1. |
Smoke and Cigars
03:27
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late at night before the sun rises
there’s a place where the ocean and the sky collide
turned down low, old pop songs on the radio
we’ll wait to see what color the light will be
and you answered my own question
before I even knew it
forgive my first impression
and you’ll see me through it
I’ve come so far late nights smelling smoke and cigars
mixed with salt spray and wondering where you are
will you go or wait so I’m not here alone
and stay with me to see what color the light will be
and you answered my own question
before I even knew it
forgive my first impression
and you’ll see me through it
over seas and streams and railroad tracks and roads
through the doorway of every house I’ve known
you’ve carried me home
I’ve carried you home
and you answered my own question
before I even knew it
forgive my first impression
you’ve seen me through it
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2. |
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a hundred years ago the train still rolled through our backyard
you covered your face from coal and the cold
and since that ditch was dug, the barges floated down the Canal
where you tightened your laces and picked marigolds
cut your hair and smile sly
you can’t just stay inside
you’ve got the open sky
yellow birds on High Street
a hundred years ago the schools were closed and no more ships sailed
the breath in your lungs crackled and failed
in the Valley you picked banjo strings and read poetry
‘til you followed the 2 for city travails
cut your hair and smile sly
you won’t just stay inside
you’ve got the open sky
yellow birds on High Street
I drag my heels where you walked
thrust into the same town
watch the planes lift off
but keep my feet on the ground
a hundred years ago the Brooks you know led to our backyard
you dreamt of flight through lanternless nights
and in a year or so you would go around the globe
but for now we’ll share the same sights
and I’ll cut my hair and smile sly
I can't just stay inside
we’ve got the open sky
yellow birds on High Street
fly, fly, fly
fly, Amelia, fly
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3. |
Softer Things
04:05
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I’ll trade the palm trees of Daytona Beach
for Maple leaves in northern skies
I’ll leave concrete for softer things
I won’t even say goodbye
run as fast as I can
in the morning I’ll feel better
this salty New England air
brings love and loss in equal measure
I catch my face in the window panes
someone I’ve never seen before
I dip my toes in frozen lakes
and track the mud in through the door
run as fast as I can
in the morning I’ll feel better
this salty New England air
brings love and loss in equal measure
tell me I’m safe here
tell me there's nothing to fear
tell me I’m fine, I’m still learning all the time
chase the sunset just to howl at power lines
howl at power lines
I traded palm trees for Maple leaves
I think I finally know why
‘cause I’ve been smiling when I wake
under this Massachusetts sky
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4. |
Eel Pond
03:08
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silverfish in cracking sinks
sleeping in someone else’s bed
nights of borrowed guitars and sand
everywhere you stand
I’ll give it a shot, I smell your hair
to be frank my darling we never go anywhere
I’ll shine a light and see what I can find
outside on Eel Pond tonight
tonight
bright pinpricks in crashing ink
the water’s overhead
salty fingertips and sand
everywhere you stand
I’ll give it a shot, I smell your hair
to be frank my darling we never go anywhere
I’ll shine a light and see what I can find
outside on Eel Pond tonight
there’s a bat in the bedroom
it got in while I was fast asleep, asleep
there’s a bat in the bedroom
open up the window and set it free
you rescued me
you rescued me
you rescued me
I'lll give it a shot, I smell your hair
to be frank my darling we never go anywhere
I’ll shine a light and see what I can find
outside on Eel Pond tonight
tonight, tonight, I’ll see what I can find
outside on Eel Pond tonight
tonight
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5. |
Third-Floor Walkup
02:49
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this third-floor walkup in the city gets hot
when it’s been too long since it’s seen the rain
kind of like when it takes a lot of time to see your face again
is it true what they say?
we’ve come too far to lose
is it true what they say?
an apple like that hides the bruise
the flies have found the thing that rots;
the screens won’t stop them anyway
we'll wait for the heat to drop or find a better way
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky
is it true what they say?
we’ve come too far to lose
is it true what they say?
