All songs appear on Shine, 2013
Shine
(4/22/13)
The title song on this album was entirely a collaborative effort – in service of a graduation gift for my daughter. Many of the people she loves, who love her, contributed. Everyone involved in this piece, Shines.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Into the sun, into the wind, into the distant sky you fly. You’re walking away, running free, your arms around the world. And I can see you soar, sunlight through your wings, You shine, you shine and nothing hides your light (you’re like the sun); you shine. Into the day, into the night, into the future you are thrust. You’ve got all the hope, you’ve got all the love, your heart is open wide. And I have always seen your soul, the whole of you. You shine, you shine and nothing hides your light, (you’re like the sun), you shine. Into your dreams, into your goals into your one and precious life. You will create, you will hold on, you will make it all come true. And I am blessed to know you, love you , see you on your way, You shine, you shine and nothing hides your light, (you’re like the sun), You shine, you shine and nothing hides your light, you’re like the sun, you shine. (Dylan Huling):There’s hope for the Dreamer, You know when you see it, The truth’s in your heart and You’ve spoken when needed, It’s just what I needed, Thank God that I seen it, I’ll bet you never thought You’d turn a Doubter, Believer. There’s never a distance, Just stick to the vision, You know that everything you taught me I get it, I listen. You are a gift, a smile, a song, a dance, a work of art, So full of life, beauty and smarts; a laugh that sings my heart. And I am blessed to know you, love you , see you on your way, you shine, you shine and nothing hides your light, you’re like the sun, You shine, you shine and nothing hides your light, you’re like the sun. And I am blessed to know you, love you, send you on your way; you shine.
Measuring Time
(3/12/12)
My last album focused on “letting go.” This piece is a progression of that theme. How is that we humans measure time compared with our animal friends? Other creatures live more intuitively in the moment, while at least this one human spends a lot of time in her head. This song continues to grapple with the nature of God, time, space, and how we measure our short space of time on this plane of existence.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Measuring time, by the absence of grief, the absence of pain… reworking translucence, of sky…peace..illusion, To suit my needs…My need: to look up into piercing blue, dashed by jet streams…how clear it is; That it’s not about me, but oh how easy, to fall into thinking it is. Sometimes I think, there’s more to it than this; How entitled! For this is supreme! There is no more, There is no more, This is supreme. Measuring time by the absence or presence, of you/me together. Revisiting the past, present or future, my own sense of nurture. My sense: asleep and awake, common and furtive, a yearning search to reach inside intuition’s pride and grasp some truth, a little mystery. Sometimes I think there’s more to it than this, How obvious! Of course there is! There will always be, Always just beyond, Just beyond. There is no measure that captures the depth and breadth of love; no bounds of any universe that contains the wisdom that created it; no amount of time or space that can separate me from you. Sometimes I think there’s more to it than this, sometimes I know it’s true.
Hawk
(7/14/13)
The theme of this album seems to be the observance of a person headed-out – on their way, moving on to the next thing. Specifically, without realizing it at the time I wrote the pieces, this album is my process of watching my kids move on to the next place in their lives. I wrote this song even as I was sitting, rather frozen, at the piano, staring out the window, watching a hawk sitting on a telephone wire.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Hawk on a wire he’s been sitting there awhile; looking for prey or just lost and tired? And how I would I know he’s been there awhile ‘cept I’ve been sitting here awhile too. Praying he’ll stay on that wire just a little while longer…praying he won’t fly away just yet. But there he goes, And I’m sittin’ here still; still here. See him soar through the air, defy gravity on a wing and a prayer; his wing, my prayer. How long will I sit on this chair waiting to fly away, waiting for a wish to come true, or that hawk to come back? But he needs to fly, and I need to get up, get on with it, get up and get on with it. Say a prayer, get up and get on with it now.
Easy
This song is about just the opposite of “easy.” Rather, it is about the struggle facing one’s own misperceptions of others and the hurt that accompanies seeing things for the way they are versus the way one might wish they would be.
