PROMISE

without me
if i didn't have these legs, and i didn't have these arms i'd swim off like a blue gill, far away from harm but i'm a woman who's always trying to please and i'm a daughter taught to do as she should i would swim away if i could i would swim away if i could oh world, you are beautiful without me if i could paint a landscape, then i'd paint your hips or i'd try to capture the grin that's on your lips but i'm a woman who's oh so hard on herself and i'm afraid that it wouldn't be any good i would paint you if i could i would paint you if i could oh world, you are beautiful without me if i didn't have to work, and i didn't have to eat i would stay out in the garden till moss grew on my feet but i'm a woman who's always going or gone just when i settle, it's time to be moving on i would stay here if i could i would stay here if i could oh world, you are beautiful without me world, you are beautiful without me karen savoca - vocals, conga, tambourine, shaker peter heitzman - acoustic, baritone and electric guitars, banjo, bass written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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crosses when the cavalry came to claim the land, and turn the natives to dust with lies and whisky and an iron hand breaking every trust some people died, some people fought to keep from being ravaged they sent me to school where i was taught that they were savage crosses on the side of the road, of the road isn't it time the story be told if we put up a sign where everyone was laid low there'd be crosses everywhere we go crosses everywhere we go the slave ships docked all laden down, with frightened faces black & brown to stand upon the auction block, like cattle in a stockyard oh bitter fruit, oh sour cane the swollen womb, a mother's shame in old history books how they danced and sang on their way to freedom crosses on the side of the road, of the road isn't it time the story be told if we put up a sign where everyone was laid low there'd be crosses everywhere we go crosses everywhere we go and hollywood was mexico, taken under fire we let them back in to pick what we grow, and build the fences higher the human hand that builds the cage, that locks you in and walks away may never hear your tears of rage beware the keeper grandfather died in a riverbed, face down from a blow to his head they took his mother mary, his watch and chain and left him there in the cold spring rain when the president tries to tell the truth about mistakes made in our youth there's condemnation from the other side apology denied crosses on the side of the road, of the road isn't it time the story be told if we put up a sign where everyone was laid low there'd be crosses everywhere we go crosses everywhere we go karen savoca - vocals, conga, shakere, ashiko peter heitzman - electric and slide guitars, bass written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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promise darling, come to me, live by my side i will always be your loving bride when the night is long, let me be your guide or at least let me promise to try promise to try neighbor, come over, i need some relief everything's crumbling under my feet whatever happened, life was so sweet now it's all in the hands of a thief hands of a thief stranger, look at me, we're all on this ride i'll move my bag, i can see you've been crying it does us no good to be burdened by pride when we really got nothing to hide nothing to hide mama come nearer, sit by my bed memory's a fever that burns so deep pour cool water, soothe my head and softly sing me to sleep sing me to sleep water, rush at me, wash me away far from this trouble where no one can say i ever did anything to make you ashamed of letting me swim back to shore swim back to shore karen savoca - vocal, piano peter heitzman - nylon string guitar written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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the bully the bully can make you cry, the bully can tear you down tell so many lies they'll run you out of town twisting the story till nobody knows what's really true stacking the deck against you, till there is nothing you can do the bully can bruise your face, the bully can hold you back smile and steal your place, push you off the track so choose your fate between the helping hand or fist pray it's not too late, just think of all the happiness we've missed the bully can't make the plan, the bully can't drive the car he's not gonna lift you up, she's not gonna take you far slowly they whittle down everything you've come to trust they just don't understand that us and them is all of us the bully can't win the prize, the bully won't make the peace they'll cut you down to size, won't turn the other cheek the bully can't earn the star, the bully won't turn the key they want to hold the gun, but they're not gonna set you free let us decide to drop the sword and lift the pen we've got to stop making the same mistakes over again you quote the book, believing every word is true well, do unto me as you would have me do to you karen savoca - vocals, conga, tambourine, cowbell peter heitzman - acoustic and electric guitars written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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dancing with ghosts no telephone poles, no towers, no lines just the weeds by the side of the road and a pale blue sky no hungry mouth, no promise or lie just a town at the edge of the road, just a wish and a sigh dancing with ghosts i'm standing behind you, but i'm so far away dancing with ghosts i'm walking beside you, but i am walking away on a winter night in a mowed down field stands a deer, staring down the light she's just like me in this winter kill waiting so still, almost invisible dancing with ghosts i'm standing behind you, but i'm so far away dancing with ghosts i'm walking beside you, but i am walking away time moves so slow when you're cold and sad dreams shy away so fast when you're lonely of everything you told me the worst thing you said was that you would love me only karen savoca - vocal, conga, shaker peter heitzman - acoustic, electric & slide guitars, bass written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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ready hey baby, let's move to vermont we'll get off the highway and do what we want we'll dig a big garden and wait for nature's prize i'm ready are you ready for a change hey darlin, let's buy a little farm with a house so small that our love could keep it warm get all our honey straight from the hive i'm ready are you ready for a change i'm tired of chasing down those broken lines it feels like my life is racing by… hey honey, let's take to the hills we'll break our t.v. and make our own thrills you can learn to play the tuba i'll learn to make wine i'm ready are you ready for a change come on, let's run to the woods we'll open that suitcase, unpack it for good stoke up the fire and watch me turn grey i'm ready, are you ready for a change i'm tired of chasing down those broken lines it feels like our lives are racing by… so baby, let's go to vermont we'll live off the land, and grow what we want we'll read only stories that won the pulitzer prize i'm ready are you ready i'm ready are you ready for a change karen savoca - vocals, conga, tambourine, shaker peter heitzman - acoustic and electric guitars, bass written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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i don't know you we confided in each other, made each the laugh dreamed about the future and cried for the past then the smoke blew in, and it left you nearly blind you locked your door and stayed inside and i thought the wounds had healed but i guess you still feel sore and i don't know i don't know i don't know you anymore i was so glad to see you when they put you in my arms we held on together and watched the coming storm it tore up the lining and we knew not what went wrong did i stay away too long… you sat in my kitchen with your eyes on the floor and i don't know i don't know i don't know you anymore sad, oh sadness darkened my eyes sad, oh sadness darkened my skies... i stumbled on your letters, happy birthday poems i read them through tears, then i read them all again would you run beside me now and race me home it's years since you've been my friend when you talk to me as if we've never talked before i wonder if i'll ever see you coming through my door oh, i don't know i don't know i don't know you anymore karen savoca - vocal, piano peter heitzman - electric guitars written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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almost fine is this my country where did it go i wander these back roads quiet and slow who are these people their language is strange i can't understand them i can't pronounce their names don't make me change don't make me change i've been here a long time doing almost fine don't make me change there's no more work here the factory's closed down they've moved into our houses taken over our town they come from the desert across the sea i can't understand them they don't look like me don't make me change don't make me change i've been here a long time doing almost fine don't make me change my father was from here my grandfather too my mother never liked it but what could she do she'd take in your laundry she'd make up your bed now that work's all gone, gone, gone to the stranger instead don't make me change don't make me change i've been here a long time doing almost fine don't make me change karen savoca - vocals, conga, tambourine peter heitzman - electric guitars, bass written by karen savoca © Alcove/BMI 2011

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