Get all 10 Susan Gibson releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Compassionate Combat, The Hard Stuff, Remember Who You Are, A Thousand Eggs, The Best of You, The Second Hand (2014), TightRope (2011), New Dog, Old Tricks (2008), and 2 more.
1. |
Introduction
00:53
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2. |
Wide Open Spaces
03:55
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WIDE OPEN SPACES
Who doesn’t know what I’m talking about
Who’s never left home, who’s never struck out
To find a dream and a life of their own
A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone
Many precede and many will follow
A young girl’s dream no longer hollow
It takes the shape of a place out West
But what it holds for her, she hasn’t yet guessed
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
She traveled this road as a child
Wide eyed and grinning she never tired
But now she won’t be coming back with the rest
If these are life’s lessons, she’ll take this test
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
As she packs her things she feels she’s left something out
Her friends and her family her dog and this house
She turns around to find her old room bare
Looks at the U-Haul, it has to fit in there
As her folks drive away her dad yells, “check the oil!’
Mom stares out the window and says, “I’m leaving my girl”
She said it didn’t seem like that long ago
When she stood there and watched her own folks go
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
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3. |
Walls Come Down
04:18
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27 days & still no word
what am I supposed to think
you’re leaving me to draw my own conclusions
& I’m running out of ink
we’ve made arrangements and we’ve set dates
& we’ve broken everyone
tryin like hell to avoid our fates
like the moon avoids the sun
I would answer if you would knock
I wouldn’t leave you hanging around
& I would listen if you would talk
cuz baby that’s the sweetest sound
hearing those walls come down
I kept on thinking we were right on track
We were moving up the ranks
It’s hard enough to hit a moving target
& it’s tougher when you’re shooting blanks
I keep on buggin you to let you know
I won’t bug you anymore
With every phone call another brick in the stonewall
& I cannot find the door
I would answer if you would knock
I wouldn’t leave you hanging around
& I would listen if you would talk
cuz baby that’s the sweetest sound
hearing those walls come down
I would answer if you would knock
I wouldn’t leave you hanging around
& I would listen if you would talk
cuz baby that’s the sweetest sound
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4. |
Cactus
03:27
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CACTUS
She’s a cactus, a desert flower
She’s a Mexican weed with superpowers
Velvet petals, hooker red
& two inch thorns to kill ya dead
Pretty from a distance a miracle up close
She’ll make you sorry for confusing her with a red rose
You never saw a rose like that growing out of a rock
Cuz roses are for sale on every city block
She’s got thick skin so she can take the heat
Don’t’ go stomping around or she’ll get under your feet
She can take root in a barren place
But she ain’t from here, she’s from outerspace
She belongs on the big screen, she belongs in the pictures
I think I saw her in a western or maybe it was science fiction
She let me steal her beauty without feeling the thorns
She don’t need the audience like she needs to perform
She’s got thick skin so she can take the heat
Don’t’ go stomping around or she’ll get under your feet
She can take root in a barren place
But she ain’t from here, she’s from outerspace
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5. |
Baby Teeth
04:23
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Baby Teeth
You’re such a silly girl, & such a wise old woman
You think you can fix this world with rubber bands and bubblegum
You’re going to see it all in your high top tennis shoes
Days when you’re in the pink & day’s in your skinned up blues
Sometimes it hurts to grow, sometimes it’s such a relief
When you gotta give up what you got to get what you need………those are just your babyteeth
You’ve got some big blue eyes & they don’t miss a thing
You’re known for you smart mouth and a smile like butterfly wings
You gotta way with words, you got your song & dance
You could wear your party dress, you could wear your camouflage pants
You’ve got a heart of Gold. It shines just like a sunny day. Save a little bit for yourself, don’t give it all away.
Sometimes it hurts to grow; sometimes it’s such a relief
When you gotta give up what you got to get what you need………those are just your baby teeth
You’re the queen of all you see, you rule on high from a beanbag chair.
No flower on the wall, you got the dirt and the flowers right in your hair.
