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Musicbrainz DBForms are loosely fitting
Jury still are sitting
Sense of duty keeps us all in motion
Prison sirens wailing
That security is failing
Do not inspire a lifetime of devotion
No one will sympathize
No one really tries
They need a faith that leads them like a drum
And I can hear it pounding down among the ruins
Sad to say, I don't think I'm the only one.
I awoke and someone spoke
They asked me in a whisper
If all my dreams and visions had been answered
And I don't know what to say
I never even pray
I just feel the pulse of universal dancers
They'll waltz me till I die
They'll never tell me why
I never stop to ask them where we're going
Yes, but the holy, the profane
Are all helplessly insane
Wishful, hopeful, never even knowing.
And they asked if I believe
And do the angels really grieve
Or is it all a comforting invention?
It's just like gravity, I said
It's not a product of my head
It doesn't speak, but nonetheless commands attention
And I don't care what it means
Or who decorates the scenes
The problem is more with my sense of pride
Because it keeps me thinking "me"
Instead of what it is to be
I'm not a passenger, I am the ride
I'm not a passenger
I am the ride
| polymath (Virtual Paradise) | Posted: Jun 06, 2013 - 09:01 Anybody else hear Burl Ives? |
| marcc (columbia, sc) | Posted: Jun 06, 2013 - 08:54 love this guy's voice and lyrics. saw him play live solo a long time ago and it was an instant love. |
| fuzzy (GWN) | Posted: May 05, 2013 - 13:11 tutakea wrote: lyrics may be okay, but i can´t stand the singing / voice... I love both. But i agree, his voice is an acquired taste.  |
| tutakea | Posted: Apr 04, 2013 - 09:28 lyrics may be okay, but i can´t stand the singing / voice... |
| cc_rider (Austin Texas. Y'all.) | Posted: Sep 12, 2012 - 09:02 Quixx_II wrote: I love when Bill gets into a theme both lyrically & musically... that, more than anything else, keeps me coming back here. I thought it was our collective sparkling personality. Dang. |
| skooba (The tip of Americas Wang) | Posted: Aug 27, 2012 - 13:02 I had no idea he could sing. |
| Dahlia_Gumbo (San Francisco) | Posted: Jul 11, 2012 - 10:45 Love the lyrics and guitar. He's amazing to see in person also. Highly recommend.  |
| daedalus (Over your hill) | Posted: May 08, 2012 - 23:31 wolfkiss wrote: 9 for the lyrics.
Aye to that! The lyrics slowly come at you and at the end lift the song from the average to the exceptional... |
| wolfkiss | Posted: Mar 22, 2012 - 09:42 9 for the lyrics. |
| Quixx_II (Richmond, VA) | Posted: Mar 06, 2012 - 13:31 I love when Bill gets into a theme both lyrically & musically... that, more than anything else, keeps me coming back here. |
| ivanaus | Posted: Dec 18, 2011 - 05:15 After a dry period in the 80's Chris Smither came back in the 90's with an amazing new chest of goodies, and they keep coming. He continues to be wonderful! |
| SinisterDexter | Posted: Nov 16, 2011 - 12:04 Sloggydog wrote: So damn godlike - the man, the music, did you know he is the ride? So what? Barry Manilow IS Music - and he writes the songs. |
| Sloggydog (UK) | Posted: Sep 29, 2011 - 23:44 So damn godlike - the man, the music, did you know he is the ride? |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Jun 27, 2011 - 18:59 As always, not vouching for the lyrics, but wow....
No one will sympathize I awoke and someone spoke They'll waltz me till I die And they asked if I believe And I don't care what it means I'm not a passenger I am the ride |
| Delawhere | Posted: May 11, 2011 - 08:46 A 9, cause he deserves it. if this was the live version, I'd have to give it a 10. What a gentleman. |
| cc_rider (Austin Texas. Y'all.) | Posted: May 11, 2011 - 08:46 govna wrote: lol "is it all just a comforting dementia?" so perfect. Yes, yes it is. |
| cc_rider (Austin Texas. Y'all.) | Posted: May 11, 2011 - 08:45 CoolbeaN wrote: Good lyrics, good finger picking... Wish the vocals were better. Not a dang thing wrong with the vocals. They suit the song perfectly. |
| indigo6 (Corvallis, Oregon) | Posted: Apr 25, 2011 - 13:52 This is one of my favorite artists — If you like this, definitely check out his older stuff (better, I think) Downloads are hard to find, but all his albums are on grooveshark.com... |
| CoolbeaN (Kansas City, MO) | Posted: Mar 09, 2011 - 06:07 Good lyrics, good finger picking... Wish the vocals were better. |
| Aegean (Earth) | Posted: Feb 21, 2011 - 13:27 Just what the doctor ordered! Thanks, Bill!  |
| govna (beantown) | Posted: Feb 21, 2011 - 13:26 lol "is it all just a comforting dementia?" so perfect. |
| cohifi (Denver) | Posted: Feb 05, 2011 - 05:36 I have to say it reminds me of Paulo Nutini |
