Lyrics: Paul Cebar

When We Sing

(Paul Cebar/Groovesburg Joys BMI 2020)

We put a lot behind us when we sing
We bring a lot to the table when we sing
Much of whatever hangs heavy in our minds
The slings and arrows, Coarse words and angry tones
Fall by the wayside when we sing

We bring home into being when we sing
We edge out some of that lonesome when we sing
All the ways we get to feeling lost and on a limb
Are tempered by the feeling that we’re no more alone
We bring a lot together when we sing

When I sing all by my lonesome it can be a troubled call
Crying out for caring in the night
When I lend my voice to something we can keen to
In all this wrong there’s suddenly some right
And real delight

Way ahead of ourselves when we sing
Up and fully at ‘em when we sing
If there’s something pressing it’ll have to wait
No point in rushing into the mire
We all can come together when we sing

Off the ground and winging when we sing
When we sing
When we sing

 

We Sure Got Enough

(Paul Cebar-Pat McLaughlin)

We don’t go shopping for a great big house who really needs one
We got a way to get in out of the rain whenever the rains come
We ain’t broke but we ain’t flush
But girl we don’t really want for much

We’ll never get our picture in a magazine or ever go riding in a
limousine
We’re prob’ly never gonna have a lot of stuff
but WE SURE GOT ENOUGH

It’s been a pretty good long while since we had a vacation
But we got a hidey hole and we can get away
Life ain’t grand but we got love
How ’bout them apples? We gonna shine ’em up

You’ll find us in the backrows on the aeroplane
Squinting at Florida trying to make it Spain
Shrugging when they’re calling for the rough and tough
WE SURE GOT ENOUGH

We’re just folks, It’s just us chickens
But I bet we are gonna go the distance
We’ll never get our picture in a magazine or ever go riding in a
limousine
We’re prob’ly never gonna have a lot of stuff,
but WE SURE GOT ENOUGH

 

Sunday Ride

(Paul Cebar)

Everything’s working, He’s dressed like his car
It’s a candy flake jacket and that sissy bar
Mr Jazz is riding, too, with his burnished fringe
On the matte black tip

And it’s off to fall just before the colors
And the sickly slide
We’re hovering, humming and thinking wide
On this Sunday Ride

We squirt out of summer and it’s torpid grip
Out on the highway, on this aimless trip
Motor City is calling with its welcoming tire

And it’s off to fall just before the colors
and the sickly slide
We’re swinging, purring and thinking wide
On this Sunday ride

Corn’s head high, everything’s hanging on
It’ll be bonfires and jackets and dragging along
But now it’s shirt sleeves, and a brand new breeze
In a flicking green time

And it’s off to fall just before the colors
and the sickly slide
We’re floating, wining and thinking wide
On this Sunday ride
Mighty Terror on the box
Memphis stomp on the side
On our Sunday Ride

On a Sunday Ride, on a Sunday Ride,  Sunday Ride, Sunday Ride

 

Keep On (Lookin’ Like That)

Keep on thinkin’ whatever way you wanna
Keep on fumblin’ in that same old stew
Keep on holding yourself above the fray
Or get down in it, darling baby, and do it true
I don’t care which way you bring it
If you’re pitching or you’re waiting at bat
Just bring it like it means something to you
And keep on looking like that

Oh well, Keep on
Keep on looking and I’m sure you’ll find
Oh well, Keep on
Keep on lookin’ and you’re bound to see
Oh well, Keep on
Keep on lookin’ in the lean, meantime,
You’ll be looking like that to me

Don’t stop but keep your eye on the mirror
Don’t fret but keep your weather eye free
Do prance you know I really love to see it
Do do that little thing for me
I’ve no sway you’re rustling through that chute right quick
Who wants sway when you work it like that?
I’ve no place but I’ll be in the foam
When your wave comes knockin’ and the shore gives way

Oh well, keep on
Keep on lookin’ and I’m sure you’ll find
Oh well, keep on
Keep on lookin’ and you’re bound to see
Oh well, keep on
Keep on lookin’ in the lean, meantime
And you’ll be lookin’ like that to me

You’re scissors, baby, we’re paper and a rock
I think I might be paper
He’s a rock, I guess, watch your blade, babe baby
And keep on lookin’ like that

Oh well, keep on
Keep on lookin’ and you’re bound to  find
Oh well, keep on
Keep on lookin’ and you’re sure to see
Oh well, keep on
Keep on lookin’ in that lean, meantime
And you’ll be looking like that to me

