Mary Chapin Carpenter

[fox69]

"Learning The World"

"Learning The World"



Grief rides quietly on the passenger side
Unwanted company on a long, long drive
It turns down the quiet songs and turns up the din
It goes where you go, it’s been where you’ve been

And pushing your empty cart mile after mile
Leaves you weeping in the wilderness
Of the supermarket aisle
And in the late night kitchen light it sits in a chair
Watching you pretend that it’s not really there

But it is, so it is and you ask
Are you predator or friend
The future or the past?

It hands you your overcoat and opens the door
You are learning the world again just as before
But the first time was childhood
And now you are grown
Broken wide open, cut to the bone

And all that you used to know is of no use at all
The same eyes you’ve always had have you walking into walls
And the same heart can’t understand
Why it’s so hard to feel
What used to be true
What’s now so unreal

But it is, so it is and you say
I wish I were the wind so that I could blow away

Grief sits silently on the edge of your bed
It’s closing your eyes, it’s stroking your head
The dear old companion is taking up air
Watching you pretend that it’s not really there

 

[fox69]

"Leaving Song"

"Leaving Song"



And you see that you're leaving
And you that you're gone
And you see there's no saying goodbye
All the trees in mourning
The light is late from the sun
Casting shadow on shadow down from the sky

And it's hard not to want to turn around
And it's hard not to want to back on down
We're only as strong as our hearts within
Only as strong

And all you know of where the road goes
Is some place far and unknown
You would think
You would have gotten used to it all by now
But each day it just gets harder
Every journey alone
Never knowing if you'll make it
Back home somehow

And it's hard not to want to turn around
And it's hard not to want to back on down
We're only as brave as we think we are
Only as brave

And it's hard not to want to turn it down
For some guaranteed, soul crushing
Merry-go-round
It would have driven you
Straight into the ground
Driven your down

And the three greatest gifts of moving on
Are forgiveness, hope and the great beyond
After that perhaps peace can come
Peace will come

And you see that you're leaving...
And you see that you're gone...

 

[fox69]

"Let Me Into Your Heart"

"Let Me Into Your Heart"



You're like a cool breeze to a hot spell
You're like a long drink to a dry well
Oh I know by now there's no use thinking
That it's something in that water I've been drinking
Cause I would not need even one more drop if you'd just let me into your heart

you're like a blue sky to a grey day
you're like a new try to an old way
Oh I never needed much convincing 'bout that something in my life that's been missing
But I think I know where to find that part if you'd just let me into your heart

I got a past baby, now who doesn't
I won't ask you to think that I wasn't
Who I was back then, yes it's true
But that was when I didn't know you

You're like a sweet sight to these tired eyes
You're like the first light after a long night
Oh I never believed in the hands of fate
But to be with you baby, I believe I'd wait
Til the end of time for a chance to start
If you'd just let me into your heart

You're like a sweet smile to these tired eyes
You're like the last mile on a long ride
Oh I never believed in the arms of fate
But to be in yours darling, I believe I'd wait
Til the end of time for a chance to start
If you'd just let me into your heart
Til the end of time, baby I can start
If you'd just let me into your heart

 

[fox69]

"Luna's Gone"

"Luna's Gone"


Was it a light only she could see
A gypsy's spell, a mystery
Something to cause our girl to roam
Was it a song only she could hear
Whispering charms in her ears
Causing her to leave our happy home
Guess the light of the moon is all we've got to go on
Guess we're never gonna know and she's telling no one

[Chorus:]
Luna's gone, she's gone away
All day long I call her name
Luna's gone

There wasn't a sign of wanderlust
A quarrel, a breach of faith or trust
Nothing to give us one thin clue
Her eyes like the moon in a heart-shaped face
Astonishing speed, amazing grace
Little wild child we loved so true
Guess the wind in the trees is all she left behind her
Guess it's part of the plan to know we'll never find her

[Chorus]

Woo-ooo, the end has come, verse and chapter
Woo-ooo, I'll miss that girl forever after
Woo-ooo, she left us now the way she came
No amount of love could tame her, free as the wind that blows...

