brave new world

"brave new world" is out now! to order it, contact me, or go to cd baby (listen to it there, too!)
in north america, call 1-800-BUY MY CD with credit card, or send $15 US plus $2.50 shipping to:
randall williams, 32 indian trail, hickory creek tx 75065-2920.

it's a picture of a moment - a stormy voyage of two best friends who are each - on their own - learning slowly and sometimes painfully about this thing called loving. said miranda: "o brave new world that hast such people in it!"

brave new world, 2003
(with rowan israel)
brave new world
waves
teach us to read
graceless
words are not enough
long time knowing
histoire d'amour
love's ashes
where was i
song for the bereaved
draw the line
dear mr. president
woman blues
brave new world

brave new world lyrics:

 

brave new world

i stand on the shore and watch the tide
beat the sand to pieces
for a million years neigh
the moon pulls the waves
back to her womb
reaches down her hand
and makes me take the wheel

out of the harbour,
i'm charting by the stars
open up the sails
and let the wind take me on

into the starlit sea
past the coasts of continents,
sailing through the deep
tradewinds blow our sails unfurled
through our own hemispheres,
out into this brave new world.

landfall, i greet the farthest shore
kneeling on the beach,
now running as before
faster now, i dive into the waves
laughing like a child
as the sun sets in the bay

nighttime
i'll burn this ship of mine
sparks become stars
as i sing into the night

i'm free to love myself again,
greet the fleet of captains
who've long since left their homes
never to return to where we were
standing on the precipice,
look out into this brave new world.

 

waves

you were still married at the time, a part-time teacher & i was doin' time
in your world you had ev'ry trouble sussed
& in your world you had no room for people like us

leah had golden hands & hair, a curious nature with light & insight to share
i'd made my peace with her before
i'd made my peace but it would come undone on your troubling shore

chorus:
we are like waves building to storm
deeper we roll, becoming foam
like bread: we're on the table, still warm
but 'til we're made, we're just dough that's to be thrown
on hard stone

instrumental (time to think)

chorus

a "man of God", you knew the Law
wearing such power, forgetting your flaws
& your woman, well... she saw it all
now she's just waiting & praying for you...
to fall... (hard stone) ... come down: admit it all

chorus

 

teach us to read

this path that you have chosen,
others have gone before you
and this road that you will build
may seem nothing new to them
but nestled safe in peaceful silence
is the cabin that you share
and the garden of your love
gently shaped with warmest hands

chorus: teach us to read in your faces
this testament you'll write, open wide for all to see
teach us to read in your eyes now
two souls wandering, blending, learning to weave.

the road that you build
leads to a temple on a hill
at it's savred altar you'll worship with your lives
nestled safe in peaceful silence
blessed gifts that you will bring
the sweetest, softest grace
this world will ever know

the garden of your love
flowers stronger with the years
the soft spring rains will help it grow
as you sleep warm inside
this path that you have chosen,
no soul can walk it for you
the home you build your history,
your monument to peace...

 

graceless

 

words are not enough

for dave and tracy

climb the highest hill,
watch the leaves change and fall
feel the gentle majesty
and wonder at the beauty of it all
listen to a child,
love him when he cries
these are the moments
that make our lives what they are

chorus: but words are not enough
when there's nothing left to say
you'll be on your own,
and i'll go my way

stop to kiss goodbye
as you walk out the door
tell her that you love her
as if you've never
said those words before
smell the early autumn leaves,
watch the birds take flight
these are the moments
which make our lives what they are

sleep beneath a million stars
as the glowing embers die
singing softly with your friends
as smoke drifts slowly to the sky
hold your mother's hand,
walking slowly side by side
these are the moments
that make our lives what they are

 

long time knowing


histoire d'amour

Il reste des chaises dans le jardin où on était,
Un bocal de fleurs que t'as laissé,
Une histoire rempli d'amour, qui a du faire un tour
Bien plus grand que ce qu'on a fait

Réfrain :

"T'as vu la lune, comme elle est pleine ce soir -
Au-dessus du sable hollandais?"
Cachés dans les dunes,
sans que personne ne l'aperçoive
Jusqu' à l'aube, on dormait.

