opening disclaimer

©2006 rod macdonald (blue flute music/ascap)

listen can you hear it, the sound of a society
where no one ever takes any responsibility
everything’s presented as if it were all pre-ordained
no one can change anything, no need for someone to explain
the politician says the budget was unable to be balanced
justice failed to be observed, mass weapons undetected
the environment was unconcerned, the votes were not respected
the people failed to notice when their privates were inspected
   
    well i just want to say the opinions in this or any song
    don’t necessarily represent (my hosts or sponsors)
    so if you have a problem with this or any other song
    i just want to say so you don’t get it wrong
    i’m singing this one on my own

imagine if you applied this principle to your own life
think of all the things you could say are out of your control
the material has not been learned, the exam failed to be studied for
sleep was not disturbed, my job was not attended

tthe television’s full of people killing each other randomly
the cinema’s aglow with psychos, vampires and the walking dead
the army’s building robots so it can invade just anyone
the well trained assassin says its just a job that must be done

chorus (my fellow musicians)

it must be wonderful to be a leader (the people were not educated)
to have the power to do so much (peace was not pursued)
to fix the problems of our time (poverty was unaffected)
pass the profits all around (no crimes were ever proven)

what if you make it personal, say: my addiction was predestined
my career failed to happen, my life was never lived
wouldn’t it be great if we could simply be restarted
so everything could be repaired with no effort from ourselves

chorus (my friends and family)


stop the war
©1982 rod macdonald (blue flute music (ascap)

the general said “you’re young i guess you don’t understand
we’ve got to have these things in case it gets out of hand.”
i say “what if they are like you always got to be on top?
isn’t there some way to end it, isn’t there someplace to stop?”
“what if everyone thought like you?” the general said to me
“oh what a vulnerable country we would be.
what if everyone thought like you?” the general said to me
i say “there would be some peace...”

the broker said you’re young I guess you don’t comprehend
these people all walking around got to have some money to spend.
and how can there be any money if we don’t sell the things we can build?”
i say “why don’t you build something else to use without having to kill?”
“what if everyone thought like you?” the broker said to me
“oh what a poor nation this would be.
what if everyone thought like you?” the broker said to me
i say “there would be some peace...”

stop the war, stop the war, stop the war within yourself
and you won’t need to fight with someone else

the newsman said “you’re young I guess you don’t see the light.
it ain’t what goes on during the day, it’s what goes out to the people at night.
the people, they like a good show, how can you deny them their due?”
i say “what does that say about us and what does that say about you?”
“what if everyone thought like you?” the newsman said to me
“oh what a boring world this would be.
what if everyone thought like you?” the newsman said to me
i say “There would be some peace...”


for the people
© 1992 rod macdonald (shanachie musicworks, blue flute music / ascap)

last night i dreamed of my old home
my sister and i, when we were young
the yellow sun shone through flow’ring trees
we rode the old familiar streets
the faces of old friends were near
the smiles of childen bright and clear
my mother sang our favorite songs
my father worked his patch of ground

when i awoke i was far away
in a land where only yesterday
after forty years of tyranny
the foreign armies had to leave
and as i walked the streets of town
with my new friends who call it home
in the air so newly free
this is what they said to me:

“i would not love my country more
for victories in foreign wars
i did not love my country less
when it was occupied and oppressed
not for some politicians’ speech
but for the people strong and free
the land so green, the sky above
these are the country that I love”

now who can say what takes a man
far away from his own land
and yet his dreams will take him home
back to the land where he was born
to walk the old familiar roads
and see the faces young and old
the land so green the sky above
these are the country that i love

days of rain
©1997 rod macdonald (blue flute music / ascap)

days of rain, when will it ever end
she stares out the window at the blackened sky
we watch the news of the passing hurricane
radar pictures of some giant eye
and the world looks very dark today she said
might as well go back to bed again
make some coffee, read the paper, watch the news on tv
make love to the rythym of the rain
make love to the rythym of the rain

