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Morning Song

by American Elm

supported by
James BonTempo
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James BonTempo "I saw the shadow of a mountain on another mountain." For some reason, that feels so anthemic to me, & it's a great kick-off for the album! My favorites are "O Black Mountain," "Days of Obligation," "A Long Road to be Free," & "Saint Mary of the Underground."
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1.
I saw the shadow of a mountain on another mountain I saw a young man wearing an old mans face on the Lost River Highway, in the light abounding I felt the morning sun pressing through the haze Tomorrow I'll walk in another man's clothes Tomorrow I'll walk in another man's clothes but today we are going Where nobody knows It was a long obedience in the wrong direction there were mice, there were men, there were best laid plans I was still lake staring at a strange reflection until I felt the water passing through my hands Tomorrow I'll walk in another man's clothes Tomorrow I'll walk in another man's clothes but today we are going Where nobody knows I crossed the causeway in the rain where no one smiles or says a thing I built my cottage by the sea where I was born, not born to be O Black Mountain call me home take me from this place I've known Tomorrow I'll walk in another man's clothes Tomorrow I'll walk in another man's clothes but today we are going Where? Nobody knows Nobody knows Nobody knows Nobody knows Nobody knows I saw the shadow of a mountain on another mountain I saw the shadow of a mountain on another mountain I saw the shadow of a mountain on another mountain I saw the shadow of a mountain on another mountain alleluia alleluia alleluia alleluia
2.
There were days of obligation there were nights of discontent there were days of obligation there were nights of discontent You woke up with light in your eyes but you don't know where it went You were getting by on skin and teeth you were dangling by a strand you were getting by on skin and teeth you were dangling by a strand finding ways to build a life in a house that's made on sand Show me the road that I must travel for you to receive my heart show me the way that I must follow for you to relieve my heart Every Sunday morning they're speaking in tongues every Sunday morning they're speaking in tongues walking in the spirit and the spirit fills their lungs Show me the road that I must travel for you to receive my heart show me the way that I must follow for you to relieve my heart There were days of obligation there were nights of discontent there were days of obligation there were nights of discontent there were days there were days . . .
3.
Put away your childish ways lift your head and keep on walking throw away that old bouquet with its petals dry and dropping When sometimes it seems like you might break in the breeze you've lost your head in the clouds where there's no light to be found even the tallest trees even the tallest trees even the tallest trees reach the ground Beware of you idle thoughts and the past to which you're clinging put away where time forgot what seems like ending is beginning And when sometimes it seems like you might break in the breeze you've lost your head in the clouds where there's no light to be found even the tallest trees even the tallest trees even the tallest trees reach the ground When you find you're lost again and the darkest night it leaves you shaking just turn your face into the wind and toward the present day awaking When sometimes it seems like you might break in the breeze you've lost your head in the clouds where there's no light to be found even the tallest trees even the tallest trees even the tallest trees reach the ground
4.
What you want, I can't give to you all at once, in an afternoon we say "so long" to the scent of August days summer's gone and you are far away and now . . . Maybelle's gone and now . . . Maybelle's gone somehow life goes on The trees stripped bare in there cold despair the leaved turned brown; we're floating to the ground a cold wind blows through these empty limbs we're in the yard where our folks still live and now . . . Maybelle's gone and now . . . Maybelle's gone somehow life goes on You think too much, better than not at all or drowning your thoughts in grandpa's alcohol in through the haze I can hardly see all I know is you are finally free and I must let you be and now . . . Maybelle's gone and now . . . Maybelle's gone somehow life goes on your life goes on my life goes on her life goes on
5.
Could've been more patient should've played it cool maybe not so callous and a bit less cruel But now I'm finding my way home grown older now, the holes are showing2 so much time spent wandering or trying to make things comforting it's a long road to be free it's a long road to be free Could've been more thoughtful might've been more kind a little more insightful and maybe not so blind But now I'm finding my way home grown older now, the holes are showing2 there's a path that I can't see beneath the fog that smothers me it's a long road to be free it's a long road to be free free . . . It's a long road to be free Should've spoken sooner I could've shown more warmth pulled myself to together and had a lot more charm But now I'm finding my way home grown older now, the holes are showing2 there's a path in front of me but I can't find the opening it's a long road to be free it's a long road to be free free . . . It's a long road to be free Could've been much braver I could've had more will worked a little harder I should've honed my skills But now I'm finding my way home grown older now, the holes are showing there's a path in front of me but I'm my own worst enemy it's a long road to be free it's a long road to be free free . . . It's a long road to be free Now I'm finding my way home grown older now, the holes are showing so much time spent posturing or trying to come off interesting it's a long road to be free it's a long road to be free free . . . It's a long road to be free
