For so many years tongue-tied, I waited in silence,

My cautious mind twisted and furled,

While I searched and I scrabbled for words

That would captivate souls and win over the world.

Enter a writer, you came on the scene

With a big book of phrases you placed on a chair,

Took my hand and you set it at random on any old page,

And you said, “Start from there.”

First you let me just whisper it softly,

And then you added your voice to mine.

You said, “It’s a place good as any

To start a new line.”

In the new declaration of my independence,

You’re the capital letter, first mark on my opening line.

I will fill out this page without fear of repentance,

So I say thank you for starting my sentence.

Thank you for starting my sentence.

“No more searching,” you said. “Words are flash bulbs,

And just what they light up we cannot control.

Every simple word uttered by you lights a singular scene

In each singular soul.”

You said, “Talk with me. I’m your addressee.

We’ll build a lexicon, start a fresh sheet.

You will craft a new language with every new person

Who’s standing in front of your feet.”

You said, “Start the script over and over again.

Let it fall out of you.

With each spirit you meet,

A new world is born.”

In the new declaration of my independence,

You’re the capital letter, first mark on my opening line.

I will fill out this page without fear of repentance,

So I say thank you for starting my sentence.

Thank you for starting my sentence.

Let me take it from here. The stream’s unstoppered.

I’ll go on and write reams with words I’ve penned.

It starts with a capital letter, then it goes and knows no end.

You’ve been capital, friend.

In the new declaration of my independence,

You’re the capital letter, first mark on my opening line.

I will fill out this page without fear of repentance,

So I say thank you for starting my sentence.

Thank you for starting my sentence.

Thank you.

What a relief to hear you there.

Thank you for sitting here beside me.

This is our song, an earthy prayer,

One I will join if you will guide me.

For you long have led the chorus,

Taught the words that the earth lent,

And the verses written for us by the birds,

And the words went:

Sing this song of community.

We’re gonna blend it, mend it,

Tend it from the ground up,

It will grow to maturity,

And through the skies and seasons

We will send the sound up.

So let me hear that lusty alto,

Hear how the song is growing splendid.

You planted the seeds; let them now grow.

Walk in the garden that you tended.

It’s a rough act of creation

That we shaped with our own hands,

But you know this song’s vibration

Will escape through the wide lands.

Sing this song of community,

We’re gonna blend it, mend it,

Tend it from the ground up,

It will grow to maturity,

And through the skies and seasons

We will send the sound up.

Every now and then the world will twist the knife

Help me make this harmony persist,

That you’ve sung everyday of your life.

You have seen this germination,

Watched the leaves as they unfurled.

It’s the whisper of resistance,

It’s the breath of a new world.

Sing this song of community,

We’re gonna blend it, mend it,

Tend it from the ground up,

It will grow to maturity,

And through the skies and seasons

We will send the sound up.

It’s a rough act of creation

That we shaped with our own hands,

But you know this song’s vibration

Will escape through the wide lands.

You have seen this germination,

Watched the leaves as they unfurled.

It’s the whisper of resistance,

It’s the breath of a new world.

I’ll remain out here on the edge of things,

Where the sounds are soft and the lighting low,

In a crowded room where a silence rings

In its waiting heart where I dare not go.

For its harsh and bright on the open floor,

And the crowd around sees every move,

And I feel the world can see my every pore.

Better stay right here; too much to prove.

Then in a rush of tangled limbs and hair,

We will see step out that figure slim,

A blur of colour, eyes bright, both feet bare,

Right there. And we know it’s him.

Take the floor, oh Headlong Man,

Carve a path at the knees-up, please.

Hurl your voice as no-one can,

Raise the rafters, bend the trees,

You’ll storm the stage and the rostrum seize,

Spin a tale for the motley clan.

Cast your cares to the laughing breeze,

Let’s all be glad for the Headlong Man.

So I breathless rush to his whirling side,

And we stamp our feet and the night rolls on.

We will lift our heads back, throw our arms out wide.

Better live right now or the moment’s gone.

