Strange Fire Producer: John Keane © 1987, 1989 Strange Fire Crazy Game Left Me a Fool I Don't Wanna Know Hey Jesus Get Together Walk Away Make It Easier You Left It Up To Me Land of Canaan

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Strange Fire
Words and Music: Amy Ray

I come to you with strange fire, I make an offering of love
The incense of my soul is burned by the fire in my blood
I come with a softer answer to the questions that lie in your path
I want to harbor you from the anger find a refuge from the wrath

This is a message, a message of love
Love that moves from the inside out
Love that never grows tired
I come to you with strange fire

Mercenaries of the shrine, now who are you to speak for God
With haughty eyes and lying tongues and hands that shed innocent blood
Now who delivered you to power to interpret calvary
You gambled away our freedom to gain your own authority

Find another state of mind
Reach out grab hold
Strange fire burns with the motion of love

When you learn to love yourself, you will dissolve all the stones that are cast
You will learn to burn the icing sky, to melt the waxen mask
To have to hold of true relief this is the peace that's gonna take you higher
I come to you with my offering, I bring you strange fire

This is a message, a message of love
Love that moves from the inside out
Love that never grows tired
I come to you with strange fire

I come to you with strange fire

Vocals: Ray & Saliers
Acoustic guitars: Saliers & Ray

Crazy Game
Words & Music: Emily Saliers

Crazy game I never should have started to play
But now you couldn't tear me away
Cause love is sweet, sweet darling
It's so good to you and so bad
And I fear the situation's clear before my eyes
Confusion wants to break me and it tries
I've been a little bit stronger from the start
Listen to my heart

Cause if you're ever believin I'm thinkin of leavin
Look to the moon cause it's a fact
She may go wanderin about but she always comes shinin back
And it's true I'll wait for you

You dry your tears don't be thinking grey is here to stay
Sometimes everything is in the way
You're wanting to look at it turn your view around
Dry your eyes
Eyes like yours should carry a smile
I haven't seen them sparkle in a while
Give it one more try
Dry your eyes

Cause if you're ever believin I'm thinkin of leavin
Look to the moon cause it's a fact
She may go wanderin about but she always comes shinin back
And it's true I'll wait for you

Vocals: Ray & Saliers
Acoustic guitar: Saliers
Flute: Annie Tichardson

Left Me A Fool
Words and Music: Emily Saliers

Everybody loves you and they want to know your story
You go riding out a mystery concealed in all your glory
But when it comes to flesh and bones you remind me of Shalot
Only made of shadows even though you're not

I remember how I spent all my energy and time
With affected conversation trying to pry inside your mind
You are as brilliant as truth and empty as a shell
And I came to you one night and it made me feel like hell

Oh, to reach through all your surface
Just to find an empty pool
And to suffer all your pride as I lay down by your side
And you swallowed up my heart and left me a fool
Left me a fool

Everybody loves a hero an image to create
Antithesis of everything inside theirselves they hate
But you'd better close your eyes when it's time for them to die
Cause you'd hate to think the life we built upon them was a lie

Oh, to reach through all your surface
Just to find an empty pool
And to suffer all your pride as I lay down by your side
And you swallowed up my heart and left me a fool
Left me a fool

I resign myself to silence I will never blow your cover
No one ever has to know who the hero took for lover
But it comes to mind as you blaze on as brilliant as a star
How many you've left behind, how many casualties there are

To reach through all your surface
Just to find an empty pool
And to suffer all your pride as I lay down by your side
And you swallowed up my heart and left me a fool
Left me a fool

Vocals: Saliers & Ray
Acoustic Guitar: Saliers
12-string: Ray
Cello: Nita Karpf

I Don't Wanna Know
Words and Music: Michelle Malone & Amy Ray

Well you've followed me this far, did you find out what's inside
Can you tell me what I'm doing, is it something I should hide
I don't know for sure
I don't wanna find out what I left there for

I'm not scared and I'm not lonely, I'm not savin all my money or my breath
I'm not lookin for an answer, not askin anyone to second guess

You told me all your secrets and I filled you up with lies
But now I'm living honestly because I've said goodbye
I can't go home anymore
I don't wanna find out what I left there for

