1. |
Down to the Dance
02:41
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Down to the Dance
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
It's a beautiful day
Sunlight is fading
Look at my face
I know we're aging
But all along these lines you are tracing
There was one destination
Won't you please please come to the dance
I've been foolish all day
Fire to gas
Carried away
Have not or have
You and me, I'm not deserving
Hopefully, I'm winning not losing
And you will come to the dance
Put up the lights
Strike up the band
Kick off your shoes
And hold my hand
Let the aches and the pains
Let all the hard days
Drift from us here
Drift far far away
We'll bring the kids
All dress to the nines
Do nothing else
But have a good time
And you can lead, we'll follow your footsteps
Happy to be a part of the mischief
When we all go down to the dance
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2. |
Wishing
03:49
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Wishing
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
In the morning
you made some absolutions
(The only way that you wouldn't lose it)
You were forced to forgive
You made your way down
the long dark stairwell
and thought each step took you closer
to where the angel fell
Down beneath the darkened shadow
everything is thin and hollow
Preaching what is right
Wishing
In the evening
voice raw from yelling
feet that are killing
hair all dishevelled
you are happy
You've been fighting the devil
cause you've got to believe
You climb back
and start the night's vigil
light a candle in your apartment window
where you're forced to live
and on the rooftop
the wind does roar
You stand alone and silent, looking
for heaven's door
Up above the night's hoarse whisper
waiting for a god to kiss you
arms raised to the sky
Reaching for some wings to lift you
Searching for a light to step through
Wishing you could fly
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3. |
Say Goodnight
02:55
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Say Goodnight
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2019
She said, "that's so nice"
opened her eyes
the day going by
pushed the past
into her aching open arms.
held it tight
to her heart
to her truly broken heart
said good day
said goodbye
said goodnight.
give a gentle kick
relax when you sit
take it all in
take it all in.
day is done
gone the sun
slipped away
up to the ridge
into the forest and the trees
where the trails have all gone
where horses used to run
say good day
say goodbye
say goodnight.
give a gentle kick
relax when you sit
let the reins out a bit
it goes by so quick
take it all in
take it all in
say good day
say goodbye
say goodnight.
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4. |
You and Me and the Radio
04:03
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You and Me and the Radio
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
Pitch a tent on the lawn here honey
I would really like to camp with you
Use the fence for the fire
and we'll look at the view
Drive your car into the sunset with me
I will pay for all the gas and food
You and me and the radio playing some tunes
Kick a habit
if you want something grab it
Do you think you've got something to lose?
If you want me then I want you
Put the parachute on won't you please
we can fall beneath the great sky blue
I'll be a good fella and open the door for you
Put my name on your dance card dear
I would like to cut a rug with you
Wear your tuxedo, I’ll shine up an old pair of shoes
Take a step, make a sign, cross a line
so I know what you want to do
Put your life on that line already
You know that I will follow through
If you want me then I do too
Put another post on the fire
I would like to feel the heat with you
We'll take off our clothes
and catch up on all the news
Drive your car into the sunset with me
Until we run into the moon
You and me and the radio playing some tunes
Kick a habit
if you want something grab it
do you think you've got something to lose?
If you want me then I do too
If you want me then I want you
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5. |
I am a Captain
05:07
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I am a Captain
Words and music by Dave Withers © 2021
Rode down the storm drain line
Underneath the 401
Handlebars high and flying
in the Streetsville sun
Fifty cents and a cigarette
Brando riding a banana seat
Looking for a lighthouse
to shine it's guiding light
Root beer and skipping stones
Lake Ontario
Looking for a distant shore
and a different life
Oh there's a ship out on the water
Won't you take me down to the sea
I'll leave my bike here up against a willow
When they find it I will be free
I am a Captain
with no ship or crew or canon
but my flag is flying high
and the wind is at my back
Don't have the courage of a mutineer
I'm gonna have to get away from here
Don't even know if they'll want me there
but it's time to set sail
Oh there's a ship out on the water
Won't you take me down to the sea
I'll leave my life here and search to find another
If I find it that's where I'll be
If the storms rage and thunder, make ready,
reef the sails, close the deadlights, and hold on
Turn the wheel to the wind, hold it steady
As she goes
As she goes
As she goes
Rode down the storm drain line
Too hurt to see the damage done
Don't know if I can trust anyone
but me and me alone
Oh there's a ship out on the water
Won't you take me down to the sea
Where the sun will wrap me in it's arms and miss me
If I ever think that I might need to leave
Oh there's a ship out on the water
Somewhere coming for me
I'll leave this life here beneath the weeping willow
and find a new one that's better for me
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6. |
Just Go Home
04:54
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She wants to be alone
so just go home
She can't say what she doesn't know
so just go home
She wants a brother and you want a lover
so just go home
She never wanted to hurt you
so just go home
She just wants to be happy
so just go home
She'll give you kisses
She'll give you tears
She'll give you whispers spinning softly through your ears
She'll give you memories when days alone have past
She'll give you everything but nothing that will last
And no home
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7. |
Goodbye My Child
02:09
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Goodbye My Child
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
Yes it’s alright
Have a good fight
Watch your step