Il n'y a que des images dans ma tête d'où on était,
Toute ces vielles photos qu'on prenait,
Les souvenirs s'éloignent avec les années,
Mais j'ai la toile, la plus belle que t'ais jamais fait

Réfrain

Et toi, qu'est que il en reste de ce que on était?
Des fleurs sechées que tu m'as données?
Notre histoire rempli d'amour
va toujours faire le tour,
Et moi, je chanterai:

Réfrain

i fed this song to altavista's babelfish. the results were interesting and impressive, especially compared to other web-based translators. i'm including them here, unedited. it will give non-french speakers a very poetic rendering of what the above text actually says.

History of love It remains chairs in the garden where one was, a bottle of flowers which left you, a history filled of love, which has to make a Bien turn larger than than one made Refrain: "saw You the moon, as it is full this evening - Above Dutch sand?" Hidden in the dunes, without nobody seeing it To the paddle, one slept. There are only images in my head from where one was, All these hurdy-gurdies photographs which one took, the memories move away with the years, But I have the fabric, most beautiful that you board ever made Réfrain And you, who is that it remains about it of what one was? Sechées flowers that you did give me? Our history filled of love always will make the turn, And me, I will sing: Réfrain

 

love's ashes

 

where was i?

i've walked along the coast and seen the world,
crossed gibraltar, sails unfurled,
not one look back to see my home.

tonight i'm on a paris train,
or seeing glasgow under rain,
walking alone through hills and fields.

where was i, when you need that hand to hold?
where was the friend you needed most?

now i'm here and flying there,
moving fast, no time to share
all the stories of last year.

or moving house from place to place,
changing countries like a race,
in one last ditch to stay alive.

where was i, when you need that hand to hold?
where was the friend you needed most?

i'm sorry for the cards i never sent,
all the times i came and went,
all the lonesome short goodbyes,

and all the letters never mailed,
all those times that i failed
to call you up and say hello.

where was i, when you need that hand to hold?
where was the friend you needed most?

today i'm singing this new song,
trying to make right from the wrong,
and i'll send it off to you.

and i'll try my very best,
for iknow i've been blessed
to have a friend who's been so true.

you were there, when i needed your hand to hold.
you were the friend that ineeded most.

 

song for the bereaved

these words are a poem that was given to me by a friend. it was labled 'anonymous.' i'm told that the author wrote it for the passing of her mother. i sent a recording of the song to marcia guntzel feldman, a talented boston-based musician who plays songs of comfort for the terminally ill. so the song is already making the rounds, although i haven't met the author...

when i come to the end of the road
and the sun has set for me
i want no rites in a gloom-filled room
why cry for a soul set free?

miss me a little, but not for long
and not with your head bowed low
remember the love that we once shared
miss me, but let me go.

for this is a journey we all must take
and each must go alone
it's all part of a master plan -
a step on the road to home

when you are lonely and sick at heart
go to the friends we know.
laugh at the things we used to do,
miss me, but let me go.

 

draw the line

lines become squares become boxes
boxes become lives, become our families
i draw a circle and paint me in, paint you out
what makes a circle of friends can make enemies

chorus:
it comes down to who we love
it comes down to how we love
not where we draw the line

i draw my circle to protect my self
my box becomes my life becomes our society
ignorance becomes violence silence becomes fear
fear becomes hate becomes rage, becomes war

chorus

white and black, straight and gay, boy and girl
whites kill blacks, straights kill gays, boys kill girls
protestant and catholic, arab and jew
where were you born, which church do you go to?

Chorus

 

dear mr. president

dear mr. president, I think you're wrong again.
you wanna drop those bombs on friends of mine.
dear mr. president, what'd daddy say again?
i thought we were supposed to be gentle and kind.

chorus:
rome wasn't built in a day,
and nero fiddled while they burned.
armies couldn't break down those walls
invaders wouldn't make it fall - oh, no -
they drowned in their own arrogance.

dear mr. president, you're throwing stones again.
from your big glass house all alone.
dear mr. president, what'd jesus say again?
"you without sin, go ahead and throw."

bridge:
oh, no, oh, no

dear mr. president, won't you think again?
an eye for an eye will leave us toothless and blind.
dear mr. president, what'd you say again?
"those evil people deserve to die."

chorus:
rome wasn't built in a day,
and you're gonna fiddle while we burn.
armies couldn't break down our walls
those aeroplanes wouldn't make us fall - oh, no -
we'll drown in our own arrogance.

 

woman blues

high-heeled shoes say nothin' about me,
nothin' bout who i am, or who i wanna be.

push-up bras say nothin' about me,
nothin' bout who i am, or who i wanna be.

pinup mags say nothin' about me,
nothin' bout who i am, or who i wanna be.