Perhaps We Were
words & music: Bobby Pennock
He grabs his overcoat and trudges towards the door
He’ll buy some roses on his way
At the stop the bus is late, he hums a tune she loved
What mem’ries will he leave today?
Start the car, I think it’s time
The baby’s on her way
Tonight we’ll sing a nursery rhyme
Star Light Star Bright or Rain Rain Go Away
On the bus, he takes a seat, the flowers in his hand
He wished he’d worn her favorite tie
Peering out the window at the town they grew to love
Passing the school a stifled cry
That’s it she is done this time
Drunk and high again
Obviously she thinks we’re blind
She passed out in her science class
and has a gash on her chin
All we had we built as one — a house, a home, a child
The story changed–It ended wrong
Perhaps we were beguiled….perhaps we were
It seems we’ve run out of time
I’m tired of the beat downs
From little lies to bigger crimes
You’re convinced she’ll turn around and come back home
And change her ways, atone her sins, discover truth…
All this heartache and now you’re sick and where is she?
Thirty years of missing her but that’s about to change
He says their vows for one last time
Kneeling by her marker puts his hand upon her name
They never sang to Auld Lang Syne
Going Back to London
words & music: Bobby Pennock
Driving through the fog and the rain
Reviving memories
Surviving sparks ignite in my brain
Arriving reverie
Going back to London
Going back to London today
Wondering will I still feel the same
Monday I should know
Thundering down the pavement I aim
Something tells me go
Going back to London
Going back to London today
When we first met we would stroll in the park
Hand upon hand from the start
Summer brought Autumn which took you away
And my heart
Driving through the fog and the rain
Arriving memories
Surviving sparks ignite in my brain
Reviving reverie
Going back to London
Going back to London
Going back to London
Going back to London today
Welcome to the Great Deception
words & music: Michael Manley & Bobby Pennock
Small town alibi
He didn’t have to try to lose
Every well’s gone dry
Everywhere he’s tried no news
At home he wears the guise
And sings the lullabies
Confused, abandoned
By dreams not realized
Welcome to the great deception
Empty promises and fulfilled fears
Happiness replaced by tears
Welcome to the great deception
She remembers when
Her soul was spirited and free
She chose to camouflage,
Disguise her true reality
But when the house of cards
Came tumbling down
Left her confused, abandoned
By dreams not realized
Welcome to the great deception
Empty promises and fulfilled fears
Happiness replaced by tears
Welcome to the great deception
Small town alibis
They didn’t really want to lose
Ambitions hypnotize
They never recognized the clues
Then when they realized
What they had done
They felt confused, abandoned
By dreams not realized
Welcome to the great deception
Empty promises and fulfilled fears
Happiness replaced by tears
Welcome to the great deception
Message on His Heart
words & music: Dan Hall & Bobby Pennock
He climbs the walls to look around
And then decides to tear them down
She watches careful not to make a sound
He buries pieces, she turns around
She draws a message on his heart — then whispers “goodbye”
Such are the vestiges of Art — She tells herself “Don’t cry…”
He reads the words of their desire
Then throws the pages on the fire
She brushes ashes from her face
He tries to leave but leaves a trace
She draws a message on his heart — then whispers “goodbye”
Such are the vestiges of Art — She tells herself “Don’t cry…”
Don’t cry about the loss — Don’t cry about the pain
Don’t cry about the leaving
Release the albatross — release the choking chain
Release the guilt — start breathing
He shouts an oath into the sky
Then wipes the tears he cannot cry
She hears his curse but doesn’t turn
He’s all alone with all he’s burned
She drew a message on his heart — then whispered “goodbye”
Such are the vestiges of Art — She tells herself “Don’t cry…”
Failure Brings Smiles
words & music: Bobby Pennock
Sally sailed on a boat
To places she had never dreamed
And when her craft would no longer float
She swam to shore and named herself “Queen Strange as it Seems”
Danny dug a hole in the earth
With visions of a diamond seam
His labor proved much less than it’s worth
So he filled the hole and named himself “King of Everything”
Once in a while–failure brings smiles
And we leave what we know–hey isn’t it so
Cathy climbed the highest mount
To spy the future from its peak
On top she couldn’t see her hand through the clouds
So she sat right down and called herself “Queen of all Who Seek”
Terry told himself he could fly
His mother said, “Son, you need wings”
He’d flail his arms and stare up into the sky
He never left the earth but crowned himself “King of all Who Dream”
