End Of A Golden Age

 

A golden age can be defined as a particular place in time when things were better. It can refer to the historical time when a civilization reaches it’s peak. It can also be a reference to one’s own personal history when we felt the happiest, the most fulfilled, or simply at peace. In composing the music and lyrics for this album I was thinking about both questions, the personal and the corporate. I’m at the age when one is in the business of reconciling the past more and more. My parents are in the final stage of their journey and I was thinking about how the past must look to them as well as my own processing of the meaning of their lives. Such an exploration by necessity must touch on other existential questions such as death, love, time, and the definition of a good life. The most basic question of all, where do we come from, lies at the heart of all the others. My intent is not to provide any sort of answers to these questions. I’m only describing my own journey, the way things look, from where I happen to be in time and space. How do things look where you are?

1. Cry Your Song


I never knew that I was empty

Until you filled my soul

I never knew that love was timeless

Until you said this is forever


Cry your song, cry for joy

Sing it strong, sing for joy

And all of the stars above us

Will shine


I never had a place to go

Until you opened my door

I never had a home to stay in

Until you beckoned me inside


Cry your song, cry for joy

Sing it strong, sing for joy

And all of the stars above us

Will shine


I never knew that I was empty


  1. 2.A Golden Dawn - Instrumental


  1. 3.Emperor of Stones


People measure their life by the loss and gain

I just wanna plant seeds

Some want to climb so high. Look down in those below

I just look up at the stars


And I don’t have much land. Not much dirt to speak off

But I understand I’m as rich as a man can be

I’m the emperor

Of stones


People have causes and a fire in their eyes

I’m the rock where the storms end

Some want to break the world. Others remake it again

I say what will be will be


I don’t have much planned. Not much advice to speak off

But I understand I’m as wise as a man can be

I’m the emperor

Of stones


I live on a rocky hill with some windswept trees

The fox and I like to watch the moon

I look up to the sky where the birds they sing

A song as old as the world


I only have shifting sand. Not much time to speak off

But I understand I’m as old as the starry sea

I’m the emperor

Of stones


  1. 4.End Of A Golden Age


How did we survive and come to this

Witness to the end of a golden age

How did it get so dark

The world was so bright when we were young


We walked on the moon. We even took cars

We loved the open road we paved from sea to sea

We sailed the land in ships made of chrome and steel

Till we ran out of gas


Then the future was always bright

And time could only give us greater heights

Then we believed in our endless might

Success was our given right

We forgot even the brightest stars

Still fade


Over two hundred years of endless war

We’re still not really sure what’s worth fighting for

We mow the endless lawns where wilderness died

And think we’re kings


The stories will be told of our shining time

A land of towering glass that touched the sun

They’ll whisper in the ruins of our broken dreams

Lying in the dust


Then the future was always bright

And time could only give us greater heights

Then we believed in our endless might

Success was our given right

We forgot even the brightest stars

Still fade


How did we survive and come to this

Witness to the end of a golden age


  1. 5.Ground Of Being


I feel diffused

The things I used to know seem pointless now

My days have fused

My footsteps feel like floating now

I need to touch the ground


Everytime I look up into the sun

Everything I believe comes undone

Everytime I run my hands through the dust

Everything I touch turns to rust


Time is torn

The border of elsewhere is a chasm now

Fate is born

The turning point has no direction now

I need to see the ground


Everytime I look up into the sun

Everything I believe comes undone

Everytime I run my hands through the dust

Everything I touch turns to rust


What will emerge

The darkness is spreading everywhere now

Life will surge

The light that blinds will find us now

I need to know the ground


Everytime I look up into the sun

Everything I believe comes undone

Everytime I run my hands through the dust

Everything I touch turns to rust


  1. 6.Twilight


Hold my hand

as you lay on my chest

Life’s been long

and we’ve earned our rest


It’s not wrong to smile at the silence

Now that everything’s been said

After all we did what was asked of us

Worked hard. Never asked to be fed

Never asked to be fed

Now it’s twilight


We’ve had our time

A love to last

We carried our burden

Justified the past


It’s not wrong to smile at our innocence

Now our illusions are done

After all we believed what was asked of us

Long after truth was gone

After the truth was gone

Now it’s twilight


And the sun is always shining somewhere in the world

A new day is always shining somewhere in the world

But not here

In this place

It’s twilight

It’s twilight


  1. 7.I’d Do It Again


I know you worry about the past

Mistakes you made and different paths

But I’m alright now so don’t you cry

And don’t you doubt my love


Cause I’d doit again

Truly I would

I’d do it again


I know you think things went wrong

I think they were right all along

The children you have now are precious to me

So don’t you doubt your love


Cause I’d doit again

Truly I would

I’d do it again


I know you worry about the past

Mistakes you made and different paths

But don’t you doubt my love


Cause I’d doit again

Truly I would

I’d do it again


  1. 8.Night Flight


Flying too close to the sun. That’s the job when you’re young

Feet that never touch the earth. Later you measure the worth


But I still have my wings

For night flight


Less in front than behind. Fewer things left to find

Some days I feel bound. Even so I have found


I still have my wings

For night flight


Flying too close to the sun. That’s the job when you’re young

Feet that never touch the earth. Later you’ll measure the worth


But you’ll still have your wings

For night flight


  1. 9.Burying Time


Burying time is coming soon

We’ll sing the dirges under a pale moon


And we’ll sing the songs that are evergreen

By and by

Yes we’ll sing the songs that are evergreen

By and by


Burying time is like any other

We embrace the earth. We know our mother


And we sing the songs that are evergreen

By and by

Yes we sing the songs that are evergreen

By and by


Burying time is coming soon

We’ll sing the dirges under a pale moon


And we’ll sing the songs that are evergreen

By and by

Yes we’ll sing the songs that are evergreen

By and by


10. The Garden - Instrumental

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