(5/21/12)
lyrics by Linda Myers
I used to believe the best about you, listened to your stories, collected your tears, diluted your blues, didn’t know they were all part of your lies, your lies, like arrows aimed at the bulls-eye of my naivete; I was easy prey. I used to believe the best about you, you listened to my stories, played across the ivories; I thought we shared some history, didn’t know you were the one, playing me, playing me like an actor’s script, delivered with precision, to elicit my emotion; I was an easy audience. I used to believe the best about you, our lives fell in parallels, circles within circles, I thought we were linked; didn’t know it was all in my head, my head, all perception and mirage, I bought what you said, invested in the façade; you made it easy. Except now, none of it’s easy. There are still tears and stories, actors and facades, still circles within circles, there will always be history, and it will never be easy.
Quixotic Kiss
(6/17/13)
In 1997 I wrote a song, Beauty, about watching my wee little kids while they were sleeping. If you’ve never observed a baby sleeping, you’ve missed a glimpse of the divine! Little babies/children sleeping are the picture of stillness, of angels, of heaven. Seventeen years later, this song is nostalgic – a look back, juxtaposed with the present moment: sweet despair and beauty, as I watch my kids grow into adults and make their way into the world.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Lookin for a window, just a little crack; a sliver of time, enough to go back – go back in time. It’s not regret, not living in the past – just wanna glance; one last glance at beauty. It was a second, a minute, it was fragile and fine, no matter how you spin it, it was a perfect moment in time. Lookin for a reason, just a little logic, explain my thinking…but what would I change? Would I change a thing? It’s not regret, not living in the past, just want see what I can see…remember beauty. It was a second, a minute, it was fragile and fine; no matter how you spin it, it was a perfect moment in time. Lookin for what I lost or maybe just can’t find… I was so sure I knew what I knew yet I doubt what I know. It’s not regret, not living in the past, just wanna feel all there is to feel; never-ending beauty. It was a second, a minute, it was fragile and fine; no matter how you spin it, it was a perfect moment in time. Doors close, windows open, time collapses…quixotic kiss of beauty and despair, the angels have flown, may not return…and I’m weeping at beauty few will ever see.
Tangled Thoughts
(11/19/12)
No doubt you know someone who struggles with mental illness. Beyond the chemical imbalances which are quite real, I personally believe mental illness is more complicated for those who also lack a spiritual consciousness, a connection to something greater than themselves.
lyrics by Linda Myers
You’re wounded, damaged. Is it nature, or nurture? No matter…your future’s In tatters if you keep on…holding tight, to being right; feel the world’s pain, everyone’s to blame but you; you’re blind, can’t see the hand of grace right in front of your face.*For god’s sake quit being a victim; It’s a nasty symptom of a neglected soul. The water’s wide, open up your heart swim into the tide, you got nothing to hide; no secret’s worth your pride. Tangled thoughts, acquired shame; try to bury it, and it will bury you in anger and addiction, your life will be reaction and fiction. You define yourself, align yourself, with hollow creeds that feed a greed for attention; you’re so needy, driven to distraction by self-pity. **Can you just STOP For one single moment in time, and find you are free; no need to fight. Let the water take you, attend your soul. The water is wide; attend your soul.
The Pearl
(12/28/10)
I wrote this song for the minister of my church as she left for a sabbatical. Would that we could all take a daily “sabbatical”, some space of time during the day to breathe, reflect on how we are living that day; what are we learning, how might we re-charge in the moment? And yes…maybe actually figure out how to arrange our lives for a real sabbatical.
lyrics by Linda Myers
There is a Journey, which anyone can take, sometimes it is inside your mind, sometimes it is a path you make, sometimes it takes you far away.* You can find the way to light, fill your mind with something bright, you will find your way, and come back home someday. You can walk a rocky road, with or without shoes. Some people seem to thrive on pain…your words taught me to pull on my boots just the same.* You seem to have a calling to seek and share wisdom. Sometimes a trail needs a guide, sometimes a guide needs a trail. You have a compass that will not fail. Find that pearl, share it with the world and come back home someday.