| sweettone | Posted: Feb 05, 2011 - 05:35 Got to see Chris Smithers in 1991. It was at a folk festival at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC with my sister. Chris was uncredibly good, along with other headliners. Soo wonderful to hear him after all these years... |
| Aegean (Earth) | Posted: Jan 21, 2011 - 07:22 A great song for dawn!  |
| jhorton | Posted: Dec 20, 2010 - 22:05 From a total not blues fan-Chris Smither farging rocks! Toot much talent for one person. |
| slippery (Cold north on the other side of the puddle) | Posted: Nov 19, 2010 - 05:03 Omg, this is amazing. Strong solo guitar player, heavy lyrics. Anybody got any recommendations for similar artists? |
| Businessgypsy (Deepest, Darkest Florida) | Posted: Nov 19, 2010 - 04:38 kaybee wrote:  Eeewww!!! |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Aug 31, 2010 - 16:52 I really love this song - very much a troubadour, Mr. Smither is. I especially like the simplicity of the arrangement. Just a guitar and an occasional tambourine - nothing to detract from the lyrics and the slightly-gravelly voice. "I'm not a passenger - I am the ride..." Wow. Great stuff.   |
| socalhol (Seattle) | Posted: Jul 30, 2010 - 16:41 kaybee wrote: Eeewww!!! hahahaha! that was my first thought too  |
| FluorideFreeMN (Central Minnesota) | Posted: Jun 28, 2010 - 19:35 Really liked the guitar-work...a little iffy on the vocals. |
| Jonas_the_Bold | Posted: Oct 19, 2009 - 09:48 I don't have a religious bone in my body and I love this song. Maybe despite of that, maybe because of that. Who knows, I love it. |
| pophop (Upper Arlington, OH) | Posted: Oct 03, 2009 - 15:01 New to me - as is most of the world. I liked it. Reminds me of David Olney. |
| lophrequa (the very edge of the land) | Posted: Jun 30, 2009 - 20:33 my favorite of his ... live Chris is always best |
| delrosga (Most places that start with a "C") | Posted: May 14, 2009 - 03:35 The "Live as I'll Ever Be" version of this song is bone-chilling. Excellent performance by Smither. RP needs to play more stuff (and more recent stuff) from Chris since he's put out a lot of albums since this one. All of them superb. |
| rowdydaisy (Chicago, IL) | Posted: Apr 28, 2009 - 08:59 Alafia wrote: This guy is so amazing. See him live if you get a chance. I agree!! |
| Alafia (High) | Posted: Feb 24, 2009 - 07:46 This guy is so amazing. See him live if you get a chance. |
| TheFriendlyCat (BC) | Posted: Jan 23, 2009 - 18:02 I really like his style, guitar and vocals! plus good lyrics! |
| kaybee (Lost in the Wilds of Toronto) | Posted: Nov 21, 2008 - 18:07 Eeewww!!! |
| newbaby (houston texas but wish is was home in new orleans) | Posted: Nov 21, 2008 - 13:27
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| audiolizard | Posted: Sep 03, 2008 - 12:26 Chris Smither is awesome ... live or recorded. But best to see him live. I was lucky to see him live, and it was an amazing one-man show. He really knows how to connect with an audience and is an excellent, seasoned musician. Also, his hair is unreal! |
| cc_rider (Austin Texas. Y'all.) | Posted: Sep 03, 2008 - 12:24 Reminds me of Doc Watson, Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. Wonderful. |
| lwilkinson (North Am-Home of the Last of the Rugged Individualists) | Posted: Sep 03, 2008 - 12:23 Slow day at the officina so I get to actually focus on the music more than normal ............. this boy can write some lyrics!!! Really like the musical poetry.  |
| trekhead (Bumping BACK!!!) | Posted: Jul 18, 2008 - 04:22  |
| Dude (Medford, NJ) | Posted: Jun 16, 2008 - 15:47 Chris Smither is awesome ... live or recorded. But best to see him live. |
| lophrequa (the very edge of the land) | Posted: May 16, 2008 - 05:28 if you get the chance to see him live, do not pass it up! |
| cafortier (Northwest NJ) | Posted: May 16, 2008 - 05:26 Sounds soooo much like Martin Stephenson it's eerie. an 8 just for that alone. |
| Pilgrim301 (Edmonton, AB) | Posted: Apr 30, 2008 - 09:05 I LOVE this guy. :) |
| kittyFP (in the woods in SW Ohio) | Posted: Mar 29, 2008 - 21:10 If you ever get a chance to see CS perform live, it's an incredible experience. His voice can be truly appreciated then. |
| quesarah (Minneapolis, MN) | Posted: Feb 27, 2008 - 08:51 Niice. Working away and the lyric made me sit up and take note. "I am not a passenger. I am the ride". |
| cc_rider (Austin Texas. Y'all.) | Posted: Feb 27, 2008 - 08:45 seesaw wrote: One of many reasons I give him a solid 9. |
this guy really gets to me....especially after a few glasses of wine....i'm singing along and belting out his tunes like i'm all dat.....i love him!!!;){kind=link}