To my Mother
Mother, to whose valiant will
Battling long ago,
What the heaping years fulfil,
Light and song, I owe;
Send my little book afield,
Fronting praise or blame
With the shining flag and shield
Of your name.
poem by Archibald Lampman

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A Promise Made
We have heard many times of people
making promises they never keep.
This is not one of them.
He made a promise silently to himself
to fulfil the last wish a dying man.
He knew not how long it would take him
that promise to fulfil.
However, years went by one after the other.
Still he intended that promise to fulfil
even if it took a lifetime.
Ten years passed and still he remembered
always saying to himself
in the next he would do it.
Finally eleven years after his friend’s death
he was able that promise to fulfil.
In the fulfilment, he gained himself
what he had sought for more years
than he cared to remember.
It was as if his friend was thanking him.
For that promise, he never forgot and kept.
This story is true as I am that person
who made that promise
and fulfilled it not so long ago.
poem by David Harris

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Shield Of Abraham
(kinky friedman)
Jacob climbed the ladder, climbed it to the sky,
Said, people, whats the matter ?
Heaven aint so high,
People, heaven aint so high,
When you got the shield,
You got the shield,
You got the shield,
You got the shield of abraham.
Little children.
You got the shield,
You got the shield,
You got the shield of abraham.
The years were lights they wandered in the desert 40 years
And ol moses told the children
brush away them tears,
Hey, kids, this aint no time for tears.
Children
You got the shield,
You got the shield,
You got the shield of abraham.
Little children.
You got the shield,
You got the shield,
You got the shield of abraham.
David, he fought goliath with nothing but a tiny stone.
David, little david, God knows youre not alone,
God knows youre not alone.
David, you got the shield,
Youve got the shield,
You got the shield of abraham.
Little david.
You got the shield,
You got the shield,
You got the shield of abraham.
Rock and roll redeemer, oh people, hear my song,
And let the music keep us loving, let the spirit keep us strong,
Let your sweet love keep us strong.
cause weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield of abraham.
Little children.
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield of abraham.
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield of abraham.
Little children.
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield,
Weve got the shield ...
song performed by by Kinky Friedman

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The Old Songs
There goes another one
Another happy couple on the road to emptiness
I think of my father and mother
Can they imagine how two people can get in this mess
But the old songs say - loves forever
And the old songs never say die
But a song cant keep us together
How can that beautiful song be a lie
Me I blame the old songs
Filling hearts with rebellion and romance
Our book of revelations
And all we had to do was dance
Play us another one
Play us the hopes and dreams of twenty years ago
Theyre all over the bloody radio
Its like theyre telling us theres nowhere left to go
And the old songs say - be my baby
And the old songs say - she loves you
All the songs well sing come what may be
I like those songs
But Id like something new
Me I blame the old songs
Protect us all against a change of course
All our great expectations
Turn to alimony and remorse
song performed by by Joe Jackson

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
While digesting reader's digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, i picked it up and i ran outside
Slapped on my window shield,
And if i could see old betsy ross
I tell her how good i feel.
Chorus:
But your flag decal won't get you
Into heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into heaven any more.
Well, i went to the bank this morning
And the cashier he said to me,
"if you join the christmas club
We'll give you ten of them flags for free."
Well, i didn't mess around a bit
I took her up on what he said.
And i stuck them stickers all over my car
And one on my wife's forehead.
Repeat chorus:
Well, i got my window shield so filled
With flags i couldn't see.
So, i ran the car upside a curb
And right into a tree.
By the time they got a doctor down
I was already dead.
And i'll never understand why the man
Standing in the pearly gates said...
But your flag decal won't get you
Into heaven any more.
We're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into heaven any more.
song performed by by John Prine

