RISE “Secular” Songs
Lyric Archive

“AWAKE MY SOUL”

        ~Mumford & Sons

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show

Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free

Har har, har har, har har, har har

Awake my soul
Awake my soul

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show

Har har, har har, har har, har har

In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life

Awake my soul
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker

Awake my soul
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker
You were made to meet your maker

“Beautiful Things”

~Gungor

All this pain
I wonder if I′ll ever find my way?
I wonder if my life could really change at all?

All this Earth
Could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come up from this ground at all?

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos, life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
(Repeat)

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
(Repeat)

“Crazy World”

        ~Jeff Daniels

I’ve seen a young girl smiling,
It’s something he just said,
I watched him fall into her pretty green eyes,
His cheeks turned valentine red.

I’ve seen an old man walking,
With his wife by his side,
I watched him reach down, take her hand,
Damned if I didn’t cry.

This crazy world’s gone crazy
Who am I to judge?
Nice to know in a world full of hate
There’s someone out there still making love.

I’ve seen a dog’s tail wagging,
I’ve seen a grandchild run,
I’ve sung along to a day-breaking dawn,
In a hundred thousand setting suns.

I’ve seen a door held open,
I’ve seen strangers shaking hands,
I’ve seen a kiss from that old flame she missed,
Last a little longer than planned.

This crazy world’s gone crazy
Who am I to judge?
Nice to know in a world full of hate
There’s someone out there still making love.

I’ve seen a prayer get answered,
I’ve seen a bride in June,
I’m proud to say I’ve seen the Milky Way
Winking at the man in the Moon.

I’ve seen a dozen roses,
I’ve seen a heart on her sleeve,
I’ve seen enough to know what I know
And know what I still believe.

This crazy world’s gone crazy
Who am I to judge?
Nice to know in a world full of hate
There’s someone out there
There’s someone out there
There’s someone out there…

“Crowded Table”

~The Highwomen - Brandi Carlile & Natalie Hemby with Lori McKenna

You can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I can be your mountain, when you’re feeling valley low
I can be your streetlight, showing you the way home
If you can hold my hand, when you need to let go

I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done

If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seeds
Plant a little happiness, let the roots run deep
If it’s love that we give, then it’s love that we reap
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seed

Yeah, I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done

The door is always open
Your picture’s on my wall
Everyone’s a little broken
And everyone belongs
Yeah, Everyone belongs

I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done

“Get Together”

~The Youngbloods / Jesse Colin Young

Love is but a song we sing
Fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
And you may not know why

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now

Some may come and some may go
We will surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
Fading in the grass

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now

If you hear the song I sing
You will understand (listen!)
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now

“Give Yourself To Love”

~Kate Wolf

Kind friends all gathered 'round,
there's something I would say:
That what brings us together here
has blessed us all today.
Love has made a circle
that holds us all inside.
Where strangers are as family,
loneliness can't hide.

You must give yourself to love
if love is what you're after;
Open up your hearts to
the tears and laughter
And give yourself to love,
give yourself to love.

I've walked these mountains in the rain
and learned to love the wind;
I've been up before the sunrise
to watch the day begin.
I've always knew I'd find you,
though I never did know how;
Like sunshine on a cloudy day
stand before me now.

So give yourself to love
if love is what you're after;
Open up your hearts to
the tears and laughter
And give yourself to love,
give yourself to love.

Love is born in fire;
it's planted like a seed.
Love can't give you everything,
but it gives you what you need.
And love comes when you're ready,
love comes when you're afraid;
It'll be your greatest teacher,
the best friend you have made.

So give yourself to love
if love is what you're after;
Open up your hearts to
the tears and laughter
And give yourself to love,
give yourself to love.

