Get all 8 Chris Cunningham releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Chris Cunningham live on "11th & Grant" (2018), If You Knew All Along (2016), Madly Out the Cabin Door (2003), 2 Forms of ID (2000), House Concert (2000), Full Circle (1999), The First Snow (live in the studio EP 1998), and ¡Concierto! (live in Spanish 1994).
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I’m going out west gonna do my best to be making the most of my time
with a tune on deck and a few in my head I’ve been thinking about a long time
Make no mistake there’s more at stake than really meets the eye
with a baby at home in swaddling clothes it ain’t easy to say goodbye
Everything matters more now
And it always did but when you’re a kid there’s a part of you running blind
you can trip and fall, and lose it all, and feel so far behind
and It isn’t like I didn’t try, I just didn’t always hit the mark
but you can’t undo what’s happened, they're shadows in the dark
Everything matters more now
I’m running back to you beyond a doubt
There’s a pile of wood, and a stack of bills, and the urge to up and go
when the winter wind starts blowing again and bears hide under snow
I want to make good on the things I should but I’m right back at the start
running blind, through the pines, towards the valley of an open heart
Everything matters more now
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2. |
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Pillar of smoke rising up
rising up to the sky
Oh fearsome flames, oh falling ash,
I feel the fire in your eyes
Pillar of smoke, cloud of dust
out along the mountain ridge
Afraid I’ll choke if look up
Just wanna run from what I did
I’ve been a fool
about our love, been dishonest honestly
What you don’t know can’t hurt,
or so a fool believes
It’s a lonely, it’s a shame
when there’s nothing left to say
Oh honey, please forgive me
I’ve seen the err of my ways
Pillar of smoke rising up, evil omen in the east
I told a joke, it fell flat and now last laughs’ on me
There’s no escape, from the blame, nothing to justify
My Sunday best, you know the rest
when I wore that suit of lies
It’s a lonely, it’s a shame
when there’s nothing left to say
Oh honey, please forgive me
I’ve seen the err of my ways
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3. |
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Welcome back to the shack we’ve been sharing
Welcome home to the love that we hold dear
There is nothing much sweeter than caring
Chopping wood, hauling water with you here
We go back, way back through the years
White winters, green summers, golden falls
But it still feels like we’re in the spring of our lives
It still feels like we haven’t aged at all
And I want you to know, cuz it’s so
You’re the light, you’re the luster of my dreams
And I want you to know, cuz it’s so
You’re the only one for me
Last night I went out on the front porch
The smell of pine and the spring was in the air
And I thanked every star up there for my life
I thanked you for living with me here
And I want you to know, cuz it’s so
You’re the light, you’re the luster of my dreams
And I want you to know, cuz it’s so
You’re the only one for me
Welcome back to the shack we’ve been sharing
Welcome home to the love that we hold dear
There is nothing much sweeter than caring
Chopping wood, hauling water with you here
There is nothing much sweeter than caring
Chopping wood, hauling water with you here
There is nothing much sweeter than caring
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4. |
Falling (live with band)
04:45
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sailing away on a welcome feeling today
I got the restlessness out of the way
and I just wanna stand still
and stay a while, let me see that little one smile you do,
when we’re playing and I can get through
every once in a while
met you by a running stream
daisy flowers on bended knee
"darling this is love, and I’m all in"
falling …
surfing the waves into the evening when we trade place
now you’re sleeping, but I’m still awake
building boats by the shore
and it’s sink or it’s swim, it’s what do we do when to lose is to win
it may be backwards but then again
we’ll have each other to tell
came upon a covered bridge
I’d never looked back but then I did
“darling where there’s a will, then there’s a way”
moving like a humming bird
poet wings on every word
“kiss me and we’ll both be falling in”
falling …
falling …
I’m falling …
I’m falling …
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5. |
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I’ll go with you to the gates of heaven
Hold your hand through the fires of hell
Though your memory may be broken
In the end you’ll know me well
I was with you in the garden
Kissed your lips at the wishing well
All our lifetimes wove together
Hanging tapestries on the wall
Nothing can take our love away…
I’ve no idea what you’re thinking
There’s no reflection in the mirror
There’s still a light behind curtain
It’s hard to tell who’s living in there
Oh the thief, quiet and skillful
When it all began to disappear
One by one your works were stolen
Left the gallery blank and bare
Nothing can take our love away
In the fading twilight
Can you hear me - do you know my name?
If only there was something to say
Something stronger than a prayer
I’ll go with you to the gates of heaven
Hold your hand through fires of hell
In the end as in the beginning
Oh my love you’ll know me well
In the end as in the beginning
Oh my love you will know me …
Nothing can take our love away
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Making good time, keeping it straight between the lines
not so many more miles to go
Your day dreamin’ days are over, feeling good and in control
you can sleep through Sunday when you get home
Leave the light on, I can’t wait
I’ll be resting in your arms, by the breaking of day
You know our old friend Tom sold off all of his guitars
Felt defeated by the distances and waking up in the car
Still he says he’s still writing and there’s a new song on the way
But the benefits of showing up in the same place everyday
Leave the light on I’ll be home soon
You’re my candle in the window, and my window to the truth
I’ve seen my share of scenery
From the switchbacks of the mountains
Through desert to the shining sea
And I can safely say
This old engine’s still in tune
It’s never run better beneath the midnight
Leave the light on when you turn in
Bedtime stories for the kids and kiss them on the head
Making good time
Making good time
Making good time
Making good time
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7. |
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sunny again, how long has it been, 1000 shadows
sunny again, the spring on the wind, 1000 snows
how do I tell you, all of this will pass?
how long would we let the winters last?
so old the dragons, so cold in the cave, this way of living
lonely the phantom, invisible chains, the perfect prison
how can I show you, love to be true?
how long would we let those monsters brood?
set aside all your illusions of fire
for all I know love blooms in light of the afterglow of I’m sorry
I never meant to be so mean
my best of thinking, the worst of my dreams, come back to haunt me
re-write the story, restore the estate to former glory
when does that promise light again your face?
how they say the mountains are moved by faith
set aside all mis-creations of pride
for all I know peace lies just on the other side of I’m sorry
I never meant to keep
you at an arms reach
but now in all honestly
I’m finally ready … to come clean
sunny again
it’s sunny again
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8. |
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Everybody felt the earthquake, 100 miles wide
Triggered the Richter scales, turned daylight into night
I must have been asleep, it's something that you don’t ignore
When tremors push the walls to rubble, all the way through the floor
Terra Firma
On the commute this evening about to reach the bridge
Suddenly the road is swaying like a wave
Look out the metal and concrete, pieces everywhere
You wouldn't get a second chance to get out, out of there
Terra Firma
Terra Firma
your steps are sure
Is nothing ever set in stone here?
Can you count on being fair?
You wanna put the blame on someone, it seems too much to bear
Promises becomes a burden, collapsing with the weight
You think you're going crazy, you think it's too late
Terra Firma
Terra Firma
Terra Firma
your steps are sure
on solid earth again
again
again
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9. |
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living it up downtown, your tongue a little loose
tales of love and conquest you can't lose
the guy behind the counter shakes his head at you
he's seen a lot of lucky faces go from red to blue
Jim rolls in with the good news like he's so good at doing
making wine out of water and whistling a tune
you were too filled up to hear the song
your cup was running over, you should've been running home
a town talks, will you listen
are you wise enough to know where to put your ears?
love walks
if your not watching you'll end up alone with all your talk and tears
you framed your dreams together over all these years
smiling pictures in the hallway up above the stairs
the shadows in the corner make it painfully clear
she don't need your understanding she just wants you here
a town talks, will you listen
are you wise enough to know where to put your ears?
love walks
if your not watching you'll end up alone with all your talk and tears
am I getting through?
do you need more information?
what’s it say about you, if I have to ask the question?
living it up down town your tongue a little loose
for all I hear you saying what's it say about you
a town talks
a town talks
a town talks
a town talks
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10. |
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Everybody wants a piece of paradise
a house upon the hill, with a view of heaven
now everyone's here, so close together
Paradise is lost, gone forever
When we were young we used to walk out in those fields
and run forever, in the backyard woods
but now the old trails disappear in neighborhoods
with streets named after, what's gone for good
The hills above town used to be the best place
for starry-eyed lovers and inspiration
but now it's all paved, every streets a dead end
and empty summer houses, stand all along them
When we were young we used to walk out in those fields
and run forever, in the backyard woods
but now the old trails disappear in neighborhoods
with streets named after, what's gone for good
Now there's no trespassing
now there's no going back again
I only hope you remember
the way it was, and what we had back then
When we were young we used to walk out in those fields
and run forever, in the backyard woods
but now the old trails disappear in neighborhoods
with streets named after, what's gone for good
gone for good
gone for good
what's gone for good
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11. |
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mystery solved, now it’s a new kind of deal
a new set of problems, some fancied, some real
your trusty old friends, with no hand to lend you today
if you knew all along, would it have turned out this way?
progress is progress, it’s just not over yet
with the promise of promise I’m willing to bet
through the clouds, through the fog,
the backlog of things left to say
if you knew all along
would you do it this way?
no something for nothing, not anymore
a spaceship has landed on the forest floor
that you’re willing to keep traveling on with me
if we knew all along
now where would we be?
so often impatient want to get it all done
have it once and for always - have it all for once
serenity flies on uncertain terms
what will you do now with all what you’ve learned?
take another blank page and wish them a happier day
if you knew all along …(what would they say?)
if you knew all along …(what would you do?)
if you knew all along …(would you do it this way?)
if you knew all along …(with nothing to prove)
if you knew all along …(where would we be?)
if you knew all along …(happy, joyous and free)
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Chris Cunningham Bozeman, montana
Chris started writing songs in the late 80's and is best known as one half of the acclaimed folk pop-duo, Storyhill (signed to Red House Records) with long time-friend / collaborator John Hermanson), which has toured the US extensively, playing major festivals and premier venues such as Garrison Keiler's A Prairie Home Companion. Chris's solo music remains true to the vein of artists of the 70's. ... more
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