1. |
Music is the Boat
02:53
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Music is the Boat (c) 2020 Bill Metts
Late at night when I can’t sleep
Brain won’t quit working digging way down deep
Thinking ‘bout times I tried to do right that turn out all wrong
Today’s news on loop inside in my head
So I give up trying, get out of bed
Grab this old thing here and pick out a song
CHORUS
When life becomes a storm on this ocean of time
Music is the boat (beacon-light house) of melody and rhyme
that takes (guides) me home.
Thinking ‘bout things I saw out in the world today
About what needed said that I didn’t say.
Wondering why the hell can’t we all just get along.
Eyes wide open long after nightfall
So I take this thing down from its place on the wall
And give my poor tired soul some rest with a song
CHORUS
It Salve the burns puts out the fires
With a little bent wood and some steel wires.
Emotions set free to fly on breath and sound.
Fingers dancing on top of chords,
Lips and tongue stumbling all over words till the
Storm has passed and the wind has died down.
CHORUS
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2. |
Off the Beaten Path
02:06
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Off the Beaten Path © 2015 Bill Metts
Where I'm hiding you can't find me
‘cause I'm staying off the beaten path.
I'm not lonely just alone
I won't answer the door or the telephone
This peace of mind…gonna make it last
Don't wanna hear from nobody,
watch TV or read the news
Most everything I hear
just gives me the blues
Where I'm hiding you can't find me
‘cause I'm staying off the beaten path.
Ain’t got no lover…no dog to walk.
Nobody to invade my privacy
I won’t ask your time.
Do me a favor, don’t ask for mine.
gonna spend some precious moments
just on me.
It ain’t that bad playing solitaire
got no worries. got no cares.
got no plans.
Ain’t going nowhere.
Where I'm hiding you can't find me
‘cause I'm staying off the beaten path.
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3. |
Age With Grace
03:45
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Age With Grace ©
Words and Music by Bill Metts 2014
My boy and I were sitting at the kitchen table talking one night
You know…just having a little chat. The subject changed to getting old.
That’s a topic I am familiar with so I told him that it was a drag watching my hair fall out, and watching my body get soft and round. I said sometimes I get so tired I feel like I’m adrift at sea just waiting for my ship to run aground.
He got up from the table shaking his head, took a step or two, turned around and said “I’m so sorry Dad” I said “Hold on now. Please come back. Sit down.
Ain’t no need for you to feel bad.” When he did come back he had a guitar in hand and said “Dad I appreciate this bonding thing.” So if you don’t mind I hope you’ll be so kind as to listen to this songI wrote for you, and he began to sing…
When you get up and walk into another room
may you always remember why.
And wherever you go in the whole wide world
may there be a rest room near by.
May your Depends never bunch and all your farts be dry.
But have another pair around just in case just in case.
You know that’s just a joke, ain’t no need to have a stroke.
May you age with grace.
Verse 2
May you always be able to find your glasses
Remember too first look on your head.
When the family’s sitting around the kitchen table talking,
I hope that you can hear everything that’s said.
When you talk may your dentures stay in place.
May all the mirrors lie and hide the wrinkles all over your face.
All kidding aside, that you’re my dad brings me pride
and may you age with grace.
Bridge
I can tell by what you do that when I am as old as you
there will still be some fun to be had.
I hope when I’m your age turning the last page
that my kids don’t tease like I’m teasing you Dad
May you be able to keep Mama in a happy place
but have Viagra by the bedside just in case.
You know I’m just playing and it goes without saying,
May you age with grace.
Dad I’m just toying. Don’t know about you but I’m enjoying
watching you Age…..with grace
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4. |
Celebrate Life
01:53
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Celebrate Life (capo 2) © Bill Metts 2018
Down from the mountains, up from the hollers
rolling along on the plains,
I hear voices, Sirens and Muses.
They are calling my name.
Saying Sing with me, Play with me
Dance along with me too.