days of rain, when will it ever end
seems like yesterday the water was running dry
fires were burning out on the edge of town
even this won’t be enough to get us by
and the world looks very dark today she said
might as well go back to bed again
make some coffee, read the paper, turn the tv off
make love to the rythym of the rain
make love to the rythym of the rain

the weatherman says it’ll pass us by this time
the big storm’s gonna miss us, we’ll survive
someone else on up the coast will have to dig out from the damage
someone else will be on tv saying ‘thank god we’re alive’

days of rain, when will it ever end
electricity’s in very short supply
lightless traffic signal swinging in the wind
no one driving, the water’s still too high
and the world looks very dark today she said
might as well go back to bed again
light some candles, make some music, nothing much to do
make love to the rythym of the rain
make love to the rythym of the rain

two americans
© 2007 rod macdonald (blue flute music, ascap)

when i lived in new york city
i worked for a man from tel aviv
he ate lunch every day with ali
at the cafe up the street
ali came from lebanon
they’d eat lunch for just an hour
stand up, wave their hands and shout
say okay, see you tomorrow

the man from tel aviv said maybe
they should let the israeli army
go in and clean out every one
in lebanon who’s got a gun
and the man from beirut said oh really
look at the land israel is stealing
now you want to make us hunted
i thought peace was what you wanted

picture two americans in the land of the free
free to speak their minds, free to disagree
why can’t you and me?

we do want peace said the man from israel
that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing
the man from beirut said it’s a pity
you can’t have peace and still keep shooting
and they drank coffee and shared a pastry
citizens of their adopted country
checked the papers for their portfolios
said ok, see you tomorrow

i asked my boss how can you stand
to eat lunch every day with this man
he said we share one thing together
back home, we’d be trying to kill each other

it brings us around to you and me
you can see what you want to see
you say we’ve got to go kill them there
or they’re gonna come and kill us here
well i don’t have to buy it
and if i were you i would get wise
but since you’ve already made your mind up
i hope you make it back alive

picture two americans in the land of the free
free to speak their minds, free to disagree
it’s just you and me

the coming of the snow
©1977 rod macdonald (blue flute music, ascap)

when you decide to return again to the land that raised you
you find yourself traveling back to your new england home
and you’re passing through
and you run into somebody i used to know
tell her i been thinking about her in the coming of the snow

and if you’re standing on the pier by the empty harbor
and the fishing boats are lying quiet until the spring
and you need a fire to sit beside while the winter weaves out its cloak
tell her i been thinking about her in the coming of the snow

and if you awaken with her long hair spread across your shoulder
and the day outside is as dark as her eyes
take care to hold her close into the morning
and she will be true to you if you love her more than i

and if you’re traveling in the woods i used to walk along
and you find her out there standing in the falling leaves
and a chill should pass through the arms that cradle her longing
you know you can take her hand one more time for me


ballerina
©1976, 2008 rod macdonald (blue flute music, ascap)

used to know a ballerina
she could dance from her head to her toes
she came to me and said i could love you long
sometimes we whispered each other’s names out low

she said i could never be tied to being anybody’s fool
and we would linger in each other’s arms
in the evening when the nights got cool

she turned from me to another man
who said devoted she must be
and the price he paid for her accepting that
was to follow every order she would speak
soon he was dancing to her every line
sampled every song and every taste
he would tell her how she danced so well
but he would do the dancing in her place

ballerina why don’t you dance with me
ballerina darling can’t you see
the moon and the stars are moving over to make room for you to shine
you were so beautiful when you were all alive

i wished her well and they went off to marry
they moved to some pleasant town
i hear he’s making a living doing tax accounts
she dances when the weekends come around
i saw the ballerina in a dream last night
a butterfly who folded up her wings
crying for the beauty she’d left behind
she was crying for so many things

yes i knew a ballerina
everybody said she seemed to fly
and when the music stopped she reached for somebody
who’d keep on telling her those lies
ballerinas come and dancers go
i think about her every now and then
and i will dance again with you i know
but i don’t need no ballerina again


after the war
©1980, 2008 fred pohlman (blue flute music, ascap)

