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The Sea and the Sky

by Jonathan Byrd

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1.
Take the burdens of my day; all my worries roll away Every day you are my true companion, like the sun Like the dew on a rose, you make beauty shine Take the burdens of my day; all my worries roll away Every day you are my true companion, like the sun Like a song in the night, you bring love to life Take the burdens of my day; all my worries roll away Every day you are my true companion, like the sun Like a bird on the sea, you give hope to me Take the burdens of my day; all my worries roll away Every day you are my true companion, like the sun
2.
Oh my dear, you prepare, are you going anywhere? Oh my dear, back from town, are you to a vessel bound, Off to war on an angry sea? Fairest one, I love you, this is something I must do Fairest one, if I stay, then your honor I’d betray So I seek lesser company Oh my dear, please don’t leave, there are tears upon my sleeve Oh my dear, if you go, down the archipelago You will never return to me Fairest one, let me go, for you know I love you so Fairest one, I’ll return and your marriage I will earn With promotion and bravery Oh my dear, you are gone, I will mourn you ere the dawn All the young and the brave are the first to find their grave In Her Majesty’s company Fairest one never knew what I’m really set to do Fairest one I never told, trading slaves for rum and gold To win her from her family Oh my dear, I have dreams, in the night I hear the screams Oh my dear, in those lands, you have blood upon your hands And your soul is in jeopardy Fairest one of my land, I do not deserve your hand Fairest one, like a fool, I have been the devil’s tool And my soul is in jeopardy Oh my dear, I have learned, all the ships of war returned Oh my dear, as you know, they did not return with you So I made you a grave by the sea Fairest one, I have sins rum or gold could never cleanse Fairest one, in the deep, I will lay my soul to sleep And make me a grave of the sea
3.
I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen The devils have taken my hand I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen And flown to a faraway land I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen Why was my life meant to be Stolen by the devil, oh, the devil’s stolen me I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen Taken and shackled in chains I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen ‘til only my shadow remains I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen My master alone has the key Stolen by the devil, oh, the devil’s stolen me I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen No more the garden to roam I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen And I’m so far away from my home I’ve been stolen, I’ve been stolen Lord, will I ever be free Stolen by the devil, oh, the devil’s stolen me
4.
Gold Coast 04:23
5.
I'm So Lost 03:26
Like a stranger in a faraway place, I’m afraid to admit that I’m lost I see danger in every face, down every road that I cross I’m so lost I’m so lost in the damage that I did long before I knew the cost I’ve turned around and burned all the bridges that I’ve crossed I’m so lost Did I hurt you with my carelessness, stumbling around in the night? Like a fool in the wilderness, not willing to wait for the light I’m so lost I’m so lost in the damage that I did long before I knew the cost I’ve turned around and burned all the bridges that I’ve crossed I’m so lost Is there hope for me on a starless night at sea Alone on the tempest tossed- I’m so lost Now I know that I’ve been wrong and I’m not as strong as I thought And I hope that you hear my prayer, release this snare where I’m caught I’m so lost I’m so lost in the damage that I did long before I knew the cost I’ve turned around and burned all the bridges that I’ve crossed I’m so lost
6.
7.
Verdigris 03:50
Verdigris is the color I see Roll the ages over me Help me to go gracefully Cover me with verdigris When I leave, I’ll leave like I season Like a slow, sweet change in the breeze Time never needed a reason To turn a few degrees Verdigris is the color I see Roll the ages over me Help me to go gracefully Cover me with verdigris When I go, I’ll go like a shadow Like a slow, slight change in the light Before you can say, “Where did the day go?” Look, here comes the night Verdigris is the color I see Roll the ages over me Help me to go gracefully Cover me with verdigris
8.
Little Bird 03:19
Out alone on the ocean, out alone on the sea I had no destination, I had no destiny You are my little bird; I hang on every word you sing Lift your voice to heaven; take me to your king Early in the morning, early in the day I had lost my bearing, I had lost my way You are my little bird; I hang on every word you sing Lift your voice to heaven; take me to your king How will I ever thank you? How will I ever pay? I will love you tomorrow as I love you today You are my little bird; I hang on every word you sing Lift your voice to heaven; take me to your king
9.
10.
The moss is green, oh, and wet on the elder tree The river’s angry and so is the sea I walk the bridge, I walk the bridge again To see the river girl weave and spin If she lay sick I would tend to her She would be like a child to me I walk the bridge, I walk the bridge again To see the river girl weave and spin Her curtains, they are of the finest lace And in night, they shield her face from me I walk the bridge, I walk the bridge again To see the river girl weave and spin
11.
The Sea is a lady in love with the Sky She scallops and spins with his winds rushing by But the day it is calm and the day it is still And she dares not to dance of her own free will No current to flow; no fair winds to blow They’re dead in the doldrums with nowhere to go All the young sailing men are counting the herd As the sun sets again on a sea undisturbed Did she dream in the night of a blood red hue? Her sun in the morning; her sweet lover’s cue And on the horizon, a cloud without end That she gave to the sun and sent on the wind Though he is only a day from return She longs for his touch, his lightning to burn She swears at his name and his tardiness, too And her tears fall up, up into the blue The sky is wide and the sky is deep His passion is patient, but seldom asleep Oh, his smell is so sweet and his eyes are so bright And he changes the world when he changes the light Up in the crow’s nest, high on the mast A sailor cries out, “oh, at last, at last!” The harlequins of hope dance light on the tide As the sky, like a sailor, longs for his bride
12.
For You 05:00
Barcelona is a shining jewel along the coast of Spain If I ever had the chance, I’d sail to her again If I was to go again, I tell you what I’d do I’d bring back a tapestry for you Marseilles is a shining jewel along the coast of France I’d sail to her again, if I had the chance If I was to go again, I tell you what I’d do I’d bring back a bottle o’ wine for you For you, for you, all for you Sunshine and seas of lapis blue I’d bring back the sea foam from the shores of Magalluf For you, for you, all for you Naples is a faded jewel on the coast of Italy All the merchants hustle for a sailor’s hard-earned fee If I was to go again, I tell you what I’d do I’d bring back some leather shoes for you Galway is a shining jewel along the Irish coast Of all the places that I’ve been, I think I love it most If I was to go again, I tell you what I’d do I’d bring back a bolt of lace for you For you, for you, all for you Sunshine and seas of lapis blue I’d bring back the sea foam from the shores of Magalluf For you, for you, all for you

credits

released January 1, 2004

Robbie Link on bass and cello
Rob McMaken on mandolin and Cümbüs
Andrew Reissiger on charango, flamenco guitar, and electric guitar
Jason Cade on fiddle
Rex McGhee on fiddle
Chris Frank on accordion
recorded and mixed at The Rubber Room by Jerry Brown
mastered at Airshow by Charlie Pilzer

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Jonathan Byrd Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Preacher's kid, Gulf War veteran, award-winning songwriter, Youtuber, teacher, and creativity coach from North Carolina.

“One of the top 50 songwriters of the last 50 years. ” — Chicago Tribune

“...a folk singer with the heart of a rock 'n' roll band.” — K. Oliver, Free Times.
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