Sometimes it hurts to grow; sometimes it’s such a relief
When you gotta give up what you got to get what you need.
Sometimes you gotta wiggle it loose, sometimes it gets knocked clean out
Making room for a brand new tooth in that little bitty hole in your mouth
Those are just your baby teeth
Your baby teeth
Your baby teeth
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6. |
Together Strong
03:46
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TOGETHER STRONG
Two folks, living together
He’s an oak and she’s a cedar
Over time they’ve intertwined
She tries to choke him out and now he needs her
They need sun, they need rain
And each other’s help to gain
The strength enough to bend or else they break
They need room enough to grow
And the courage to get too close
Alone they won’t last long but together strong
Deep roots below the surface
It’s the only way they can survive
Without the roots the branches are worthless
She shoulda killed him now she keeps him alive
They need sun, they need rain
And each other’s help to gain
The strength enough to bend or else they break
They need room enough to grow
And the courage to get too close
Alone they won’t last long but together strong
Just like those two trees out in my front yard
How did they get this far
Thriving in spite of each other
Instead of growing apart
They had sun, they had rain
And each other’s help to gain
The strength enough to bend or else they break
They had room enough to grow
And the courage to get too close
Alone they won’t last long but together strong
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7. |
Trophy Girl
03:30
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TROPHY GIRL
Mount my head on the wall
Take my hand and break my back
You don’t think that it’s wrong
To show me off just to see them react
I sit high on your shelf
Gathering dust and losing myself
You call them over to see
I stand up straighter when they look at me
Trust me trophy girl
I won’t give you away
But I’ve got to have something to show
For the games that we play
Dusty trophy girl Someday again you’ll shine
There’s a clock next to you counting the hours
Biding your time
For now you are mine
You got me locked in a tower
Close your eyes I’ll sing you to sleep
Then slip out in the quiet hours
No one knows of the prisoners you keep
Trust me trophy girl
I won’t give you away
But I’ve got to have something to show
For the games that we play
Dusty trophy girl
Someday again you’ll shine
There’s a clock next to you counting the hours
Biding your time
For now you are mine
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8. |
2 Hometowns Introduction
00:26
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9. |
2 Hometowns
03:17
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Two Hometowns
Gas up the pickup
This ain’t no stickup
If anyone asks I’ll be heading up north
If they try to find me
I’ll see them behind me
& lose them when I change my course
Follow the road sign
To the right of the yellow line
My town looks good in my rearview mirror
Follow directions to my destination
I gotta get outta here
Never get anywhere running from something
& nothing is something I spose
Never get anywhere running away from the ghost
3 hours into nowhere
wind dancing in my hair
keeps my mind occupied
Close calls with road kill
18 wheels on steep hills
the 2 lane ain’t no place to hide
I don’t need no road map
I’ll find my own way back
I know the landmarks by heart
I’ll just keep driving
The road keeps on winding
Between my two hometowns so far apart
Back & Forth I’m going home
Never get anywhere running from something
& nothing is something I spose
Never get anywhere running away from the ghost
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10. |
Last of His Kind
04:46
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Last of His Kind
(Susan Gibson, Pie-Eyed Groobee Music, BMI, Bug Music)
He’s a young man at 56
He’s learned to sing
I say you can teach an old dog new tricks
Cuz youth is lingering
His hands are strong but have a feather touch
He’s got work under his nails
He can hold a babe in his embrace
& throws the switch on the rails
he’s one of a kind standing out in a crowd
a man of his mind and a breed of the proud
now he’s the last of his kind the last of his name
He’s got lines etched around his eyes
They are roads his feet have not touched
Paths of tears in sadness and joy
He’s my only, my only, my only
he’s one of a kind standing out in a crowd
a man of his mind and a breed of the proud
now he’s the last of his kind the last of his name
He goes to find his family
Their name is etched in stone
Coming to rest in a single place
But he is not alone
he’s one of a kind standing out in a crowd
a man of his mind and a breed of the proud
now he’s the last of his kind the last of his name
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11. |
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12. |
If I'd Thought
03:14
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IF I’D THOUGHT
If I’d have thought what I’d had said
woulda hurt you so bad
those word’s would never left my head
I told the truth and I got caught.