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I Shall Be Released
They say everything can be replaced
Well then distance is not near
I remember every face
Of everyone who put me here
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Any day now
Any day now
I shall be released
They say everyone needs protection
They say everyone must fall
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some where so high above this wall
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Any day now
Any day now
I shall be released
Standing next to me in this lonely crowd
Is a man who swears hes not to blame
All day long I hear him shout so loud
That he swears he was framed
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Any day now
Any day now
I shall be released
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Any day now
Any day now
I shall be released
Any day now
Any day now
I shall be released
song performed by by Indigo Girls

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Delicate Cluster
DELICATE cluster! flag of teeming life!
Covering all my lands! all my sea-shores lining!
Flag of death! (how I watch'd you through the smoke of battle
pressing!
How I heard you flap and rustle, cloth defiant!)
Flag cerulean! sunny flag! with the orbs of night dappled!
Ah my silvery beauty! ah my woolly white and crimson!
Ah to sing the song of you, my matron mighty!
My sacred one, my mother.
poem by Walt Whitman

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A Lesson of Life (Mother)
(dedicated to Ms. Sandrine Piau, a great soprano)
whom I must dedicate my best love?
whom I must dedicate my best deed?
whom I must dedicate my best heart?
your mother, your mother, your mother
whom I must give my best food?
whom I must give my best home?
whom I must give my best vehicle?
your mother, your mother, your mother
whom I must send my best regard?
whom I must send my best greeting?
whom I must send my best welcoming?
your mother, your mother, your mother
who will never leave me?
who will never reject me?
who will never forget me?
your mother, your mother, your mother
who will still be there in my last pray?
who will still be there in my last hope?
who will still be there in my last breath?
your mother, your mother, your mother
I buy Pisa tower to you only
I buy Eiffel tower to you only
I buy Liberty statue to you only
can I pay your all kindness with those?
poem by Ahmad Shiddiqi

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Blame It On A Sad Song
(gary rossington -- johnny vanzant -- rickey medlocke -- hughie thomasson)
Here I sit all by myself
Wonderin how she could put our love on a shelf
A crowd of people, they pass me by
But all I can do is hang my head and cry
(chorus)
Blame it on a sad song in the night
I dont want anyone but you to make it right
Blame it on a sad song in the night
Well, its an old familiar feelin
Girl, its got my heart reelin
Dont want to hear a sad song in the night
Anymore
I know when we first started out
I was your only love and you had no doubt
But songs of the heart dont last forever
But dont you give up on love cause you never say never
Blame it on a sad song in the night
I dont want anyone but you to make it right
Blame it on a sad song in the night
Well, its an old familiar feelin
Girl, its got my heart reelin
Dont want to hear a sad song in the night
Anymore
cause not a day goes by that I dont think about you
Oh, moment to moment, I get lost in time
And many years from now when I hear that song come on the radio
All those feelings will come back to haunt me
My heart will let me know
Blame it on a sad song in the night
I dont want anyone but you to make it right
Blame it on a sad song in the night
Well, its an old familiar feelin
Girl, its got my heart reelin
Dont want to hear a sad song anymore
Blame it on a sad song
You can blame it on a sad song, baby
Blame it on, blame it on a sad song
song performed by by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Frenchman for the Night
Comes a song I've heard before
A scratchy grammaphone
Cuts to the bone
La vie en rose arpeggios
So the dream begins
And the song is amplified
Buy the beaujolais
On Bastille Day
He dances in the tide
Chorus:
By the light of the moon
Hes a frenchman for the night
By the light of the moon
It'll be all right
Well it takes him back
To the days of love and war
And the girl he knew
With eyes of blue
Waiting on the shore
If hed only known
How the years would fly on by
Such a simple crime
Hes run out of time
So he reaches for the sky
Chorus:
By the light of the moon
He's a frenchman for the night
By the light of the moon
It'll be all right
Blame it on the Champs Elysees
Blame it on a tune
Blame it on the stroke of Monet
But you can't escape the moon
You can't escape the moon.
He sees the stars above
As the floor to heaven's light
While the angels taunt
Cest une nuit blanche
He's a frenchman for the night.
song performed by by Jimmy Buffett, music by Jimmy Buffett, Roger Guth (1994)

