All lyrics written by Linda Myers, as appear on Feel Sky
This album represents five decades of music. I think for most artists, there is a lot of material that falls through the cracks along the way, or doesn’t feel as relevant…or just gets lost. Most of these songs were originally on “Steaming Canvas” the title of my first attempt at an album – it was never commercially released. There is one new song, Love Yourself, dedicated to those experiencing transgender issues. Beauty was written in 1997, for my kids, and re-imagined in 2017. Both versions are on the album. And there are still songs from years and years ago that are hanging out in the cracks…maybe for the next album. For now, some of what was lost…is found.
This album is dedicated to my mom, Barbara Myers. I love you, mom.
BEAUTY (KISS THE ANGELS)
(original 1997; new arrangement 2017)
This is a new arrangement of a song I wrote 20 years ago for my kids. When I would watch them sleep, I knew it was a sacred thing…maybe they really were angels…and sometimes I would cry, blessed to observe such beauty. Beauty exists in the smallest moments… you don’t have to be climbing Everest, or sitting in a Paris café to feel special, or know a special moment. It happens every day, for all of us, if only we would see.
lyrics by Linda Myers
*Everyday is Everest and every night is Paris;
Every time I kiss the angels
while they sleep…I weep, At Beauty few will ever see.
Friends who’ve been there wherever “there” may be,
parade their pity out for me as if I cannot see:
All the places I have not been, All the lives I will not lead
All the things I cannot know, But I know this…*
Possibilities are endless. Decisions on a dime
become the destiny of a Life-time.
But the sun and moon and stars will shine…
cast their magic wherever they find You – if only you will see…*
Words that Una-muno wrote have got me by the throat.
Something about despair and beauty, “A furious passion To Be.”
But always a struggle in my head; knowing nothing lasts…
“Battle Death quixotically”, That is what he said…*
LOVE YOURSELF
(May 2016)
This song is for everyone…but mostly dedicated to those experiencing transgender issues.
Additional vocals/harmony: Susan Clark
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
*No matter who you are, you gotta love yourself, love yourself
Just the way you are right now, love yourself, love yourself
You may’ve been abandoned (by your own kind)
You may be misunderstood (by your own kind),
You may doubt your own mind,
But never doubt love
And soon you’ll find
You and me, we’re all humankind.*
You may not feel a fit in the skin (that you’re born with)
But your soul fits you just right (the soul you’re born with)
Gotta keep your soul in sight
Let love hold you tight
And whenever change comes,
You’ll be ready if you love yourself.*
Bridge:
Love never quits, Love never gives up, Love never dies, Love Stands by (repeat)
Love transcends, Love Transports, Love Transforms, Love Translates (repeat); Love Doesn’t Hate.
REPTILE
(2007)
Ten years ago I was experiencing a bit of a mid-life crisis…
Additional Lead and Harmony: Kari Simmons
Electric Guitar: Dimi Disanti
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
I’m here but you don’t see me
I’m the breeze inside the wind
Angel or a Daemon?
Only time will let us know
What is the truth
What is a lie
And in the end
What really matters.
*I wanna be seen
be heard
be known
From the inside of my bones
To the outside of my heart
I don’t want to be alone.
You say I’m so reptilian
But it’s just a way to cope;
My blood is all chameleon,
Running hot or standing cold
Depending on my state of hope.
I’m afraid of getting old.*
Each simpleton attempt
Is laughable at least
I see my own reflection
And I know I’m not at peace
I am frenetic in my stare
I’m filled with such contempt
At destiny’s sly glare.*
CHRISTMAS DAY
(2006)
I love Christmas…and all the cheesy carols that come with the season. I set out to write my own Christmas song — and here it is: a perfect combination of cheesy and sweet. Susan’s harmonies are awesome!
Additional Lead and Harmony: Susan Clark
Lyrics by Linda Myers
It’s that time of year…
Of mistletoe and hopes for snow
Sleighbells and reindeer and
Stories of a midnight clear
Christmas Day is on its way
Joy and love are in the air
You have the spirit, find
Goodness and Light everywhere
It’s that time of year…
Of grief and fear
You’re homeless and hungry
Cold and lonely
You’ve lost your way and nothing is clear
Hold on Hope is on its way
Just believe and you will see
There is a reason to live through this season
Hold on and you will receive.
It’s that time of year…
When faith meets doubt
And love wins out
The spirit of Christmas can live in our hearts
All year
Hold on Hope is on its way
Christmas Day is here to stay
Just believe; share your care
You can bring Joy to the World
GROUND
(2006)
I love my mom. She has been there for me through all the ups and downs. This song is for you, mom!
Lyrics by Linda Myers
Some days are easier than others
when hope is a thing you can touch
other days bleed darkness all through the light
and I can’t see where I am.
*Light and Dark (Heaven and Earth; Time and Space) you’re always there for me; Lost and Found, you’re the ground under my feet.
Truth is the line on the horizon where heaven meets the earth–
It’s in my line of sight, I keep on trying, but I just can’t seem to arrive.*
If I could just stop time and hold it
maybe I’d value it more; turn it around in my hands
try to know it, but you can’t make a beach with a handful of sand.*
FAITH TRUST HOPE
(2005)
Believe it or not, some of the inspiration for this tune came from reading Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged. Generally speaking, tomes lauding capitalism probably don’t inspire anthems of faith and hope…nevertheless, this is the song that arrived.
Additional vocals/harmony: Susan Clark
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
*Well you gotta have Faith to say what’s on your mind,
trust that someone else will find,
truth inside the words.
And you gotta have hope that there are possibilities
far beyond what we can see.
*Open heart and open mind,
ceasing to expect,
ceasing to predict;
relaxing is an art.
And you’ve gotta let go of what you think you want
in order to find what it is that you really need. *
There’s no such thing as a contradiction;
check your hypothesis –
it could be fiction.
Semantics are a road map;
a million ways to go.
The only way to find your way
is trusting what you know. *
EXPERT
(2005)
I used to dabble in the dark arts of the victim-rescuer matrix, otherwise known as co-dependency. Not sure I will ever entirely extricate myself from that dark place…but I’m working on it.
Lyrics by Linda Myers
**I am an expert
I’m so good at what I do (I did what I could do)
Stealth and covert
I save the day for you (I tried to save you…me…I tried, I tried)
I rush right in
Heal your broken heart
And once I’ve done my part
I disappear
As if I was never here
I’m always on the ready
Sure and steady
Pliable, reliable…**
Timing’s everything
I wouldn’t risk being seen
In any way at any time
Because when you’re good at what you do
You never let ‘em see you…see through you
Keep your heart close to your vest
Do your best**
I’m so good at what I do
I’ve forgotten who I am
Forgotten it’s a sham
I just become whatever you want me to be
Just like magic
Is it funny or tragic?
It’s just the way it is…**
LOVE FIND A WAY
(2004)
My dad passed away in 2009. Before that, in the last years of his life, he spent time in prison. The judge was unnecessarily harsh…in an election year. This song is for that judge.
Additional Vocals and Harmony: Susan Clark
Lyrics by Linda Myers
You use a gavel like a knife.
You slice right through a good man’s life.
No consideration for his age or history.
Just tear up his family and take away his dignity.
*And I’m praying for you, I’m praying for you – that Love will find a way to your heart.
I wonder what or who wounded you?
Left you with a hole in your soul,
made you blind and deaf and cold? *
I always thought the punishment should fit the crime
– but you made up your mind,
threw the book without a second look.*
I wonder what or who wounded you?
Robbed you of your faith in humanity,
took away your compassion and mercy. *
SEND ANGELS
(2004)
Thinking of my dad in prison…and actually of our troops overseas… and what those experiences have in common…
Additional Vocals and Harmony: Susan Clark, Kari Simmons
lyrics by Linda Myers
*Lord send angels, keep my love high and dry.
Why would they send you so far away?
What war is worth this price you pay?*
I try to surrender: benevolence instead of violence.
Hate is toxic and doesn’t fix a thing.*
I count the days that you are there.
Each day you are alive answers my prayer.*
Come home soon, come home to peace,
come home to heal the wound that shouldn’t have to be. *
FEEL SKY
(2004)
I was born and raised in NM. Our skies here are magical, glorious, inspiring…just look up, and infiltrate your soul… with sky.
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
*It’s the Sky here, that infiltrates the soul.
It’s relentless, grabs hold and won’t let go.
Forces my will, Just to Be Still.
I thought it was me You thought it was god,
Everyone else could see You disappointed you.
Blame brings no ease In the quest for Peace.*
Rooting around your memory
Hoping you might recognize
A sense of harmony…
What a surprise — like looking for a needle
in an attic’s/addict’s mess;
a lost address for happiness: You’re looking in your mind
For something you can only find In your heart.*
As long as you can breathe and think
(At the same time that is)
There’s time enough to turn it around:
Make amends; Bend;
Seize joy; Find solid ground;
Breathe in the sun; Feel Sky.*
STEAMING CANVAS
(2004)
This was the title song on my first attempt at an album – that was never-released. I’ve dusted it off and polished it up…
Clarinet: Dave Caygill
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
If eyes are a window to the soul
What made you close your shades?
Forget the smile,
You’ve got Mona Lisa eyes
You’re a classified file
I may get what I ask for
I just know I want more…
It’s quite the debate
Should I push the hand of fate
Or sit here and wait.
Mystery’s addictive to me
A love/hate affair
And why should I care?
It’s light, and heat and dark,
A steaming canvas
With hidden meaning.
If eyes are a window to the soul
Show me yours,
I’ll show you mine.
