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1. Milky Way
A modern version of "The Green Grass Grows All Around"
- and a reminder that we all live in the same place, really.
Chorus:
We all live in the Milky Way, the Milky Way's our galaxy
We all live in the Milky Way, it's home to you and me
And in that galaxy there's a star
A fine star called the sun
Star in the middle of the galaxy that's home to you and me
Chorus
And around that star a planet spins,
A fine planet, the planet earth
Planet 'round the star
Star in the middle of the galaxy that's home to you and me
Chorus
And on that planet there's a sea
A fine sea, a shining sea
Sea on the planet
Planet round the star
Star in the middle of a galaxy
That's home to you and me
Chorus
And by that sea, there's a land
A fine land, a very fine land
Land by the sea..
Chorus
And in that land, there's a town
A fine town, a very fine town
Town in the land..
Chorus
And in that town, there's a street
A fine street, a very fine street
Street in the town..
Chorus
And on that street, there's a house
A fine house, your house!
House on the street..
Chorus
And in that house, there's a person
A fine person - that's you!
You in the house
House on the street
Street in the town
Town in the land
Land by the sea
Sea on the planet
Planet round the star
Star in the middle of a galaxy
That's home to you and me
Chorus
Go Back to Down In The Backpack. . .
2. Down in the Backpack
(with apologies to the Drifters and "Under the Boardwalk")
When the teacher calls and says "Did you get my note?"
And she says she didn't get the one you wrote
Look in the backpack, just look and see
Cause when something's lost that's where its bound to be
When your kid says that she can't go on the trip
Because she didn't send in her permission slip
Look in the backpack, look if you dare
Down at the bottom, you're sure to find it there
Down in the backpack, there's a big surprise
Down in the backpack, don't you wonder what lies
Down in the backpack something starting to grow
Down in the backpack maybe you'd better not go
Down in the backpack, backpack
There's the yogurt that they left there yesterday
Last week's tuna fish they meant to throw away
Down in the backpack - it's there they'll stay
Never again to see the light of day
Down in the backpack treasures to be found
Down in the backpack something crawling around
Down in the backpack lost library books
Down in the backpack maybe you'd better not look
Down in the backpack, backpack
So when things get lost and you don't know where they go
And you ask your kid and he just says "I don't know"
Look in the backpack, it's not too late
Archaeologists moving in soon to excavate
Down in the backpack, something smelly and old
Down in the backpack, something covered in mold
Down in the backpack, so many things there reside
Down in the backpack, I think there's something that died
Down in the backpack, backpack
Go Back to Down In The Backpack. . .
5. It's a Long Way
I believe we can learn to get along. I keep a book of
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s writings by my bed. I owe a nod to songwriter Betsy
Rose for the line about "We're all in the same boat now". I guess
I borrow from everybody.
Thinking 'bout the people that came before
It's a long long way
Mothers and fathers from a distant shore
It's a long long way
Some came for freedom some came for land
It's a long long way
Some came bound and shackled hand in hand
It's a long long way
Chorus:
It's a long way
with many miles behind us
It's a long way
with many more to go
It's a long way
'til tomorrow finds us
It's a long long way
It's a long long way
Some came with dreams of power, some came with dreams of gold
It's a long long way
Some came with whatever their two hands could hold
It's a long long way
No matter when you got here, no matter how
It's a long long way
We're all in the same boat now
It's a long long way
Chorus
If you want to go, you can't get there by yourself
It's a long long way
If you want to go, you got to bring somebody else
It's a long long way
It's a long hard road, it's a long steep climb
It's a long long way
Reach back your hand, don't leave anyone behind
It's a long long way
Chorus
When I was a boy, once I heard a man
It's a long long way
He said he had a dream about the promised land
It's a long long way
He said I may not get there and neither may you
It's a long long way
But our children's children will see it come true
It's a long long way
Chorus
Go Back to Down In The Backpack. . .
7. Most Valuable Player
I learned this great song from my friend Bob Reid.
I know a kid used to play on my team
The most valuable player I know
That player wasn't the best at the game
But to me that kid looked like a pro
Chorus:
He played hard, played fair, treated other kids with care
No matter what the scoreboard said
That kid came out a winner
Always won the game
Some games where nothing went right
We would be badly behind
That kid kept trying and never gave up
Till we were all out of time
Chorus
Some of us kids think the referee hates us
So once in a while why not cheat
That kid would always play by the rules
Even though we might get beat
Chorus
Some of his teammates would make a mistake
By kicking the ball the wrong way
But that kid would never give us a hard time
Just say nice try that's okay
Chorus
So anytime now I play on a team
I want that kid on my side
I know that I can play that way too
I guess its time that I tried
I'll play hard I'll play fair
Treat the other kids with care
No matter what the scoreboard says
I'll come out a winner
Always win the game
Go Back to Down In The Backpack. . .
8. Everything is Music
There is a wonderful book by composer Bruce Adolphe called
What to Listen for in the World. I read it and wrote this song. The rhythm
is an Afro-Peruvian song style I learned from a compilation by David Byrne,
called "The Soul of Black Peru", on Luaka Bop Records.
Listen to the wind in the trees
The rush of the breeze
As it whispers and sighs
Listen to the cars in the street
The footsteps and feet
As people pass by
Listen to the roar of the crowd
The laughing out loud
Kids as they play
Listen to the rain as it falls
Or the lone bird that calls
At the end of the day
Chorus:
Everything is music
Everything is music
Everything is music to me
There's music in the stars as they spin
The day that begins
with a quiet sunrise
There's music in the world as it turns
the fire that burns
into embers and dies
There's music in the river that runs
From where it's begun
Til it ends in the sea
There's music in the waves on the shore
They crash and they roar
and sing out to me
Chorus
Listen! Listen!
Listen to the music playing
Once you hear how the world sings
And all that it brings
Then nothing's the same
Once you find that we all belong
to one great big song
that always remains
Once you hear
the river of time
the rhythm and rhyme
in you and in me
Then you know the beat of your heart
Has its own part
in this big symphony
Chorus
Go Back to Down In The Backpack. . .
___________________________
P & © 2001 Round River Records
301 Jacob Street
Seekonk, MA 02771
800-682-9522
www.billharley.com