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1. |
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Somewhere in another space and time, you and I are dancing
Or walking on the beach, your hand in mine, laughing and romancing
But those days are gone ... they will not come again ...
And I'm left with memories and visions of what might have been
In moments that are only in my mind
You and I are dancing
In moments that are only in my mind
You and I are dancing
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2. |
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Come outside with me, little one, hold my hand, let's take a walk
And look at wonders far beyond tiny this world of ours
Don't be afraid as we venture out, though the twilight's growing dark
'Cause if we didn't have the darkness we wouldn't be able to see the stars
We can follow the phases of the changing Moon: crescent, gibbous, full
See the wanderers like Jupiter, bright Venus, and red Mars
But on certain special nights let's look for certain, special lights
And ponder time and distance and our connections to the stars
Chorus
(I'm) Taking you out to see the stars
Taking you out to see the stars
Taking you out to see the universe's majesty
Taking you out to see the stars
When you're four years old, let's try to go on a trip far to the south
Where we'll find the glowing firmament forms a vastly different sky
And see Alpha Centauri, the closest neighbor to our sun
Whose light began its journey here when you first opened your eyes
And when you're twice as old, we'll mark the time by the "dog star" Sirius
And we can celebrate your "sweet sixteen" with old Altair from afar
And I hope you'll come to marvel at this wondrous universe
Because so much of what we are was made in the hearts of former stars
Chorus
So come outside with me, little one, let's survey the sky above
As the canopy of creation moves around our spinning home
Do you hear the stars and galaxies singing gently in the flowing breeze
Beckoning to humanity, and calling us to roam?
I wish I could unveil to you all the mysteries of the heavens
Filled with more stars than we can name or count or even see
And when I'm gone I hope you'll take the time to look up and imagine
That my love and dreams and hopes for you will shine as long as these
Chorus & Tag
___
100 Brightest Stars & Approximate Distances from Earth
Alpha Centauri (Rigil Kentaurus) / 1.35 parsecs / 4.4 light-years
Sirius / 2.64 parsecs / 8.6 light-years
Procyon / 3.5 parsecs / 11.4 light-years
Altair / 5.14 parsecs / 16.8 light-years
Fomalhaut / 7.69 parsecs / 25 light-years
Vega / 7.76 parsecs / 25.3 light-years
Pollux / 10.34 parsecs / 33.7 light-years
Denebola 11.09 parsecs / 36.2 light-years
Arcturus / 11.25 parsecs / 37 light-years
Capella / 12.94 parsecs / 42.2 light-years
Castor / 15.81 parsecs / > 50 light-years
Aldebaran / 19.96 parsecs
Regulus / 23.76 parsecs
Canopus / 95.88 parsecs
Betelgeuse / 131.06 parsecs
Antares / 185.19 parsecs
Rigel / 236.97 parsecs
Deneb / 990.1 parsecs
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3. |
Questions
03:52
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When I am old and feeble, will you come and hold my hand?
Will you read to me a story of some wild and distant land?
Will you sing to me a song of hope about a wise, courageous man?
When I am old and feeble, will you come and hold my hand?
Have I loved you well enough, have I been a loyal friend?
We had some fine adventures, will we have more before the end?
Will anyone care to read the bottled messages we send?
Have I loved you well enough, have I been a loyal friend?
Will I live long enough to see my kin step foot on Mars?
Or to see the human race extend its reach out toward the stars?
Or will we squander our potential on endless tyranny and wars?
Will I live long enough to see my kin step foot on Mars?
Bridge
I've got fewer days ahead than I've left behind
And more reasons than I can count to redeem the time
But can I sort out my priorities and the promises I've made
Before I feel that mortal sting and the cold grip of the grave?
When my final sun has set, will I ever see another dawn?
With my old mistakes behind me, will I have a new road to go on?
Will I ever find another friend like you, far out beyond beyond?
When my final sun has set, will I ever see another dawn?
Another dawn? Another dawn . . . ?
Have I loved you well enough, have I been a loyal friend?
When I am old and feeble, will you come . . . and hold my hand?
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4. |
All That is Gold
03:26
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"All that is gold does not glitter" -- so said the poet of old --
And we'll find richer treasures in simpler pleasures that cannot be bartered or sold.
"Not all those who wander are lost" -- though they might well be seeking their way
Whether coming or going, whether doubting or knowing, it's a pity that they cannot stay.
"The old that is strong does not wither," and the strong that is old does not break
But it bends when it must, despite hurricane gusts, and the cruel, grasping talons of fate.
"Deep roots are not reached by the frost." They're an anchor against any storm,
With a strong, stable grasp on both future and past, the times that we laugh or we mourn.
