When You Call My Name

(album: North Hills - 2009)

If all my lovers sing the big words,
and all my brothers keep them small,
then I'll get lost in the difference
between their whisper and the echo of their call.

So I am headed for the ocean
to let the sea smoke guide me in.
I'd give up my belongings and questions
They only ever taught me, to begin.

So I will not turn around
as I step up to the train,
but I'll hear it when you call my name.
And I will not be the sound
of your roof under the rain,
but I'll hear it when you call my name.

So I am taking off my wristwatch
to let the time move how I please,
to let my day be guided by the sunlight
through morning's mill and twilight's soft release.

So if you wanna get to know me
follow my smile down into its curves.
All these lines are born in sorrows and pleasures
and every man ends up with the face that he deserves.

So I will not give you bread
as you reach out from your cage,
but I'll hear it when you call my name.
And I will not give applause
as you step off of the stage,
but I'll hear it when you call my name.

There's a river running through the city
gently reminding me what's what.
Of course you are invited to come with me,
but I don't think that's really what you want.

I think you want a world that will hold you
through security and gravity and love
and I can't think of anyone who'd blame you
and I can't think of how that'd be enough.

So I won't come back around
when you curse the ground you've tamed,
but I'll hear it when you call my name.
And when you realize, once I'm gone,
that I never really came,
oh I'll hear it when you call my name.
And when the burden of the sun
reveals to you its pain,
oh I'll hear it when you call my name.
And when you realize that you're wrong
but you still give me all the blame,
I'll hear it when you call my name.