 

Didn’t Bring It Up

(Paul Cebar-Willy Porter)

I checked the oil and the gutters are clear
The roof will hold for another year
I can’t pretend that I know what you’re missing
Nothing smells, but I can hear that hissing

I didn’t bring it up to bring you down
All I wanna do is stick around
You can count me as the last to know
What’s lying underground
I didn’t bring it up to bring you down

Bring you down to the wire that you know’s gonna trip you
Down to the place that you know you don’t wanna go

Now where’s the give in the festivities here
A little torque on the bedsprings, dear
A little quiz and we’re off and gunning
Way down the line to who knows what’s coming
I didn’t bring it up to bring you down
Our little house of cards comes crashing down now
Count me as the last to know what’s lying underground
I didn’t bring it up to bring you down

Somewhere so deep and elemental
Cruel and knowing, fundamentally down

I didn’t bring it up to bring you down
Our little house of cards comes crashing down now
And this really is the best thing that I have ever found
I didn’t bring it up to bring you down

To bring you down
Bring you down
Bring you down
Now, now
Bring you dow..a..a..own

 

If You Lead Me

(Paul Cebar/Groovesburg Joys BMI)

I’ve wandered off hearing singing in the wind
I’ve paused by the side of the road
I’ve plunged into thickets and switchbacks
Rambled through the gravel with my load
Where the river is flowing
I’m sure there’s someway to see
Ain’t no telling what I can do
If you lead me

I’m at the mercy of those watching out for me
Most of the byways have been kind
There’s been a great spirit pulling me on
And a quiet place to ease my mind
Most of the great obstacles have fallen away
Alert and on point I’m glad to be
Ain’t no telling what I could do
If you lead me

I’ll be sure to follow if you take my hand
If you slow a bit and let me catch up
I’m betting we’re both headed on to things brighter
To some lively land, I do pray
If you lead me how can I stray?

I’ve wandered off hearing singing in the wind
I’ve paused by the side of the road
I’ve plunged into thickets and switchbacks
Rambled through the gravel with my load
Where the river is flowing
I’m sure there’s someway to see
Ain’t no telling what I can do
If you lead me
If you lead me
Ain’t no telling what I could do
If you lead me

 

(Kick Up) The Lovin’ Sound

(Paul Cebar/Groovesburg Joys BMI)

Kick up a holy racket in the morning, Rock you into solid health
Kick up a holy racket in the morning, ‘Like to feel a little better myself

Kick up / the holy racket
Kick up / the fellow feel
Kick up / a world of comfort
Kick up / a heart of steel
Kick up / a healing humming
Kick up / a humming power
Kick up / a wider moment
Kick up /a balm-filled hour

Kick up, kick up, kick up, kick up the loving sound
Kick up, kick up, kick up, kick up the loving sound

Walkin’ with my betters on the high road in the sun
Listening to the birdies work their magic, trill their runs
Lifting up the burdened with a righteous fellow thing
Before the clouds come rolling we will set the bells to ring

Kick up a holy racket in the evening when the moon come bend down low
Kick up a holy racket in the evening, All the engines get set to go
Kick up a holy racket in the morning when your feet don’t seem to match
Kick up a holy racket in the morning
when your flame just won’t quite catch

Kick up / a holy racket
Kick up / the righteous rock
Kick up / the time’s a wasting
Kick up / tick, tock
Kick up / the healing water
Kick up / we’ll never tire
Kick up / we’re doing the do
Kick up / the cleansing fire

Kick up, kick up, kick up, kick up the loving sound

Got a good notion and a whole lot of steam
Take me to the river shake off the dark dream
I’ll be clean as a whistle, I’ll be sleek as a seal
I’m ready for the calling, for the clowning and the feel

Kick up a holy racket in the morning, Rock you into solid health
Kick up a holy racket in the morning I’d like to feel a little better myself

Kick up / a holy racket
Kick up / the fellow feel
Kick up / a world of comfort
Kick up / a heart of steel
Kick up / a healing humming
Kick up / a humming power
Kick up / a wider moment
Kick up / a balm-filled hour

Kick up, kick up, kick up, kick up the loving sound
Kick up, kick up, kick up, kick up the loving sound

 

The Brink of Things

(Paul Cebar)

When every single record seems to speak your mind
And you’d like to leave even your favorites far behind
In the interest of the future you call for songs about socks
Simmering spices and bonds and stocks
But the hoop won’t have it, the limp won’t green up again
And you’ll be singin all over again
You’re lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love
Takes you to the brink of things
You ain’t never thought quite of
Like looking for water in the pouring rain
You’re lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love

