Category: Uncategorized

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Dramatic rock with organ stabs, guitar riffs and solos, driving drums, and chant-style backing vocals]

[Intro]
Raise the lights
(Bring it up)
No scripts tonight
(No fake stuff)

[Verse 1]
You walk in smiling
(Take your seat)
Expecting lines
(Polished and neat)

But nothing here
(Is pre-written)
No hidden cues
(No stage permission)

This room is breathing
(On its own)
No painted backdrop
(No cardboard throne)

[Pre-Chorus]
No cue cards
(No direction)
No masks
(No correction)

[Chorus]
No!
(This ain’t no theater)
No!
(Say: This ain’t no play!)
Hey!
(This is life unfolding)
No!
(No rehearsed display)

[Refrain]
Feel
(The real deal)
Be
(The reality)
Comedy…
(Or tragedy?)

No script
(No guarantee)

[Verse 2]
The spotlight flickers
(But it’s not controlled)
No director shouting
(“Cut” or “Hold”)

Mistakes are staying
(Left in place)
No edits hiding
(The human face)

You speak, it echoes
(Through the air)
Not rehearsed lines
(Just what’s there)

[Pre-Chorus]
No rewind
(No replay)
No acting
(No cliché)

[Chorus]
No!
(This ain’t no theater)
No!
(Say: This ain’t no play!)
Hey!
(This is life unfolding)
Hey!
(It’s life beholding)

[Bridge]
No curtain call
(No final bow)
Just here and now
(And, F’n Wow!)

Say:
(Hey!)
Hey!
(Hey!)

[Instrumental, Psychedelic Jam, Percussion Solo]

[Final Chorus]
No!
(This ain’t no theater)
No!
(Say: This ain’t no play!)
No!
(No roles to play)

Hey!
(We’re still here living)
So…
(Keep on giving!)

Feel
(The real deal)
Be
(The reality)

Comedy…
(Or tragedy?)
No script
(No guarantee)

[Outro]
The lights stay on
(No fade away)
The story moves
(It won’t replay)

No!
(This ain’t no theater)
Just life
(All the way)
… love is rife….

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Up-tempo piano rock, train-beat drums, Hammond organ, group-response vocals]

[Intro]
Hear that lonesome whistle cry
(Rolling through the night)
Hear those steel wheels singing
(Rolling through the night)

[Verse 1]
There’s a little town beyond the bend
A place where old roads meet again
One flashing light, one weathered sign
Waiting on the edge of time

Some folks stay and watch trains pass
Some climb aboard and leave at last
Standing there beside the track
Wondering if they’re coming back

[Pre-Chorus]
The signal’s green
(The signal’s green)
The engine’s hot
(The engine’s hot)

You gotta choose
(Before you lose)

[Chorus]
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Whoa, I don’t know)
Is the train going to slow
(Or go, go, go)

Standing where the crossroads meet
(Watching the future greet)
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Or go, go, go)

[Verse 2]
The station master checks the clock
The freight train rattles down the block
A hundred stories passing through
A hundred dreams to chase or lose

One small wave from the platform side
One last chance to catch the ride
A distant horn cuts through the air
And suddenly you’re going somewhere

[Pre-Chorus]
The signal’s green
(The signal’s green)
The engine’s hot
(The engine’s hot)

You gotta the song
(Before it’s gone)

[Chorus]
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Whoa, I don’t know)
Is the train going to slow
(Or go, go, go)

Standing where the crossroads meet
(Watching history compete)
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Or go, go, go)

[Bridge]
Whistle-stop
(Small town station)
Whistle-stop
(Big destination)

You never know
(What the tracks might show)
One short stop
(Can change what’s not)

Hey!
(Hey!)
Hey!
(Hey!)

[Instrumental]

[Final Chorus]
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Whoa, I don’t know)
Is the train going to slow
(Or go, go, go)

Life can change before you know
(The curtain on the show)
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Or go, go, go)

Did you hear the whistle blow
(Whoa, I don’t know)
Is the train going to slow
(Or go, go, go)

One small stop along the line
(Can change your life)
Did you hear the whistle blow
(Or go, go, go)

[Outro]
Hear that whistle fade away
(Down the line)
Hear those steel wheels roll
(One more time)

The train keeps moving
(Go, go, go)
The train keeps moving
(Go, go, go)

About the Song
A whistle stop refers to a small, minor railway station or town where a train only stops if signaled (often by a whistle).

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Driving piano rock, Hammond organ, crowd-response vocals, energetic anthem]

[Intro]
The ball is rolling
(The ball is rolling)
The wheels are turning
(The wheels are turning)

The future’s open
(Still unfolding)
The game is on
(Come along)

[Verse 1]
A long road starts with a single mile
A dream takes shape when you dare to try
A spark becomes a guiding light
Burning in the dark of the night

We can stand around and wait for fate
Or put our hands upon the gate
Push it open, make a way
Turn tomorrow into today

[Pre-Chorus]
One step
(Leads another)
One chance
(Leads another)

One voice
(Leads another)
And suddenly there’s choice

[Chorus]
The ball
(Is in play)
The call
(All the way)

Stand tall
(Starting today)
The ball
(Is in play)

[Verse 2]
Nobody knows what the score will be
Nobody sees all possibility
The future isn’t written down
It’s still being built from the ground

A thousand choices come our way
A thousand chances shape the day
The story bends where people choose
That’s how we win, that’s how we lose

[Pre-Chorus]
One dream
(Leads another)
One hope
(Leads another)

One move
(Leads another)
And suddenly there’s love

[Chorus]
The ball
(Is in play)
The call
(All the way)

Stand tall
(Starting today)
The ball
(Is in play)

[Bridge]
Roll it forward
(Roll it on)
Keep it moving
(From dusk till dawn)

No spectator
(In this game)
Each player
(Signs their name)

Hey!
(Hey!)

Hey!
(Hey!)

The future belongs
(To those who play)

[Instrumental]

[Final Chorus]
The ball
(Is in play)
The call
(All the way)

Stand tall
(Starting today)
The ball
(Is in play)

The ball
(Is in play)
The call
(All the way)

Stand tall
(We’re here to stay)
The ball
(Is in play)

[Outro]
The ball is rolling
(Keep it rolling)
The wheels are turning
(Keep them turning)

The future’s open
(Still unfolding)
The ball
(Is in play)

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: guitar rock with organ, groove bass, guitar riffs, and layered vocal harmonies]

[Intro]
After all
(We’re still here)
After all
(Loud and clear)

[Verse 1]
The world keeps turning
(Night and day)
People come
(And drift away)

Seasons change
(The years pass by)
Clouds move across
(The sky)

Yet something remains
(Beyond the noise)
The power to choose
(Among the choices)

[Pre-Chorus]
The story’s not over
(Not yet)
The future’s not written
(I’ll bet)

[Chorus]
Still
(We remain)
Still
(Through the rain)

Still
(Standing tall)
Still
(After it all)

[Refrain]
We’re still
(In play)
Freewill
(Touché)

We’re still
(In play)
Freewill
(Touché)

[Verse 2]
The odds may change
(The path may bend)
The beginning
(Moves toward an end)

But the ending
(Can become)
The place where
(The next starts from)

No certainty
(Can take away)
The choices we make
(Along the way)

[Pre-Chorus]
The board is still set
(The pieces move)
There is still
(Something to prove)

[Chorus]
Still
(We remain)
Still
(Through the rain)

Still
(Standing tall)
Still
(After it all)

[Bridge]
Some call it fate
(Some call it chance)
Some say life
(Is a circumstance)
But somewhere between
(The push and pull)
Lives a choice
(Beautiful)
Below and above
(Find the love)

[Instrumental]
[Piano Solo]
[Organ Solo]

