THE COUNTING OF NOTHING
A Thousand Days Of Quiet
So then the bow blew up
And you washed away
Or did you lose your bearings
When someone came
To make the world seem smaller?
But still it calls you
As you turned yourself away
And in the dead of night
When the sky seems near
There are a millions stars
When the air is clear
But then the wind gets warmer
Before the storm
You better find a place to pray
And so my name is real
I took this chance
To find a life that feeds me
A choice, a dance
But if my luck goes under
A roll of thunder
I’m gonna pay a beggar’s price
So leave a window open
And beds unmade
There is an organ working
Behind the stage
There is a
singer stalling
A crowd that’s calling
And no one to give advice
There you are
You had to go and say what’s on your mind
You have to go and say it every time
So go ahead and say it
So in the case you’re wondering
What took such time
It was a way of keeping
Myself just fine
Four thousand days of quiet
With a world inside it
And a place to call my own
These are dreams
Exactly as they seem
Holding your hands up high
And begging for relief
Don’t turn me home just yet
Don’t turn me home just yet
There you are
You had to go and say what’s on your mind
You have to go and say it every time
So go ahead and say it
Aluminum Man is on the verge
I’d be surprised if he’s not hurt
Tell him the papers got it wrong
Tell him now
Tell him now
Tell him three quarters can’t be wrong
Tell him it’s not a working song
Tell him we listened to his story
Tell him now
Tell him now
Tell him we’re worried for his wife
Pray for an ordinary life
Tell him we’re sorry for his loss
Tell him now
Tell him now
Tell him he’s welcome to the earth
A treaty with man, a second birth
Tell him we’re ready for this story
Tell him now
Tell him
COUNTER MELODY
And so here come the bombs
To the bunker
Its not what it appears
Round here
So near and dear
So go
Up through the town
Into the country
We’re hiding with our kids
That’s it
Don’t quit
Or talk
Back to the egg
It’s hard to argue
With something that we did
Or said
That’s it
SECOND COUNTER MELODY
Please be clear
With exactly what you hear
Don’t travel far just yet
We’re begging for relief
Better to leave this scene
In spite of our beliefs
Holding your hands up high
Is exactly what it seems
India’s A Love Song
From our school in the hills
You can see everywhere
But do you think that it’s time
We get walking?
There is smoke in the air
There are people up there
But do you think it will burn down
The mountain?
‘Cause out here
We can take it all slow
Like the kids in the road
And everybody’s calling your name
But you’ll never see them again
How’m I gonna be like that?
How’m I gonna be like that?
And oh
I suppose this could be
The soul of an innocent dream
Around me
India’s a love song
Drive another way back home
Looking for the back roads
Brother
Take this may it serve you well
May you always have something to offer
Take those shoes off your feet
And lay your burden by me
And may your trouble lead somehow that prospers
And out here you forget what you know
So make it up as you go
Like a marching band in the road
Like a welcoming home
How’s I gonna leave like this?
‘Cause I don’t want ot leave just yet
And oh
There’s a country to see
Exploding in flowers and trees
Around me
India’s a love song
Let’s drive another way back home
Looking for the backroads
So rest here
Between us
Can you hear all the crowds in the background?
If you breathe in
And sleep here
You might dream that you’re home in the mountains
Where you can get yourself back in a heartbeat
There is a town
With all I have found
I need
Coming back
To the ground
From the hills
India’s a love song
Let’s drive another way back home
Looking for the back roads
Singing to the radio
India’s a love song
Let’s drive another way back home
Looking for the back roads
Singing to the radio
Jens Peter Larsen
The day is done
So I’m heading home
From a week of sleeping
Far away from the ones that I love
The weather’s fair
So I’m walking there
Seven miles of singing
Sweet Hour of Prayer
To myself
Myself
Myself
In seasons of distress and grief
My soul has often found relief
That’s where I lay the stones
That carry my home
And take me back to the people I know
While I work and build
This house on a hill
It keeps me moving with miles and miles to go
At 23
My girl and me
Traveled up to the North
Where she married me
And so you know
And then we found
A spot of ground
And built our home
In the Beautiful South that she loved
Loved
Loved
And since He bids me seek His face
Believe His words and trust His Grace
‘Cause that’s where I lay the stones
That carry my home
And take me back to the people I know
While I work and build
This house on a hill
It keeps me moving with miles and miles to go
The Boy Who Could Hear Music
Early in the morning
Just before you catch the break of day
You feel weary
And you’re worried
There’s a bird outside your door
Pushing branches back and forth
And you’re feeling
Your heart beating
And it’s beating so fast
But in that rhythm
You hear singing
And in the sound there is a melody
That turned into a symphony
And so don’t say a word
Just stand where you are
And stare at the world
Don’t worry tomorrow
Tomorrow will see
Just for the moment
Let everything be
And that’s when he left his home
Set out to find that song
And that’s when he rowed a boat out to sea
And that’s when the air stood still
As he crossed those fields
Chasing the music to the sun
Just like a rabbit on the run
But my favorite
Things are made up
When there was nothing left to say
And we shade in
All the spaces
With all the things that we call beautiful
And colorful
Unbelievable
So don’t hide in a crowd
Just mean what you say
And say it out loud
The song you were chasing
Was always right here
And for a moment
It all came so clear
And so where did you go
Out on the road
All on your own?
And the song
That you could hear
Brought you back here
Cinema Day
Bitter kid with your head down lowered
You make good time
But can you see the clouds ahead?
You better find a place to rest
Or take a break and pretend it’s sunny
Just for a bit
You can stay little while
A little cover for the night
Oh, what’s a boat without an oar?
What’s cloud without a storm?
Or an old forgotten show?
‘Cause we don’t love to see you cry
Another day, another mile
Another way to say good bye
See the night come down
Sleeping on the ground
As the sky turns round
Oh, then when it’s dark at night
We’ll huddle round him tight
To get him through the night
I can hear their talking down the hall
They sing and laugh
And now they’re getting up to go
I can see the pictures on my wall
Sometimes they wink
Or smile at what I think
But sometimes they don’t move at all
What’s a sea without a shore?
A better dog that’s getting old?
Or an old familiar soul?
‘Cause we don’t love to see you gone
You have no idea what’s going on
As you run to find that song
Take a good look now
Sleeping on the ground
As the sky turns round
Oh, in the darkest night
We huddle round him tight
To get him through the night
Bitter kid
With your head down lowered
Fast asleep
But there’s still ways to go
You better get out on that road
But take a look
At the morning now
It’s blue as May
And it’s beautiful today
It’s a Cinema Day
There’s A Hole In The Ocean Floor
Now there’s a marching band
Practicing their songs
In an empty schoolyard
And there’s a sound out there
Floating in the air
But I just find it
Anywhere
That’s why you’re blown apart
Don’t ever want to think about it
It’s hard to make it stop
Just long enough to talk about it
There’s a hole in the ocean floor
It’s gonna take a long time
And there’s a hole in the ocean floor
It’s gonna take a long time
Pray there’s enough for me
Pray there’s enough for you
Pray for anything
Now there’s a ghost in the eyes
Of the person you find
As you turn to leave them
And there’s a hole in the soul
Of a wandering girl
Every time you greet her
So stay right there
And so you’re blown apart
Don’t ever want to talk about it
So hard to make it stop
Just long enough to think about it
Now there’s a hole in the ocean floor
It’s gonna take a long time
There’s a hole in the ocean floor
It’s gonna take a long time
Pray there’s enough for me
Pray there’s enough for you
Pray for anything
There’s a hole in the ocean floor
It’s gonna take a long time
There’s a hole in the ocean floor
It’s gonna take a long time
Pray there’s enough for me
Pray there’s enough for you
Pray for anything
A Little Older (Everybody’s Safe)
And to think that she’s coming home today
All a little wonder, the world’s a better place
And the good news is everyone’s ok
All a little older and everybody’s safe
And time has left a mark upon this place
Lay it down, but don’t be late
You’ve got to tend it like a garden
Just so you know
There’s a boy in a rock and roll band
He’s going to cut his own path
The only way he can
Unlike the writer who never sees the sun
Poor an lonesome writer
Afraid of getting burned
But you have such a load upon your back
Hold your ground they won’t come back
Days of wonder; days of folly
We should have known
We’ll live in a house
That no one has ever known
A gate in the back
A girl is running home
And late afternoon
The light in the room
Will drift to the side
The day’s gone by
And the sky
Will play tricks upon your eyes
When you’re tired
Like on the days of year
When all the shadows disappear
We’ll live in a house
That no one has ever known
A gate in the back
A girl is running home
And late afternoon
The sun in the room
Will drift to the side
The day’s gone by
So go live in a house
Let all those people stay
And give it a name
From some place far away
And time after time
That look in her eyes
Will tell you you’re fine
The day’s gone by
How We Love
To clear my own name
Where to begin?
Except that I’m sorry
Once again
Cause I have been wrong
So many times
And I’m just beginning
To unwind
But you have been strong
Steady and kind
With no room for sorrow
True and kind
Take comfort in these
Small little deeds
It’s just the beginning
Not the end
How we love
We don’t turn away
When it’s hard
Or shift all the blame
Then I try to consider
These things
From your point of view
I pretend
Like there’s nothing to say
Like a game
But you don’t look away
Then I break
Til everything’s bare
And you stand by me
So how does it feel
When something gets real
True to the matter
We reveal
Like two of a kind
Like water to wine
And hope for the morrow
Please be here
Just let me grow old
With my favorite soul
And wait for tomorrow
To unfold
Here’s the good bit for you now
When our walls come crashing down
We are left without our stories
It’s how we love
We don’t turn away
When it’s hard
Or shift all the blame
Then I try
To consider
These things
From your point of view
I pretend
Like that there’s nothing to say
Like a game
But you don’t look away
Then I break
Til everything’s bare
And you stand by me
Pictures
Somewhere out there
There’s a picture of you
That I haven’t seen for a while
Somewhere out there
You are laughing at this moment
Just like in the picture
Right next to me
There in the picture
There I am
Making plans
Somewhere out there
It’s the Fourth of July
But it hasn’t rained in a year
Somewhere out there
There is lighting at this moment
Strike down in the picture
Right next to the girl
There in the picture
All her saints hesitate
For you
Right there
Out in the back
Beside an old camera
You tried not to laugh
You tried not to smile
You tried not to move
But in the end it was
Enough that came through
Somewhere out there
There’s a picture of you
That I haven’t seen for a while
Somewhere out there
You are laughing at this moment
Just like in the picture
Right next to me
There in the picture
Here I am
Making plans
For you
Call It Beautiful
Right next to me
There is town
With beautiful buildings
But no one around
The clock always reads
5:23
That’s when the daylight
Hits right to me
Away in the dark
Bound to a tree
A struggling boy who’s
Trying to get free
Trees always move
To the sound in his dreams
The counting of nothing
The picture of peace
When we dream at night
We huddle round the candle light
And make brave faces to the night
And call it beautiful
Right next to me
There is a field
All covered in stories
That nobody hears
And each time it rains
A new one appears
To bring me some comfort
And keep me safe here
Right next to me
There is the sound
Of hundreds of soldiers
Asleep on the ground
And Spring always brings
A couple of clouds
To give them some cover
And peace every hour
And when it’s late at night
I hear a voice that’s calling out
It’s like a ship that’s left it’s route
But still its beautiful
We Among Believers
We among believers
A steady hand hold the feather best
It’s just a few of us in here
But when the wind comes in
You close your eyes
You better hold your breath
As it blows outside
It’s invisible
But it rattles here inside
Here’s what’s we believe
In this house where we come to breath
Please don’t bring that stuff in here
And everybody . . .
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows we’ll go
Now it’s back to me
Like lightning in the trees
Where everything falls down on me
On that I beg to differ
Steady hands hold the feather best
It’s just the few of us in here
Then the band shows up
They push inside
And let the anthem play
But no one sings
It’s invisible
But you tremble anyway
And everybody . . .
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows we’ll go
And everybody . . .
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows we’ll go
And everybody . . .
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows we’ll go
And everybody . . .
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows
Everywhere the wind blows we’ll go
All songs ©2018 Peter Breinholt (ASCAP)