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Light Years
** sitting watching stars exploding
Building blocks that make
This world go round
On some distant planet cluster
Future gazing, no sight or sound
Sitting godlike mother nature
Now immortal, on my own
Light years from home
* light years from home
Light years from home
Crimson shades of evening glimmer
Across the counts of earth below
Shield your love like buried treasure
And all the secrets that you hold
Let them go
And as the daylight
Brings the morning
I reach out for you
Anaesthetic for the heartache
Now Ill never feel alone
Light years from home
(* repeat 2 times)
(** repeat)
song performed by by Abc

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I Shall Be Released
They say evrything can be replaced,
Yet evry distance is not near.
So I remember evry face
Of evry man who put me here.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
They say evry man needs protection,
They say evry man must fall.
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,
Is a man who swears hes not to blame.
All day long I hear him shout so loud,
Crying out that he was framed.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
song performed by by Bob Dylan

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Praise And Blame
When women feel inclined to praise
they praise other women;
inclined to blame,
they blame men.
When men feel inclined to blame
they blame other men;
inclined to praise,
they praise women.
Inclinations that comment richly
on the foundations of both,
parental archetypes
and their respective bargains.
poem by Morgan Michaels

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Not A Child
'Not a child: I call myself a boy,'
Says my king, with accent stern yet mild,
Now nine years have brought him change of joy;
'Not a child.'
How could reason be so far beguiled,
Err so far from sense's safe employ,
Stray so wide of truth, or run so wild?
Seeing his face bent over book or toy,
Child I called him, smiling: but he smiled
Back, as one too high for vain annoy -
Not a child.
II.
Not a child? alack the year!
What should ail an undefiled
Heart, that he would fain appear
Not a child?
Men, with years and memories piled
Each on other, far and near,
Fain again would so be styled:
Fain would cast off hope and fear,
Rest, forget, be reconciled:
Why would you so fain be, dear,
Not a child?
III.
Child or boy, my darling, which you will,
Still your praise finds heart and song employ,
Heart and song both yearning toward you still,
Child or boy.
All joys else might sooner pall or cloy
Love than this which inly takes its fill,
Dear, of sight of your more perfect joy.
Nay, be aught you please, let all fulfil
All your pleasure; be your world your toy:
Mild or wild we love you, loud or still,
Child or boy.
poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne

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I Shall Be Released
(b. dylan)
Originally performed by bob dylan. jeff performed it live on air at wfmu, on september 6 1992.
They say everything can be replaced,
Yet every distance is not near.
So I remember every face
Of every man who put me here.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
They say every man needs protection,
They say every man must fall.
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,
Is a man who swears hes not to blame.
All day long I hear him shout so loud,
Crying out that he was framed.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
song performed by by Jeff Buckley

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A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing
A song I heard the ocean sing
A shining light in darkness deep
I prayed a prayer into the tide
And both they soothed me in my sleep
For every season that has passed I prayed a prayer into the tide
A shining light in darkness deep
In me ten years before the mast
For every season that has passed I laid my body o'er the side
A shining light in darkness deep
I prayed a prayer into the tide
How can I answer questions I've known?
A song I heard the ocean sing
A shining light in darkness deep
Ten years before the mast
I heard the ocean sing
song performed by by Phish