Guess she could resist the lure of the open spaces
You won't find her in Miami Beach or Vegas

[Chorus 3x]

 

[fox69]

"Maybe World"

"Maybe World"



It's all I hate but oh so tempting
Fills me up but leaves me empty
It's all regrets and second chances
What's the point of backward glances
That lead me nowhere
I can't go back there

Everything is so uncertain
All happening to you in a whirl
That's the beauty and the hurting
Of living in a maybe world

Who can stand all those should haves
They wake us up and make us feel bad
The famous road will stay untaken
All mistakes are worth making
Go back to sleep now
It all works out somehow

Everything is so uncertain
All happening to you in a whirl
That's the beauty and the hurting
Of living in a maybe world

I'm sorry for the rain that broke the dam that caused the flood
I'm sorry for the pain but that's the way it is because

Everything is so uncertain
All happening to you in a whirl
That's the beauty and the hurting
Of living in a maybe world

Everything is so uncertain
All the garbage baby and the pearls
That's the beauty and the hurting
Of living in a maybe world

 

[fox69]

"Middle Ground"

"Middle Ground"




For years she's lived on her own
In a corner of the city
Twice a year she gets back home
Playing catch-up with the family

She tells her folks what they need to know
Her mother says she's much too thin
Her sisters ask about her beau
Her dad inquires, how's business been

She's thirty-three this time around
She's always been real good at listening
Her sense of humor never lets her down
Except sometimes there's something missing

Hey, middle ground
A place between up and down
She could be safe and sound
Oh, to know middle ground

For years she's been on her guard
She's kind of tense around the shoulders
She wonders why she works so hard
She counts the days 'til they promote her

She'll take a weekend now and then
To stay in bed and watch the reruns
She'll turn the phone off when guilt sets in
But Sunday always kinda leaves her let down

Hey, middle ground; a place between up and down
She could be safe and sound; oh, to know middle ground

She gave her heart away one time, and says that she hasn't seen it since
Love's a puzzle in her mind; the pieces match, but don't quite fit; hey...
And these days run thick or thin
It never rains, or else it's pouring
All her single friends are men
She thinks married girls are so damn boring

Hey, middle ground; a place between up and down
She could be safe and sound; oh, to know middle ground
Hey, middle ground; a place between up and down
She could be safe and sound; oh, to know middle ground
Oh, to know middle ground; oh, to know middle ground

 

[fox69]

"Mrs. Hemingway"

"Mrs. Hemingway"



We packed up our books and our dishes
Our dreams and your worsted wool suits
We sailed on the 8th of December
Farewell old Hudson River
Here comes the sea
And love was as new and as bright and as true
When I loved you and you loved me

Two steamer trunks in the carriage
Safe arrival we cabled back home
It was just a few days before Christmas
We filled our stockings with wishes
And walked for hours
Arm and arm through the rain, to the glassed-in cafe
That held us like hot house flowers

Living in Paris, in attics and garrets
Where the coal merchants climb every stair
The dance hall next door is filled with sailors and whores
And the music floats up through the air
There's Sancerre and oysters, cathedrals and cloisters
And time with its unerring aim
For now we can say we were lucky most days
And throw a rose into the Seine

Love is the greatest deceiver
It hollows you out like a drum
And suddenly nothing is certain
As if all the clouds closed the curtains
And blocked the sun
And friends now are strangers in this city of dangers
As cold and as cruel as they come

Sometimes I look at old pictures
And smile at how happy we were
How easy it was to be hungry
It wasn't for fame or for money
It was for love
Now my copper hair's grey as the stone on the quay
In the city where magic was