When the horrible wheels of history seem to grind through your front door
And entropy calls out loud and clear to you once more
And every dire paradigm holds a little whit of truth
Every smiling passerby flashes an extra tooth
Well it’s small potatoes, it’s remember when
Then you’re singin’ all over again
Lovin’ livin’ but Iivin’ love
Take you down a notch or two from soaring up above
Like crying for quiet when your heart’s the only sound
You’re lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love
Lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love

If there ever was a way to feel this more obliquely
I’m sure that way is well-barred to me
If there ever was a time to laugh and roll it over
Well, it’s half past heartaches and a quarter to three

When the world is calling, and she can hear it, too
It has every reason to, she can’t seem to hear from you
So you start to lovin’ louder,You paint with broader strokes
Heap on the high praises, won’t let up on all the jokes
She’ll only hear your song from someone else again
And you’ll be singing to spite every one of them
Lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love
Take you to the brink of things you ain’t never thought quite of
Like lookin’ for water in the pouring rain
You’re just lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love
You keep on lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love
You’re just lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love, Just a lovin’ livin’ but livin’ love

 

Hold Out Hope

(Paul Cebar/Groovesburg Joys BMI)

I’ve cut back on looking for trouble
I’m backing away from the fire
Don’t you know there’s plenty of heartache
Who knows the count or the scope?
Hold out some banner of foreboding
Me, I’m gonna hold out hope

Who knows the way away from temptation?
Who knows the day or the hour?
Who’s got the chutzpah to gainsay the naysayers
And take from the brutes their raw power?
Surely I can see storm clouds milling
Many at the end of their rope
Hold up some sop to the hellhounds
Me, I’m gonna hold out hope

Hold on to a whiff of promise
Hold out ‘til the worst of it clears
Hold in the impulse to judge and find wanting
Hold Out Hope

A healing humming that’s what we’ll do
A little lilt to help make a way
A leaning in to help hold each other up
And keep our worst imaginings at bay
Haven’t we always been up for the struggle
Hiked many a slippery slope
Hold off on selling all of us short
How ‘bout we hold out hope

Hold down expectations
Hold off the wolves at the door
Hold onto some shred of pride in the doing
Help us Hold Out Hope
Hold Out Hope
Hold Out Hope

 

Back in the Wind

(Paul Cebar – Peter Mulvey)

Somebody started it
I get the feeling they’ve been gone awhile
They roped me in
There weren’t nothing we could do
I’m kind of thinkin’
They were just kiddin’ bout that extra mile
Early bird he got it
There’s nothing left for me and you

Where do we go?
They didn’t say
Work it on through and back again
Put in our time, labor down in
How long’s it gonna be
‘Til we’re back in the wind

Some kind of sedative
Crept into what passes for my higher mind

You got to hand it to ‘em
They got me thinkin’ that it’s me
Been dreamin’ lately
Wide awake you know the flying kind
Blue whistle blowin’
Let’s just go see what we can see
Where do we go
They didn’t say
Work it on through and back again
Put in our tine, labor down in
How long’s it gonna be ‘til we’re back in the wind

If you wanna know the truth of it
I probably could have half-assed my way
Through the rest of the deal
But something wouldn’t let me
Something wouldn’t let me

Where do we go
They didn’t say
Work it on through and back again
Put in our time, labor down in
How long’s it gonna be ‘til we’re back in the wind
We’re going back in the wind, Back, back in the wind

 

Dreaming Back

(Paul Cebar-Pat McLaughlin)

See my baby walkin’ down the street
And she’s moving mighty slow
See my woman goin’ off to sleep
And she ain’t got far to go
There gold in her cup, there’s a train gliding up
Leaves her feeling like somebody else
All the cares of the day are all neatly away
And put up just so on the shelf
And I say, whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh

Feel my baby lyin’ next to me
She’s a hundred miles away
Seems my baby has got the jump on me
And half the pillow where I lay
How she furrows her brow leaves me wondering how
She finds her way back into town
I’m not meant to know all the places she goes
It’s a wonder she comes back around
And I say, whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh

How deep and wide, how near or far
Dreaming back to where we are

See my baby slippin’ out of bed
And she’s slinking down those stairs
There’s birds all around
Don’t know which way is down
And an arrow flies right by my head
Must have angered someone, just when I start to run
She’s bringing me coffee in bed
And I say, Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh