Bill Callahan - Woke On A Whaleheart

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FROM THE RIVERS TO THE OCEAN

When you were blind, you touch things for their shape

have faith in wordless knowledge

well i can tell you about the river

or we could just get in

the body the rain made of our days before we knew

we are swimming in the river of the rains of our days before we knew

and it's hard to explain what i was doing all thinking before you

i guess i was a decent man holdin' on

followin the river from above

like a bird

have faith in wordless knowledge

and the fallen stars they flew too

and i knew they were sewing something

something well made for me and you

we are swimming in the river of the rains of our days before we knew

and it's hard to explain what i was doing all thinking before you

the city was a fist,

i lived on its wrist

and i took myself a good long look around

and the river grew higher and wider deeper and darker as i was closing in

and it led me to you which led me to say

'let's get'

we got in the river and it broked us

made us think of sex between us

in a time in our lives old before we knew

we were swimming in the river of the rains of our days before we knew

and it's hard to explain what i was doing all thinking before you

and that beautiful thing you said lying in bed

about all the things i could think of at the end of the day

but of all the places my mind could go

it always comes looping back to you

we are swimming in the river of the rains of our days before we knew

so meet me in the ocean and we'll ride the waves from the river to the ocean

we are swimming in the river of the rains of our days before we knew

and it's hard to explain what i was doing all thinking before you

have faith in wordless knowledge

FOOTPRINTS

oh oh oh

last summer's footprints are walkin'

walkin' dove walkin' dove walkin' dove

through last summer's sand

a dove walkin' dove walkin' dove

and where the footprints end

where the footprints end

what happened then

where the footprints end?

was not a wave that swallowed them

no gust of wind that did them so

no, where the footprints end

they must have flown!

yea they must have flown

overtemptin' sea

they must have flown

heavy earth and air

lookin' at rings

the sea above

the sky below

they must have flown

where the footprints end

and when we realize we can't fly

will we say "do you think

we must have danced up into the sky?"

last summer's footprints are walkin'

walkin' dove walkin' dove walkin' dove

through last summer's sand

DIAMOND DANCER

She was dancing so hard

She danced herself into a diamond

Dancing all by herself

And not minding

Doing the the thing as she dreamed it

Her skin was sky blue

Under the lights

Diamond dancer, diamond dancer

She was dancing so hard

She danced herself into a diamond

Dancing all by herself

And not minding

And the one thing on her mind was

The one thing on her mind was:

It's time I gave the world my light

Starting tonight

Diamond dancer, diamond dancer

SYCAMORE

(עברית)

There's sap in the trees if you tap 'em

There's blood on the seas if you map 'em

Christian, if you see your poppa

Tell him I love him

He taught me to love in the wild and

Fight in the gym

He taught me the bottle gives birth to the cup

And you won't get hurt if you just

Keep your hands up

And stand tall

Like sycamores

Sycamore got to grow down to grow up

Young girl told the soul like baby's first cup

And when they bend you in two

And say too green for the fire

When all you want to do is be a part of the fire

All you want to do is be the fire part of fire

Like sycamores

There's sap in the trees if you tap 'em

There's blood on the seas if you map 'em

Christian when I see your poppa

I'll tell him you love him

And remember to love in the wild and

Fight in the gym

Remember the bottle gives birth to the cup

And you won't get hurt if you just

Keep your hands up

And stand tall

Like sycamores

THE WHEEL

The wheel has turned one full circle

Time for my meal of wood

To make my home lord

In a stable spoke lord

Inside a turning wheel would be good

To make my home lord

In a stable spoke lord

Inside a turning wheel bound for good

A woodbee tries to find purchase

In a turning spoke

From Memphis to Potomac

Never giving up hope

I'd die in your jails lord

But you'd die by my laws lord

I think you got it worse

No rebel I, lord

I follow the river

When I'm lost

The wheel has turned one more circle

The payload is now immense

So climb aboard all

Climb aboard

Because the heavier we get

The harder we crush

The wagon rolls like an old millstone

Driving bad deeds six feet deep

To make my home lord

In a stable spoke lord

Inside a turning wheel would be good

To make my home lord

In a stable spoke lord

Inside a turning wheel bound for good

HONEYMOON CHILD

You are a true honeymoon child

Conceived on an island on the sun

Heels dug in the white sand

Loved and adored from day one

Raised in the wild space between two hearts

With Einstein trees towards the light

Running naked, dragging a kite

For your dress on a string

You bring out the soft side in everyone

We gather like ravens on a rusty scythe

Just to watch such a little dove

Fly away

Mr. Bones from town

Said he saw you the other day

Said you'd changed, but he wouldn't say how

It can always turn

The wind can always turn

DAY

Some people are a sickness on this land

They're killing, they're taking, they're stealing

Whatever they can

Anything, anything, anything that is not bolted down

Your life, your money, your heart, your faith, your bike

Anything that is not bolted down

Learn from the animals, monkeys do

Monkeys do piggish things too

Learn from the vegetables, monkeys do

The way they strive towards the light

A small potato in the blight

Still strives towards the light

I know it's as dark as night

It's as dark as night

It is day though

Some would ask, what are we to do

With a world that crumbles to the touch?

A world that spins and dies where it stands,

Like trying ain't enough?

To family is all you can do

Even if it's just us two

To family is all you can do

And strive towards the light

Strive towards the light

It's as dark as night

Strive towards the light

I know it's as dark as night

It is day though

NIGHT

We do not know how things work

We do not know where you go

In the night

Through the door

Through the door that holds you

Out of the blue

We do not know

The door that holds you

Silent as glue

We stand under it

But we don't understand it

We stand under it

But we don't understand it

The door that holds you

Silent as glue

And stars fall on

Stars fall on

Silent as glue

A MAN NEEDS A WOMAN OR A MAN TO BE A MAN

When you leave, I go into our room

And lay me down on birds of paradise

It's pretty womanly in here!

Roses noting every move

Nothing goes on except what should

A vast legacy of good

And I don't know if I can uphold it on my own

I don't know if I can uphold it on my own

I don't know if I'm to be trusted

In our room

Alone

A man needs a woman or a man

To be a man

A man needs a woman or a man

To be a man

The light is explicit

Between nine and noon

The light shows a life to things thought dead

LIke oaken legs and fireworks beneath the bed

Fireworks are wasted in the day

I set 'em off anyway

To pass the time 'til you return

I Can't see a thing 'til you return

Maybe a little smoke 'til you return

With fireworks

More fireworks!

And you tell me to wait

Just wait, wait

Just wait

A man needs a woman or a man

To be a man

A man needs a woman or a man

To be a man

And when it's good and dark

The sky a wet black

Like earth has turned

You say OK

Now is time, OK

Like earth has turned

Above us explode a golden lion dripping red

A blue bear spitting white

A spider of fire on a web of sparks

A green dragon with spiralled eyes

Fireworks light the way

Before us lie many a night

Before us lie fireworks in boxes

But only in you

Deep in you

Only in you

Deep in you

Is the fire that lights them

A man needs a woman or a man

To be a man

A man needs a woman or a man

To be a man