Shaking the Soul Tree

 Little boy playing on the floor

building blocks up off the ground

gets it so high, tries for just one more

and it all comes tumbling down

     Why can't you leave a good thing alone?

     why can't you leave a good thing alone?

     try to make it closer than close

     you look up and find your good thing gone

Oh happy day when you take a bride

you're gonna honor, love, and obey

until you want a little on the side

and so you go and throw it all away

     Why can't you leave a good thing alone?

     why can't you leave a good thing alone?

     try to make it closer than close

     you look up and find your good thing gone

I've done it so many times before

it must be something buried in the bones

lost all I had trying to get a little more

I just can't leave well enough alone

     Why can't I leave a good thing alone?

     why can't I leave a good thing alone?

     try to make it closer than close

     I wake up and find my good thing gone

Don't stop at the wrapping

you better see what's inside

pretty bows and colored paper

might have something to hide

it might look like a present

sitting under the tree

but look into it deeper

and see what you see

Don't stop when that letter

is brought to your door

though the name and the address

might both be yours

it might seem like a message

meant only for you

but look into it deeper

and see if it's true

Don't stop at the cover

you better read it friend

sometimes the beginning

is not like the end

it might tell you a story

like you've never heard

but look into it deeper

what's under those words?

     Mistakes - we make 'em

     dumb chances - we take 'em

     foolin' ourselves - we do

     if only we knew

You might meet a woman

it's love at first sight

you stay up late talking

way into the night

she might be the best woman

that you'll ever find

but look into it deeper

before you make up your mind

Lonely told me to call you

sick and tired said it was time

I took orders from hungry

and kept angry on the line

but fearful got you to listen

to hateful in place of me

you paid attention to painful

and claimed that you had to be free

     now rueful rules around the house

     and joyful is long gone

     restless wrestles me at night

     and sleepless meets the dawn

hopeful's left town already

wishful's all packed up too

I begged contented to stay

but it's got to go away with you

     listless settled in my soul

     since we've been living apart

     twisted up is all in my mind

     and hurting helped itself to my heart (solo)

     sad and blue promised to be true

     I wouldn't have to be alone

     but I just about died when satisfied

     said it was never coming back home

useless swore that you knew me

wasted said it was time

pointless said over and over

that hopeless wasn't lying

When I was young

I'd think about women

and what they were really like

how I ought to love them

and how to make them love me too

and once or twice

my friends gave advice

and I read myself a book or two

and then my daddy sat me down

and told me what I had to do (he said)

     go out - you go out

     with thirty-five women

     go out - you go out

     with thirty-five women

     he didn't say a word

     about nothing I heard

     or anything that I read

     thirty-five women

     that was all he said

I thought of what he said

and shook my head

and said I'm not sure I see

it sounds so simple

still it's not clear to me

are you saying I should go and

really get to know 'em

or just out for coffee or tea?

My daddy smiled and said

son you're not listening to me

     go out - you go out

     with thirty-five women

     go out - you go out

     with thirty-five women

     he didn't say a word

     about nothing I heard

     or anything that I read

     thirty-five women

     that was all he said

That was years ago

and now I know

about what my daddy said

and thirty-five women

have made a way through my head

now some were fine

and some were kind

and some said they came to stay

and thirty-five women

made me what I am today

     go out - you go out

     with thirty-five women

     go out - you go out

     with thirty-five women

     now some were fine

     and some were kind

     and some said they came to stay

     and thirty-five women

     have made me what I am today

     thirty-five women

     made me what I am today

Ooh Darling, you're so cold

and I can't understand it, cause you should know

if there's a natural born loving man, that's me

     I've got so much love to give

     and I get more every day that I live

     and that's why I'm twice

     the man I used to be

          So think twice about me and you

          cause breaking the ice is all that I'm trying to do

Ooh darling, I may be old

and age is a number, or so I'm told

but if you didn't know mine, how old would I be?