For when we know a show’s about to start,

When we’re on the brink of something new,

Just stay a moment, still that beating heart,

For soon he’ll appear in view.

Take the floor, oh Headlong Man,

Carve a path at the knees-up, please.

Hurl your voice as no-one can,

Raise the rafters, bend the trees,

You’ll storm the stage and the rostrum seize,

Spin a tale for the motley clan.

Cast your cares to the laughing breeze,

Let’s all be glad for the Headlong Man.

Hail the Headlong Man. All hall the Headlong Man…

Take the floor, oh Headlong Man,

Carve a path at the knees-up, please.

Hurl your voice as no-one can,

Raise the rafters, bend the trees,

You’ll storm the stage and the rostrum seize,

Spin a tale for the motley clan.

Cast your cares to the laughing breeze,

Let’s all be glad for the Headlong Man.

So you’re off, my darling. You’re off today.

Such reckless joy brings me undone,

To be here on day one.

Your small fist brandish against the sun.

Close your starry eyes against the skies and hurl aloud your cries

With your hand within mine curled,

Sing your presence to the world.

So you’re off, my darling. You’re off today.

Slap those sandals down our gravel path,

The road to join the fray.

Your yellow backpack retreats away.

Pull your scrunchie tight; you’ll be alright and I’ll be here tonight.

Slap those sandals down on roads unknown;

You are not alone.

An adventure is the stirring of a heart into unknowing,

Whether timidly or boldly doesn’t matter once you’re going.

Growing older, growing bolder, tripping over, getting up,

On your mettle, grasp that nettle, plant that pedal, best of luck.

So you’re off, my darling. You’re off today.

What a whirlwind ride to walk beside

That strong and steady stride.

Hey, teenage sailor, you’re out the bay.

Hold that bus pass in your hand, this ship is setting out from land.

Sail and away and wave to me;

I’ll be here waiting at the quay.

So you’re off, my darling. You’re off today.

Lace those boots about your feet and meet

That long and growing street.

Across the tarmac you glance my way.

Ah my darling, dry your eyes, and I will watch you take the skies,

Pull your scrunchie tight; you’ll be all right.

I’ll still be here tonight.

An adventure is the stirring of a heart into unknowing,

Whether timidly or boldly doesn’t matter once you’re going.

Growing older, growing bolder, tripping over, getting up,

On your mettle, grasp that nettle, plant that pedal, best of luck.

Remember, remember, my dear,

Whether you’re near or far from here,

No matter where the road may bend,

You’ll always be held beginning to end. 

An adventure is the stirring of a heart into unknowing,

Whether timidly or boldly doesn’t matter once you’re going.

Growing older, growing bolder, tripping over, getting up,

On your mettle, grasp that nettle, plant that pedal, best of luck.

Hey, little one, you’ll soon see the sun,

And you’ll raise your thumb; life’s a caravan.

Under the sky, we’re all passers-by,

As we cross the dry in an old sedan.

Baby, you’ll come to understand,

You hit the sand with your licence in your hand.

Baby don’t worry; we hired a lorry,

And in a hurry, you’ll jump aboard our van.

You’re one of us. You caught the bus;

Before you checked in, you hitched a ride.

You’ll make a din; we’ll cram you in.

There’s always room for one more inside.

We’ve been waiting for you all of these years,

And now you’re here without a fuss.

Pick up your pack, get in the back.

We’re right on track ‘cause you’re one of us.

Hey little boo, without much ado

We made space for you: now to meet the crew.

Each fellow rider you’ll find inside is your acolyte,

Welcome to the zoo.

Maybe you won’t quite fit the pew

Reserved for you and you’ll wonder what to do.

Pick up your duffle; it’s no kerfuffle, we’ll gladly shuffle.

We’ll rearrange for you.

You’re one of us. You caught the bus;

Before you checked in, you hitched a ride.

You made a din; we crammed you in.

There’s always room for one more inside.

We’ve been waiting for you all of these years,

And now you’re here without a fuss.

Pick up your pack, get in the back.