Use fingers and strings, sticks and skins
Don’t matter. We’ll celebrate life with you
Floating over the ocean
or drifting on the jet stream,
echoing deep from within the forest,
or bubbling in a cool mountain stream. They say,
Sing with me. Play with me.
Dance along with me too.
Use hollowed out reeds. Shake gourds with beads.
Don’t matter, we’ll celebrate life with you
INSTRUMENTAL
From the country front porch,
or the juke joint on the delta
or the street corner in the city
the Spirit of song is calling my name
saying sing loud, or soft and pretty but just
Sing with me. Play with me.
Dance along with me too.
Young or old, bring heart and soul.
Don’t matter we’ll celebrate life with you
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5. |
Why I Like it Here
02:32
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6. |
The Miracle
03:18
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The Miracle
There’s nothing like the sound
of a mist brushing the shore
of the pond on October Mountain
when Mother Earth’s calling
leaves back to their source.
The great Oaks children are leaving home
but they’re all dying.
All things succumb
to time’s unrelenting force.
I just wanted to follow that course.
Confused by the mist, on a precipice,
Lost and alone, led safely home
by some miracle.
There’s nothing like the sound
of the sunrise early morn
while fishing from the banks
of the great Green River
watching the new day born.
The Great Blue Heron and little stoats,
Trout jumping at the flies.
I Fell on my knees there a time or two,
thanked God for my ears and for my eyes.
Why I had to go I don’t know.
Said something about getting old,
couldn’t stand the cold, but I think I lied.
Nothing so simple could make a man leave his home
There’s nothing like the sound
of a whippoorwill at night
when the woods are bathed in black
and the tiniest bit of starlight
comes shining through.
Some say it’s a lonely sound.
I say that’s just not so.
It’s the sound of faith and hope
when the night is dark but you know
someone’s out there listening for you.
I’ve been there a time or two.
On the edge of a lonely ledge.
A frightened man, I reached out my hand
and touched the miracle…
of You.
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7. |
The River
03:41
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(c) Tommy Powell
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8. |
I'm Lost
02:58
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I’m Lost © Bill Metts 2018
I'm lost. I'm Lost. The train was gonna crash so I jumped off.
Didn't seem to matter how much I whined,
cried, railed and scoffed.
This damned ol' planet just kept on spinning
like the Dervish whirl.
So I got lost. So Lost. Lost in this crazy ol' world.
I can tell you where the sun comes up
and point to where it goes down
Still sometimes I get so lost
walking round this little ol' town.
When I get stopped by some poor soul
asking which way to go
The best I can do is give a blank stare and say
"Hell if I know."
CHORUS
I know the way to Betty Lou's house,
I know the number on her telephone
Her favorite perfume, the color of her eyes
and why I'm sitting here all alone.
When it comes to knowing
what a woman needs,
I just ain't so smart.
I get afraid of the dark and run home scared
when I try to find the way to her heart
CHORUS
I put my bed with the head against the wall
so when I go to sleep at night
wake up in the morning, depending how I feel,
I can roll left or I can roll right.
Either way I may lose but whatever I choose
at least it's mine and I'm free.
Please don’t ask for advice on the path
I'll say "Don't ask me."
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9. |
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10. |
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A Conversation with Death-by William Metts © 2016
It was a hot summer day on a long dusty road,
I was on the way to see my daddy.
He’s lived all alone on Purgatory Road
since the day that my mamma passed away.
But something seems amiss. I Can’t tell what it is
but the chill in the hot summer air don’t seem right
So I turn around to see what the trouble might be
and I find myself staring Death right in the eye.
Her eyes burned like fire, voice was like a cool mountain stream.
The air smelled of sweet fertile ground.
I fell down on my knees…gave out a primal scream
‘cause I know that’s where my body’s bound
There was no place to hide. Why me! Why now I cried
I want to say “I love you” to my children one time more.
Let me do one more good deed or just plant a seed
'fore you leave me all alone at that door
She said I know that you think that I am evil.
