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This Is My Soul Journey
This is my soul journey, my body is my ship of mystery
this is my soul journey, nobody can take it for me
set my sails out on the wild and windy sea
see my old shores slipping away from me
up ahead I see something new
it's just now dropping into view
this is my soul journey, this is my very own ship of mystery
this is my soul journey, nobody can take it for me
now you see me, now you don't
I'm washed up on some distant shore
adventure calls, this restless spirit won't
be hanging 'round ship wrecked no more
this is my soul journey, this is my ship of mystery
this is my soul journey, nobody can take it for me
we're spirit riders, soul adventurers, on a ship of mystery, trying to find a way back home
spirit riders, on a soul journey, sailing through the fog, drifting like a ship out on the foam
take it round the horn, steer clear of the shore
see you next time spirit rider, see you next time
Human Power
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
the power of a human being
I was born under the shadow of the atomic bomb
raised up on petroleum oil
and i've never known another way to get along
and everything i've touched is spoiled
while we're singing "oh beautiful oh beautiful for spacious skies"
we're burning up the furniture of our souls
blowing up the purple mountain majesties
to squeeze out a little bit more coal
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
the power of a human being
the oil spill is connected to the gas pump
the gas pump is connected to my car
if I need someplace to point the finger at
I won't have to look too far
'cause as long as we're buying they're selling
and as long as they're selling there's gonna be drilling
and as long as there's drilling, there's gonna be spilling
and as long as there's spilling we're all killing
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
the power of a human being
when Icarus got his wings on
he took off into the sky
but he flew too close to the mighty power of the sun
his wings melted, and he died
when John Henry worked in the mountain
his hammer was striking fire
to demonstrate the power of a human being
with blood, bone, muscle and desire
the thing that drives my imagination
is not another gas burning machine
Gandhi's spinning wheel, a bicycle or a sailboat
and the power of a human being
Icarus' wings, or John Henry's hammer
and the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
human power human power, the power of a human being
the power of a human being
Can't Breathe
material glory is on parade
miss America smiles and waves
she looks so pretty when she smiles that way
she can't breathe
shiny new cars and bright new clothes
gleaming in the sun like a plastic rose
thrown on the body as the coffin closed
we can't breathe
all the young men look so hip
dancing with the ladies as they shake their hips
toast to the future and they all take a sip
they can't breathe
beautiful baby on his mothers' breast
looks like an angel when he takes his rest
dad wants him to grow up and do his best
he can't breathe
(can't breathe) maybe jesus will take you away
(can't breathe) if you get on your knees and pray
(can't breathe) but he'll have only the dead to save if we can't breathe
flags are flapping in the funky breeze
take what you want do what you please
pick your teeth with the bones of the feast
you can't breathe
all that money all that fame all that power in the family name
winning and losing is the same
when you can't breathe
clocks are ticking and the grains of sand
are slipping through the human hand
what good are all your plans
if you can't breathe?
what good is all the hate
what good is all the love
what good are all these thoughts
if we can't breathe?
(can't breathe) maybe jesus will take you away
(can't breathe) if you get on your knees and pray
(can't breathe) but he'll have only the dead to save if we can't breathe
it's a game of chicken with a monkey trap
can't go forward and we can't turn back
no directions and we got no map
and we can't breathe
it doesn't matter if you don't like me
wether you're a slave or if you're free
if you believe in god or a mystery
if you can't breathe
(can't breathe) maybe jesus will take you away
(can't breathe) if you get on your knees and pray
(can't breathe) but he'll have only the dead to save if we can't breathe
all the wars will cease
warriors will lie with their enemies
we'll all be one in peace
when we can't breathe
Wings For My Birthday
gonna give myself wings for my birthday
gonna give myself rockets for my shoes
gonna give myself wings for my birthday
blast off from these rotten blues
gonna give myself a magic sailboat
sail across the ocean blue
gonna give myself a magic sailboat
that's what I'm gonna do
I got nothing to lose
I got nothing to lose
I got nothing to lose
I got nothing to lose
gonna ride my bicycle round the world
gonna ride my bicycle to the moon
gonna ride my bicycle to the temples of venus
and I won't be coming home soon
gonna free up all the dates on my schedule
got nothing better to do
than live my life to the fullest
and that's what I'm gonna do
I got nothing to lose
I got nothing to lose
I got nothing to lose
I got nothing to lose
but these blues
gonna lace up, lace up
my running shoes
lace up, lace up
my running shoes
'cause life's too short to hang around being attacked by tweakers
said life's too short to hang around being attacked by tweakers
gonna give myself wings for my birthday
gonna give myself wings for my birthday
gonna give myself wings for my birthday
gonna give myself wings
To Be So Blessed
they hoped we'd come again
and we came
to the generations of people
who
still carry the pain
and I stand here on their sacred land
trying to understand
the cruelty of this dark, fucked up country
and it's shameful shadows following
years of time to cross the lines drawn
in self defense rising up against
mans machine in all it's power and greed
taking out all hearts that may get in it's way
oh man what foolish games we play
and so i hear another one's coming down
the notice sign's been posted, bulldozing sign's been posted
will they drag her out now, by her hair while she prays in her native tongue
for her life, for her home?