We’re right on track ‘cause you’re one of us.

You’re one of us.

Ooh, and some distant year,

You’ll say, “Pull over here,”

Ooh, and you’ll grab your gear.

And though we’ll wave to you,

In the rearview,

It will still be true…

That you’re one of us. You caught the bus;

Before you checked in, you hitched a ride.

You made a din; we crammed you in.

There’s always room for one more inside.

You’re one of us. You caught the bus;

Before you checked in, you hitched a ride.

You made a din; we crammed you in.

There’s always room for one more inside.

We’d been waiting for you all of these years,

And now you’re here without a fuss.

Pick up your pack, get in the back.

We’re right on track ‘cause you’re one of us.

When we’re pulled to shreds,

When our seams detach,

Then I know of a seamstress who’ll hold off the wear

With a well-placed patch.

With a spool of thread,

And a needle keen,

When we fray at the edges, she’ll take up her seat,

There at her machine.

See the seamstress feed our loose threads in,

Hold this fabric fast,

Slip it gently round our tender skin,

Garments made to last.

Gather the skirts of this misshapen cloth,

Bring it in, pin it.

Round us, seamstress, trim a wrapper rare,

Made to fit.

So the tempests rage,

Our foundations rock,

But we’ll all face the weather, while looking our best

In our tailored frock.

Watch this garment grow,

As down the road we go,

A new outline she’ll trace so new bundles find space,

And new pockets sew.

See the seamstress feed our loose threads in,

Hold this fabric fast,

Slip it gently round our tender skin,

Garments made to last.

Gather the skirts of this misshapen cloth,

Bring it in, pin it.

Round us, seamstress, trim a wrapper rare,

Made to fit.

Stitch us up, seamstress, hold us tight.

Make us an outfit that lasts through the night.

Slip a loop round we motley lot.

Tie the knot.

See the seamstress feed our loose threads in,

Hold this fabric fast,

Slip it gently round our tender skin,

Garments made to last.

Gather the skirts of this misshapen cloth,

Bring it in, pin it.

Round us, seamstress, trim a wrapper rare,

Made to fit.

I turned out from the coast and let the desert highway greet me.

Had a plan to reach the mountains, not a soul on earth to meet me.

For a while to leave the world behind that threatened to defeat me,

But I had a growing feeling as I lost sight of the sea:

I learnt something ‘bout freedom,

On the open road today,

Life had got me so beaten,

Now I was going my own way,

But a part of me lingered,

Looking for some debt to pay,

So I gotta learn freedom,

‘Cause I got a plan for it to stay.

I met you at a roadhouse flipping through the magazines.

You told me you were running from the memory of your teens.

I mumbled something empty and you turned away from me,

And we sat there in the cafe, staring at the TV screen.

I learnt something ‘bout freedom,

As you walked into the blue.

So it isn’t just me, then,

And I’ve got some work to do.

Why can’t I be free, then?

So I can say, “I know, me too.”

So I gotta learn freedom,

‘Cause I got a plan for it for you.

Ooh, and don’t it make you shiver,

How time flows and and still your pain keeps coming down the river?

Ooh, and for everyone who’s hurting,

Once all your chains are broken, still you’ll run into the shame you’re skirting.

And for every word of love unsaid,

Because you’re lost inside your head,

This broken world stays as before,

And freedom slips away once more.

I learnt something ‘bout freedom

As I lost sight of the sea:

Gotta chase that feeling,

And for more than you and me,

‘Cause I never will find it,

Til all people can be free,

So I gotta learn freedom,

Take the long, long road to liberty.

Driving down the road today,

A song came on I’d heard before,

But it entered me a different way,

Like the first print on a pristine shore.

And suddenly you were next to me,

Singing it for the first time.

You wanted it to set me free,

And it was mine, and only mine.

And I wept for this familiar tune,

As your lonely song began to play,

And the words you wrote down just for me,

But I never knew until today.

And aren’t words just a mystery?

Thought I knew just what they had in store.

I know I heard this song before.