6.
We own the night beneath the setting sun that's when we take flight Drawn by the muse with gold dust in our pockets and holes in our shoes O dear patron saint of obscurity Come wake us up from our American dream Sleepers arise! there is oil in your lamps there is light in your eyes It's time to awake the river is rising the levy will break O dear patron saint of obscurity Come wake us up from our American dream We will liberate; we will consecrate this town We will liberate; we will consecrate this town for Saint Mary of the Underground Saint Mary of the Underground Be ye steadfast come out of the caverns for this too shall pass O good kings and queens the one who has most is the one who has least O dear patron saint of obscurity Come wake us up from our American dream We will liberate; we will consecrate this town We will liberate; we will consecrate this town for Saint Mary of the Underground Saint Mary of the Underground O dear patron saint of obscurity Come wake us up from our American dream O dear patron saint of obscurity Come wake us up from our American dream
7.
Coming into being, as we fall away we're spellbound in this sleeping world but starting to awake It should seem so simple, but the truth's a braided stream and we get crowded in our clothes and we don't know where to lean If I've been senseless, if I've been unkind opaque and elusive, or to loosely defined I ask for your pardon, but not for release If you offer forgiveness, I'll offer belief say you'll accept me; I say take your time they say love is reckless they say love is blind I saw you at that party I was standing by the door yearning to know you and now I yearn to know you more If I've been senseless, if I've been unkind opaque and elusive, or to loosely defined I ask for your pardon, but not for release If you offer forgiveness, I'll offer belief say you'll accept me; I say take your time they say love is reckless they say love is blind The world has gone to madness and I can't make it on my own staring down that hallway, I don't know which way to go If I've been senseless, if I've been unkind opaque and elusive, or to loosely defined I ask for your pardon, but not for release If you offer forgiveness, I'll offer belief say you'll accept me; I say take your time they say love is reckless they say love is blind they say love is reckless they say love is blind please say love is reckless please say love is blind please say love is reckless please say love is blind Coming into being, as we fall away we're spellbound in this sleeping world but starting to awake
8.
I want my life back but some of it I don't want back the harsh unfinished edges, the loving that I lacked bring me in the light take away the black I know I've been changed my body left broken, my soul reclaimed thrown from the heavens, humbled and lame like a hand that reached down I'm no longer the same Some things that used to matter they don't matter anymore and what's come to matter most has now come to matter more I woke up in a ditch on the side of the road gather me together and take me home Out on the street a stranger wandering Forty years in the desert, longing to be free I found the bitter water and the water became sweet Some things that used to matter they don't matter like before and what's come to matter most has now come to matter more I woke up in a ditch on the side of the road gather me together and take me home I woke up in a ditch on the side of the road gather me together and take me home

about

Minimalistic, Transtheistic: Gospel Folk
Volume One, or Side A : Morning Song

Recorded live to two track, July 2021
at The Pines,
Cedarville, Conn.
Except "Gather Me Together and Take Me Home," recorded elsewhere, January 2021

C.B. sings, plays guitar, and dulcitar
Birds: sing
Cicadas: chorus
Sirens: siren

Thanks: Godin Guitars

Written by Christopher J. Bousquet © 2021 BMI
(P) 2021 The Cedar Swamp Recording Company

Contact: American_Elm@yahoo.com
americanelm.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/americanelm


CSR2102 THE CEDAR SWAMP RECORDING CO.

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released December 21, 2021

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American Elm New Haven, Connecticut

American Elm, aka Chris Bousquet, is singer-songwriter from Connecticut. He is the former leader of the internationally acclaimed High Lonesome Plains. He has performed with such luminaries as Roger McGuinn (The Byrds), Mercury Rev, Miracle Legion, John Sebastian, Asleep at the Wheel, Rhett Miller, Mark Mulcahy, The Turtles, Nathaniel Rateliff, Dry the River, J. Geils, and Susan Cowsill. ... more

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