Track 1: Shine Your Light – Lyrics
This album starts and finishes with a mantra. A mantra given to me in a dark and scary time; a mantra like light itself. This is all we can try to keep doing in that darkness – Shine your light.
Shine your light
Shine your light
Through the night
The dark of night
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alright
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alright
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Shine your light
Shine your light
Through the night
The dark of night
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alight
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alright
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 2: Ride Around – Lyrics
Ride Around actually happened in a tiny hamlet here in rural Alberta. The eldest child would be 16 years old now. This song resonates with many people. The late Back Alley John HAD to record a track for this song. It was his final professional recording. He died in June 2006. We recorded his track May 10, 2006. Check the upcoming blog for the whole amazing story. Help the helpless when you can. As Jann Arden says, “Love is the only soldier left”.
One day a young couple in an old pickup truck
Landed in our quiet town
They had four little kids and a number of dogs
Looked like they were kinda rundown
So the folks about here all rallied around
Gave them some stuff and a little car
But they stuck to themselves and would seldom appear
Never let the kids out of the yard
And they’d just
Ride around
Ride around
Get into the car and don’t go too far
Just ride around
All winter long they lived in that shack
With only the woodstove to heat it
Townspeople were worried and often would wonder
What it was that those poor people needed
One of the children, her name was Marie
Was the same age as our little girl
We invited her over, she once came to play
But she could never be part of our world
And she’d just
Ride around
Ride around
Get into the car and don’t go too far
Just ride around
Now the dogs always barked and the place was a mess
The trouble was bound to come soon
When it finally arrived, they stayed one step ahead
And they left by the light of the moon
They took four kids and three dogs in that small hatchback car
And left everything else where it’s at
Headed out west or maybe up North
I never saw them again after that
And the little girl’s eyes, they still haunt me at night
Little brown eyes so lonely and tired
She’s somewhere out there in some old ghost town
And I hope to God she’s alright
There’s some thing in this life I just don’t understand
Though I’ve walked out in so many shoes
If I saw them today, you know I’d reach out my hand
‘Cause tomorrow they might be the news
And they just
Ride around
Ride around
Get into the car and don’t go too far
Just ride around
Ride around, ride around
When you don’t live nowhere and nobody cares
You just ride, ride around
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 3: Here Comes That Train – Lyrics
I lived for many years in a wee place that the train ran right past. Many days were very cold and at times you could hear that train coming for miles through the crisp air. You gotta have a train song.
I never thought it would be like this
I never thought it could happen
I thought that I would just steal a kiss
I’d only stop by while out travelin’
And here comes that train
Here comes that train
Here comes that train
Here comes that train
Here comes that train again
I don’t know why it was chosen
I don’t know how it can be
I just know I am still frozen
I just know I’m lost at sea
And here comes that train
Here comes that train
Here comes that train again
Here comes that train
Here comes that train
Here comes that train again
I don’t know how I got out on the wrong track
I don’t know why I can’t find my own way back
I don’t know why I got out on the wrong track
I don’t know why I can’t find my own way back
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 4: Godzilla – Lyrics
Just when the sun starts shinin’ and you go riding around on that train… the monster shows up. This world seems to be so full of them, pick your monster, any monster!
Walkin’ on broken glass again
Beast came by, wrecked up my house again
Still each time I have to let him in
‘Cause this life with Godzilla’s what I’m livin’
I don’t have time to tidy all the mess
Just keep piling up the broken pieces
I can’t quite bring myself to confess
That my life with Godzilla’s what I’m livin’
Now he’s out there crashing all around
Sometimes he frightens the whole town
So hang on to the children
‘Cause he’s got the devil in him
You just gotta wait until he goes back underground
Not so sure what I’m gonna do
I just keep breathing in and out
But I s’pose that most of you have a monster too
And you know this life with Godzilla that I’m livin’
Now he’s out there crashing all around
Sometimes he frightens the whole town
So hang on to the children
‘Cause he’s got the devil in him
You just gotta wait until he goes back underground
So hang on to the children
‘Cause he’s got the devil in him
You just gotta wait until he goes back underground
You just gotta wait until he goes back underground
You just gotta wait until he goes back underground
Walkin’ on broken glass again
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 5: Just A Thought… – Lyrics
Ruth. Look it up in the dictionary. What blessing to bear this name. Thanks Mom.
