Jodi Heights

LONE WOLF

Dead of night

Not a sound

Full moonlight falls on the trees 

Silvering the hard ground

Somewhere in the dark you wander alone

I know who you are

Follow my voice out of the void 

Leading you back to the place you’re loved

I know you’re hurting

I can hear you howling at the moon

The music ’s playing

But somehow you feel you’ve lost the tune

I’ll help you remember the soaring melody 

Of the song your heart used to sing

Come and harmonize with me

Please don’t delay

Winter is on the wind

Can you find your way 

From where you went

Or have you lost the scent?

If I only could

I would hunt down all your pain

You are not gone for good

All is not lost

I’ll help you cross 

Over the mountains to bring you home

I know you’re hurting

I can hear you howling at the moon

The music ’s playing

But somehow you feel you’ve lost the tune

I’ll help you remember the soaring melody 

Of the song your heart used to sing

Come and harmonize with me

I know you want to be free

Come run with me

Share my territory 

Where once again you are seen and known

I know you’re hurting

I can hear you howling at the moon

The music ’s playing

But somehow you feel you’ve lost the tune

I’ll help you remember the soaring melody 

Of the song your heart used to sing

Come and harmonize with me

I TOOK A SWIM WITH EVIL

I took a swim with evil 

Out in the moonlit waves

It was an invitation 

I couldn’t turn away

She wasn’t anything at all 

Like I thought she’d be

Something about her knowing smile 

Appealed to me

Maybe I’ve been mistaken 

About my definitions 

Of wrong and right

Out here under the stars 

I see more shades of grey 

Than black and white

I took a walk with darkness 

Out in the pouring rain

He held my hand so gently 

I couldn’t be afraid

We spoke of many things

And he answered honestly

I was surprised 

How open-minded he seemed to be

Maybe I’ve been mistaken 

About my definitions 

Of wrong and right

Out here under the stars 

I see more shades of grey 

Than black and white

There’s a crack in the lens 

I’ve been looking at life through

And the line isn’t clear 

Between what is false 

And what is true

Maybe all these distinctions I’ve made 

Are just in mind

And I have been blind

I went out running with regret 

And I never will forget 

The look that she gave me 

When I told her that maybe

I’ve been mistaken 

About my definitions 

Of wrong and right

Out here under the stars 

I see more shades of grey 

Than black and white

I took a swim with evil

I took a swim with evil

Full Moon Rise

I am searching for some shade

Drowning in electric sun

There is brightness everywhere

Even when the day is done

But the sun set long ago

In the fading light

Do you feel it start to grow?

The desire to break out of this prison

Develop night vision

Come sit with me on a roof

Watch the full moon rise

And watch the full moon rise

Oh Sleeper, now awake

As the fox and possum near

Listen to the night wind’s voice

As it echoes in your ear

Now the call comes dark and strange

Moving with the tides

All who hunger for a change

Come fly to lunar liberation

With echolocation

Join the cricket choir

The moth ‘ll take you higher 

And higher

Come fly with me in the dark

Watch the full moon rise

And watch the full moon rise

You want to be a night creature?

Listen to teacher

Leave all you know behind you

The deer are here to guide you

Learn silence from the owl

Throw back your head and howl 

Come run with me through the trees

And watch the full moon rise

Blackbird (written by Lennon-Mcartney, arr. by Jodi Heights)

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

All your life

You were only waiting 

For this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these sunken eyes and learn to see

All your life

You were only waiting 

For this moment to be free

Blackbird fly

Blackbird fly

Into the light of the dark black night

Fly away

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

All your life

You were only waiting 

For this moment to arise

You were only waiting 

For this moment to arise

You were only waiting 

For this moment to arise

MOTHER NIGHT

Mother Night

Fold me beneath your wings

Hide me

Change my eyes 

To see underneath 

The surface of everything

All the sunlit concerns fade away

As I shake off the dust of the day

Beautiful darkness

Black and velvety

Reveal the hidden depths 

Of night in me

The cricket sings my soul awake 

To starlit skies

I wax and wane like a moon 

And waltz with the fireflies

Mystery

Shrouding the world 

In shadows and moonbeams

Who are we? 

