Mary Chapin Carpenter

[fox69]

"In The Name Of Love"

"In The Name Of Love"



It's the spell that can't be broken
It's your breath upon my neck
It's the words I long to tell you but haven't yet
It's the need to see you constantly
And the need to be alone
Just to balance out what's left of me
And what's too far gone
What if the night complied, bringing you to my door
What if I let you in, baby, isn't that what the night is for?

In the name of love there's nothing that I would not do
In the name of love I'd lose myself to find you
In the name of love.....

It's the prayer I send up daily for some courage and some pride
When your hand brushes my shoulder and our eyes collide
It's the smallest of seductions and the quietest of lures
And I'm all at once an innocent in the big bad world
But what if the night conspired, bringing you to my door
Why should I turn you away now, I don't want to wait anymore

In the name of love there's nothing that I would not do
In the name of love I'd lose myself to find you
In the name of love.....

But when the darkness fades, giving way to morning light
You will find me gone, to carry on the lonely fight

In the name of love there's nothing that I would not do
In the name of love I'd lose myself to find you
In the name of love.....

 

[fox69]

"It Don't Bring You"

"It Don't Bring You"



Well I know it ain't been roses lately, baby, it's just been thorns
And no matter what we do, nothing seems to change
Love has always been my shelter, for you it's been a storm
But for a while I thought we'd almost beat the rain

Now there's a hole here in my pocket where all my dreams have gone
Fallen out like so many nickels and dimes
And last of all you, you'd always been my good luck charm
I should've known that luck's a waste of time

'Cause it don't bring you love if you don't love
And it don't bring you time if you ain't got time
And it don't bring you strength, baby, if you ain't strong
And it don't bring you kindness if you ain't kind

Now there's a whole lot of life to be unsure of
But there's one thing I can safely say I know
That of all the things that finally desert us
Pride is always the last thing to go

But it won't bring you love if you don't love
And it won't bring you time if you ain't got time
And it won't bring you strength, baby, if you ain't strong
And it won't bring you kindness if you ain't kind

And now I wish you only roses, baby, without the thorns
And I hope your dreams are always within reach
And I wish you shelter, baby, from all your storms
They scared you, but they never seemed to teach

That I can't bring you love if you don't love
And I can't bring you time if you ain't got time
And I can't bring you strength, baby, if you ain't strong
And I can't bring you kindness if you ain't kind
And I can't bring you kindness if you ain't kind

 

[fox69]

"It Must Have Happened"

"It Must Have Happened"


Can't remember lookin' for somethin' so hard to find
I can't remember talkin' to myself just like I'd lost my mind
I can't remember rowin' towards the moon upon a single beam

[Chorus:]
But it must have happened
(Yeah) (Yes) it must have happened

Can't remember learning how to laugh at catastrophe
I can't remember losin' track of who I was s'pposed to be
I can't remember ridin' flyin' horses toward the golden ring

[Chorus]

'Cause after all, baby
Here I am with the ring in my pocket
And the moon in my hand
After all, baby
Here I am with you

Can't remember seein' all my hopes goin' up in flames
I can't remember reachin' for the closest thing to dull the pain
I can't remember feeling I could be healed by a stranger's hand

[Chorus]

'Cause after all, baby
Here I am in a bed of roses
With a punch-drunk cretin
After all, baby
Here I am with you

Can't remember lookin' for omens hopin' there was gonna be a sign
Can't remember figuring out the secret was inside me all this time
I can't remember walkin' without fear towards the light you shine

[Tag Chorus:]
But it must have happened
Yeah, it must have happened
And I know it happened
Yes, it must have happened
Darlin' look what happened

 

[fox69]

"Jericho"

"Jericho"



You can’t see me yet
Seeing takes a long, long time
From the outside in
Measuring each shift and sigh

But as you let your eyes adjust
To the darkness deep within
Sifting through the ash and dust
We are the places that we’ve been

You can’t hear me yet
Listening takes a long, long time
And I’ve so much to tell
But words die on these lips of mine

But in the stillness you may sense
Every thing I long to say
Unraveling like golden threads
The walls will all come down this way

You don’t know me yet
Knowing takes a long, long time
And time is all we have
Never traveling in straight lines

So memorize each turn and twist
Just be careful as you go
For if love is a labyrinth
Then my heart is Jericho

 

[fox69]

"John Doe No. 24"

"John Doe No. 24"



I was standing on the sidewalk in 1945
In Jacksonville, Illinois
When asked what my name was there came no reply
They said I was a deaf and sightless half-wit boy
But Louis was my name, though I could not say it
I was born and raised in New Orleans
My spirit was wild, so I let the river take it
On a barge and a prayer upstream

Well they searched for a mother and they searched for a father
And they searched till they searched no more
The doctors put to rest their scientific tests
And they named me "John Doe No. 24"
And they all shook their heads in pity
For a world so silent and dark
Well there's no doubt that life's a mystery
But so too is the human heart

And it was my heart's own perfume when the crepe jasmine bloomed
On Rue Morgue Avenue
Though I couldn't hear the bells of the streetcars coming
By toeing the track I knew
And if I were an old man returning
With my satchel and porkpie hat
I'd hit every jazz joint on Bourbon
And I'd hit everyone on Basin after that

The years kept passing as they passed me around
From one state ward to another
Like I was an orphan shoe from the lost and found
Always missing the other
And they gave me a harp last Christmas
And all the nurses took a dance
But lately I've been growing listless
I've been dreaming again of the past

I'm wandering down to the banks of the great Big Muddy
Where the shotgun houses stand
I am seven years old and I feel my dad
Reach out for my hand
While I drew breath no one missed me
So they won't on the day that I cease
Put a sprig of crepe jasmine with me
To remind me of New Orleans