REPEAT

“The Joke”

~Brandi Carlile

You're feeling nervous, aren't you, boy?
With your quiet voice and impeccable style
Don't ever let them steal your joy
And your gentle ways
To keep 'em from running wild
They can kick dirt in your face
Dress you down, and tell you that your place
Is in the middle, when they hate the way you shine
I see you tugging on your shirt
Trying to hide inside of it
And hide how much it hurts

Let 'em laugh while they can
Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind
I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends
And the joke's on them

You get discouraged, don't you, girl?
It's your brother's world for a while longer
We gotta dance with the devil on a river
To beat the stream
Call it living the dream, call it kicking the ladder
They come to kick dirt in your face
To call you weak and then displace you
After carrying your baby on your back across the desert
I saw your eyes behind your hair
And you're looking tired, but you don't look scared

Let 'em laugh while they can
Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind
I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends
And the joke's on them

(Repeat)

“Nowhere Man”

~John Lennon & Paul McCartney

He's a real Nowhere Man
Sitting in his Nowhere Land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me

Nowhere Man, please listen
You don't know what you're missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command

He's as blind as he can be
Just sees what he wants to see
Nowhere Man can you see me at all

Nowhere Man, don't worry
Take your time, don't hurry
Leave it all till somebody else lends you a hand.

Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me

Nowhere Man, please listen
You don't know what you're missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command

He's a real Nowhere Man
Sitting in his Nowhere Land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

“RIPPLE”

        ~Lyrics by Robert Hunter / Music by Jerry Garcia

If my words did glow, with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played, on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice, come through the music?
Would you hold it near, as if it were your own?

It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken
Perhaps, they’re better left unsung
I don't know, don't really care
Let there be songs, to fill the air

Ripple in still water,
When there is no pebble tossed,
Nor wind to blow

Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If your cup is full, may it be again.
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of man

There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn, and the dark of night
And if you go, no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone

Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow

You, who choose to lead, must follow
But if you fall, you fall alone
If you should stand then who's to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home

La dee da da da…

___________________________________

The lyrics to “Ripple” were written by Robert Hunter, with music composed by Jerry Garcia. This was the songwriting duo that produced many of the Grateful Dead’s best songs, including most of the material on their two most beloved albums, American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead, and other favorites like “Sugaree”.

“Ripple” is about making peace with life, and finding a path that suits you by learning from the other lost people around you, and of course embracing the power of joy through music. It’s about remembering that we’re all in this together, but also that your life is your own to lead.

“Ripple”, however, certainly does dip its toes in the waters of religion. Especially with the line, “Let it be known there is a fountain / That was not made by the hands of men,” which Hunter told Rolling Stone in 2015 was his favorite lyric that he had ever written. It suggests rather directly that there is some greater being that created this mystical fountain, which one might assume is the Fountain of Youth.

As noted in the old school annotated Grateful Dead lyrics site at the University of Santa Cruz, Hunter’s lyrics also contain what could be interpreted as references to several other works of mythology and literature. Noted references include the ancient Indian mystic Kabir, the Hebrew Psalm 23, Walt Whitman and Yeat’s poetry, and more. In this way Hunter places “Ripple” in context with all of these things that weigh and interpret the meaning of life, and gives his own interpretation, but moreso invites listeners to ponder it for themselves:

There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go, no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone

(Liner Notes extracted from https://extrachill.com/grateful-dead-ripple-meaning)

“THIS IS NOT THE END”

~Gungor

This is not the end
This is not the end of this
We will open our eyes wide, wider

This is not our last
This is not our last breath
We will open our mouths wide, wider

And you know you'll be alright
Oh and you know you'll be alright

This is not the end
This is not the end of us
We will shine like
The stars bright, brighter

“Time After Time”

~Rob Hyman / Cyndi Lauper

Lying in my bed
I hear the clock tick and think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Flashback, warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcase of memories
Time after

Sometimes, you picture me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me
I can't hear what you've said
Then you say, "Go slow"
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time

After my picture fades
And darkness has turned to gray
Watching through windows
You're wondering if I'm okay
Secrets stolen from deep inside
And the drum beats out of time

If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
(Repeat)

“What a Wonderful World”

~Bob Thiele, George Douglas, George Weiss

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They’re really saying I love you

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself, what a wonderful world