Hey You

The walls that cut us off from solidarity and hapiness are of our own making.  This wall of division can only be breached with open hearts.  

Pink Floyd - Hey You


Hey you, out there in the cold
Getting lonely, getting old, can you feel me?
Hey you, standing in the aisles
With itchy feet and fading smiles, can you feel me?
Hey you, don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight

Hey you, out there on your own
Sitting naked by the phone would you touch me?
Hey you, with your ear against the wall
Waiting for someone to call out would you touch me?
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Open your heart, I'm coming home

But it was only a fantasy
The wall was too high as you can see
No matter how he tried he could not break free
And the worms ate into his brain

Hey you, out there on the road
Always doing what you're told, can you help me?
Hey you, out there beyond the wall
Breaking bottles in the hall, can you help me?

Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all
Together we stand, divided we fall

The Battle Of Evermore

All of creation is caught up in an epic war between good and evil.  One must ultimately declare his allegiance to one or the other side as there is no possibility of neutrality in this battle.  

Led Zeppelin - The Battle Of Evermore


Queen of Light took her bow, and then she turned to go
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom, and walked the night alone

Oh, dance in the dark of night, sing to the morning light
The dark Lord rides in force tonight, and time will tell us all

Oh, throw down your plow and hoe, rest not to lock your homes

Side by side we wait the might of the darkest of them all

I hear the horses thunder down in the valley below
I'm waiting for the angels of Avalon, waiting for the eastern glow

The apples of the valley hold the seeds of happiness
The ground is rich from tender care, repay, do not forget, no, no
Dance in the dark of night, sing to the morning light

The apples turn to brown and black, the tyrant's face is red

Oh the war is common cry, pick up you swords and fly
The sky is filled with good and bad that mortals never know

Oh, well, the night is long the beads of time pass slow
Tired eyes on the sunrise, waiting for the eastern glow

The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath
The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black, ride on

Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before
No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold

Oh dance in the dark of night, sing to the morning light
The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back, bring it back

At last the sun is shining, the clouds of blue roll by
With flames from the dragon of darkness, the sunlight blinds his eyes

Time

Time is a gift not to be frittered away because life has meaning and value.

Pink Floyd - Time


Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then the one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older
And shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desparation is the English way
The time is gone the song is over, thought I'd something more to say

Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away, across the field, tolling on the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
And hear the softly spoken magic spells

Give To Live

One must lead a virtuous life in order to find happiness.  It begins with baby steps. 

Sammy Hagar - Give To Live


I can see that you've got fire in your eyes
And pain inside your heart
So many things have come and torn your world apart
Oh baby, baby, baby, don't give up, don't give up, don't give up

If you want love
If you want love, you've got to give a little
If you want love
If you want faith, you just believe a little
If you want love
If you want peace, turn your cheek a little
Ohhh, you've got to give, you've got to give, you've got to give.....to live

An empty hand reaching out for someone
An empty heart takes so little to fill
It's so much easier to push instead of pull
Oh baby, baby, baby
Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up

If you want love
If you want love, you've got to give a little
If you want love
If you want faith, you just believe a little
If you want love
If you want peace, turn your cheek a little
Ohhh, you've got to give, you've got to give, you've got to give....to live

Each man's a country in his own right
Oh, everybody needs a friend
One friend, one God, one country
No man need defend
I believe in fate and destination
But so much of that lies in our own hands
If you know what you want, just go on out and get it
Oh baby, baby, just don't give up, don't give up, yeah, yeah

If you want love
If you want love, you've got to give a little
If you want love
If you want faith, you just believe a little
If you want love
If you want peace, turn your cheek a little
Oh, if you want love, you've got to give

If you want love
Oh, give to live 
If you want love
You've got to give, you've got to give, you've got to give
If you want love

Rise Today

In order to change the world one must find the real and spark an uprising of love. 

Alter Bridge - Rise Today


The wind is blowing cold
Have we lost our way tonight?
Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

Feels like we're all alone
Running further from what's right
And there are no more heroes to follow

So what are we becoming?
Where did we go wrong?

Yeah, oh yeah
I want to rise today
And change this world

Yeah, oh yeah
Oh, won't you rise today
And change this world?

The sun is beating down
Are we ever gonna change?
Can we stop the blood from running?

Our time is running out
Hope we find a better way
Before we find we're left with nothing

For every life that's taken
So much love is wasted

Yeah, oh yeah
I want to rise today
And change this world

Yeah, oh yeah
So won't you rise today
And change this world?

Only love can set it right
This world, if only peace would never die

It seems to me that we've got each other wrong
Was the enemy just your brother all along?

Yeah, oh yeah
I want to rise today
And change this world

Yeah, oh yeah
Oh won't you rise today
And change this world?

