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Silent Steeples
Release Date 08/19/1996

“Road trip to Colorado! Brad’s home state. We piled into a Volkswagen Van and we drove from Connecticut to Colorado. The wild part of this recording was the fact that we worked from 9pm to 3am most nights. It was so inspiring to be in the beautiful state of Colorado making music.”

– Pete Francis

Lyrics
01. Steeples

I heard a story about a boy
who was swept off the deck
The sweeping tide swept the sea over his neck
But it did not end there, the boy began to swim
And dared to the sea that dared to invade him
did you ever want to know me
did you ever feel like you could
it's a silent steeple
that carries us down
it's a silent steeple
But the sea wouldn't so much as reply
So the boy swore to the ships that were fated to die
Red sky at night, sailors delight
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning
sail on, take it back, sail on, take it back, sail on,
take it back
We were going with the wind in our hair
And we didn't want to look back 'cause if we did
We would not care
And if we all were to die now
Well it wouldn't be that bad
Cause the boy in the waves said
he'd give us everything
Everything he had
To go on and trace that scar,
like we did ten years before
chorus
sail on, take it back, sail on, take it back, sail on,
take it back
sail on, take it back, sail on, take it back, sail on,
take it back, sail on…

02. Past the Falls

The wind blew and her hair stood still
He sits beneath her window sill…
She awaits the magic in his hands
He walks her out into the night
And takes her in a different light
Her eyes divert to the water beneath his feet
oh, the water beneath his feet
oh, the water beneath his feet
Boy wakes up and runs outside
To find that all his fears have died
And all the shells are laying on the sand
She kicks a rock along the road
And stood still while the story was told
Do you believe in me he said, can you believe in me…
oh, you believe in me
oh, you believe in me
The wind blew and her hair stood still
He sits beneath her window sill…
She awaits the magic in his hands
He walks her out into the night
And takes her in a different light
Her eyes divert to the water beneath his feet
oh, the water beneath his feet
oh, the water beneath his feet
oh, you believe in me
oh, you believe in me

03. Water Stop

When you dove,
Drunk with sleep in your eyes
You stole what was left of the sky
I remember how you freed your hair,
Hung your head in a forgotten stare
And I thought…and I thought
when will the water stop,
will it pour all day?
when will the water stop?
I know that you can't say.
Turning to fall our of our lives,
Spinning pictures: blue screams and red kisses.
You sank into yourself and I got lost
Somwhere in between.
when will the water stop,
will it pour all day?
when will the water stop?
I know that you can't say.
She is washed up on his shore,
There's no time to get into his life.
She is washed up on his shore,
There's no time to get into his life.

04. Hey, Hey

Well I'm moving kind of slow
Down that same old path
Wasting time inside this hour glass
She's coming up ahead now
And I feel, yes I feel
My head turning like a race car wheel
Maybe I'll try to say hi another time
I've gotta find a way to get inside your mind
I'll talk smooth and walk one step closer
Be real cool, dang real cool.
say what you want, say what you mean
question yourself are you really what you seem?
say who you are, say what you mean
question yourself are you really what you dream?
Now here I come one more time
But she slides on by
Not even a second look
She took the bait right off that hook
I've got my blinders on tight
I pull my cap a little lower
I can hide, hide away
You might think that this is easy for me
But there's a lot of things you don't know,
You don't care, you don't want to see
Long while since I've got myself across
But maybe there's a reason for that
Even if I caught you I'd throw you back.
chorus
hey…hey…
I really don't want to fall back
because you don't seem like you care
and if I would fall back
you don't seem like you care
fall down your back, fall down your back
fall down your back, fall down your back
I will not, I will not hold, hold you back
you don't seem like you care
Fall back…you don't
Fall back…you don't
Fall back…you don't

