01 Darling of the Muses
V1
I am married to the King Maker; and of all the kings that he chooses
Jojo’s a ball-breaker, he’s a heart-taker, and they call him the Darling of the Muses
V2
As I entered the parlor, Jojo sat at the piano, he had diamonds in his eyes and his hair was a halo
And he began to play like nothing I’d ever heard, it was crazy, made me dizzy, I think smokin’ is the word
Chorus
The King is the counting house, counting all the voices in his head
Jojo kisses my children at night, and tucks them into bed
V3
We traded tunes for days, took evening walks after tea
Nothing happened I’m ashamed of, there was no impropriety
But he does give me a charge, and he blows all my fuses; how did I fall in love with the Darling of the Muses
V4
Tongues started wagging after me and my kids; I wish I had half the fun that they imagined that I did
But I got bills to pay, I got work to do; ain’t it funny how Jojo didn’t get a scarlet letter, too? (chorus)
V5
The King Maker left me when he jumped into the Rhine; the voices in his head were so much stronger than mine
But I loved him with a vengeance, every moment here or gone
He left me with Jojo, but he also left me all, all alone
Chorus
The King in the counting house, counting all the voices in his head
And when he took his last breath, I turned to Jojo and said
V6
Let’s take a trip together, but he blew his kisses to me
He said he’d rather be a loner as long as he was free
Now my heart is broken twice, and I’m left with all love’s bruises
How did I fall in love with the Darling of the Muses?
Final Chorus
And now I’m in the counting house, counting all the voices in my head
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
02 Sky Don’t Fall
V1
I’m saddled with the duty of writing songs about true love
It’s something that composers ought to do
My heart is young, though not in years, but I see love through a lens of fear
It’s hard to tell a falsehood from what’s true
V2
I recognize the sputtering of broken hearts when they take wing
They need the strength of two where there’s just one
I’ve seen the shot off Cupid’s bow miss its mark and crash below my feet
I gaze ahead and I walk on
Chorus
World don’t perish, sky don’t fall until I’m with the one I love
World don’t perish, sky don’t fall on me
World don’t perish, sky don’t fall until I’m with the one I love
World don’t perish, sky don’t fall on me
V3
I notice that you’re generous, you heal my heart with tenderness
And my imagination starts to run
But in the club of lonely hearts I am a patron of the art
And I know how this ends before it’s done (chorus)
V4
I dreamed we shared a moment where you drew me in, caressed my hair
And whispered softly in a dulcet tone
I close my eyes as if it’s mine to feel that tenderness one time again
My eyes flash open, I’m alone (chorus)
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
03 Don’t Blame Me (Jolene’s Reply)
V1
It’s me, Jolene, who takes the blame, I hear you yodeling my name
Every single time you get the chance
You declare that I’m the one who came along and spoiled your fun
You’re just using me for your snake dance
Chorus
Don’t blame me, some say you’re the finest woman they’ve ever seen
I don’t want to compete with you, I don’t want your man, your man wants me
V2
That song you sing is such a fraud, you spin your tale like Scheherazade
As if your livin’ or dyin’ depends on me
Your imaginings put me through hell, the truth is stranger than the story you tell
Listen up, the truth will set you free
Chorus
Don’t blame me, some say you’re the finest woman they’ve ever seen
I don’t want to compete with you, I don’t want your man, your man wants me
Bridge
Your man is not the one for me, but if he wants another, cut him loose, set him free
Chorus
Don’t blame me, some say you’re the finest woman they’ve ever seen
I don’t want to compete with you, I don’t want your man, your man wants me
V3
I see the sadness in your sad eyes, yeah that’s a look I recognize
When a situation’s finally seen
If you didn’t think I’d done you wrong I bet we would get along
We have more in common than it seems
Chorus
Don’t blame me, some say you’re the finest woman they’ve ever seen
I don’t want to compete with you, and I don’t want your man, your man wants me
Bridge
Your man is not the man for me, but if he wants another, cut him loose, set him free
Chorus
But don’t blame me, I’d say you’re the finest woman I’ve ever seen
I don’t want to compete with you, don’t want to compete with you, I don’t want your man, I want you.
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
04 Never Been to War
V1
War is dust, war is loud sound, war is boots upon the ground
But I’ve never been to war
War is miles of shifting sand, war is blood upon my hands
But I’ve never been to war
Chorus
I’ve seen it on the movie screen, I’ve heard a childless mother scream
I’ve seen the documentaries, but I’ve never been
V2
War is suffering, war is pain, war is money down the drain
War is inhuman
As you’re counting up the cost, how do you count the life that’s lost
When you’ve never been to war? (Chorus)
Bridge
All is fair in love and war they say
What’s fair about them anyway? Cause war hurts, cause war hurts
And it never goes away, the wounds may heal, the hurting stays where we’ve never been.
V3
Don’t keep you wars all in one place, plan future wars in outer space
But you’ve never been to war
Fill your army with the brave, cause if you’re wealthy you get waived
And you never go to war (Chorus)
Last Chorus
You’ve seen it on the movie screen, you’ve heard a childless mother scream
You’ve seen the documentaries, but you’ve never been to war (Bridge)
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
05 Jellyfish on the Moon
V1
I wasn’t born here, I was born on the moon, I don’t know what’s up or what’s down
I wasn’t supposed to leave my home, I wasn’t supposed to be found
Here with gravity, holding me close to the ground
V2
I have a resistance to east and to west, I don’t want to go either way
But with much persistence I’m moving on, but in what direction I cannot say
Because gravity is holding me close to the ground
Chorus
I am a jellyfish birthed on the moon, I’m evolving
I am a jellyfish birthed on the moon, I’m revolving and I don’t know how
But I’ll find my way somehow
V3
You wouldn’t believe if I told you the truth, you won’t understand what it meant
Turns out my life was transported here, I was a mad scientist’s experiment
And they let me go and released me into the cold (Chorus)
Bridge
Excuse me please but there’s been some mistake, I was born to be free and float in outer space
You brought me down to earth and I can’t find my place ‘cause I’m topsy-turvy, I’m topsy-turvy I’m… (Chorus)
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
06 For You and I
V1
For you and I there is no distance, no future, no past tense, no sense of time
For you and I there is no heaven, no hell to be forgiven, no reason, no rhyme
V2
For you and I there is no history, no sense of mystery, there is no why
For you and I, we are not earth bound, we never touch ground when we can fly
Chorus
Can you imagine that we had never begun and that we’ll never end?