Murmurations
(11/4/11)
Shortly after the release of my album, “Something Is Different”, I saw some videos on the internet of murmurations of birds. Such a sight is not just a flock of birds flying about – it’s an incredible sight to witness – a miracle of nature, communication, instinct and mystery in action.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Words, like birds; Murmurations of conversation swirling through our minds’ sky, I can’t remember what you said but there’s a feeling in my head: I could fly away with you into a deep, gray-blue, spiraling around and through atmosphere, 360 view. Thoughts, like clouds; formations of hopes and dreams, They boil up in thunder and lightning, and evaporate into nothing. I can’t remember what we thought, perhaps we lost what we sought. We might have flown high into a dark night sky; invisible to the naked eye– leaving stars to shine…stars will shine. Touch, like rain, torrents of passion, misting kiss; baptism of soul from the heavens. I’ll always remember what I felt: It’s love in every molecule (Love glues the molecules that build the frame for destiny). We never left the ground, only witnessed the sight. Beauty took our breath away; I can’t remember what you said, but it was poetry, like birds in flight.
Pure Light Pure Love (for Mia)
(7/11/13; 8/3/13)
One month before my daughter left for college, our precious canine family member of 10 years was taken by a coyote (we think) in the ever-evolving cycle of life. Little nine pound Mia was a beautiful soul. Dogs have personalities, and she was sweet and loving, she was unconditional love.
lyrics by Linda Myers
Pure light pure love, you were pure light pure love. A little bit of heaven on earth, you brought a little bit of the divine to human kind. The circle of life is complete but never ends. You’ve got wings now. The circle of life’s complete. So hard to say goodbye; so hard to say goodbye.
Strand
(1/29/13)
I remain fascinated by the dialogue between science and the soul, and the brilliant writers and researchers who pursue understanding the connection between these. Music is a powerful force that glues these forces together somehow, someway.
lyrics by Linda Myers
A single strand, a filament, of DNA, of fate. And where you land in arms of love or hate seems less decision than existential correlate. Oh reason! Come find me. Like predator to prey , I’m bound in silk; gourmet; waiting for jaws of clarity. A delicate dream, meaning prescribed, of wish, past purview. And how you see what’s defined as “true”, in waking or asleep, depends on what you value. Oh logic! Come Save me! Vibrating in a quantum place, I’m lost in time and space, breathing in two realities. Some universal design…or dictate of my conscious mind? What guides destiny? Music of the soul vibrates these strands…and strings…of DNA, of fate.
His Eye is On the Sparrow
1905
I grew up singing this beautiful hymn, written by Smith/Martin, in church. I left the church of my childhood when I was in college, but didn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. For me, music imprints on my heart and soul and that which inspires joy and hope is timeless.
Words by Civilla D. Martin and music by Charles H. Gabriel
Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home? When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is he. His Eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me. I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, His eye is on The sparrow, and I know he watches me. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me.
Love is Watching
(5/23/14)
I was playing said hymn in the summer of 2014, when this song just spilled out…the lyrics speaking a more universal language.
lyrics by Linda Myers
I’m lookin’ for a sign, waitin’ for a sign, that someone is listening, someone is watching over me. The sun is shining, casting a silver lining. Birds are singin’ in the trees, bells are ringin’, I am free. And still I cannot see, what’s right in front of me: It’s love. (love is watching over me). No need to guess who’s got my back, I will never lack cuz love is listening, love is watching over me. Are you lookin’ for a sign, waitin’ for a sign, that someone is listening, someone is watching over you? Raise your gaze, look all around you now. To your left and to your right, anywhere within your sight, there’s love all around, just waiting to be found. There’s love. (Love is watching over you). No need to guess, who’s got your back, you will never lack cuz love is listening, love is watching over you. Love is listening, Love is watching over us.