     I've got so much love to share

     my cup runneth over til' it's just not fair

     I've been given a treasure,

     and you could be holding the key

          So think twice about me and you

          cause breaking the ice is all that I'm trying to do

     I'm not bitter, and I'm not tired

     never waved goodbye to my heart's desire

     guess I'm just full grown and free

     there's cherry blossoms blowing through my soul

     and spring still turns me from silver to gold

     I look in your eyes and I'm all I ever wanted to be

Ooh darling, you're so sure

that we don't have much, and we won't have more

but it takes a lifetime to fill a heart, you see

     It's true I don't have time to spare

     I'm closer to the finish, but I don't care

     I've learned how to live,

     and every day is precious to me

          so think twice about me and you

          cause breaking the ice is all that I'm trying to do

After you've said it

you knew it was wrong

after you've said it

now everything's gone

everything's different

everything's changed

after you've said it

nothing's the same

After you've done it

you can't take it back

no fiction can help you

when it's after the fact

four little words

can do so much harm

after you've done it

it's over and gone

     Nothing can save you

     no one can make it right

     no lie can cover

     what's come into sight

After you've lost it

there'll be no excuse

after you've lost it

you'll find that's the truth

hoping and wishing

won't help at all

cause nothing but winter

comes after the fall

Take the wheel - why don't you drive for a while?

I've been at it so long I just can't raise a smile

you know how to do it, darling, just as well as I

you drive, and I'll just go along for the ride

Drive me darling, wherever you'd like to go

it's more fun sometimes when you don't let me know

you were born with a talent for running the show

and you're so surprising when you're driving me slow

     I'm not going along to get along my dear

     with you at the wheel we've got nothing to fear

     you're smooth and you're steady and you handle the turns

     in a way that I'd like to be able to learn

There's no need to get anywhere fast

so you set the tempo, but let's make it last

just being together, that's the key to the deal

and we're better off taking turns at the wheel

Lovely Lorelei

ooh, you're the light in my eyes

I can see you with my eyes closed after you're gone

I can still see you there

sun moving though your hair

and though you're walking away, you still stay on

Sunstruck and dumb am I

ooh, with your light in my eyes

got 'em shut tight so I can see you better now that you've gone

and I can almost touch you there

my fingers moving through your hair

and though you're long gone away, you still stay on

     You keep leaving, you keep leaving me

     but though you're leaving, at least you're leaving me free

     (free to follow)

          Lorelei, you're at play by a waterfall

          Lorelei, that fine spray doesn't touch you at all

          Lorelei, you are taking your own sweet time

          or am I only making believe that you're mine?

Something there in your smile

lingers on after a while

can it be that you are thinking of me after all?

Do you ever see me there

moving through the lightening air?

And though I'm far away, can you hear my call?

       You keep leaving, you keep leaving me

        but though you're leaving, at least you're leaving me free

        free to follow...

You loved her first

Lord knows it's true

she wouldn't be all she is

if not for you

used to be your true love

that don't mean she's not mine

cause I picked her up

when you left her behind

She gave her heart and soul

completely to you

but that didn't satisfy

you had to have something new

off you went down the road

someone else on your mind

and I picked her up

when you left her behind

You taught her everything

you gave her a home

but she learned her lessons well

she can make it alone

so now she comes to me

glad of what she can find

I picked her up

when you left her behind

     Now finders can keep and losers will weep

     we just have to live with the change

     but who's doing the weeping and doing the keeping

     is not up to us to arrange

So the day that you want her back

just say the word

I'll bet she comes running

cause haven't you heard?

She'll always be your love

no matter how much she's mine

and you'll pick her up

when she leaves me behind

There's grey in your hair

and you scare me

I don't know where you've been

but I've never been there,

and you scare me

     All my doors open wide

     when you look in my eyes

     you surprise me

     There are knots in my line

     when your hand's close to mine

     it unties me

You don't ever get mad

and you scare me

all the lovers you've had

have been good, have been bad,

and they scare me

     You live out in the light

     and your world is so bright

     you see through me

     I'm afraid if we touch

     it would all be too much

     you undo me

          Though you tell me

          that I may have won you

          I am silent at best

          for the rest I ignore and I shun you

          Though you've done nothing wrong

          and we might get along

          I am one who

          has to stay in control

          has to stay in control

          you're too much of a risk

          and I'm one too

You don't ever say no

and you scare me

you don't question me, so

I can't guess what you know

and you scare me

    There are rumors I've heard

    and you don't say a word

    but you dare me

    and I can't trust myself

    so I've got someone else

    but you scare me

Her hair flared red in the morning sun

and what she said got me to thinking

that a brand new day had begun

but she cried

and she lied

and then she married a rich man's son

now I'm one step closer to finding the one

Her hair shone gold in the candlelight

and the secrets she told gave me a feeling

that she really might be all right

but she made a plan

with a man

and he ruined her just for fun

now I'm one step closer to finding the one

     Blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes, grey

     if I don't get an answer then I'm on my way

     brown eyes, green eyes, grey eyes, blue

     can't stop looking until I'm through

Her hair flowed brown, down like a waterfall

but the sound of her leaving had me almost believing

I was headed nowhere at all

still I knew

it's so true

I'm gonna search her out before I'm done

I'm just one step closer to finding the one

Who's got me gliding like I'm living in a dream?