And you don’t understand the things that I do
But of this have no doubt it’s not me you need worry about.
It’s Time and it's Fate coming to get you. Then she said,
"Don’t you worry son your time here is not yet done
Can’t say more than that but this I will confide"
Then that woman death leaned in close I could feel her breath
She said, "Fear is your enemy. Let Love be your guide.
Let Love be your guide"
Then she touched me. It was not cold like I thought it would be.
but filled me with a peace of mind that I couldn't believe.
Closed my eyes took in the feeling. My whole world took to reeling.
When I opened my eyes it was a cool summers eve.
My mind was all hazy. Thought I was going crazy.
Ran to my daddy’s house filled with an unexplainable joy
There he was, standing at the door, He said "Boy what you so late for?"
I cried on Daddy’s shoulder like a little boy.
I Don’t know how and I don't know why. Lord knows I don’t know when
I will find myself naked and alone at that door.
But this I can say since my talk with Death that day
I’m not afraid any more. I’m not afraid any more. I’m not afraid any more.
With love as my guide, Good Lord at my side,
I am not afraid anymore.
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11. |
More Light
02:42
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More Light© Bill Metts © 2023
CHORUS
More light, less darkness
on the paths that I now Tread.
More joy, less sorrow, when my spirit has flown,
and this tired old body lay dead.
More giving less taking, More faith than fear
More trust than doubt O God
More light less darkness
on the paths where my feet have trod.
I do not know if when I pass, that I’ll be able to look back
on this life that I’m living here on earth.
To see the fruits from the seeds that I have sown
here and there since the day of my Birth.
Or ripples from the stones that I have thrown
without thinking into the eternal sea.
But if I could, I know exactly what I would
hope and pray to see
CHORUS
Standing at the gate or walking through a tunnel
toward a light on that fateful day.
Or meeting some great winged spiritual being
to guide me on my way.
Or floating along on some ethereal wind carrying
me to who the hell knows where.
But when my life flashes before my eyes
there is but one thing I want to see there.
CHORUS
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12. |
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Two Typical American Kids by Bill Metts 9/24/2023
Once upon a time there were two little boys.
The typical American kind.
Search the whole country over, every city or town,
two more typical kids could not be found.
Their names were James and Willy
they were friends of mine.
They were good little boys never got into trouble
just a little bit of mischief at night.
They liked baseball comic books, ice cream swirls,
they weren’t yet sure about little girls.
The only difference between 'um really
was James was black and Willie was white.
The boys were doing some work for their 5th grade teacher
after school one day to make some money.
When the job was done James
held out his hand for the dough,
she looked at him shook her head no.
She walked around James went to Willy and said,
"Here. Better safe than sorry honey".
This wasn't the first time Willy saw prejudice like that
but he couldn't let It go today.
He stood up tall with anger in his eyes
he knew his friend's worth he saw through those lies.
The bond that those boys shared between 'em
blew his fear away.
CHORUS
Us old ones don’t give them young ‘uns near
enough credit as they be de serving.
We go on teaching them things that ain’t been working. Maybe we’re the ones who should be watching,
listing and learning.
Willy wasn't gonna let nobody
treat his best friend that way.
He was stomping on the ground, shaking and crying.
There were angry words and spittle flying.
He looked at the money, spit on the ground,
turned and walked away.
That boy had no idea that what he'd just done
made the whole world a little bit brighter.
His friend James held his head up a whole lot higher
and because she'd gotten caught in Willy's line of fire,
the things that were wrong in that teacher's head and heart
got a little bit righter.
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13. |
Mighty Sea
01:33
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Bill Metts Cape Coral, Florida
I have been playing guitar and singing for nearly fifty years now. I Started with American Folk and Blues tunes and finger- style guitar. Had a run in with a Classic Rock band for 6 years or so and I sure was glad when that ended. I spent 15 years playing in nursing homes doing standards from the 30’s and 40’s. Now I mostly write. You will see a bit of all the above in my songs. I hope you like. ... more
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