Circle of Love
(Catherine Ellis © 2009)
My heart was born, my heart was born,
My heart was born in a Circle of Love
Circle of Love that never ends
It goes on and on and on
Come home and live, come home and live
Come home and live in a Circle of Love
Circle of Love that never ends
It goes on and on and on
Stand up and be heard, stand up and be heard
Stand up and be heard in a Circle of Love
Circle of Love that never ends
It goes on and on and on
We’ll live in peace, we’ll live in peace
We’ll live in peace in a Circle of Love
Circle of Love that never ends
It goes on and on and on
We’ll heal the world, we’ll heal the world
We’ll heal the world in a Circle of Love
Circle of Love that never ends
It goes on and on and on
And when I die, and when I die
I hope to die in a Circle of Love
Circle of Love that never ends
It goes on and on and on
Catherine Ellis • lead vocals & guitar
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & fiddle
Alma Muxlow • harmony vocals & mandola
David Mosher • acoustic bass
Dona Nobis Pacem
(Traditional)
Rachel Alexander • cello
Catherine Ellis • guitar
Alma Muxlow • mandola
Swimming to the Other Side
(Pat Humphries © 1990, 1992, Moving Forward Music BMI, www.emmasrevolution.com) Thanks to Lui Collins for the basic arrangement of this song.
Chorus
We are living 'neath the great Big Dipper
We are washed by the very same rain
We are swimming in the stream together
Some in power and some in pain
We can worship this ground we walk on
Cherishing the beings that we live beside
Loving spirits will live forever
We're all swimming to the other side
I am alone, I am searching,
Hungering for answers in my time
I am balanced at the brink of wisdom
I'm impatient to receive a sign
I move forward with my senses open
Imperfection (would) be my crime
In humility I will listen
We're all swimming to the other side
On this journey through thoughts and feelings
Binding intuition, my head, my heart
I am gathering the tools together
I'm preparing to do my part
All of those who have come before me
Band together and be my guides
Loving lessons that I will follow
We're all swimming to the other side
When we get there we'll discover
All of the gifts we've been given to share
Have been with us since life's beginning
And we never noticed they were there
We can balance on the brink of wisdom
Never recognizing that we've arrived
Loving spirits will live together
We're all swimming to the other side
Descant
(Lui Collins © 2000, www.luicollins.com)
We are living, we are dwelling
In a grand and awesome time
We can worship, we can cherish
All the ones we live beside
Alma Muxlow • lead vocals & mandola
Catherine Ellis • harmony vocals & guitar
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & cello
Carol Levack • harmony vocals
Raining in Yosemite
(Alma Muxlow © 2009)
It’s raining in Yosemite, raining down the walls
And I’m here in this granite building pacing the halls
Of Justice—if there’s any—has eluded us once more
But there’s a blind woman tapping on the door
Whitecaps in the distance, ice begins to crack
Through such a brutal winter, there’s so much we’re holding back
As the sun warms the water, waves break with a roar
There’s a blind woman dancing on the shore
Eagle rises on wind; she calls his name
They know weather’s rolling in, (the) tide’s about to change
Would that Justice rain upon us, let it wash all over me
For if one is in bondage, none of us is free
And may love like a river carry us along
There’s a blind woman singing freedom’s song
It’s raining in Yosemite, raining down the walls
And I’m here in this granite building pacing the halls
Of Justice—if there’s any—has eluded us once more,
But there’s a blind woman waiting at the door.
Alma Muxlow • lead vocals
Catherine Ellis • harmony vocals & guitar
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & cello
David Mosher • mandola
On the River
(Catherine Ellis © 2009)
Ten…I’m in
Twenty…You win
Thirty…I think we’ll make it!
Forty…Where did the time go?
I got my hair done, you’ve got a job
Let’s get married, we’ll play house and we’ll have ourselves some fun
We’ll drive North for a day or two
And come home to the river
On the River, life will be fine.
Three kids, three houses later, budget stretched tight
But on Fridays we have a beer and we laugh into the night
We’re still in love, I only ran away once…okay, twice
I miss the river, but we’ve got friends
We’ve got each other; life is fine.
You can’t work enough hours to buy all these shoes
I’ve got to stay home and raise these kids, or I know that we’ll all lose
We’ve got our health; we’d be nowhere else
And someday, on the river,
On the River, life will be fine.
And every year, love got us through
And I promised my life to you and I’ll see my promise through
Joy beyond measure, lilies in the yard
And now, On the River
Life was fine, my friend, life is fine.
Catherine Ellis • lead vocals & guitar
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & cello
Alma Muxlow • harmony vocals
I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo
(Words by Mack Gordon and Music by Harry Warren © 1942)
Recorded by Glenn Miller, 1942 (#1 on the music charts for 8 weeks)
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
I got a gal in Kal - a - ma - zoo
I don't wanna boast, but I know she's the toast of Kalamazoo
Years have gone by, my, my how she grew
I liked her looks when I carried her books in Kalamazoo
I'm gonna send a wire, hoppin' on a flyer,
That's leavin' today
Am I dreamin'? I can hear her screamin'
"Hiya, Catherine Ellis!"