05. Flying Horses

The river of doubt gave birth to a beautiful stone
And in my hands I held it and I knew I was on my own
So I picked it up and held it to the sky
And in my reflection, I knew I was all alone
Then I saw this girl with the most beautiful hair
She had it wrapped around her for clothes she did not wear
I asked her for a lock and she complied, after leaving
Gorgeous footsteps in the sand as if she didn't care
She was the prettiest girl I ever saw
The stone lay still without a flaw
The feelings I had defied the law
As I came to, I went to
And I took a look, a look down the road
To see a badger and a one eyed toad
They didn't say a word, they just looked at me
With that wise old look of the old
Then I went down to town
To my favorite merry-go-round
To the place where magic horses fly
And you seldom see a frown
but then I stole a ring from the flying horses
and I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
and it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
and I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
and it's all rusty now
You see 'cause that stone fell through my pocket
And that lock of hair flew away with the wind
If you get a chance to meet upon either
Well you know where they've been
But don't pick them up or try to find me
They're much happier to be on their own
Beauty like that knows no home
And then if you take a look, a look down the road
You'll see a badger and a one eyed toad
They won't say a word they'll just look at you
With that wise old look of old
chorus

06. Questioned Apocalypse

I went down to the drug store to check my head against
the Bright light but she caught me from behind
And though I did not know and though I did not care
I could not tell that I was blind to think my world a bubble
And to think that my brother's was too
And that she had come
To shatter all that I knew
So I straightened up my back and I cry
Do what you must do
take me now before I change my mind
take me now before I lose my mind
So I headed to the deep, deep forest
To catch my earnings
But my earnings were all up
My brother looks up at the sky and says
Why have you poisoned my brother's cup
And I say don't you worry boy
Cause the woman who came for me
Will surely show you your bliss
For she holds the answers to all your fears she
questions the apocalypse
chorus

08. Mayday

man:
I saw you yesterday
Your eyes were the color
of soe kind of grey.
I hear what you're saying
Please, don't let me go
I've got all these people
down below.
They rush to talk: They rush to say
Man overboard…
May Day…May Day…May Day…
Troubles are brought back by you
Funny how we, we go down
We go anywhere, but to the ground.
woman:
So I hear you're doing fine
You've flown all those planes
that have been on your mind.
I can't understand.
I don't need to know
I'll speak to you through this radio.
They rush to talk; They rush to say
Man overboard…
May Day…May Day…May Day…
Troubles are brought back by you
Funny how we, we go down
We go anywhere, but to the ground.
Troubles are brought back by you
Funny how we, we go down
We go anywhere, but to the ground.
They rush to talk; They rush to say
There's a man and he's overboard

09. Born Normal

Born a normal child, but the dream it didn't last long
Would you hold him down, my God why does he hang on
Someone do something, don't turn in disgust
Look him in the eyes
Can he hear us - can he hear us
Calling back to my friend
Won't you write me again, won't you say this is the end
eight years gone by
wanted to scream but he could not cry
suffer he so gallantly
he says, you have no idea what it's like to be me
I'm not saying that I do
I just wish that something was different
I'm not saying that I do
I just wish that something was different
someone was different
so hide your indifference away
What punishment is this
What did he do Lord to receive all this
And it was a narrow miss
Clench your muscles hard my son
Do what you must do
Look him in the eyes
Can he hear us
Can he hear us
Calling back to my friend
Won't you write me again, won't you say this is the end
chorus
away yes I hear you I have all the ideas in the world
away yes I hear you I have all the ideas in the world
away yes I hear you I have all the ideas in the world
away yes I hear you I have all the ideas in the world

10. Bridges (Strength in Numbers)

The furrowed bed of sand worries again
As it had before, waves left the land.
For the falling leaves the child weeping alone,
He's letting go of the anchor and all the lines…
Waiting for the fingers of the grey wave
Or his mother's hand to roll over him
With endless water…10,000 bridges
Show me father.
Now I'm older, now much older
And this wake can take me out to sea.
And this wake can take me out to sea.
I can see her, she is calling me
I can feel her there…I can feel her there.
Waiting for the fingers of the grey wave
of his mother's hand to roll over him
With endless water…10,000 bridges
We hold a gun
Show me father.