Where in the world would I be now
if I’d a thought?
You asked me what. & I told you what.
Remember that you asked for it
& then you said I took a cheap shot
You give me grief and I said thanks a lot.
Never woulda turned out this way
if I’da thought
I thought that I could smooth it over with a little eloquence
I don’t think that the worst is over til we’re handed our consequences
Don’t you know they get expensive
More than I bargained for, that’s what I got.
& all the while you’re selling out
I bought and bought and bought and bought
I tried to strike while the iron’s hot.
I wasn’t kicking you while you’re down
if only I’d have thought.
I thought that I could smooth it over with a little eloquence
I don’t’ think that the worst is over til we’re handed our consequences
Don’t you know they get expensive
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13. |
Stop The Bleeding
05:19
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STOP THE BLEEDING
If a wound is going to heal
You got to stop the bleeding
Guard against infection
Or there’s no use in treating it
Apply a little pressure
Keep your wound above your heart
You got to clean up your mess there
Stop the bleeding before you worry about the scars
What is your emergency
You say it was an accident
It’s not your fault, it’s no one’s fault
Just one of those things you can’t prevent
Sometimes you keep it covered
Or you expose it to the light
You can do a lot more damage
If the bandage is too tight
Use a little alcohol
First it burns and then gets number
Soon you’re not limping anymore
You’re walking to the beat of a pounding ear drum
Tired from the false alarms
Now you’ve got a snowball’s chance
Shotgun down the getaway
Your chariot, your ambulance
We are the walking wounded
And we’re addicted to the cure
Long after we need the crutches
Our footsteps are still unsure
So if a wound is going to heal
You got to stop the bleeding
You got to stop the bleeding
You got to stop the bleeding
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14. |
Christmas in Houston
03:57
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CHRISTMAS IN HOUSTON
Get outta Houston by Christmas
It’s at the top of her wishlist
Cuz her family is coming to town
Wouldn’t wanna get caught with her pants hanging down
Keeping secrets and keeping score
I don’t see her around here that much anymore
What’s she been doing with her time
She’s been serving as though she’s committed a crime
She is tired of cat & mouse
She is tired of playing house
She don’t need a new job, she don’t need a new man
She’s just trying to do the best that she can
On her way out of town, she’ll go quietly
A couple years of school under her belt
Didn’t teach her to play with the hand she’d been dealt
Out with the old in with the new
A fresh deck of cards, another round or two
She is tired of cat & mouse
She is tired of playing house
She don’t need a new job, she don’t need a new man
She’s just trying to do the best that she can
On her way out of town, she’ll go quietly
You could call her a gun for hire
She’s got plenty of ammo & she’s ready to fire
She starts wars, she keeps the peace
She could be the bad guy she could be the police
She is tired of cat & mouse
She is tired of playing house
She don’t need a new job, she don’t need a new man
She’s just trying to do the best that she can
She is tired of playing ball
She is tired of being tired at all
She is tired, she is tired, she is so sick and tired S
he would ask for some help but it’s never free
On her way out of town, she’ll go quietly
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15. |
Best of You Introduction
02:03
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16. |
Best of You
04:56
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Don't let it get the best of you baby
Don't let it take away your hope
When you can't see the bright side
You get out your telescope
The stars are shining to bright
You can't see them when the sky is blue
It's gonna take everything that you've got
Just to make it through
Don't let it get the best of you
Don't let it get the best of you baby
Don't let it take away your faith
Don't blame the dealer for your hand
Cause forever, that's just a passing phase
How on earth can you heal your wounds
when you're always running out of itme
when your body has betrayed you
don't let that spirit die
Don't let it get the best of you
Every single breath is borrowed
Let it in let it out let it go
Every single breath is borrowed
Let it in let it out let it go
Every single breath is borrowed