[Breakdown]
Still breathing
(Still dreaming)

Still hoping
(Still believing)

[Final Chorus]
Still
(We remain)
Still
(Through the rain)

Still
(Standing tall)
Still
(After it all)

Still
(Here today)
Still
(On our way)

[Final Refrain]
We’re still
(In play)
Freewill
(Touché)

We’re still
(In play)
Freewill
(Touché)

We’re still
(In play)
Come what may
(Touché)

[Outro]
After all
(We’re still here)
After all
(The future’s near)

We’re still…
(In play)

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Driving rock groove with piano, organ, rhythmic guitar, punchy bass, and chant-style backing vocals]

[Intro]
Ready?
(Set!)
Ready?
(Go!)
We don’t know…
(Whoa)

[Verse 1]
You can sit there
(Thinking all day)
Making plans
(Along the way)

But nothing happens
(Until you move)
You gotta find
(Your groove)

One small step
(Can start a chain)
A little effort
(Can bring big gain)

[Pre-Chorus]
The wheels won’t turn
(Standing still)
You’ve gotta climb
(Up that hill)

[Chorus]
Have you got the notion
(To put it in motion)
Let’s get the ball rolling
(Enough of the scrolling)

Have you got the notion
(To put it in motion)
The future’s waiting
(For your promotion)

[Refrain]
Let’s roll
(Into motion)
The goal
(Locomotion)

Loco!
(Motion!)
Loco!
(Motion!)

[Verse 2]
We have got
(A dream to chase)
We won’t rot
(At this pace)

The hardest part
(Is getting started)
Before momentum
(Is imparted)

One little push
(Can start the ride)
One little wave
(Can turn the tide)

[Pre-Chorus]
A moving train
(Picks up speed)
Action follows
(The deed)

[Chorus]
Have you got the notion
(To put it in motion)
Let’s get the ball rolling
(Enough of the scrolling)

Have you got the notion
(To put it in motion)
The future’s waiting
(For your promotion)

[Bridge]
Motion creates
(More motion)

Like waves upon
(The ocean)

The farther you go
(The easier it seems)

Momentum can carry
(Your hopes and dreams)

[Instrumental]
[Organ Solo]
[Guitar Solo]

[Breakdown]
Keep it moving
(Don’t slow down)

Keep it moving
(All around)

[Final Chorus]
Have you got the notion
(To put it in motion)
Let’s get the ball rolling
(Enough of the scrolling)

Have you got the notion
(To put it in motion)
The future’s waiting
(For your promotion)

[Final Refrain]
Let’s roll
(Into motion)
The goal
(Locomotion)

Loco!
(Motion!)

Loco!
(Motion!)

Let’s roll
(Into motion)

The goal
(Locomotion)

Loco!
(Motion!)

Loco!
(Motion!)

[Outro]
One step
(Leads to another)
One move
(Leads to another)

Motion…
(Motion…)
The motion
(Solution)
Motion…
(Motion…)

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Funky rock groove, electric piano, organ, bass, rhythm guitar, playful call-and-response vocals]

[Intro]
One, two, three
(Can you hear me?)
Testing, testing
(One, two, three)

[Verse 1]
I’ve got the wires
(All in place)
Got the signal
(Ready to trace)

Got the speakers
(On the floor)
But I don’t hear
(Anything more)

[Pre-Chorus]
Check the switch
(Check the light)
Something’s wrong
(Not quite right)

[Chorus]
Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Start with begin
(And see the dawn)

Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Flip the switch
(And carry on)

[Refrain]
Turn it up
(Turn it on)
Sing the night
(Into the light)

Turn it up
(Turn it on)
Let’s see what’s going on

[Verse 2]
When the answer
(Hides in plain sight)
A simple question
(Can make things right)

You can search
(High and low)
But first check
(What you already know)

[Pre-Chorus]
Before you panic
(Before you run)
Try the basics
(One by one)

[Chorus]
Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Start with begin
(And see the dawn)

Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Flip the switch
(And carry on)

[Bridge]
The biggest problems
(Can sometimes be)

The smallest things
(We fail to see)

A loose connection
(A missing link)

Can stop the flow
(Faster than you think)

[Instrumental, Psychedelic Jam]
[Organ Solo]
[Guitar Solo]

[Final Chorus]
Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Start with begin
(And see the dawn)

Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Light it up
(And carry on)

Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)
Now we’re moving
(Rolling along)

[Outro]
Hear the music
(Hear the sound)
Everything’s working
(Now that it’s found)

Is it plugged in?
(Is it turned on?)

Yes it is…
(And we’re gone!)

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]

[Arrangement: High-energy rock anthem with driving piano, organ, electric guitar, bass, handclaps, and crowd vocals]

[Intro]
Are you ready?
(I’m ready!)
Are you with me?
(Set yourself free!)

[Verse 1]
You can’t sit forever
(On the sidelines)
Watching life
(Pass you by)

Every moment
(Is a chance)
To take a risk
(And give it a try)

[Pre-Chorus]
No holding back
(No retreat)
Get up on your feet

[Chorus]
All in
(All in play)
Givin’ it all
(Away)

All in
(All in play)

Don’t let it slip away

[Refrain]
I’m all in
(All in play)
Hey! Hey! Hey!

I’m all in
(Let’s hear you say)
All in play!

(Hey! Hey! Hey!)

[Verse 2]
Always trying
(Avoidin’ dying)
That’s the way
(The game is made)

But if you never play
(You’ll never know)
What might happen
(If you stayed)

[Pre-Chorus]
The dice are rolling
(The cards are dealt)

Trust what you’ve felt

[Chorus]
All in
(All in play)
Givin’ it all
(Away)

All in
(All in play)

Won’t let it slip away

[Bridge]
Play the song
(Play it loud)

Stand apart
(From the crowd)

Take your shot
(Take your swing)

You won’t regret
(Giving everything)

[Instrumental]
[Piano Solo]
[Guitar Solo]

[Crowd Chant]
(All in play)
Hey! Hey! Hey!
(All in play)
Hey! Hey! Hey!

[Final Chorus]
All in
(All in play)
Everything you’ve got
(Today)

All in
(All in play)

Don’t throw your chance away

All in
(All in play)

Come on everybody say—

[Final Refrain]
I’m all in
(All in play)
Hey! Hey! Hey!

I’m all in
(Let’s hear you say)
All in play!
(Hey! Hey! Hey!)

I’m all in
(All in play)
Hey! Hey! Hey!

We’re all in
(All in play)
Hey! Hey! Hey!

[Outro]
The game’s still moving
(The pieces sway)
We’re all in play…
(All in play)

From the album “In Play“

[Silence]

[Instrumental Intro: Deep Sub Bass, Echoed Guitar Swells, Slow Tribal Percussion, Low-Frequency Drone Building From Near-inaudible Rumble]

[Intro]
[Low Synth Drone, Spoken Vocal, Distant and Fragmented]
Place you bet?
(Not yet)

[Instrumental: Deep Sub Bass, Organ Jam, Percussion, Duel Synths]

[Refrain]
Is it writing
(Not yet)
Is it biting…
(You bet!)

[Instrumental: Deep Sub Bass, Organ riff, Percussion Jam, Duel Synths solos]

[Refrain]
Is it writing
(Not yet)
Is it biting…
(You bet!)

[Instrumental: Psychedelic Extended Jam]

[Refrain]
Is it writing
(Not yet)
Is it biting…
(You bet!)

[Outro]
Is it written
(Not yet)
Is it bitten…
(Sure bet!)

