1. |
Possible World
03:56
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Possible world
I know a painting that will take you
to a wood where there’s a river
With a bed of rocks that shine like gems of Egypt
And it hangs upon a wall with other windows of the soul
In a house of mud and straw
And if you go you’ll never want to leave it
Gratitude and grace fill the place with wine and song
And a world that is possible will carry us along
Oh, carry us along
Oh, carry us along
The sky outside is a Taos blue
with a crescent moon coming into view
There sits a chair for your belonging
And we can make a meal that’s fit for a song
And light the lamps and candles
And we’ll all sit down when the sun has come and gone
Gratitude and grace fill the place with wine and song
And a world that is possible will carry us along
Through the troubled land and then beyond
It’s a marvelous world if you can get there from here
Where possibility blooms with the flowers
With a place to call home and some company round the stove
And all the stories to be told
And if you’re hungry it will fill up all the hours
Gratitude and grace fill the place with wine and song
And a world that is possible will carry us along
Oh, carry us along
Oh, carry us along
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2. |
Blood Moon
03:40
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Blood Moon
Things were going smoothly
Venus and Mars were aligned
Cracks had not appeared yet
Or maybe I was blind
It seemed like a small disagreement
Blood Moon came and blocked the light
Then nothing I could say was heard
And it turned into a fight
What did I hear you say
Are we in retrograde
Arguing tooth and nail
Taking the light from the day
Blood Moon get out of my way
Can we agree to sit this out
Go to your corner I’ll take mine
It isn’t always like this
But can our love survive
The cosmic wheels keep turning
We best accept this fate
Some problems need attention now
And some it’s best to wait
It’s a dizzying cosmic tizzy
The stars are such a mess
Must be why you’re acting so possessed
What did I hear you say
Are we in retrograde
Arguing tooth and nail
Taking the light from the day
Blood Moon get out of my way
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3. |
Demons Of Doubt
03:00
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Demons Of Doubt
Demons of doubt
Demons of doubt
Demons of doubt
Demons of doubt
Demons of doubt
They're lurking about
Demons of doubt
Whisper and shout
They know me better than I do
They're always one step ahead
If not fear it's a guilt trip
It's rumors and gloomers and dread
Demons of doubt
Demons of doubt
Get out
Get out
Get out
They stand at the door
when I'm in my cave
Demons of doubt
Stand in my way
They only take prisoners
Such good pretenders
Demons of doubt
Want my surrender
I make a move to make changes
They're dancing round in my head
And if I try to ignore them
Demons of doubt in my bed
Demons of doubt
Demons of doubt
Get out
Get out
Get out
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4. |
Now That I'm Down
03:02
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Now That I'm Down
Lovin you is a mine field
I’m always watchin my step
Didn’t know there was trouble
Till I stepped into it
I go a boatload of excuses
I never found a pair of shoulds that fit
If you think that I’ve been a fool
You ain’t seen nothing yet
A big cloud gathers round me
Take me out before too long
I’m askin god the question
Did I do something wrong
Now that I’m down
There’s no where to fall
I’m on my back looking up
Guess I'll be takin' the low ground
I’m doin all this work
I keep thinking I’ll get paid
Gotta put my past behind me
I can see how mistakes were made
Gotta get rollin on Tuesday
On Friday I’ll bang the drum
Put my instrument in first place
And I’m takin all my medicine
Takin all my medicine
Takin all my medicine
Now that I’m down
There’s no where to fall
I’m on my back looking up
Guess I'll be takin' the low ground
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5. |
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Who's Drivin' This Train?
Who’s driving this train
Are we on the right track
Bought my ticket today
Hope to get my love back
Trains pretty crowded
I can hear the rails sing
The rails are divided
like my love and me
Who’s driving this train
When do we eat
I bought my ticket
to save wear on my feet
What good does that do
if we run out of track
What good does that do
if I don’t get my love back
Train’s speeding up
How fast does it go
Is the engineer sleeping
is he Casey Jones
I just want my love back
I can hear the rails sing
When we roll into the station
Bring my love back to me
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6. |
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The Place Is Getting’ Too Small
Norm Ballinger 2022
So it seems the place is getting’ too small
Share the flat share the rent
Best of friends at the start of it all
From this sharing follows rules and it’s cool til you broken a few
Out of touch keepin’ score can’t take it anymore
The place is gettin’ too small
Ch.