11. Walk With You

And I will walk with you
Using the stars as guides
On a homeward path we go
Knowing our time is nigh
I, I will walk…to be with you
So put your hand in mine
And lay your head to rest
We'll light the candles now
They won't be lit for long
We'll know our day was blessed
chorus
And I will walk with you
Using the stars as guides
On a homeward path we go
Knowing our time is nigh
I, I will walk to be with you
all that I've done, and all I say
to be with you…

12. Elias

Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye
Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye
Taizofara naye fara naye
Taizofara naye fara naye
Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye
Dai Jesu achoinekwa ndaizofara naye
Taizofara naye fara naye
Taizofara naye fara naye
Kwaziwai? Kwaziwai?
Makasimba, here?
Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo
Ndakasimba, Ndakasimba, Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo

You raise your head, you beat the sun
But your boys they lie so close to you
Do you dare get up and wake the two
Oh, Elias, I see you there at work in the day time
Do you think you answer all the questions in the world
In just one word, I think you could

Cause if you die will I get word that you're gone
Or will I hear it in passing conversation
Or will I stop short and fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me

Honest and Manuel, well they're at school now
Given the chance that their father's never seen
To see what's beyond section 17
And in ten years when you look back at your boys
Well you know they're grown way taller than the tallest
Sugar cane in the field

Cause if you die will I get word that you're gone
Or will I hear it in passing conversation
Or will I stop short and fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me

I see your wife she stands stooped over by the fire outside
And I see your boys and when they look up
You know I think they got their mother's eyes
Cause she looks so proud, she looks so happy
She looks so proud, she looks so happy

Cause if you die will I get word that you're gone
Or will I hear it in passing conversation
Or will I stop short and fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really going to meet me

13. Other Side (Live)

What's real these days
Am I your friend
I wanna run, run
From all my foes
Hey I'm still, still
So alone
Got news for you boy
Got news for you boy

I'm on the other side
You don't know
You can't tell
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
Well it's easy they say
You just smile the day away
Yeah, yeah, yeah

So push away what hurts
We'll show you a drink
To hold, hold
Yet I hold you in
And you give, give them
All they need
While you choke on
While you choke on

I'm on the other side
You don't know
You can't tell
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
Well it's easy they say
You just smile the day away
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Crossing your heart
Won't be easy this time
When you raise your trembling hands
And swear away
Swear away your life, yeah

When will life change for me
Could you answer that
I wanna crawl, crawl on a new shore
And know, know what's on my chest
Rest my heart
Rest my heart

I'm on the other side
You don't know
You can't tell
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
Well it's easy they say
You just smile the day away
Yeah, yeah, yeah

The other side
The other side
The other side
The other side
The other side
You just smile the day away
Yeah yeah yeah

14. Craze (Live)

Craze a chance
You learn to dance
Most people they just go on
Doing what they can
Don't you know, don't you know
One feeds the monster
One feeds the soul

Learn to see the old man
And he was sitting on his cracked land
Don't you know he's tuning the wheel of everyday
And he's afraid of what he can't see
Was it in the fire or the photograph

If it's hard, it's gonna get harder
If it's hard, it's gonna get harder
Cause the baby's crying
As the old man sighs
And the baby's crying
As the old man sighs

Would you go
Would you try to look a man in the eye

Learn to see the old
And his cracked land
He's turning the wheel of everyday
You learn to see the old man
And his cracked land
He's turning the wheel of everyday
He's afraid of what he can't see
He's afraid of what he can't see
He's afraid of what he can't see
Was it in the fire or the photograph

Well if it's hard, it's gonna get harder
If it's hard, it's gonna get harder
Cause the baby's crying
As the old man sighs
Well the baby's crying
As the old man sighs

The baby's crying
The children scream
The old man sighs as I begin to dream
The baby's crying
The children laugh
The old man sighs as I take the path

The baby's crying
The children scream
The old man sighs as I begin to dream
The baby's crying
The children laugh
The old man sighs as I take the path

Learn to see the old man
And his cracked land
He's turning the wheel of everyday
You learn to see the old man
And his cracked land
He's turning the wheel of everyday
He's afraid of what he can't see
He's afraid of what he can't see
He's afraid of what he can't see
Was it in the fire or the photograph