Unexplored depths 

Of magic and possibility

Now the silence is lovely and deep

As the noise and the light go to sleep

Beautiful darkness

Black and velvety

Reveal the hidden depths 

Of night in me

The cricket sings my soul awake 

To starlit skies

I wax and wane like a moon 

And waltz with the fireflies

Do you hear the sweet nocturnal music 

In your ears?

Lullaby to our weary hearts

Calling out to us:

“Know who you are! 

Come find your way in the dark.”

Ghosts of the Past

Faded photos on the wall

Shadows growing in the hall

You’ve disappeared

In misty years

Each day is much the same

But now a phantom wears your name

Abandoned dreams

Where you used to be

What lies beneath 

The surface of your fear?

You’re living as if 

You were never really here

Do you lie awake

Knowing what’s at stake?

I don’t know what to say to you

While you’re waiting

All the years are slowly slipping

Through your grasp

Are you haunted 

By what might’ve been?

You are living in the attic

With the ghosts of the past

Quit hiding in your doubts

Let courage draw you out

Into a new day

Please don’t delay

Your choices forge a chain 

That grows in weight

But you hold the key

That would free you to escape

Unlock your mind

Come back to life

I don’t know what to say to you

While you’re waiting

All the years are slowly slipping

Through your grasp

Are you haunted 

By what might’ve been?

You are living in the attic

With the ghosts of the past

Make a decision

Even something small

Dispel these apparitions

One change is better

Than nothing at all

I don’t know what to say to you

While you’re waiting

All the years are slipping 

Through your grasp

Are you haunted 

By what might’ve been?

You are living in the attic

With the ghosts of the past

Ghosts of the past

FINE WINE

I would like to savor 

The fruits of all my labor

Cultivated all these years

Every joy and sorrow 

Sealed up in a bottle

All my hopes and all my fears

Then store it away for a decade or more

When the timing is right

 I’ll never regret the waiting I did

Let me tell you why:

Baby I’m like a fine wine

Give me just a little bit of time

I haven’t even hit my prime

Give me just a little bit of time

I’m not meant for drinking casually

I’m thinking I get better as I age

Time’s not hard to swallow

Once you know what follows

Pop the cork and have a taste

I’m brilliant and balanced, finishing strong

A bold and beautiful blend

Complexity came as I have matured

So don’t forget what I said:

Baby I’m like a fine wine

Give me just a little bit of time

I haven’t even hit my prime

Give me just a little bit of time

I am settled in who I am

Yet I remain open to who I’ll become

I’ve been waiting for this instant 

When I see my vintage ready to be drunk

Baby I’m like a fine wine

Give me just a little bit of time

I haven’t even hit my prime

Give me just a little bit of time

Give me just a little bit

Give me just a little bit

Give me just a little bit of time

THE ICEBERG

There was once a time when humans ruled the world

See, here’s a display of their remains

Business and technology were going strong

But consumption couldn’t be sustained

Hard to imagine how many of them there were

Billions of them living out their lives

And here in our history book of planet earth

Is the story of their own demise

Just the tip of the iceberg

A slow walk off a plank

A little drop in the ocean until society sank

We ignored all the warnings and focused on other things

We didn’t hear the sound it made when we finally felled the last tree

We would’ve got around to it eventually

But we were kind of busy

Now class what can we all learn from what we’ve seen?

How can we avoid the same mistakes?

If we as a species are short-sighted like they were

Could we end up like the human race?

With an industrial strength ignorance

They left their carbon footprints everywhere

Here is a recording of their final words

With the reasons why they weren’t prepared

Just the tip of the iceberg

One final walk in the park

While the whole world was burning

We were still in the dark

‘Cause we were checking our email and going shopping online

And running in the rat race ‘til we finally ran out of time

We thought we only needed money to keep us alive

But couldn’t eat it, couldn’t drink it, couldn’t breathe it to survive

Didn’t bother taking action ‘til it was too late

We sealed our own fate

THE STORM

It started out as something small

Nothing to concern us

And suddenly it’s grown into 

Something so enormous 

It fills the sky

I can’t believe my eyes

The gathered clouds are dark with rain

Smell that storm a-comin’

And lightning strikes within the heart

People run for cover

Thunderclaps of fear 

Are ringing in our ears

Even now I’ll keep my head up 

Searching for some clearer skies

This could be our finest hour 

Or the darkest days we’ve known

Even when we are apart

We are never quite alone

A downburst of denial falls 

Filling up the gutter

Yet empathy stays waterproof

Offering us another way to move ahead

With either love or selfishness

So tell me how the story ends

So far it’s a mystery

Will we choose the greater good in this living history?