Make the world a better place
For you and I
Goodbye my child
It’s for your family
It’s for your country
It’s for peace
It’s for freedom and democracy
Goodbye my child
And the leaders of all lands
Rule with visionary plans
It’s proven time and time again
Goodbye my child
They’ll salute you
Decorate you
Shake your hands
And through the streets
They will parade you
Goodbye my child
And the leaders of all lands
Rule with just and thoughtful plans
It’s proven time and time again
Goodbye my child
Yes it’s alright
Have a good fight
Watch your step
Make the world a better place
For you and I
Goodbye my child
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8. |
The Napkin Stand
03:12
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The Napkin Stand
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
She left it on the table by the napkin stand
Pulled her hair back put her jacket on
Pushed the door shut, she turned around
Took the first step and she was gone
The morning breeze was singing a song
The leaves were dancing along
Always forward never turning back
Never turning back
She pushed her collar up in the early cold
Took herself down past the public school yard
Walked along the sidewalk missing every crack
Another mistep could break her mother's back
The morning breeze sings a soft song
The leaves dance along
The colours change and life moves on
Life goes on
He came into the kitchen there was coffee on
Poured himself a cup with cream and set it down
Saw it on the table in the empty room
Picked a fresh napkin for the coffee ring
The autumn breeze was singing a song
The leaves were dancing along
The leaves will soon fall to the ground
Fall to the ground
The autumn breeze sings a little song
the leaves dance along
The leaves will soon fall and be gone
Fall and be gone
The autumn breeze sings a little song
The leaves all dance along
The leaves will soon fall to the ground
Fall and be gone
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9. |
All My Favourite Songs
05:37
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All My Favourite Songs
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
You'll have to run in the nighttime
Until you get away
Hide in the daylight
you can't stay
Put your coats on my dears'
Hold hands all the way
It's so cold outside
But you can't stay
And I will hold you here
Warm and close in memory
And watch you disappear
Make believe there's a family
So no one knows you're gone
Play piano to an empty room
All your favourite songs
You have to leave your life behind
The darkest times have come
You can see me in the summertime
When all of this is done
Put your coats on my dears
The time to talk has gone
Kiss me one last time
And run my sweethearts run
You will find me my loves'
whispering a song
whispering a melody -
Winter's come and gone
And I will hold you here
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10. |
Gold Was His Sun
04:25
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Gold was His Sun
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
He came from the market
his hands in his pockets
all of is pennies were gone
He walked like a profit
a green army jacket
and whispered a dissolute song
And gold was his sun
a lover of everyone
and God was a banjo in blue
God was a woman with whom he could kiss
til the gods made up somebody new
and whispers stopped telling the truth
All that he was, was all that he wanted to be
He waved at a neighbor
he waved at some lovers
he waved at his memories
He liked all the laughter and died by the basket
of rumpled old magazines
Gold was his sun
a lover of everyone
and God was the mist on his glass
God was the part of his past that he'd left
in a bottle he'd once or twice had
a bottle of silver and ash
All that he was, was all that he wanted to be
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11. |
Forgiveness
03:27
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Forgiveness
Words and Music by Vicki Fraser © 2021
go further into the man
who closes off the world
and waits for the routine to end
he doesn't know
what to do or what to say
so he turns and walks away
forgiveness, bending with the wind
forgiveness, in the end it will begin
maybe time warps the truth to be
a discount value memory
a cold wind blows
as the hard years fade
we learn to talk about
why we are afraid
forgiveness, it can't be any other way
forgiveness, learn to love and then walk away
all the years have brought out your eyes
the eyes that have learned
to read between my lives
like two trains burning down the track
full steam ahead and
don't look back
forgiveness, for the cradle to the stone
forgiveness, for all that you have shown
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12. |
Here Comes the King
02:09
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Here Comes the King
Words and Music by Dave Withers © 2021
Put another nail in your rocket
hear the silver singing in your pocket
buy some worlds, buy some girls,
and buy this town
Get a leg up, up the ivory tower
get the payback, work the extra hours
You'll be King man
but you ain't nothing now
Here comes the King
red carpet and rings
Here comes the King
he's got everything
Fancy cars, funky stores, pricey rocks
country homes, fucked up rules,
swimming pools, suffers fools,
trophy wives, concubines,
daggers, knives, daggers, knives
Here comes the King
red carpet and rings
Here comes the King
he's got everything
Litigation, institutions, isolation, distributions,
third world nations, degradation, destitution,
mass pollution, greed and war
greed and war, greed and war
Here comes the King
red carpet and rings
Here comes the King
he's got everything
Put another nail in your rocket
hear the silver singing in your pocket
buy some worlds, buy some girls,
and buy this town
Get a leg up, up the ivory tower
get the payback, work the extra hours
You'll be King man
but you ain't nothing now
You'll be King man
but you ain't nothing now
You'll be King man
but you ain't nothing now
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Dave Withers Guelph, Ontario
For the last nine decades, Dave Withers has been an enigmatic part of southwestern Ontario's music scene. From his early Victrola recordings of farmhand hollers, to his innovative combination of country music and poetry that may have inspired Leonard Cohen, to his punk rock days drowning in distortion pedals, to his rebirth as an environmental propagandist infiltrating the public education system. ... more
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