TO GET TO ZERO
Words & Music by Beth Wood & Phil Madeira
(DADGBE, capo 7th fret)
Diggin for diamonds, searching for gold
down in the belly of the earth where the light won’t go
the silence is so heavy I can’t breathe
there’s a mile between you up there
and me down underneath, so
Shine a light and throw a rope
I could use a little hope
I ain’t lookin for a hero
But some times it’s a long hard climb just to get to zero
Scratching the surface, I disappear
down in the belly of the place where i face my fear
tethered to my sketchy memory
there’s a little bird singing out
won’t you set me free?
Shine a light and throw a rope
I could use a little hope
I ain’t lookin for a hero
But some times it’s a long hard climb just to get to zero
When I finally see the sky, lord have mercy on my eyes
Shine a light and throw a rope
I could use a little hope
I ain’t lookin for a hero
But some times it’s a long hard climb just to get to zero
BIRD GIRL
words and music by Beth Wood
(Standard Tuning)
She had a mouth like a horseshoe turned upside down
when she smiled at you, your luck turned around
her Daddy wanted a boy but got her instead
never could get that notion out of her head
In October the Sandhill Cranes flew in
and she dreamed of becoming one of them
long and slender, full of winged grace
loud and free and tethered to no place
She closed her eyes and flew
away into the wild blue world
of the bird girl
He held her close in the cold Montana night
but he changed his mind in the bright daylight
when her belly swelled like a river in flood
she thought at least that cowboy did one thing good
She closed her eyes and flew
away into the wild blue world
of the bird girl
She was free as a, free as a…
She always had that faraway look in her eye
full of feathers, high calls and deep sky
but when she held that baby to her breast
it was a different kind of wilderness
they closed their eyes and flew
away into the wild blue world
of the bird girl
WILDEST DREAM
words and music by Beth Wood
(Standard Tuning, Capo 1st fret)
All the little things you lose along the way
never to see them, never to feel them again
what would you give for just one little taste?
the sweetness of that, sweetness of that innocence
I was gonna tame circus tigers
and glide through the air on a flying trapeze
This is not my wildest dream
this is not my wildest dream
Take a little girl and fill her up with hope
tell her she can do something, she can do anything
we all know the cruelty of that joke
burning inside her the fire of possibility
I was gonna scale the highest mountain
and fly to the moon with paper wings
this is not my wildest dream,
this is not my wildest dream
You were gonna sail around the world
bringing me starfish and mother of pearl
you and I would have a fairy-tale love
at least that’s what I always dreamed of…
this is not my wildest dream,
this is not my wildest dream
but this is Everything.
WHISKEY
words & music by beth wood
(DADGBD)
Get down low
lower than you thought you could go
among the wreckage and the ruin
and look around real slow
can you feel nothing more than you do now?
Whiskey, how could I let it come to this?
I am leaning on you heavy missing all the things I miss
love is gone, it’s just you and me now
come on and let me down nice and easy
whiskey
It burns going down
a little bit like his kiss
but I don’t mind the fire
in fact I’m drawn to it
who do I turn to when the flame burns out?
Whiskey, how could I let it come to this?
I am leaning on you heavy missing all the things I miss
love is gone, it’s just you and me now
come on and let me down nice and easy
whiskey
Well I thought I was being strong
maybe I was wrong
just this one more time
tomorrow I’ll be fine
Whiskey, how could I let it come to this?
