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Lost Channels

by Great Lake Swimmers

/
1.
Palmistry 02:34
You see by the lines on my hands I’ve been carrying a heavy load You follow them across my palms Where they run like roads Won’t you come, and read the future, turn it on Won’t you tell me how I will not feel so lonely And read the patterns on my skin Let the fire somehow get in And see my heart line is intact So this is what I've lacked Won’t you come, and read the future, turn it on Won’t you tell me how I will not feel so lonely Under the weight of this balmy night Tell me something so divine If there’s a future in these lines Bring it into the light Won’t you come, and read the future, turn it on Won’t you tell me how I will not feel so lonely
2.
What sort of pressure, and what kind of force Must there have been to drive you here Was it uplifting, or was it deformed Faulting and rifting, you folded What does it feel like to fall In slow motion despite it all There’s no time to think it through When we’re connected over the blue Everything is moving so fast, and I am unlimited Everything is moving so fast, I am unlimited What sort of wisdom, and what kind of thought Must there have been to scatter you So far and random, your heavenly bodies Still see the faint light in your eyes What does it feel like to fall In slow motion despite it all There’s no time to think it through When we’re connected over the blue Everything is moving so fast, and I am unlimited Everything is moving so fast, I am unlimited
3.
The line runs through like a train in a book Or metres underwater, ending with a hook It sways in the air when there’s wind enough to lift Fine ones are boundaries when there is a rift I’m just pulling on a line, on a line Oh I’m just pulling on a line I’m just pulling on a line, on a line And sometimes it pulls on me The line, it inks across the freshly fallen snow Where only those embracing coldness would go It whistles and it whispers, and sometimes it howls It sings to me sweetly from trees and in vowels I’m just pulling on a line, on a line Oh I’m just pulling on a line I’m just pulling on a line, on a line And sometimes it pulls on me The line, it writes itself across the dark sky In the electric flashes, ending with a sigh It weaves itself into a fabric so true And flows just like the river, graceful and blue I’m just pulling on a line, on a line Oh I’m just pulling on a line I’m just pulling on a line, on a line And sometimes it pulls on me
4.
This was the centre of the world for me once Where I saw “I love you” all over the place And that was where the Stones played once And these are the bricks that shattered my heart And this is the place where I felt Like the world’s tallest self-supporting tower At least for a little while anyway Hiding out in the subway system Hanging out in the library system You made me feel like a harbour And you made me feel like a fortress And this is the place where I felt Like the world’s tallest self-supporting tower Or maybe number two At least for a little while anyway Concrete heart Concrete heart Concrete heart Concrete heart
5.
I am in an uproar Are you coming to me Just want to run with you What state are you in now Guess you are asleep now Goodnight for real now Guess you are asleep now She comes to me in dreams She comes to me in dreams She comes to me in dreams In love with your vision Show me where to sign on When I saw you wholly Light exploded in me This is a convergence This is a convergence This is a convergence She comes to me in dreams She comes to me in dreams She comes to me in dreams Guess you are asleep now Goodnight for real now Guess you are asleep now She comes to me in dreams She comes to me in dreams She comes to me in dreams
6.
I went downstairs to hear the sound Broken, lean, and singing “Song and I” The chorus in the underground I went downstairs all dark and cold Where they could make the music mean I went downstairs where they are free The chorus sang so heavenly There were others on the strings Working on their angel wings Where they call the hammer home One night only in the underground Before we all go to pieces I went downstairs to find relief The chorus had not left the stage The chorus in the underground I stayed down there ‘til the final strain I stayed down there where we remain The chorus in the underground The chorus in the underground
7.
8.
