orpheum bell
The Old Sister's Home
- Poor Laetitia
- Whatever Shines So Bright
- The Old Sisters’ Home
- Chain Stitched Heart
- Family Pictures
- Parade
- Daddy’s Crying
- Cuckolded Wren
- Kembster’s Laz
- Skinny Bird
Lyrics
POOR LAETITIA
Poor Laetitia
Just a stem of a girl
Just the stem off a flower
Just a nail in the wall
Just a head full of trouble
Just a pond full of reeds
Just a glass in a dry town
Buried under the leaves
Ashtabula…
Coal town beauty long gone
My, what a long ride
With no one by your side
Poor Laetitia…
How come nothing’s for sure
How come everyone’s staring
By the light of the moon
Counting the chimes as you sleep..
What lies (in the sweet grass)
All the boys want to know
O Laetitia you show them
But they learn much too slow
Parley’s lost
In the Oil Sands she’s gone
Change the town where you born from
Change your name when you run
Counting the chimes as you sleep
My luck’s yours
If you want it just say
But Laetitia you know this
If you want it just say
My Laetitia…
Just a stem of a girl
Just the stem off a flower
Just a nail in the wall
Counting the chimes as you sleep
WHATEVER SHINES SO BRIGHT
Whatever shines so bright?
Won’t let you wake or slumber
It’s trouble’s crown
It’s trouble’s number
You think you’re done, its finally over
But it’s only just begun
Gently he’ll stroke your wicked fingers
My, it’s only just begun
My city slipped into the sea
It was so easy, for one so ready
A wounded ship upon the sea
I wished so hard
I broke, I broke upon the rocks
Until he came for me
“Invite me in”, he said, “and you will see”
“What I…and you and I can do for thee”
One tear from you, one from another
Until his golden cup
Is trembling with the salten water
And all the money will be bad
The air grows thin, as you get higher
Then your heart begins to spin
Too late to wonder why
You ever let him in
One tear from you, one from another
Until his golden cup
Is trembling with the salten water
CHAIN STITCHED HEART
You lied about the river I lied about the sea
Like a telegraph cutter that lies to the trees
I didn’t want your picture I just want the frame
I don’t need your worry I just want your name
I walked and I dreamed an old dilettante’s dream
How to hold down your station, hide where you’ve been
Lost in a wish that is ether and steam
I forgot what I was and what it might mean
So I ran from the dust and the terrible sky
To the arms of a fool full of terrible lies
Mild was the evening when we stole away
Then you lost me on purpose and sky gave way
Now the soldier brigades they in unison sing
And the world will be lighter in the morning it seems
Lost in a wish that is ether and steam
I forgot what I was and what it might mean
All my dreaming is done
My last breath is drawn
All my dreaming is done
My last breath is drawn
What have I needled here?
I trembled over this part
So red but it’s not real
It’s just a chain-stitched heart
What did I give away?
A magnet for my mule
No furrow will I plow
God never loved his fool
God never loved his fool
God never loved his fool
FAMILY PICTURES
Silver flaking off the paper
Hard and silent in the hall
The house is cold and we are shivering
As August crumbles into fall
The family gathers in the parlor
We’re strangers now the years are gone
There’s nothing says that we are family
Except the pictures on the wall
They’re hanging still the family pictures
Our little tombstones on the wall
The silver’s flaking off the paper
Better versions of us all
Remember planting up the wind break?
The kids all dug without a spade
The skinny pines like crooked dancers
Are giants now, gone stiff with age
The way an old man sets to wonder
The way a child forgets a harm
Is nothing like the way we’ve settled
We drift and smile and then we’re gone
The rye’s not ready for the reaper The star’s are begging off the dawn Branches try to reach and flee But the roots hold on DADDY’S CRYING
Why’s Daddy crying why is he this way?
Why’s Daddy crying what he is he this way
Hush little brother, hush go away
Daddy’s not crying, he’s just full of rain
You can’t put a fire out, with water he’d say
You just got let it burn out by itself
Till there’s nothing but gray ashes, morning and dust
Till there’s nothing but gray ashes, morning and dust
Why’s Daddy crying why is he this way?
Why’s Daddy crying what he is he this way
Hush little brother, hush go away
Daddy’s not crying, he’s just full of rain
CUCKOLDED WREN
Oh my wings!
That you can see between
Thinner for the winters
That have screamed by underneath
I’m down to black
A fish hook in my back
That I will twist and fashion into this:
A wedding garrote for your faithless hand, a wedding cilice you will not forget
A wedding garrote for your faithless hand, a wedding cilice you will not forget
Bone China white
But cracked upon the rim
I took you though and took you though the others looked away
I spread my wings
For you against the wind
You spread your legs in anger, spread them wide
A shame that burned and blistered, burned and lied
You spread your legs in anger, spread them wide
A shame that burned and blistered, burned and lied
The hand that holds
The hammer holds the throne
My feathers all point backward but I know which way to go
I’m down to black
A fish hook in my back
A sweetness offered you could not deny
But I will turn my ragged head and fly
A sweetness offered you could not deny
But I did turn my ragged head and fly
Худая Птица (Skinny Bird)
Закат позади, не спасет от беды
Наш закат позади, не спасет от беды
Беди, ох от беды
Закат наш позади, не спасет от беды
Наш закат позади, не спасет от беды
Беди, ох от беды
Худая птица, лети домой Худая птица, речка под рукой Худая птица, Я с тобой Я с тобой, Я с тобой
Закат позади, вороны как угли
Закат наш позади, вороны как угли
Ох черные, черные как угли
Худая птица, лети домой Худая птица, речка под рукой Худая птица, Я с тобой Я с тобой, Я с тобой
Худая птица, лети домой Худая птица, Я с тобой Я с тобой, Я с тобой
Я один,один
Я cам вперед, один, один
Сам без тебя, один, Я иду вперед
Я один, cам вперед один, cам без тебя один
Я иду вперед