1. |
Til We All Have Faces
05:13
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Til We All Have Faces
(after CSL)
a storm is rising, I await the evening rain
and just for a moment the world became sane
Mediterranean blues from somewhere
make the colours of you hang in the air
light from light
we have been sleeping
just waiting for something like rain
'til we all have faces
'til we all have faces
when will we all have faces again
blessed are the poor, for they shall have heaven
and in a moment the world will be sane
slashing at ears won't change anything
or all of those sacramental games
and I have been listening for older spirits
calling the heart beyond love's caring
outside the metro bar, a kid sits on the street
we all embrace her with our stares
waiting for love to come down
as though someone really cares
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2. |
Hill Of The Angels
06:04
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Hill of the Angels
We’ve met before I think, it’s true
I recognise the heart of you
when I was a child we shared the scent of play
or passed in the street somewhere far away
you see the colours I see
feel the pain I feel
meet me on the hill of the angels
even if it’s only in your mind
when you can’t go on any longer
meet me on the hill of the angels
it’s mad how you can have everything and feel like you’ve got nothing
sometimes I want to tear out all this emptiness and cry
throw wide the hem of your garment, Lord,
somewhere down the line we made your flesh become word,
you are the colours I see,
you are the love I feel
take my hand and we’ll walk together like lovers do
along the rivers and the roads of the places that we’ve been through
caught in your light I see I’m halfway to paradise
after all these years still relying on my own advice
you paint the colours of me
heal the pain I feel
Steve Butler
Edinburgh Feb 2000
© 2000 Sticky Music
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3. |
My Regrets About You
05:06
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My regrets about you
When I try I can’t remember you
the way I know I ought to do
and these few photographs
turn into memory
I don’t recall what you would wear
the scent and the texture of your hair
I can’t remember the tears I cried
they’re too deep inside
but in dark’s deep and sleepless night
when the heart of who I am takes fright
my regrets about you are always there
The children of our union
they would be travellers now
and they’d have come as far as we have come
as far as freedom would allow
And time is my fairweather friend
it’s been too long too soon
If I had it all again
It would be the same tune
I’m going to call someone
tell them your name
it picks me up and sits me down
when I think that I’m insane
And in the ‘knowing’ time
somehow loved and alone
I step back out the garden
of the ways that I have grown
In the turnstyles of my mind
I do not see your face go by
and I hope to be relied on
by those on whom I rely
When I die I will not leave
too much that can be shared
but I hope I am surrounded and
caring for all of those who cared
Steve Butler
Edinburgh
© 2000 Sticky Music
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4. |
Some Kind Of Meaning
04:45
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Some Kind of Meaning
in the chapel of ages, the priest listened, offering nothing
but the gathering up of a life’s load of trouble and shame
some kind of absorber, some kind of absolver,
shamed himself at the irony and the wonder
pointing at the signposts
we can travel together, we can try to unfold
some kind of meaning in this meaningless world
learning to mourn, and not just to blame
Lord, don’t let us leave here just the same
in the field of the ancients, the shepherd, (hands and heart
callused by afterbirth and the wind’s rain),
separated mother and child, despite the long, long night of their pain
the great rhythm of the land’s rebirth,
the priest turns in his bed and wonders if it’s worth
praying for some signposts
and all captured here together
taken hostage by the Sound
and all bleeding on each other
suddenly real, suddenly real
in the stones of forever
a thousand clouds of witnesses,
saying that it’s all worthwhile
as we travel together
along the world’s road of trouble and toil
the strange beauty of an old friend’s love
is better than anything, if anything’s enough
when you’re hoping for some signpost
Steve Butler
Iona, August 1998
© 2000 Sticky Music
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5. |
Hearts And Minds
05:24
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Hearts and Minds
Hey, July moon
climbing on up your pillar of cloud
come again soon
the longest and lightest of days are endowed
with the spirit that I crave
blowing in with the power to save
opening up our hearts and our minds
to the love that we name, and there are…
no roads, no tracks, no sea
between hearts and minds
no border towns
in our journey of hearts and minds
and if the wheels turn slow, my friend
‘til we have some time again
nothing can come between our hearts and minds
where are the days,
where are the nights we could stare without sight?
the blues and the greys
the colours of time and the shadows of light?
oh I think that I’m alive
I can’t believe that we both survived
opening up our hearts and our minds
to the days that we have, and there are…
Steve Butler
Edinburgh July 1999
© 2000 Sticky Music
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6. |
There You Were
07:06
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There You Were
when I could not be persuaded
when I could not find my way
and the last thing I wanted to hear was
‘you never should say never’
I came round the corner and there you were
I came round the corner and there you were
I came round the corner and there you were
in the hand of the whole one
stumbling towards justice
on another empty Friday morning
it was a lonely road
I was tired of being on
will I just hitch this ride alone?
mid course corrections on the journey
moving down to dignity
somehow hope is born and then dies in a moment
all in one life
how many people can you be?
my children are too much of me
human brilliance, human evil
just what has my consciousness become?
a lens for all creation to pass through
knowing all that I can see is you
Steve Butler
Edinburgh, Dec 1999
© 2000 Sticky Music
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7. |
The More Loving One
04:52
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The More Loving One
no-one said it would be easy
sculptures in sand
no wave will ever wash away
the sweet touch of your hand
you healed me in your leaving
and helped me to see
that when crooked hearts live on
may the more loving one be me
sailing far beyond the rim now
strange mother and son conspiracy
a painful step ahead of cowards like us
and the dark glass that we see
turn my mourning into dancing
help me to see
that when broken hearts survive
may the more loving one be me
the eternal ebb and flow
on the narrow road
where I am convicted
convicted with the best of them
you touched me like I’d always known you
you touched me with words that deafened me
to the sound of those bells ringing
their ludicrous harmony
change me like the dawn does
when I suddenly see
that when fickle hearts contrive
may the more loving one be me
Steve Butler
February 1999
© 2000 Sticky Music
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8. |
Primrose Road
06:19
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Primrose Road
On Primrose Road we shook hands and I wondered
what was in the deal for me - behind your back
are you some kind of melancholy angel
sent now and then, to see if I’ll crack
There are decades that fall around us
we've heard some dark years chime
but if there’s any more Gethsemanes
I’ll stay awake this time
When the cold winds blow I’ll be your shelter
in the winter of your soul
the least I can do is to be around
down on Primrose Road
And here in the heart of a heart that’s hidden
where well used wisdom is bought and sold
charms and diamonds that you would recognise
masquerading as sweet and bold
I ran into a seer
I knew I could not hide
it was a strange kind of freedom
from my barricaded pride
Look away with your perfect smile
and the kind of eyes, I sure recognise
I broke down on the second mile
the bad fruit all gets cut down to size
Steve Butler
Edinburgh, Dec 1999
© 2000 Sticky Music
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9. |
Heart Of Perfection
03:08
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Heart of Perfection
you had a heart of perfection
that only jealousy could despise
and sheltered me in your slender arm
as each tender and foolish year went by
oh and I still long to be
more of the good man you saw in me
but now I can’t see your heart of perfection
I loved your heart of invention
seeing the way that only travellers see
digging out the beauty from all of us
laying down your privilege like cases you don’t need
oh and I still long to be
more of the traveller you nurtured in me
but now I can’t feel your heart of invention
there are some things I could mention
things unspoken, and things unseen
and I guess that it is way past time
for us to agree what our own worlds mean
oh and I still long to be
the keeper of all that you’ve meant to me
but I know there are some things I could mention
Steve Butler
Edinburgh
© 2000 Sticky Music
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