Is this place shaking, or is it me Why can’t I feel mean without you And everything become more true The more that I believe in you Stealing tomorrow I don’t care what you think I’m gonna take it away While I am stealing tomorrow from today Stealing tomorrow from today Stealing tomorrow from today Take it away And I built this wall around me And I refuse to let anyone through Oh no, not even you Oh no, no, not even you Oh no, no, no, not even you And it’s like someone else is driving Like this body isn’t mine I changed myself without even telling you Or even asking, and I need relief Cause I can’t be sober and win you over And relate my temperature I have to get out of here And you don’t even know half of it I cannot turn it off, I don’t have a switch for that And haven’t crash landed yet And haven’t crash landed yet Stealing tomorrow from today Stealing tomorrow from today Stealing tomorrow from today
9.
Still 02:51
I’m still tuning myself to the great key I’m still, I’m still I’m still mining for light in the dark wells I’m still, I’m still I’m still a frequency swaying, a leaf in the wind I’m still, I’m still I’m still searching for whispers in between yells I’m still, I’m still I’m still swimming in harmony I’m still dreaming of flight I’m still lost in the waves night after night I’m still an arrow un-shot, fixed in a bow I’m still, I’m still I’m still a fire un-lit, ready to go I’m still, I’m still I’m still loaded and waiting With anticipation to fly I’m still studying the patterns in the night sky I’m still a note that’s un-played, ink on a page I’m still, I’m still I’m still a cry in the night, lonesome and high I’m still, I’m still I’m still tuned to an instrument Of greater and unknown design I’m still looking for direction, some kind of sign I’m still tuning myself to the great key I’m still, I’m still
10.
New Light 03:20
The sound of your breathing, the silence intense The hearts are pounding endlessly here The wind tumbling steadily, traded between us It becomes a wild and powerful strength Ha, ha, ha New light You took my wind, and gave me your wind It passes between us, invisible, pure The patterns in motion, the birds in their forms The horizon is only a point on the map Ha, ha, ha New light The holy head dressed with feathers and howling The mother protects the young and the worn The clouded dusk drops, the burning sun cracks The natural world reinvents itself And turning the wheel, the iron fears crying The walls moan and sing as they shift in the wind The night is a prayer that beckons the dawn Hopeful and patient for new light to come Ha, ha, ha New light
11.
River's Edge 04:21
River’s edge, so quiet and full of potential With weeping trees and just enough nightfall To cover up the strays I can hear boats in the distance Making saviours out of ordinary people Now they sing in a symphony of keepers And they hail in the harmony of saviours Got to live, live, live And love, love, love Whether you like it or not I will love you Now the wind picks up swiftly and suddenly And it’s breathing as if from a mouth And the edges are lungs that are heaving And it’s breathing now without my help And we turn against the darkness with intention River’s edge, you’re all that I have And a night full of promises And just enough nightfall to cover up the strays Now the river’s like horses unbroken And it really is time for a change And it moves and connects with the uniform And the bodies return to their makers And it’s good, and it’s true, let it wash over you Untethered and without a reason
12.
Is gravity the same for you Or have you fallen deeply too Into the light of a dream Like unison falling into harmony The only thing between us is a breath of air A river of fear, a ship we can’t steer A curtain of rain, a layer of skin A determined stare, a dare Sweep across the floor like the wind through the islands Step once, and turn twice, and move like the current I will try to know you, though you defy my grasp Your beauty is static, but steady, and fast Spin once, and turn twice, and fall in with abandon Unison falling into harmony I love the way that your lights come on When you’ve been lit with some happy thought So save up your tears for the next time it rains And flow across the floor like the unstoppable river I will try to know you, though you defy my grasp Your beauty is gentle, and forceful, and fast

credits

released March 31, 2009

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Great Lake Swimmers Toronto, Ontario

Tony Dekker’s music spans two decades as the lead singer and songwriter of Great Lake Swimmers. Over eight albums, multiple EPs, live shows and reissues, the Toronto-based group with a revolving cast of players has established itself as a beloved indie folk act in their native Canada and beyond. Great Lake Swimmers was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize and nominated twice for the Juno Awards. ... more

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