Prayer Flag, by Pickering Pick

Prayer Flag

by Pickering Pick

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1.	Morningside 03:18	lyrics	buy track
I’ve been down where time holds me in her grip Where the mountains all to the oceans slip And they’re borne away on heavy tides I'll be left in the dark morningside All the trees in their golden disarray For November cold and the breaking day All the ragged leaves are swept aside They’ll be left in the dark morningside With a heavy heart that you cannot move All the troubles they are yours to lose But a proud heart I cannot abide He is left in the dark morningside
2.	On Your Way 02:25	lyrics	buy track
I saw you on your way down there I saw you on your way down there I've been there too, I would have gone with you I saw you fill your arm down there I saw you fill your arm down there I've been there too, I would've gone with you I heard you paid it off down there I heard you paid it off down there I've been there too, I would've gone with you
3.	Stay By Yours 02:36	lyrics	buy track
There is a song of bright tomorrow in the way you hold your head It is a sign of going backwards, when everything before you is turning red Come in before the rain and storm begin The weather’s gonna keep you by my side And I’m gonna stay by yours at least until it feels right You’re going to try ford the river even though you’re drowning in here And the trees will raise their branches when the king of frowns appears You’ll have to find another way back home There’s nothing better on the other side And I’m gonna stay by yours at least until it feels right
4.	Spinnaker 03:04	lyrics	buy track
If I could buy you a thing to remember me Something of worth to be held in your heart I’d like to buy you a boat with a tallboy Low to the water and quick off the start I can hardly remember the first thing That you ever said to me, or if it was meant for me There are a few things that I have been dreaming of Telling myself this is all I can be And for once I’d be proud of what I’ve done Seeing the beautiful thing it’s become I saw the light as it danced on the water And you raised the spinnaker up to the wind Catching my breath as you’re changing directions Closer to everything else that it brings
5.	Everything Is Better 02:44	lyrics	buy track
You've been looking forward to the spring rain falling It's been flowing underneath the ground You've been keeping secret when your friend comes calling He's been trying not to make a sound I've been living mainly for the same thing, honey You just want to go another mile Then you fall down laughing even though it's not funny But everything is better when you smile You've been looking forward to the spring time coming It's been growing underneath the ground I don't care for secrets when your friends come running Honey, there's enough to go around
6.	Shame 04:15	lyrics	buy track
There’s a time for the truth and a time for just letting it go There’s a man on the stage explaining in case you don’t know Thank God for the talking cause where would we be Without men who know better than us? And words that will twist you and turn you around Until you wish that you didn’t exist There’s a time for proof and ignoring the things you’ve been shown Or shutting out truth and the obvious things that you know It’s like closing your eyes and trying to pretend There’s not a knife coming out of your chest Or taking the stuff that you want to believe in And disregarding the rest It’s a shame what they’ve done to us You’ve spent so many years with your arms in another man’s coat I’m surprised you can recognise the words rising up in your throat You’re spewing out smoke and we’re starting to choke It’s a crowd gathered outside your door But the lies are still coming out thicker and faster And it doesn’t make sense any more It’s a shame what they’ve done to us I’ve been up all night thinking of all the rubbish you said To the odious sycophants curled up on the end of your bed You’ve shown no remorse or contrition of course I don’t think you know what that means But your onward direction is a perfect reflection Of all of the places you’ve been
7.	How to Begin 03:15	lyrics	buy track
I’ve been thinking of taking some time Dropping what’s worthless and changing my life Resting my head on the root of this tree Watching my children as they grow up to be Soldiers and singers, dancers and kings Creators and builders of marvelous things One day they’ll figure out just how to begin But if dreaming’s for losers, Lord, don’t let them win Looking for ways I can prove that I’m wrong Is one of the things that I spend my time on Searching for something that’s worth more than one Of each of the good things and bad things I’ve done And if I had one wish, I hope I would choose A gift that I know I could finally use One day I’ll figure out just how to begin But if dreaming’s for losers, Lord, don’t let me win
8.	Goodbye, Goodbye 02:04	lyrics	buy track
Once I was the boat that you were sailing You were just the captain of my time Once I reached the window by climbing so high I was at the bright, unspoiled beginning of my life If I wasn’t certain of this one thing I would say goodbye, goodbye Once I was the shadow of your pony And I felt your arms around my neck Then I dreamed of running ‘til we broke into the sky You shouldn’t say it failed if you never even tried If I wasn’t hoping for this one thing I would say goodbye, goodbye Once I was the weather in your season When you were always holding out for rain I’ve been looking forward to the rising of the tide When every boat is lifted and the sea is open wide If I wasn’t waiting for this one thing I would say goodbye, goodbye
9.	Time Will Be 02:11	lyrics	buy track
Tall walls may be your shelter And bold love may be your guide Long life may be your blessing If bright fate is on your side But you’ll yearn for the days you once knew As into your age you descend The whole wide world may be your servant But time will be your master in the end Sweet songs for your companions Sad hearts for them to mend Wild youth will heal your sorrow If you can’t share it with your friends But when the light goes out it your eyes There’s no time left to pretend The whole world may be your servant But time will be your master in the end
10.	Spark 03:48	lyrics	buy track
We’ve been so careless, love Treating time like an endless light That’s dancing, as a spark from a wire Grows apart from the fire And we’ve seen so much fragile love Ours was built to be stronger, but We fell for the same disappearing sun Falling in love with itself And you’ll take what’s yours And I’ll take what’s mine And we’ll try not to think How we wasted our time You made something amazingly strong But we held on to it much too long How can you give it away when you keep Falling in love with yourself?
11.	Seasons On the Run 02:57	lyrics	buy track
Look outside your window, love Can you see the clouds Is it growing colder, love Is anyone around? I’m sorry for the things I’ve done I’m counting on my hands I’m running out of fingers, but I’m sure you understand Don’t be too ungrateful, don’t be too unkind Think before you make up your mind The trees are dropping leaves and the Season’s on the run I’m running out of mine but Yours have just begun

about

I wrote and recorded Prayer Flag in late 2011 and early 2012 in California. The album was released independently, almost as an aside after the Yer Bird Records recording Tiger Balm from mid-2011. It seemed too soon to put out another full Pickering Pick album on YB, and yet I didn't want the songs to sit around unreleased for too long: I was writing a lot during this time, and I was eager to keep moving onward.

The album has grown on me in the last ten years. Initially, I felt the production was too uneven, and the songs seemed to have no unifying theme. Since then I have found that it hangs together quite well, and the album contains several of my songs that I am most pleased with: Stay By Yours, How to Begin, Time Will Be, and Seasons On the Run.

The artwork was designed by Meghan Spurlock, who also created the art for Tiger Balm.

Thanks for listening!

credits

released February 28, 2012

All songs written and performed by Sam Pickering Pick in California, 2011/2012. Produced by Pickering Pick. © Infinite Love/Longshanks Songs (ASCAP), 2012. All Rights Reserved.