an apple like that hides the bruise
this third-floor walkup in the city gets hot
when it’s been too long since it’s seen the rain
we’ll plant ourselves a garden plot and wait for drops of rain
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight
we’ll keep our eyes to the sky
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6. |
Different Here
03:27
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I remember when I first moved into Paola Drive
coughing over the bridge to hide watery eyes
twenty four and wise (or so I said to myself)
so I said to myself
it’ll get better and it’ll get worse
nothing you haven’t done before
it’ll be different but it’ll pick up
and guess what, you’ll do it again
I remember when I first pulled into that Winding drive
the water tastes different here and the sun sets on the wrong side
twenty five and wild, and suddenly untied
and so I said to myself
it’ll get better and it’ll get worse
nothing you haven’t done before
it’ll be different but it’ll pick up
and guess what you’ll do it again
and guess what you’ll do it again
every line I see
on the road or around my eyes
every copied key
another turn to realize
it got better and it got worse
nothing I hadn't done before
it was different but it picked up
And guess what, I’ll do it again now
guess what, I’ll do it again now
guess what, I’ll do it again
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7. |
Ocean Road
04:15
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four lanes to the corner house
where the pipes freeze every night
we wake and the tub backs up
damp ankles every time
then locked out
we’ll stay warm somehow
I don’t know so I’ll wait
wait for the waves to rise
wait for the highest tide
until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean
until then it’s one hundred steps
two stairs to the front door
where we searched for another key
cold sand under fingernails
chased goosebumps in the breeze
then lights out
the wind howls now
I don’t know so I’ll wait
wait for the storm to fade
until we’re less afraid
until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean
until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean
until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean
until then it’s one hundred steps
you’re out
so long to be without
I know, so I can’t wait
wait for the wind to blow
wait to be on our own
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8. |
Other Plans
02:39
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you’ve done a lot of bad things
but you were a risk I was willing to take
said I didn’t care what you’d say
you struck a match and lit the littlest flame
hot that summer, cold that spring
guess that’s how it’s supposed to be
hoped I knew what winter'd bring
you had other plans for me
you said a lot of sad things
light your words on fire follow the wisp
wish I heard what you’d said
(when you) spent every day burning your lips
hot that summer, cold that spring
guess that’s how it’s supposed to be
hoped I knew what winter'd bring
you had other plans for me
I followed along blinded by smoke in your late autumn song
I followed along blinded by smoke in your late autumn song
you’ve done a lot of bad things
but you were a risk I was willing to take
I guess I’m not a bad thing
you’ll be gone before the season has changed
hot that summer, cold that spring
guess that’s how it’s supposed to be
and if I’d known what winter’d bring
I’d make other plans for me
I’d have other plans for me
I’d have other plans for me
not follow along blinded by smoke in your Mill River song
we were so young
we were so young
we were so young
we were so young
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9. |
Mosaic
03:12
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fireflies and orange skies
in June after the storm breaks
train whistles shake yellow walls
a new place for the heartache
like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures
you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this mosaic in Evanston
ice cubes crack in whiskey glasses
poured out on the porch steps
stars don’t shine past Chicago's light
I knew but each time I forget
like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures
you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this mosaic in Evanston
and I’lll float in Lake Michigan in the dark
and I won’t even wonder where you are
like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures
you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this mosaic in Evanston
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this MOSAIC in Evanston
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10. |
Green Street
02:33
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I know you think you’re all grown up
but you haven’t cut your hair yet and you won’t eat much
wide eyes and your silence betray
your heart hasn’t been broken but it’s always racing
it’s always racing
Sophia be kind be kind be kind
all alone but the house is full
you gather your things and climb up the hill
you watch the river, kick a rock on the way
your heart has just been broken and it’s always racing
It’s always racing
Sophia be kind be kind be kind
align, refine, decide
decide, divide, remind
you don’t have to stay
you will anyway
I know you think you’re all grown up
but you haven’t cut your hair yet
and you won’t eat much
you won’t eat much
send her my love
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11. |
Seven Stoplights
03:47
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driving down country roads
listening to the Indigo Girls real loud
switch off the lights just for a second now
stars above dirt below
moonlight on the cornfield rows just plowed
switch on the lights feeling alive now
seven stoplights always seem to slow me down
in this modernized mill town
five thousand days I’ve learned what not to say
soon I'll sing it anyway
walking down empty streets
a church on every corner it seems
watching the sun set on mountain laurel leaves
streetlights don't guide my feet
just crickets and a distant stream
a book of myths and a twelve string
seven stoplights always seem to slow me down
it's seven p.m., the siren sounds
five thousand days I’ve learned what not to say
soon I'll sing it anyway
make phone calls on landlines
walk stone walls to pass the time
don’t think about it, don’t mind
don’t fall for her smile
pass in the hall avoiding eyes
I promise we’ll leave this town behind
seven stoplights always seemed to slow me down
in this modernized mill town
five thousand days I learned what not to say
now I’m singing anyway
five thousand days I learned what not to say
watch me singing anyway
five thousand days
I'll make my getaway
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12. |
Great Hill
03:10
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I’ll keep growing like the birch tree in my parents’ yard
when I was born the roots stretched deep into the riverbed
but I’ve got blood and skin where sap and bark should be
my roots are never deep enough it seems
I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
you stay
in spring you found me spinning like a maple seed
you plucked me from the air like it was nothing
with a soft place to land and some dirt under my feet
my deciduous is now evergreen
I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
you stay
a Great Hill in a hurricane
you stay
you stay
when I’m older I’ll plant a birch tree in my yard
and trust the roots will hold on to all of us
I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
you stay
a great hill in a hurricane
you stay
you stay
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Katie Castagno Massachusetts
a hurricane-chaser by day and a singer-songwriter by night
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