She doesn't say much

 SHE DOESN’T SAY MUCH (E A D G B E, capo 2)

 

She doesn’t say much. She doesn’t need to. She hears her heartbeat thud soft like thunder.

One at a time. One after the other. One to keep. One for each other.

She writes her own songs and I’m just a con man trying to keep up the best I can.

Like a can of beans. Or a tin of fruit. There’s plenty for me and heaps for you.

 

Like a fool I fell. Tumbling down wells I dug up out of fear.

Like a fool I crashed. Everything just broke. Now I’ve got to clean this mess.

 

She doesn’t say much but she looks closely. She’s on her own but she’s never lonely.

She’s got a choice and some big decisions. The bigger they are the more she listens.

When she goes the wrong way she always makes it right. Wherever she lands she never breaks her stride.

And she sleeps real good every night. No matter the place, no matter the time. No matter the daylight. Especially in daylight.

 

And it’s been true for ages. And I mean literally ages. How sweet it is to know.

The wise are good, the wise are bad. The wise are angry, the wise are glad. The wise are privileged in their choice.

 

Give me space. Give me time. Give words to describe all these things I feel inside. Let them not eat me alive.

Give me space to hold close. Give me light. Give me a ghost. Give me pain. Give me a rope. Give me a tree. Tell me a joke.

I'm a perfect person

I’M A PERFECT PERSON (E A D G B E)

I’m a perfect person. Whispers through the curtain. It’s light enough to see your face.

I’m a perfect person. Precision like a surgeon. It’s dark enough to get away.

 

Listen to my sermon. Wrap me like a turban. See everything worsen.

I’m a perfect person. Now I know for certain. Show me where you’re hurting.

 

Watch the things you love burn brightly.

Flying through the sky like shooting stars.

The things you love were never really in your hands.

 

Meet me in the margin. Scold me like a sergeant. Hold me like I’m brahmin.

Bring my name to action. Satiate my passion. Everything’s a pattern.

And I’m a perfect person.

 

Do you realize you have the most beautiful face ???

Do you realise we’re only holding our own place?

 

I’m a perfect person. Now I know for certain. Watch everything worsen.

Because I’m a perfect person.

The water was deep

THE WATER WAS DEEP (E A D G B E)

The water was deep and the waves were wide.

She went to sleep on a rising tide.

When she woke stars filled the sky.

 

The mountain was steep and the path was narrow.

Moonbeams unravelled and fell like arrows.

She travelled lightly. She cast no shadow.

 

The sun was bright and the sky was blue.

The grass was cold and wet with due.

And suddenly she knew what to do.

Loudsong

LOUDSONG (E A D G B E)

It’s loud out here. But a different loud. Watch that cloud falling.

I heard my voice. Through a radio. Sounded so strange.

I sing the first song that comes to me. Catching the words like falling leaves. And I am only listening.

I count the grass as it melts away. Out in the sun as it paints my face. And I am only listening.

 

I appreciate you trying so hard but you don’t have to try so hard.

It’s loud out here but it doesn’t have to be.

 

Sometimes I wander through the mud and trees. Sometimes I wander through noisy streets. Sometimes I wonder who I’m supposed to be.

I sing the first song that comes to me. Try not to worry about what it’s supposed to mean. I am only listening. I am only listening. I am only listening.

This is your life

THIS IS YOUR LIFE (E A D G B E)

 Just found out. Here we are.

Your background checks came through. Everything you said was true.

 

Just realised this is your life.

And now we finally know we can let ourselves go.

 

This whole time. Fading in the sun. Sticking to the seat. In between your teeth.

 

If you have a reason now you’ll always have a reason.

If you’re scared of leaving now you’ll always be scared of leaving.

Offshore blues

OFFSHORE BLUES (E A D G B E)

Hand on your heart. It’s the best place to start. Or so it seems.

Falling apart. You’re an old rusty car driving into the stream.

And I won’t tell to anyone else the things I tell you.

I can’t say those things around them.

Now I’ve found you.

 

Feet in the dirt. I’ve been feeding the worms. Leaning into the turns.

Replaying the words of old misguided hurts no one ever heard.

And I won’t ask even though you know I want to.

What is a fish like me supposed to do?

Now I’ve found you.

 

Offshore blues. You are still screaming in my dreams.

Paint my shoes purple and green.

You said I was the only fish ever to drown in the sea.