it seems like only yesterday
i held you in my arms this way
and told you that i love you
was that so wrong

now just one year has come and gone
i must admit the war’s been won
and i’ve lost you in the fires of my love song

yes it seems like just a dream ago
our children played on fields of snow
the rain would bring the flowers of may
and i told you that i love your ways

now the clouds they block the sun
in just one year the war’s been won
and i’ve lost you in the fires of my love song

they were so cold in here
i’m growing old my dear
but i’ll see you in my dream
and i’ll hold you in esteem
they were so bold in here


american jerusalem
©1978 rod macdonald (polygram international/ascap)

new york city rain
i don’t know if it’s making me dirtier or clean
went for the subway but there was no train
and the tunnel was crumbling for repairs again
and the sign said welcome to american jerusalem

i’ve been around
you could spend forever looking for a friend in this town
and all you get to do is lay your dollar down
till you’re stumbling drunk up the stairs again
and the sign says welcome to american jerusalem

in the temples of american jerusalem
they buy an ounce of south african gold
they don’t care who was bought or sold
or who died to mine it
in the temples of american jerusalem
they buy an ounce of marseilles white
somewhere on a street with no light
somebody dies trying it

and somewhere in a crowd
looking the kind of way that makes you turn around
will be somebody who knows what it’s about
and she’s going to take the ribbons from her hair again
and welcome you to american jerusalem

in the alleys of american jerusalem
the homeless lie down at the dawn
the pretty people wonder what they’re on
and how they afford it
in the ashes of american jerusalem
the prophets live their deaths out on the corner
the pretty people say there should’ve been a warning
but nobody heard it

then shadows lick the sun
the streets  are paved with footsteps on the run
somebody must’ve got double ‘cause i got none
i forgot to collect my share again
so go west to breath the cleansing air again
go niagara for your honeymoon again
go on the road if you’re going to sing your tune again
go to sea to learn to be a man again
till you come on home to american jerusalem 
 

soldiers
©2007 rod macdonald (blue flute music/ascap)

some people are born to be soldiers
they’re the ones who answer the call
we gratefully accept their service
to stand up and fight for us all
we send them off to do our bidding
and if i were a fly on the wall
i’d hate to see even one soldier
die for nothing at all

i had a friend who  was a soldier
we sat out on my front lawn
he said i don’t know why i’m going
or what it is to be done
i mean isn’t it their country
who are we to be butting in
he went off to the jungle
and i never did see him again

some people aren’t born to be soldiers
but they end up soldiers anyway
me i was never a soldier
and i don’t regret it today

some people are born to be spectators
they stand on the sidelines and cheer
they’re never the ones who are going
but they support it, year after year
they invest in the oil and the weapons
make deals in the fine marble halls
and when the soldiers come home broken
they give them back nothing at all

some people say how ‘bout a little something
to support the men and women over there
some public statement it’s the right thing
some patriotic words of prayer
then why are they only called heroes
when their names end up on some wall?
i pray those born to be heroes
don’t die for nothing at all
some people are born to survive it
to watch their brothers in arms fall
me i was never a soldier
and i don’t regret it at all

some people are born to be soldiers
civilians tell them what to do
where to go and who to kill
and especially who to answer to
they fight the good fights and the bad fights
so we can all think we’re standing tall
‘cause we hate to see even one soldier
die for nothing at all


half heaven half heartache
words & music by shcroeder/goehring/gold
©1962 a schroeder international LLC

my arms reach out for you
i kiss you tenderly
but when you touch my lips
you’re kissing him not me
why must it be?

half heaven half heartache
my loving you darling
can’t you forget that other love you knew?

within your angel eyes
a world of dreams are there
but i keep wondering
if they are mine to share
oh it’s just not fair

half heaven half heartache
my loving you darling
oh let my love be strong enough
to take away the heartache
and make my life
a heaven on earth with you


i’ll walk in the highlands               
©1993 rod macdonald (blue flute music/ascap)                   

whenever we measure life’s greatest treasures
the simplest of pleasures is often most high:
to hold and to cherish a love that won’t perish
and to walk in the highlands with you by my side.