I was standing on the sidewalk in 1945
In Jacksonville, Illinois

 

[fox69]

"Jubilee"

"Jubilee"



I can tell by the way you're walking
That you don't want company
I'll let you alone and I'll let you walk on
And in your own good time you'll be

Back where the sun can find you
Under the wise wishing tree
And with all of them made we'll lie under the shade
And call it a jubilee

And I can tell by the way you're talking
That the past isn't letting you go
But there's only so long you can take it all on
And then the wrong's gotta be on its own

And when you're ready to leave it behind you
You'll look back, and all that you'll see
Is the wreckage and rust that you left in the dust
On your way to the jubilee

And I can tell by the way you're listening
That you're still expecting to hear
Your name being called like a summons to all
Who have failed to account for their doubts and their fears

They can't add up to much without you
And so if it were just up to me
I'd take hold of your hand, saying come hear the band
Play your song at the jubilee

And I can tell by the way you're searching
For something you can't even name
That you haven't been able to come to the table
Simply glad that you came

And when you feel like this try to imagine
That we're all like frail boats on the sea
Just scanning the night for that great guiding light
Announcing the jubilee

And I can tell by the way you're standing
With your eyes filling with tears
That it's habit alone keeps you turning for home
Even though your home is right here

Where the people who love you are gathered
Under the wise wishing tree
May we all be considered then straight on delivered
Down to the jubilee

'Cause the people who love you are waiting
And they'll wait just as long as need be
When we look back and say those were halcyon days
We're talking 'bout jubilee

 

[fox69]

"Just Because"

"Just Because"



Have you ever loved someone you knew nothing of
Except you'd seen the light inside their eyes
Have you ever loved someone just because
Nothing felt so easy or so right

And I think of you like the others do
Wondering if you think of me
And if you do, if you really do
Who is it that you see

Have you ever loved
Whether right or wrong
Have you ever loved someone
Just because

Have you ever tried to speak the truth instead of lie
When it seemed you had everything to lose
Have you ever tried to stand your ground instead of hide
When staying only made you look a fool

And I stayed by you though I think I knew
It wouldn't change a thing
Changes come to hearts with ease
But they come so hard to me
Have you ever tried to make it last, not knowing why
Except you had to try
Just because

And every day that passes now, I s'pose I'm getting older
Wiser with the things I've done
But I hope I don't grow colder

And now I see the ones, who've lost so much
They swear they're done
With love and all the chance it brings for pain
But have you ever touched, and by itself it was enough
To make you want to reach out once again

And I'll touch you when I need a friend
Or just a small reminder
That I haven't grown too cold to feel
You penetrate my armor

Have you ever loved
Whether right or wrong
Have you ever loved someone
Just because
Have you ever loved someone
Just because

 

[fox69]

"Keeping The Faith"

"Keeping The Faith"



When it's been that kind of day baby
When everything is not what it should be
Everybody's had their say
Let's just say today is history

And keep keeping the faith
Keeping the faith, everyday
We're keeping the faith
Keep keeping the faith, don't give it away

When your head's not making sense baby
When your heart is just a mystery
When you're sitting on the fence
Instead of knowing where you're supposed to be

Well, just keep keeping the faith
Keeping the faith, everyday
Well be keeping the faith
Keep keeping the faith, don't give it away

All the style, all the money, all the power you can buy
Won't do nothing if there's something missing way down deep inside

It's the weary, its the lonesome
It's the forest that we just can't see
Don't forget now, there ain't no one
Who isn't trying to see beyond the trees

So, just keep keeping the faith
Keeping the faith, everyday
Well be keeping the faith
Keep keeping the faith, don't give it away

Keeping the faith
Keeping the faith, everyday
We'll be keeping the faith
Keeping the faith, don't give it away

 

[fox69]

"King Of Love"

"King Of Love"



He wants to own your heart
He already owns your soul
No matter what you do
He's always in control
And when he calls your name you have to follow
Like moths into a flame, no fear or sorrow will fall upon you
You belong to the King of Love

He wants to know your thoughts
He already knows your mind
No matter where you are
You're someone he'll always find
His very mention brings the slightest shudder
Deep inside you know there is no other as skilled and tender
Just surrender to the King of Love

But when the night falls down, he will not wear a crown
No jewels upon his hands, he is just a man

He wants to rule your world
He already rules your dreams
No matter what you want
He'll never make you Queen
Still when he calls your name you have to answer
And when his music plays you are a dancer for him the only
Never lonely, King of Love
For him the only, never lonely, King of Love

 

[fox69]

"Late For Your Life"

"Late For Your Life"



You've been saying for the longest time that the time has come
You've been talking like you're of a mind to get some changing done
Maybe move out of the city, find some quiet little town
Where you can sit out on your back porch step
And watch the sun go down
No one knows where they belong
The search just goes on and on and on
For every choice that ends up wrong
Another one's right
A change of scene would sure be great
The thought is nice to contemplate
But the question begs why would you wait
And be late for your life

Now you might never find that perfect town
But the sun still sets on a rooftop where the city
Sounds like a Gershwin clarinet
And you might still be searching every face for one you can't forget
Love is out there in a stranger's clothes
You just haven't met him yet
No one knows where they belong
The search just goes on and on and on
For every day that ends up wrong
Another one's right
Call it chance or call it fate
Either one is cause to celebrate
Still the question begs why would you wait
And be late for your life

Call it chance baby, call it fate
Either one is cause to celebrate
And the question now is why would you wait
Don't be late for your life