Yeah, oh yeah
I want to rise today
And change this world

Yeah, oh yeah
I want to rise today
And change this world

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

The heart of one who loves grows sorrowful when love goes unanswered.

Beatles & Eric Clapton - While My Guitar Gently Weeps


I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
I don't know why someone controlled you
They bought and sold you

I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know why you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know why you were inverted
No one alerted you

I look at you all
See the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all

Still my guitar gently weeps

Stairway To Heaven

There are two pathways that we can follow in this life.  One of these is broad and descends as it follows a path of least resistance.  The other road ascending seems narrow and less travelled.  The pathway is laid before us -- but there is walking and climbing to be done.  The ascent comes through the cultivation of virtue and steady progression in the moral and spiritual life.  With the help of divine grace we grow in moral stature and strength - like a rock - as we steadily make the ascent.  But if we grow lax or linger on the steps we risk rolling back down the path of least resistance and away from our transcendent goal.  The light of grace still shines on those souls -- with the image of God that glitters like gold -- wondering on that lower road.  The attentive listener faintly hears the tune calling him back to the stairway leading home.

Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven


There’s a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for

Ooh, ooh, and she’s buying a stairway to heaven

There’s a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook, there is a songbird who sings:
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who standing looking

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, really makes me wonder

And it’s whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter

If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow
Don’t be alarmed now
Its just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you’re on

And it makes me wonder
Ooooooh…

Your head is humming and it won’t go
In case you don’t know
The pipers calling you to join him

Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show…
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard the tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all, yeah, to be a rock and not to roll

And she’s buying a stairway… to heaven....

Humanity

The morally bankrupt society pursues an empty form of "progress" at the expense of true humanity.
 

Scorpions - Humanity


Humanity
Auf wiedersehen
It's time to say goodbye
The party's over
As the laughter dies
An angel cries

Humanity
It's au revoir to your insanity
You sold your soul to feed your vanity
Your fantasies and lies

You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it

At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it

Humanity, humanity
Goodbye, goodbye

Be on your way
Adios amigo there's a price to pay
For all the egotistic games you played
The world you made is gone

You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it

At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it

Humanity, humanity
Goodbye, goodbye

Run and hide there's fire in the sky
Stay inside
The water's gonna rise and pull you under
In your eyes I'm staring at the end of time
Nothing can change us
No one can save us from ourselves

You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it

At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
Now you gotta deal with it

Humanity, humanity, humanity
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

The End Is Here

As the blindfold is removed and we learn to see we become determined to find the answers and the meaning until the very end.

Alter Bridge - The End Is Here


Endless days
We search for what we hold inside
So hard to find
Luck turns
Will the fallen ever reach within
And rise again

For the rest of my life
I'll find the answers
That were always here
I'll find the meaning this time
I'll fight the end
Till the end is here

Wasted time
With words that seem to break our will
They bind us still
Without a care
They tarnish what we hold so dear
What was once so clear

For the rest of my life
I'll find the answers
That were always here
I'll find the meaning this time
I'll fight the end
Till the end is here

Learning To See

Realizing our blindness is the fist step in learning to see.

Van Halen - Learning To See


Time after time we
Walk pass the window
But never see the ashes on the ground

Night after night
Watching the sky move
But never feel the earth spinning 'round

I didn't see you fallin'
I couldn't hear you callin'
Born with eyes wide open, never learned to see

I never meant to hurt you
Was right there crying with you
Why do we harm the only thing we want to be?

Trying to follow
Every footstep
I feel so lost along the way

Reading the scripture
Straight from the gospel
Never understanding what they say

I didn't see you fallin'
I never heard you callin'
I've got my eyes wide open, but haven't learned to see

Yeah!

I never meant to hurt you
Was right there crying with you
Why do we harm the only thing we want to be?

I just gotta be me
I just gotta be me

Yeah!

I didn't see you fallin'
I never heard you callin'
I've got my eyes wide open, but never learned to see

Yeah!

I never meant to hurt you
Was right there crying with you
We only cage the very thing we want to free

I just wanna be
I just gotta be me

Watch Your Words

Without truth we find ourselves drowning in a world of ignorance, lies and hatred.  In order to recognize truth one must be willing to hear it -- and to truly see well, one must have faith.

Alter Bridge - Watch Your Words


Watch your words
Or your words might drown you
And cure my wounds
And the light will blind you

To truly see well
You must have faith
Oh the righteous they can't wait
A saving grace
That all we know
Let us pray
Let us hold on

[CHORUS:]
I can't breathe
I prefer to find a ceiling
To this hate of mine
I can't win
I can fight no more
I'm drowning
And I'm sick inside

Push no more
And the day will find you
Speak no truth
And your ways will end you

It's alright
And you must move on
Though the damage
Has been done
Cherish the life
And the ones you hold
Can you change
Can you go on

[CHORUS]

To truly see well
You must have faith
Oh the righteous they can't wait
No
A saving grace
That we all know
Let us pray
Let us hold on

[CHORUS]

I can't breathe

Searching With My Good Eye Closed

We often close our eyes to an uncomfortable truth.  The pursuit of truth and goodness presupposes an open and honest search.  The alternative is like searching for stable ground up in the sky. 

