Homeless Sky
© 2018 Michael R. J. Roth
C G C
I’m really not a drinkin’ man
F G C
I come here for the atmosphere
C G Am
A stone's throw from the Goodwill store
F G Am
Where the wounded drag in from the battle
F G
On the invisible front of the new civil war
E F
While I’m nursing a beer in Seattle
Chorus:
F G Am
And the morning fog will steal your dreams
C G Em F
Like a wallet from your shabby coat
Am G F
Before your very eyes
F G Am
Life never measures up, it seems
C G Em F
To that poetry you like to quote
Am G F
Beneath the homeless sky
G Am
The homeless sky
Body shops on boomtown streets
It’s not the town it meant to be
It always wants a little more
And who am I to begrudge them
The evergreen air is perfect and pure
But it carries the odor of judgment
(Chorus)
I’ll sleep beneath a highway bridge
When the weather gets too drunk again
Every day’s a poker hand
My luck ran out at the age of seven
I feel like a sailor lost out at sea
Searching for signs in the heavens
(Chorus)
When You Found Me
© 2017 Michael R. J. Roth
They should’ve named a ghost town after me.
I could've been a hero
On a black and white TV,
Where I just stood my ground
While every falling star just fell
Like ashes all around.
Yeah, that was me.
Chorus:
And when you found me,
the ruins of my life lay all around me.
And when you came to me
I saw an angel walking on a troubled sea.
You reached into my heart
and rescued me.
In a cafe, in Santa Fe, New Mexico,
The dust and sweat of a working day
Falling off my clothes,
You walked up to me
With just a cup of coffee
And the music of a radio.
That’s all I know.
(Chorus)
When I saw you in the morning light,
I knew the reason for the morning
and the meaning of the light.
When you kissed me in the dark,
I understood without a doubt
the reason for my heart
Was in your smile.
(Chorus)
C G Am Am7
They should’ve named a ghost town after me.
F C
I could've been a hero
Am G
On a black and white TV,
F G Am
Where I just stood my ground
F C
While every falling star just fell
Am G
like ashes all around.
F
Yeah, that was me.
Chorus:
C
And when you found me,
F G C Am
the ruins of my life lay all around me.
F G
And when you came to me
C C (B bass) Am Am7 F G
I saw an angel walking on a troubled sea.
F G
You reached into my heart
F
and rescued me. C G AM C F (repeat) Last time: C G AM C F G C
Weapons of Love
© 2000 Michael R. J. Roth
You promised you’d fight every demon
Banging its fist on your door
But then your friends said they could see them
Finger the evil you wore.
And that evil left so many traces
In lipstick and pixel and crayon,
And that telephone number that you can’t erase
That you wrote on the back of your hand.
Ah, there’s the rub -- You’re only a man.
And a voice from above limits your hand
To the weapons of love.
How will you stand, O son of the dust,
When the devil demands To see if you trust
In the weapons of love?
Most of your efforts seem puny,
Like pinning your love to a tree,
And that crucifix hanging so mutely
Stares you down unmercifully.
One time your dreams were so golden
You swore they would make you go blind,
And there was no force that could hold them,
Till one day they left you behind.
Now they’re on the run.
And your plans were so grand!
But that voice from above
Limits your hand
To the weapons of love.
How will you stand, O son of the dust,
When the devil demands To see if you trust
In the weapons of love?
You doubt you could ever be ready
To stand the way others have done,
On the faith end of mobs and machetes,
And martyrdom under the sun.
In the end, when the war comes upon us,
Ripping the skin off of your sleep,
The difference between light and darkness
Depends on the weapons you keep.
You reach for a gun.
Then you hear the command –
That voice from above
That limits your hand
To the weapons of love.
How will you stand, O son of the dust,
When the devil demands To see if you trust
In the weapons of love?
You cannot stand
If you will not trust
In the weapons of love
Weapons of Love
© 2000 Michael R. J. Roth
G Em
You promised you’d fight every demon
Am C
Banging its fist on your door
D C Em
But then your friends said they could see them
G D
Finger the evil you wore.
G Em
And that evil left so many traces
Am C
In lipstick and pixel and crayon,
D C Em
And that telephone number that you can’t erase
G Em D
That you wrote on the back of your hand.
G C
Ah, there’s the rub -- You’re only a man.
G Em
And a voice from above limits your hand
C D
To the weapons of love.
G C
How will you stand, O son of the dust,
G D
When the devil demands To see if you trust
G
In the weapons of love?
Em C D
Em C D
G Em
Most of your efforts seem puny,
Am C
Like pinning your love to a tree,
D C Em
And that crucifix hanging so mutely
G D
Stares you down unmercifully.
G Em
One time your dreams were so golden
Am C
You swore they would make you go blind,
D C Em
And there was no force that could hold them,
G Em D
Till one day they left you behind.
G
Now they’re on the run.
C
And your plans were so grand!
G Em
But that voice from above limits your hand
C D
To the weapons of love.
G C
How will you stand, O son of the dust,
G D
When the devil demands To see if you trust
G
In the weapons of love?
Em C D
Em C D
G Em
You doubt you could ever be ready
Am C
To stand the way others have done,
D C Em
On the faith end of mobs and machetes,
G D
And martyrdom under the sun.
G Em
In the end, when the war comes upon us,
Am C
Ripping the skin off of your sleep,
D C Em
The difference between light and darkness
G Em D
Depends on the weapons you keep.
G
You reach for a gun.
C
Then you hear the command –
G Em
That voice from above that limits your hand
C D
To the weapons of love.
G C
How will you stand, O son of the dust,
G D
When the devil demands To see if you trust
G
In the weapons of love?
C G
You will not stand
D
If you will not trust
G
In the weapons of love
Em C D
Em C D G
Cheap Motel
© 2017 Michael R. J. Roth & Gregory Thoroman
Intro: Am-F-C-G-Am
Am
Living in a cheap motel,
F
I'll mail you a postcard from hell,
C
Gideon bible in the nightstand drawer,
G
It's a passport to heaven I'm sure.
Am F
Stains on the carpet, hair in the drain,
C
I swear this bed is haunted
G
with the groans of a saint.
Am
I’m living an alibi
F
From the shattered life I left behind,
C
Like a beer can ashtray
G
in the corner of my soul.
Am
This is where dreams come to die
F
under pink neon lights,
C
Looking for the truth behind
G
A whiskey colored blind
CHORUS:
C F
This is not the mansion I was promised,
C F
This is not the life I'm supposed to lead,
C F Am
These are not the girls I meant to kiss, Lord,
C G
For a love that only hits me where I bleed,
B flat
in these cheap motels
I knew a guy who made it all the way,
Got himself a mansion and famous name.
He lay awake one night alone in his bed.
These are the words he said:
(CHORUS)
BRIDGE:
Em F
Between the rocky road to heaven
Em
And the long and lonesome
C F
highway to hell,
Am
no matter where you live,
C G
it’s just another cheap motel.
(CHORUS)
Repeat intro as outro
Cheap Motel
© 2017 Michael R. J. Roth & Gregory Thoroman
Living in a cheap motel,
I'll mail you a postcard from hell,
Gideon bible in the nightstand drawer,
It's a passport to heaven I'm sure.
Stains on the carpet, hair in the drain,
I swear this bed is haunted
with the groans of a saint.
I’m living an alibi
From the shattered life I left behind,
Like a beer can ashtray
in the corner of my soul.
This is where dreams come to die
under pink neon lights,
Looking for the truth behind
A whiskey colored blind
CHORUS:
This is not the mansion I was promised,
This is not the life I'm supposed to lead,
These are not the girls I meant to kiss, Lord,
For a love that only hits me where I bleed,
in these cheap motels
I knew a guy who made it all the way,
Got himself a mansion and famous name.
He lay awake one night alone in his bed.
These are the words he said:
(CHORUS)
BRIDGE:
Between the rocky road to heaven
And the long and lonesome
highway to hell,
no matter where you live,
it’s just another cheap motel.
(CHORUS)
Hearts wide open
© 2016 Michael R. J. Roth
C G C
From the call of the siren that crawls into bed
Am F C
And wakes us at midnight to pray for the dead
Am Em C Am
And the cry of the newborn who needs to be fed
G
We have come to you.
From the shipwreck of refugees beached on the shore,
The petals of blood on the dancehalls of war,
The sin that we love and the love we ignore,
We have come to you, yes we come. C
G F C
Chorus: And we come with hearts wide open,
G F Em C
And we come laying our pride at the foot of the cross
G F C
And we come with hearts wide open,
G G7
Hearts wide open to you
Beneath wonders from heaven that fall from the skies
Our satellite calls and their urgent replies
And innocence lost in the wink of an eye
We have come to you
From the dogs of addiction that tug at our sleeve
And gnaw at the dreams that we used to believe
From the scenes that we fled where the victim still bleeds
We have come to you. Yes we come.
(Chorus)
You answered our cry In the midst of our dread
And promised your children will rise from the dead.
We give thanks to our Savior who died in our stead
As we come to you. Yes we come.
(Chorus)
If I Step Onto That Train
© 2017 Michael R. J. Roth
V1
Am G
A cheerless and distracted woman steps onto a train
F
I don't know where she is going
Am G
I don't know if she is sane
F
But she acts like she is walking
C G
Through a portal to a time or a dimension
Dm F
Where they store up the little things
E Am
That I forgot to mention when we met
(Chorus)
F G
And if I step onto that train
Am G C
Will I then travel through all time without a clue
F Am G
Or will I find a home with what remains
Dm E F
Of the love that I believed I had with you
G Am
Was I a fool to think it ever really happened
G
And is it true
Dm F E
That somewhere in another universe
Am
You are thinking of me too
V2
And suddenly I'm lost without a compass to your heart
Trying to find my place
On some imaginary chart
And reconstruct the code of truth
And lies to find the words you really meant
To mend the fabric of the stars that rips apart
With every sunrise since you left
(Chorus)
Santa Fe
© 1996 Michael R. J. Roth
Golden farolitos,
Shining like the sin
In the hearts of lovers
You have burned
Beneath your skin,
Scar you like a dream
Of love you can believe,
And wake you to your need
For a home you'll never leave,
One heartbeat behind,
One step on your way,
Hoping you can find
Santa Fe.
Chorus:
Santa Fe, Santa Fe,
All your dreams are born again
In Santa Fe.
Santa Fe, Santa Fe,
Where the morning strikes like lighting
And the years have slipped away.
Angel on your shoulder
Hid beneath your sleeve
Like a tattoo covering
Your need to believe
In the grace of God,
Feeling like a fool
For banking on the odds
That God believes in you,
Running out of time
For one last chance to pray
For love you hope to find
In Santa Fe.
(Chorus)
Santa Fe
© 1996 Michael R. J. Roth
Intro:
G Am E Am
G G7 Bb Am G
F G Am F Am G
G Am E Am
Golden farolitos, Shining like the sin
G G7 Bb Am G
In the hearts of lovers You have burned Beneath your skin,
F C Dm Bb
Scar you like a dream Of love you can believe,
F C Bb C
And wake you to your need For a home you'll never leave,
F C Dm Bb
One heartbeat behind, One step on your way,
F C Bb F
Hoping you can find Santa Fe.
Chorus:
F Am Dm Am Dm
Santa Fe, Santa Fe,
Bb F C G C
All your dreams are born again In Santa Fe.
F C
Santa Fe, Santa Fe,
Bb F
Where the morning strikes like lighting
C F
And the years have slipped away.
F G Am F Am G
G Am E Am
Angel on your shoulder Hid beneath your sleeve
G G7 Bb Am G
Like a tattoo covering Your need to believe
F C Dm Bb
In the grace of God, Feeling like a fool
F C Bb C
For banking on the odds That God believes in you,
F C Dm Bb
Running out of time For one last chance to pray
F C Bb F
For love you hope to find in Santa Fe.
(Chorus)
Farewell, Pennsylvania
©1980 Michael R. J. Roth
Dark diner, dark strangers,
in the hour they conjure police,
and a radio angel keeping score on the peace.
Oh, the fast tricks and the lunatics
in the very next booth --
when they tell you, "Don't mention it,"
well, it might be the truth.
Farewell, Pennsylvania,
to the wild life and hung over skies,
to the women that raise ya
to be one of the guys.
Farewell, Pennsylvania,
I'm slipping off like a glove
from the cold hands that drain ya
of brotherly love.
The lady wants a miracle --
she's walking on beer
towards the light of a cigarette
like the eye of a deer.
All her men friends and her relatives
are out hunting down doe
asking, "How can a fella live
with a lady in tow?"
(Chorus)
The cops laugh at one more joke
and walk away with our fear,
while the lady goes off alone
with a stranger named "Dear."
"Let the boys feast on venison.
May the trophy endure.
And let them all take their medicine.
I'm already cured."
(Chorus)
A D
Dark diner, dark strangers,
A
in the hour they conjure police,
E A
and a radio angel keeping score on the peace.
A7 D
Oh, the fast tricks and the lunatics
A
in the very next booth --
E
when they tell you, "Don't mention it,"
A D A
well, it might be the truth.
A7 D
Farewell, Pennsylvania,
A
to the wild life and hung over skies,
E
to the women that raise ya
A
to be one of the guys.
A7 D
Farewell, Pennsylvania,
A
I'm slipping off like a glove
E
from the cold hands that drain ya
A D A
of brotherly love.
If I Made a Movie
© 2017 Michael R. J. Roth
F C G C
First there was the part where you twisted up my heart
F C Am G
With the wrist of a barista and I wished I coulda kissed ya
F C Am G
But the brilliance of your diamond-perfect flaws
F G
Left me speechless and grasping at a straw
Chorus:
C G
Oh but if I made a movie, you would be my leading lady
F C Am G
You could call me darling, honey, I would call you babe
F C G F
Our love would fly up to the sky so far
G C Am G F G C (repeat) G
You would be a star
V2
Then there was the scene where you passed me on the street
To the rhythm and the passion of the traffic and the heat
But you left me in the shadow of romance
When you walked on without a single glance
(Chorus)
Bridge:
I still wait for the day when I can get another chance
To rewrite the scenario where we begin to dance
I still hope that I will find you, never saw you again
We started the movie, but never got to the end
(Chorus)
If I Made a Movie
(C) 2017 Michael R. J. Roth
First there was the part
Where you twisted up my heart
With the wrist of a barista
And I wished I coulda kissed ya
But the brilliance of your
Diamond-perfect flaws
Left me speechless
And grasping at a straw
Chorus: If I made a movie
You would be my leading lady
You could call me darling, honey,
I would call you baby.
Our love would fly up to the sky so far
That you would be a star
Then there was the scene
Where you passed me on the street
To the rhythm and the passion
Of the traffic and the heat
But you left me in the shadow of romance
When you walked on
Without a single glance
(Chorus)
Bridge:
I still wait for the day
When I can have another chance
To rewrite the scenario
Where we begin to dance
I still hope that I will find you
But never saw you again
We started the movie
But never got to the end
(Chorus)
THERE ARE NO COWBOYS IN NASHVILLE
© 2003 Michael R. J. Roth & Harri Wolf
In Nashville they say that the cowboys were famous
for riding out under the stars
where they dreamed of the ladies by campfire flame as
they sang on their lonesome guitars.
They knew in their hearts what was wrong, what was right,
and lived for the land that they loved,
and when they were forced, they would stand up and fight,
when in doubt, looked to heaven above.
Pre-Chorus:
There are still tough guys and outlaws,
And people will string you along,
But it seems we've forgotten the just cause
And the way to know right things from wrong.
Chorus:
So I sing for the boys and the girls dreaming still
For a country where they can belong,
For there are no cowboys in Nashville,
Except those who live on in song.
In Nashville the ladies still look for the guys
who can fight and can play their guitars,
but when they look up at the cold rhinestone sky,
it's only to gaze at the stars.
And I look at the people who've lost everything
as the city turns glitter to rust,
what kind of songs will our grandchildren sing,
and what will they sing about us?
As you drink from the trough of desire
Where your drowned drunken pleasure has gone,
Know the current runs deep
Where the children still sleep,
Dreaming dreams that a cowboy lives on.
So I sing for the boys and the girls dreaming still
For a country where they can belong,
For there are no cowboys in Nashville,
Except those who live on in song.
THERE ARE NO COWBOYS IN NASHVILLE
© 2003 Michael R. J. Roth & Harri Wolf
G D C G
In Nashville they say that the cowboys were famous
Em D C
for riding out under the stars
G D C G
where they dreamed of the ladies by campfire flame as
C Cmaj7 D
they sang on their lonesome guitars.
C G Em
They knew in their hearts what was wrong, what was right,
G D C
and they lived for the land that they loved,
G D C G
and when they were forced, they would stand up and fight,
C Cmaj7 D
when in doubt, looked to heaven above.
Pre-Chorus:
C G
There are still tough guys and outlaws,
C G
And people will string you along,
C Cma7 Em Em7
But it seems we've forgotten the just cause
C Cmaj7 D
And the way to know right things from wrong.
Chorus:
C G Em
So I sing for the boys and the girls dreaming still
B7 C
For a country where they can belong,
C B7 C Em
For there are no cowboys in Nashville,
G D G
Except those who live on in song.
G D C G
In Nashville the ladies still look for the guys
Em D C
who can fight and can play their guitars,
G D C G
but when they look up at the cold rhinestone sky,
C Cmaj7 D
it's only to gaze at the stars.
C G Em
And I look at the people who've lost everything
G D C
as the city turns glitter to rust,
G D C G
what kind of songs will our grandchildren sing,
C Cmaj7 D
and what will they sing about us?
Pre-Chorus:
C G
As you drink from the trough of desire
C G
Where your drowned drunken pleasure has gone,
C Cmaj7 Em Em7
Know the current runs deep where the children still sleep,
C Cmaj7 D
Dreaming dreams that a cowboy lives on.
Chorus:
C G Em
So I sing for the boys and the girls dreaming still
B7 C
For a country where they can belong,
C B7 C Em
For there are no cowboys in Nashville,
G D G
Except those who live on in song.
Dream Laden Lady
© 2018 Michael R. J. Roth
C G F C
So many nights I have stared at the moon
Dm Am G
Waiting for love in the morning light
G7 C B7 C G
And then I saw the divine holy spirit shine down
Am Dm G C
Like a floodlight aimed straight at me.
Chorus:
C G
Oh my dream laden lady come carry me home
Am E
I've gone blind and your life is so luminous
F Am G
I'm afraid of the darkness, afraid that it's mine
F C
Open my eyes
Dm Am G
I've been hunting down night life
F F C Am G
Feeding on their dreams
V2
So many times I've been thrown to the ground
Like a bull baiting clown in a rodeo
How many times can I rise up
So broken and tossed
Like a love letter thrown away
(Chorus)
V3
The sunrise is burning the sins of the world
And we are all waking to sin again
How many times will the sun rise to sanctify us
Before the last trumpet blows
(Chorus)
The Things I Did For Love
© 1996 Michael R. J. Roth
Strolling San Francisco Street,
past the vendors in the doorways,
you can almost smell the summer heat
burning off the sense of grace.
And the people hurry past
down the street in search of gold,
but they slip between the shadows cast
by the thought of what was sold.
Chorus:
I've never felt so lonely
amid the shining chrome.
All I have now isn't worth
a quarter to call home.
And if I had a fortune,
it was only fashioned of
all the broken pieces
of the things I did for love.
I have done so many things,
all for fortune and for fame,
that it seems as though the days have wings
while the nights linger in shame.
(Chorus)
Everything's on sale again,
pegged against the price of blood.
The clouds are torn up like the notes I made
on the things I did for love.
(Chorus)
The Things I Did For Love
© 1996 Michael R. J. Roth
Am7 G F
Strolling San Francisco Street,
C Cmaj7 F G
past the vendors in the doorways,
C Cmaj7 Em7 F
you can almost smell the summer heat
G C
burning off the sense of grace.
Am7 G F
And the people hurry past
C Cmaj7 F G
down the street in search of gold,
C Cmaj7 Em7 F
but they slip between the shadows cast
G C
by the thought of what was sold.
Chorus:
F C
And I've never felt so lonely
F C
amid the shining chrome.
E Am
All I have now isn't worth
C G
a quarter to call home.
F C
And if I had a fortune,
E F Am
it was only fashioned of
F C
all the broken pieces
G C
of the things I did for love.
Am7 G F
I have done so many things,
C Cmaj7 F G
all for fortune and for fame,
C Cmaj7 Em7 F
that it seems as though the days have wings
G C
while the nights linger in shame.
(Chorus)
Am7 G F
Everything's on sale again,
C Cmaj7 F G
pegged against the price of blood.
C Cmaj7 Em7 F
The clouds are torn up like the notes I made
G C
on the things I did for love.
(Chorus)
Last time:
F C
all the broken pieces
G Dm7 Am7 G C
of the things I did for love.
River of Forever
© 1984 Michael R. J. Roth
Gather at the river
that flows out from the cross.
There is nothing you can give here
for your Savior paid the cost,
in the land that shines in glory,
where loves eternal springs
on the river of forever
where the Spirit sweetly sings.
See my servant Joshua.
His clothes are caked with mud.
I have snatched him from the fire.
He was covered with my blood.
Once he had a taste for glory,
so I set his tongue aflame,
and on the river of forever
you can hear him praise my name.
Chorus:
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
these words of mine
will be lost in time
like the stars that shine above.
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
the river of forever is
the river of his love.
Lord, I’m here to serve you,
though I’ve lived a life of shame,
and I know I don’t deserve you
or the honor of your name.
But in the land that shines in glory,
where there is no shame or sting,
on the river of forever,
you’ll forever hear me sing.
Chorus
River of Forever
© 1984 Michael R. J. Roth
V1
C G C F C G (G7)
Gather at the river that flows out from the cross.
Em F D7(F# bass) G
There is nothing you can give here, for your Savior paid the cost,
C G C F C G (G7)
in the land that shines in glory, where loves eternal springs
F G Am Am7(G bass)
on the river of forever
Dm F (G) C
where the Spirit sweetly sings.
(Optional chorus)
V2
C G C F C G (G7)
See my servant Joshua. His clothes are caked with mud.
Em F D7(F# bass) G
I have snatched him from the fire. He was covered with my blood.
C G C F C G (G7)
Once he had a taste for glory, so I set his tongue aflame,
F G Am Am7(G bass)
and on the river of forever
Dm F (G) C
you can hear him praise my name.
Chorus:
F C E Am
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Fmaj7 D7 (F# bass)
these words of mine will be lost in time
G G7
like the stars that shine above.
F C E Am
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Fmaj7 D7 (F# bass)
the river of forever is
Dm F C
the river of his love.
V3
C G C F C G (G7)
Lord, I’m here to serve you, though I’ve lived a life of shame,
Em F D7(F# bass) G
and I know I don’t deserve you or the honor of your name.
C G C F C G (G7)
But in the land that shines in glory, where there is no shame or sting,
F G Am Am7(G bass)
on the river of forever,
Dm F (G) C
you’ll forever hear me sing.
(Chorus)
Reach for the Sky
©1996 Michael R. J. Roth
The alley is riddled with slogans
that never came home from the war,
and every dark window is broken
by a promise of light on the floor.
Derelicts stand at the corner,
turning their blood to wine,
while I
reach for the sky
as if it were mine.
You set up your truth like a candle,
watching the news, growing old,
as if you could possibly handle
the truth you were already told.
The last time I looked,
you were wiping
my fingerprints off your soul,
while I
reached for the sky
for something to hold.
Now face to face,
dancing with grace,
this is the place
only love
can reach for the sky.
The last word of life is unspoken,
and rises just like a balloon,
grasping for air in the open,
like the songs that they sing on the moon.
Loneliness camps on the border
of happiness and despair,
and I
reach for the sky
as if it were there.
Reach for the Sky
©1996 Michael R. J. Roth
Capo on 4th fret
C G Am
C Am G
F G Am G F
Am Gsus4 G (D on 2nd string)
C G Am
The alley is riddled with slogans
C Am G
that never came home from the war,
C G Am
and every dark window is broken
C Am G
by a promise of light on the floor.
F C Am
Derelicts stand at the corner,
C G Am Am7 (G bass)
turning their blood to wine,
C G F G Am G
and I reach for the sky as if it were mine.
F G Am G F
Am Gsus4 G (D on 2nd string)
C G Am
You set up your truth like a candle,
C Am G
watching the news, growing old,
C G Am
as if you could possibly handle
C Am G
the truth you were already told.
