1. |
My Guitar Is My Compass
04:09
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Winter '78, I finally quit the band
For a job back home with family
Just didn't see the trouble comin' down
As my guitar became a stranger to me
Fresh outta school
Steady paycheck in hand
My pockets full of cash
An office in the field
Helping farmers work the land
Three good years before the crash
Then the market broke the farms
Banks came calling for the keys
I closed up shop, watched the bridges burn
My hometown wasn't home to me
The right roads don't always lead you home
And the wrong ones are paved with alibis
But if my guitar is my compass when I go
I'll find my road
My songs will be the stars I'm guided by
Went to work on Wall Street, found no peace of mind
Started playing downtown bars
Finally broke away, left the suits behind
Traded stocks for tips in a jar
The right roads don't always lead you home
And the wrong ones are paved with alibis
But if my guitar is my compass when I go
I'll find my road
My songs will be the stars I'm guided by
On a corner you'll find me now in SoHo
Playin' like I'm paying off a debt,
Guitar case catching quarters for a solo
But it's better than a promise never kept
Feels better than a promise never kept
The right roads don't always lead you home
And the wrong ones are paved with alibis
But if my guitar is my compass when I go
I'll find my road, yes I will
The right roads don't always lead you home
And the wrong ones are paved with alibis
But if my guitar is my compass when I go
I'll find my road
My songs will be the stars I'm guided by
Yeah, my songs will be the stars I'm guided by
Come my friend guide me home (won't you help to guide me home)
Help me find me road (won’t you help me find my road)
Be my compass when I go (be my compass when I go)
Take it out
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2. |
Comfort In Your Cup
03:22
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Yeah I was born here, guess I’ll live here all my life
Sat right here in this booth at senior prom
Made that satin dress myself, you can prob'ly tell
But I felt like something special with it on
That boy said he loved me sitting right where you are now
Swore he was gonna get us both away
Well he got away alright, and I’m here every night
Making tips that I spent yesterday
But I’ll pour comfort in your cup
Hear your story though you’re only passing through
Sometimes it’s almost enough
To know that everybody feels the way I do
I used to tell myself I'd turn around some night
And see him smiling while the jukebox played our songs
But I knew better than that, he was never coming back
So I buckled up my heart and carried on
But I’ll pour comfort in your cup
And hear your story though you’re only passing through
Sometimes it’s almost enough
To know that everybody feels the way I do
You know, that boy called just the other day
Said I was his one chance to get love right
I told him he coulda tried that line
On the girl he left behind
But he ain't gonna find her here tonight
But it was comfort in my cup
And it doesn't even matter if it's true
Sometimes it’s almost enough
To know that everybody feels the way I do
Yeah, sometimes it’s almost enough
To know that everybody feels the way I do
Yeah I was born here, guess I’ll live here all my life
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3. |
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4. |
Fountain Pen
04:16
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Please don't hate me for the words she made me write
She's been talking to herself all night
Her trembling hand is steady now, thoughts coming clear
She's leaving you one last souvenir
I am her only fountain pen
The birthday gift you gave her back then
I can't count the times she picked me up and put me down
But she's writing rain tonight the way the ink is pouring out
Her words say, "you are out of time"
They lay across the page like a field of mines
No way out between the lines
I can't stop her from writing it's the end
I am just a fountain pen
Like a jet-black arrow flying from her hand
I signed your names the day you traded wedding bands
And Italian summer postcards, late night letters back at school
Notes of devotion by two crazy loving fools
But tonight she's asking how it all went wrong
Drawing lines straight to all you could have done
Question marks in margins hanging heavy, so cold
One exclamation point closing in to take its toll
Her words say, "you are out of time"
They lay across the page like a field of mines
No way out between the lines
I can't stop her from writing it's the end
I am just a fountain pen
Her pain is out of hiding, she can't fake it anymore
The ink from my lips draws you a goodbye kiss
Then she packs me in her suitcase, pins the letter to the door
Her words say, "you are out of time"
They lay across the page like a field of mines
No way out between the lines
I can't stop her from writing it's the end
I am just a fountain pen
And I can't stop before it's over, the end
I am just a fountain pen
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5. |
Handrail In The Dark
04:30
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Just tell me you're okay, I think I know what happened here
The roof has caved in on your life, your heart got caught in there
You're on shaky ground, but before the rest comes crashing down
Let me help you past the broken glass, safe and sound
When worry blinds your heart
And faith falls apart
And night hits too hard, I'll be your handrail in the dark
Take you where you've never been (make a brand new start)
Never afraid again, in the dark
Just reach across the space between us, and I'll be there
Your handrail in the dark
We'll build promises, into livin' things
Put up a home of stone and stories we believe
We'll meet in the middle and get rid of the riddle
Leave breathing room for when we disagree
When worry blinds your heart
And faith falls apart
And night hits too hard, I'll be your handrail in the dark
Take you where you've never been (make a brand new start)
Never afraid again, in the dark
Just reach across the space between us, and I'll be there
Your handrail in the dark
You say you'll never be the same, but love still knows your name
I'll take you where you've never been (make a brand new start)
And you’ll never be afraid again, in the dark
Just reach across the space between us, and I'll be there
Your handrail in the dark
I'll be there, your handrail in the dark
Yes, I'll be, be your handrail in the dark
I’ll be your handrail in the dark
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6. |
Arizona Sunsets
04:06
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Flick your wrist and hold back the tide
Hold up your hand and stop the rain
Block an avalanche before it slides
Cross your heart and calm a hurricane
Stop flowers rising through the pavement
