Lyrics


hide your shield

in the tall grass of the field, leave your armor, hide your shield

in the deep snow the earth is under, hide your shield, leave your armor

coming here, looking spent, left alone in the trench

thought the sacrifice would be good, but in the shadows, mercy stood

in the tall grass of the field, leave your armor, hide your shield

in the deep snow the earth is under, hide your shield, leave your armor

ice breaker, coming in, load the boat and cross again

i will meet you by the ferry, leave behind what you carry

in the tall grass of the field, leave your armor, hide your shield

in the deep snow the earth is under, hide your shield, leave your armor


piece of silver

light the furnace, there is metal in the stone

down from the ages, there is metal in the stone

break the string, bend the wheel, feed the bite at your heels and

i will have a piece of silver

pulled from the fire, shining like a river

light the furnace, ‘cause we pulled it from under the ground

from deep inside the caves, we pulled it from under the ground

break the string, bend the wheel, feed the bite at your heels and

i will have a piece of silver

pulled from the fire, shining like a river

‘till there’s nothing left to burn

light the furnace, and stay up all night long

light the furnace, and stay up all night long

and stay up all night and

i will have a piece of silver

pulled from the fire, shining like a river


cover the water

gotta run the boat all night

don’t let the ice, don’t let the ice, don’t let the ice cover the water

sun goes down at 4 o’clock, don’t let the ice cover the water

never turn the engines off, don’t let the ice cover the water

gotta run the boat all night

don’t let the ice, don’t let the ice, don’t let the ice cover the water

if the ice closes in, don’t let the ice cover the water

you may never get out again, don’t let the ice cover the water

gotta run the boat all night

don’t let the ice, don’t let the ice, don’t let the ice cover the water


working landscape

the trees are growing in, can’t see the riverbend

there was a time when this was field

we just let it lie fallow for a while

somehow the place got away from us

the day is long, the hour is late

where will we rest, where will we rest

the day is long, the hour is late

where will we rest in this working landscape

in comes a patch of pine, and there a tangled vine

we have to take the long way around

my neighbor said that he would clear it out for me

he lives at the bottom of the road

the day is long, the hour is late

where will we rest, where will we rest

the day is long, the hour is late

where will we rest in this working landscape

far from the engine block, far from the sharpened blade

far from the turning wheels sinking in the clay

with all this time alone, things get overgrown

see how the edges are wearing down

and there’s a little deer that started coming here

out of thicket, if you’re quiet and still

but the day is long, the hour is late

where will we rest, where will we rest

the day is long, the hour is late

where will we rest, where will we rest

far from the engine block, far from the sharpened blade

far from the turning wheels


running through the halls

put a lookout by the door, bare feet on the floor

and mercy is not of her that wills

through a window to the gate, we have arranged our escape

and mercy is not of her that runs

and you won’t find us, you won’t find us

you won’t find us in our room

‘cause we’re running through, running through the halls

slip away in the rain, or maybe on the last train

and mercy is not of her that wills

through the corridors and wings, back before the morning bells ring

and mercy is not of her that runs

and you won’t find us, you won’t find us

you won’t find us in our room

‘cause we’re running through, running through the halls

sometimes we are blind to what waits on the outside

when the soldiers come to take us as a pawn

they say mercy is not of her that wills

put a lookout by the door, bare feet on the floor

and mercy is not of her that runs

and you won’t find us, you won’t find us

you won’t find us in our room

‘cause we’re running through the halls

skinned our knees, skinned our knees, skinned our knees on the sill

mercy is not of her that wills

and this might be, this might be, this might be the final straw

‘cause we’re out of bed and running through the halls 

sometimes we are blind to what waits on the outside


waters of the quarry

when the work is through, and the scar is still new

everything you gave, the heavens will replace

with the cool waters of the quarry

where the sun beats down, where the sun beats down

on the cool waters of the quarry

reflections of a promised land

precious gem, precious stone, were taken, now they’re gone

to sell and to trade, but the dust will lead the way

to the cool waters of the quarry

where the sun beats down, where the sun beats down

on the cool waters of the quarry

reflections of a promised land

this call to you is echoing through an empty place

opened and cleaned out, nothing to do now but wait

for the cool waters of the quarry

where the sun beats down, where the sun beats down

on the cool waters of the quarry


cold house

cold house, cold house

sitting on the outskirts, and the water from the tap hurts

when i wash my hands of all my plans

cold house, cold house

sitting in the sun, you’re not fooling anyone

the pipes nearly froze last night, is there a fire to light?

cold house

good bones, good bones, it’s a feeling

cold house, cold house

every single pane rattles in the frame

we have to start again, here up against the wind

cold house, cold house

with a ceiling and a floor, with four walls and a door

you haven’t convinced me you’re ready to be

my house


stay off the shoulder

looking down into the valley, see the headlights two by two

all night long the axles turning, tell me, tell me what to do

if you grade the road, if you stay off the shoulder

if you fill in the holes you can bear the pounding of the wheel

year after rolling year come the freeze and the thaw

year after rolling year, will we hear the call?

if you grade the road, if you stay off the shoulder

if you fill in the holes you can bear the pounding of the wheel


a proper farewell

some will leave in a hurry, some will leave without a trace

and we are left with so much to tell

and we are left with so much to tell

when we are left without a proper farewell

some will evade a simple question, some may leave behind a note

and we are left with so much to tell

and we are left with so much to tell

when we are left without a proper farewell

i will take all i can carry, what’s meant to be ain’t always easy

cut my hair and change my story, but i will plan on seeing you again

there will be no nights by the bedside, there will be no patient to attend

no one seems to believe you when you tell them

so you tell them again and again

because we are left with so much to tell

and we are left with so much to tell

when we are left without a proper farewell

and we are left with so much to tell

and we are left with so much to tell

when we are left without a proper farewell

i will take all i can carry, what’s meant to be ain’t always easy

cut my hair and change my story, but i will plan on seeing you again


climb, climb, climb

walk along a little further, walk along a little further

‘till you come, ‘till you come to the river

green leaf of the willow, green leaf of the willow

talking to you, talking to you when the wind blows

i am of a lowly mind, can’t touch this world divine

but with each step i’m gonna climb, climb, climb, climb

up along the desert highway, up along the desert highway

leaving behind, leaving behind the valley

hunger, thirst and thorn, hunger thirst and thorn

tearing at you, tearing at you no more

i am of a lowly mind, can’t touch this world divine

but with each step i’m gonna climb, climb, climb, climb


ease on up

you have something to forgive, but you don’t know what it is

you have tools to lay down, so ease on up now

feel the splinter in your hand, as it’s working its way in

from the grip of the plow, so ease on up now

all along the way, the wheel keeps turning

alone on your claim, you keep working

up comes a flint, up comes a bone, up comes a nail, up comes a stone

from the cool, dry ground, so ease on up now

will you keep digging in the dark, will you keep burying your heart

long after the sun has gone down, so ease on up now

all along the way, the wheel keeps turning

alone on your claim, you keep working