Scratches
Madeline
Oh, Madeline
You're the best one
You're the best that's ever been
Oh, Madeline
We're trying hard
We're trying hard not to give in
Oh, Madeline
I'm on my knees
Because I know
I'll never win
A humble child
From the humble state of Texas
You never met a mountain
That you didn't want to climb
The stars at night may be big and bright
But they've never looked like you tonight
I'm lucky every day I call you mine
An honest child
From the honest way of living
You never met a highway
That you didn't want to drive
Grace may have taught your heart to fear
But it never felt like you, my dear
I'm lucky every day that you're alive
Oh, Madeline
You're the best one
You're the best that's ever been
Oh, Madeline
We're trying hard
We're trying hard not to give in
Oh, Madeline
I'm on my knees
Because I know
I'll never win
I've tried my best to say
The things I need to say
And I've taken what I had to
To keep my darkest thoughts at bay
Don't hang your head
Don't close your eyes
I'm begging you for compromise
Please don't let me go away
Forgive me, child,
for my unsettled disposition
I never met a wrong
That I didn't want to right
Each morning may break like the first
But change is a blessing, not a curse
I'm lucky every day I see the light
Oh, Madeline
You're the best one
You're the best that's ever been
Oh, Madeline
We're trying hard
We're trying hard not to give in
Oh, Madeline
I'm on my knees
Because I know
I'll never win
Folksong
Build me a house in the garden where I may rest
Close my eyes and lay my burdens down
Let the snow be my blanket
Let my pillow be the soil
Build for me a place that I may rest
Build me a cairn in the river where I may rest
Bend my knees and lay my burdens down
Let the sunshine wash my body
Let me dry upon the sand
Build for me a place that I may rest
Build me a mound in the valley where I may rest
Stretch my wings and lay my burdens down
Let a willow lend me shadow
Let a poppy grant me peace
Build for me a place that I may rest
Build me a garden by the river in the valley
Under the fading sky
Make for me a place that I may die
Blazing Star
As I lie at rest
In my darkest hour
I wonder, I ponder, and conclude
That as I, Liatris,
A humble flower
I’d rather be me than you
I've been uncivil
I've been unkind
I've given less than you wanted from me
But you've made it clear
As we've come undone
That we don’t agree on what it means
To be a family
If you plan on burning bridges
Send a light ahead
You could be a blazing star
You could be a blazing star
You could become a blazing star
And throw the past away
I could be a blazing star
I could be a blazing star
I could become a blazing star
And turn this darkness into day
As I lie at rest
In my darkest hour
I stumble, afraid I have to prove
That as I, Liatris,
A humble flower
I'd rather be free of you
So call me sinner
Call me whore
I'll keep trying to convince the world
That more is more
See the sun
How it shines
You keep yours
I’ll make mine
I could be a blazing star
I could be a blazing star
I could become a blazing star
And throw the past away
I will be a blazing star
I’m gonna be a blazing star
I will become a blazing star
And turn this darkness into day
Go on, get out
Green
In a mood
For green
Something fresh
And clean
A return
To when happy
Was enough
A way back
That takes
Me out of this time and this place
And reminds me
Who I'm supposed to be
For some reason
I thought
I’d be taller
It’s easier (I think)
To be tall
Than it is to be wise
In a mood
For love
Something low
And rough
A release
From this fucking mess
I’ve been
A way out
That takes
Me back
To something green
The Mirror
You called me false
You called me proud
You called me selfish
You called me loud
You called me cruel
You called me blind
You called me stubborn
You said I was out of my mind
I've been doing some quick recounting
But what I remember
Just isn't amounting to much
Oh, well
You're so sure of yourself, that's enough
(Whoa-ho)
Look in the mirror
I know you don't like what you see
Is it you
Is it me
Is it who you would like me to be
(Whoa-ho)
Look in the mirror
I need you to take in the view
Is it me
Or is it you
You called me weak
You called me vain
You called me jealous
You called me plain
You called me a tyrant
You called me a brat
You called me a coward
You said I was better than that
I've been doing some quick reflecting
But the case that you're building
Just isn't affecting me much
Oh, well
You're the jury and judge, that's enough
(Whoa-ho)
Look in the mirror
I know you don't like what you see
Is it you
Is it me
Is it who you would like me to be
(Whoa-ho)
Look in the mirror
I need you to take in the view
Is it me
Or is it you
Is it it her
Is it him
Is it us
Is it them
Is it now
Is it then
Tell me how
Tell me when
I
can
hear
the
sound
of
break
ing
glass
Look in the mirror
I know you don't like what you see
Is it you
Is it me
Is it who you would like it to be
(Whoa-ho)
Look in the mirror
I need you to take in the view
Is it me
Or is it you
Is it you
Is it me
Or is it you
Crabapples
I see nothing
On the other side of my eyes
No shapes, no colors
No soft heaving sighs
No, I can’t fantasize
This isn’t a love song, it’s a truth song
It’s a whatever happened to my youth song
It’s a where did it all go wrong song
It’s a perceive the world anew song
I know it’s not just me
But it’s also not
The most of you
Let me paint you a picture with my words:
It's a cool, bright day in spring
Not a single cloud in the sky
Fresh grass between your toes
Is waving in the breeze
The sun is sparkling off the spray
Of a gently tumbling stream
How was that for you?