Can you imagine that we are not separate at all, but that we’re just one spark lighting up a sky full of love
V3
What brought us close? The law of attraction, but human reaction is keeping us alive here
You bring me home, a place I can let go, and I don’t even really know until I arrive there (Chorus)
V4
I’m here to console, and this is not romance, this is not by chance, it’s what we’re made for
O bless my soul, I share it freely, take anything that you need, you give me back so much more
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
07 You Don’t Look My Way
V1
I’d been so high on your love, came to rely on your love, now I ask why
Got a degree in your love, got a paper decree of your love, for eternity
But now you don’t look my way
V2
Got down on my knees for your love, sued your enemies for your love, cut down family trees,
But now you don’t look my way
I faced every fear for your love, shed salty tears for your love, gave my best years,
But now you don’t look my way
Chorus
Who made the stars cross up in the sky?
Who got you singin’ a new tune?
Who made your heart skip a beat away from mine?
Who put the lasso round the moon?
V3
You know that I feed on your love, I beg and I plead for your love, I’ve got a need, but you don’t look my way
You know I would die for your love, God knows I’ve tried for your love, you’re not satisfied, and you don’t look my way (Chorus)
Chorus
Who made the stars cross up in the sky?
Who got you singin’ a new tune?
Who made your heart skip a beat away from mine?
Who put the lasso round the moon?
V4
Where do I go without your love, what do I have to show without your love
Who do I know, if I don’t know you?
Please set me free from this love, Lord, rescue me from this love, you’re all I see
And you don’t look my way
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
08 Top of the Ferris Wheel
V1
I ran as fast as I could down to the storefront corner
Peeking over the row homes, hoping to find a promise of the Ferris Wheel
Part of the sphere, winking back at me from the sky
I could see colors the lights all aglow, oh how they twinkle at night
Chorus
It’s time for the carnival, can I go?
Take a ride on the merry-go-round
Let’s glide to the top of the Ferris wheel, I can see everything better from here
V2
Didn’t have much to hope for, never dreamed of diamonds or rubies
Came by the crazy honestly, learned how to act sane from the movies
Oh you should have seen me back then, I was drunk with desire
I wanted to be good at something, good to someone, prove them all to be liars (Chorus)
V3
I sit on the bench in Cape May, October lies mute on the shore
The church is a junkie’s playground, the carnies don’t stop there no more
Yes it’s a bit chilly in autumn, but I’m still seeking thrills and I have the right
No one should hold that against me, everyone deserves to see pretty lights
V4
Doesn’t matter how fast you go, go fast or slow as you might
All of life is a circle, catch as you can, don’t hold on too tight
Just when you think you’ve gone forward, you might go backward again
Don’t waste your time counting accomplishments when you can’t count on your friends
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
09 Portrait
V1
It’s a wonder how every day is a new portrait
We get to paint it, often without much care
Somedays we find that we’ve painted a weed, somedays a fine orchid
Brush-stroking blindly we stumble on something rare
V2
But this day I’ve put aside to create with intention
Rather than run from fear, or try to hide
I’ve got a new canvas, this old easel to lean on
And I’m painting you next to me, by my side
C1
Sometimes an artist will paint the landscape they see right before them
Looks so real, you can imagine you’re there
Sometimes they paint from visions and dreams, abstract and foreign
Taking your heart on a journey who knows where
V3
I can paint it surreal for the parts that I’m not free to mention
With as much honesty that we both can abide
I’ve got a new canvas, this old easel to lean on
And I’m painting you next to me, by my side
C2
If I could inhabit a painting, which one would I choose to?
The skies of van Gogh or the fields of Monet?
But I’ve come to the truth that this is the frame I belong to
And that someone’s painting me a little late
V4
My colors may fade, my body may break, my mind lose dimension
The persistence of time never lets you stay long for the ride
I’ve got a new canvas, this old easel to lean on
And I’m painting you next to me, by my side
Ending
And when the story is over, when the paint dries
When all that’s left are those observing to decide
Will they see satisfaction in my eyes
When they look at my portrait?
©2020 Lisa Jeanette
10 Still You Choose Love
V1
I can see your hands are tied, you want to hold the hand of your beautiful bride
But it’s not safe, you need to hide, you get glances when you take outside chances
Chorus
And still you choose love, even though you’re in danger
All the moments you’ve lost having to act like you’re strangers in your own land
V2
Coming in now for a kiss, you have to look around, make sure that nothing’s amiss
There’s no one you want to offend, least of all a relative or a friend
Bridge
Love is rare and hard to find, it moves the heavens and the earth and the stars to all align;
You give up everything, you make it through, only for someone to say it’s not for you, but love is love.
V3
When will love be free for everyone, when will it be safe to hold hands and kiss in the sun
No matter your origin, your race, your creed, your color, your religion (Chorus)
©2020 Lisa Jeanette