every house I’ve known

a collection of 12 songs, each based on a place of residence

recorded at home on cape cod, ma
many thanks to erin mckeown, kris delmhorst, and dave chalfant

1. smoke and cigars

late at night before the sun rises
there’s a place where the ocean and the sky collide
turned down low, old pop songs on the radio
we’ll wait to see what color the light will be

and you answered my own question before I even knew it
forgive my first impression, and I’ll see you through it

I’ve come so far late nights smelling smoke and cigars
mixed with salt spray and wondering where you are
will you go or wait so I’m not here alone
stay with me to see what color the light will be

and you answered my own question before I even knew it
forgive my first impression, I’ll see you through it

over seas and streams and railroad tracks and roads
through the doorway of every house I’ve known
you’ve carried me home
I’ve carried you home

and you answered my own question before I even knew it
forgive my first impression, you’ve seen me through it

cape cod, ma

2. yellow birds on high street

a hundred years ago the train still rolled through our backyard
you covered your face from coal and the cold
and since that ditch was dug, the barges floated down the Canal
where you tightened your laces and picked marigolds

cut your hair and smile sly, you can’t just stay inside, you’ve got the open sky
yellow birds on High Street

a hundred years ago the schools were closed and no more ships sailed 
the breath in your lungs crackled and failed
and in the Valley you picked banjo strings and read poetry
‘til you followed the 2 to city travails

cut your hair and smile sly, you won’t just stay inside, you’ve got the open sky
yellow birds on High Street

I drag my heels where you walked
thrust into the same town
watch the planes lift off
keep my feet on the ground

a hundred years ago the Brooks you know led to our backyard
you dreamt of flight through lanternless nights
and in a year or so you would go around the globe
but for now we’ll share the same sights

and I’ll cut my hair and smile sly, I can't just stay inside, we’ve got the open sky
yellow birds on High Street

fly, Amelia, fly

medford, ma

3. softer things

I’ll trade the palm trees of Daytona Beach
for Maple leaves in northern skies
I’ll leave concrete for softer things
I won’t even say goodbye

run as fast as I can, in the morning I’ll feel better
this salty New England air brings love and loss in equal measure

I catch my face in the window panes
someone I’ve never seen before
I dip my toes in frozen lakes
and track the mud in through the door

run as fast as I can, in the morning I’ll feel better
this salty New England air brings love and loss in equal measure

tell me I’m safe here, tell me there's nothing to fear
tell me I’m fine, I’m still learning all the time
chase the sunset just to howl at power lines

I traded palm trees for Maple leaves
I think I finally know why
‘cause I’ve been smiling when I wake
under this Massachusetts sky

falmouth, ma

4. eel pond

silverfish in cracking sinks
sleeping in someone else’s bed
nights of borrowed guitars and sand
everywhere you stand

I’ll give it a shot, I smell your hair
to be frank my darling we never go anywhere
I’ll shine a light and see what I can find 
outside on Eel Pond tonight

bright pinpricks in crashing ink
the water’s overhead
salty fingertips and sand
everywhere you stand

I’ll give it a shot, I smell your hair
to be frank my darling we never go anywhere
I’ll shine a light and see what I can find 
outside on Eel Pond tonight

there’s a bat in the bedroom
it got in while I was fast asleep
there’s a bat in the bedroom
open up the window, set it free

you rescued me

I'lll give it a shot, I smell your hair
to be frank my darling we never go anywhere
I’ll shine a light and see what I can find 
outside on Eel Pond tonight

woods hole, ma

5. third-floor walkup

this third-floor walkup in the city gets hot 
when it’s been too long since it’s seen the rain
kind of like when it takes a lot of time to see your face again

is it true what they say?
we’ve come too far to lose
is it true what they say?
an apple like that hides the bruise

the flies have found the thing that rots; 
the screens won’t stop them anyway
we'll wait for the heat to drop or find a better way

we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight

is it true what they say?
we’ve come too far to lose
is it true what they say?
an apple like that hides the bruise

this third-floor walkup in the city gets hot 
when it’s been too long since it’s seen the rain
we’ll plant ourselves a garden plot and wait for drops of rain

we’ll keep our eyes to the sky tonight

we’ll keep our eyes to the sky.

cambridge, ma

6. different here

I remember when I first moved into Paola Drive
coughing over the bridge to hide watery eyes
twenty four and wise (or so I said to myself)
so I said to myself

it’ll get better and it’ll get worse
nothing you haven’t done before
it’ll be different and it’ll pick up
but guess what, you’ll do it again

I remember when I first pulled into that Winding drive
the water tastes different here, the sun sets on the wrong side
twenty five and wild and recently untied
and so I said to myself

it’ll get better and it’ll get worse
nothing you haven’t done before
it’ll be different and it’ll pick up
but guess what you’ll do it again

every line I see on the road
or around my eyes
every copied key
another turn to realize 

it got better and it got worse
nothing I hadn't done before
it was different but it picked up
and guess what, we’ll do it again

falmouth, ma

7. ocean road

four lanes to the corner house 
where the pipes freeze every night
we wake and the tub backs up
damp ankles every time

then locked out; we’ll stay warm somehow
I don’t know so I’ll wait
wait for the waves to rise, wait for the highest tide

until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean

two stairs to the front door
where we searched for another key
cold sand under fingernails
chased goosebumps in the breeze

then lights out; the wind howls now
I don’t know so I’ll wait
wait for the storm to fade, until we’re less afraid

until then it’s one hundred steps to the ocean

you’re out; so long to be without
I know, so I can’t wait
wait for the wind to blow
wait to be on our own

narragansett, ri

8. other plans

you’ve done a lot of bad things
but you were a risk I was willing to take
guess I didn’t care what you’d say
you struck a match and lit the littlest flame

hot that summer, cold that spring
guess it’s how it’s supposed to be
I hoped I knew what winter'd bring
you had other plans for me

you said a lot of sad things
light your words on fire follow the wisp
wish I heard what you’d said
when you spent every day burning your lips

hot that summer, cold that spring
guess it’s how it’s supposed to be
I hoped I knew what winter'd bring
you had other plans for me

I followed along blinded by smoke in your late autumn song

you’ve done a lot of bad things
but you were a risk I was willing to take
I guess I’m not a bad thing
you’ll be gone before the season has changed

hot that summer, cold that spring
guess it’s how it’s supposed to be
and if I’d known what winter’d bring
I’d make other plans for me

not follow along blinded by smoke in your Mill River song

we were so young.

northampton, ma

9. mosaic

fireflies and orange skies
in June after the storm breaks
train whistles shake yellow walls
a new place for the heartache

like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures
you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this mosaic in Evanston

ice cubes crack in whiskey glasses
poured out on the porch steps
stars don’t shine past Chicago's light
I know but each time I forget

like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures
you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this mosaic in Evanston

and I’lll float in Lake Michigan in the dark
and I won’t even wonder where you are

like every ray of light will gleam before it fractures
you broke the glass; I’ll paste it back together
time will pass and I’ll learn to love it better
this MOSAIC in Evanston

evanston, il

10. green street

I know you think you’re all grown up
but you haven’t cut your hair yet and you won’t eat much
wide eyes and your silence betray 
your heart hasn’t been broken but it’s always racing

Sophia be kind be kind be kind

all alone but the house is full
you gather your things and climb up the hill
you watch the river, kick a rock on the way
your heart has just been broken and it’s always racing

Sophia be kind be kind be kind

align, refine, decide
decide, divide, remind
you don’t have to stay
you will anyway

I know you think you’re all grown up
but you haven’t cut your hair yet
and you won’t eat much

send her my love

northampton, ma

11. seven stoplights

driving down country roads, listening to the Indigo Girls real loud
switch off the lights just for a second now
stars above dirt below, moonlight on the cornfield rows just plowed
switch on the lights feeling alive now

seven stoplights always seem to slow me down
in this modernized mill town
five thousand days I’ve learned what not to say
soon I'll sing it anyway

walking down empty streets, a church on every corner it seems
watching the sun set on mountain laurel leaves
streetlights don't guide my feet, just crickets and a distant stream
a book of myths and a twelve string

seven stoplights always seem to slow me down
it's seven p.m., the siren sounds
five thousand days I’ve learned what not to say
soon I'll sing it anyway

make phone calls on landlines
walk stone walls to pass the time
don’t think about it, don’t mind
don’t fall for her smile
pass in the hall avoiding eyes
I promise we’ll leave this town behind

seven stoplights always seemed to slow me down
in this modernized mill town
five thousand days I learned what not to say
watch me sing it anyway

I'll make my getaway

north stonington, ct

12. great hill

I’ll keep growing like the birch tree in my parents’ yard
when I was born the roots stretched deep into the riverbed
but I’ve got blood and skin where sap and bark should be
my roots are never deep enough it seems

I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
you stay

in spring you found me spinning like a maple seed
you plucked me from the air like it was nothing
with a soft place to land and some dirt under my feet
my deciduous is now evergreen

I can’t believe that every time it rains
every time it rains
you stay

Great Hill in a hurricane

when I’m older I’ll plant a birch tree in my yard
and trust the roots will hold on to all of us

you stay
Great Hill in a hurricane

portland, ct