Category: song

Ordinary posts about a song

Breathing

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

whaletale

He drove the harpoon into its great white head
Over and over and it still wasn’t dead
Tangled in the lines as the beast went down
If he didn’t kill it now he was gonna drown

Maniacal hatred for he great white whale
The end of its life was the end of his tale

What if the whale had loved Ahab?
It’d never submerge
If the whale had loved Ahab
It’d give up the deep
So Ahab could keep—
If the whale had loved Ahab
Been able to purge
The notions that surge and flood
In the blood
If the whale had loved Ahab
We’d be on the verge
Might take the leap
Maybe we’d all keep
Breathing

Life and death for the captain and crew
It was life and death for the great whale, too
It wasn’t a hunt to fill any need
It was vengeance, it was anger, it was lust, it was greed

He vowed to hunt it to the end of the sea
And now it’s life and death for you and me

What if the whale had loved Ahab?
It’d never submerge
If the whale had loved Ahab
It’d give up the deep
So Ahab could keep—
If the whale had loved Ahab
Been able to purge
The notions that surge and flood
In the blood
If the whale had loved Ahab
We’d be on the verge
Might take the leap
Maybe we’d all keep
Breathing

Late Night Intrigue

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

this heat is killing me
there’s too many people here
that look is chilling me
intentions are unclear

well dressed man in a corner booth
I think he’s been watching us
maybe we’ll slip out the back
leave him in the dust

late night intrigue
playing games with a roomful of strangers
we’re out of our league
but we’re having a ball despite all the dangers
and we’re scoping it out like a couple Lone Rangers
yeah playing our games with a roomful of strangers
tonight

we love the risk, we like the chase
nobody knows our names
slip outside of the human race
before it goes down in flames

I’m tracking you and you’re tracking me
leaving the herd behind
Your code is hacking me
Messing with my mind

late night intrigue
playing games with a roomful of strangers
we’re out of our league
but we’re having a ball despite all the dangers
and we’re scoping it out like a couple Lone Rangers
yeah playing our games with a roomful of strangers
tonight

this heat is killing me
there’s too many people here
this heat is killing me
there’s too many people here
    there’s too many people here
there’s too many people here
    there’s too many people here
there’s too many people here
tonight

Light

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

out on the horizon a tiny light’s starting to glow
and even though I’m here in the dark as I watch it I know
something good’s heading our way
something brighter than the brightest day
as if someone out there wants to say
not much longer to go

it’s dark down here but you don’t have to go it alone
sometimes it can be hard to make it to the light on your own
take my hand and together we’ll see
what the brightness turns out to be
when it’s shining on you and me
and all the seeds that we’ve sown

together we’ll watch as the light
brings an end to this night
listen, and you can’t help but hear the sound
it’s right there, take my hand
open your eyes, and we’ll stand
in the light as it grows all around

out on the horizon a tiny light’s starting to glow

Palm of Your Hand

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

see that cloud, out on the horizon?
no bigger than the palm of your hand
sort of thing you got to keep your eyes on
the storm that’s coming might be more than you can stand

so leave the shore, head on out to sea
if you think you’ve got the stuff to ride it out
maybe you think it’ll pass you by
might could happen, but I’ve got my doubts

and then like me
you’ll have to ask
why should I forgive you?

chorus

if I did you wouldn’t know
and if you knew you wouldn’t care
’cause if you cared we wouldn’t be here in the first place
so it’s time for me to go
this is more than I can bear
I hope someday that we’ll both find that state of grace

I loved the sea, wanted adventure
it was time for the boy to be a man
like a fool I ignored that little storm cloud
till I was out so far I couldn’t see the land

I didn’t know
I’d need to ask
why should I forgive you?

chorus

if I did you wouldn’t know
and if you knew you wouldn’t care
’cause if you cared we wouldn’t be here in the first place
so it’s time for me to go
this is more than I can bear
I hope someday that we’ll both find that state of grace

bridge

angry waves towered overhead
in my anguish I cried out to the Lord
the waves kept pounding till I wished that I was dead
till finally, they washed me overboard

as I sank beneath the surface
I was thinking
why should I forgive you?

chorus

if I did you wouldn’t know
and if you knew you wouldn’t care
’cause if you cared we wouldn’t be here in the first place
so it’s time for me to go
this is more than I can bear
I hope someday that we’ll both find that state of grace

as I rose up above the foaming water
there was no hand to lift me from the sea
so like a lamb led away from the slaughter
I went off to see what else a man could be

and still
I wonder
why should I forgive you?

chorus

if I did you wouldn’t know
and if you knew you wouldn’t care
’cause if you cared we wouldn’t be here in the first place
so it’s time for me to go
this is more than I can bear
I hope someday
you’ll find a way
it’s what I pray
that someday
you’ll find that state of grace