F C Am
The last time I looked, you were wiping
C G Am Am7 (G bass)
my fingerprints off your soul,
C G F G Am G
and I reached for the sky for something to hold.
F G Am G F
Am Gsus4 G (D on 2nd string)
Bridge:
C
Now face to face,
G Am
dancing with grace,
Em Em9 G
this is the place only love
Dm6/B* Am G
can reach for the sky.
C G Am
The last word of life is unspoken,
C Am G
and rises just like a balloon,
C G Am
grasping for air in the open,
C Am G
like the songs that they sing on the moon.
F C Am
Loneliness camps on the border
C G Am Am7 (G bass)
of happiness and despair,
C G F G Am G
and I reach for the sky as if it were there.
F G Am G F
Am Gsus4 G (D on 2nd string)
*Dm6/B=B-F-A-D (5th-2nd strings) [optional]
Sailing to God
©1987 Michael R. J. Roth
V1
The gulls in the harbor come out of the blue.
They call back to me, but they answer to you.
They seem to be dancing to some mystery.
They circle so patiently, weightless and free,
And abandon their sorrow with a soul-piercing cry
As if they were sailing to God.
V2
We sit in the harbor and haul up the sail,
And wait for the wind as we watch at the rail.
We call to our brothers and sisters to board.
We gather in hope, for our ship is the Lord.
And all of our sorrows are fading away,
For tonight we are sailing to God.
Bridge:
A cry from the captain excites us again
As the lights from the harbor grow dim.
We cast out to sea under wonderful skies
By the marvelous might of the wind.
V3
The wind comes again, and I’m thinking of Him
Who takes on Himself all the weight of our sin.
I am but an echo, and He is the song.
When He gives the command I am carried along.
And all of our sorrows are fading away,
For tonight we are sailing to God.
Sailing to God
©1987 Michael R. J. Roth
Capo on 3rd fret
Intro: D G D
D Bm G A A9 Asus4 A
V1
D G D
The gulls in the harbor come out of the blue.
D Bm G A
They call back to me, but they answer to you.
Bm F#m G D A
They seem to be dancing to some mystery.
F# G A
They circle so patiently, weightless and free,
D A G A
And abandon their sorrow with a soul-piercing cry
D A D
As if they were sailing to God.
D A G A
D A G Bm D A A9 Asus4 A
V2
D G D
We sit in the harbor and haul up the sail,
D Bm G A
And wait for the wind as we watch at the rail.
Bm F#m G D A
We call to our brothers and sisters to board.
F# G A
We gather in hope, for our ship is the Lord.
D A G A
And all of our sorrows are fading away,
D A D
For tonight we are sailing to God.
The Only Show in Town
© 1979 Michael R. J. Roth
Verse:
C G Am G
Shadows like antelope, sparrow-song piccolos,
F G Am G
raven-cry rags on the breeze.
F C Am G
We'll ride through the canyons and hide in a mansion
F G C
of cactus and cottonwood trees.
(Repeat for verses)
Chorus:
F G Am G
So lie down, come lie down.
C D7 (F# bass) C Am
We're the only show in town.
F G Am G
And light up, my movie queen.
C D7 (F# bass) C Am
Move me through that famous scene.
The Only Show in Town
© Michael R. J. Roth
Shadows like antelope
Sparrow-song piccolos
Raven-cry rags on the breeze
We'll ride through the canyons
And hide in a mansion
Of cactus and cottonwood trees
My dreams have been crowded
Torn up, and re-rerouted
Been driven from mountain to sea
And now they surround me
I'm het up and rowdy
But this time, my lady, for thee
Chorus:
So lie down, come lie down
We're the only show in town
And light up, my movie queen
Move me through that famous scene
Some say the mountains
Enfold us like a woman
Some say the land makes us roam
But your tender moan dims
The cry of Llorona
Wherever I'm with you, I'm home
Brave men would die
For a land like a pharaoh's
Dry up with the dust of the kings
My land is so empty
That thirst for you tempts me
To swear you provide me all things
(Chorus)
Sunset burns up all the dust and adobe
The townspeople litter the street
Some will go home to a fire of their own
While the wind carries off what it needs
(Chorus)
D A G A
Yes, all of our sorrows are fading away,
D A G Bm D A A9 Asus4 A
For tonight we are sailing to God.
