1. |
Underfoot
04:26
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Underfoot
The Underfoot Clan has an underfoot plan
So you’d better not rattle a pot or a pan
‘Cause the cats go high, and the dogs go low
They’ll follow you wherever you go
They want to know what you’re doin’ all the time
They want to go where you’re goin’ all the time
Now the founder of the Underfoot Clan
Earns his title every day.
If you’re on the stairs, well, so is he,
Doesn’t care that he’s in the way.
Our tortoiseshell cat is demanding,
She wants to sit in your lap RIGHT NOW,
And when treats are due, she’s commanding
Dispensation with a loud “Wa--OW!”
The Underfoot Clan has an underfoot plan
So you’d better not rattle a pot or a pan
‘Cause the cats go high, and the dogs go low
They’ll follow you wherever you go
They want to know what you’re doin’ all the time
They want to go where you’re goin’ all the time
Little dogs have a one-track mind
They’ll always tell you what they think.
“I want treats and love and tummy rubs
And the food you left next to the sink!”
The dogs are jealous of everyone
That might get a bit of affection,
To pet a cat or hug your child
Will bring their displeased attention.
The Underfoot Clan has an underfoot plan
So you’d better not rattle a pot or a pan
‘Cause the cats go high, and the dogs go low
They’ll follow you wherever you go
They want to know what you’re doin’ all the time
They want to go where you’re goin’ all the time
They may sound like a gigantic hassle,
But their love is steady and strong.
Wherever I go, upstairs or down,
I won’t be alone for long!
If I’m sad, a doggo will notice
And patiently snuggle up tight
They fetch balls and sticks, and the kitties
Make sure we sleep warm at night!
The Underfoot Clan has an underfoot plan
So you’d better not rattle a pot or a pan
‘Cause the cats go high, and the dogs go low
They’ll follow you wherever you go
They want to know what you’re doin’ all the time
They want to go where you’re goin’ all the time
And I miss them. . .
when I’m away. . .
all the time.
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2. |
Running on Empty
04:49
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Running on Empty
Well, there goes the day again
The list of chores to do just never seems to end
I hoped to have some time, to maybe get ahead
But things came up, and my plans had to bend
No battles to be fought
My calendar was clear today--at least, that's what I thought
Ran errands for the kids and then I had some bills to pay
and they've eaten up my time for ME, today
so now I'm
Runnin' on empty--work all day, fall behind
Other folks' priorities get placed ahead of mine
Runnin' on empty--when will I ever learn
There's only so much candle left to burn?
So much still to do
Dirty dishes in the sink, laundry's waitin' too
I know I haven't always felt my life was such a mess
Clutter's getting deeper, and I confess
That I do it to myself
This expectation of a house where I've dusted every shelf
My family hates housework every bit as much as me
But I'm the one it bothers, so it's on me
To keep
Runnin' on empty--for a goal I never reach
It's not like there won't be more loads of laundry in a week
Runnin' on empty--when will I ever learn
There's only so much candle left to burn?
Can't sleep at night
Tomorrow's list is looming, and I've got to get it right
The list of hats I wear seems longer every day
Sometimes it makes me want to run away
So here I am again
Sitting, watching Netflix until 2 a.m.
It's the only time of day no one's expecting me to be
Doing something useful, but sleep's the fee
So I'm still
Running on empty--I'm happy, I'm just tired
Now I'll sleepwalk through the tasks that are required
Runnin' on empty--when will I ever learn
There's only so much candle left to burn?
There's only so much candle left to burn...
I hope it's not too late before I learn.
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3. |
Balancing
05:35
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Balancing
Fire flickers, dances, flows
Warms my hands and chilly toes
As the flames burn down, the embers glow. . .
When my soul needs to remember
That it glows just like an ember
January through December
I return to the fire.
Water ripples, shimmers, shines
Sings over rocks with steep inclines
Rolls down my window in wavering lines
When my spirit forgets its spring
Needs reminding to flow, to sing,
That it’s part of everything
I return to the water.
