NOTES:
My most rock and roll album. I
don't know what it was. Mid-life crisis? I needed
some guts to carry these songs that were probably
my most soul-searching ever. New England winters
can do this to you. The band here went on to play
these songs with me often at concert events
around New England. Great fun. Kevin Killen, who
mixed this record, was from Ireland and
engineered some of U2's early work. |
Time for You
Words and Music by John Fischer
(Yes, that's Phil Keaggy on acoustic guitar and yes, I
missed this over-dub session, too.)
I have been the subject of an endless theme
And the star in everybody else's dream
I have fought the demons of my own dark night
Finding only shadows in the dawning light
My ship is in
My debt is due
The time is now
The time for you
I have crossed the chasms of my casual crimes
I have passed the sign at least a thousand times
Waiting for a hand to rescue me
While at any time I could have walked out free
My ship is in
My debt is due
The time is now
The time for you
There are no more places where my heart can flee
There are no more friends to give me sympathy
I am out of reasons. I am out of time
I am out to make it in the uphill climb
My ship is in
My debt is due
The time is now
The time for you
All Fall Down
Words and Music by John Fischer and Dan Russell
All fall down
Pieces on the ground
All fall down
Pieces on the ground
They live in high places
They're keeping everybody under
They smile with two faces
But they can't hear the coming thunder
All fall down
Pieces on the ground
All fall down
Pieces on the ground
The pride and the glory
The imposition and the power
The right hand, the left hand
The clock hand turning in the tower
The walls of this city
A fortress keeping us apart
The law with no pity
Around a barricaded heart
All fall down
Pieces on the ground
All fall down
Pieces on the ground
Ring around the rosey
Pocket full of posies
Ashes
Ashes
All fall down
I Will Still
Love You
Words by John Fischer
Music by John Fischer, Dan Russell and Victor LeComer
You can give me everything
Or take it all away
Make the sky above me blue
Or you can turn it gray
I will still love You
I'll still love You
I will still love You
I'll still love You
You can leave me in the dark
Or help me understand
You can make my dreams come true
Or You can change my plans
I will still love You
I'll still love You
I will still love You
I'll still love You
You can be my sunny day
Or turn it into rain
You make a miracle
Or You can bring me pain
I will still love You
I'll still love You
I will still love You
I'll still love You
A Changed Man
Words and Music by John Fischer
My heart is strong
My patience long
And I love you
And when I dream of loving anyone
I'm dreaming of you
Well I know that there've been many times
When the only one that I could see was me
But I'm standing here in front of you
And I'll do anything
To get you to believe
That I'm a changed changed man
Doing what I can to care for you
And I've got one two hands
Eager to work hard to provide for you
'Cause I love you
So many words
You thought I heard
But I fooled you
And I think of how I lied and walked away
How I used you
While all along you encouraged me
And now your telling me
You've got nothing more
Well that's okay love I've got my own now
And I know what it's for
'Cause I'm a changed changed man
Doing what I can to care for you.
And I've got one two hands
Eager to work hard to provide for you
'Cause I love you
Everything
Matters
Words and Music by John Fischer and Dan Russell
Everything matters
Everything counts
Everything matters
Everything counts
Keep my eyes open
Keep my hands on the wheel
Everything matters
Everything's real
Wake up again and I'm so far behind
I turn my head and it's one more time
So hard to keep all the things in my mind
So easy to lose what you had me find
Everything matters
Everything counts
Everything matters
Everything counts
Keep my eyes open
Keep my hands on the wheel
Everything matters
Everything's real
Watching the news and it's no news to me
A world breaking apart
What can one heart do
I take your hand
Are you here next to me
At least am I starting with you
Everything matters
Everything counts
Everything matters
Everything counts
Keep my eyes open
Keep my hands on the wheel
Everything matters
Everything's real
Year after year all this time gives me proof
I stumble
I fall into your love
I call out your name
O God help me to see
Your gift of life
My life to lead
Everything matters
Everything counts
Everything matters
Everything counts
Keep my eyes open
Keep my hands on the wheel
Everything matters
Everything's real
Dance!
Words and Music by John Fischer and Dan Russell
(Michael W. Smith sings on this with me. He was mixing
one of his albums in the same studio in
Massachusetts.They had an advanced computerized board;
one of a few in the country at the time. When I found our
sessions overlapped, I asked him to stay over and lend
his vocal style to the background. Turned into a duet, of
sorts, and a lot of fun.)
Dance!
Let the Spirit set you free
You can dance
To the Lord of life
Dance!
