Crush of Mud and Light

02.13.12

You were the first love story

You were the archetype

And it were your hands that painted for me all the constellations

Father I was the last one to see you

Close your eyes, close your eyes

And you were the first ‘I’m sorry’

As you became the seldom seen

And it was your glass of scotch you slowly filled up every morning

But it was I who said ‘Its time

For the morphine, morphine’

And I hope that it lets you go easy

You know its okay to give up the fight

I swear your heart will beat forever I will carry it in mine

With all the tears and all the fire

In a crush of mud and light

And you played a five-string banjo

And you gambled on the Mississippi Queen

And though you may not be alive to play that sweet D45

You know your children’s hands will hold it

As they sing, as they sing

Oh well we told you we were done with anger

As we felt your bones through the sheets

And though it may have been a lie we said that we were all alright

And that they days we spent with you dear

Had all been sweet, so sweet

Well mama always told us babies stay away from whiskey and guitars

Or you’ll end up just like daddy pickin tunes for credit in a run-down bar

But I always loved good bourbon and I found a mandolin before too long

And I know I’m my daddy’s daughter cause the best thing that I ever did was

Write my first song

Well I wasn’t so sure you heard us

As my sister and I played so low

And in the days that came I asked myself if I must have been dreaming

When you said ‘Play me one more song

Before you go, before you go’

So I sang the Sound of Silence

And I sang you Rosasharn

And I said we’d join our fathers and our fathers gone before

And that we would all be kept safe

Safe from harm, from harm

And I hope that I sang you so gently

Through that bitter black October night

I know your heart will beat forever I will carry it in mine

With all the tears and all the fire

In a crush of mud and light

And light

And light

And light