when will this revolution come?
and I see still standing
the solitude of strength
and from their eyes I see gazing
simple kindness here
I can hear him say, "my life for Las Vegas"
city of lost souls, "my life for Las Vegas"
just another red star not afraid to fall
and how am I to be so blessed to be standing amongst these spirit free?
and how am I to be so blessed to be standing amongst these revolutionaries?
and how am I to be so blessed to be standing amongst these spirit free?
and how am I to be so blessed to be standing amongst these revolutionaries?
The Whole World
now I've had the time to think
I realize we're on the brink
of a deep dark precipice
look at all the time we've missed
shadows moan and groan
a son's so far from home
aches and pains amend
disaster's come again
take us to another place
where we don't have to think
a far away magic land
where we can just smoke and drink
I've got so much on my mind
makes me think we're out of time
but howling at the moon
helps me think we're just too soon
and my tears keep on falling
as our fears keep on marching us to war
desert sands keep on blowing, closer, and closer
as our gardens we're destroying
our gardens of Eden
again I realize
again to my surprise
our fate has beguiled us
from a place we were meant to be
to underscore this point
I presently abhor
the current state we're in
the pain of this inner war
but soon we will arise
and brush off these dusty eyes
and transform the pain we're in
and make our lives again
the pain, it guides us to
a place where we can choose
a better way than the one
that brought us to this low
and the world keeps on dying
as the people keep on buying it, buying and buying
and politicians keep on lying to us
as our country men are dying over there
dying over here
and I see the whole world
as one country
and all humanity
as one family
and anywhere I go
and any one I know
each one is a brother, a sister, a mother
and my tears keep on falling
as our fears keep on marching us to war
desert sands keep on blowing, closer, and closer
as our gardens we're destroying
our gardens of Eden
and I see the whole world
as one country
and all humanity
as one family
and anywhere I go
and any one I know
each one is a brother, a sister, a mother
New Orleans
hobo buddha
summer swelter
lay all day in a makeshift shelter
staring at grey clouds above
wonder if they could rain some love
on the dreams
of the children here
among the hoards of have-nots
with empty soup pots
crouched under tarps in vacant lots
now feel the rain, feel the pain
of hope slipping down the sewer drain
with bits and pieces
of heart and homes
poison fish and poison shrimp
poison thoughts and dogs that limp
with ribs that poke right through the skin
the smell of death on the poison wind
blows through the empty streets
of the ninth ward today
New Orleans, I can't define what it is you've given me
New Orleans, breathed a fire into the songs of this country
New Orleans, the brave joy of a second line parade
New Orleans, it's gonna be there when the saints come marching in
like flowers pushing through the cracks
like ballet dance with broken backs
somehow there's music in the morning air
building beauty from the disrepair
and the face on the statue of Mr. Armstrong
smiling still
the sultry sounds of a lonesome horn
bless the place where the blues were born
sweet soul singing, kiss my ears
mixed with memories of years and years and years
staring out Tennessee Williams' window
New Orleans, I can't define what it is you've given me
New Orleans, you bled magic fire into the songs of this country
New Orleans, the brave joy of a second line parade
New Orleans, it's gonna be there when the saints come marching in
where the gulf meets the holy river
Mississippi, sweet life giver
from ancient days her rolling water
nourished all the sons and daughters
and are now mixed with B.P.s' crude, ammonium nitrate, and Huck Finns' tears
Dos Yantas
dos yantas de la revolucion
dos yantas
la revolucion aggradable
dos yantas
un inspiracion de mi corazon
dos yantas
la revolucion de mi dos yantas
cantadora, cantadora canta
cyclistas, cyclistas vailon
dos yantas
cominante no hay camino
se ya se
camino alandar
jidando
el ritmo del to alma
dos yantas
el ritmo de mi dos yantas
con poder, con poder humano
con poder, con poder vamanos
dos yantas
con mis amigos y amigas
dos yantas
con mis hermanos y hermanas
dos yantas
un aire mystico
dos yantas
un viento de mi dos yantas
dos yantas
dos yantas
dos yantas
dos yantas
Gypsy Song
in this time let it not be wasted
in this truth let us find understanding
in this life let our hearts shine freely
in this bliss enjoy with no boundaries
in this hate let us learn to give thanks yeah
in this jealousy we are all such beauty
in this pain in take in and let free yeah
in this life let's keep on living
in this mind let us succeed much greatness
in this heart let poetry fly
in this soul let us grow deeper and deeper
we will soar yes you and I
we will soar yes you and I
we will soar yes you and I
Mother Lost Her Son
Cindy Sheehan has lost her son
in a war that will only be won
in the boardrooms and bank accounts of the corporations
who took the money and run
mother lost her son
they say down through history we've paid the price
freedom comes with dire sacrifice
but not for Exxon Mobile or Haliburton
who showed record profits when the deed was done
mother lost her son
witness the heart of a mother
who has lost her son
she'll never hold him again in this life
maybe in the next one
mother lost her son
Cindy has some questions
but no answers come
was it all about some ones religious ideologies
engineering rapture and armegeddon
a mother lost her son
there were no weapons of mass destruction
no connection to 911
they weren't threatening our freedoms
what mission was accomplished?