"From the ashes, a fire shall be woken," from slumbering embers, and chill --
Its flame will not blind, but its heat will refine -- and purify, cleanse, and reveal.
"A light from the shadows shall spring;" sparked by dreaming and conjured by love --
It will shine like the dawn both before and beyond as it rises to glory above.
"Renewed shall be blade that was broken," as will heart and mind, country, and kin
Be made healthy and whole, in both body and soul, for a new, better quest to begin.
"The crownless again shall be king." And the subjects get crowns of their own --
Every woman and man, standing strong, hand-in-hand, made for fellowship, not going alone.
Every woman and man, standing strong, hand-in-hand, made for fellowship, not going alone.
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5. |
On the Prowl
03:07
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Up in the Blue Ridge foothills where the mountains meet the lake
And the sunset turns the sky a royal hue
A deadly Valley guards the gates o' the great Palmetto State
Where a hungry Tiger waits to see who's coming for their due (And)
Chorus
They'd better be on high alert, and ready for a fight
When they hear our Tigers growl
'Cause there'll be trouble in the jungle when the paw's about to strike
The Tigers are on the prowl
They say that Alabama is a real sweet home
Where the crimson tide rolls gently on the shore
And Carolina claims the bluest sky you've ever known
But there's something special in those hills, where you hear the Tigers roar
Chorus
Bridge
The chickens* may come home to roost, and dogs** go to the pound
Eagles may fly pretty high, but other critters*** go to ground
Some Seminoles may ride with pride, some Irish like to fight
But why is the devil blue? To me, that just ain't right
You don't make demons deacons, shouldn't be so cavalier
Might come a hurricane a-blowing, but let me make this clear
You're safe in Clemson orange when the Tigers come to play
Brush off those yellow jackets ... what's a "Hokie," anyway?
The lonely wolf finds its strength in the numbers in the pack
While the solitary tiger hunts alone
'Cause we're stealthy and we're cunning and they'll know that we've attacked
When they feel that Clemson Tiger gnawing on their bones
Chorus & Tag
___
*Gamecocks, obviously
**Georgia Bulldogs, that is
***Cardinals, Panthers
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6. |
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Steel-grey clouds lie heavy on the horizon
Wind-whipped sand stings our skin and our eyes
The air is fresh but a mighty storm is brewing
Come stand on the dunes and watch the waters rise
Watch the waters rise
Chorus
Beware the gale and the hurricane that's coming
To batter and buffet and bludgeon and bruise the shore
But take heart if you see an apparition walking
If you heed his warning you'll make it safely through the storm
Safely through the storm
Two long years abroad, just come safe home again
One thought only uppermost in his mind
To hold his love in his arms, plight his troth and build a life
But horse and rider fell, drowned in the mire
Drowned in the mire
Chorus
She woke, perplexed, to the roar and raging storm-tide
And the news broke upon her like the fiercest lightning strike
Her one and only, lost forever somewhere along the creek
Her best beloved, her most adored, was never coming back
Never coming back
Chorus
His ghost arose with the squall and he made his way along
And came to her home in the darkest hour of night
His features were dim in the shrouded moon, but his voice was strong
And she fled the island and the storm in time to save her life
To save her life
Chorus
Repeat 1st Verse
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7. |
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Lying still and lonely in an ancient yard of graves
Under mighty oaks festooned with Spanish moss
By a coastal church, consecrated to all the noble saints
Rests Alice, yearning for the love she lost
Chorus
And Alice Flagg still walks among the headstones
In a dress she thought she'd wear her wedding day
But no ring is set upon her tender finger
And no one hears her weeping by her grave
She loved the ring he gave her to secure the vow they made
And dreamed of all the happiness they'd planned
But her family could not bear to lose their princess to a knave
And pledged her to another, better man
Chorus
Bridge
She wore the ring on a winding ribbon to keep it secret
But her brother found it, and tore it from her neck
At the Hermitage, delirious, she gave up her precious spirit
And as she faded away she begged for her ring back
So if you go to All Saints graveyard, to the slab that bears her name
And walk around it in the dark of the new Moon
You may feel her touch upon you, and though you look for her in vain
Never doubt for once that the truest love endures
Chorus
Yes, Alice Flagg still walks among the headstones
And no one hears her weeping ...
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8. |
Earth's Last Picture
02:26
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When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it -- lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall put us to work anew.
And those that were good shall be happy; they shall sit in a golden chair;
They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comets' hair.
They shall find real saints to draw from -- Magdalene, Peter, and Paul;
They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!
And only The Master shall praise us, and only The Master shall blame;
And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame,
But each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star,
Shall draw the Thing as he sees It for the God of Things as They are!
Yes, we'll draw the Thing as we see It for the God of Things as They are!