Bridge:
Bm F#
A cry from the captain excites us again
G D
as the lights from the harbor grow dim.
G A F# G
We cast out to sea under wonderful skies
D A G Bm A A9 Asus4 A
By the marvelous might of the wind.
V3
D G D
The wind comes again, and I’m thinking of Him
D Bm G A
Who takes on Himself all the weight of our sin.
Bm F#m G D A
I am but an echo, and He is the song.
F# G A
When He gives the command I am carried along.
D A G A
And all of our sorrows are fading away,
D A D
For tonight we are sailing to God.
D A G A
Yes, all of our sorrows are fading away,
D A G Bm D A
For tonight we are sailing to God.
G Bm D A (3X)
G A D
If It Ain't Love (It's the Right Idea)
© 1981 Michael R. J. Roth & Harri Wolf
I know you're lonely. I can tell.
You toss that change away
like coins into a well.
I can only guess
what brings you here,
and if it ain't love,
it's the right idea.
Like a map, I've read your skin,
like a traveler
who's looking for an inn.
But your neon eyes,
they shine, then disappear.
Did they say "Love"
or "Keep Away from Here?"
Chorus:
But if you're afraid of the cold and dark,
don't you blow out that candle in your heart.
Because when you reach out for someone near,
if it ain't love, it's the right idea.
We sit so close
we could be friends,
but the road that brought me here
has reached an end.
Unlock your door--
what's there to fear?
'Cause if it ain't love,
it's the right idea.
(Chorus)
If I could make
one wish come true,
I'd wish for you
to wish for me
to come to you
and whisper close,
so you could hear,
"If it ain't love,
it's the right idea."
(Chorus)
G D
I know you're lonely. I can tell.
C C (B bass) Am G
You toss that change away like coins into a well.
G G(F# bass) Em
I can only guess
C C (B bass) Am
what brings you here,
G D
and if it ain't love,
G
it's the right idea.
Chorus:
G C D
But if you're afraid of the cold and dark,
C Am G
don't you blow out that candle in your heart.
G G(F# bass) Em
(Because) when you reach out
C C(B bass) Am
for someone near,
G D G
if it ain't love, it's the right idea.
The Only Show in Town
© 1979 Michael R. J. Roth
Verse:
C G Am G
Shadows like antelope, sparrow-song piccolos,
F G Am G
raven-cry rags on the breeze.
F C Am G
We'll ride through the canyons and hide in a mansion
F G C
of cactus and cottonwood trees.
Chorus:
F G Am G
So lie down, come lie down.
C D7 (F# bass) C Am
We're the only show in town.
F G Am G
And light up, my movie queen.
C D7 (F# bass) C Am
Move me through that famous scene.
The Only Show in Town
© Michael R. J. Roth
Shadows like antelope
Sparrow-song piccolos
Raven-cry rags on the breeze
We'll ride through the canyons
And hide in a mansion
Of cactus and cottonwood trees
My dreams have been crowded
Torn up, and re-rerouted
Been driven from mountain to sea
And now they surround me
I'm het up and rowdy
But this time, my lady, for thee
Chorus:
So lie down, come lie down
We're the only show in town
And light up, my movie queen
Move me through that famous scene
Some say the mountains
Enfold us like a woman
Some say the land makes us roam
But your tender moan dims
The cry of Llorona
Wherever I'm with you, I'm home
Brave men would die
For a land like a pharaoh's
Dry up with the dust of the kings
My land is so empty
That thirst for you tempts me
To swear you provide me all things
(Chorus)
Sunset burns up all the dust and adobe
The townspeople litter the street
Some will go home to a fire of their own
While the wind carries off what it needs
(Chorus)
Songs for Easy Heroes
Buy music on CD Baby
Winner of the 2019 NSAI Lyric competition
FIRST-PLACE LYRIC WINNER
USA Songwriting Competition
NSAI/CMT Lyric competition
Great American Song Contest
Mid-Atlantic Song Contest
Dallas Songwriters Association
Austin Songwriters Group
Unisong International Song Contest
Follow Michael R. J. Roth on Spotify
Listed as NSAI "One to Watch"
ONES TO WATCH
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