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Lighten​-​ing

by Bitch

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1.
I've lived by the moon I've squandered much time How I have clutched close to ruin What could never be mine Anyway I have laughed at the night Crawled up to the day I've shaken my fist At any old twist The dark had to play Light of my light I'm with you tonight Light of my light I've begged to the stars I've doubted my soul I've travelled quite far Without moving at all It's a feeling I stole I've been swallowed by walls I'm a desert sometimes I'm as sure as a fall But never so tall Complete as a line Light of my light I'm with you tonight Light of my light You are what I've heard You are what I've seen You live in the eye of Those that pass by United in dream You're a murmuring wind You're a sign from a friend You're a time to begin The poke of a pin A sigh without end. Light of my light I'm with you tonight Light of my light copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
2.
Belly Bowl 03:41
Babe you are my bellybowl My soft shoe shuffle I come behind I follow whole For me there is no other I look into your eyes so deep I see how I may need you I waited for the truth to ring I only felt it blowing O aren't we a stylish class Devoid of spirit wailing We've not used leaves To wipe our ass Tomorrow we'll go sailing Ah, drink the water It tastes like wine And wine can smell of money Though money may snip the Kharmic line It turns our force to honey Honey for our cup of tea And honey for our toddies And honey for our minds so free And honey for our babies copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
3.
The Pledge 03:27
I thought I would At every turn Turn all of me toward turning down How, with timely grace I would accept The outcomes, that my life, Through various fates, Had born. But even as the soils turned From wealthy black to wistful brown And village turned to city And city turned to town, Where highway gave to roadway Or still, to path where weeds had grown, Clearly was I not most like A lover spurned on by perfection Or the hungry at a feast? Not once at any intersection Was I but the Seeker to the Blessed The Walker to the Water The Student to the Test. With sorrow and with laughter And always with bow into the crest. I sense that how I steer into a westward sun Is how I will steer toward my final one And when all my sunset days are done That day will be my quiet one And until that day I pledge myself Your ever-eager guest. copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
4.
Slender wet branches and mist on the skyline I'm trying to find a way home. Grey hazy mornings create such a fine line 'Tween lonely and being alone. Freedom was something we played. You played a waiting game, I wait and I stay. You know what I want And you know what I'd like to say Wandering in the morning And dragging this wing. And I take my joy with me wherever I roam It does a good thing when the going goes so Slow down, do you think you could lose? Lost in the whiskey, and reeking of blues. I was a child, in light of time passing, And you played the bosom so warm. You don't give love freely It's not for the asking But glorious trading of charm. And I never loved no one the way I do you Caught in a dream, divided by two, Enter a morning and enter it blue Lost in the whiskey and thinking of you. copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
5.
so many people are so broken and this story's broken too we go looking for forgiveness for things we did or didn't do in our hearts we know we're goodness in our souls we feel the call to be someone for somebody each other one and all i have wept upon your mountain i have walked upon my knees i have crawled along the rubble of broken promises and unmet needs and the thing that i was looking for and the thing i could not see was the image of a perfect girl the one i'd never be o my father how i've missed you having never touched your face and just like you i feel a sorrow that time does not erase when i cross over will you meet me will you walk me to the bright will you lead me on the dance floor of that everlasting light in the meantime here on earth time i am something of a song but i once drank your whole abandon wanting only to belong now i walk beside the broken a glass of water in my hand in the prism of their reflection i see the once invisible man you are with me as i love her you are in me as i care you have shown me not to hold back knowing what is gone is not there you have helped me to be tender you have taught me to be true i went empty up a mountain and brought back a piece of you copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
6.
copyright 2013 Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
7.
Army Of You 04:04
You, oh Army of You who take us at birth and make us work for you You kill all my mothers take all my brothers You'll do it in my name no more Ferron: It's always the same with war we hear you coming as you force the neighbor's door with your thump thump thumping and screamingas you take his wife and drag his children by their hair and spit on the warm home fire that you yourself did not make There's no pattern though we know we are next and this you can do as long as your sword stays a sword But everything transforms and we are moving now, to a place where your metal has no value where fear has alchemized to knowledge and where you could not tell the wife, or daughteror husband or son from any other even yourself--and see what your anger does now and if you'll have to kill us all to see who it is you are not You oh Army of You not one puppeted rich boy the strings of You Bitch: I don't want your bombs anymore I don't want that war I don't want the bullets in the bullies hands I don't want what they're for I don't have tolerance anymore for your jail called war sharp-suited finger-saluted I don't want what it's for I'm gonna take government out of every poem I don't want to waste my breath on that machine of death take them out of my home out of my bones off of my phone too many bones We are so sick of your war everything it buys everything it implies everything it makes us work for You’ll do it in my name no more You oh Army of You not one puppeted rich boy the strings of You You, oh Army of You who take us at birth and make us work for you You kill all my mothers take all my brothers You'll do it in my name no more copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) and Capital B Music (BMI) all rights reserved
8.
Cactus 06:04
It's been a year since you left home for higher ground. In the distance I hear a hoot owl ask the only question I have found to be worthy of the sound it makes as it breaks the silence of your old town These letters are another way to love you. 