I'm not scared and I'm not lonely, I'm not savin all my money or my breath
I'm not lookin for an answer, not askin anyone to second guess

I was losing all my senses I was losing all control
It was getting so offensive and now you want me back for more
And I just won't go

If you think you know the answer, then you've got a lot of gall
Cause it give you satisfaction knowing nothing at all
I don't care anymore
I don't wanna find out what I left there for

I'm not scared and I'm not lonely, savin all my money or my breath
I'm not lookin for an answer, not askin anyone to second guess
And I'm not scared and I'm not lonely, savin all my money or my breath
I'm not lookin for an answer, not askin anyone to take a second guess
Take a second guess
Take a second guess

(ad lib) Over one billion served

Vocals: Ray, Saliers, Malone
Acoustic Guitars: Saliers & Ray
Harmonica: Sandy Garfinkle
Mandolin: Dede Vogt

Hey Jesus
Words and Music: Emily Saliers

Hey Jesus it's me
I don't usually talk to you
But my baby's gonna leave me and there's something you must do
And I am not your faithful servant
I hang around sometimes with a bunch of your black sheep
But if you make my baby stay I'll make it up to you
And that's a promise I will keep

Hey Jesus it's me
I'm the one that talked to you yesterday
I asked you please please for a favor
But my baby's gone away
Went away anyway
And I don't really think it's fair
You got the power to make us all believe in you
And when we call you in our despair
You don't come through

Hey Jesus it's me, I'm sorry
I don't remember all I said
I had a few, no, too many
And they went straight to my head
And made me feel like I could argue with God
But you know it's easy for you you got friends all over the world
You had the whole world waiting for your birth
But now I ain't got nobody
I don't know what my life's worth
Cause when I die and I get up to your doors
I don't even know if you're going to let me in the place
How come I gotta die to get a chance to talk with you
Face to face...

Vocals & Acoustic Guitar: Saliers

Get Together
Words and Music: C. Powers

Love is but a song we sing
And fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
You may not know why

Come on people now smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Gotta love one another right now

Some may come and some may go
We will surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
Fading in the grass yeah

Come on people now smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Gotta love one another right now

Come on people now smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Gotta love one another right now

If you hear the song we sing
You will understand
You hold the key to love and fear
Hold in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command

Come on people now smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Gotta love one another right now
Yeah
Come on people now smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now
Try to love one another right now
Try to love one another right now

Vocals & Acoustic Guitar: Saliers & Ray

Walk Away
Words and Music: Amy Ray

We used to walk in each others' arms
"It was one on one", that's what you said
And now the moon is a sliver in our eye
We stand bleeding on this broken glass
But there was too much repitition (over and over and over again)
You know we're past the point of sane (over and over and over again)
And all this broken glass you left behind
Won't let you make a clean, clean
I said walk away

Now we're crossing from the sacred ground
Where we once held each other, and each others' names
But the words are sparse and we feel so profound
But babe you know all I feel, I feel so shamed
But there was too much repitition
You know I'm past the point of sane
And all this broken glass you left behind
Won't let you make a clean, clean

I said walk away, ah no, walk away, baby baby, walk away

And there was a time when we gave everything
And it was true babe, true enough to bleed (true enough to bleed)
But now you feel that you've got nothing left
But if there's nothing to lose babe
Then there's nothing to gain

I said walk away, ah yeah, walk away, baby baby, walk away
Ah no walk away, ah yeah, walk away, baby baby, walk away

You know I'd still hold you if I could
It's hard not to try and change, try to change your mind
I'm a pillar of salt I want you to understand me
Cause this is the last time, it's the last time
I ever look behind

(Chorus)

Walk away, ah no, walk away, baby baby, baby baby, walk away
(repeat)

I said you've got to know by now...

Come on...