From the album “Unwritten“

[Silence]

[Arrangement: Blues electric guitar, slide guitar, saxophone, piano, organ, percussion, drums, fat bass, male and female duet]

[Intro]
What lives…
(Beneath the noise)
Beyond the language
(Silent the voice)

[Verse 1]
We try to name it
(Every time)

Put it in a phrase
(A perfect rhyme)

But meaning slips
(Through the cracks)

When words alone
(Don’t bring it back)

So we reach out
(Without a sound)

To something deeper
(All around)

[Pre-Chorus]

Not in saying
(But in feeling)

Not in spelling
(But in healing)

[Chorus]

If ever words are too much
(Leave it to the touch)

If you forget what is real
(Remember the real feel deal)

If silence takes away the crutch
(Then lean into the touch)

If logic fades and thoughts get rough
(Trust what you can touch)

[Bridge]
[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo]

[Refrain]

Too the touch
(Reach out)

Bump and such
(Feel what life’s about)

If you can’t find the words
(Play the chords)

If meaning blurs
(Feel what occurs)

[Verse 2]

Skin on skin
(A quiet truth)

Older than language
(Older than youth)

A handshake, a heartbeat
(A steady guide)

Something honest
(Can’t hide inside)

No translation needed
(No delay)

Just presence meeting
(Where we stay)

[Pre-Chorus]

Not in theory
(But in ground)

Not in silence
(But in sound)

[Chorus]

If ever words are too much
(Leave it to the touch)

If you forget what is real
(Remember the real feel deal)

If meaning slips out of your clutch
(Return to what you touch)

If everything becomes too much
(Just trust the touch)

[Bridge]
[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo]

We build our worlds
(Of air and thought)

But forget the lessons
(That bodies taught)

Before the writing
(Before the page)

There was knowing
(Without the cage)

[Instrumental]

[Acoustic Guitar Solo]

[Piano Motif]

[Soft Organ Pad]

[Final Chorus]

If ever words are too much
(Leave it to the touch)

If you forget what is real
(Remember the real feel deal)

If all the world becomes too much
(Then come back to the touch)

If everything slips out of clutch
(We return to the touch)

[Refrain]

Too the touch
(Reach out)

Bump and such
(Feel what life’s about)

[Outro]

No more speaking
(Just feel it)

No more hiding
(Just heal it)

Too the touch
(Reach out)

Too the touch
(What life’s about)

Too the touch
(Feel about)

Bump and such
(And, let out a shout!)

From the album “Unwritten“

[Silence]

[Arrangement: Piano-driven rock, Hammond organ, bass, drums, electric guitar, layered backing vocals]

[Intro]
Does anybody know
(How it unfolds)
The future hides
(What it holds)

[Verse 1]
Reading headlines
(Day by day)
Trying to guess
(Any which way)

Looking for answers
(In the noise)
Trying to separate
(Facts from ploys)

The world keeps moving
(Faster still)
Beyond our plans
(Beyond our will)

[Pre-Chorus]
Around the corner
(Beyond the door)
Something different
(Than before)

[Chorus]
What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)
What’s to come?
(Just can’t ask anyone)

What’s ahead?
(Beyond the things we’ve read)
What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)

[Refrain]
Round and round
(The wheel turns)
Lesson learned?
(Or lesson burns?)

Round and round
(The wheel turns)

[Verse 2]
The atmosphere
(Keeps score)
Heat accumulates
(More and more)

Yesterday’s records
(Fall away)
Making room
(For a different day)

What seemed impossible
(Not long ago)
Now arrives
(Row by row)

[Pre-Chorus]
Around the corner
(Beyond the door)
Something different
(Than before)

[Chorus]
What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)
What’s to come?
(Just can’t ask anyone)

What’s ahead?
(Beyond the things we’ve read)
What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)

[Bridge]
The future isn’t written
(In stone)
We’re all passengers
(And will be shown)

[Instrumental]
[Piano Solo]
[Organ Solo]

[Verse 3]
Choices matter
(More than we know)
Seeds we plant
(Are what will grow)

Every action
(Leaves a trace)
Every generation
(Sets the pace)

[Final Chorus]
What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)
What’s to come?
(Just can’t ask anyone)