when the day is done
a mother lost her son
witness the rage of a mother
who has lost her son
nothing can deter her
the big boys better run
a mother lost her son
mother lost her son
they have tried to ignore her
tried to shut her out
arrested her and jailed her
all the louder you can hear her shout
mother lost her son
they could have bought the whole country
for the cost of what's been done
took out the cradle of civilization
what's the total or the sum?
a mother lost her son
and she's not the only one
how many mothers lost their sons and daughters
aunts and uncles nieces and nephews grandmas and grandpas
whole families gone
mother lost her son
mother lost her son
mother lost her son
mother lost her son
Variation On a Theme:
Harpos Ladder
Wavy Gravy intro:
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
just an opera hat full of yellow chickens
he was a soldier of the clowns
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
soldier of the clowns
soldier do you love Jack Bennie
soldier do you love Jack Bennie
soldier do you love Jack Bennie
soldier of the clowns
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
soldier of the clowns
soldier do you love Richard Prior
soldier do you love Dave Chapell
soldier do you love lucy
soldiers of the clowns
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
soldier of the clowns
soldier do you love my whoopie cushion
soldier do you dig my rubber nose
soldier do you love my yellow chicken
sacred implements of the clown
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
soldier of the clowns
soldier do you love my cream pie
soldier do you love my cream pie
soldier do you love my cream pie
soldier of the clowns
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
we are climbing Harpos' ladder
soldier of the clowns
soldier do you love Wavy Gravy
soldier do you love Wavy Gravy
soldier do you love Wavy Gravy
soldier of the clowns
Federal Reserve Gang
the Federal Reserve gang
ripping off your soul since before you were born
military domineering
social engineering
propaganda keep you fearing and at war
slavery in the twenty first century
is a lot more subtle than it used to be
we're driven by a slavers hand we never see
enslaving all with equal opportunity
Federal Reserve gang
the Federal Reserve gang
ripping off your soul since before you were born
the Great Emancipator
tried to shut the game down
some one put a bullet in his head
when he straightened up his long back
and printed Lincoln greenbacks
now his face is on the penny instead
slavery in the twenty first century
is a lot more subtle than it used to be
we're driven by a slavers hand we never see
enslaving all with equal opportunity
Federal Reserve gang
the Federal Reserve gang
ripping off your soul since before you were born
in the dark behind the curtain
they got all their guns drawn
pistol whipping freedom
til she bled
Hands of Grace
we're confronted with miracles everyday
as real as your face
inconsistencies in our notions of
time and space
yet we turn from the awesome limitlessness
to the elusion of the common place
explain it into a box somehow
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now
the stories we tell ourselves
make up the world and how we perceive
fear of separation and the unknown
could define how we believe
but look out the window it's a mystery
and mystery won't bow
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now, don't wait around for the rapture
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now
it's some kinda mystery
it's a mystery to me
it's a mystery
it's a mystery to me
some kinda sweet mystery it's a mystery to me
can't be captured in a language
won't be written in a book
can't be contained by the five senses
who thinks they got it figured out better take another look
from the mystery emerges the infinite
that which is called the Tao is not the Tao
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now, don't wait around no more, don't wait around
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now
it's a mystery, I'm gonna play my harmonica
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now, don't wait around no more, no more
we're all in the hands of grace right now
we're all in the hands of grace right now
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A song of soul adventure and the wonder of life in a seagoing metaphor.
Bear Dyken, words and music, vocals, harmonica, guitar, grand piano. Mark Dyken, drums, vocals. Gary Dyken, bass, vocals. Somer Moon vocals. Recorded at Expressions Center For New Media, Oakland California in 2005. Mixed by Mark Mansfield.