Vocals: Ray & Saliers
Acoustic Guitars: Saliers & Ray

Make It Easier
Words and Music: Emily Saliers

I'm in search of greener pastures don't like my garden's what I said
I'm working harder than last year but I'm still deep in the red
I'm rowing as hard as I can, and they're selling me up the stream
I'm always one more step away from the American dream

I got a chip on my shoulder bout the size of a mental block
I got someone on the telephone trying to sell me a future in stock
Maybe I work too hard to be happy, and I should practice letting go
But it's hard not to rock the boat when you're sailing against the undertow

I want to slide into the black and wear the black mask
I might not get what I lack but it doesn't hurt to ask
If I want to sail I need my life to be breezier
I said please God or someone make it easier

I went to Sunday School last Sunday swallowed the bait and I got the hook
When I needed something someday I would read the good book
Tell me what does it take to get ahead sometimes I know I'd sell my soul
When it looks like everybody else is flying and I'm crawling in the hole

Maybe if I opened my own business, maybe if I buy a lottery ticket
Someone tell me what is the secret to getting out of the thicket
I need more than just a sample I need a whole lot of glory
So my life can become an example of the American success story

I want to slide into the black and wear the black mask
I might not get what I lack but it doesn't hurt to ask
If I want to sail I need my life to be breezier
I said please God or someone make it easier

I want to slide into the black and wear the black mask
I might not get what I lack but it doesn't hurt to ask
If I want to sail I need my life to be breezier
I said please God or someone make it easier
Make it easier
Make it easier

Vocals: Saliers & Ray
Acoustic guitars: Saliers & Ray

You Left It Up To Me
Words and Music: Amy Ray

When I let you go I cursed myself with empty hands
Strong enough to watch you walk but not enough to understand
With spiteful eyes you burn for my grace
I was trying to stand outside you were trying to save face

You say that I don't care I don't care
You can hope that we still have something left to share
But just between you baby and me
Just between me baby and you
There's nothing there

I finally found someone I can hold
You ask me to defend myself as if I shouldn't be so bold
Well get that look off of your face
I don't have the time and you don't have the place

To say that I don't care I don't care
To hope that we still have something left to share
And just between me baby and you
Just between you baby and me
There's nothing there

Baby what are you gonna do
I can't salvage the truth for you
Everybody else already knows
It hurts you to realize so leave well enough alone
And you don't need my hands to help you understand
You don't need to hear my voice (you have no choice)
So don't be throwing stones
The closer we get the harder they come
Now even if you're feeling alone don't come home
Cause when it was up to you (when it was up to you)
You left it up to me
Oh you left it up to me

Vocals: Ray & Saliers
Acoustic Guitars: Saliers & Ray

Land of Canaan
Words and Music: Amy Ray

You can go to the East to find your inner hemisphere
You say we're under the same sky baby don't you realize honey it's not that clear
I'm not your promised land, honey, you know that I'm not!
I'm not your promised one
I'm not the land of Canaan, sweetheart, waiting for you under the sun

I'm lonely tonight, I'm missing you now
I'm wanting your love and you're givin it out
I'm lonely tonight, I'm lonely tonight, I'm lonely tonight

Well the meaning has changed for what it's worth it's just a senseless game
I should think of love, but it's fear, everytime I hear honey your heartbeat strain
It's not the fallen man, honey, you know that it's not!
It's not the call of time
It's just the London skyline, sweetheart, telling me you're not mine

I'm lonely tonight, I'm missing you now
I'm wanting your love and you're givin it out
I'm lonely tonight, I'm lonely tonight, I'm lonely tonight

Now my blood is running dry my skin is my skin is growing thin
Everytime you find yourself you lose a little of me and honey it's from within
It's just a raging cycle, why can't we bring it all to the end of the line
From inside this existence, sweetheart, time is not on my side

I'm lonely tonight, I'm missin you now
I'm wanting your love and you're givin it out
I'm lonely tonight, I'm lonely tonight, I'm lonely tonight

I'm not your promised land I'm not your promised one (I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not your promised land I'm not your promised one (Honey I'm trying to tell you that I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not the land of Canaan (I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not your land of Canaan (I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not the land of Canaan, sweetheart, waiting for you under the sun
I'm lonely tonight

Vocals: Ray & Saliers
Acoustic Guitar: Saliers & Ray
Harmonica: Sandy Garfinkle