1. |
The Gulf Between Us
05:00
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The Gulf Between Us
V1
You say flat and I say round
you stick to white and I welcome brown
What you think is truth I call lies
things you find funny just make me cry
Chorus
The gulf between us
is wide and dark and deep
the gulf between us
wakes me from my sleep
the gulf between us
is hard to navigate
the gulf between us
is filled with hurt and hate
the ferry captain's tied his boat
tightly to the pier
The gulf between us
is strewn with suspicion and fear
V2
You doubt the science that I believe
You think you’re in tune but you’re so off key
You take Jesus’ words and turn ‘erm around
Use ‘em to keep your fellow man down
Chorus
Bridge
Scared and hungry children
fighting to survive
Scores of angry women
that will not be denied
Bullets fly and bodies fall
when there's no compromise
Everyone's unhappy
No one's satisfied
Chorus
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2. |
The Southern Wall
03:44
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The Southern Wall
V1
I drove down to the southern wall
slats of steel thirty feet tall
I stuck my arm through an open space
and felt the warmth of Mexico's face
No migrantes were around at all
Just an hour before night falls
At the southern wall
V2
Twenty miles north of the southern wall
brown-skinned boys playing baseball
mama calls out "Esta la hora de cenar.
Fresh tamales for little boys starved.”
All the dreamers short and tall
Have heard the stories of those who were caught
At the southern wall
Bridge
The border patrol, los federales
they steal your money, your sanity and your soul
Narco teens, and lying coyotes
It’s hard to stay safe when the desert nights turn cold
V3
Ten miles south of the southern wall
a little girl plays with a raggedy doll
Mama tells her, “You gotta be strong,
we’re going to live with abuela on the west side of Tucson”
Innocents running from the law
hopeful for the chance to leave it all…
At the southern wall
The southern wall…
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3. |
Momma And Me
04:00
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Momma And Me
Chorus
When Momma and me
crossed the Rio Grande Valley
looking for mercy
in the land of the free
they rounded us up and put us in prison
for no good reason
just to be mean
V1
The cartels took over and poisoned our town
and those who resisted have yet to be found
the markets are empty my school is shut down
fields that were green are now dry and brown
...they poisoned our town
Chorus
V2
Poppa left home when they threatened our family
scared and alone without any money
he's not comin' back, that's what he told me
as he slithered away like a snake from a coyote
...they threatened our family
Bridge
All we need is a room to call our own
toothpaste and soap,
clean clothes and a pillow
It's so cold in this cage,
and this aluminum cape
can't help me fly away
V3
If we could just get to Corpus Christi
we could find work rather quickly
Momma can cook and clean to make ends meet
I'd work three jobs to keep myself busy
...in Corpus Christi
Chorus
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4. |
Like Thieves
05:26
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Like Thieves
V1
I work every day I've got a strong back
it isn't strength or a purpose I lack
Ten hours as day six days a week
covers the rent and something to eat
Chorus
And we live our lives like thieves
in the shadows on dead end streets
dreaming that one day we’ll find a place to call our own
They think of us like weeds
Growing stubbornly out of the concrete
Hoping that ignoring us might make us go away
we live...our lives… like thieves
V2
Four kids and a wife in a three-room shack
on the poor side of town next to the train tracks
Mattresses lined-up on the floor
you can barely open up the door
Chorus
Bridge
I got laid off and the rent is due
I’m standing in line for boxes of free food
Every little bit helps when you're close to the line
Truth is we struggle all the time
V3
My oldest girl loves going to school
even though the rednecks can be cruel
her hair isn't blonde and her eyes aren’t blue
what's a girl from Monterrey to do?
Chorus
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5. |
Sleeping Alone
04:37
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Sleeping Alone
V1
Your tires kicked out dust and gravel
you told me you just needed to travel
and I couldn't ride shotgun this time
That old Ford needs oil and water
the radiator tends to boil right over
every time it runs for more than an hour or two
I stood on the steps
of that house we said we'd buy
watching you drive off
I couldn't even cry
the sky was turning pink
it was such a beautiful light
and I guess I'll be
sleeping alone tonight
V2
The first few days I expected to see you
driving up the lane watching that car spew
black smoke from the tailpipe into the air
But after the first week I knew it was over
Pretty soon it'll be October
and I'll be planning a trip down south for one
I sat in the chair
where you used to sit and draw
pictures of yourself
that you'd tack up on the wall
I looked at those drawings
and never saw a smile
and I guess I'll be
sleeping alone awhile
Bridge
You must have sold that Ford and bought another ride
there's no way that old thing could get that far
or maybe you just hopped aboard a train that headed west
and never stopped until you reached El Mar
continuing to search for who you are
Coda
I laid across the bed and stared off into space
closed my eyes and tried to see your face
when I finally did
it looked like you’d been crying
and I guess we'll be
sleeping alone tonight
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6. |
Living Without You
03:13
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Living Without You
V1
I woke up early Sunday morning
Threw on a t-shirt and some jeans
On the beach the sun was rising
over rough and churning seas
I don't know why the sea is angry
But I'm feeling angry too
All alone and living without you
Chorus
Ten years from now I'll still hear you calling my name
I'll remember Paris walking by the Seine
Thinking of all the good times mostly brings me pain
I know I’ll never lay with you again
V2
I poured a second cup of coffee
Flopped into my favorite chair
I thought I heard you in the hallway
But when I looked you were not there
Sometimes the silence fills my brain
and I don't know what to do
All alone and living without you
Chorus
V3
The afternoon was hot and sunny
When friends and family said goodbye
The preacher talked about your goodness
But all I could think of was your eyes
The way you looked into me
The love behind the blue
All alone and living
All alone and living
All alone and hardly living without you
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7. |
Safe
03:56
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Safe
V1
They said that what don't kill you
makes you stronger than before
But these days that don't seem to be so true anymore
The threat’s out in the open
while we hide behind our doors
Who knows what comes next for us, what troubles lie in store
Chorus
How do I keep you safe?
How do I keep you close?
How do I keep you safe?
The ones I love the most.
How do I keep you safe?
Safe, How do I keep you safe?
I miss the closeness and the touch
of family and friends
I wonder when our lives will be normal once again
We spend too many waking hours
trying to defend
ourselves from what we cannot see, it's hard to comprehend
Chorus
BR
Everything's temporary
So out of the ordinary
living like this is scary
and tomorrow brings more of the same
V3
Everybody's looking for
someone they can blame
instead of trying to find the truth, it really is a shame
The lies and false assurances are
really quite insane
they make it seem like this disaster's nothing but a game
Chorus
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Craig Cummings Columbia, Maryland
Craig Cummings is a celebrated singer/songwriter who performs throughout the mid-Atlantic region. His country-tinged, Americana portraits are infused with a pop sensibility, born of many years listening to chart topping stalwarts such as Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton. His 2019 release, Absolute Surprise, was a finalist for Best Americana/Country Album by the Washington Area Music Assoc. ... more
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