Forever John

on the wings of a dream

Yesterday i had a dream about dying, about laying to
Rest and then flying,
How the moment at hand is the only
Thing we really own.
And i lay in my bed and i wondered, after all has been
Said and is done for,
Why is it thus we are here and so
Soon we are gone?
Is this life just a path to the place that
We all have come from?
Does the heart know the way and if not,
Can it ever be found
In a smile or a tear or a prayer
Or a sigh or a song?

And if so, then i sing for my father, and in truth, you
Must know i would rather
He were here by my side, we could fly on the
Wings of a dream.
To a place where the spirit would find us and the joy and
Surrender would bind us.
We are one anyway, anyway we are more
Than we seem.
There are those who will lead us, protect us
Each step of the way.
From beginning to end, for each moment,
Forever, each day.
Such a gift has been given, it can
Never be taken away.

Though the body in passing must leave us, there is one who
Remains to receive us.
There are those in this life who are friends
From our heavenly home.
So i listen to the voices inside me, for i know they
Are there just to guide me.
And my faith will proclaim it is so,
We are never alone.
From the life to the light, from the dark of
The night to the dawn,
He is so in my heart, he is here, he
Could never be gone.
Though the singer is silent, there still is the
Truth of the song, in the song.

Yesterday i had a dream about dying, about laying to
Rest and then flying,
How the moment at hand is the only
Thing we really own.
And i lay in my bed and i wondered, after all has been
Said and is done for,
Why is it thus we are here and so
Soon we are gone?
Oh, why is it thus we are here and so
Soon we are gone?

Played a wedding for the money and i wish i could have told the bride and groom
Just what i think of marriage, what's in store after the honeymoon.
I was rumbling through the verses about how men and women ought to live apart,
How a promise never made could not be broken and would never break a heart.

Suddenly from out of nowhere this little girl came spinning across the floor
Her crinolines were billowing beneath the skirt of calico she wore.
As her joy fell on the honored guests each one of them was drawn into her dream
And they laughed and stamped and clapped their hands and hollered at her, "dance little jean!"

They said:
Dance little jean, this day is for you,
Two people that you love stood up to say 'i do.'
Dance little jean, the prayer that you had was answered today-
Your momma's marrying your dad.

Well this cynic's heart just melted as i figured what this get together meant
And how it ended years of tears and sad confusions that the little girl had spent.
They told the band to pack it up about the time the couple cut the cake
But we stayed and we played all night long for love and laughs and little jeanie's sake

We played:
Dance little jean, this day is for you,
Two people that you love stood up to say 'i do.'
Dance little jean, the prayer that you had was answered today-
Your momma's marrying your dad.

We sang:
Dance little jean, this day is for you,
Two people that you love stood up to say 'i do.'
Dance little jean, the prayer that you had was answered today-
Your momma's marrying your dad.

be sure it's true when you say i love you
It's a sin to tell a lie
Millions of hearts have been broken
Just because these words were spoken
I love you yes i do i love you
If you break my heart i'll die
So be sure that it's true
When you say i love you
It's a sint to tell a lie

Cross my heart and i hope to die
I'll never, never, never tell another white lie
Took my litte girl out on a date last night
Next to her greta gerty would have looked alright
Now i'm between the devil and the deep blue sea
Cause i said baby you look good to me
I told her i loved her and oh how i lied
Now she's getting set to be my blushing bride
If she leads me to the alter i'm sunk
Cause i can not tell the preacher i was drunk
Lord have mercy on a no-count sinner
Give me one more chance to let another guy win her
Cross my heart and hope to die
I'll never, never, never tell her one more time
I'll never tell another white lie.

Rusty green summer's almost gone, i see winds clouding up the sun
And i can't find my way, everything's grey
Rusty green eyes on my mind, memories someplace out of time
All the things we would do ,i still love you

It's a sad song to sing, painted rusty green
A brief fading picture of spring

This song appears on two albums, and was first released on the whose garden was this? album, and has also been released on the changes album.

Knew a man bojangles and he danced for you
In worn out shoes
Silver hair ragged shirt and baggy pants
The old soft shoe

He jumped so high
He jumped so high
And he'd lightly touched down

Mr bojangles mr bojangles mr bojangles dance

Met him in a cell
New orleans he was down and out
He looked to me to be the eyes of age as he
He spoke right out

He talked about life
He talked of life
He lightly slapped his leg instead

He said the name bojangles and he danced a lick
Across the cell
He grabbed his pants and took a stance
And he jumped so high

He clicked his heels
And he let go a laugh
He let go a laugh
Shook his clothes all around

Mr bojangles mr bojangles mr bojangles dance

We danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs
Throughout the south
We spoke in tears of fifteen years
How his dog and him

They travelled about
The dog up and died
He up and died
After twenty years he still grieves

They said i dance now at every chance and honky tonks
For drinks and tips
But most the time i spend behind these county bars
Cause i drinks a bit

And he shook his head now
He shook his head
And i heard someone ask please

Mr bojangles mr bojangles hey mr bojangles dance

Words and music by walker