When the storm is past what will we have left?

Even now I’ll keep on hoping 

Our humanity will rise

This could be our finest hour 

Or the darkest days we’ve known

Even when we are apart

We are never quite alone

This could be our finest hour 

Or the darkest days we’ve known

Even when we are apart

We are never quite alone

THE MYTH

Let me tell you the myth of the self-made man

And how he built up a fortune with his own two hands

Industrious and plucky

An island unto himself

He rose up from obscurity to fame and wealth

When he’s interviewed about his meteoric climb

He says he pulled himself up by the boot straps many times

He went straight from rags to riches by pulling his own weight

With discipline and thrift he made himself a name

But what he doesn’t say is daddy pays the rent

And mommy’s left her fingerprints on every cent

His parents’ cronies funded every venture made

But with luck and perseverance you could do the same

If you just work harder than all those around you do

Equal opportunity is waiting there for you

Here, look at these examples of ingenuity

Find inspiration here and you will succeed

If you can’t push through a million obstacles to win

It’s your own damn fault for lacking skill and discipline

All you need is talent and diligence and luck

From lowly beginnings all you’ll go is up

He failed to mention that his uncle ’s on the board

His older brother gave him every job he scored

His college friends know CEOs by their first names

But with luck and perseverance you could do the same

From poverty to prominence in no time flat

With unacknowledged help from financiers and bureaucrats

If you can’t win you’ve only got yourself to blame

But with luck and perseverance you could do the same

WHITE KNIGHT

The enemy is closing in

There’s no escape

You have no fortress to defend

No army and no barricades

Sharpening your blade

But you’re so afraid

There’s not a white knight coming to save you

No hero riding to the rescue

Have you forgotten that you’re a warrior?

Pick up your sword and shield

The battle isn’t over ‘til it’s over

You enter in the dragon’s lair

Fearful and weak

Look deeply in the serpent’s eyes

And you will find the power you seek

Now you’re feeling strong

Put your armor on

There’s not a white knight coming to save you

No hero riding to the rescue

Have you forgotten that you’re a warrior?

Pick up your sword and shield

The battle isn’t over ‘til it’s over

Riding on the beast

You won’t face defeat

There’s not a white knight coming to save you

No hero riding to the rescue

Have you forgotten that you’re a warrior?

Pick up your sword and shield

The battle isn’t over ‘til it’s over

ONE YEAR WISER

This time next year I won’t remember 

how I was so afraid of failing

I won’t recall all of the worries 

that kept my ship from ever sailing

This is nothing more than passing pain

I won’t repeat the same mistakes again

Next time I’ll be one year wiser

This time next year I’ll have forgotten 

these doubts that walk as my companions

I won’t regret taking the wrong road.  

Better than to never have begun

This is nothing more than passing pain

I won’t repeat the same mistakes again

Next time I’ll be one year wiser

To the sleeplessness, I will never miss you at all

But I promise I will learn from what you’ve taught

This is nothing more than passing pain

I won’t repeat the same mistakes again

Next time I’ll be one year wiser

No I won’t go down this road again

I won’t repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat

The same mistakes 

No I will be older and stronger and wiser

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?

You look pretty in pink

You’re such a drama queen

That dress makes you look so skinny

Don’t make a scene

Wear a push up bra

Try to lose some weight

Cover up the problem spots

On the body you hate

What is the meaning of this?

Don’t feed me empty words

So I want to be more than just a pretty face

There are things I was born to do

I will never make history by always behaving like a lady

You look so young

For a woman your age

Have you had any work done, honey?