Did you see it?
(I didn’t.)
Do you see that deer
Running through the reeds?
(I don’t.)
What’s the color of the crabapples
On yonder apple tree?
I have no idea
They’re probably red or green
Based on all the crabapples I’ve seen
The End of the World
There’s something I can’t explain
In the way they say their name
It sets my soul aflame
I’ll never be the same
The shame of living without them
Is more than I can bear
I’m a fool and I don’t care
I’m prepared
To let them go
Even though
I know
It hurts me so
To be alone
My cooling head reminds me
That though we are apart we are
Never more
Than a broken heart away
It’s not the end of the world
It’s only love
Nothing that’s timeless and rare
Nothing fair
Nothing sent down to us from above
And if I fall fast and far
Like a plummeting star
There’s nobody to blame for the shove
It’s not the end of the world
It’s only love
It’s not the end of the world
It’s only love I'm feeling
Nothing that shatters the glass
Kills the past
Or raises the ceiling
And if I rumble in my sleep
Like a fire in the deep
There's no better way of dealing
With not the end of the world
It’s only love
Love
Is the only thing that matters
In the world
People tell me
And I believe that they believe it
But, love
Hasn't done any favors for me
Like a cat with its prey
I'm cornered and screaming
No fooling, no way to deceive it
No, love
Oh, love
Will never set me free
It’s not the end of the world
It’s only love, that's true
Nothing to change, nothing gained
Nothing lost
Nothing else left to do
And if it swallows my mind
Like a strangling vine
There’s no reason for me to feel blue
It’s not the end of the world
It’s the end of me and you
No, it's not the end of the world
It's only love
The One That Got Away
Do you ever wonder
About the one that got away
Even though you're happier
With the one you're with today
Do you wish them pleasure
Do you wish them pain
Would you give them another chance
Would they do the same
Do you ever wonder
About the faces that you've missed
Bury thoughts of reaching out
To the people that you've kissed
Do you hope they miss you
Do you think they care
Would you want the answer
If the answer wasn't fair
Do you ever wonder
About the hearts that you have wronged
By ire or fear or folly
Would you put it in a song
Do you think they'll listen
Do you want to know
Is the act of spelling out
The act of letting go
Do you ever wonder
About the life you've left to live
Can you make a difference
Do you have enough to give
Do you think you're worth it
Are you brave enough to say
Do you ever wonder
About the one that got away
The Last Christmas
Can you remember a year
That went quite like this one
Can you remember a time
We weren’t so damn sad
Can you remember that feeling of hope
That no matter how close to
The end of your rope
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Would be half as bad
The stars keep on tumbling
The earth keeps on rumbling
But the angels are slumbering still
Must be they need some good news
If even angels come down with the blues
It’s not the last Christmas
It’s not the last Christmas
It’s not the last Christmas
Oh no, not yet
I’m tired, I’m battered
I’m broken, I’m torn
But the fire in the parlor is waiting and warm
Somewhere silver bells are ringing
Peace is a moment away
I have a panoramic view
In this house of stained glass
I skip stones while I wait
For the madness to pass
And I wonder
What’s the point of going on
The headlines are harrowing
Our timelines are narrowing
But the frontlines are caroling still
Must be they've heard some good news
If even frontlines can shake off the blues
It’s not the last Christmas
It’s not the last Christmas
It’s not the last Christmas
Oh no
I’m tired, I’m battered
I’m broken, I’m torn
But the fire in the parlor is waiting and warm
Somewhere chestnuts are roasting
Peace is a moment away
Maybe tomorrow the sunrise
Will look just like this one
Maybe tomorrow the sunshine
Won't come out at all
Maybe tomorrow the snow and the rain
Will remind us
For all of our anguish and pain
Year after year after year
There's still room to fall
It’s not the last Christmas
It’s not the last Christmas
It’s not the last Christmas
Oh no, not yet