Stavesacre - "Absolutes" (TND1081)
1. Shiv
i'm crawling out of my skin
i hope i get under yours
so many times before
but you still wanna know why
i won't just lay down and die
what did you expect
i think that i could guess
but this weight is lifted and i'm like
back from the dead
and i'm feeling kinda strange
i'm not the same, and i think i like the change
nothing lost, just cut away
nothing left to hinder me
pushing on, stronger every day
leaning into the wind that used to carry me
(nothing left to hinder me)(*backing vocal)
the last shot
nearly killed me
eternity lifted me again
(nothing left to hinder me)
oh, how i want to be
an offense, an unsettling presence in this life
why'd you try to take me out
why try to keep me down?
to get my eyes off me
down each ugly street
too many needs, too many
souls on their knees
and where have i been?
too much is me and mine
too much is wasting time
with the cares of this life and now
i understand and i'm
i'm on my way i feel like a man
and i, i think i like the change
nothing lost, just cut away
nothing left to hinder me
pushing on, stronger every day
leaning into the wind that used to carry me
(nothing left to hinder me)
the last shot nearly killed me
eternity lifted me again
(nothing left to hinder me)
oh how i want to be
an offense, an unsettling presence in this life
why'd you try to take me out, why try to keep me down?
2. Sand Dollar
the sun, the air, the faithful crashing of waves
carefree comforted knowing eyes watched over me
even now i taste the salt on my lips being dried by the sun
an ocean limitless, taking me back to better days
seems so far away.
somehow, somewhere i've lost a part of me
got caught up in this twisted place and lost simplicity
the things i've seen have tainted everything
i think i gave up living.
when life is stained can it be cleaned?
want to know... if i can
set aright a life that's gone so wrong
in a way, start again.
if not what is left?
i can do it on my own, i could long ago
i'm sure that i have tried
the sun, the air, the faithful crashing of waves
remind me of a child that i'd love to be again
only now finding comfort and peace in trusting a God i'd even more that i might see
and even more than better days to trust again
3. Colt .45
i thought about what you said
and i'm not sorry for a thing
you do not understand this
or what it means to me
cannot discard this as emotion
this is more than another passing stage
you'll have to prove it's just opinion
in defense of everything this is my everything
could it be that you have stumbled
tripped and fallen over something more than faith
could you prove yourself
this is a matter of life and death
would you step up to the line
but please don't just talk this time
i want what you ask of me
i want what you ask of me this time
step up to the line
action begs reaction
what is left to be said
anything less has all been done before
to put to rest what you've been wondering
if you could take my life
would you still ask for more
I though about what you said
something occurred to me
you wouldn't ask me to turn my back on anything
if you believed that I believe
truth is I would love to show you
take "faith & works" to another higher stage
so there is little time for words you've heard
life and death are only steps, I'm not afraid of what comes next
what is enough in your opinion
perhaps my death would bring some substance to my claims
vanity of vanities this
life, love, art & sex
each breath you breathe is
grasping at the wind
He is my everything
we cannot both be right
about right and wrong
and God and man
right and wrong and God and man
i want what you ask of me this time
please step up to the line
He's my everything
action begs reaction
what is left to be said
anything less has all been done before
so put to rest your wondering
if you could take my life
you'd still ask for more
4. Inclusive
like a favorite slave, who's learned to hide behind the
chains
your presence sickens me, i'm trying to tell you something
born into your bonds, played the puppet all along
but so quick to dismiss me, do you even know what's out there?
cast this world aside, they'll bleed you till there's nothing left,
no limits to their lives, their end is never changing
all that you can see, kneels at His feet in sovereignty.
time is complete, all that you can know
will praise his name as you will.
little finite minds, masters of their finite lives
but always seem to come up empty
needing kingdoms built from birth but death reclaims them all to earth
dust to dust and memories
and this orchestral masterpiece can only end in tragedy.
can you hear God, laughing deep unto deep
all creation braces for the passing of this time.
