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 The World Is Outside
Place Names (Dan Messe/Steve Curtis) Left the key in the door Left the window open wide Left my home wanting more Than I ever found inside Far from the water Nothing safe or the same There's a voice that is calling That is calling my name From the old ruin signs Still dividing open land To the cold trembling pines That are rising where I stand Clear down to Jackson East until Edgar Bay There's a voice that remembers That remembers the way Should I travel up to heaven Take my measure lying down I'll still dream of that road Setting out from my hometown Oh Cynthiana No place I'd rather claim There's a voice that is calling That is calling your name The World Is Outside (Dan Messe/Gary Maurer) Originally released as a free download on April 16, 2008 at Hem's website After all the ways to feel the world forgot you I am calling out to let you know it's not too late I know you well I know you well Used to be the way I saw the world was outside You and me and everything I know about my love I know you well I know you well It's you and me And the world is on the outside Soft Landing (Dan Messe/Steve Curtis) I’m falling down and you’re still standing We keep defying lift to drag You rise to meet me in the morning Here you are - your hand inside my hand The sea is breaking on a sandbar The rising and falling feels like breath A plane has touched down in the harbor - It comes together where it comes to rest Now as I descend...here you are again Who knows how long we shall be lifted The runway stretches to the sea Where wings are cast about like driftwood Where you’re breathing softly next to me Your hand inside my hand...softly as we land Now as I descend...here you are again A hand inside a hand...softly as we land In A Barrel At Sea (Dan Messe) Original version (same lyric) a "Funnel Cloud" bonus track Lost in the hold And torn from the chain Out in the road in the pouring rain And I'm rolling down on the great Ohio And lighting out in a barrel at sea Let the storms keep rising wherever I go As long as you're here with me And we're rolling down on the great Ohio And lighting out in a barrel at sea Let the storms keep rising wherever I go As long as you're here with me As long as you're here with me Identical Snowflakes (Dan Messe) Originally available December 2011 as a single A Snowflake fell and came to see His crystal bones and filigree. He said, “Every snowflake’s different but they’re not like me!” He blew out of the blizzard on his own... And came to rest beside a cloud Where he met a Snowflake just as proud. “The sky must be a mirror!” they both said out loud. “This cumulus has no room for us Let’s cut out from the crowd.” “Won’t you fall in love with me? You’re the closest thing to Heaven that I’ll ever see. We were cut from the same paper that was folded long ago, So let all the other Snowflakes turn to snow.” They fell in love. They fell all night Above the rooftops, strung with light. “As long as were together things will turn out right.” They held each other closer as the ground came into sight. “Won’t you fall in love with me? You’re the closest thing to Heaven that I’ll ever see. We were cut from the same paper that was folded long ago, So before we hit the ground and turn to snow, Won’t you melt into my arms before we go.”
 Birds, Beasts & Flowers
Half Acre (Dan Messe) I am holding half an acre Torn from the map of Michigan And folded in this scrap of paper Is the land I grew in Think of every town you've lived in Every room you lay your head And what is it that you remember Do you carry every sadness with you Every hour your heart was broken Every night the fear and darkness Lay down with you A man is walking on the highway A woman stares out at the sea And light is only now just breaking So we carry every sadness with us Every hour our hearts were broken Every night the fear and darkness Lay down with us But I am holding half an acre Torn from the map of Michigan I am carrying this scrap of paper That can crack the darkest sky wide open Every burden taken from me Every night my heart unfolding My home Pacific Street (Dan Messe) Let's go out walking, I know where to meet The corner of Pacific Street Because I feel restless and I can't sleep I need to show you something See where we stood There are oceans in our neighborhood And for leaving things they're just as good Well I don't know you except in the way A traveler knows a traveler The way a station can tempt you to stay And spend some time inside it Stay where we are We'll wash up at the corner bar Because leaving things is just too hard for me Stay where we are Washed up in some corner bar But I swear I've never been this far before I swear I've never been this far before No I swear I've never been so far before St. Charlene (Dan Messe) Traded my last favor For a map of St. Charlene All these ghosts and angels Friends and strangers Ask me where I've been The engine seemed to tremble When I drove through our old town And I found the house Where we used to live When I tried my key I don't know what I thought I'd find I tried to remember What I thought I thought I left behind The rooms were all deserted Though the landlord kept them well They were swept and shuttered Paint that covered our familiar smells I looked around our kitchen And I climbed the narrow stairs And I called your name Just so I could hear it And I swear these rooms Were where we once used to make love Now they're just a space And there's no trace left of us I spent another five days On the banks of St. Charlene After my car was fixed I made some extra cash for gasoline. I left without remembering The reason I had come But I knew then that I needed to leave If I'm sad at least I know That nothing's what it was And I'm out of place Cuz there's no trace left of us There was no trace left of us Now there's no trace left of us 
 I'm Talking With My Mouth