He asked me “Why ya leavin’?”
And I told him everybody’d left already
Only I was just takin’ my turn
And I bet the sun felt the same
As it shone down on every sorry soul gone before me
Faith’s hope holds tight
To one day all this killin’ and burnin’
Will clear the path to beauty
Joy for the suffered and the felled
Out in the Storm
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 6: Out In The Storm part I – Lyrics
Once the line of redemption seems crossed what happens? We’re there in the twister. This song was inspired by Ralph Boyd Johnson, Corb Lund and Custom Woollen Mills’ duster.
You know I cried when you went to town
You know I cried when they gunned you down
You know I cried when you didn’t come home
Now my tears run down Forsaken Road
My sister said that you weren’t no good
She said you’d ‘mount to nothin’ and she knew you would
Said someday you would leave me cold
Out in the storm and all alone
Alone along this one way road
You know I cried when you went to town
You know I cried when they gunned you down
You know I cried when you didn’t come home
Now my tears run down Forsaken Road
The Sheriff said ya never had a chance
Those men were bad, they played a dirty hand
It weren’t yer fault that they stole our land
So I knew I had to make a plan
The time was now to make a plan
Packed up the horse and the shootin’ iron
Put out the lamp and I killed the fire
Left that old farmhouse a-wired
‘Cause TNT don’t take no sides
Ya TNT don’t give free rides
You know I cried when you went to town
You know I cried when they gunned you down
You know I cried when you didn’t come home
Now my tears run down Forsaken Road
Out in the Storm
Out on the run
Out in the cold
With this six gun
No one will know
What I have done
Our home’s a gone
But I’ll have won…
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 7: New Light – Lyrics
I wonder what it would be like to be blind. I don’t really want to know. Our lives are so involved with our perceptions. If we can see it we can believe it. Can we really see? What light is at the end of the tunnel? Fireworks, I hope!
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Gonna see me in a new light
It’s a light from hell
Gonna see me in a new light
You might not know well
Gonna see me in a new light
Like you’ve never seen
You can’t wake up now
This ain’t no dream
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
You walk the path
And then you fall
Where’s the road
You can’t recall
You think you see
A light down here
In the dark
Come face your fear
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 8: Where Does This Thing End – Lyrics
A very dear friend lost his way one day…
You’ve got to get yourself on a better path
You’ve got to get yourself down the road
You’ve got to get yourself right back on track
Baby, baby, you know you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m walkin’ with you inside your heart
I know that somehow you can find the start
Don’t you give up now
You’ll make it through somehow
You’ve just gotta step out of the dark
You can fly like an eagle
You can roll like the wind
But if you don’t come back down to earth
I don’t know where this thing might end
It’s been a long rough ride just to get ya here
You’re just flyin’ high without no fear
But when the time is right
To end this crazy flight
That’s when you’re gonna find me here
You can fly like an eagle
You can roll like the wind
But if you don’t come back down to earth
I don’t know where this thing might end
You can fly like an eagle
You can roll like the wind
But if you don’t come right back down to earth
I don’t know where this thing might end no
Ya if you don’t come right back down to earth
I guess I know where this thing ends
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 9: Out In The Storm part II – Lyrics
In 1987 I worked for a fella named Charlie Stricker. We packed way into the wilds of British Columbia. We crossed the Injunika River on a barge with 30 head of horses. Late in the season I spent a few weeks alone in a box canyon with those horses and a grizzly. I had nothing to read or much to write on save paper lunch bags. It wasn’t long before I just kind of became part of where I was. There were no words. There was no need for language. The sky was so big and the stars they shone like diamonds in the sky so far away.