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Words and music by Bear Dyken. Recorded and mixed by Mark Mansfield December 2011. These sparse, rootsy, tracks were recorded live and direct first cut in a creative frenzy. Inspired by a summer of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico, features Bear Dyken, words and music, also on vocals and guitar, Somer Moon on vocals, Mark Dyken on drums, Silas Dyken on bass.
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Words and music by Bear Dyken. Recorded and mixed by Mark Mansfield 2010. Bear Dyken on harmonica, guitar, and vocals, words and music. Somer Moon on vocals. Mark Dyken, drums. Silas Dyken bass.
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A bicycle music song that features our friend from the Big Island of Hawaii, Words and music by Bear Dyken. Dave Hanaman Rocco on djembe drum. Recorded and mixed on the Big Island of Hawaii at Star Struck Studio by Dave Millington February, 2009. Bear Dyken words and music, vocals, guitar. Mark Dyken drums. Somer Moon vocals. Silas Dyken, bass.
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Music by Mark and Bear Dyken. Mark Dyken, congas. Bear Dyken congas, and bamboo flutes. Mixed and recorded by Mark Mansfield late summer 2010. An instrumental exploration of rootsy proportions.
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Somer Moon, words and music, vocals, 12 string guitar. Bear Dyken, vocals, harmonica. Mark Dyken, drums. Silas Dyken, bass. Jeff "Fingers" Crawford on keys. Recorded and mixed by Jeff Crawford at Paradise Studio, Sacramento California in 2006. A song for the Resistance at Big Mountain and the surrounding communities in northeastern Arizona.
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The words and music are by Thomas Spellman who is also doing the vocals and guitar. Co-written by Natalie Shramm. Somer Moon on vocals. Mark Dyken on drums. Silas Dyken on bass, guitar and party sounds. Bear Dyken vocals, harmonica. Met Thomas on the bicycle music tour of the northwest summer of 2009. He came with us to Hawaii for our February 2010 tour and recording session at Dave Millingtons Star Struck Studio.
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Going Ballistic, is 2 minutes 4 seconds of rocking it. Music by Bear Dyken. Recorded at Star Struck Studios 2010 by Dave Millington who also mixed it. Thomas Spellman on guitar. Mark Dyken on drums. Silas Dyken on bass. Music by Bear Dyken, who is also on guitar. An instrumental piece that celebrates volume. Turn it up.
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A bicycle music song en espanol, inspired by the Pleasant Revolution Bicycle Music Tour of Mexico. Bear Dyken words and music, guitar, vocal, congas, rain sticks. Thomas Spellman, guitar. Mark Dyken, drums, congas. Silas Dyken, bass. Somer Moon, vocals. The main tracks were recorded by Dave Millington at the 2010 Star Struck sessions, the congas were recorded by Mark Mansfield at Bears house. Mixed by Dave Millington.
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Somer Moon, words and music, 12 string guitar, vocals, claps. Mark Dyken, dumbek, tambourine, vocals, claps. Gary Dyken, bass, claps. Bear Dyken, accordion, guitar, vocals, claps. Recorded at Expressions Center For New Media, mixed by Mark Mansfield.
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Words and music by Bear Dyken, who is playing guitar, organ, and doing vocals. Gary Dyken on bass and vocals. Mark Dyken on drums, and vocals. Somer Moon, vocals. Mixed by Mark Mansfield. This song about the families of those lost at war was also recorded at the Expressions sessions in Oakland California in 2004.
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Recorded and mixed by Mark Mansfield January, 2011. Kiel Williams on Keys. Bear Dyken, words and music, vocals, guitar. Mark Dyken, drums. Silas Dyken, bass. Somer Moon, vocals.
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A song inspired by the poems of Rumi, Bear Dyken, words and music,vocal, guitar, harmonica, conga. Mark Dyken, vocal, drums, conga. Jeff Crawford, keys. Somer Moon, vocals. Silas Dyken, Bass. Recorded and mixed by Jeff Crawford from the Paradise sessions.
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Inspired by our bicycle tour of this town in August of 2010. Recorded and mixed by Mark Mansfield in January of 2011. Bear Dyken, words and music, vocals, guitar. Somer Moon, vocals. Silas Dyken, bass. Mark Dyken, drums. Rick Moore, sax.
Features an intro and an outro by Wavy Gravy, who wrote the song. California reggae version by Clan Dyken. Bear Dyken on guitar and vocals. Mark Dyken on drums and vocals. Somer Moon, vocals. Silas Dyken, bass. Recorded live on the Big Island of Hawaii, at the Center Of Conscious Oneness by Dave Millington 2007, mixed by Dave Millington. Wavy Gravy was recorded by Mark Mansfield at the Further Festival in Angels Camp California, 2010.