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Send Your Mind
Van Morrison
Bang Masters
Transcriber: [email protected]
(guitar intro)
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Well you're out there, on the highway
While you're drivin', a-roll on by
Goin' south between the bridges
While the river's runnin' dry
And if ya can't come home
Please send your mind
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Now you're talkin', where ya goin'
On the train that sees the road
'Cross the nation, passing stations
While the night is as black as coal
And if you can't come home
Please send your mind
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Ooo!
(Guitar solo and Instrumental)
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Well, if your handle ain't, on your heartbeat
And your headed between the sheet
And the sign isn't from the lamp post
On the corner of the street
And if ya can't come home
Please send your mind
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Ooo-ooo-we
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Ooo-ooo-wee-ooo
(Send your mind)
A we-we-eee
(Send your mind)
A we-eee
(Send your mind)
Aah, little darlin'
(Send your mind)
Come on home
(Send your mind)
Come on home
(Send your mind)
Aah, send it, send it, send it
Send your mind
(Send your mind)
Ah, try to send it, baby
(Send your mind)
All ya gotta do
(Send your mind)
Shoo-be-do, shoo-be-do, shoo-be-do
(Send your mind)
Aah, send your mind
(Send your mind)
(Send your mind)
Go on send it darlin'
(Send your mind)
Come on home
(Send your mind)
~
song performed by by Van Morrison

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An Old Man's Wish
As I listened to a song tonight
entitled An Old Man's Wish,
it started me remembering
of an old man I knew long ago
and one of his last wishes
he would never see fulfilled.
Of all his friends' only one
would take the time and years
to follow that wish through.
More than ten years would slip away,
but that wish was never forgotten.
Then finally, one day it was fulfilled,
the old man would have been delighted
had he been around to see
the conclusion of the quest
that took twelve years to fulfil.
This story I have told is true,
I know, as I am that friend
who made an old man's wish
eventually come true.
2 October 2012
poem by David Harris

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Shining Light
Oooooh...
Something was pulling me
Without knowing what was leading me on
Your shining light, your shining light
In my darkest hour, the only way to bring the dawn
Was your shining light, your shining light
But youre unaware your shining light is even on
Like with a little glance when you take me by surprise
And I take a chance and I see it all through your eyes
Free me from my history, show me where to draw the line
By lighting up the mystery, and you dont even know that it shines
Im not worried now about flying too close to the sun
Your shining light, your shining light
When december skies are cold
Well, you know I will always run
To your shining light, your shining light
But youre unaware your shining light is even on
Like with a little glance when you take me by surprise
And I take a chance and I see it all through your eyes
Free me from my history, show me where to draw the line
By lighting up the mystery, and you dont even know that it shines
I wont abuse it, so please just let it glow behind your smile
Let me use it, let me feel the warmth like a little child
Who understands your glance, though it takes me by surprise
And I take a chance and I see it all through your eyes
Its your shining light, from my history, and it pulls me out of my mind
Its your shining light, you dont even know that it shines (by lighting up the mystery)
Its your shining, its your shining light
Its your shining light, oooooh
Its your shining, its your shining light
Its your shining light, you dont even know that it shines
Its your shining, its your shining light
Its your shining light, oooooh
Its your shining, its your shining light
Its your shining light, you dont even know that it shines
song performed by by 10000 Maniacs

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I Shall Be Released
They say everything can be replaced
Yet every distance is not near
So I remember every face
Of every man who put me here
I see the light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now any day now
I shall be released
They say every man needs protection
They say every man must fall
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place too high above this wall
Now yonder standing me in this lonely crowd
A man who swears hes not to blame
All day long I hear his voice shouting so loud
Crying out that he was framed
I see the light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now any day now
I shall be released
song performed by by Nina Simone, lyrics by Bob Dylan

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Fairy Book
In summer, when the grass is thick, if Mother has the time,
She shows me with her pencil how a poet makes a rhyme,
And often she is sweet enough to choose a leafy nook,
Where I cuddle up so closely when she reads the Fairy-book.
In winter when the corn's asleep, and birds are not in song.
And crocuses and violets have been away too long,
Dear Mother puts her thimble by in answer to my look,
And I cuddle up so closely when she reads the Fairy-book.
And Mother tells the servants that of course they must contrive
To manage all the househod things from four till half-past five,
For we really cannot suffer interruption from the cook,
When we cuddle close together with the happy Fairy-book.
poem by Norman Rowland Gale

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