Rocks anchor, protect, stay,
Patience for another day
As roots sink deep into the clay…
When my soul needs to be still
To feel steady in mind and will
I wander aimlessly until
I return to the earth.
Breezes flutter, whisper, shush
Stronger gusts in such a rush
Traveling on, both roar and hush…
When my spirit feels confined,
Trapped, motionless and blind,
When I’m stuck in my own mind
I return to the air.
When my soul sits stagnant and dark,
From the fire comes a spark.
From the water comes the flow
From the earth, the will to grow
From the air, a lift, a breath
And my spirit. . .steps back from death.
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4. |
Ripples
04:00
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5. |
The Show Must Go On
04:27
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The Show Must Go On
All the world’s a stage
and all of us are just players
but if you can’t fill the role
then we’ll find someone else
so you’d better appear
to have your act together
Because the show will go on
with or without you
Does anxiety negate the things I know?
Am I only worth the things I can do?
“How are you?”
I’m fine (though the headaches are pounding)
yes I’m fine (I’m so hungry that I’m dizzy)
sure I’m fine (when everything just hurts)
but I’m fine (‘cause if I’m not fine you’ll replace me)
better play your part
you know what you should say
you know just how you should act
you know exactly how they think you should look
but if that’s not you, well then
find somewhere else to be
‘cause we only need polished cogs of
this particular size
the cast is set, the lines are waiting, lights and camera
and you’d better be able to deliver
so I’m fine (because the only acceptable answer)
is that I’m fine (because you really didn’t want to know)
so I’m just fine (all you care about is can I still work)
yes I’m just fine (for certain narrow values of that word)
you don’t wanna know
if things are breaking inside me
as long as I can keep up
the act
and all you really care
is that you don’t have to audition
someone else to understudy
for my role
and if my brain doesn’t function just like yours does
you say “different” but I hear “broken”, “lesser”, “worse”
so I’ll say I’m fine (in my head I’m beating on the walls)
yes I’m fine (can’t ever let you see me fall)
sure I’m fine (like I’d ever trust you with this)
of course I’m fine (because I can never afford to not be...just fine)
the show must go on
the show must go on
the show must go on
the show must go. . .on
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6. |
Try Again
03:20
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Try Again
Some years ago, I had a dream
I worked to make it real
But I chased too many things at once
So I never sealed the deal
Some ups, some downs, but overall
I’ve loved my life since then
I wouldn’t trade these fifteen years
But it’s time to try again
CHORUS:
It’s like turning the page of a long-forgotten book
There’s so much to learn and do
I’ve been here before, but it’s been a minute
So a lot will feel like new
Gonna juggle, gonna struggle to make the time
I won’t give up this time around,
But the rest of my life can’t be set aside
So I’ve gotta keep my feet on the ground
I feel like I’ve wasted so much time
But as I go, I think I’ll find
That I’m better prepared for this goal now
Life changes your heart and mind
CHORUS
Assembling all of the tools I’ll need
Is the first of many tasks
But the end result will be worth all the work,
And that’s really all I ask
So if you have a goal that’s been set aside,
It’s not too late to try
Just keep putting one foot in front of the other
And the distance will fly on by
FINAL CHORUS:
It’s like turning the page of a long-forgotten book
There’s so much to learn and do.
You may have been here before, but it’s been a minute
So a lot will feel like new...
but if I can do it, you can too!
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7. |
There Was No Wave
04:50
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There Was No Wave
Heard a choir a few years back
Let the voices wash over me
Almost felt like gentle waves breaking
And I wept for the beauty of those waves
How they made me realize
I was in a desert of my own making
There was no wave
But I could feel it
Jammed in a circle a few months back
And the music wrapped around me
Almost felt like a ray of sunlit morning
And I stretched my arms out to that sun
How it made me realize
I’d been in the cold and needed warming
There was no sun
There was no wave
But I could feel it
Went to a concert a few nights back
And the sound of their harmony
Almost felt like a gentle breeze blowing
And I tilted my face to catch that breeze
How it made me realize
I’d been shut in for so long, not knowing
There was no breeze
There was no sun
There was no wave
But I could feel it...