What’s ahead?
(Beyond the things we’ve read)
What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)

What’s in store?
(Behind the closed door)
What’s to come?
(For everyone)

[Outro]
Nobody knows
(Exactly where)
But tomorrow’s waiting
(Out there)

What’s in store?
(We’re not sure anymore)

From the album “Unwritten“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Driving rock groove, Hammond organ, electric guitar, thunder effects, bass, drums, layered call-and-response vocals]

[Intro]
Dark horizon
(Coming around)
Sky getting heavy
(Without a sound)

Pressure falling
(All around)
Something’s building
(Above the ground)

[Verse 1]
Far away
(It begins)
A distant rumble
(Blowing in)

Warm air rising
(Into the sky)
Feeding giants
(Mile high)

The atmosphere
(Is loaded now)
You can feel it
(Somehow)

[Pre-Chorus]
Black and gray
(Blocking the sun)
Looks like trouble
(On the run)

[Chorus]
Storm cloud!
(For crying out loud)
Look out!
(Lookout)
Danger wowed
(No doubt)

Storm cloud!
(Growing proud)
Calling out
(Loud and loud)
Danger wowed
(No doubt)

[Refrain]
Thunder!
(Rolling through)

Lightning!
(Coming, too)

Thunder!
(Rolling through)

What are we gonna do?

[Verse 2]
Heat below
(Fuels the rise)
Moisture climbing
(To the skies)

Every degree
(Adds a little more)
To what the atmosphere
(Is storing for)

Rain begins
(Then rain won’t stop)
Somewhere a river
(Jumps the top)

[Pre-Chorus]
Black and gray
(Blocking the sun)
Looks like trouble
(On the run)

[Chorus]
Storm cloud!
(For crying out loud)
Look out!
(Lookout)
Danger wowed
(No doubt)

Storm cloud!
(Growing proud)
Calling out
(Loud and loud)
Danger wowed
(No doubt)

[Bridge]
What was rare
(Is showing up more)
Knocking hard
(On the door)

The warmer the ocean
(The stronger the ride)
More energy
(Has nowhere to hide)

[Instrumental]
[Organ Solo]
[Guitar Solo]
[Thunder Effects]

[Final Chorus]
Storm cloud!
(For crying out loud)
Look out!
(Lookout)

Danger wowed
(No doubt)
Storm cloud!
(Over the crowd)

Calling out
(Loud and loud)
Danger wowed
(No doubt)

[Outro]
Alas…
(Wasn’t written in the forecast)
Hoped it would’ve passed

Amassed
(How long can it last)

From the album “Unwritten“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Acoustic guitar, didgeridoo-inspired drone, hand percussion, piano, bass, layered vocal harmonies, atmospheric synths]

[Intro]
Long ago
(And far away)

Under stars
(They found a way)

Stories carried
(Through the land)

Passed along
(From hand to hand)

[Verse 1]
Seven sisters
(In the sky)
Watching seasons
(Passing by)

Songlines stretching
(Over stone)
Mapping pathways
(To the known)

Generation after generation
(Watching Country breathe)
Learning lessons
(From the things they could perceive)

[Pre-Chorus]
The stars remember
(What we’ve seen)
The earth remembers
(Where we’ve been)

[Chorus]
Dreaming story
(Pass it on and on)
Extraordinary
(Pass it on and on)

Dreaming story
(Singing through the dawn)
Extraordinary
(On and on and on)

[Refrain]
Pass it down
(Pass it along)
Keep it living
(Keep it strong)
Pass it down
(Pass it along)
On and on and on

[Verse 2]
Sixty-five thousand years
(And even more)
Listening closely
(To the shore)

To the flowers
(To the rain)
To the animals
(On the plain)

Every signal
(Had a place)
Every pattern
(Left a trace)

A living calendar
(Written in the land)
A deeper understanding
(Than many understand)

