lyrics
“Letters From the Jalopy” , Ksenia Mack’s CD
All songs available for download at iTunes
Or order the full CD at at CDBaby.
See what Erin West of Indie Music has to say:
In Ksenia Mack’s song “Trainwrecks and Robberies,” she says, “She’s hard to resist, look at this…” You could say the same for Ksenia Mack herself. Her newest CD, Letters from the Jalopy, is like a summer storm. Mack’s strong, honey-warm voice rolls through, bearing beautiful word droplets, and before you know it, the emotion is pouring all around you. You stand in it, letting it soak you to the bone because it feels so good.
Mack’s playfulness, as heard in some lyrics, such as “God’s asleep, better turn your TVs down,” is balanced with the delicate nature of other lyrics, as heard in Meryl’s Spring, “Meryl’s in her spring. Flowers folding, beautiful unseen.” This contradiction is the soul of what folk music really is, and Ksenia Mack’s music is what folks should really listen to. Every song will find that part of your heart that needs to be heard, held, and poked fun at a little. Although Ksenia Mack’s voice and music are as distinctive as her name, if you like the music of the Indigo Girls, Kathleen Edwards, and Alison Krauss, you surely won’t be disappointed with this CD.
Trainwrecks and Robberies:
She boarded on
With a suitcase and a loaded gun.
Filled with his dying dreams,
“Not this time, maybe this one.”
Younger days never seen life be so plain.
She’s hard to resist, look at this,
It would be so easy to explain…
Love affairs
Are just train wrecks or robberies
Happening there.
He didn’t count on the thing
That would occur when she walked by.
Someone who waits at home,
He swore he wouldn’t hurt,
So begins to lie.
He began to think.
No he didn’t think.
He just moved on it.
After all, what a world,
What a thrill,
Who’d it hurt, who’d it kill?
Oh to hell with it.
Oh, Love affairs
Are just train wrecks or robberies
Happening there
Tell the truth
You can’t stop it now
Why try?
If these wheels are in motion
And he needs something
You can…
Kiss that love goodbye
Kiss that love goodbye
Kiss that love goodbye
Kiss that love goodbye
Oh, Love Affairs are..
Train wrecks and Robberies
Happening there.
It’s just a robbery or train wreck
Just a robbery or train wreck
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Claybirds:
Target practice
It’s fall and the air is crisp
You’re there with your
Hip-cracked rifle
I’m just learning about this
I will carry
The weight of these claybirds till
they soar
“Let them fly”
You had to coax me
“Come on, let them fly
That’s what we came here for”
But I,
Can not believe this
These Claybirds
Fall and lie in
Broken bits
And you say,
None of my friends
Are good enough for me
I’m barely good enough for you
You’re not sure about anyone
else
So I’ll do
No I,
Can not believe this
These Claybirds
Fall and lie in
Broken bits
I heard you cuss
I saw you spit
I watched you wipe away the
grit
I saw your image in your gun
I watched the plaid shirt
Fold the elbow
I watched you slowly bend
One knee and kneel down
And through the blood
That stained your cheek
I saw the stubble underneath
I see the way you play the game
I watch you loving all this pain
And where does that
Leave me
Seeing this and hearing that
And who am I
To be beside
This man of grit…
Of iron?
No I,
Can not believe this
My Claybirds
Fall and lie in
Broken bits
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Ghost Town:
I can hear you talking.
What’s that?
What would you say?
The nights have lost their spirit
They just drag in the day.
People here are talking
They don’t know what you mean.
They don’t know what they’re missing
They’re just here for the scene.
I hear voices in my ears
I feel fingers in my hair
I rise above
Rise above
I can’t find
You anywhere
This ghost town’s where these bones are
drawn
from miles of earth where they’ve been
beaten down.
To come and dance a final round in streets
that once said “home.”
I have seen these Names
Sewn on with your things.
Broken poems, feathered boas,
Are all that’s left of your dreams.
Now I know what matters
This isn’t about blood.
It’s bones it’s flesh,
Your life your breath.
It’s all that’s left of this love.