Everything's O – K - A - L - A - M - A - Z - O
Oh, what a gal, a real pipperoo
I'll make my bid for that freckle-faced kid
I'm hurryin' to; I'm goin' to Michigan
To see the sweetest gal in Kalamazoo.
Catherine Ellis • lead vocals & Heritage hollow bodied electric guitar (made in Kalamazoo, MI)
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & melodica
Alma Muxlow • harmony vocals & doumbek
David Mosher • acoustic bass
The Waves of Kilkee
(Joanie Madden, Wood Park Publishing BMI and Brian Keane, Brian Keane Music ASCAP © 1999)
Rachel Alexander • cello and soprano recorder
Catherine Ellis • guitar
Alma Muxlow • mandola
David Mosher • mandolin
The Red Motorcycle
(Catherine Ellis © 2009)
CHORUS
I’m walkin’ to town to buy a motorcycle, I’m gonna do it this time
I know you think that I’m just fickle, but maybe I’ll drop you a line
And tomorrow when I get there, I’ll see it all sparkly and red
I’m goin’ to town to buy a motorcycle, all you’ll see is the back of my head
This bright copper penny burns a hole in my pocket
“Why not a doll” you ask, “a toy or a locket?”
But it’s a motorcycle I will have, I won’t be convinced otherwise
When I come riding down the driveway, oh what a fine surprise
I know you think that I’ll never do it,
I can tell you doubt that I’ll get through it
I’ll admit the walk to town is long, but I’m walkin’ a real fast pace
Through the cornfields I will go, just to see the look on your face
BRIDGE
I’m going to town to buy a motorcycle, a real one not a toy
Then out the window you will see me, flying by
Catherine Ellis • lead vocals & guitar
Alma Muxlow • harmony vocals, bicycle bell & horn
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & cello
Dance
(Rachel Alexander ©2004, 2008)
We began this dance a long time ago
Joining our lives so the dance could grow
We danced through the shadows and we danced through shame
We danced through fear again and again
We danced all night and through the day,
Our dance is here to stay
Chorus So I’ll give you this ring for better or worse
Let’s follow the dance out into the light
Waltz me around as we write the next verse
Of our love song, come hold me tonight
Now it is official, lest anyone should doubt
They’ve changed the constitution just to give it greater clout,
Marriage means one “she” and one “he,” not the likes of you and me
The votes are counted from the ballots cast
They say Family Values will prevail at last
They hope that we’ll stumble and they want us to fall,
They don’t know who they are up against at all
For the dance we’re living won’t be denied
Our dance will never die
Chorus
Well you took my hand almost two years ago
And I took yours so our dance could grow
You took my hand and we took the chance
We entered joyful into the dance
Now we’re dancing proud and we’re dancing free
This dance of you and me
And you gave me this ring for better or worse
As we followed the dance out into the light
Please waltz me around as we write the next verse
Of our love song, come hold me tonight
Rachel Alexander • lead vocals & melodica
Catherine Ellis • harmony vocals & guitar
Alma Muxlow • harmony vocals & mandola
David Mosher • guitar
Angels Surrounding You
(Catherine Ellis © 2009)
Lately I’ve been thinking about the people in my life
And how they’ve seen me through
Through many of the hard times, the challenges and strife
I’m always reminded of you
Chorus
There are angels who open a window for you, when the door’s been closed so long,
Angels who show you the simplest kindness, who help you to stay strong
When your days are so hard and the nights seem forever, when you least expect it,
They’ll be there surrounding you
You’re an angel I found in an unexpected place,
Unaware what a miracle you’d be
If I’d tried to predict it, I’d never have guessed
How your grace would shine upon me
Bridge: And just when I think it’s hopeless, your light comes shining through
I’d like to thank you here and I’d like to thank you now
For everything you’ve done
To brighten my days and to lighten my load
Along this road, on our long journey home
Catherine Ellis • lead vocals & guitar
Alma Muxlow • harmony vocals & mandola
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals & cello
Bud Michael • acoustic bass
Long Way Out of Chicago
(Alma Muxlow © 2009)
Chorus: I’m a long way out of Chicago
Even further from Kalamazoo
I’ve been riding this train forever
Trying to make it to you
When we left the Portland station
Didn’t know where I was bound
Didn’t know I was your long lost lover
Just waiting to be found
Had a stop in Salt Lake City
And another outside of St. Paul
But these weren’t my destinations
Just mistaken final calls
When we pull into the station
And I see you waiting by the tracks
I’ll know I’ve reached my destination
And I’ll never, ever, ever look back
Alma Muxlow • lead vocals
Catherine Ellis • harmony vocals & guitar
Rachel Alexander • harmony vocals, fiddle & train whistle
David Mosher • 1912 Gibson H-1 mandola & acoustic bass
