo


Shawl

was it you, my love
someone heard me scream
i was walking home
following the stream
was it you, my love
i broke every bone
someone heard me scream
in the wood alone

tell me
is she running to my rescue
no

was it you, my love
someone saw it all
did i hear you laughing as
you laid me on your shawl

tell me
is she running to my rescue
no

was it you, my love
kneeling by my side
cradling my head
closing both my eyes
when i saw your lips
smile as you cry

tell me
is she running to my rescue
no
no
no


Safe To Feel

can you see me
i’ve got empty shoes
pockets full of sand
i put daisies in the flannel
you trade scissors for my hands
when i had love
i thought stranger
when i had wishes
you were stars
never shooting
fearing danger
when we had time
we were ours

catch my moment
catch the breathing on this day
i would capture in my pocket
but there’s beaches in the way
(the crashing waves)
it’s not safe to say
it’s not safe to feel
please catch me for a moment
even if it’s no big deal

were you there
was it true
catch me falling to remember
the day that i met you


S.A.D. Light

be still and know
every empty tree
believes in gravity
swing low, gallows
autumn always hangs
a rope in front of me
no open window
only, try to breathe
dry, forced air
my frightened shadow
knows i only swing so low
then i stay down there

maybe we could move
somewhere always warm
maybe i’m a martyr
maybe it’s an art form
elsewhere in the world
the weather’s always fair
there are no trap door floors
and no one kicks the chair

be still and know
every moonlit night
i am painted white
“five months to go”
only lonely words
for the flightless birds
three feet of old snow
my philosophy
wait and see
my slow overthrow
pour your mercury
over me


Jeremy

jeremy
dumb it down for me and
tell me why we’re here
someone passed a bottle past
i made it disappear
i think i’m missing something
someone bring it near
jeremy, dumb it down for me
tell me why we’re here

jeremy
drive us home tonight and
keep your levels clear
drink a little coffee
you’ve got to have some fear
because i’ve lost all mine
i’m gone this time
jeremy, dumb it down for me
your eyes are turning burgundy

will we see the other guys on sunday
do they know we know the difference
and will we see the girls on judgment day
oh, i know they know
i know they know our names

jeremy
i don’t want to wake up here
jeremy
i don’t want to wake up here
i think i’m missing something...

Last Place Left

i left your home
with no one else to lose
i stood alone and
curled my toes inside my shoes
you’re all i’ve known
the only one who hadn’t
crawled inside
to bruise the bone
i left your home

loosing the last place left to hide
standing beside the road all night
watching them all
with backs burned red
watching them
follow beams of light

i don’t want to
be free
i don’t want you to
make me