Lyrics

This recording is from the UK Premiere at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - December 1, 2003.

Performed by James McOran-Campbell
Piano, Mark Packwood

 

A set of songs for Earle Patriarco

1. A learning experience over coffee. . .

I love you still. . . but,
and always will. . . but,
I wish I’d learn that in the morning keep my mouth shut.
I’m not awake. . . yet,
The plans you make. . . pet,
Will haunt me later in the day and in the way that you will say
“OK, but that's not what you said today. . .”

I love you so. . . dear.
You’ll never know. . . dear.
That in the time we’ve spent together I’ve but one fear,
You might discover
Your “perfect” lover
Can never try or hope to be in life or deal as openly in life
Or know just what I see in life is similar to “little wife”. . .

I really care. . . sweet,
and want to share. . . sweet,
but I have found that to be happy I’ll be discrete.
You shouldn’t see. . . love,
Or E.S.P. . . . love,
My every thought or word or deed, you know, is nothing that I need to show.
You can’t expect that honesty is really the best policy
In caring for a spouse whose life you’re sharing in a house.
And though I really love you so, things are better when I just don’t know.
Just thank God for the simple fact
That opposites. . . attract!

Hmmm. Good morning, Honey!

 

2. You enter my thoughts

Caught up in daily life,
selling and buying
working and trying to cope,
I lose hope.

Stress cuts me like a knife,
making decisions
without the vision to see,
it’s not me.

Just when I feel I’m the lowest of men
Not knowing how I can do it again
Holding my temper and counting to ten
But then. . .

You enter my thoughts
Like perfume from an unseen source.
First, a hint and then my course is changed,
My thinking rearranged.
No lighting, no thunder,
With just a bit of wonder along the way,
You enter my thoughts and change my day.

 

3. To speak of love

I can speak about loneliness.
I can speak about pain.
Showing anger is easy for me,
I know how to complain.
I can tell you a story.
I can argue and fight.
I’ll convince and persuade you
when I’m wrong, that I’m right.
I’ll describe complex theories.
I can rave, I can rant
about trivial details.
But there’s one thing I can’t
And it’s far more important
than all the above.
I can’t say what you mean to me.
I can’t speak about love.

I wasn’t taught to speak of love
and when I try to say
just how I feel, it sounds unreal
my words get in the way.
Oh sure, I’ll say “I love you dear”
that never has been hard.
But I have more to tell you
than a dimestore greeting card.

If words cannot express my love
and what I say sounds wrong
Then music is my only hope
and when you hear this song
Know that it says I love you.
Know that it says I need you.
Just understand one thing,
You are the song I sing.

 

4. Unspoken thoughts at bedtime

I didn’t mean it. I really didn’t mean it.
Now I’ve said it I regret it and you never
should have seen it.
It was stupid, it was dumb.
Is my brain becoming numb?
Did I suddenly become the kind of unforgiving scum
whose mindless chatter, foolish patter, can offend the ones that matter in my life. . . Like my wife?
Words. I’m no good with words!
What I say’s not who I am or who I want to be.
And I hope you’ll understand and tell
me that you see
When I brag or when I flirt you know
I never mean to hurt
You know meant it as a joke.,
I didn’t think before I spoke.
Words. WORDS!

Are you awake, Honey?. . .Honey?

Now that I see you, your face soft in sleep,
I will make a solemn vow to you, one that I promise to keep.
When I am wrong and try to hide
Please take my hand, be my guide.

You’ve taught me to think and not just to scheme.
You’ve given me courage, you’ve helped me to grow
So why can’t I tell you or show you I know
You give my life meaning , you’ve taught me to dream.

Lying beside you, watching you breathe,
Knowing that you’ve chosen me to love I find it hard to conceive
Me all alone, out on my own.
Where would I be without you?
What could I be without you?

Hmmm. Good night, Honey. . .

Forces much stronger than I can control
Brought you to complete my life and turn my lonely half into whole.
I hope some day, you’ll hear me say
What would I be without you. . .
What could I be without you?
Hmmm. Good night, Honey.

of a future that’s better than I couldn’t plan

Photographic Proof

Wedding picture
Stiff and stilted
Smiles look forced and
Bouquets wilted
Far too formal
Hardly normal
Yet, it was the start

Young and foolish
Smiling faces
Knowing nothing
Of the places
We’d be living
And forgiving
That’s the bravest part

The part of me that you can’t see
The part I keep inside
Just seemed to know that you would grow
Beyond a blushing bride

room/groom

Smiling shyly

What did we know

we define it

Life together
Who could dream it
Wife forever
And I mean it

How could we survive the beginning?

(or)

(I don’t trust words to speak of love
They’re never what they seem.
I wasn’t taught to speak of love
But you’ve taught me to dream.)

 

Copyright ©1995 John Hall & Jake Heggie

Lyrics & Recordings