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A Long and Precious Road

by Shawnee Kilgore

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1.
Come to Bed 03:18
there’s a robin singing at your window telling you the day is good she says we've got a good thing going if i could sing a robin’s song i would it was morning when i read your letter it was evening when i read your face well i guess i made a good impression and i know i found a real good place so go ahead and shine your brightest go ahead until it’s true come to bed when you're ready and sleep well when you do there are parts of me that i don’t know yet there’s a candle i have yet to burn i don’t sleep and i am always hungry i don’t know and yet i always learn there’s a song for every savored moment there’s a penny for our every thought when i asked for what would keep me happy honey you were what i got i don’t have a ring to give you and i don’t have a lot to say but maybe you can help me learn the banjo and i can help you learn to play so go ahead and shine your brightest go ahead until it’s true come to bed when you're ready and sleep well when you do so go ahead and shine your brightest go ahead because it’s true come to bed when you're ready and sleep well when you do
2.
Screen Door 03:31
i could tell you had a secret i could tell you had a song i could tell you wouldn’t keep it through the night until the dawn oh and you don’t stop rockin’ come come a’knockin’ on the screen door after sundown there’s an old moon rising stars in her eyes and she can laugh ‘til the work is done now could it be that i was restless could it be i wasn’t well i’ll be dancing in my best dress and i will give the angels hell oh and you don’t stop rockin’ come come a’knockin’ on the screen door after sundown there’s an old moon rising stars in her eyes and she can laugh ‘til the work is done now ‘cause something happens in the moonlight something happens in the dark there never was a way to swoon right it just depends upon the spark oh and you don’t stop rockin’ come come a’knockin’ on the screen door after sundown there’s an old moon rising stars in her eyes and she can laugh ‘til the work is done now
3.
I will find the words one day and they’ll be simple and I smile when you say Well now isn’t that from Kerouac I said I’m happy that you know that I said I’m happy It’s time to live the life I’m given time to give what I’ve been asking for If I pretend that I’m not breaking honey maybe I’m not breaking anymore Maybe I’m not broken anymore Once upon a time I sought light in the darkness I’d forgotten mine I’d forgotten how to trust that I’m in tune and I’m on time and I’m happy It’s time to live the life I’m given time to give what I’ve been asking for If I pretend that I’m not breaking honey maybe I’m not breaking anymore Maybe I’m not broken anymore I will find the words one day
4.
everything you live for is in this room everything you die for let it pass you by for is gone too soon is this the way you feel breath upon the windows fearing things you don't know loving anyway trust the way you feel shadows in the moonlight promises you hold tight 'til the light of day is this the way you feel fading in the background we're coming clean silent as the sun goes gentle as the grass grows beneath our knees is this the way you feel how do you walk away from a lover when the day's done just because it's time trust the way you feel how do we understand it the pieces here that won't fit a straight and narrow line is this the way you feel walk beside the ocean and never fear take a look around you the universe has found you your world is here is this the way you feel flowers on the sidewalk beauty that you can't stop the life you can't deny trust the way you feel to wonder how a heart breaks with all the warmth the spark makes it's tearing up the sky is this the way you feel would you hold me 'til the sunrise find yourself in my eyes knowing i will have to go trust the way you feel the rain against the pavement we follow where the day went it's all we ever know is this the way you feel
5.
ships are meant to sail boy and yours will have its day i’m coming here to tell you i’ve got some things to say oh i’ve got some things to say it’s always good to see you i love to watch you shine and i love to be the quiet i know you need sometimes oh i know you need some time but some other day some other life we’ll take all these chances and make them all right when love is a language i can’t figure out could you be with the one that you can’t be without ships are meant to sail boy you’ll make it from these shores home is just an island and i’m wishing i was yours oh i’m wishing i was yours i take you as you are you’re always on your own i hold you when you let me and leave the rest alone oh leave well enough alone but some other day some other life we’ll take all these chances and make them all right when love is a language i can’t figure out could you be with the one that you can’t be without could you be with the one that you can't be without you will find my heart in a boat beside the bay but i’ve lingered long enough and now i best be on my way oh i’ve lingered long enough and now i best be on my way
6.
i never really thought that much of kansas until i stopped for coffee in concordia that day i was thinking life is only what it hands us i forget about the things that happen when we look away i’m leaving you the miles and the time i’m leaving you for now but i’m not leaving you behind i know a straight road back to kansas i know a straight road back to knowing just enough to get me by i know a straight road back to kansas back to kindness in a small town a twinkle in my eye i never really asked about your family i never really told you why the sleep just wouldn’t come i wondered if your heart would understand me how i knew i’d have to go before the gravity was done i’m leaving you the miles and the time and i’m leaving you for now but i’m not leaving you behind i know a straight road back to kansas i know a straight road back to knowing just enough to get me high i know a straight road back to kansas back to kindness in a small town a twinkle in my eye back to kindness in a small town in the sky now i’m leaving you the miles and the time i’m leaving you the blessings of the fading highway signs i’m leaving you the color of your wine I'm leaving I'm not leaving you I'm leaving I'm not leaving you behind i know a straight road back to kansas i know a straight road back to knowing i will find you if i try i know a straight road back to kansas back to kindness in a small town a twinkle in my eye i know a straight road back to kansas i know a straight road back to knowing that goodbye is just goodbye i know a straight road back to kansas back to kindness in a small town a twinkle in my eye back to kindness in a small town in the sky i never really thought that much of kansas until i stopped for coffee in concordia
