"The Carnival is Coming to Town"

I've heard the local gossip
I've seen it on the tube
I've heard they want to set up shop
They're looking for a rube
Rolling down the valley road
With their tigers and their clowns
Cloaked in magic's mystery
The carnival is comin' to town

There's a whisper in the moonlight
There's aroma in the air
We've heard about the slight of hand
That plays on love's despair
The tickets for the ferris wheel
That goes 'round and 'round and 'round
Are free to all who rode before
The carnival is comin' to town

We've seen them in the desert
We've seen them by the sea
They're popping up in parking lots
Giving rides for free
They know if they're hear long enough
We'll surely all come 'round
Flags and lights and marching bands
The carnival is comin' to town

They've been 'round here forever
Like spirits in the woods
Hiding in the shadows
Until the the time seems good
For a fee they'll change your world
They'll give you smiles for frowns
Magic rabbits pulled from hats
The carnival is comin' to town

So
Don't you turn your eyes away
The curtain's risng soon
With elephants and dancing bears
A trapeze 'cross the moon
The gypsy girl will read your mind
Will lift you off the ground
Dizzy, dazzling double talk
The carnival is comin'
The carnival is comin'
Yes
The carnival is a' comin' to town

“The Dutchman“

As we journeyed through the night
Over on the western side
Off among the northern lights
   Searching caves by candlelight

Calling from beyond the hills
Deep into the midnight chill
We took a seat to take our fill
   And hoist one for the Dutchman’s will

Somewhere down that mountain road
The Dutchman struck his winner's pose
Standing with his *** of gold
   Seems he’d found the mother lode

Between what is and what’s been told
Far inside those peaks so bold
The Dutchman waits to show the road
   That leads us to his hills of gold

But

   Victories with winners die
They drift off in the western sky

Yet

   Dreams live on with wings to fly
You only must believe and try

As we journeyed through the night
Over on the western side
Off among the northern lights
   We searched the caves by candlelight

“The Lights”

The lights are shining through your heart
They carry you away
Looking down through dusty dunes
You  know you’ve heard them say

    The lights

The lights are shining through your mind
You hear the distant roar
They lead you down a lonely road
You’re never really sure, but it’s

  The lights

Have you seen the lights ?

  They’re staring in your eyes
Looking through your helpless soul
Kissing you goodnight


       Have you seen the lights ?

They’re carrying your dreams
Giving you another chance
Seems just like it seems to be

      The lights

The lights are shining through your past
You feel them once again
They lead you into yesterday
And bring you back again

    Have you seen the lights ?
                  
They’re reaching in your soul
Tearing at your history
Left you there alone

Have you seen the lights ?

They’ve taken all you have
They left it on some mountaintop
And they’ll never give it back

Have you seen the lights ?

The lights are shining through your heart
They carry you away
Leading you down dusty dunes
You  know you’ve heard them say

    The lights
  Have you seen the lights?

“The Lost Child”

If you haven’t learned by now,
     You probably never will
It’s not about the grand escape,
     It’s not about the thrills

It’s just about a young child's face,
     And how it made you feel
A place you lost so long ago,
     A world that once was real

   Before the secret deal was cut
     With forces dark and wild
   That set you on the journey
     That forever lost that child

Yet

   You have the choice and you have the chance,
     To find that child once more
        He’s sitting on the sidewalk,
     Waiting by the door

        He’s asking for a second chance
     To step into your heart
       So take his hand and let him in
     To lead you from the dark

        Back into the sunshine
     That forever warms the day
     And gives you back the happiness
   That once was stole away                                                             ­   

If you haven’t learned by now
     You probably never will

"The Mystery and Majesty"


As the earth turns to
  meet the day

and the birds dance
     through the trees

my heart fills with
  life's bouquet

of the

  Mystery and Majesty

“ The Other Side of Town “
  
Is the sunrise just as striking
does the snow come floating down
does the wind blow through the treetops
on the other side of town

  Do the leaves turn orange in autumn
do the blackbirds make that sound
  is the sunset just like magic
on the other side of town

  Do the old men still play checkers
does the ice cream truck come ‘round
do the kids still walk ‘round barefoot
      on the other side of town

And
  though I’ve never caught the train
  that takes you ‘cross the tracks
  I’ve often said that if I go
  I’m never comin’ back
I’ll sell the memories I’ve earned
  I’ll take the mailbox down
  I’ll find a place to lay my head
  on the other side of town

Do they sit out on their porches
do they wave when you come down
  can you walk downtown at midnight
on the other side of town

Can you take your *******
  moonlight walks
do you hear those baying hounds
  do the crickets tell the stories
from the other side of town

Am I
  just a fool for dreamin’
I can turn the clock around
Can I find what I still long for
on the other side of town

And
  though I never caught the train
  that takes you ‘cross the tracks
  I’ve often said that if I go
  I’m never comin’ back

  I’ll sell the memories I’ve earned
  I’ll take the mailbox down
I’ll find some peace beside the trees
on the other side of town

  I’ll find that dream
   inside my heart
on the other side of town

“ Time  Goes  By “


Time  goes  by and it frees  the  pain
  time  goes  by and  we
bless  the  rain

The sun shines through  and then
         once  again
  we find our hearts  in the
      hearts  of  friends

     The  door  swings  back and  we
      see the past
     we find the place  where  we’re
       free at last
     the door  swings  back and  we
          finally  know
     if we  loved  them, we  let  them  go

   We’ll sing  of  the  summer  nights
we’ll sing  of  the  falling  leaves
  we’ll sing  of  the  tender  times
  the  reasons  we  believe



Time  goes  by and it  gives  us  peace
  gives  us  moments
of sweet  release

The  moon  shines through  as the
clouds  roll  by
our  hearts  will  find  that our
tears  have  dried


      The  door  swings  back and  we
   see the past
     we find the place  where  we’re
    free at last
     the door  swings  back and  we
      finally  know
     if we  loved  them, we  let  them  go

We’ll sing  of  the  summer  nights
we’ll sing  of  the falling  leaves
we’ll sing  of  the tender  times
the reasons we believe

     the reasons we believe