[Pre-Chorus]
The stars remember
(What we’ve seen)
The earth remembers
(Where we’ve been)

[Chorus]
Dreaming story
(Pass it on and on)
Extraordinary
(Pass it on and on)

Dreaming story
(Singing through the dawn)
Extraordinary
(On and on and on)

[Bridge]
No species stands
(Above the rules)

Nature teaches
(Hard-earned truths)

[Instrumental]

[Piano Solo]
[Drone and Percussion]
[Vocal Harmonies]

[Verse 3]
Human bodies
(Have their range)
Not everything
(Can simply change)

The world can shift
(Faster than we)
Adaptability
(Is not infinity)

Every generation
(Faces its test)
What we leave behind
(Becomes the rest)

[Final Chorus]
Dreaming story
(Pass it on and on)
Extraordinary
(Pass it on and on)

Dreaming story
(The future carries on)
Extraordinary
(On and on and on)

Dreaming story
(Learning right from wrong)
Extraordinary
(On and on and on)

[Final Refrain]
Pass it down
(Pass it along)

Keep it living
(Keep it strong)

Pass it down
(Pass it along)

On and on and on

[Outro]
Under stars
(Still shining bright)

Ancient stories
(Guiding through the night)

Dreaming story
(Pass it on and on)

Dreaming story
(On and on and on)

About the Song
Heat Stress, Environmental Stressors, and the Limits of Human Adaptability
A Follow-Up to Heat Stress, Human Survivability, and the Emerging Physiological Limits of Climate Change
/global_warming/Heat-Survivability-Thresholds.html

Q: How Adaptable Are Humans to Rising Heat and Compounding Environmental Stressors?
A: Far less adaptable than many assume.
Modern humans (Homo sapiens) are approximately 200,000 years old, with some of our closest ancestral lineages dating back roughly 140,000 years. One of the oldest known oral traditions may provide a remarkable example of humanity’s long environmental memory: the story of the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades.

The Pleiades are a cluster of stars in the Taurus constellation. Today, six stars are easily visible to the naked eye, yet many ancient traditions across the world describe seven visible sisters. Some researchers suggest these stories may preserve observations from many tens of thousands of years ago, before stellar movement made the seventh star difficult to see without magnification.

Among the oldest continuous cultural traditions associated with the Pleiades are the Dreaming stories of Aboriginal Australians. These interconnected “songlines” span much of the Australian continent, linking ecological knowledge, astronomy, navigation, and seasonal cycles across dozens of language groups and cultures.

First Nations Australians are also among the earliest groups to recognize localized ecological disruptions associated with anthropogenic climate change. Their approximately 65,000 years of continuous connection to Country produced highly localized ecological calendars based not on fixed months, but on relationships among plants, animals, weather patterns, and stars. This deep environmental literacy enabled them to track subtle shifts in ecosystems long before modern climate science emerged.

Yet even populations with millennia of environmental adaptation have limits.

Although Aboriginal Australians survived in some of the harshest climates on Earth, they have not escaped the physiological and societal burdens associated with environmental stress. Today, Indigenous Australians continue to experience significantly lower life expectancy compared to non-Indigenous populations, reflecting the complex interaction of environmental, social, economic, and health stressors.

From the album “Unwritten“

[Silence]
[Arrangement: Funk-rock groove, punchy bass, distorted electric guitar riffs, tight drum kit, occasional siren-like synth stabs.]

[Intro]
Hey!
(Watch him go)
No leash
(Whoa, oh, oh)

Something snapped
(It’s gonna blow)
Better step back
(Let it show)

[Verse 1]
Used to be calm
(Used to sit still)
Now it’s all chaos
(Against the will)

Circling faster
(Barking loud)
Lost in the motion
(Running proud)

[Pre-Chorus]
Too much pressure
(Breaking free)
Too much tension
(In the energy)

[Chorus]
Acting unrestrained
(Has he got no brain?)
Aggressive… or out of control
(Impressive? Nooo, I’m gonna roll)

Acting unchained
(Lost in the game)
Breaking loose
(From every chain)

[Refrain]
That dog’s gone mad
(Off his chain)
Things lookin’ bad
(Won’t remain)

I think I’ve had enough fun
(I’m gonna run)
Run, run, run

[Verse 2]
Neighborhood shaking
(From the sound)
Pacing in circles
(All around)

Fence line rattling
(Metal and bone)
No longer answering
(The call of home)

Is it instinct?
(Is it fear?)
Or just something
(That got too near?)