I hear voices in my ears
I feel fingers in my hair
I rise above
Rise above
I can’t find
You anywhere
This ghost town’s where these bones are
drawn
From miles of earth where they’ve been
Battered and beaten on
To come and dance a final round in streets
that once called “home”
They’ve traveled far to lay them here
Where their ‘bittered voices fill the air
And silence hadn’t been despair
At least someone was listening.
At least somebody was
Somebody was
You see somebody was
See somebody was
See somebody was
See somebody was
See somebody was
You see somebody was
See somebody was
See
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The Other Side:
I live on the West Side
My river shows me
The entire city shines
In its stream
Into its reflection
I watch you slowly
I see the bridges
I’ve crossed
In my dreams
Handsome Dark
And quiet face
Won’t you slow
your lover’s pace?
To see if your heart aches
And breaks in two?
The sun going down
Is my favorite season
There’s no reason
I love to watch it tire
I thought maybe
You and I
Would be lovers and
We could watch it
From the other side
I turn and cross uptown
I try and track you down
I stop in places
I hope you might be
But there’s no one calling
No footsteps following
No open front door.
No note
No key
Handsome Dark
And quiet face
Won’t you slow
your lover’s pace?
To see if your heart aches
And breaks in two?
The sun going down
Is my favorite season
There’s no reason
I love to watch it tire
I thought maybe
You and I
Would be lovers and
We could watch it
From the other side
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Man In The Moon:
Heaven washes its tired little hands
Who then made these tired little lambs
With their eyes closed?
Not diamonds but rhinestones?
I am walking the streets of this town
Ssshhhhhh God’s asleep
Better turn your TVs down
You’ll wake him
I’m in no hurry
Heaven forbid the angels talk to me
God slammed the lid and the angels
walk over me
Why did you wake me?
I may as well have been just
The Man in the Moon
Someone you dreamed up
And always assumed to be there
Who’s never been found
Someone you could look up to
Who couldn’t come down
How in the hell did you ever get
Through to me?
Breathed life like I couldn’t believe
I didn’t know love could be that big
Now you tell me, “this is no fun.”
It’s after the fact over and done.
Hey really,
Did you think we’d end laughing?
I may as well have been just
The Man in the Moon
Someone you dreamed up
And always assumed to be there
Who’s never been found
Someone you could look up to
Who couldn’t come down
I never knew love could be this big
It set me on fire and the smoke is so thick
My eyes burn
So I close them up
I’ve been crying
Cause it won’t let go of me
You left me here dreaming amongst people
Who are asleep and dying
Why didn’t you take me?
I may as well have been just
The Man in the Moon
Someone you dreamed up
And always assumed to be there
Who’s never been found
Someone you could look up to
Who couldn’t come down
Who just couldn’t come down.
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Letters From the Jalopy II (Think Of Me):
I touch my skin
I carve your initials in
There’s no one to blame
You left me this flame
And I live within
I’ll burn and I’ll wait
You said you would be here soon
But news doesn’t come
I sit and wonder
What I’ve done
Think of me
Damn you
Think of me
And of who’s laying next to you
And if you’re not through
Maybe you should be
I’ll make the rent
I’m not a victim yet
The night howls on
My arms are long enough
To pull you in
Think of me
Damn you
Think of me
And of who’s laying next to you
And if you’re not through
Baby you should be
I touch my skin
I’ll carve your initials in
There’s no one to blame
You left me this flame
I live within
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Leaving Me Because:
The warming of your smile awoke me
like I’ve been laying here
alone for all these years.
Then I felt your body close to me
I thought that I’d fall free
and you catch up with me.
Now, I search the words you spoke to me
shrapnel of evidence
Caught in my hand I guess
as I
Watch the back of you leaving
I watch the back of you leaving
I watch the back of you leaving
When I used to watch it here
I have heard you coming
And I heard what you said
I thought I knew what you didn’t say
or did I fill it in?
Don’t say you’re leaving me because…
Because you’ll leave me because…
Because you’ll hurt me?
Well,
You’ve already hurt me.
So what.
Ice has turned your smile frozen
when it should have melted years.
Rivers cry out when they’re broken.