5. Wither
Wither is broken into 3 parts: Wither, Ascend, and Wither Reprise. Wither Reprise is a separate song, though: song # 9)
5A. Wither
the pain will come
with the morning sun
will the night betray the day
blistered skin
withered from within
scratch to shed this shell away
will you know my name
or will i hang my head in shame
will someone take this tired skin
that i've been dying in
will someone hold me to the light
and if I die tonight
then take this broken man
and wrap me tight within
this brand new skin
5B. Ascend
watch me fly
freedom like wings and i will use them
freedom like wings and i will spread them wide
watch me fly...
freedom my wings...
freedom my wings...
and rise
one day my ashes will return to earthly slumber
spread far and wide across the desert and the sea
until then i will live each day in awe and wonder
look forward to each sunrise
6. Acquiesce
even now your eyes are courting sleep
i'll stay by your side as i have always been
sleep tonight, may your dreams reveal my love for you
beyond what i must do, do you know my plans for you?
to separate myself from where my treasure lies
then naked in this cold and lonely unforgiving life.
be stripped away of all delusions of the man i'd like to be
at the moment.
i am broken parts sure of only weaknesses with nothing left to show
no illusions left to hide behind.
burning clean has been both agony and absolute release
can i hope to pass this test, is my destiny the wilderness?
the hardest part of letting go, is trusting you with everything
in laying bare my soul is truly seeing who I really am
Father what is man that You are mindful of him
can i pass this test? is my destiny this wilderness?
to stand alone
against a life of wretchedness.
impossible to hope and so i plead
Your graciousness show me your glory
may my life reflect your presence
and never again find myself in anything less.
7. an eclipsing
these lights...this city
under their waves my mind begins to drift away
such malice...beneath beauty
would send anyone looking for a safer place
like home...am i alone
if i break is there somewhere i can be whole again
is there a safe haven
somewhere to heal from the assisted self-inflicted pain
from my failures
because something's dying
down inside of me
can't shake this...this feeling
sickle stares thatbelieve they reach the heart of me
an insistance and persistance
of sifting through until they find the deepest darkest deeds
in this home...sweet home
i sleep with one eye open and hide from the day
inspected...dissected
laid open for the triggermen to fire away
at my failures
something's dying
down inside of me
is this feeling
is this real
well, it must be something
from nothing...nothing comes
i've seen in dark places
small flames cutting through where there were none before
so simple...so precious
but still small, still open, still vulnerable
and this home...away from home
this shelter from the everpresent enemy
has kept score...and closed doors
brightest fires kept inside close and comfortable
from the failure
but the fire is dying
down inside of me
with all my failures
something's dying
down inside of me
8. The Two Heavens
a careless leper
too comfortable
in his own world
to notice the the older wounds
have new infections
with new intentions
darkness settled in behind me
tapped me on the shoulder singing
shivers to my spine
from the corners of my mind
"i've been wanting to remind you
of everything you've left behind
and wouldn't you, shouldn't you
remember me
should you forget, i haven't yet
remember when we...
almost stepped right off
between the two heavens
one above
and one below
one last flight
all stars and city lights
one last goodbye
one last goodbye..."
she's there when i'm alone
and she always seems to know
the stories that'll take me
back to where my comforts sleep
a caress with velvet paws
that hide her sharpened claws
along the walls that time has built high
searching for the blemishes
and i know she's breathing murder
that it is folly to endure her
but there is sweetness in her whisper
"when you've had enough, i'll be waiting
wouldn't you, shouldn't you
remember me
should you forget, i haven't yet
you know that we can always
step right off
between the two heavens
one above
and one below
one last flight
all stars and city lights
one last goodbye
one last goodbye..."
i've never known a life without her
at every turn she's there
her comfort i despise
but there's a coward in me, fearing any
changes for the trial
hopeless is a hideaway
familiar escape
i've never known a life without her
at every turn, she's there
yesterday's a siren
singing memories so inviting
sometimes reaping takes a lifetime
but i'm pushing on, with living life
renewed in mind, i say goodbye
to yesterday, the siren
singing memories so inviting
sometimes reaping takes a lifetime
but i'm pushing on, with the mind of Christ
i say goodbye
and watch her die
9. Wither Reprise
and in the dark
the same old scars
wake me up to bleed again
when it's done
will the new day sun
burn what's left of me to mend
will you know my name
or will i hang my head in shame
will you take this tired skin
that i've been dying in
will someone hold me to the light
and if i die tonight
then take this broken man
and wrap me tight within
this brand new skin
10. Zzyzx Scarecrow
near the gateway to mojave
i saw a place
both beautiful and blistering
and cruel and cold the same
the sun was like a lion
bearing down upon its prey
death valley stained in crimson
for the moon to wash away
and i envisioned rows of gallows
for the world to look upon
one step too bringing order
to a planet tempting chaos can you feel it coming down
the righteous wrath of God
revealed from out of heaven
for the innocent blood
crying from the ground
while the wicked seem to prosper
and glory in these days
as if their ways were hidden
as if they had escaped
we have lost our sense of justice
smearing lines of right and wrong
despising any standards
we blindly stumble on
bleeding hearts may scream compassion
what of those that cannot cry
a life is worth a life
justice...merciful and blind
innocent blood
is crying from the ground
it's coming down