Sanctify the circumstance
Come on dance
To the Lord of life
Don't have to dress up
There's no place to go
Don't need no lessons
This ain't no show
This is life.
This is what it's supposed to be
This is God
Loving you and me
Dance!
Let the Spirit set you free
You can dance
To the Lord of life
Dance!
Sanctify the circumstance
Come on dance
To the Lord of life
Time is a treasure
Worth more than gold
Life is a moment
That no one can hold
Love will win over
If you give it a chance
The song will be over
So come on get up and dance
Dance!
Let the Spirit set you free
You can dance
To the Lord of life
Dance!
Sanctify the circumstance
Come on dance
To the Lord of life
Dance in the good times
And dance through the bad
Dance as if this time
Was all that you had
And when it's all over
And it's all just begun
Well be dancing forever
In the light of the Son
Dance!
Let the Spirit set you free
You can dance
To the Lord of life
Dance!
Sanctify the circumstance
Come on dance
To the Lord of life
24 Green Street
Words and Music by John Fischer
(This song has also been recorded on a Peter Paul and
Mary album "LifeLines" by "Peter, Paul,
Mary &." The "&" refers to a
number of guests who appear on the recording including
Judy Collins, Emmy Lou Harris, B.B. King, Richie Havens,
Carly Simon, and John Sebastian. This song is done as a
solo by Mary. The album is excellent and Noel Stookey's
"For the Love Of It All" is worth the price of
the CD.)
The paint is old and peeling
The shutters show some cracks
There's a heavy limb on the apple tree
That's got to be cut back
There's some water in the cellar
A little sagging in the floor
But this house has weathered many storms
It will weather many more
'Cause I scraped away the peeling paint
And saw the wood was good and strong
And I found a firm foundation
Had been there all along.
Ah there's nothing here that a little work
And time can't heal
'Cause everything underneath is real
Nerves are frayed and ragged
Patience is wearing thin
Words were said in fits of rage
That never should have been
We've bruised each other badly
And lost respect along the way
But there's too much here worth saving
To throw it all away
'Cause I scraped away the peeling paint
And saw the wood was good and strong
And I found a firm foundation
Had been there all along.
Ah there's nothing here that a little work
And time can't heal
'Cause everything underneath is real
For a Good Man
Words and Music by John Fischer
There is no greater love
Than a man who lays down his life for a friend
No greater love
Than to follow through till the bitter end
No greater love
No greater love.
For a good man someone might die
For a good man someone might die
For a good man someone might die
Would you you die for me
Would I die for you
There is no greater pain
Than to love someone who shuns your name
No greater shame
Than a sacrifice that won't be claimed
No greater shame
No greater pain
For a good man someone might die
For a good man someone might die
For a good man someone might die
Would you you die for me
Would I die for you
There is no greater man
Than one who lays down his life for his friends
No greater man
Than one who can pick it up again
No greater man; no greater man
For a good man someone might die
For a good man someone might die
For a good man someone might die
Would you you die for me
Would I die for you
We Have Won
This War
Words and Music by John Fischer, Dan Russell, and Joel
Russell
Morning sun rising
There's sleep in our eyes
And echoes of nightmares
Taunt us with lies
But this is a new day
This is the dawn
There is a new way
Calling us on
We have won this war
We have won this war
The fight may not be done
But the war's already won
Hunger and hatred
War and disease
The debt of the devil
Is never appeased
But truth is the weapon
And faith is the shield
Love is the power
For those who won't yield
We have won this war
We have won this war
The fight may not be done
But the war's already won
Don't trust in armies
There's no hope in guns
Don't count on missiles
That block out the sun
For nothing below us
And nothing above
Can ever extinguish
The fire of his love
We have won this war
We have won this war
The fight may not be done
But the war's already won
Until Then
Words and Music by Dan Russell
Another day
Another night
Another cause
Another fight
Another shout
Another scream
Another doubt
Another dream
Another child
Another joy
Another gun
Another toy
Another wound
Another knife
No escape
>From this life
Until then
Until then
Until then
Till You come again
Until then
Until then
Until then
Till You come again
Another breath
Another heart
Another death
Another start
Another speech
Another lie
Another laugh
Another cry
Until then
Until then
Until then
Till You come again
Until then
Until then
Until then
Till You come again
Another time
Another place
Another crowd
Another face
Another fall
Another rise
Another call
To win the prize
Until then
Until then
Until then
Till You come again
Until then
Until then
Until then
Till You come again
 Back
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