If it Ain’t Broke

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

young folks seem to have a mind
to fall in love and find the kind
of love that young folks think is heaven sent
but after they’re no longer blind
they wake up to a frame of mind
wondering where on earth their heaven went

he looks at her and wonders if maybe this thing is busted
she looks at him and wonders if he couldn’t be adjusted

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
I thought we had a good thing going
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
Better leave well enough alone

we’ve seen it one too many times
in cowboy songs and poet’s rhymes
how men and women don’t see things the same
he suspects she’s keeping score
and she suspects he’s keeping more
in the locker room than he’s bringing to the game

she calls it encouragement for him to do his best
he calls it something else and wishes she’d give it a rest

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
I thought we had a good thing going
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
Better leave well enough alone

the moral of the story is
(you knew there’d be one; always is)
young love isn’t always on its toes
she thinks he’ll change; he hopes she don’t
she always does; you know he won’t
and how they’re gonna make it, heaven knows

a boy and girl in love will surely do all that they can
but it seems to work out better with a woman and a man

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
I thought we had a good thing going
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
Better leave well enough alone
Why don’t you leave well enough alone?
I suggest you just leave well enough alone

performance notes
tenor guitar
capo 2
play in G
prechorus goes to A
not Am

Expectations

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

Just saying “no” to peer pressure.

I might look kind of funny compared to you
And I don’t do the kinds of things you do
But just ’cause we’re diff’rent doesn’t make it right
To tell me I’m wrong and try to start a fight

chorus
I don’t have to live down to your expectations
Not gonna be what you want me to be
Go ahead and say what you have to say
‘Cause I don’t really care what you think of me

What “everyone” does isn’t always best
You don’t have to go along with the rest
To go it alone might be a bitter pill
But I think for myself and I always will

chorus
I don’t have to live down to your expectations
Not gonna be what you want me to be
Go ahead and say what you have to say
‘Cause I don’t really care what you think of me

bridge
I’m not alone
Lots of other people feel the way I do
I’m not a clone
I won’t live a lie to make peace with you

chorus
I don’t have to live down to your expectations
Not gonna be what you want me to be
Go ahead and say what you have to say
‘Cause I don’t really care what you think of me

All My Fault

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

when you wake up in the morning do you think of me
do you ever wish that you could have what used to be
It’s a little more than idle curiosity
Did you ever open up your eyes wide enough to see?

chorus
I worry about you almost every day
I wonder if you wonder why I went away
And whether you could hear the things that I have to say
but it was probably all my fault anyway

Do you talk to all the people that we used to know?
or are you MIA just like a UFO?
if this line of question doesn’t seem apropos
remember I’m the guy who used to love you so

chorus
I worry about you almost every day
I wonder if you wonder why I went away
And whether you could hear the things that I have to say
but it was probably all my fault anyway

you always thought that we could never get along
and I know it’s not my place to say I think you’re wrong
and now it’s far too late because it’s been so long
so maybe we’ll pretend that this is just another song

chorus
I worry about you almost every day
I wonder if you wonder why I went away
And whether you could hear the things that I have to say
but it was probably all my fault anyway

Forever

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

What would you do with forever?
What would you do if you never had to worry about
the future or past
Or if all of the things that mattered would last?

How would you live from now on?
How would it change how you spend all your time?
Would you do more or less Of each thing you do now?
Can’t keep looking back with your hand on the plow.
How would you live forever if you started right now?

What would you do with forever?
When you’re dreaming your dreams do you ever
Stop to wonder if this life would always go on
What would you do after all of your problems were gone?

How would you live from now on?
How would it change how you spend all your time?
Would you do more or less Of each thing you do now?
Can’t keep looking back with your hand on the plow.
How would you live forever if you started right now?

You ask what I mean
You ask me if it’s really true
I know it’s hard to believe
But there’s some questions I’d like to ask you:
Does it make any sense to live 80 short years
Every one full of trouble and tears
Does it make any sense that our lives are so brief
All we want is the joy And we get so much grief
It’s in everyone’s heart, The desire to live
With heads, hands, and hearts we have so much to give
So why on earth shouldn’t we
Live forever?

What would you do with forever?
What would you do if you never had to worry about
the future or past
Or if all of the things that mattered would last?

How would you live from now on?
How would it change how you spend all your time?
Would you do more or less Of each thing you do now?
Can’t keep looking back with your hand on the plow.
How would you live forever if you started right now?

Not at all happy with my voice on this one. Need a do-over when I’m feeling better.

Intent

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

Silently watching through the window as you play
Intent that every single note says exactly what you have to say

Will it disquiet you to know I hear your song?
I think about how lovely it would feel if you would only let me play along

I love you so
So here I go

I boldly strum the strings to let you know I’m there
You gently change your tune to let me know you care

I love you so
So here we go