chasing Happy

Verse 1 

Time marches on now, you wish you knew just what was on your plate, 

You eat it anyway 

You march to a different tune, if only you knew what would become your fate, 

Still you march along 

Chorus 

Before you know it you’re no longer free, 

For all you know you’ve reached your destiny, 

Before you know it hits you in the face, 

Before you know it, it all falls into place. 

Verse 2 

With so many wrong notes played, maybe my life is just cacophony, I can barely hear it, 

Who says that they’re wrong anyway, maybe I’m inventing harmonies that only I can hear. 

Bridge 

You know I always go the way the wind blows 

But you can never stop the wind from making it blow again. 

Verse 3 

What does being happy mean? Can I be happy just where I am? 

I am right here now. 

 ‘Cause I’ve been chasing happy, chasing happy so it can’t keep up with me, 

I’m right where I should be (Chorus)

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Safer when it rains

I feel much safer when it rains 

I like to feel it pouring on my skin, my pores let it seep in, 

You won’t hear me complain, 

I feel much safer when it rains 

Verse 2 

Where I come from the sky is small 

Sometimes you can’t see it at all unless you’re tall 

I know the sky will never fall, 

Where I come from the sky is small 

Chorus 

It’s hard to know who’s good who’s cruel, 

And someone always sends me back to school, back to school, 

To learn the lesson again. 

Verse 3 

I know what’s right from what is wrong, 

Might not be tough but I am strong, so strong. 

You might be here, you might be gone, 

But I know what’s right from what is wrong. 

Chorus 

It’s hard to know who’s good who’s cruel, 

And someone always sends me back to school, back to school, 

To learn the lesson again. 

Repeat Verse 1 

I feel much safer when it rains 

I like to feel it pouring on my skin, my pores let it seep in, 

You won’t hear me complain, 

I feel much safer when it rains  (3x)

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Lansdowne 

Verse 1 

Places never stay the same, 

I never fell in love with a place or its name 

But if there were one that I would choose 

It’s a place that I would never want to lose. 

Chorus 

Lansdowne, a pretty little town 

All kinds of people there to show you around and it’s 

Hands down, the place I wanna go 

It’s my home and I’m never gonna roam from Lansdowne 

Verse 2 

They hang flowers in the air, 

You can walk along the streets without a care, 

Musicians in the square, you won’t want to leave and you won’t know how you got there 

Bridge 

Remember how I met you there? Remember it was on a dare 

I dared you to meet me there three times 

The music store had closed too fast 

We pressed our noses to the glass 

I knew we wanted more beneath the sycamore 

It only took one time 

It only took one time 

It only took one time (Chorus)

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Somebody come for me now 

Chorus 

Somebody come for me now 

I can’t find my way home again 

Somebody come for me now 

I’m lost, forsaken 

Verse 1 

Used to be I’d drive around and I’d purposely lose the road 

Mostly I’m driven by sound, and the sound told me which way to go 

I can’t hear you now, I can’t hear you now (Chorus)

Verse 2 

Mostly thought I’m where I need to be, the universe, the Lord’s in control. 

Some people follow their heart, but I’ve always followed my soul 

I can’t feel you now, I can’t feel you now. (Chorus)

Verse 3 

I try to be like a sunflower raising my face to the sun, 

Focusing my energy from morning ‘till day is done. 

I can’t see you know, I can’t see you now. (Chorus)

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Marie Laure 

Chorus: 

Marie Laure faces each day with a cane in her hand 

With each step a plan 

Counting the drains that lead to the baker 

Are you brave, Marie Laure? 

Verse 1 

Who would have guessed you   carried a message 

To send through the airwaves that no one can see? 

What do they see?  Only a bakery, you see, Marie Laure. 

Verse 2 

A barnacle grows, and there on the barnacle snails trail along 

And there on the snail, a barnacle grows, and so much we all grow, 

So must we all trail along 

Verse 3 

He said “you’re brave” 

That’s what they all say, but she disagreed, “I just live, c’est la vie. 

Don’t you do the same?”, “Maybe today you’ve made me brave, Marie Laure.” 

Verse 4 

And so what is love, but moments we share when our time is at hand, 

And hands intertwine, 

A moment ago you soared through my soul, 

But you’re gone now, Marie Laure.

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Kensington Blues 

Verse 1 

I was dead just seven minutes ago, I can’t even die when I say so 

They brought me back, I would jump off a bridge you know 

They brought me back, I would jump,  but I don’t have the nerve 

Verse 2 

Every day I take my life in my hands, it’s my choice to stay in this situation 

That’s not the way it started long ago, a man shot me up while I slept on a cold borrowed floor. 