I need to breathe, need some air
Where there is love, all is fair
Too many lonely people with no room to share
In their space, have their place
You’re okay, I am fine, take your time
There were two lovers in the wilds of the suburbs
They could fill each other up
With unspoken expectation, no one steppin’ up to face it
Someone finds a pillow in the hall
Without places for the soul they are running out of rope
The place is getting’ too small
Ch.
Swimmin’ in an ocean of amazing I take google maps to crazy
I don’t want to die in my car
All this business is it mine, the are other kinds of time
Though it feels like I’m just standing in line
Is there shelter from it all, get to follow bouncing balls
The place is gettin’ too small
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7. |
Elijah
03:10
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A Perfect Master
- Norm Ballinger ©2023
Its not like we never burned with desire
Its not like we never played with fire
A perfect master ye call them trowe
Who knows their fires high and low
If we start a fire now
Will you stay with me and tend it?
We need the warmth when days are cold
And our hearts in need of mending
From the eyes into the heart
Through the body into breath
A slow meal and good company
We will make our daily bread
Its not like we never burned with desire
Its not like we never played with fire
A perfect master ye call them trowe
Who knows their fires high and low
Ash to ash dust to dust
Tend the embers of a day
To be a fire or follow one
Both are hard in their way
And love is just a light
For to wander through the fold
And love is just a fire
That you and I must hold
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8. |
Perfect Master
03:17
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A Perfect Master
- Norm Ballinger ©2023
Its not like we never burned with desire
Its not like we never played with fire
A perfect master ye call them trowe
Who knows their fires high and low
If we start a fire now
Will you stay with me and tend it?
We need the warmth when days are cold
And our hearts in need of mending
From the eyes into the heart
Through the body into breath
A slow meal and good company
We will make our daily bread
Its not like we never burned with desire
Its not like we never played with fire
A perfect master ye call them trowe
Who knows their fires high and low
Ash to ash dust to dust
Tend the embers of a day
To be a fire or follow one
Both are hard in their way
And love is just a light
For to wander through the fold
And love is just a fire
That you and I must hold
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9. |
Holding On
03:48
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Holding On
-Norm Ballinger ©2023
I really wanted things to be
Something that they couldn’t
Still I pushed you a bit hard
Even if I shouldn’t
You have mastered hiding pain
I stumble to be present
If we’ll ever see a change
It’s a carefully guarded secret
Holding on, holding on,
When the world is tumbling down
Holding on
Not every broken heart will mend
But every ride comes with cargo
When too much becomes too much
Maybe it’s time for letting go
Angels are falling all the time
I’m making angels in the snow
These words contain but do not touch
All the joys and tears we’ve known
Holding on holding on
When the world is tumbling down
Holding on
And the records that I play
Will always hold a space
Where I can go
When I feel low
Holding on, holding on,
When the world is tumbling down
Holding on, holding on
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10. |
Kid With The Purple Eyes
05:39
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11. |
Without You
04:40
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Without You
Norm Ballinger
Drill two holes in my coffin
so my dreams can come and go
get a long wanted rest
from stacking boxes in a row
gave my best attention
to making ends meet
every dollar earned was my concern
to put the kids through school
if I had to do it all again
I'd do it all again
but I never would have made it without you
There's a big ol' IOU
in the middle of my head
a page from Grapes of Wrath
in the drawer beside my bed
thought we'd leave this dirty town
make a clean skidoo
turn in my old uniform
but the hat don'e change the fool
if I had to do it all again
I'd do it all again
but I never would have made it without you
After the dishes let's sit and talk
do you still wear that purple dress?
Show me once more how you
shoot water through your teeth
and in those crazy hours
between the sun and the moon
I might go mending fences
put a wrap around my wounds
if I had to do it all again
I'd do it all again
but I never would have made it without you
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Norm Ballinger Austin, Texas
Started out playing bars and coffee houses around Akron and Cleveland, Ohio in the mid-70's. Moved to Houston in 1977 - was a good time to be a musician in Houston. Learned carpentry alongside songwriting and both have been life savers, though making a living as a songwriter is tough. I won't quit. ... more
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