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Cusp

by Alela Diane

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grenet marie
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Douglas Leinen
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Vivi Gaga
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1.
Albatross 03:53
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Riding the blue Out the window, a patch work quilt How we build, how we move, from place to place White lights of the cities And the echo of lingering eyes Traveling alone, suitcase of stone I’d rather be an albatross, flying high Than in the tail winds, looking back at what I left behind Looking back at what I left behind Don’t ask me ‘bout the places I’ve been I know a face, but can’t remember a name I can’t remember a name, I can’t remember your name On the highway all the day long My destination is a windowless room Another windowless room, windowless room I’d rather be an albatross, flying high Than in the tail winds, looking back at what I left behind Looking back at what I left behind
2.
Threshold 02:59
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Certain things cannot be explained Even when you’re on the other side I’m standing in the threshold Between two white rooms In each, I see a vision of something I hold true Of days gone and days yet to come Days gone and days yet to come Today, I’m standing in the threshold again Standing in the threshold again In one room I see the past A little girl looking after herself I see the homes we made and then left I see the love that I shed like a skin In days gone and days yet to come Days gone and days yet to come Today, I’m standing in the threshold again Standing in the threshold again In the other room, it’s just you and I From the window the water looks fine I see our children, grown and on their own Do you see my age, or will I always look the same to you? In days gone and days yet to come Days gone and days yet to come Today I’m standing in the threshold again Standing in the threshold again
3.
Moves Us Blind 02:57
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I’ve been watching the sleet fade to snowfall And then watching the snow shift to rain When will the sky choose one or the other? When will the silence remain? Time moves us blind Love me into nothingness Due east, the sun Forgotten words and pinewood kindling Built a fire that soon grew dim My helping hands became the undoing And I had to begin again Time moves us blind Love me into nothingness Due east, the sun It’s been a few years since I’ve spoken Of quiet months I spent alone Fumbling around that big old house Honey, until you came along Until you came along
4.
Émigré 03:11
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Seabirds fly the salty wind East to South – North to West Can we go, as they go? Across the borderlines I can feel the fear hang heavy on the water Glinting sharply with the pale moonlight Mothers hold on tightly to your children As the waves are breaking violently tonight Seabirds fly the salty wind East to South – North to West Can we go, as they go? Across the borderlines I hear yelling, I hear crying, I hear praying As the ocean threatens us on all four sides The water rises deeper every minute This vessel cannot bear the burden of our load Seabirds fly the salty wind East to South – North to West Can we go, as they go? Across the borderlines One by one the children have grown silent From their mother’s arms, they float away The roaring sea will wash our quiet bodies Upon the foreign shores, but our souls will find a way And with Seabirds fly the salty wind East to South – North to West See us go, as they go Across the borderlines
5.
Never Easy 03:43
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From the belly of the abyss Unfurling, like a cat Stretching, pawing, yawning, stumbling Into the sun It’s never been easy For you and I It’s never been easy For you and I I didn’t know How much you loved me I didn’t know - Until I had my own Little daughter Oh, my mama I understand now That you’ve always loved me more It’s never been easy For you and I It’s never been easy For you and I I’ve been told that I arrived to The cawing of a bird Crying, yelling, screaming, howling Into the sun It’s never been easy For you and I It’s never been easy For you and I
6.
Song for Sandy 03:45
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A lady came from London town Her voice like water from a snowmelt stream Shared her songs in drunken rooms Never once sang out of tune How resonance does ricochet – and carry on Caught in time for Evermore – Just thirty-one She said: “Motherless children have hard time – when mother’s gone” But she left her baby girl alone And nothing could be done When her love and child went Her heart hung heavy as a noose from a beam She said herself “The wine it was drunk” I wonder if “The dream it came back” How resonance does ricochet – and carry on Caught in time for Evermore, just thirty-one She said: “Motherless children have hard time – when mother’s gone” But she left her baby girl alone And nothing could be done How the raven’s arrival did ruin the mood Of the lilacs blooming that pale spring day When she came to be the light through the rain Her melodies were all that remained That remained