Isn’t it funny that beauty’s such a pain

Show a little more skin

But cover up your scars

You should care more about your dress size than who you are

What is the meaning of this?

Don’t feed me empty words

So I want to be more than just a pretty face

There are things I was born to do

I will never make history by always behaving like a lady

Be a good little girl made of sugar and spice

And if you can’t be beautiful then learn to play nice

Be a good little girl and never raise your voice

Who told you that you even have a choice?

What is the meaning of this?

Don’t feed me empty words

So I want to be more than just a pretty face

There are things I was born to do

I will never make history by always behaving like a lady

What is the meaning of this?

LAST HOPE AVENUE

I am circling round about

I am trying to figure out the signs

With you it’s always stop and go

It’s so hard for me to know where to draw the line

            I have reached out so many times but you’re still a stranger

            If I go down this road anymore, is my heart in danger?

If I wait for you on Last Hope Avenue

Will you come through

Or will you fail me too?

I won’t hold my breath but I won’t give up quite yet

Will you come along?

Will you prove me wrong?

Dead end streets and one-way roads

Communication lanes are closed ahead

Slippery pavement, falling rocks

It’s so much harder than I thought to guess what’s left unsaid

            Another detour into the dark and lonely places

            I’m on the verge of chalking you off as time I’ve wasted.

If I wait for you on Last Hope Avenue

Will you come through

Or will you fail me too?

I won’t hold my breath but I won’t give up quite yet

Will you come along?

Will you prove me wrong?

BOTTLE YOU UP

I’ve got a fizzy little feeling in my brain

I tingly kind of torture I can’t explain

Like caffeine in my veins.

My heart is like a bubble about to burst

And you’re the only lover that can quench my thirst

You’re so delicious, my one wish is 

To bottle you up, bottle you up and drink it down

Just one taste I’ve got this craving, I will never get enough

Bottle you up b-b-b-b-babe

Bottle you up and drink of case of you down

Bottle you up, bottle you up, bottle you up, b-bottle you up.

I’m riding on the wave of your sugar rush

I’m happily addicted to your touch

And I just can’t get enough

I’m developing a sweet tooth for your kiss.

You’ve got me foaming over with your lips

You’re so delicious my one wish is

To bottle you up, bottle you up and drink it down

Just one taste I’ve got this craving, I will never get enough

Bottle you up b-b-b-b-babe

Bottle you up and drink of case of you down

Bottle you up, bottle you up, bottle you up, b-bottle you up.

You go down sweet, you go down smooth

Your effervescence has me acting like a fool, but what else can I do?

I’ve got a fizzy little feeling, babe you got me reeling,

Floating like a bubble to the ceiling

And I’m about to pop. Please don’t ever stop-op-op-op

Cuz I’m about to pop (repeat 2x)

Please don’t ever stop-op-op-op

To bottle you up, bottle you up and drink it down

Just one taste I’ve got this craving, I will never get enough

Bottle you up b-b-b-b-babe

Bottle you up and drink of case of you down

Bottle you up, bottle you up, bottle you up, b-bottle you up.

INSIGNIFICANT OTHER

There’s been a change in our connection

A subtle shift in our affection

Sometimes when I’m speaking I’m not sure you know I’m here

And I don’t want to disappear

I just want to be the center of your attention

I just want you hanging on my every word

Let your eyes settle on me like a spotlight and ignite me like a stick of dynamite

I’m not asking for the sun and moon

I just want to be your world.

Is there a way across the distance,

A doorway through all our resistance?

Can you pull me back to you with love’s magnetic force

So my heart can find true north?

I just want to be the center of your attention

I just want you hanging on my every word

Let your eyes settle on me like a spotlight and ignite me like a stick of dynamite

I’m not asking for the sun and moon

I just want to be your world.

So I can’t be ignored any longer

If we find our way through we’ll be stronger

But things can’t stay the same…

I just want to be the center of your attention

I just want you hanging on my every word

Let your eyes settle on me like a spotlight and ignite me like a stick of dynamite

I’m not asking for the sun and moon

I just want to be your world.