Ban the springtime, so she don't come no more
Then I'll retreat like we never happened
And turn my back on your front door
When you can crush a diamond in your hand
Rob a rose of its bloom
Push my blood backwards through my veins
Only then will I stop loving you
When thunder and lightning up and die
And they erase the face of the moon
When Arizona Sunsets quit desert skies
Then I'll walk away from you
When you can crush a diamond in your hand
Rob a rose of its bloom
Push my blood backwards through my veins
Only then will I stop loving you
When Arizona Sunsets quit desert skies
Then I'll walk away from you
When you can crush a diamond in your hand
Rob a rose of its bloom
Push my blood backwards through my veins
Only then will I stop loving you
Push my blood backwards through my veins
Only then will I stop loving you
Only then (only then)
Only then (only then)
Will I stop loving you
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7. |
The Bridge
03:44
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It was late last night
I found the light on over our front door
Your key was in the lock
You never left it there before
Your note was on the floor
Said this time you're gone for good
Time to look for something more
Heavy rain is coming
I can feel it blowing in
Restless river rising
Levee cavin'-in
Can't stop the flood but
Maybe we can try to save
The bridge between
Your heart and mine
Took your love for granted
Thought you'd always be there
Now I feel an open wound
That won't heal without you here
One night alone is one too many
Now the cost is clear
Heavy rain is coming
I can feel it blowing in
Restless river rising
Levee cavin'-in
Can't stop the flood but
Maybe we can try to save
The bridge between
Your heart and mine
Waves of regret soaking in
I'll cross to your side and start again
Heavy rain is coming
Can’t you feel it blowing in
Restless river rising
Levee cavin'-in
Can't stop the flood but
Maybe we can try to save
The bridge between
Can't stop the flood but
Maybe we can try to save
The bridge between
Your heart and mine
Your heart and mine
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8. |
Wind From The South
04:42
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We were barefoot on a blanket
I wanted to chase away the doubt
At the water's edge you leaned into me
I still can taste the chocolate on your mouth
Wind soft and warm as a whisper
A radio singing us to sleep
You and the stars and nighttime guitars
Reelin' all the years back in reach
Just below the surface, we feel our way along
Eye-to-eye, too right to be wrong
The sweet summer fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
How we loved when no one was looking
Guilty of the sweetest kind of crime
Stolen scenes, you reached for me
I played the thief ev'ry time
Just below the surface, we feel our way along
Eye-to-eye, too right to be wrong
The sweet summer fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
I keep a picture from the day we got married
We're grinnin' like we got the inside track
Our clothes look dated
But the moment never faded
We're sure not looking back
Just below the surface, we feel our way along
Eye-to-eye, too right to be wrong
It’s a sweet summer fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
Sweet fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
Sweet fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
Sweet fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
Sweet fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter with the wind from the south
Sweet fire, no water can put out
Burnin' brighter in the wind
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9. |
Old Hat
03:19
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Found an old hat you gave me on 4th of July
All rolled up, a little frayed
I never wrote the moment in a diary
Still feels like yesterday
At Sweet Pea's you smiled, and handed me a box
Said your window shopping, met the impromptu
Second hand from Panama, a head-on perfect fit
Touch 'o love made it feel brand new
Back when you and I were all we had
Back when you and I were all we had
Took me back to our alley cat days
Barefoot dances and moonlight swims
The orchid of a girl, rebel of a boy
We saw eye-to-eye and brim-to-brim
Back when you and I were all we had
Back when you and I were all we had
And a touch of love was more than enough
Back when you and I were all we had
Extra time now leaves me lookin' at the clock
And through old boxes full of who I was
Drop the needle on the vinyl, Pretty Woman takes us back
Inside the grooves, we'll dance away the dust
Back when you and I were all we had
Back when you and I were all we had
A touch of love was more than enough
Back when you and I were all we had
Back when you and I were all we had
And mint-chip was all it took to make you glad
And promises rolled easy off the tongue
And a touch of love was more than enough
Back when you and I were all we had
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10. |
Old Hat Reprise
00:56
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11. |
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So I followed her voice underground
Through the tunnels and the noise I tracked her down
She was singin' by the turn-styles, to a city on the run
Passin' out pieces of her heart in every song
Singin’
Way down here some things never change (never change)
Talkin’ 'bout music and the rumble of the trains
She's there each day, when I come rushin' by
She says I'll trade you a story for your time
The world's an endless procession, she serenades the ebb and flow
She might wish we'd pay attention, but never let's it show
She just says
Y'all come back 'cause good things never change (never change)
Talkin' 'bout music and the rumble of trains
What's reliable and real is the way the music makes you feel
And the rhythm of the ride that takes you home
If I just stop and listen to her songs
The music stays with me all day long, but I gotta go
So I drop a ten, gotta leave again, keep my day on track
Without a word she smiles, we both know I'll be back
'Cause
Way down here some things never change (never change)
Talkin’ 'bout music and the rumble of the trains
Way down here some things never change (never change)
Talkin' 'bout music and the rumble,
Talkin' 'bout music and the rumble,
Talkin' 'bout music and the rumble of the trains
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Nick Carter Connecticut
"Fountain Pen" is an evocative addition to his current collection of work. Nick collaborated with Grammy-nominated producer Seth Glier, and paired his voice with the talents of several well-established contemporary folk veterans, including Ellis Paul, Antje Duvekot, as well as Red Molly's Abby Gardner and Laurie MacAllister. The stories bring shelter hrough the characters inhabiting the verses. ... more
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