7.
i was the one with that look on my face as if every last breath was a prayer i could trace you know i’m just a poet and i’ll be all right ‘cause it’s three in the morning and i saw you tonight it’s three in the morning as it always is when all the best hearts are home feeling like this and i’ll make up my bed with the warmth of your smile and i know that it’s late but i’ll play for a while ‘cause i made you a promise that you never heard i don’t know what it meant but i meant every word i just know how it happened not how it should be and i’ll wake to the sun and thank god you were the one with that look in your eye as if every last breath was a reason to fly i gave you my blessing and you gave me your name spelled just like the spanish and mine like the plains and i took one more drink and you played one more song and a jar full of moonshine well it ain’t full for long and the warm air is laughing i wish that i knew how it felt to be there in the space next to you ‘cause i made you a promise that only you heard and i wrote you the song but you know every word I just know how it happened that’s all we can see and i’ll wake to the sun and thank god you saw me so i might come to find you with a song on my lips and truth on my tongue when it finally slips i guess i’m just a poet and i’ll be all right ‘cause it’s three in the morning and i saw you tonight
8.
dust on the grey cars there’s more of it on ours we don’t have to know flowers by name growing carrots and swiss chard and chicks in the backyard we play and we play hard ‘cause everybody’s in a big damn hurry everybody’s in a big damn hurry everybody’s in a big damn hurry stand in the tall grass it grows and it grows fast summer will not last the fall so take off my silk dress in the heat it’s a hot mess it seems like we’re scared less but everybody’s in a big damn hurry everybody’s in a big damn hurry everybody’s in a big damn hurry growing carrots and swiss chard our chicks in the backyard we play and we play hard
9.
are the days laid out before us are they wrapped in close behind it’s a lot like i remember this is what i had in mind there’s a beauty in the spaces that the music leaves behind and there’s a beauty in the faces we forget from time to time if i ask you for forgiveness would you ask what it was for i would say because i love you and we all could use some more it’s a nickel for our troubles it’s a penny for our love and if we always have a penny then we’ll always have enough and i will have to leave you sometimes and i know the same for you and i don’t know what i’ll be writing but i’ll be writing it to you and if you hold me ‘til the morning i will tell you what i know that we’ve got strings for making music and it’s a long and precious road these are days of resolution these are days of sand and stone these are days of building bridges these are days of coming home so here’s to always standing taller here’s to always being kids here’s to knowing when to holler here’s to knowing that we did and i will have to leave you sometimes and i know the same for you and i don’t know what i’ll be writing but i’ll be writing it to you and if you hold me ‘til the morning i will tell you what i know that we've got strings for making music and it's a long and precious road and if you hold me ‘til the morning i will tell you what i know that we've got strings for making music and it’s a long and precious road we've got strings for making music and it’s a long and precious road
10.
when you gonna be a folk star my devil says to me ‘cause you can do it all for freedom but you can’t do it all for free you got nothing in your pockets but a winded minor key when you gonna be a folk star when you gonna be a big girl my devil says to me ‘cause you’re old enough to know it’s your responsibility but you’re shy about the telephone and you’re shy about your dreams when you gonna be a big girl when you gonna be remembered my devil says to me ‘cause you’re singing them your songs and then they’re floating out to sea are you holding something back or have you let them go to seed when you gonna be remembered why are you so happy my devil says to me i hurt you but you wouldn’t ever dare to set me free i do my best to keep you from the lap of luxury so why are you so happy i’m happy that i’m grateful and i’m grateful that i’m kind you’ve got your own free will my devil just as sure as i’ve got mine and you can live the life you want if you can love the life you find i’m happy that i’m grateful you can live the life you want if you can love the life you find i’m happy and i’m grateful yeah but when you gonna be a folk star my devil says to me when you gonna be a folk star
11.
catch my feathers as they fall they’re bound to reach you after all you heed the wind i heed the call call me patient call me brave come seek the treasures in my cave i’m learning how to misbehave tell me something if you would the tales a feather catcher could it’s where i’ve loved it’s where i’ve stood it’s where i wait leave your patience leave your gold leave your secrets safe untold oh come with me the time has slowed leave my petals ‘round your door and leave my scratches on your floor i know you better than before tell me something if you would the tales a secret keeper could it’s where i’ve loved it’s where i’ve stood it’s where i wait backyard beauty six string player late night duty dragon slayer moving slowly takes a little time counting streetlights guarding towers bending breaking endless hours just to know the only thing that's mine backyard beauty six string player late night duty dragon slayer touch the flame the night delivers breathing fire seething rivers avalanches wind and weather if we go we go together second chances home fires burning midnight harvest light returning backyard beauty moonlit glances fascinations circumstances back to sleep and back to dreaming back to songs instead of screaming counting streetlights guarding towers bending breaking endless hours just to know the only thing that’s mine tell me something if you would the tales a dragon slayer could it’s where i’ve loved it’s where i’ve stood it’s where i wait