oh, well i remember the first of november;
the frost on the heather, i followed the tide.
west through the islands our ship sailed in silence
and never the highlands again have i spied.

how many lifetimes i’ve wandered
since i took adventure my bride?
how many good lives squandered
victory and justice denied?

at the end of my story, come fortune or glory,
or only to answer for blindness or pride,
if there’s a heaven, one thing i believe in,
i’ll walk in the highlands with you by my side


after the singing
©1987 rod macdonald (blue flute music /ascap)

when we were sailors we had four songs
one for the girls in the harbor towns
two for the weather, three for the nightwatch
four for the rum that washed it all down
you can’t change the wind, only change the sail
after the singing we would sail on

when we were soldiers we had four dreams
one for the flashing bombs and terrified scenes
two for the stretchers, three for the marches
four for our sweethearts where our homes had been
some of us made it home, some went down alone
after the dreaming we would fight on

when we were magicians we had four fires
one for the transforming of desire
two for the cleansing, three for the healing
four for petitioning the heavenly choir
we made rings of stone to be remembered long
after the fires had cooled down

when we were children we had four cups
one for the songs our parents taught us
two for the wishes, three for the marbles
four for the seasons that came on us
through field and street, we played hide and seek
after the childhood we would play on

when we were outlaws we had four kings
one who wore his hair down in golden rings
two who went to war, three who were murdered,
four who claimed to rule over everything
and though they banned the green, they could not seed the queen
after the kingdown we were free men

when we were troubadors we had four songs
one for the legends we were handed down
two for the heroes, three for the dancers,
four for the stories we passed on
we walked together a time, down these roads of rhyme
after the singing we would move on


white buffalo
©1976 rod macdonald (blue flute music/ascap)

they say you’ve got to lose before you can win
they say you’ve got to choose before you can give in
and you’ve got to cut loose to get back again
and it’s a long way back home

they say you’ve got to fall before you can land
they say you’ve got to crawl before you can stand
and you’ve got to lose it all to get what you planned
and it’s a long way back home

(chorus)
and it’s a long way, a long way back home
when you’re standing on some place you’ve never known
and I might see you where the rivers flow
like me you’re looking for white buffalo

they say you’ve got to die before you can live
they say you’ve got to cry before you can give
and you’ve got to say goodbye before you can come back in
and it’s a long way back home

they say you’ve got to seed what you’re going to grow
they say you’ve got to need what you’re going to let go
and you’ve got to believe what you’re going to know
and it’s a long way back home

(chorus)                              

so i say to you farewell for we will meet again
in the hottest flames of hell i could only call you friend
and when you hear that final bell, do not ask whose round you’re in
til you’ve found your way back home

(chorus)  


wings of light
©1981, 2008 rod macdonald (blue flute music /ascap)

wings of light come streakin’ in
this place where i am sleepin’ in
rays of light come streakin’ in
the world’s too tight or so it seems

wings of light come see me through
my body waits, i’ll follow you
wings of light come see me through
my body’s still, my soul’s with you

rays of light they seem alive
like someone’s waiting on the other side
someday my body will cease to shine
but i won’t need it at the time

if i raise my head to see your face
the shadows move, you fade away
if i light the candle to look around
you disappear before me now                          
  
every living thing       
©1983 rod macdonald (blue flute music/ascap)       

seems like there ought to be a way
to look each other in the eye
to see we’re all in this together
and put all thoughts of victory aside
seems like there ought to be a way to
turn some fear into trust
no matter what you say, there has to be a way
every living thing
is counting on us

seems like there ought to be way
to separate the freedom from the flag
to see what’s real in the illusion
sometimes a beauty walks around in rags
seems like there ought to be agreement
we would rather live in peace than fight
no matter what you say, there has to be a way
every living thing
is on our side

seems like if there’s a god in heaven
we must’ve been put here to get along
to see that life is for the living
to leave alive the living when we’re done
seems like this ship out on the ocean
must fly on the wings of the dove
no matter what you say, there has to be a way
every living thing