Call it what you will
Don’t blame me for my tears
as I…
Watch the back of you leaving
I watch the back of you leaving
I watch the back of you leaving
When I used to watch it here
I have heard you coming
And I heard what you said
And I thought I knew what you didn’t
But I guess I filled it in.
Don’t say you’re leaving me because…
Because you’ll leave me because…
Because you’ll hurt me?
Well,
You’ve already hurt me.
So what
Now I face the night like I know
I was meant to all along.
Would you stay if I said “don’t go?”
Would that have kept you here?
I don’t think so.
Cause I…
Watch the back of you leaving
I watch the back of you leaving
I watch the back of you leaving
When I used to watch it here
I have heard you coming
I heard what you said
I thought I knew what you didn’t say darling
Or did I fill it in?
Don’t say you’re leaving me because…
Because you’ll leave me because…
Because you’ll hurt me?
Well,
You’ve already hurt me
Ok, so you hurt me
You’ve already hurt me
Ok, so you hurt me
And it’s already over
Yes, it’s already over
It’s already over
So what.
So what?
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Eyes of Angels:
You can go to sleep
By the light in the street
Thinking you see the eyes of angels
Rivers of Jordan rise to your knees
You wonder when that boat be by to save you
Mercy’s coming soon
She’s always late
Oh, Call on me Mercy
Maybe there’s a heaven above
Thank God you pray
Oh, Maybe
Maybe some day it will hear you
You hear your laughter
Can you feel it too?
You hear the Angels whisper
“Do not fear”
Fall in pieces where she’s touching you
What you going to do when nothing’s there?
Mercy’s coming soon
But she’s always late
Oh, call on me Mercy
If there’s a heaven above it’s far away
Oh maybe
Maybe some day it will hear you
The eyes of angels are watching you
You say the night is full of colours
You found your savior lying next to you
Close your eyes
“Good night” to angels
Close your eyes
Say goodnight
Mercy’s coming
Money’s coming anytime now
Hold on tight
Mercy’s coming
Money’s coming anytime now
Hold on tight
Close your eyes and say goodnight.
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Meryl’s Spring:
Meryl in her spring
Flowers folding
Beautiful unseen
Hair piled high falling
Her sleeve
the break of her knee
What he sees
What he sees
Meryl gets her things
Takes the wrong train
Beautiful unseen
Fingers folding in
She wonders again
She wonders again
Why he stays
Why he stays
Why he stays
Today felt like a holiday
She brings on lemonade
She brings on brilliant days
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Amsterdam:
The lights so dim I just can’t see
I’ve heard every word I’ll ever need
I can’t reach you and you don’t try for me
Tears smash to my cheek
Outside the cabs are lining up
I pray I finally toughen up
Your walls could crush my blood
And melt my bones
I’d still be alone
Don’t just turn your back
I can’t shut this off
I’ve loved someone dead
Just get through Amsterdam
(Would you hold the camera for us?)
I reach myself under these sheets
Your breath slows down
Are you still asleep?
I don’t care if you wake and listen too
May it still live with you
This hotel room has turned to stone
I’ve become something that you own
I made the wrong turn I want to be home
And take back all you stole
Don’t just turn your back
I can’t shut this off
I’ve loved someone dead
Just get through…
Don’t just turn your back,
I can’t shut this off
I’ll show you who I am
When I get through Amsterdam
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Parachute/Last Person Waltz:
Should have brought
some sugary things
A pearl or two
or even three
Just relaxed
let you laugh
with heads thrown back and
watched you dance
Given love that you’d
give back
But I have changed my mind
What I brought is my parachute
to catch me when I fall
I watch it billow underneath
when I pull the cord
It doesn’t fall as fast as I do…
Crazy hats, roadway maps
books to read out by the sea
Cameras to take photographs
I have changed my mind
You see I brought my parachute
To catch me when I fall
I watch it billow underneath
when I pull the cord
It doesn’t fall as fast as I do…
Rivers and vacations blue
bicycles like lovers do
Grapes are bursting with
the taste of skin
Better think again
What I brought is my parachute
To catch me when I fall
I watch it billow
from underneath
when I pull the cord
It doesn’t fall as fast as I do…
it just floats
me down.
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