Once in a while–failure brings smiles
And we leave what we know–hey isn’t it so
All of your thoughts are significant
Take the chance now while you’re innocent
Those who scoff are ignorant
Once in a while–failure brings smiles
And we leave what we know–hey isn’t it so
Crying Out
words & music: Bobby Pennock
He is drawing ever after
She is dreaming of his laughter
They are holding to little more
He is singing for her pleasure
She imagines them forever
They are holding on to little more
All the worry
All the sorrow
All the fears of no tomorrow
All embraces shadowed by the crying
All the wanting
All the feeling
All the mysteries for revealing
All the whispered words concealed by crying out
She is looking in the mirror
He is wishing he were nearer
They are holding on to little more
She is standing slowly dancing
He is hiding careful glancing
They are holding on to little more
All the worry
All the sorrow
All the fears of no tomorrow
All embraces shadowed by the crying
All the wanting
All the feeling
All the mysteries for revealing
All the whispered words concealed by crying out
He is drawing ever after
She is dreaming of his laughter
They are holding to little more
Just Me Too
words & music: Bobby Pennock
I’ve seen us grow from pussycats to the imperfect storm
We come and we go–sometimes holding hands–a touch that is lukewarm
Enter the night–words & motions stolen from a script
Something’s not right–another band-aid on the hearts that we have ripped
It’s not that I care any different than I used to
I never cared before
We stick to the dance placing feet upon the footprints on the floor
We paid in advance for the lessons that we constantly ignore
Enter the day–rising smiles because we know we’ll separate
And yet we still play–’cause we know we’ll both be home well before 8
It’s not that you cared any different than you used to
You never cared before
There were times when smiles seemed almost natural
But mostly every motion feels contractual
I’ve seen us grow from pussycats to the imperfect storm
It’s not that we cared any different than we used to
We never cared before
It’s not that I cared any different than I used to
I never dared say “I Love you” just “me too”
Sigh Indeed
words: Terry Birkett & Bobby Pennock / music: Bobby Pennock
Sigh, indeed
Your binding creed holds us tight
To your pain and suffering
There you go again — Making me your problem
Why can’t you leave this poor boy alone
Sigh, indeed
Your binding creed holds us tight
To your pain and suffering
There you go again — Signing V for victim
Why won’t you leave this poor world alone
Sigh, indeed
Your binding creed holds us tight
To your pain and suffering
What would it take to get down to the bottom
Of what it would take to get down to the bottom of your pain & suffering
Sigh, indeed
Your binding creed holds us tight
To your pain and suffering
Wading Through the Blue
words & music: Bobby Pennock
Can you hear me? Can you read my inner thoughts?
Can you steer me? Can you alter this course?
Can you reach me? Open up your hands
To catch me / When I fall from where I stand
Ooo—the bitterness is true
Ooo—it’s deeper than I knew
Ooo—it stands to reason now
You brought it on yourself somehow
I can touch you—By just whispering a word
I can wound you—without brandishing a sword
I can tell you—what you need to hear
But it’s no use—you can’t listen through your fear
Ooo—I’m wading through the blue
Ooo—It’s thicker than I knew
Ooo—It stands to reason now
I’ve brought it on myself somehow
All I’ve tried to disavow—and you
There you go—with pretense as your guide
What you do—the next day you deny
I turn around—you stab me in the side
Yet still I look forward to you
Do you fear it: The sound of tragedy?
Can’t you hear it: It’s what we’ve come to be
Ooo—I’m wading through the blue
Ooo—it’s thinker than I knew
Ooo—It stands to reason now
We’ve brought it on ourselves somehow
We’re in for Weather
words: Terry Birkett / music: Bobby Pennock
Lower your head – we’re in for weather
I think it’s time to (for us) to hunker down
We’ve stood the test – but seldom together
We stumble forever no exit found
Stronger than wizards –stronger than sirens
Blessed be the tie that binds
Stronger than Saturn and stronger than Mars
Venus will rise
Shrieking winds blow – the maple is groaning
We find our comfort below
A ring of hands – held ‘round the candle
Whispers of prayers on our lips, low
Stronger than wizards –stronger than sirens
Blessed be the tie that binds
Stronger than Saturn and stronger than Mars
Venus will rise
Lightning and thunder – a terror down under
We fall once again to our knees
We struggle to stand – a single demand
As we cling to our lives in this breeze
Lower your head – we’re in for weather
I think it’s time to hunker down