It’s all about a muse…
I need a hit of wonder,
I need a fix of soul
And when it’s all said and done
Does it really matter who?
You can only spend so much time
On any thought
With any tune
In any life
And then it ends
And when it’s all said and done
Did you share your soul with someone?
DEFEAT DESPAIR
(2001)
This song was in response to 9/11. It still holds true today…
Additional Spoken Word: Milo Jaramillo
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
Slippery slope: The rabbit hole
Of faith and hope
Belief dis-eased by
Cynics ease and tragedy
precarious edge of history
Forget the past, repeat the doom…
how to hold on to light?
*Defeat despair hold tight to care
Deep breath: Breathe love, breathe peace
Forget the flight, the fight, the fear:
stand firm in love and peace.
Elastic steel:The ebb and flow of passion’s zeal.
Truth twisted by politics and media.
Hope dangles by just a thread, but oh!
that thread’s connected to the web of life and divine love.
BEAUTY – LULLABY
(Original Version – 1997)
This was the original version (albeit in a different key) of the song I wrote for my sleeping babies. Here, it is a lullaby.
lyrics by Linda Myers
See lyrics above
REFUGEE
(1983)
My heart broken by my first “love”, I felt apathetic and numb. One day I started to notice someone across the room (at a gym). For the first time in awhile, I started to feel something again. I became a little obsessed. I eventually recorded this song, walked up to the guy at the gym after a class and said, “here”. We actually went out a few times. I don’t know where he is now. Ironically, I’ve always thought of this song as being more about the lost love, than that guy across the room.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Save me, I’m a refugee from apathy
And I’m hanging on the last thread
Of a dream that’s all but dead, oh
You see, sometimes I can’t recall
What love feels like at all
Until I look into those crystal blues
And I’m hoping that’s it’s you,
Come for my rescue,
Hoping that it’s you,
Come for my rescue.
I used to believe
And I know I was naïve,
That some ideals never die
That hearts may change
But love won’t lie.
Then someone did their best
To blow my world apart
Put my heart
To the test
And I began to think all love was in jest
How long before a heart can recover
From the pain remains left by and old lover?
How long before the bitterness
Is worn into indifference?
And I’m so afraid of memories…
To save or set them free?
and either way they’re gone from me,
I’ve lost touch with intensity
And I’m rotting in this privacy…
Save me, I’m a refugee from apathy
And I’m hanging on the last thread
Of a dream that’s all but dead, oh
You see, sometimes I can’t recall
What love feels like at all
Until I look into those crystal blues
And I’m hoping that’s it’s you,
Come for my rescue,
Hoping that it’s you,
Come for my rescue.
I used to believe
And maybe it’s just me,
That though passion may die
Compassion stays by,
Then someone let know
How easily he could let go
And my heart stood still
As I watched him in the kill.
How long before I can trust again?
How long before I’ve gone so numb
I can’t recognize a friend when I see one?
And I think I see one…
When I look across the room
And run into your eyes…
And I know we’ve barely spoken,
Yet my heart’s already broken.
Because I’m hopelessly hoping,
That you might feel the way I do…
If I could just get through to you…
Save me, I’m a refugee from apathy
And I’m hanging on the last thread
Of a dream that’s all but dead, oh
You see, sometimes I can’t recall
What love feels like at all
Until I look into those crystal blues
And I’m hoping that’s it’s you,
Come for my rescue,
Hoping that it’s you,
Come for my rescue.
ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
(1979)
This is the song that got me kicked out of the very conservative music department where I attended college. I was told I was not allowed to play, “…that kind of jungle music.” I switched to a business major the next semester.
Additional vocals/harmony: Susan Clark
Organ: Sid Fendley
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett
lyrics by Linda Myers
Shine the light, Shine the light, All God’s Children should shine the light.
Up and down, every town, everyone we meet upon the street.
Share the joy, share the joy, all God’s children should share the joy.
With everyone, deaf and dumb, blind and lame,
we’re all the same, everyone should share a little light and joy.
So shine the light, share the joy, all God’s children should shine the light;
All God’s children should surely shine bright.
Musicians
Unless otherwise noted, all keyboards and vocals by Linda Myers.
Lead Vocals: Linda Myers
Other Lead Vocals and Harmony: Susan Clark, Kari Simmons
Spoken Word on Defeat Despair: Linda Myers and Milo Jaramillo
All Piano and Keyboards: Linda Myers, except for Organ on all god’s children: Sid Fendley
Electric Guitar: Dimi Disanti
Bass: Milo Jaramillo
Percussion: John Bartlett, Ken Battat
Clarinet: Dave Caygill
Other album info:
Produced By: Linda Myers
Engineer and Production Assistance: Sid Fendley
Recorded at Mountain Road Recording Studios, Albuquerque, NM
Photography by Ryanne Hoogeboom Hoogeboomryanne@gmail.com
Graphic Design by Dave Stabley dave@davestabley.com