Let it in let it out let it go
Don't let it get the best of you baby
Don't let it steal away your joy
You've got love and strength and courage
That no cancer can destroy
You may lose some battles
but you will always win the war
that's why you're called survivor
what's what your fighting for
Don't let it get the best of you
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17. |
Upon Re-Entry
05:24
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UPON RE-ENTRY
We strive to fly so high
Find that hole up in the sky
Along the ride you live and learn
Coming home, a safe return
Upon re-entry
A million miles away from home
Out of touch, drifting all alone
Everyone is looking up at you
Everyone just waits for your next move
A star lighting up the universe
Have you forgotten who you were
Before you were a star
A star defying all gravity
But when you’re falling everyone can see
That you were a star
Getting there took all you had
Didn’t leave enough to even get you back
What goes up surely must come down
You hit hard on solid ground
Upon re-entry
A star lighting up the universe
Have you forgotten who you were
Before you were a star
A star defying all gravity
But when you’re falling everyone can see
That you were a star
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18. |
Evergreen
04:39
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Evergreen
Just when I think I’m lost, something brings me back
As my train of thought slips off the track
Feeling my way through, crossways and blind
I guess it’s what you seek, not what you find
I don’t mind things that don’t matter these days
Time I’ve spent on worry never pays
Now the leaves are changing from green to gold
So I’ll change with them I’ll be so bold
Vivid color dreams Nothing’s what it seems
I’ve turned inside out and back again
Stuck out on this limb, dancing with the wind
How I long to be evergreen
Now I’m 10 years gone in strange scenery
Like an old dust devil chasing round a tumbleweed
I tried to lay down roots so I could just stay here
Blew out my candle & prayed a little prayer
Vivid color dreams Nothing’s what it seems
I’ve turned inside out and back again
Stuck out on this limb, dancing with the wind
How I long to be evergreen
So I can’t complain, I’ve enjoyed the ride
Just cuz I’m runnin’ doesn’t mean I’m hidin’
This wanderlust puts me off the map
I followed my heart ‘til it brought me back
Vivid color dreams Nothing’s what it seems
I’ve turned inside out and back again
Stuck out on this limb, dancing with the wind
How I long to be evergreen
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19. |
The Second Hand
03:15
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20. |
Chin Up
04:58
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CHIN UP
Third grade, gotta get weighed
For the presidents fitness test
No hope of getting up that rope
Even if I tried my best
I already tried that trick of calling in sick
Earlier in the week
The test got postponed
Disaster strikes my big bones
Cuz I look strong but I’m weak
Chin up, you got to keep your chin up
Don’t let your head rest in your hands
Sure, it gets hard, they keep raising the bar
Everybody understands You keep your chin up
You can make it a game
When they call you by yer last name
Pretend it ‘s just a firing squad
I still bear the scars
Of my time behind the monkey bars
More on my brain than on my body
4/10 of one second,
it was my old school record
I wasn’t carrying my own weight
Needless to say
I remember that bad day
When I didn’t get the “I passed the President’s fitness test”
certificate
Chin up, you got to keep your chin up
Don’t let your head rest in your hands
Sure, it gets hard, they keep raising the bar
Everybody understands You keep your chin up
Years since I last hung, Man I seem too young
For 20 year old memories
That memory is still fresh like I burned it into my flesh
Sometimes I check to see if it’s still bleeding
So I’m walking with my hound past old St. Mary’s playground
I could swing back and forth for hours
But I can feel the need for something just beyond my reach
So I go to the monkey bars
& I reach out my arms, tighten my grip
knuckles white so my hands won’t slip
I clench my teeth I can hear my breath
I am using every ounce of strength
To keep my chin up
I got to keep my chin up
Don’t let my head rest in my hands
Sure it gets hard, they keep raising the bar
Everybody understands
You got to keep your chin up
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21. |
Just One More Thing, Mom
06:57
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