Living in Paris, in attics and garrets
Where the coal merchants climb every stair
The dance hall next door is filled with sailors and whores
And the music floats up through the air
There's Sancerre and oysters, and Notre Dame's cloisters
And time with its unerring aim
And now we can say we were lucky most days
And throw a rose into the Seine
And now I can say I was lucky most days
And throw a rose into the Seine

 

[fox69]

"My Heaven"

"My Heaven"



Nothing shatters
Nothing brakes
Nothing hurts
Nothing aches
We got ourself one hell of a place

In my heaven

Looking down at the world below
A bunch of wine
Fighting schmoos
Up here we got none of those

In my heaven

Theres pools and lakes and hills and mountains
Music, art, lighted fountains
Who needs bucks here, no ones counting

In my heaven

No one works, we all just play
You can pick the weather everyday
And if you change your mind thats ok

In my heaven

Grandmas up here grandpa too
In a condo with "to die for" view
There's president and movie stars
You just come as you are

No one's lost and no one's missing
No more partings, just hugs and kissing
And all these stars are just for wishing

In my heaven

Theres little white lights every where
Your childhood dog in dads old chair
And more memorys than then my heart can hold
Leave us singing fields of gold
Theres neighbors, theives and long lost lovers
Villians, poets, kings and mothers
Up here we forgive each other

In my heaven

For every soul thats down there waiting
Holding on still hesitating
We say a prayer of levitating

In my heaven

You can look back on your life and lot
It can't matter what your not
By the time your here were all we've got

In my heaven
In my heaven
In my heaven

 

[fox69]

"Naked To The Eye"

"Naked To The Eye"



Been walking these streets, been deciding what's true
Been hands in my pockets, coat collar up, thinking `bout you
I've been talking to myself, giving fate the third degree
I've been eyes on the pavement admitting my part to strangers passing me
And I know it isn't fair, but nothing's ever been
Hey when you look at me baby, my god how I feel so good again
I don't know where I went wrong, but it isn't right to lie
Hey when you look at me baby, my hearts wide open, naked to the eye

Now some lovers are apart, but they're never far away
I can see her in your eyes, hear her in your voice and I have to turn away
Oh what covet is to ache, is what aching is to me
For the arms of a man who knows who I am and where I need to be
And if I know what I know, then the lonely can't pretend
When you look at me baby, my god how I feel so whole again
Is there heaven after all, or just this empty space
That no amount of time, nor comfort in it's hands can ever help me face
Which is worse is yet to come, your rebuff or my resign
Hey when you look at me baby, I'm helpless as a child, naked to the eye

It's like a fever and a spell, unbroken by a sigh
Oh when you look at me baby I'm going nowhere, just naked to the eye
Yeah when you look at me baby, everythings there, naked to the eye
Hey when you look at me baby, I haven't got a prayer, naked to the eye

 

[fox69]

"Never Had It So Good"

"Never Had It So Good"



No one's got to tell me it's over
I could see it from miles away
No one's got to tell me
What I don't already know today
No one's got to tell me they've seen you
On the town with an old girlfriend
No one's got to tell me
You look like you've fallen in love again

'Cause you're out of my life now
With a wave of her hand
You never had it so good babe
I never had it so bad
Now you can do what you want to
And never feel sad
You never had it so good babe
I never had it so bad

No one's got to tell me the difference
Between me and the one who's returned
No one's got to tell me
You never really got over her
No one's got to tell me they've seen you
Looking like a brand new man
No one's got to tell me
You look like you've fallen in love again

'Cause you're out of my life now
With a wave of her hand
You never had it so good babe
I never had it so bad
Now you can do what you want to
And never feel sad
You never had it so good babe
I never had it so bad

So you just go where you go
And do what you do
And be who you want to be
But when she burns you again
And your phone doesn't ring
Baby it's me

'Cause you're out of my life now
With a wave of her hand
You never had it so good babe
I never had it so bad
Now you can do what you want to
And never feel sad
You never had it so good babe
I never had it so bad