Soundgarden - Searching With My Good Eye Closed


Painted blue across my eyes
And tie the linen on
And I'm on my way, on my way
Looking for the paradigm
So I can pass it off
Is it on my side?
Is it to the sky?
Looking to the sky and down
Searching for a ground
With my good eye closed

If I took you for a ride
Would you take it wrong
Or would you make it right
Looking for a pedestal
That I can put you on
And be on my way

Is it to the sky?
Looking to the sky and down
Searching for a ground
With my good eye closed

Stop you're trying to bruise my mind
I can do it on my own
Stop you're trying to kill my time
It's been my death since I was born
I don't remember half the time
If I'm hiding or I'm lost
But I'm on my way...

Is it to the sky?
I'm on my way...
Is it to the sky?
I'm on my way...
Is it to the sky?

Welcome To The Machine

The machinery of industry often seems de-humanizing -- where the human person is reduced to a mere commodity and the common good is subordinated to other interests.

Pink Floyd - Welcome To The Machine


Welcome my son
Welcome to the machine
Where have you been?
It's alright we know where you've been

You've been in the pipeline
Filling in time
Provided with toys and scouting for boys
You brought a guitar to punish your ma

And you didn't like school
And you know you're nobody's fool
So welcome to the machine

Welcome my son
Welcome to the machine
What did you dream?
It's alright we told you what to dream

You dreamed of a big star
He played a mean guitar
He always ate in the Steak Bar
He loved to drive in his Jaguar
So welcome to the machine

Blackbird

When a loved one has departed this world we do them honor by praying for their safe flight home.

Alter Bridge - Blackbird


The willow it weeps today
A breeze from the distance is calling your name
Unfurl your black wings and wait
Across the horizon it's coming to sweep you away
It's coming to sweep you away

[Chorus:]
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again

The fragile cannot endure
The wrecked and the jaded a place so impure
The static of this cruel world
Cause some birds to fly long before they've seen their day
Long before they've seen their day

[Chorus:]
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again

Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again

Ascend may you find no resistance
Know that you made such a difference
All you leave behind will live to the end
The cycle of suffering goes on
But memories of you stay strong
Someday I too will fly and find you again

[Chorus:]
Let the wind carry you home
Blackbird fly away
May you never be broken again

Beyond the suffering you've known
I hope you find your way
May you never be broken again
May you never be broken again

Starlight

Slash - Starlight (feat. Myles Kennedy)


In the distance light years from tomorrow
Far beyond yesterday
She is watching, heart aching with sorrow
She is broken, as she waits
Hoping when all is said and done we learn to love and be as one

[Chorus]
Oh Starlight, don't you cry we're gonna make it right before tomorrow
Oh Starlight, don't you cry we're gonna find a place where we belong (where we belong)
And so you know, you'll never shine alone

There are shadows sleeping on the horizon
Leave us scared and so afraid
As the fall out of a world divided
It brings her tears and so much pain
And so we take cover from the dark
Hoping to find where we can start

[Chorus]
Oh Starlight, don't you cry we're gonna make it right before tomorrow
Oh Starlight, don't you cry we're gonna find a place where we belong (where we belong)
And so you know, you'll never shine alone
Starlight we'll find a place where we belong

You will see when the mountains fall and turn to dust
There's one thing that won't change
I believe there's something within each over us that always stays
That will always remain as long as love never fades

[Chorus]
Oh Starlight, don't you cry we're gonna make it right before tomorrow
Oh Starlight, don't you cry we're gonna find a place where we belong (where we belong)
And so you know, you'll never shine alone
Starlight we'll find a place where we belong (we belong)

She is watching, heart aching with sorrow
She is broken, as she waits

Money

The pursuit of wealth as an end in itself leads to moral bankruptsy and servitude.     

Pink Floyd - Money


Money
Get away
You get a good job with good pay and you're okay
Money
It's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream
Think I'll buy me a football team

Money
Well, get back
I'm all right Jack
Keep your hands off of my stack
Money
It's a hit
Don't give me that do goody good bs
I'm in the high-fidelity first class travelling set
I think I need a Lear jet

Money
It's a crime
Share it fairly
But don't take a slice of my pie
Money
So they say
Is the root of all evil today
But if you ask for a raise
It's no surprise that they're giving none away

Before Tomorrow Comes

Nothing comes from indifference.  Find your conviction and embrace the hero.  Before tomorrow comes you can change everything!

