Ben Harper

[fox69]

"Heavyhearted World"
(with Ellen Harper)

"Heavyhearted World"
(with Ellen Harper)



It’s Christmas morning in the psych ward
There’s a flight risk today so a nurse guards the door
There’s a man in the corner who sounds just like me
Rambling on about time square new years eve

If i could only forget what I’m supposed to know
If i could only keep from sinking so low
Strapped me down and into the void i was hurled
With nowhere else to turn in this heavyhearted world

Traded our rage for broken bones
Traded our fear for someplace to call home
Traded a lifetime for one long day
Nothing is more beautiful than to fade away

Fear and the memory of painful youth
It prepared us for the painful truth
So gather only what’s sacred summons all of your courage
And walk with me into this heavyhearted world

 

[fox69]

"Homeless Child"

"Homeless Child"



Nowhere here
to call my home
no one near
to call my own
all that's left
is for me to roam
somebody please
help me hang on

Homeless child
homeless child
what is left
for the homeless child

There is no night
and there is no day
it is all
one shade of gray
some will pass
and some will stay
is this the end
or just one more day

Homeless child
homeless child
what is left
for the homeless child

Sure not much
but it's my best
I just need
some place to rest
if you could just
let me be your guest
I won't burden you
for very long

Homeless child
homeless child
what is left
for the homeless child

 

[fox69]

"How Could We Not Believe"
(with Ellen Harper)

"How Could We Not Believe"
(with Ellen Harper)



Was so beautiful how could we not believe
So beautiful how could we not believe
We love
We grieve
Then all seek our reprieve
So beautiful how could we not believe

Was so beautiful we had to stand aside
So beautiful we had to stand aside
We had to stand aside
With our arms open wide
So beautiful we had to stand aside

Was so beautiful we had to close our eyes
So beautiful we had to close our eyes
And listen to the sound
It could be heard miles around
So beautiful we had to close our eyes

So beautiful to be free from my name
So beautiful to be free from my name
To be free from my name
And all those who lay claim
So beautiful to be free from my name

Was so beautiful how could we not believe
So beautiful how could we not believe
How could we not believe
Having lived through times like these
So beautiful how could we not believe
So beautiful how could we not believe
So beautiful how could we not believe

 

[fox69]

"How Many Miles Must We March"

"How Many Miles Must We March"



Exactly how much will have to burn
Before we will look to the past to learn
We walk along this endless path
Which has led us in a circle
So here we are right back
We can't let the future become our past
If we are to change the world
Won't you tell me
Tell me please
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march

When I was a baby I was not prejudiced
Hey how about you
This was something
That I learned in school
Something they taught us to do
We can't let our future become our past
If we are to change the world
Won't you tell me
Tell me please
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march

There must come a day
When a box is not somebody's home
The unfinished work of our heroes
Must truly be our own
We can't let the future become our past
If we are to change the world
Won't you tell me
Tell me please
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march
How many miles must we march

 

[fox69]

"I Don't Believe A Word You Say"

"I Don't Believe A Word You Say"



I see your mouth moving
But there's a circus coming out
Always busy proving
What the world is all about
It's no use looking you in the eye
I don't believe a word you say

Blame it on hard living
Blame it on the times
Blame it on the victims
All stumbling behind
I don't even need to look you in the eye
I don't believe a word you say

Don't know what to do without you
Don't know what to do with you
Used to look at you with wonder
Now I look at you and wonder
I can't even look you in the eye
I don't believe a word you say

 

[fox69]

"I Ride At Dawn"

"I Ride At Dawn"



Like my father
And his father, and his father before
Watch the soil burn in the fire
War after war
Done things I didn't know I could
For the common good
Tomorrow I ride at dawn

Give a man a hundred years
And he'll want a hundred more
Give him a hundred choices
And he still chooses war
From Salem Poor to Genghis Khan
Tomorrow I ride at dawn

I was born for battle
I was born to bleed
I was born to help those who have dreams of being free
Brother stop your crying, sister dry your eyes
You'll hear my medals ringing from Shreveport to Shabagan
Tomorrow I ride at dawn

At first light, I march to battle
Not my own life, but brothers' I must save
And when you hear those pipes and drummers
You'll know I marched to glory or proudly to my grave
Tell my loved ones they must carry on
For tomorrow I ride at dawn

Tomorrow I ride at dawn
Tomorrow I ride at dawn
Tell my loved ones they must carry on
For tomorrow I ride at dawn

 

[fox69]

"I Shall Not Walk Alone"

"I Shall Not Walk Alone"



Battered and torn
still I can see the light
tattered and worn
but I must kneel to fight

Friend of mine
what can't you spare
I know some times
it gets cold in there

When my legs no longer carry
and the warm wind chills my bones
I reach for Mother Mary
and I shall not walk alone

Hope is alive
while we're apart
only tears
speak from my heart
break the chains
that hold us down
and we shall be
forever bound

When I'm tired and weary
and a long way from home
I reach for Mother Mary
and I shall not walk alone
I shall not walk alone

Beauty that
we left behind
how shall we
tomorrow find

Set aside
our weight in sin
so that we
can live again

When my legs no longer carry
and the warm wind chills my bones
I reach for Mother Mary
and I shall not walk alone
I shall not walk alone

 

[fox69]

"I Want To Be Ready"

"I Want To Be Ready"



How I am strong
is to know what makes me weak
how I am found
is to know just whom I seek
the gift of a blessing
the burden of a sin
turn to him

I want to be ready
ready to put on
my long white robe

Nailed across
from hand to hand
for the sin
of woman and man
all upon his earth
is all within his plan
and I know this shall be
my journey home

I want to be ready
ready to put on
my long white robe

Covet no silver
covet no gold
reach your empty
hands for him to hold
up in his kingdom
glory shall be proclaimed
sing the song
and praise his name.

 

[fox69]

"I Will Not Be Broken"

"I Will Not Be Broken"



Give and you give and you give till it's gone
then the people you fight hardest for say you're wrong
before me flash all of my memories and days
so don't stand insincere at the side of my grave

I will not be broken
I won't be turned away
When it's too cold to breathe
and too dark to pray
I will not be broken

I go too far then I go further still
Time starts to collapse leaves a void none can fill
Nothing you can say to hurt me with your forked tongue
Through blood shot eyes I watch the world come undone

I will not be broken
I won't be turned away
When it's too cold to breathe
and too dark to pray

I've come too far to give up
or to be turned around
I will not be broken
I will not go down

I will not be broken
I won't be turned away
When it's too cold to breathe
and too dark to pray

I've come too far to give up
or to be turned around
I will not be broken
I will not go down

 

[fox69]

"I'll Rise"

"I'll Rise"



You may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust I'll rise
Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like I've got an oil well
Pumpin' in my living room

So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise
I'll rise
I'll rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I'll rise
I'll rise
I'll rise

Now did you want to see me broken
Bowed head and lowered eyes
Shoulders fallen down like tear drops
Weakened by my soulful cries

Does my confidence upset you
Don't you take it awful hard
Cause I walk like I've got a diamond mine
Breakin up in my front yard

So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise
I'll rise
I'll rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I'll rise
I'll rise
I'll rise

So you may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust I'll rise

Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like I've got a goldmine
Diggin' up in my living room

Now you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise
I'll rise
I'll rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I'll rise
I'll rise
I'll rise