I am leaning on you heavy missing all the things I miss
love is gone, it’s just you and me now
come on and let me down nice and easy
whiskey
THE CHANGELING
words & music by Beth Wood
(DADGBD, capo 1st fret)
Sometimes love is like barbed wire
you’ve just got to know where to hold on
sometimes love is like a wildfire
it’s hungry for everything it can get its hands on
I guess it got its hands on me
It burns so bright I can’t see
All these faces of the same thing
you can try holding on to love
but it’s the changeling
Love is the changeling
Sometimes love is just a seed
it’s waiting to wake up in your garden
sometimes love is a high water crossing
don’t you hit the gas, it will sweep you on in
I guess I got swept on in
and from now on it’s sink or swim
All these faces of the same thing
you can try holding on to love
but it’s the changeling
Love is the changeling
Sometimes love isn’t what you thought it would be
and then it changes you, and that’s the mystery
All these faces of the same thing
you can try holding on to love
but it’s the changeling
Love is the changeling
BROKEN ELEVATOR HEART
words & music by Beth Wood
(CGDGCD)
Broken elevator heart,
my grief is a boomerang
it’s the moving part –
I stay still, watch everything change
here it comes around again, a thorn in my side
Broken elevator heart, just hold on tight
broken elevator heart, we are going for a ride
Well I missed the last train home
there’s no other soul out here
just when I think I’m all alone,
Hope walks in just to up and disappear
here she comes around again to pull me into the light
Broken elevator heart, just hold on tight
broken elevator heart, we are going for a ride
Love is the engine
and it’s turning
lights are blinking
the gears are burning
we could fly so high you and I
if we just hold steady
come on, get ready
Broken elevator heart
I’m coming back for you
I will find you in the dark
and I won’t let go until we pull through
just remember how it feels to be revealed and open wide
Broken elevator heart, just hold on tight
broken elevator heart, we are going for a ride
EASY ON ME
words & music by Beth Wood, Shannon McNally & Anne Heaton
(DADGBD, capo 1st fret)
Today the world feels so heavy
it don’t care about you and me
so let’s wait for tomorrow
to leave our sanctuary
We’ve been working so hard, for so little, for so long
to keep this place to belong
So take it easy on me
I’ll take it easy on you
let’s take some time to breathe
and take it easy, easy, easy
The radio says it’s a mess down town
But this little house is safe and warm
How nice to be together
The baby’s sleeping and the coffee’s on
We’ve been working so hard, for so little, for so long
To keep this place, to belong
So take it easy on me
I’ll take it easy on you
let’s take some time to breathe
and take it easy, easy, easy
I can’t bear to leave your side
I’m all out of courage and I need to hide
So take it easy on me
I’ll take it easy on you
let’s take some time to breathe
and take it easy, easy, easy
HOLDING ON TO YOU
words and music by Beth Wood (2013)
(Standard Tuning, capo 4th fret)
I am tired of myself and this vapor-trail of blue
I’m tired of being alone so far away from you
tired of all the things other people say I should do
I am tired of my heart that breaks so easily
tired of bleeding for all the world to see
tired of all these sharp and pointed words to keep me company
Easy, no one said it would be
please me, darlin’ you already do
time’s got me letting go of everything I know
but I’m still holding on to you
I’m still holding on to you
I am tired of wanting more when I could do with less
I am tired of playing hide and seek with tenderness
being tired of being tired of being tired – it’s a hall of mirrors I guess
Which is a little bit funny if you think of it
except the joke’s on everyone, it’s the joke nobody gets
my reflection getting smaller and smaller, so small I almost forget
Easy, no one said it would be
please me, darlin’ you already do
time’s got me letting go of everything I know
but I’m still holding on to you
I’m still holding on to you
…with your slow and steady grace
I fall flat on my face
you pick me up, put me back in place
I am tired of myself, do you know what I mean
on second thought don’t answer that, don’t say anything
just hold me in your loving arms, we’ll see what the morning brings
FOR CATHERINE
words & music by Beth Wood
(DADGBE, capo 2nd fret)
Hold your horses
don’t get ahead of yourself
there go the voices
surely they must know best
They tell you everything will be okay
you say, “um-hum”
but never will it be okay again
it’ll just be different
everything is different now
Catherine
One is the number
two, your burning star
numb as you go under
find out how
alone you are
They tell you everything will be okay
you say, “um-hum”
but never will it be okay again
it’ll just be different
everything is different now
Catherine
you think you hear the sirens calling
but it’s just the sound of Catherine falling
They tell you everything will be okay
you say, “um-hum”
but never will it be okay again
it’ll just be different