How could I feel it?
Not sight, not hearing, touch or taste,
No scent to follow
But the music filled me up
Hadn’t known I’d become hollow
Until those voices lifted, sang
Their words both sweet and sad
I smiled as tears rose in my eyes
Some need I didn’t know I had
I got noise and music at work all day
Let the sounds roll off of me
Almost feels like what I need is quiet
And yet I listened to those singers then
And I came to realize
I’d starved my soul of something it required
There was no breeze
There was no sun
There was no wave
But I could feel it
How could I feel it?
I need that wave, I need that sun, I need that breeze
I need to feel it
Oh, I need to feel it.
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8. |
The Fog
03:50
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The Fog
there are days when i am lost
can’t find my way to clarity
the fog has taken everything
and made it all go grey
and i stumble around
feeling for a purpose
i know i had a plan. . .
where did it go?
i walked into this room
i know there was a reason
but when i stepped through the door
it vanished completely
and i realize that time has passed
while i stood and stared at nothing
there’s a list of things that i should do
can’t remember what they are
and i feel i should panic
and i should get myself together
and i should Do The Thing
but i just. . .can’t. . .
there are days where the map is gone
and the compass spins in place
i wander up and down but why
i can’t remember now
because the fog has taken hold
and i can’t push it away
so i stumble around, to find
i’ve lost most of my day
and i should care
and part of me does...
but it’s buried in the fog
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9. |
I Am Stardust
04:20
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I am a creature of light and shadow
Sculpted by the weather
Weathered by the wind
Been around since the dawn of time
Just arrived here yesterday
Much younger than you are right now
Far older than you'll ever be
CHORUS:
I'm every mote of dust
In a ray of summer sun
Every shining point of light
In the winter night above
I'm inside the very heart of you
Yet galaxies away
I am stardust, stardust
Looking for a home
I am a drifter of cosmic oceans
Where stars cluster like islands
In darkened voids so deep
Seen newborn planets wreathed in fire
Other worlds wise in their ways
I watched as old Suns flared their last
Now cinders lost in dreamless sleep (CHORUS)
bridge:
Somewhere, somewhere
Lies perfect understanding that I've never found
In someone, in everyone
I seek that tranquil space where I belong
FINAL CHORUS:
I'm every mote of dust
In a ray of summer sun
Every shining point of light
In the winter night above
I'm inside the very heart of you
Yet galaxies away
I am stardust
Ageless stardust
Boundless stardust
Looking for a home
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10. |
Fantasy in B Minor
03:13
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11. |
Unlearning Stone
02:39
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Unlearning Stone
The day the lights went out at school
Kids were everywhere but I felt alone
There were screams and yells, but I stayed cool
I was silent, like a stone
When the bullies came with their swagger and strut
Tried my best to make them leave me alone
I gave as good as I got with every fight
I got tough, like a stone
When they used their words instead of fists
To make me feel small and alone
I learned to keep my face expressionless
I was blank, like a stone
So please forgive me if you can’t read my face
It’s just I’ve spent so long alone
I love you, but I will need time and grace
I am trying. . .to unlearn stone.
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12. |
Knit and Purl
03:49
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Knit and Purl
In through the front door, once 'round the back,
Peek through the window, and off jumps Jack.
That's the rhyme for knit stitch, the first of two
Stitches that you need to be a knitter too!
Chorus:
Knit and purl, knit and purl
Use your sticks and string to warm a chilly world
Purl and knit, purl and knit
You'll be glad you learned, once you get the hang of it
Under the fence to catch the sheep,
Back we come, and off we leap.