7.
Buoyant 03:15
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The wind today is strong and true It takes me back to when I first met you, Love La di da da dum The way it sachets through the leaves Reminds me of the way you look at me, Love La di da da dum Remember: Buoyant in the water Swimming in the river She was floating, sweet within me Waiting on the other side The subtlety of soft blue eyes The certainty of what is meant to be, Love La di da da dum The way the time moves rapidly As August fires burn on through the season La di da da dum Remember: Buoyant in the water Swimming in the river She was floating, sweet within me Waiting on the other side The joy inside our child’s laugh To hear her learn the native tongue we’re speaking La di da da dum And we’ll amble through our days In northern rain, we’ll watch the landscape change, Love La di da da dum
8.
Ether & Wood 04:23
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I fell asleep on the hardwood floor 3 o’clock in the afternoon I awoke to a pale blue sky And the song of an old friend Took me back to a life I don’t live anymore All the ashes of our days Are Ether & Wood Ashes, ashes I walked through the house we built Saw the life I left behind Ivory paint cracked and peeled on the walls The hydrangea and red rose Strangled by vines I don’t live here anymore All the ashes of our days Are Ether & Wood Ashes, ashes Next thing I knew, her spirit called She took shelter in my womb I felt her tiny feet kick me from the inside And when I looked into her dark eyes She couldn’t help but cry I don’t live there anymore All the ashes of our days Are Ether & Wood Ashes, ashes
9.
Yellow Gold 03:20
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Colors, colors, dance on the wall Colder mornings, days turn to fall Remember lying sideways on the bed? Lazy lovers with an empty day ahead Morning light painted us yellow gold I shed my shadow like a dress When your love took hold of me When your love took hold Colors, colors, swallow me whole Weightless brightness, abandoning fear Turbines spinning, indigo sky Mirages flicker on the endless desert road Morning light painted us yellow gold I shed my shadow like a dress When your love took hold of me When your love took hold I’ll be with you when the stars we see are gone A supernatural vacancy, intangible Morning light painted us yellow gold I shed my shadow like a dress When your love took hold of me When your love took hold
10.
So Tired 03:43
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Lying in bed on a sunny day So tired, so tired So tired of being worn thin So tired of staying at home You call for me, you call for me And I come You call for me, you call for me And I come Sharing a song in a half filled bar So tired, so tired So tired of being on stage So tired of traveling You call for me, you call for me And I come You call for me in the dead of night And I come Heavy dreams on a moonless night So tired, so tired So tired of lying awake So tired of worrying You call for me, you call for me And I come You call for me at the edge of dusk And I come If you call for me, when you call for me I’ll always come
11.
Wild Ceaseless Song 03:00
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I hear the waves break shore, like they always have A wild ceaseless song
I dreamt your face, when you were still inside And how your yellow hair would catch the light The days move slow But the years do know That time couldn’t move any faster Time couldn’t move any faster When you passed through me I passed through a door Of letting go of everything that came before And I know now, what every mother knows Of what it is to watch your heart escape your chest The days move slow But the years do know That time couldn’t move any faster Time couldn’t move any faster When the sun has set on my final hour Will you find me in the water’s wild ceaseless song? In your face, I see my father’s eyes And in your daughter’s eyes, you may see me Staring at the open sea, staring at the open sea

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released February 9, 2018

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Alela Diane Portland, Oregon

Alela Diane is a Portland, OR based singer-songwriter who grew up amongst the winding rivers and golden hillsides of Nevada City, CA. As a girl, she listened to her parents harmonize bluegrass songs in the kitchen, and began writing her own folky songs when she moved to San Francisco at age 19. Since then, Alela has been releasing albums and touring extensively through Europe and North America. ... more

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