Lyrics

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND LISTEN

(a cultural protest song)

Close your eyes and listen
hum along to the melody
tap your feet to the rhythm
be a part of the harmony
do you see what I'm sayin'
I'm beggin' I'm prayin'
and now I must implore
close your eyes and listen
that's what your ears are for

My story starts when I was young
and bought my first guitar
I played for hours every day
because hard work with take you far
I learned the major chords and minor chords in every key
it never crossed my mind that music's something people see

When they said bare it all I thought
they meant my soul and heart
but mini skirts and cleavage
are the secret weapons of this art
through observation an inverse proportion I have found
in summary, the less you wear, the sexier you sound

Close your eyes and listen
hum along to the melody
tap your feet to the rhythm
be a part of the harmony
do you see what I'm sayin'
I'm beggin' I'm prayin'
and now I must implore
close your eyes and listen
that's what your ears are for

A hemi-demi-semi note?
don't bother learning that
they'll think you play much better if
you wear some kind of funny hat
poor Susan Boyle's angelic voice could not bring her renown
until she plucked her eyebrows and dressed in a flowing gown

But glitter does not forge the gold
Nor cover write the book
appearance is more often false than true
God hears the song that's in my heart
no matter how I look
and if I can be heard, by God,
I hope that you will hear me, too
Tell me, what would Jesus do?

He'd close his eyes and listen
hum along to the melody
tap His feet to the rhythm
be a part of the harmony
do you see what I'm sayin'
I'm beggin' I'm prayin'
and now I must implore
close your eyes and listen
that's what your ears are for

if you don't learn to use 'em
they may not work no more

Tisha Simeral, 2011

TEXAS, TEXAS

Texas, Texas, oh, you know you feel like home
though I never stay in your arms for very long
Texas, Texas, can you see the lone star shine
between your heart and mine

Can’t shake your dust off my boots
it settles on my soul
and swirls around my memory on your wind
your wildflower blankets
warm me when I’m cold
and your earthy fragrance lingers on my skin

Texas, Texas, oh, you know you feel like home
though I never stay in your arms for very long
Texas, Texas, can you see the lone star shine
between your heart and mine

Can’t wipe your rain from my eyes
it seeps inside my mind
and floods the empty backroads of my heart
the crash of your thunder
echos through my life
and your lightening sparks my dreams while we’re apart

I'll let the sands of time run still in Caroline
leave the California gold for someone else to find
never look back when Ohio falls behind me
but Texas, maybe Tennessee is as close to you
as I am ever meant to be

Texas, Texas, oh, you know you feel like home
though I never stay in your arms for very long

Tisha Simeral 01/24/2011

JET SET

feet on the ground, I was hangar bound
your flight of fancy landed dead on time
with your payload of cash and your first class flash
you're well-connected down the party line

you're jet set
high flyer
destination desire
move me, shake me, give me, take me
when your trip is through
I wanna fly away with you

head in the clouds, we were living loud
pilot to copilot with no flight plan
running out of fuel, in a holding pattern
too overloaded with no place to land

you're jet set
high flyer
destination desire
move me, shake me, give me, take me
when your trip is through
I wanna fly away with you
I wanna fly away with you

your turbulence feels dangerous
sets off my warning lights
my fear of flying starts subsiding
when you catch me in your radar sights
so wrong
so right

cleared to depart you hijack my heart
you know you make me do a double take
flying over my castles in the air
take off and leave me reeling in your wake

you're jet set
high flyer
destination desire
move me, shake me, give me, take me
when your trip is through
I wanna fly away with you
I wanna fly away with you

T. Simeral, 2009

BLAZE THE TRAIL

The call rang through the darkness
and took you by surprise
No time to strike a bargain
no lingering goodbyes
But you were never fearful
to lift your voice and say
I am ready for this day

Blaze the trail
go on and blaze the trail
Clear the path before us
as you climb your way to heaven
Shine bright beyond the sunset
out of sight but never gone
Blaze the trail and lead us on

Your song can not be silenced
your soul can not be chained
The waters still beside you
the valley knows your name
The one who called you beckons
lay down your heavy load
meet the Master of the road

Blaze the trail
go on and blaze the trail
Clear the path before us
as you climb your way to heaven
Shine bright beyond the sunset
out of sight but never gone
Blaze the trail and lead us on

When embers turn to ashes
and clay crumbles to dust
We all are bound to travel
this road you laid for us
And though we may be fearful
we'll meet you one fine day
We're already on our way

Blaze the trail
go on and blaze the trail
Clear the path before us
as you climb your way to heaven
Shine bright beyond the sunset
out of sight but never gone
Blaze the trail and lead us on

Tisha Simeral 02/24/10

DROWN

Sunshine and blue sky
I hardly noticed the rain
blowing in from a place I'd never been

Wasn't ready for the deluge
or the raging water's swell
wasn't ready for the moment when you fell
I didn't want to let you

Drown in your sorrows
drown in my tears
swallowed by the river running from your fears
I thought love could save you
I wouldn't let you down
I couldn't let you drown

I watched you struggle
twelve little steps from dry land
I held my breath and took your hand

I was locked in your embrace
as you sank like a stone
you didn't want to be saved and you weren't going down alone

The undercurrent dragged us deeper
ripped me away from my false hope
somehow I found the strength to save myself
but I didn't have the strength to save us both
I let you

Drown in your sorrows
drown in my tears
swallowed by the river running from your fears
My love couldn't save you
the brown water drank you down
I let you drown
I let you drown

T. Simeral, 07/07/07

SWING

Power and gentleness together
Moving from the center
a boomerang of energy
The flow unbroken

Allowing the imbalance
trusting in the return
Reaching inward
by reaching outward
Giving and receiving
in equilibrium

Karma in motion

T. Simeral, 01/18/96

T.V. BLUES

My baby sits back in his La-Z-Boy chair
got those 57 channels, he don't even know I'm there
I think my baby has gone and left me for the T.V.
I made him choose between me and the news
now I've got the T.V. blues

He said, "I can turn you on. I can turn on the T.V., too.
But I can turn it off when I'm done watchin'
and there ain't no remote for you."
That's why my baby has gone and left me for the T.V.
I made him choose, I never thought I'd lose
so now I've got the T.V. blues

Gonna buy a big house, gonna move in by myself
lock the T.V. in the closet on the highest shelf
because my baby has gone and left me for the T.V.
I'll leave him snooze with his potato chips and booze
and I'll say goodbye T.V. blues

T. Simeral
circa 1992