That's the rhyme for purl stitch, and now you know
The two you need to be a knitter--let's go! (CHORUS)
Hats for chemo patients, scarves for chilly days
Little tiny baby socks to celebrate!
Just a few of the ways that we use our knits and purls
To reach out to someone, and make a better world...with our (CHORUS)
Now it's true that there are more ways
to use your sticks and string:
Lace, bobbles, entrelac, and cabling
But they're all variations of the
Stitches that you know,
So gather up your needles and off you go...with a (CHORUS)
Final Chorus:
Knit and purl, knit and purl
Those sticks and string can warm a chilly world
Purl and knit, purl and knit
Aren’t you glad you learned, now you’ve got the hang of it...
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13. |
Some Like It Hot
03:19
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Some Like it Hot
Some like it hot
Whoa, some like it hot
If there’s no drama, they ask “Why not?”
Some like it hot
v.1
Are you down, or having a bad day?
They will think of more reasons why
It’s all your fault—you’re not worth your salt
It’s their mission to make you sigh
Did you just have a fight with your best friend?
They will pick sides, and give bad advice
That you better not take, or that friendship will break
But this instigator won’t think twice. . .
CHORUS:
Some like it hot
Whoa, some like it hot
If there’s no drama, they ask “Why not?”
Some like it hot
v.2
Do you have a friendship that’s precious?
Don’t let this troublemaker know
They’ll invent some affair—because they don’t care--
To tarnish what you value so.
If there’s a conflict they fan the flames
They want to see it burn higher
If you do your bit to resolve it
You’ll be the next one in the fire!
CHORUS:
Some like it hot
Whoa, some like it hot
If there’s no drama, they ask “Why not?”
Some like it hot
Ooooh, some like it hot
Yeah, they like it hot
Always lookin’ to stir the pot, well
Some like it hot.
v.3
They love to repeat a rumor
Share some juicy gossip or news
If it’s damaging, then they’re managing
They want to see the situation get worse
Contentiousness, drama, and chaos?
Their work is all done here!
The drama queen’s got a thriving scene
If you don’t like it, steer clear...My dear...
CHORUS:
Some like it hot
Whoa, some like it hot
If there’s no drama, they ask “Why not?”
Some like it hot
Ooooh, some like it hot
Yeah, they like it hot
Always lookin’ to stir the pot, well
Some like it
ooo they like it
yeah they like it hot!
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14. |
I Still Need to Say It
03:25
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I Still Need to Say It
It’s been said better before
I know it’s been said better before
But though it’s been said better before
I still need to say it
It’s been said better before
you might not want to hear it no more
so I’m sorry if this is a snore,
but I still need to say it.
We all have our favorite lines
That we quote from time to time
And maybe someone will hear mine
And say “that’s so true”
It’s all been said, you could say,
So what’s the point anyway?
But I’m gonna say it my way
To be someone’s go-to
It’s been said better before
I know it’s been said better before
But though it’s been said better before
I still need to say it
It’s been said better before
I know you just wanna give me what for
but though listening may be a chore
I still need to say it.
“There’s nothing new under the sun”
Some say “don’t bother, it’s all been done”
And yet someone’s writing another one
To say it as only they can
So keep saying what you need to
In the way that belongs to only you
Someone will hear it and say “Me too!”
Their inspiration, you fan
It’s been said better before
I know it’s been said better before
But though it’s been said better before
I still need to say it
So it’s been said better before
And though you may want to show me the door
My version’s unique and therefore
I’m still gonna say it.
Don’t get yourself in an uproar
I still need to say it.
Quoth the raven “Nevermore”
I still need to say it.
Don’t stomp like a dinosaur,
I still need to say it.
Don’t start another Trojan War—
I’m still gonna say it.
Don’t get mad at this troubadour,
I still need to say it!
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Jen Midkiff (she/her) Noblesville, Indiana
Harpist and singer Jen Midkiff is a performer and educator in the Indianapolis area. From early music to folk to pop standards, Jen has too many musical loves to pick just one!
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