William Elliott Whitmore : Hymns for the Hopeless

Folk Rock / USA
(2003 - Southern Records)
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Lyrics


1. COLD AND DEAD o

Well sing with me a hymn
For the light that has dimmed
For the heart that no longer beats
And even until death when nothing else is left and the pain has finally ceased
And the sun will never shine on this cold dead heart of mine

Sing with me a hymn
For the body that's grown weary
For the voice that's forever still
And my lips will utter praise
Until the end of days for the space that can not be filled
And the sun will never shine on this cold dead heart of mine

Well I will be your roof
Your shelter from the storm
Your footing against the wind
And I'll mend for you my dear
Those hopes that have been torn
And I hope our paths will cross again
And the sun will never shine on this cold dead heart of mine



2. SOMETIMES OUR DREAMS FLOAT LIKE ANCHORS

And the hammer swings high
And comes down hard
Drive another nail into my coffin lid
And as the days go by if I can play my part
Well I'll feel no remorse for what I did

Your mother would cry if she only could
But those days are gone, those days are gone
And she always tried
To see the good in everything that you done

And sometimes our dreams they float like anchors
In hopeless waters oh way down deep
Sometimes it seems that all that matters
Most are all the things that you can't keep

Oh, the skin, Oh, the skin
That this old world has placed me in
I can't wait to shed, I can't wait to shed
Lord I'll be free when I'm dead



3. DOES ME NO GOOD

Can I forgive my past transgressions
Can I forgive my own past sins
That's not likely
No I will never feel the same again

Well, it does me no good to say I'm sorry
Although I am, for what it's worth
But you can't hear me for you're resting
Six feet under the cold black dirt

Oh, them daisies they sure look pretty
Blooming there by your stone
They remind me that life continues
And I'll never be alone

I'd give my body, I'd give my soul
For one more chance to make amends
But that's not possible for my means
could not justify my end
It does me no good to sit and think of
All the things that I done wrong
It took me forever to remember
What I should have known all along

Well if you can hear my last confession
If you can hear my final plea
Oh, although I never showed it
Oh, you meant the world to me
It does me no good to recollect on
All that whiskey has done been spilt
And my boat ain't gonna float
All weighed down by them bricks of guilt



4. Lord Only Knows
Song Lyrics

Well, them loved ones who were paddlin' for that far shore
They're lilies of the field who will bloom ever more
Well, they have gone over to the next phase
And brought to an end their earthly days

And lord only knows how's it's gonna end
Who stays and who goes
Lord only knows

And every good chapter it comes to a close
Nothing lasts forever, lord only knows
Them flowers from your funeral are starting to wilt
From cigarette smoke and a room full of guilt
But it was better for them than sticking around
Cause they lost their will to live when they were ripped from the ground

And lord only knows how it's gonna end
What dies and what goes
Lord only knows

Well, you had a heart as big as the sky
And for a good long time it held me inside
But it was better for you than sticking around
Cause you lost your will to live in this river front town

Enjoy it while you can cause lord only knows



5. PINE BOX

In a box made of pine lays the sweet love of mine
She's been gone for nearly a year
The river would overflow
If only I could trade a raindrop for every tear
It was the year of ought one and our life had begun
No perils could make us distraught
Together we stood through bad and through good
No hardships that couldn't be fought

She fell ill one dark winter's night
Aand before too long the passed
It would prove to be true my whole life through
That nothing good would last
It all ended that day when I saw her ride away
In the back of that long black hearse
I remember so well my personal hell
Began on this here Earth
I've half the heart I used to have and half the will to go on
I've got half a mind to drink myself blind
Now that my darlin' is gone

Now the winter's teeth are biting down
And it chills me to the bone
To think about that cold mattress
And sleeping all alone
So now I know what I must do
The path ahead of me is clear
I must join her now wherever she's at
'cause I ain't doin' no good here



6. FROM THE CELL DOOR TO THE GALLOWS

Well, I heard 6 shots ring out in succession
And it broke the night air like a china plate
And in my knife blade I saw my own reflection
And the devil was at the front gate

And just when you wish that you were dead
Oh may the light shine down upon your head

Well, it's a long walk from the cell door to the gallows
It's a long walk for a prisoner to take
And when your last resort is pray to the lord
That the noose is weak enough to break

Oh shine, shine, shine, shine, shine down
Oh shine down upon my head

Well there's certain things you just can't escape from
No matter how far and how fast you decide to run
And when the last thing to take has been taken
And the last prayer has rolled off your tongue



7. BURN MY BODY

Burn my body in the nothern field
And let the wind blow the ashes around
Then you will know that my wounds have been healed
'cause Lord I'll be homeward bound

Let the flames warm your hands
Let the glow light your way
These gifts to you I bestow
No one's listening don't bother to pray
If you do I'll never know
Up and up the smoke will roll
Like a cloud of frightened crows
Carry my not so immortal soul
Up between the rows

Some words that are said can cut like a saw
And my ears nearly bled at the sound
I can't help prepare for the springtime thaw
'cause Lord I'll be homeward bound
When frost turns to flowers and they all start to bloom
And there's nothing left to hold
Tip one back and sing me a tune
And never let the fire grow cold



8. OUR PATHS WILL CROSS AGAIN

Our paths will cross again someday
Our paths will cross again someday
Though we may go our seperate ways
Our paths will cross again someday

Oh father, departed father
Oh your soul lives in me
I finally understand it, I'm finally beginning to see

Oh mother, departed mother
Oh how we missed you so
You had a heart like no other
Oh we hated to see you go

Oh lover, my dear lover
Oh though we had to part
Oh I know that a piece of you
Will live inside my heart












lyrics added by Abigael - Modify this lyrics