(for mary louise applewhite, mom)

she wakes up today,
decides it's time to turn her world around
looks at the bed she's made
and at the man who doesn't know her well,
at all

he doesn't know her very well
not his fault, really...

staring at the floor, then out the window
she sees her future, she sees the way
she sees her life unfold, inch by inch
mile after mile, well...

she sees the rising on the focal plane
of all the things she's tried to say "____"

walking in the sun
she finds she has no purse
she hasn't got a nickel to her name

but on that hand, and on that finger
what a lovely piece of days gone by...

gonna' pawn that wedding ring today

walking in the sun
she buys an ice cream cone
hears the children laughing
sees the children playing i...
i wanna be,
i wanna be,
i wanna be,
i wanna be
my mother's child again

i wanna thank you mamma
i wanna thank you daddy
i wanna thank this world
and then before i go insane

i wanna be ms universe,
i wanna ride an elephant
i wanna climb the pyramids.
i wanna run for president, i...

i wanna be,
i wanna be,
i wanna be,
i wanna be
my mother's child
again

---

we are lovers though
you’re far away
because i miss you so,
i’ve frozen time…  
i’m waiting

still another part of me
says “foolish boy”
won’t you hurry love?  
by moonlight and flowers?   

i would sleep at the station
just to wait for your train
i would climb the highest mountain
so i might touch your plane

i would ride my bicycle,
i would walk all the earth
if it meant me being near you,
if it meant i’d be first
after all   

if i knew how to tell you,
how to write it all down
it would take me forever,
to this task i’d be bound   

in a lifetime of dreaming
it was always your face
and for always your smile,
i will never erase

i am yours

---

(for karla)

turn me away from all i've seen
free my soul, so i might dream
so i might sing 
for i am obliged to follow you

and i won't mind

i once was blind
but now my eyes have found a way
to know your smile
for miles and miles
this boy will follow you

oh shall we run all through the night?

and then into the light
that morning brings
and other things?

leaving behind this other place
fading away without a trace
i'm keeping pace
for i am obliged to follow you

well i am reborn

i shall not mourn
the loss of a life so unfulfilled
and you loved me still
so for the thrills
this boy will follow you

oh shall we run all through the night?

and then into the light
that morning brings
and other things?

---

(speaking: the great christopher adams)

"this gonna sound crazy, but...
you ever wish you could like...
make someone forget all about you?
then, like... start over?
i mean, think about it.
but, check it out...
you would like,
still remember all the stuff about them.
you know?
that would be...
that would be tight."

leave these days in a dream somewhere
take the dream and toss it away
leave your smile
but not the one who sees

don’t recall my lovin’ arms
don’t reminisce 

oh, i'm praying that you don’t
remember me
don’t want you thinking ‘bout
my lips on yours

forget about the way
I held your face
forget about the love and soon…
so will i.

roll across these burning sands
find a world so far from me
distance plays
on the memory of time

i'm praying that you don’t
remember me
don’t want you thinking ‘bout
my lips on yours

forget about the way
I held your face
forget about the love and soon…

so will i.

leave these days in a dream somewhere
take the dream and toss it away
leave your smile
but not the one who sees

i'm praying that you don’t
remember me
don’t want you thinking ‘bout
my lips on yours

forget about the way
I held your face
forget about the love and soon…

so will i.

---

they crowned me king of scotland,
i held my scepter high
i rest upon a throne of gold
in another, another life

i rode upon the starlight
and you were at my side
we surfed the planets far and wee
in another, another life
in another, another life

we walked along the shoreline
the ocean cleansed our feet
it washed our bodies free from sin...

shall i crawl across these pages
of all these books i've read?
i find nothing in their letters
that will lead me to your bed

tear away my silver stitches
and reveal the final wound
let it rain inside this cast of me
from another,
another life...

they crowned me king of scotland
i ruled all time and space
i wore the crown of hopes and dreams
in another, another life

i rode upon the starlight
i held your hand in mine
sparks of color framed your face
in another, another life
in another, another life

we walked along the shoreline
the ocean cleansed our feet
it washed our bodies free from sin...

shall i crawl across these pages
of all these books i've read?
i find nothing in their letters
that will lead me to your bed

tear away my silver stitches
and reveal the final wound
let it rain inside this cast of me
from another,
another life...

---

you’re running in circles, you’re screaming at walls
you frown more than smile and you wait for the fall
your day’s never ending, but you’re so out of time
relax for the moment…

it’s alright, it’s alright you will find
it’s alright, it’s alright you will find

‘cause your way is a sunny day ahead
full of life and love for you
see the smiles and they will be so
this i know ‘cause i’ve prayed your way…

see more than the sadness, be more than the pain
rise up from the madness, there’s no one to blame
you’re dreaming of heaven,
but in the palm of your hand…
that dream's overflowing

in this world, in this world you will stand
in this world, in this world you will stand

‘cause your way is a sunny day ahead
full of life and love for you
see the smiles and they will be so
this i know ‘cause i’ve prayed your way…

on those ugly nights, when you feel alone
step into the light,
so you can believe…

down in the valley, valley so low
i cry for reason, where must i go?
scream intelligent, all on deaf ears
down in the valley,
i sing “where must i go?”

---

she's a dreamy eyed study done in pastel and light
she's the figure of an angel ascending in flight
a siren within the room,
a watercolor on canvas
calling you.

sparse reality dripping from your pallet of life,
boy.

she's a work of art
don't you know
that you are staring

at a work of art...

well and for her you'd sell your soul away
your soul away
well and for her you'd sell your soul away
your soul away

she's an abstract, a photograph, a piece from chagall
she's that "samo" done graffiti on the subway wall
absinthe upon the lips,
madness inside her kiss

she's a work of art,
and you are staring

at a work of art...

well and for her you'd sell your soul away
your soul away
well and for her you'd sell your soul away
your soul away

close your eyes, close your eyes
the colors, her colors
they're so perfect,
they're so perfect

well and oh, oh, oh...
hey, you wanna hear me play?

---

oh, i got a girl in a mini dress
no better pair of legs
in the east or west, you know
oh, i got a girl who’s a scientist
well she gimmie a little sugar
and i can’t resist, you know

oh, i got a girl on a rocket ship
well she come alive at warp drive,
baby’s a trip, you know
oh, i got a girl at the five and dime
i wanna’ get a date with her…
gotta’ stand in line

oh, i got a girl on a tv show
take 2, scene 3,
makin’ lots of dough, you know
oh, i wanna’ buy her a diamond ring,
you know i’d give her anything
‘cause she’s all i know… yeah!

she got a hold of me now
(everything she do…)
she got a hold of me now
she got a hold of me

oh, i got a girl, she’s a beauty queen
fancy pageant walkin
like you’ve never seen, you know
oh, that’s my girl in the photograph
well i made a funny face
and she started to laugh, you know

oh, i got a girl, she can really cook
makin’ collard greens and cornbread,
boy i was hooked, you know
oh, i got a girl on my porch today
knockin on my front door…
can i come out to play?

oh, i got a girl and i love her so
feel it in my heart
everywhere i go, you know
oh, i'm gonna’ buy her a cadillac
and drive it to the love shack
gonna’ stay all night, yeah!

she got a hold of me now
(everything she do…)
she got a hold of me now
she got a hold of me

feel the light, this cleansing sun
this other life and you’re the one
take my hand and lift me
‘cause i’d fallen down

fallen, though i feel the light...

i got a girl and i love her so
feel it in my heart everywhere i go.

 

---