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9. |
Another Space and Time
03:50
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Somewhere in another space and time, you and I are dancing
Or walking on the beach, your hand in mine, laughing and romancing
But those days are gone ... they will not come again ...
And I'm left with memories and visions of what might have been
In moments that are only in my mind
You and I are dancing
Somewhere underneath the starry skies, you and I are walking
And the moonlight is reflected in your eyes, as we're holding hands and talking
But the wind blows cold and I am all alone
And I cannot feel your kiss to mend my shattered heart of stone
So I dream of love, hoping for the sun to rise
Where you and I are walking
Bridge
I don't know what happiness is without you
I don't know why my happiness had to end
But I can't survive in misery
So I have to make the best of me
And find peace and joy and hope and love again
Somewhere in another space and time, you and I are dancing
Or walking on the beach, your hand in mine, laughing and romancing
But those days are gone ... they will not come again ...
And I'm left with memories and visions of what might have been
In moments that are only in my mind
You and I are dancing
In moments that are only in my mind
You and I are dancing
You and I are dancing
You and I ... are dancing
(Optional Verse 3)
Somewhere far beyond this mortal life, are you out there waiting?
Transformed and glorified and shining bright, beyond anticipating
But in your new disguise, do you still care for me?
Or have you grown too far beyond us in the mystery?
Is there any hope that I will meet you as my wife?
Are you out there waiting?
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10. |
Remembrance
04:10
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We listen to different tunes and we march to different drummers,
We walk under separate moons on nights of separate summers,
We look in different directions and we play by different rules,
We gaze at separate reflections ... reflected by separate pools.
Chorus
Once we walked together, now we walk apart
The road diverged in front of us, and the woods were deep and dark
I called out your name, from my dim and lonely path
Did you ever hear my voice? Did you ever look back?
We travel by different roads, carrying different burdens;
Straining under separate loads, we draw our separate curtains.
We’re trapped in different madnesses as we move through different days --
And we live with separate sadnesses ... as we go our separate ways.
Chorus
Bridge
Let me write you a letter with my blood upon the sand
Something to remember me by when we’re no more hand-in-hand.
Let me paint you a picture, to hang inside your heart
Something to remember me by when we have grown apart.
Let me write you a poem to engrave in your mind
Something to remember me by when we’ve left each other far behind
Left each other far behind
Chorus & Tag
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11. |
Midnight
03:34
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No matter what the clock says it is midnight in my soul
And though I know the sun is shining somewhere, the thought just leaves me cold
And in this freezing darkness, desperation's sinking in
I know there's nothing I can ever do to bring you back again
Chorus
And it's time for me to face the Truth
The lies I've told myself no longer have their power
And the harms that I have done--the battles lost, I thought I'd won--
Deserve a reckoning, before my final hour
My days are filled with anguish and my nights are filled with fear
I run in different directions but I always end up here
Where the hailstones of fire fall and I'm trapped under the sky
Amid the wreckages of all the failures of everything I've tried
Chorus
Bridge
So I'm building my own purgatory, I'm digging my own hell
I'm struggling with hypocrisy, And the tolling of the bell
It tolls for me, it tolls for me, it tolls for me
Chorus & Tag
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12. |
Prayer for an Epiphany
02:59
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God of all that is, and was, and will be,
God of what is plain and what is mystery,
God of worlds beyond the wonders we see,
Hear this humble prayer, hear this humble prayer
Help me find a purpose that is worthwhile
And ample peace, to live devoid of guile,
With power enough to go the extra mile
Hear this humble prayer, hear this humble prayer
What dreams should I abandon, and which pursue?
What thoughts should I examine to verify they're true?
What truths should I learn, and unlearn ones I thought I knew?
Hear this humble prayer, hear this humble prayer
God of all I will be, was, and am,
Hear this prayer and help me understand
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13. |
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How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star, to blaze across my night
Your dazzling glow on me below, a beacon to my sight
How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star
That shines for my delight
Come down to me if you can free yourself from orbit's trace
Fear not the fall, the risk is small for heart that's boldly placed
How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star
That burns the paths of space
Stay here a while, the endless miles will wait another day
You need not roam -- make here a home in my arms, come what may
How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star
That lights the trav'ler's way
We'll share the wine from richest vine which e'en the dregs are sweet
And pour again, up to the brim, together drinking deep
How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star
Such spirit and so free
Be of one mind, for now's our time to play life's game of chance
And have and hold, which none foretold, our hopeful new romance
How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star
So graceful in love's dance
How fair, how far, oh wand'ring star
So near, and yet so far
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Gray Rinehart North Carolina
Gray Rinehart writes science fiction, fantasy, assorted nonfiction, and the odd song. Or odd songs.
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