Chorus 

I wasn’t raised like this, I didn’t plan for this 

Still the voices scream in my head, you asked for it, you asked for it, you asked for it 

Verse 3 

If you could understand the things that I’ve done, 

It’s my choice to stay in this situation, 

I have a daughter, she’s ten years old, she lives with my family that loves me, but I clipped the cord. (Chorus) 

Coda 

They’ll never pay for what they’ve done, but they’ll pay for what I do, 

Walk seven minutes in my shoes, but for the grace of God go you, but for the grace of God. (Repeat 3x)

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

New Year’s Night 

Verse 1 

Icy windows at night 

Reflecting candles and dancing firelight 

Everyone’s gone to the New Year; everyone’s on their way 

That’s how we celebrate the holidays 

Verse 2 

A thousand pieces all fit; cardboard pieces are easier to grip, 

Pieces of life are a puzzle, some are hard to find, 

Some just slip away over time 

Chorus 

For all the most important things, it easy to forget 

This world will stand you on your head, you’ll ask the mirror “have we met?” 

Searching for home remedies, for feeling all alone 

The only remedy I need is home 

Verse 3 

Will we have many more, this time next year, will you walk through the door? 

Will we sing songs to remember, drink to everyone, will we live to see the next one? 

Verse 4 

Memories that won’t fade, Mummers strut in the New Year’s Day parade, 

And when they are done, we are dancing, with candles and firelight, 

That’s how we end New Year’s Night. 

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Pearl 

Verse 1 

If you had told that little girl 

A grain of sand becomes a pearl 

Life wouldn’t always be so rough 

You don’t have to be so tough 

And you would be enough 

Verse 2 

If you had told her she was fine 

And that it was good to be kind 

And that love was truly blind, love was truly blind 

And true love you will find 

Chorus 

What a difference it would make 

It’s okay, make your mistakes 

There’s something that’s called grace, it comes along 

Right when you feel done 

Verse 3 

I wish I could go back in time 

And have the confidence I’ve yet to find 

I’d be wiser, I’d be bolder, I’d be brave just like a soldier 

Probably wishing I was older 

Verse 4 

If I have only one regret 

It would be where I placed my bets 

I’d be the longshot I’m behind, I’d vote for me every time 

And pray that I was right (Chorus) 

Verse 5 

By the grace of God I am not done 

And in some ways I’ve just begun 

And I want to be someone touched by the sun 

Long before I’m gone 

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

Like you’ve never gone 

Verse 1 

It would take a song to bring you back to me 

When everything seems wrong,              a song can set you free 

Nothing in this world can change what came to be 

But if I sing it in a song, it’s like you’ve never gone 

Verse 2   

And on the radio a song begins to play 

A song you used to love when it was often played 

The world spins back in time and there I am with you 

And as I hum along it’s like you’ve never gone 

Verse 3 

You said “I hope you dance”, it’s never been my thing 

So when it’s time to dance, I’d really rather sing 

But lately I give in and dance around the room 

And as I sing along, it’s like you’ve never gone 

Chorus 

Oh I never want to lose my sense of you 

And with everything, I think “what would you do” 

Oh the places that you occupy, my heart my mind my soul 

Still music can remember things that I forget I know 

Verse 4 

They say time heals all wounds,  it’s something I dispute 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s nothing’s absolute 

My wounded heart won’t heal although time passes on 

I catch a glimpse of you, it’s like you’ve never gone 

You’re dancing in my heart, it’s like you’ve never gone.

©2017 Lisa Jeanette

I got it right with you 

Verse 1 

Let’s just say mistakes were made, I got it wrong, so wrong 

I didn’t know just how these games were played, 

Or even that the games were on 

Nobody hands you the rules, nobody tells you the score, 

It left me playing the fool, until your shadow darkened my door, 

Chorus 

I got it right this time around, head in the clouds feet on the ground 

Good times or bad we see it through 

If there’s one thing I know for sure, I got it right with you. 

Verse 2 

I don’t know just how it happened, I looked for you so long 

And everyone I met I searched their eyes, for something I could recognize. 

I knew it straight from the start, the way you held out your hand. 

You reached right into my heart, you hold my love, and I understand  (Chorus) 

Bridge 

I’d given up, given up on love 

I gave it out, gave it out too much, 

You came along, came along at the right time 

It’s been a long time and we’re doing fine. (Chorus)

 ©2017 Lisa Jeanette