[Pre-Chorus]
Signal’s gone
(Control is thin)
Something’s shifted
(Under the skin)

[Chorus]
Acting unrestrained
(Has he got no brain?)
Aggressive… or out of control
(Impressive? Nooo, I’m gonna roll)

No direction
(Only pain)
Running wild
(Off the chain)

[Bridge]
Push it far enough
(It will bend)
Till the beginning
(Meets the end)

[Instrumental Break]
[Guitar solo: sharp bends, chaotic rhythm stabs]
[Synth siren rise]
[Drum breakdown]

[Final Chorus]
Acting unrestrained
(No longer contained)
Aggressive… or out of control
(The system’s derailed from its role)

Acting unrestrained
(No longer tamed)
Running wild
(Unnamed)

[Final Refrain]
That dog’s gone mad
(Off his chain)
Things lookin’ bad
(Will not remain)

I think I’ve had enough fun
(I’m gonna run)
Run, run, run

[Outro]
Off his chain…
(Off his chain…)
Gone again…
(Off his chain…)
… lame membrane.

From the album “Unwritten“

[Silence]

[Instrumental, Guitar, Piano, Organ, Synth, Bass, Percussion, Drums]
[Arrangement: Heavy rhythmic electric guitar riff, punchy drums, industrial percussion accents. Dark, energetic, defensive tone.]

[Intro]
Steel in the frame
(Cold and tight)
Locked in place
(Ready for a fight)

No way in
(No way through)
What you see
(Is something new)

[Chorus]
You can’t pass
(Through this glass)
Proof:
(… bullet proof)

You can’t crack
(The surface back)
Proof:
(It’s bullet proof)

[Refrain]
Hey! Hey! Hey!
(Fire away)
Hey! Hey! Hey!
(I’ll stay this way)

Cock the hammer
(Hey! Hey! Hey!)

Watch your grammar
(Before you say)

[Verse 1]
Built from pressure
(And harder days)
Shaped by storms
(In countless ways)

Every hit
(Just made it strong)
Couldn’t break
(Was ever long)

[Chorus]
You can’t pass
(Through this glass)
Proof:
(… bullet proof)

You can’t crack
(No turning back)
Proof:
(It’s bullet proof)

[Arrangement: Bass intensifies. Distorted synth layer enters.]

[Refrain]
Hey! Hey! Hey!
(Fire away)
Hey! Hey! Hey!
(I won’t sway)

Cock the hammer
(Hold your aim)

Watch your grammar
(Or feel the flame)

[Verse 2]
Words like bullets
(Strike and fall)
But they don’t break
(The glass wall)

Try your doubt
(Try your fear)
Nothing lands
(When I’m here)

[Bridge]
[Instrumental, Psychedelic Jam, Percussion Break]

[Final Chorus]
You can’t pass
(Through this glass)
Proof:
(… bullet proof)

You can’t crack
(The surface intact)
Proof:
(… bullet proof)

[Arrangement: Music drops to half-time, tension builds.]

Hey! Hey! Hey!
(Fire away)
Hey! Hey! Hey!
(I won’t sway)

Cock the hammer
(Pull the trigger)
Watch your grammar
(Troubles got bigger)

[Outro]
Steel grows quiet
(After fire)
Echoes fading
(Higher and higher)

Bullet proof…
(Or so it seems)
Just a frame
(Inside our dreams)

From the album “Out Your Window“