And what gets me so far gone?

When I finally learn

that I've taken a wrong turn

what keeps me going on?

     You know - you know

     and what you know is all I need

     to make me whole

Who finds a way to lift my spirits every day

and who makes me laugh like no one else?

And who else has found

how to ring my rolling down

until I just can't help myself?

     You know - you know

     and what you know is all I need

     to make me whole

          All I know is who you are

          and who you're gonna be

          what's pure and clear from far and near

          is all you are to me

Whose power is such she can heal me with a touch

when I've been wounded by the world?

And who is this

who plunges with a kiss

into a pool of you girl?

     You know - you know

     and what you know is all I need

     to make me whole

You say you got men lined up at your door

starting to wonder what you need me for

treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen, baby, that's your rule

you got all that talent, I know it's true

so this shouldn't be too hard for you

go out and find, find yourself a brand new fool

You say you got worlds, baby, to explore

used to love me, now you're not so sure

but why should I sit and cry while you treat me cruel?

If I don't figure in your plans

you must not think that I'm much of a man

so go out and find, find yourself a brand new fool

     Someone who'll fall for your line

     about how different it'll be this time

     who'll sit still for your running around

     and bounce back every time that you let him down

It seems that I'm easy, baby, to ignore

you're sick of me, but I know a cure

out of sight's out of mind, like they say in school

you had me blind, baby, you're so bright

I must have been out of my mind, all right

now go out and find, find yourself a brand new fool

She had bad intentions

when she caught my eye

she got up close to me

then she told me why

and once she'd whispered

what she wanted to do

I had bad intentions too

She had bad intentions

but she felt so good

I thought that I shouldn't

but I knew I would

and once she'd started

all that she could do

I had bad intentions too

She had bad intentions

she never meant to stay

when she got what she wanted

she just went on her way

but I learned my lesson

and now it's true

I got bad intentions too

I got bad intentions

I don't mean to stay

when I get what I want

I'll just go on my way

now my intentions

are bad it's true

but that's what I got for you

All your life you've been asleep

dreamless sleep was all you knew

and no one ever cared about you

for everyone was sleeping too

You lay behind a hedge of thorns

no one knew that you were there

while a hundred years and more

have passed before your eyes

     But I know what heroes know

     and I have gone where heroes go

     and I have done a hero's deed

     and come to claim my prize

          So wake up my love

          open your eyes

          my kiss is drowned upon your lips

          I come to you with no disguise

There are those who work their spells

and tear apart the joys of men

so darling there may come a day

when you will fall asleep again

Your beauty hidden from the world

your beauty hidden from you too

and you won't even know me then

but darling I'll know you

     So I'll cut down your hedge of thorns

     and break the spell they put you in

     and I will do it all for you

     and I will do it all again

          So wake up my love

          come back to life

          my kiss is drowned upon your lips

          it's time that you became my wife

I was born in the river, but I stepped out of there

so I'm a creature of water and a creature of air

I've got blues in my left hand, gospel in my right

I've got a hold and I'm hanging on tight

aint that a man? Hmmmm, aint that a man?

Bubbles rise in the ocean, rain falls through the air

so I'm always going, but I never get there

I've got blues in my left hand, gospel in my right

I'm not giving up without some kind of fight

aint that a man? Hmmmm, aint that a man?

Now here's how you can tell that it's time to move on

when you can't get better, then you'd better get gone

I've got blues in my left hand, gospel in my right

I'm up sometimes in the middle of the night

aint that a man? Hmmmm, aint that a man?

You can feel like a stranger, or like you belong

if you can choose to be right, then why choose to be wrong?

I've got blues in my left hand, gospel in my right

I'm standing here in a heavenly light

aint that a man? Hmmmm, aint that a man?