1. |
Burn Every Tree
03:49
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I’ve been hiding
So no one can see
I’ve been layin' low
In secrecy
And I've been walkin.
Through the night
I’ve been stallin’
Under starlight
That’s the only light for me
That’s the only place to be
In starlight
In secrecy
Now I don’t know
What you want from me
But I expect
It’s a tall, tall tree
You should know this
If it’s ever found
I accidentally
Might cut it down
If I ever see that tree
You know, the one you want from me,
It just might fall
I’m sorry
And if the sky
Above you started crackin'
I’d probably produce a tube of Elmer's glue
And If the thunder peeled away the orange sky
I’d say Hallelujah have a slice it’s Christmas in July
So If you come callin'
Better yell real loud
And if you start cryin'
Well I wouldn’t be proud
I’ll just be travelin'
Without all my gear
So if you get lonely
It will all be here
If you’re lonely without me
Take a look around to see
My empty bottles
In groups of three
If you’re lonely without me
Hope it’s not too hard to see
Paper and matches
Burn every tree
Paper and matches
Burn every tree
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2. |
Give it a Rest
04:16
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Give it a rest already
You look tired
And I know you don’t mean half the things you say
You must have been dreaming
When you said that
Or half-awake at best
It’s 4 in the morning, give it a rest
It’s sundown somewhere
People are heading home
It’s sunrise somewhere else
And the coffee’s warm
Around here I’m not sure anymore
Which end is up
So I’ll be sure to look both ways before I cross today
Well you know that I am
Guided by my hands
I like fishing around in the light just to shut it down
Ripping apart the pages
Of the master plan
That’s the thing I do best with my hands
Some say I am living in denial
Others think I’m childish most of the time
While we’re deciding which of these
Is leading most quickly to our ruin
I’ll say “No it’s not” no matter what it is
Give it a rest already
You look tired
And I know you don’t mean half the things you say
You must have been dreaming
When you said that
Or half-awake at best
It’s 4 in the morning, give it a rest
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3. |
Expendable
04:12
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If I die before I finish this song
Bury me here
Under the floor
Where you found me
I’m just one of the people in your life
You should have more
And if you don’t you should get some
As soon as we’re done
I’m expendable
Sometimes I’m surprised I’m still around
And I’m expandable
Filled with helium and off the ground
Not because I drive 90 MPH
Not because I drink like a fish
Not even cuz I’m sleepin' all around
Because I’m expendable
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4. |
Over the Big Pond
05:00
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I want to send a message
High into the air
To the contrails and the cirrus clouds
Stretching in a frozen stare
The filaments in the blue lights
Powering the sky
Supercooling crystals
Super cool
I don’t know if they make us warm
I don’t know if they make us cold
Do we really ever know a thing when we decide?
I don’t care if we want them
I don’t think that they need us
I do wonder though if they know about the trouble we’re in
Ship tracks in the air over the big pond
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5. |
Green Field
04:39
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When the hand’s moving
Sort into spaces
Segment sunlight
To disguise the structure
Digits and daytime
Believe my lying
Letting my smiling
Lead us to water
If you could tell me
Would you have me over?
To stand while you’re watching
To speak without talking
We’re living like a painter
Loving your pastels
We’re in your green field
Just charcoal dreamin’
La la la la la
La la la la la
We’re in your green field
Which way your wrists go
That way ebb and flow
Brushing me aside
Swept in the high tide
And if you could tell us
Or have us on over,
And if anyone’s watching
Could you tell them we live here?
La la la la la
La la la la la
We’re in your green field
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6. |
You Beautiful Sound
04:53
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Don't turn around
Don’t close the door
Don’t hang your head so you can’t see far anymore
When you look up
And get your head in the air
It’s way cozier up there
Don’t grit your teeth
Don’t wring your hands
Don’t curse the mother who brought you into this land
You belong here on earth
With your feet on the ground
The sight of you here is a beautiful sound
And it turns my ears around
You beautiful sound
Don’t be muddled
Don’t be addled
Don’t let your spirit slip out of the saddle
Go on and ride your mule if you don’t have a horse
And force that son of a gun to stay the course
You’re gonna have to hang on
Though no water be found
Cause the sight of you here is a beautiful sound
I know that time is costly
You’re like a shiny new car
Once you’re driven off the lot
You’re not worth half as much as you thought you were
But just keep on dividing
There’s more of you left behind
And that’s exactly the little piece that I would like to find
Don’t grit your teeth
Don’t wring your hands
Don’t curse the mother who brought you into this land
You belong here on earth
With your feet on the ground
And the sight of you here is a beautiful sound
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7. |
Jellyfish Blues
03:10
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I’m a jellyfish babe
I got no spine in me
I’m a jellyfish babe
I hang languid in a salty sea
And everything would be just fine
If you let me float and flow
And your body don’t brush up against mine
I’m an oyster babe
I’m holdin firmly to my roots
I’m an oyster babe
I’m drinkin water from an empty boot
And I can easily separate my food
From the shit that flows through
No need to put you in a bad mood
Sometimes I go where the currents flow
And they take me to a place I didn’t really mean to be
These are also the times I tend to roll into a ball
And slowly count to three
I’m a spider babe
I got eight legs and arms
That should be enough don’t you think
To keep me safe from harm?
So I’m hidin’ in the corners where it’s safe and real
Easy to avoid all you people who don’t seem to feel
I’m a jellyfish babe
I got no spine in me
I’m a jellyfish babe
I hang languid in a salty sea
And everything would be just fine
And everything would d be just fine
And everything would be just fine
If you let me float and flow
And your body don’t brush up against mine
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8. |
Down to the Afterlife
03:05
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I’m gonna roll you in the river runnin' down to the afterlife
I might build a big stone upstream in your honor,
I have your pottery shards that are all stuck in the clay
In case you don’t want to go completely away
By carbon dating you were planted on paper
Arrowheads in your stream I want to feed the fire
You gotta tell me what happens when you get to that side
I’m talking about the stories, the trumpets the gates and the ride
There you go… Down down down down
We’re on land
breaking ground
Everyday that floats by we count time in a circle
And the tangents we take are never too far from center
I gotta get with the painting that you left on the wall
‘Cause you might decide to not float back at all
I’m gonna roll you in the river runnin' down to the afterlife
I might build a big stone upstream in your honor,
I have your pottery shards that are all stuck in the clay
In case you don’t wanna go completely away
I have your pottery shards that are all stuck in the clay
In case you don’t wanna go completely away
Completely away
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9. |
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What makes you think I want to be looked at?
What is that you think you’ll see?
Do you think that I’m a mirror
Are there birds flying over me?
The crows are standing on the fences
The forecast is for snow
And with the shadows slantin’ longer
Can’t you see it’s time to go?
You should put your jacket on
Pull your collar round your ear
Dig your hands inside your pockets
And disappear
What makes you think I want to be touched?
What do you hope I’m gonna feel?
With the pale yellow light above
In a curl of smoke you are revealed
You’re lit up like a rainbow
Blastin' through my dreary day
And reflected on the surface
Of the lake I used to play
But I did not want any attention
I don’t think I can make you free
So why do you keep on looking?
Baby let me be.
So we should get ourselves together
Get back home when the night time goes
But for now I’m gonna put my arms around you
Baby you look so cold
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10. |
Stay in the Light
02:46
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I have two
You have three
I don’t care how many we are
Sit on the shelf
Ride in the jar
Things can stay where they are
So rest your head
Shake your bones
People go it alone
And grab on tight
Pass on by
But stay in the light
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Dave Ihmels Washington, D.C.
I am a performing singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. I write expansive, often experimental, folk-rock music featuring idiosyncratic characters and sonic goodies. I like to put a sparkle around the mundane.
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