I still don’t know what that means.

 

Hand on your heart. It’s the best place to start. Or so it seems.

Falling apart. You’re an old rusty car driving into the sea.

Hand on your heart. It’s the best place to start.

Falling apart. You’re an old rusty car.

 

Driving into the sea. I don’t know what that means.

Every day that's yesterday

EVERY DAY THAT’S YESTERDAY (D A D G C E)

I didn’t think I’d write a song today. I just can’t seem to stay away.

From what, I don’t know. From what, I don’t know.

 

I didn’t think I’d see the sun today. I thought it was supposed to rain.

I was wrong, oh no. I was wrong, oh no.

 

And now these words from Li Bai seem to fit right:

“Every day that’s yesterday I cannot get to stay.

It abandons me and goes.

Every day that is today is full strife and woe.

It troubles my heart so.

In this world a man’s life falls short of his aspirations.

Early tomorrow I will loosen my hair and sail away in a skiff.”

Always new

ALWAYS NEW (E A D G B E, capo 2)

 

Stay where you need to stay. Leave what you need to leave.

Let it go and let it come. Something lost is something won.

Wind so strong it­­­—

 

Wind so strong it blew the clouds back out to sea somehow.

Always where I need to be. I want to leave and take nothing with me.

I want to leave and take nothing with me.

 

The sunlight on my chest. The wind behind my back.

Take what you need to take. Don’t let them make you feel bad.

 

Stay where you need to stay. Leave what you need to leave.

The true path is always new. It’s amazing what a blue sky can do.

It’s amazing what a blue sky can do.

When they come

WHEN THEY COME (E A D G B E)

 

When they come let me know. I can’t let them see my face.

I’m not ashamed I just feel safe where I am. And they always bring me down.

And I am no mood to fight them. I never really was.

 

So when they come I’ll just chill out in the backyard.

And now it feels so far away from me. It used to be so close I couldn’t breathe.

I guess this must be true protection.

And it’s better than a weapon.

 

So here I am. And there they are. I am safe in the backyard.

So when they come. I won’t care. I’ve got nothing to do with them.

You're so wise

YOU’RE SO WISE (E A D G B E, capo 6)

Wisdom is knowing what must be done.

And you’re so wise.

 

Truth is seeing clear through the fog.

And you see clearly.

 

How many fingers am I holding up?

Where should we rest tonight?

 

Love is knowing who you are.

And you’re in love with everyone.

With everyone.

 

And once the questions stop they have been answered.

Great actions

GREAT ACTIONS (E A D G G D, capo 2)

 

Great actions, small deeds. Bright mornings, tall trees.

I’m blowing in the breeze. I’m going.

 

Great, actions, undone. In darkness, under the sun.

She thinks she’s the only one. He thinks he can save her.

 

It’s funny how we fall. I wonder why we always do.

 

Great actions, soft blows. It’s just how the story goes.

I don’t think I really know. I’m searching, I’m leaving, I’m coming.

I didn't

I DIDN’T (D A D F G E)

 

Look at me, I’m a fool. I didn’t think these songs could any sadder but here we are.

Look at me, I’m a fool. I didn’t think this could get any harder but now I’m worse off than when we started.

Look at me, did you ever think I knew what to do? Trust me, I didn’t.

Trust me, I mean it.

 

The crows followed me. Feet numb down the beach.

The birds start singing as the sun rises. It doesn’t matter what time the sun rises.

I always get what I want

I ALWAYS GET WHAT I WANT (D A D F G E)

 

I’m not crying. It’s just rain. I can’t trust what I feel today. I can’t believe in what I’m saying. I can’t return. I never came. And I’m so lost. I’m in pain. My stomach churns and my cheeks are stained with tears.

 

And don’t get me started on my neck. I don’t know what I’m trying to protect.

 

I want to climb like a cloud. Through the sky. Up and down. Side to side. Round and round. Chew me up and spit me out. Paint my face because I’m a clown. Tell me why. I forget how it goes.

 

I always get what I want and realise how wrong I was. I always get what I want and realise how wrong I was.

 

I always get what I want. I always get what I want.

 

I’m not crying. It’s just rain. My heart stings like a sunny day. The clouds are all melting away. And nothing hurts like a sunny day. Nothing hurts like a sunny day.

Climb like a cloud

CLIMB LIKE A CLOUD (D A D F G E)