Lyrics

There Used To Be Horses Here

Amy Speace

There used to be horses here
Where the grass was left to grow wild
Behind the white picket fence
That seemed to go on for a mile

There used to be horses here
On the way up Yellow Springs Road
Beautiful amber manes
With the sun gleaming off of their coats

And I wanted to see them that day in October
Running fast up the hill to the sky
I wanted to see them in perfect formation
One more time, one more time

There used to be horses here
My father knew the owner from church
They’ve torn down the old brick house
Now there’s just a big hole in the earth

And I wanted to see them that day in October
Running fast up the hill to the sky
I wanted to see them in perfect formation
One more time, one more time

There used to be horses here
When Dad had his house in the trees
Wherever they took them
I hope it’s a place they run free

And I wanted to see them that day in October
Running fast up the hill to the sky
I wanted to see them in perfect formation
One more time

And I came back to see him so I could remember
The faded blue of his eyes
I wanted to see him fly off to forever
One more time…

Father’s Day

Amy Speace /Jon Vezner

Under the pines of West Virginia
Near Blackwater Falls
On a rainy morning
The photograph shows us all

That weekend in the summer
1972
Mom’s behind the camera
I was standing next to you
On Father’s Day

You built a small log cabin
West of Baltimore
In the woods where you’d been a forester
Before we were born

You’d drive us there on Fridays
After working late all week
And make up games to teach us names
Of trees down by the creek
Father’s Day

They tell us you are fading, you say “look, five fingers or a palm
It’s always the leaves that tell red maple, elm from vagabond
Keep talking of the trees, Dad
Your favorite one the beech, Dad
I’ll remember these, Dad

I wish I could go back there
In my dreams I go there still
When Mom snapped that picture
As we stood on that hill

I stared at the camera
Like I was trying to freeze the frame
Held tight to your hand
To make you stay
For another Father’s Day

Grief is a Lonely Land

Amy Speace / Jon Vezner

You were my father
I’m still your daughter
I was the last one to kiss your brow
If you could have told me
Or known how to show me
Maybe I’d feel differently now

I’m sad and I’m mad
And I’m missing you Dad
Trying to understand
Grief is a lonely land

When I needed you most
To just hold me close
It was as if you didn’t know how
I’d like to think you would say
If you were here today
You’d want to hold me now

Those were the words
I wished I’d have heard
In the last days I held your hand
Grief is a lonely land

Remember that song now
My son sings along now
The one you once sang to me
Maybe in that old tune
I can hold onto you
And find peace in its sweet melody

Now I’m better these days
Though it still comes in waves
I’m doing the best that I can
Grief is a lonely land

You were my father, I’m still your daughter

One Year

Amy Speace

Through an opening in the side
Where the door slopes away from earth
A little bird hops through the light
A worm hangs from her beak

While I sit on the screened in porch
Write my way to this wakening day
Watch the dance of mother and child
You in my arms asleep

Time slows then speeds like a train
Sleep ebbs and rolls like a wave
One year

And so the mystery unfolds
We teach each other to survive
Against all odds against the grain
From a bed of leaves and twine

Time slows then speeds like a train
Sleep ebbs and rolls like a wave
In one year of endless days
Everything is changed

Right before you were born
Grew a dark line like a stain
But since you were pulled from sea to air
I’ve watched it fade

The morning gently rocks awake
I feel the rising of your chest
So I leave the birds alone
And sink into my nest

Time slows then speeds like a train
Sleep ebbs and rolls like a wave
In one year of endless days
Everything is changed
Everything is changed
Everything is changing

Give Me Love

Amy Speace / Robby Hect

I wanna see you right now
I wanna see you right now
Cause I know you know how
Gimme love gimme love gimme love

I want you to come on inside
I want you to come on inside
Come on let’s not waste time
Gimme love gimme love gimme love

It’s not so hard to do
When you like me and I like you

Want you to turn the lights down
Put that record on now
Now just spin me around
Gimme love gimme love gimme love

SOLO

It’s not so hard to do
When you like me I like you

Want you to kiss me darling
Till the light of morning
Till I can’t help falling
Gimme love gimme love gimme love

Shotgun Hearts

Amy Speace

There’s a man with your eyes sitting on this subway train
I wanna ask him if he remembers my name
Across from me riding the F downtown
Staring ahead through the doors to the blur underground

I see you with your hazel wink and Cheshire grin
Me where the ring I removed left a groove on my skin
Pressing your back against mine once we were alone
Pressing a promise of something more real than I’d known

Oh we were young and high
In a 3am world
Running against our dreams before they could start
With shotgun hearts

Delancey and Broome and a bottle of single malt scotch
There were holes in that night to fall in where the spin wouldn’t stop
We wandered the cobblestone streets in our costume sin
Late for our lovers and lying about where we’d been

We were Young and high
In a 3am world
Running against our dreams before they could start
Moonless sky
A one time swirl
Running head over heels through the night making love in the dark
With shotgun hearts

So you never grow old never change you just stay 25
Breathing my name down my neck as I ride this line ----

Now I know it’s not you it’s been years since I’ve seen your face
Surprising what comes back to haunt when you visit a place
That night when this same train spun like a tilt a whirl
Maybe I’m riding it just to remember that girl

We were Young and high
In a 3am world
Running against our dreams before they could start
Moonless sky
A one time swirl
Running head over heels through the night making love in the dark
With shotgun hearts

River Rise

Amy Speace

River is rising they’re calling for a flood
Throw down the sand bags hold back the mud
River is rising It’s up to the top
Of the stones on the bank and the creaky old dock

River rise
Current moving fast
River rise
Pray the rain won’t last

River is rising Just like it did last Spring
When we watched houses floating by and couldn’t do a thing
River is rising it’s crawling overground
Haul what you can carry then head for higher ground

River rise
Current moving fast
River rise
Pray the rain won’t last

River is rising It’s up to the door
We were spared last year This time I ain’t so sure
River is rising They’re closing off our route
Once the water comes in Nobody’s getting out

River rise
Current moving fast
River rise
Pray the rain won’t last

I wanted my ashes Scattered on the grave
Of the wide Tennessee
But Lord not today

Chorus

Mother is a Country

Amy Speace

Mother is a country
A little land in the middle of an ocean
Where the edge of the sand is swallowed by a dream
An island in the milky way
Sleepwalking the swell of the waves
Up and down floating out to sea

Mother is a country
A pebble pile of glass and shell
Making a nest of stars and fallen leaves
No one hears the prayers that sing
Like whispers in the mossy moonlight
Nightly watches spent on rocking knees

LoooLalee
Hush now baby don’t you weep
Close your eyes I’ll rock you back to sleep
Mother is a country

Mother is a country
Where tidepools fill when gravity calls
The sun and moon to take their place in line
Peace was made with the storms that came
Arms were laid at the foot of the harbor
A betting on the wrecking ball of night

Mother is a country
A whale beached in the brine of the shallows
Counting her breath while laying on her side
And the needle drips and the voices blur
The pull of bones and he slips to earth
She knows she’ll grieve the separating life
She knows she’ll grieve the separating life

Looo la leee
Hush now baby don’t you weep
Close your eyes I’ll rock you back to sleep
Mother is a country

Don’t Let Us Get Sick

Warren Zevon

Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

The sky was on fire
When I walked to the mill
To take up the slack in the line
I thought of my friends
And the troubles they’ve had
To keep me from thinking of mine

Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

The moon has a face
And it smiles on the lake
And causes the ripples in Time
I’m lucky to be here
With someone I like
Who maketh my spirit to shine

Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight