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)