everything is different now
SKIN TO SKIN
words and music by Beth Wood
(Standard Tuning)
The sky was on fire the night they met
he was in the advanced stages of regret
she was swimming in a rip tide of memory
that reached up and grabbed her and took her out to sea
The honeysuckle on her tongue
lord have mercy, he wanted some
they shared a taste and it made them young again
skin to skin
Her body was so slight he feared he might break her
then they danced all night and he watched the music take her
to a world before time, before expectations
when a girl could dance in the moonlight without explanation
The honeysuckle on her tongue
lord have mercy, he wanted some
they shared a taste and it made them young again
skin to skin
love begins
and it never ends
it never ends
Honeysuckle on her tongue
lord have mercy, he wanted some
he remembers the taste and it makes him young again
skin to skin
No nectar of a kiss ever tasted so sweet
as when they swayed by the ocean side in their bare feet
he stares at ribbons of a disappearing sun
and thinks I guess you never really lose someone
SHOULDER SEASON
words & music by Beth Wood
(BF#C#F#A#C#)
You have lost part of your heart
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
there is a way out of the dark
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
the courage to reach out a hand
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
so you will walk this broken land
until you find it, until you find it
You can’t remember joy
everything is noise
you can’t see the reason
only thing I know
weather comes and weather goes
this is just your shoulder season
a tiny thimble full of faith
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
how you wound up here in the first place
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
the innocence to believe
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
the disappearing dream
you can’t find it, you can’t find it
You can’t remember joy
everything is noise
you can’t see the reason
only thing I know
weather comes and weather goes
this is just your shoulder season
rest your head on mine
for a little while
can’ t say that everying is gonna be fine
but at least we’re changing
When you can’t remember joy
listen to my voice
when you can’t see the reason
the only thing I know
weather comes and weather goes
this is just your shoulder season
MOSES ON A RUNAWAY TRAIN
words & music by Beth Wood
(Standard Tuning, capo 2nd fret)
I’m parked halfway down the road sitting in my Cadillac
halfway out the door leaning my head back
halfway through a draw on my silver flask
feeling so tired
Mother always said the devil is too smooth
when you figure what he’s done, he’s already through with you
then you wind up breathing fire in a phone booth
and you don’t know who to dial
I called out to Jesus but he never came
I called out to Mary but I didn’t hear a thing
I called out to Moses on a runaway train
to come down on my side
and get me off this ride
get me off this ride
When I was young I worked the big rigs
just like my old man and all my uncles did
life laid out before me on an oil field
until the war came
I went over there with every boy I knew
I’d be lying to say that shit don’t change you
even to survive, you do what you have to do
and you’ll never be the same
I called out to Jesus but he never heard
I called out to Mary but no miracle occurred
I called out to Moses from the belly of a bird
to come down on my side
and get me off this ride
get me off this ride
The kids all say I should get out there again
find a nice lady, maybe settle in
at least spend some time in the company of friends
for the sake of my heart
I’ve tried and tried to tell them that I’m doing fine
more than anything I just like the quiet
soon I’ll turn this car around and I will go inside
but it’s just so hard
I’m calling out to Jesus if he ever does hear
I’m calling out to Mary, she can have all of my tears
I’m calling out to Moses from my automobile
He can have my pride
Just help me on this ride
Help me on this ride
NO COVER
words & music by Beth Wood
(Standard Tuning, capo 5th fret)
It makes no sense who we love
it makes no sense how we feel
we try to find the logic of these things
we’re spinning wheels, we’re spinning wheels
It makes no sense why we try
it makes no sense the hopeful heart
when time and time again we fall and we don’t know why
and that’s the easy part, that’s the easy part
Get back up
one foot in front of the other
get back up
no map, no book, no cover
It makes no sense what resonates
it makes no sense what’s beautiful
what can stop you in your tracks right then and there
it may be anything, it’s an undeniable pull
it makes no sense this endless hunger
it makes no sense why we have the pain
what breaks us open wide until we’ve come undone
and heals us up again, heals us up again… and we
Get back up
one foot in front of the other
get back up
no map, no book, no cover
round and around the wheels spin
I close my eyes and I count to ten… and I
Get back up
one foot in front of the other
get back up
no map, no book, no cover