Alter Bridge - Before Tomorrow Comes


I couldn't sleep I had to listen
To a conscience knowing so well
That nothing comes from indifference
I look inside of myself

Will I find some kind of conviction?
Will I bid the hero farewell?
Will I be defined by things that could have been?
I guess time will only tell
I guess time will only tell

[Chorus:]
So don't let it be
Before tomorrow comes
Before you turn away
Take the hand in need
Before tomorrow comes
You could change everything

I curse my worth and every comfort
That blinded me for way too long
Damn it all I'll make a difference from now on
Cause I'm wide awake to it all
Cause I'm wide awake to it all

[Chorus]

Does anyone care it ain't right what we're doing?
Does anyone care it ain't right where we're going?
Does anyone dare justify how we're living?
Does anyone here care at all?

[Chorus]

We could be so much more than we are
We could be so much more than we are
We could be so much more than we are
Oh this much I know

No Such Thing

When good is lacking evil fills the void.  To lose or to save your soul is a choice of how you fill the hole.

Chris Cornell - No Such Thing


I saw the world, it was beautiful
But the rain got in and ruined it all
Then I tried to be invisible
It was impossible even for me

I laughed at love, it was a big mistake
In the absence of, I filled it with hate

'Cause there's no such thing as nothing
Yeah, there's no such thing as nothing at all

I had the brains not to think at all
But the rain got in and I thought too hard
On the world and as usual
I slumped too far into the void

I tried to make everything meaningless
But the rain got in and made it a mess

'Cause there's no such thing as nothing
Yeah, there's no such thing as nothing at all
Yeah, there's no such thing as nothing
But my finger's on the trigger and I'll turn off the world

So what gives me the right
To think that I could throw away a life, even mine?
And what makes you believe
That you could get away with getting old, overlapping me?

Maybe to lose or to save your soul
Is a choice of how you fill the hole

The rain got in

'Cause there's no such thing as nothing
Yeah, there's no such thing as nothing at all
There's no such thing as nothing
But my finger's on the trigger and I'll turn off the world

Light My Way

Unwilling to listen to your answers...I'm not afraid to tell you I need you today.
 

Audioslave - Light My Way


In my hour of need
On the sea of gray
On my knees I pray to you
Help me find the bones of the dying dead

Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?

The bullet is a man
From time to time he strays
I compare my life to theirs
To this I remain

And unwilling to listen
To your answers
And I'm not afraid
To tell you I need you today

Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?

And so when I'm lost
And I'm tired and depressed
And when my mind goes astray
Won't you light my way?

Don't save it for another day
Don't save it for another day

Hey! Don't save it for another day
Hey! Don't save it for another day
Hey! Don't save it for another day
Hey! Don't save it for another day

Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?
Won't you light my way?

Outshined

Show me the power of a childlike faith.   

Soundgarden - Outshined


I got up feeling so down
I got off being sold out
I've kept the movie rolling
But the story's getting old now

I just looked in the mirror
Things aren't looking so good
I'm looking California
And feeling Minnesota

(So now you know)
who gets mystified

Show me the power child
I'd like to say that I'm down on my knees today
It gives me the butterflies, gives me away
Till I'm up on my feet again

I'm feeling outshined

Someone let the dogs out
They'll show you where the truth is
The grass is always greener
Where the dogs are shedding

I'm feeling that I'm sober
Even though I'm drinking
I can't get any lower
Still I feel I'm sinking

(So now you know)
who gets mystified

Show me the power child
I'd like to say that I'm down on my knees today
It gives me the butterflies, gives me away
Till I'm up on my feet again

I'm feeling outshined

Buried Alive

One can become buried alive under the weight of his poor choices that lead to vice.  Attempts at becoming comfortably numb do not set him free - but only seem to compound the problem.  Like the free bird, he must eventually come to terms with reality and reach out for salvation from the one who can set him free at last.

Alter Bridge - Buried Alive


I twist and turn
In the darkest space
Can't find my worth
As I numb the pain

Glass to the sky
With a blacktooth grin
This whiskey smile
Takes me down again

I'm cold and I'm so afraid
That I'm too weak and I can't change

[Chorus:]
I've been buried alive and
I don't want to be here anymore

Reached out a thousand times for
A hand to pull me from below

I've been buried alive in a world
Of constant sorrow

Reach down tonight and set me free...
Save tomorrow

Another shot
Slip into the haze
Another night
Soaked in my disgrace

Toast to the lie
I'll raise my glass and run
A wasted life
What have I become?

[Chorus]

Save tomorrow
Save tomorrow

Let me breathe again
And show me where I begin
To find the will to change
Before I lose everything
Before I lose everything

[Chorus]

Reach down tonight and set me free
And I will follow