about

"It's time to live the life I'm given
time to give what I've been asking for"

I am so grateful for the magic and talent and love of the musicians who came together to be a part of this beautiful experiment with me, and the brilliant community that joyously breathed life into its lungs. You believe in me, and I believe in you. Thank you.

Special Thanks to Andre, Phil Collins, Uriah and Amanda Brown, Elie and Lisa Samuel, Zeina and Rich Evans, Carol Kilgore, Daisy O'Connor, Alyse Black, Strangely Doesburg, Aaron English, and Ani Grey.

Extra Special Thanks to Joss Whedon. Ships are meant to sail and you have helped steer mine towards a brave new horizon.

And Will~ my best friend, the father of my chickens, and the kindest, smartest, most talented boy I know~ thank you. For everything.

credits

released August 18, 2015

Produced, recorded, & mixed by Andre Moran
at The Congress House Studio, Austin, TX
www.congresshouse.com

Mastered by Mark Hallman

Assistant Engineer: Justin Bocanegra

Front cover art~ Forget Me Not by LouLoutePaperie
Back cover art~ original painting by Thais Perkins

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Shawnee Kilgore Austin, Texas

"Shawnee Kilgore is to music as velvet gloves are to diamond cutters,” wrote James Hardesty, owner of the Green Frog Acoustic Tavern in Bellingham, WA. “She holds all this beauty in her hand, raw and untouched, then she chips away until it gleams in the light, holding on with a soft gentleness that she has perfected." ... more

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