A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (Mack David/Al Hoffman/Jerry Livingston) A dream is a wish your heart makes When you're fast asleep In dreams you lose your heartaches Whatever you wish for, you keep Have faith in your dreams and someday Your rainbow will come smiling through No matter how your heart is grieving If you keep on believing The dream that you wish will come true No matter how your heart is grieving If you keep on believing The dream that you wish will come true (Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (Elvis Costello) Oh I used to be disgusted And now I try to be amused. But since their wings have got rusted, You know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes. But when they told me ’bout their side of the bargain, That’s when I knew that I could not refuse. And I won’t get any older, now the angels wanna wear my red shoes. I was watching while you’re dancing away. Our love got fractured in the echo and sway. How come everybody wants to be your friend? You know that it still hurts me just to say it. Oh, I know that she’s disgusted Cause she’s feeling so abused. She gets tired of the lust, But it’s so hard to refuse. How can you say that I’m too old, When the angels have stolen my red shoes. Oh, I said I’m so happy, I could die. She said drop dead, then left with another guy. That’s what you get if you go chasing after vengeance. Ever since you got me punctured this has been my sentence. Oh I used to be disgusted And now I try to be amused. But since their wings have got rusted, You know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes. Angels wanna wear my red shoes. Angels wanna wear my red shoes. Jackson (Jerry Lieber/Billy Edd-Wheeler) We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout, We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out. I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around, Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson, Look out Jackson town. Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health. Go play your hand you big-talkin' man, make a big fool of yourself, Yeah, go to Jackson; go comb your hair! Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson. See if I care. When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow. All them women gonna make me, teach 'em what they don't know how, I'm goin' to Jackson, you turn-a loose-a my coat. 'Cos I'm goin' to Jackson. "Goodbye," that's all she wrote. But they'll laugh at you in Jackson, and I'll be dancin' on a Pony Keg. They'll lead you 'round town like a scalded hound, With your tail tucked between your legs, Yeah, go to Jackson, you big-talkin' man. And I'll be waitin' in Jackson, behind my Jaypan Fan, Well now, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper Sprout, We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went. I'm goin' to Jackson, and that's a fact. Yeah, we're goin' to Jackson, ain't never comin' back. Well, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout' And we've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went... Living Without You (Randy Newman) The milk truck hauls the sun up And the paper hits the door The subway shakes my floor And I think about you Time to face the dawning gray Of another lonely day Baby, it's so hard Living without you It's so hard Baby, it's so hard Baby, it's so hard Living without you Ev'ryone's got something And they're out tryin' to get some more They got something to get up for Well, I ain't about to Nothing's gonna happen Nothing's gonna change Baby, it's so hard Living without you It's so hard Baby, it's so hard Baby, it's so hard Living without you Valentine's Day (Bruce Springsteen) I'm driving a big lazy car rushin' up the highway in the dark I got one hand steady on the wheel and one hand's tremblin' over my heart It's pounding baby like it's gonna bust right on through And it ain't gonna stop till I'm alone again with you A friend of mine became a father last night When we spoke in his voice I could hear the light Of the skies and the rivers the timberwolf in the pines And that great jukebox out on Route 39 They say he travels fastest who travels alone But tonight I miss my baby tonight I miss my home Is it the sound of the leaves left blown by the wayside That's got me out here on this spooky old highway tonight Is it the cry of the river With the moonlight shining through That ain't what scares me baby What scares me is losing you They say if you die in your dreams you really die in your bed But honey last night I dreamed my eyes rolled straight back in my head And God's light came shinin' on through I woke up scared and breathin' and born anew It wasn't the cold river bottom I felt rushing over me It wasn't the bitterness of a dream that didn't come true It wasn't the wind in the grey fields I felt moving through my arms No no baby, baby it was you No no baby, baby it was you Baby it was you Baby it was you
 Live, Unreleased, and Other Miscellaneous Tracks
A-Hunting We Will Go (Early Version) (Dan Messe/Steve Curtis) Performed live before recording the album Eveningland Overland Through the rye Gun in hand Bird in sky Calling out to the world below A-hunting we will go Every field Ripe and fine Every man A friend of mine Every trail that I name or know A-hunting we will go Throw some light on me Tell me what you see Every mystery grows like a vine Reaching out to the sun in the sky Repeating, receiving forever and ever Now the sun Has not stirred Rusted gun Fallen bird Side by side in the world below A-hunting we will go Carry Me Home (Early Version) (Dan Messe) Performed live before recording the album Eveningland Poppy said something clever Something clever, though he's old Some lies like children, they last forever Lies like family last until, til they're told So me and Jessie, we left Ohio-- Left him bleeding on the valley floor I felt so dirty I could hardly stand it-- Carrying Jessie on my back She said, hold on, I know you'll bury him for me Hold on, I know you'll bury him for me Hold on, I know you'll carry me and carry me and Carry me home Hold on, I know you'll bury him for me Hold on, I know you'll bury him for me Hold on, I know you'll carry me and carry me and Carry me home Tell me nothing's wrong there Tell me nothing's wrong there Tell me nothing's wrong there Nothing's wrong there Nothing's wrong there Nothing's wrong there The Fire Thief (Early Version) (Dan Messe) Performed live before recording the album Eveningland Wouldn't be the first time love made a fool of me Wouldn't even care but now you're here to see It comes as no surprise Just leave the light on Shadows start to bleed to lead us to the hall The sun that's going down the bed will break the fall They try to work it out And they will take comfort now Sometimes a heart can break and make its own relief The way a cold dark night invites the fire thief He wants to show us how And we can take comfort now We can take comfort now We can take comfort now Leave the light on... Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Traditional) Available on "Tetley Holiday Compilation" 2005 and 2006, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" compilation, and "A Winter's Night: The Best Of Nettwerk Christmas Albums" 2005 online edition Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be light Next year all our troubles Will be out of sight Have yourself a merry little Christmas Make the Yuletide gay From now on our troubles Will be miles away Here we are as in olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who are dear to us Will be near to us once more Someday soon we all will be together If the fates allow Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow So have yourself A merry little Christmas now No Hiding Place (Dan Messe / Gary Maurer / Steve Curtis) Available on the compilation album "For the Kids 3" Eyes closed, counting some Ready or not, here I come From the curb to the aquarium That I can see right through Ain't no hiding place That you can hide That I can't trace That's why I always Find you. Run to the rabbit hole East to west and pole to pole Where the Queen Anne's Lace and Marigold Grow straight and true Ain't no hiding place, Marigold or Queen Anne's Lace Where I won't always Fiiiind you. Now sit in the drummer's spot -- Quiet now so you don't get caught Let the Hummingbird and old Dreadnaught Do what they can do But there ain't no hiding place, Kettle drum or guitar case Where I won't always Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind you. Peace At Last (Dan Messe) Available for Xmas 2006 as a free download, in 2007 on the Peace At Last EP, and in 2008 on the Merry Happy Christmas compilation It's colder than hell this time of the year The moon is bright, the night is clear And I'm out on a road The homes that I see They're all safe and warm, but they're not for me All I know is I want to be with you for Christmas And I know that I want to be with you for Christmas I'm passing the pines, the radio towers I cross a line and I lose an hour But all that I've lost is fading from view These miles ahead they just lead to you They lead to the day you let go of the past Where there's joy inside and there's peace at last And there's peace at last All I know is I want to be with you for Christmas And I know that I want to be with you for Christmas Cuz it's colder than hell out on your own But I'm moving fast, I'm almost home Where there's peace at last Where there's peace at last Peace at last Where there's peace at last Peace at last The Present (Burying Songs Cycle Version) (Dan Messe) Original, pre-Hem version briefly available at Hem's blog When I saw him by the river He just smiled and closed his eyes He said you know that you've got to give her One more chance - one more lie I didn't see him for a while then But I heard his name around So I walked a hundred miles when On that iron bridge it was him I found He said you know that I have wandered By these blood stains on my feet For all the presents that I have squandered On every false heart that I meet But I can't take back what I gave them No, I can't make right what I've made wrong I can't pretend that I tried to save them When they were drowning in my song So I don't come here for a new scar For to cover the things that I have done No, I just come here to see how you are Maybe see how I've become Well he just lay there on that iron bridge Kicking rust off and pulling it apart He said hello there ain't you gonna give One more present for your own false heart Somewhere (Leonard Bernstein/ Stephen Sondheim) Released online only on the Peace At Last EP There's a place for us Somewhere a place for us Peace and quiet and open air Wait for us somewhere There's a time for us Someday a time for us Time to gather with time to spare Time to learn Time to care Someday, somewhere We'll find a new way of living We'll find a way of forgiving Somewhere There's a place for us A time and a place for us Hold my hand, and we're halfway there Hold my hand, and I'll take you there Somehow, someday Somewhere Strays (Early Version) (Dan Messe) Performed live before recording the album Eveningland In the summer of my wedding As the corn burned in the field Oh I lay down for my Baby And let the sweet smoke stain my heels Well I lay there til the midnight As the dogs, they run through town And I rose up just to listen And I never lay back down I could hear them from my bedroom Through the black wood on my floor I could call out, hear them scatter Running blindly past my door Then the morning, it came upon me And I set my soul to search From the tall grass down the main road To the stained glass at the church Lord my shepard help me pray Though I left my heart to stray Though I left my heart untrue I can follow I do I do I can name them in my dreaming I can set my soul to rest I can chain them to my body Let them settle at my breast Now see them coming to my wedding Where I will teach them not to stray Oh they'll carry my salvation Oh they'll carry me away
Main Lyrics Page Lyrics on this site are here for informational purposes only and are not mine in any way - I just transcribed them. Lyrics are included with the full length albums, and I still say that the best way to get the lyrics is to buy the albums because then you get the music too! Notice any errors? Let me know! |
The World Is Outside