I’ve been ridin’ now
Thirteen days straight
And my horse just
Come up lame
Left me twisted
In this distant night
Alone
Out on the plain
And the stars they shine like diamonds
In that sky so far away
I’ve been runnin’ hard
With all my soul
Now my hand’s
Played out this game
Don’t know where it was
I thought I’d go
It would always
Be the same
As those stars that shine like diamonds
In that sky so far away
Now when the darkness comes
To take me down
Don’t s’pose
I’ll be afraid
‘Cause the devil’s had
His way with me
And that ransome
Can’t be paid
But those stars they shine like diamonds
In that sky so far away
Well I killed a man
Or maybe ten
But it don’t matter
Anymore
I’m just flyin’ blind
‘Till I reach the end
Where the Good Lord
Closed that door
Ya the Good Lord
Closed that door
Ya the Good Lord’s
Closing that door
And those stars they’ll shine like diamonds
When I ain’t ‘round here no more
No more
No more
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 10: I Know The Way – Lyrics
My Ma passed in August of 2007, same day as Elvis. I guess that must mean she’s still kickin’ around somewhere. Hi Mom! Hi Elvis!
It is said that a good sense of humor is essential to making it through the grey these days. Ya, we’re all laughin’ now. Ha, ha, ha… ya I know the way.
Mama don’t you cry for me
You know that I am
Coming home
Mama don’t you cry for me
‘Cause I’ll get there on my own
Babies don’t you cry for me
When I’m out
On the road
Babies don’t you cry for me
‘Cause you’ll never be alone
No you won’t
‘Cause
I know the way
To get there today
I know the way
To get there now
I know the way
To get there today
We’re all gonna make it
Through somehow
Taxman don’t you try for me
‘Cause I ain’t got
Nothin’ left
Taxman don’t you try for me
You’re gonna bleed me right to death
Preacher don’t you sigh for me
You know I know
Where to go
Preacher don’t you sigh for me
‘Cause I know my own soul
Yes I do
‘Cause
I know the way
To get there today
I know the way
To get there now
I know the way
To get there today
We’re all gonna make it
Through somehow
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 11: Doin’ The Dance – Lyrics
Really, I love dancing.
We dance in the Darkness
Sailing for day
We dance in the Shadow
Not knowing our way
We dance to the Edge
Our stride gone astray
We just keep dancin’
There ain’t no other way
Now God is in Heaven
And he has his plan
But we’re havin’ a spell
Where we don’t quite understand
S’pose time will reveal
What He has in His hand
But until then
We’re just don’ the Dance
We dance in the Darkness
Sailing for day
We dance in the Shadow
Not knowing our way
We dance to the Edge
Our stride gone astray
We just keep dancin’
There ain’t no other way
So as we glide ‘cross
Life’s little Stage
It’s best not to give in
To anger and rage
Let love be your lone partner
May you have courage and grace
As you do that last waltz
At the end of the race
‘Cause we all dance in that Darkness
We’re just sailing towards the Day
Ya we dance in the Shadow
Not quite knowing our way
We dance to the Edge
Our stride gone astray
We just keep dancin’
There ain’t no other way
We just keep dancin’
There ain’t no other way
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 12: Pack It Up & Go – Lyrics
The twenty-first century seems to be starting with distractions. When there’s no T.V. or telephone (or should I say cell?), no motorized vehicles and no internet, there’s only the time and place you’re living in. A person could surely grow old there. Happily.
Got a letter from
A friend today
Well ya know she lives
So very far away
In a world I’ve left
So far behind
In a place that’s often
On my mind
Can’t remember
When I was last home
You know the road’s been long
And the weight has been a load
There’s still a place
Where time is going slow
Ya there’s still a place
Where we can be alone
Where the
River runs on
Into the sea
And the night owl
Sings her song
The mountain winds blow
Like ghosts through the trees
And the lone wolf
Cries so low
We could turn this truck around
Get the heck out of this town
Baby we could just
Pack up our things and go
Baby we could just
Pack up our things and go
Why don’t I just get the kids you know
Baby we could just
Pack up our things and go
Why don’t we just pack it up and go
Baby we could just
Pack up our things and go
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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Track 13: Shine Your Light (reprise) – Lyrics
Thanks. Thank you. Gratitude. These words are not big enough for me to impart what must be expressed. The journey to now has been on of endurance. I am in such debt to all those who have travelled with me. (But don’t worry, you’ll get your cash! ) I love you all.
Shine your light
Shine your light
Through the night
The dark of night
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alright
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alright
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Shine your light
Shine your light
Through the night
The dark of night
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alight
Shine your light
‘Cause it’s alright
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
Keep on Shining
© Ruth Purves Smith Music
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