I never heard this song before.

I know when first it came my way,

In that movie with the sad mum,

And since then when it went to play,

It washed over me like gentle sun.

I guess since then the years turned on,

And though I didn’t know it yet,

My heart now sang a kindred song;

Today it sang a fine duet.

And I wept for this familiar tune,

As your lonely song began to play,

And the words you wrote down just for me,

But I never knew until today.

And aren’t words just a mystery?

Thought I knew just what they had in store.

I know I heard this song before.

I never heard this song before.

Ooh, and more and more it seems to me,

A song is like a lover,

And over time we tenderly

Reshape ourselves around each other.

And I wept for this familiar tune,

As your lonely song began to play,

And the words you wrote down just for me,

But I never knew until today.

And aren’t words just a mystery?

Thought I knew just what they had in store.

I know I heard this song before.

I never heard this song before.

I know I heard this song before.

I never heard this song before.

I never heard this song before.

One sun lights an ancient rock in motion,

One hill rears its old head,

One hall stands among a find commotion,

One door beckons two to be wed.

This day there is something in the making,

New words to an old song.

This night we will hear the ghosts awaking.

This day we are where we belong.

On this wedding day, hear the echo of the ages,

On this wedding day, feel the turning underway,

This wedding day, hear the song the earth is singing within you,

Let it out on this wedding day;

Everything’s come together on this wedding day.

One breath sings a pledge of new creation,

One wind throws the sound high,

One storm sweeps across an aching nation,

One new promise rings in the sky.

Take heed: hear the words of resolution,

Old friends find a new way.

Take heart: it’s a quiet revolution,

All are three words closer today.

On this wedding day, hear the echo of the ages,

On this wedding day, feel the turning underway,

This wedding day, hear the song the earth is singing within you,

Let it out on this wedding day;

Everything’s come together on this wedding day.

Ooh…

One sun lights an ancient rock in motion,

One hill rears its old head,

One hall stands among a find commotion,

One door beckons two to be wed.

On this wedding day, hear the echo of the ages,

On this wedding day, feel the turning underway,

This wedding day, hear the song the earth is singing within you,

Let it out on this wedding day;

Everything’s come together on this wedding day.

“To be a pilgrim,” that’s what the old man said,

Let her come hither to face the goblins, from the nunnery fly.

Hear the organ swelling, hear the pound of your beating heart,

Hear the voice of the congregation raise the pilgrim high.

And the folk left the fold, but they kept on singing,

Let the valiant pilgrim roar,

And you hear those echoes go on ringing,

As you stand at your open door.

But the way’s grown wider. The Damascus road is gone,

And there’s no more destination, just the wide blue sky.

Come wind, come weather, you feel the pull of the pilgrim path,

Though the sacred way is wanting, hear the pilgrim cry.

So hey there, traveller,

Off through the desert you roll.

The Camino ahead is born with each tread.

You’re a new kind of valiant soul.

Still the memory rises from a warm and simpler time,

We look for lions to test our mettle in a world of wrong.

But the lions are weeping, so you listen and you understand,

You will fear, but you will write, a new pilgrim’s song.

For the rites weren’t right and the psalms mistaken,

But the pilgrim dream lives on.

No more giants to fight, those roads forsaken,

We’ve no Mecca, no Babylon.

Hear the ancients chanting. Hear them clamour in the open land,

But the tumult leaves you grasping for a melody’s bones,

Through the rocks and mountains, hear the pilgrim raise her voice,

Sing a new line in the chorus of the sacred stones.

So hey there, traveller,

Off through the desert you roll.

The Camino ahead is born with each tread.

You’re a new kind of valiant soul.

He who would valiant be, let him come hither,

One who would constant be, come wind, come weather,

There’s no discouragement would make him once relent

His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

So hey there, traveller,

(She who would valiant be)

Off through the desert you roll.

(Let her come hither)

The Camino ahead is born with each tread.

(One who would constant be)

You’re a new kind of valiant soul.