It takes trouble, and it takes courage to be free. But you 'll find, it you are soft enough, love will hang around for free. And the coldest bed I found does not hold one but it will hold three. I hope you never have to know what that can mean. 

It's safe to say I took the long and winding path. And were it not for loving friendships who knows how long I would have lasted. You're young one day but youth is rude and while you watch it walks right past and then...hey...you get your chance to think like me.

 When I was young I was in service to my pain. On sunny days you'd find me walking miles to look for rain. And as many times I swapped it all just to hop a moving train. Looking back, it was a most expensive way to get around.

 And I found that all the world could love you save for one. And I don't know why it is, but that kiss will be the haunted one. You'll pine and weep and you'll lose good sleep and you'll think your life has come undone, until you learn to turn and spurn that bitter wind.

 Because it'll probably be the one you least expect to, who will wager through your storm with you, who will give your fears respect... who will melt your burden down... though you probably don't want that yet, still...the odds fall sweet in favor to an open heart. 

Seems to me the tools for being human are wicked crude. They're not so slick and smooth and shiny as some stranger might allude. And while your longest night might test you, you don't be scared of solitude. And remember what is shared is also true.

 Because there's a place where the water races wide. And you could be hard pressed (in the muck of time) just trying to reach the other side. You learn to find the only way, or you learn to say you tried. It seems to me a lot of little towns were made that way.

 Now while I'm at it...let me tell you about the moon. Because I heard some people talking, looks like we're probably going to have to move there soon. All I know is the face it shows at midnight is not the one it shows at noon. But I bet it's a standing kind of wistful from over there.

 In a word, I heard that life is a cactus tree. And should you find a way to break it's skin, won't you have a drink for me. But if you're standing near a cactus, you're probably where you shouldn't be. Isn't this why you left your home, though you love me.

 Now when I imagine life is only time and space... then I guess I've seen the best of it upon your tender, loving face. And the faith that you bestowed in me gives me a solid sense of place. I learn to say...Fire, Water, Earth and Air... I learn to say Fire, Water, Earth and Air... I learn to say Fire, Water, Earth and Air... I'll see you there. copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
9.
The Return 02:51
To lay my head on your blessed arm I take my cue from the willow tree For it don't break from just one storm But bends with a strength that keeps it free. When I was young my love was bold Bold like rock and rock like cold Kind love came and said it would be true But I turned away as though I always knew That bonds are formed from outside time Our major goal is to absolve our crimes Let your steps be travelled with that knowing smile It's no toss of coins that longest mile. For those who think, don't analyze For those who weep, dry your eyes to see It's from those we've served, a paradise And form those we've wronged, pure ecstasy. Because happiness is a moment's glance The spin inside the circle's charm And I walked my line to have my chance To lay my head on your blessed arm. copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved
10.
There's godlike And warlike And strong Like only some show And there's sad like And madlike And had Like we know But by my life be I spirit And by my heart be I woman And by my eyes be I open And by my hands be I whole They say slowly Brings the least shock But no matter how slow I walk There are traces Empty spaces And doors and doors of locks But by my life be I spirit And by my heart be I woman And by my eyes be I open And by my hands be I whole You young ones You're the next ones And I hope you choose it well Though you try hard You may fall prey To the jaded jewel But by your lives be you spirit And by your hearts be you women And by your eyes be you open And by your hands be you whole Listen, there are waters Hidden from us In the maze we find them still We'll take you to them You take your young ones May they take their own in turn But by your lives be you spirit And by your hearts be you women And by your eyes be you open And by your hands be you whole copyright Nemesis Publishing (BMI) all rights reserved

about

BUY THE PHYSICAL COPY HERE bitchmusic.com/store/pre-order-thunder-lighten-ing-a-movie-about-and-album-by-ferron/

Ferron is a singer-songwriter, and one of Canada's most famous folk singers.

Lighten-ing, the newest Ferron album, was made to accompany the documentary that Bitch and Billie Jo Cavallaro made about Ferron, called Thunder. (Also out on Short Story Records)

This recording features remakes of Ferron classics as well as new songs, The Pledge and (H)unger Poems, plus a song that Bitch and Ferron wrote together, Army Of You.

credits

released August 27, 2013

Produced by Bitch
Executive Producer Leslie Gearhart
Associate Producer Billie Jo Cavallaro

Recorded by Skyler VanWalbeek
Mixed by Skyler VanWalbeek
except In The Meantime and Light of my Light, Mixed by Roger Paul Mason

Mastered by Dominick Maita at Airshow Mastering

Recorded in the fall of 2012 in Des Moines, IA at the Sonic Factory

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about

Bitch Los Angeles, California

The longstanding queer music icon Bitch makes witchy poet pop. She does it with violins and synthesizers, and the songs she writes are spectral, heartbreaking, political, and beautiful. "Bitchcraft" is like Joni Mitchell set to a click track, it’s queer Cyndi Lauper. It’s neon pink, in your face, ready to hex you with its brilliance. ... more

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