(Come wind, come weather)

So hey there, traveller,

(There’s no discouragement)

Off through the desert you roll.

(Would make her once relent)

The Camino ahead is born with each tread.

(Her first avowed intent)

You’re a new kind of valiant soul.

(To be a pilgrim)

I know it ain’t easy for you, sonny, don’t you weep,

For your daddy was a minister, and that runs deep.

Cut from the cloth of a man of the cloth, your lessons you keep,

And with your pulpit in your pocket, to the wide world leap.

Like the shepherd you went off and let your flock grow.

It’s a blessing and a burden to be trusted so.

So Solomon, let your crown fall, let the rabble go.

Come and join us in the choir, you don’t have to go it solo.

Take a load off, preacher’s son, you don’t need a congregation.

You got a seat in the stalls, hear the choir’s calls,

Enjoy the celebration.

Don’t you worry ‘bout a sermon, from the altar stray,

Raise your voice, sonny, with the choir today.

The music’s why we’re really here anyway.

For you could make that sound, and we knew that you could;

We were listening from behind where the pastor stood.

And the service needs a sermon and you think you should,

But the chorus needs a tenor and you sound so good.

Take a load off, preacher’s son, you don’t need a congregation.

You got a seat in the stalls, hear the choir’s calls,

Enjoy the celebration.

Don’t you worry ‘bout a sermon, from the altar stray,

Raise your voice, sonny, with the choir today.

The music’s why we’re really here anyway.

Oh, preacher’s son, you know you got your charms,

We’ve been waiting for you here with open arms,

Join the harmonisation.

Let your yoke be easy, let your burden be light;

You’ll be singing with your brothers and your sisters tonight.

Hear our choral approbation of your postulation abdication;

Our vibration is the real foundation.

So feel the music swell, sonny, take it slow.

When the floors shake, let your heart beat to the tempo.

And the song is a river, feel the rush, let it flow;

Mountains only moved by rivers, don’t you know.

Take a load off, preacher’s son, you don’t need a congregation.

You got a seat in the stalls, hear the choir’s calls,

Enjoy the celebration.

Don’t you worry ‘bout a sermon, from the altar stray,

Raise your voice, sonny, with the choir today.

The music’s why we’re really here anyway.

Not a thought, not a step, not another word.

I can see, you and me, we’re the same odd bird.

By your bead-bright eyes, I can tell you’ve heard,

And drunk it all in.

With those wise hazel eyes you will soak it in,

See what is, see what was, see what might have been,

And your kind dervish mind starts to whirl and spin,

Let the revels begin.

Your mind will wander free,

Down roads of what could be,

And wishing you were she, one who’d follow them through.

So my lovely friend,

Before that way you wend,

This gentle word I lend to help remind you of you:

You’re good.

You are completely good.

You’re good.

You are completely good.

Play this song from time to time if it will help to hear me chime:

You’re good.

Look around, touch the ground, try to see this place,

Hear the birds, smell the rain, moor yourself in space,

Have a bathe in the gaze of a loved-one’s face,

And let it be so.

Sit and breathe, hear the words that the old ones said,

Take a walk for a mile, watching every tread,

Lovely friend, let the words settle in your head:

I love you, you know.

Because you cannot see

What’s clear as day to me,

That like a Christmas tree, you softly twinkle and glow.

So if the stories sting,

You can give me a ring.

You can do anything; you light up wherever you go.

You’re good.

You are completely good.

You’re good.

You are completely good.

Not a thing you say or do will ever touch this message true:

You’re good.

Ba da dum dum ba da dum ba da dum

I will repeat it.

Ba da dum dum ba da dum ba da dum

If you need it.

Ba da dum dum ba da dum ba da dum

Don’t ever doubt it

Ba da dum dum ba da dum ba da dum

You can’t when there’s a song about it.

You’re good.

You are completely good.

You’re good.

You are completely good.

You’re ablaze, a light, aglow, how can I help you to know?

Take my word, my dear friend, from these verses I have penned.

Let me write it in the sky if it will help to hear me cry:

You’re good.