The Rest of My Life

One day a long, long time ago
The time of the thundering buffalo
Rivers ran and the north lights glowed
The heart of the Earth beat so slow
Then out of the north, on two legs walked
A teller of stories, a thinker of thoughts
Out of the East on the wind and sea
Came the tamers of beasts and the fathers of me
The first people passed, guns were strong
The buffalo faded like a setting sun
One day, when we’re too old to fight
I’m gonna tear down this fence
I’m gonna watch you walk out a sight
For the rest of my life
Out of the south came a hurricane
Out of the sky, came a hijacked plane
The heart of the Earth shook with fear
The hatred of love felt so near
REP
Out of the west, a Pacific swell
Waves of grace curled and fell
The people were blessed, with the soul/song of the Earth
They started again, with a virgin birth
REP

Gods Little One

God gave us a home where the buffalo roam
Where the blueberries grow and so can our son
The first time I saw him all wrinkled and red
From a pool in the desert, mom and I said
Your first time around the sun
The Lord helped us raise you
Your first time around the sun
My little, our little, God’s little One
You were raised in a time, when the world needs a sign
And her love has blown cold, but I’ll warm you with mine
REP
Go run with the birds and the bees
Wherever they lead you
Wherever the buffalo roam
They will lead you, they will lead you,
They will lead you home
SOLO
REP

And You

Feel my flesh burning like wood
But there’s a spark in there that’s good
There’s a child within a man
He keeps telling me I can
So much fear inside it shakes me
So much grace inside it saves me
So much guilt inside it hates me
So much love inside it takes me, and you
There’s a reason we were born
A holiness that gave us form
At times I feel him flowing through
Especially when I’m holding you
REP
In time the damage is done
Life takes a bite out of you
In time the damage is done
Life takes, it takes you till it’s through
There’s a vision that we share
Only love can take us there
I pray for more of it each day
But at the end all I can say
REP

North Star

Two brothers on the road, two stories not yet told
They’re brewing up a storm
Like whiskey in the still of their soul
They followed the North Star, up to where their old friends are
Their horse all in tow
They saddle up and ride into the snow
North Star, guide them steady
Bring our brothers home
North Star, there’s so many
Brother’s riding home
SOLO;
And the midnight rainbow so high in the sky
Makes a man sit back and wonder why
Like an ancient story the Bible would tell
North Star, you have guided us well
We met under the mountain, among the buffalo
Faces in the firelight,
Look like they did 200 years ago
REP.

The Tears of Mary

Words by Leo Downey and Karen Hansen Downey, music by Leo Downey 1995

Pregnant with the future, pregnant with the past
Pregnant with the promised Child, that will take us home at last
Her heart becomes a meadow, her soul becomes a sea
Her Child is her creator, I believe the Mystery
The tears of Mary, are falling in God’s eyes
Heaven kneels with a Mother and Child
The truth can be so simple, so innocent and holy
Laying in his mothers arms, a King in all his glory
The tears of Mary, are falling in God’s eyes
Heaven kneels with a Mother and Child
You and I were born in the manger
Wise men came with a star
All this time, we have lived to remember
Just how holy we are
The tears of Mary, are falling in God’s eyes
Heaven kneels with a Mother and Child

Blackfoot Trail

He was born on a day, When the sun was high
Heading out west, saying goodbye
The mountains were cold, and life was tough
But Jim was a good boy, with a truck load of love
He built his own home, round a big old fir tree
said to the sun, you can rise and set upon me
It’s west to my soul, where the sun sets I’ll go
Hitch a ride on a rail,
I’ve never been east of Blackfoot trail
When the sun sets,
and night time falls he starts to dream
of eagles flying and rainbows jumping
from a mountain stream
Hard like a rock
Soft like a breeze
There’s not many men I have met like these
Squeeze every drop of juice out a life
In love with the birds, his kids and his wife
He says,
It’s west to my soul, where the sun sets I’ll go
Hitch a ride on a rail,
I’ve never been east of Blackfoot trail … 3X

Little Old Man

Leo Downey and Pat Milliken

Little old man, big old car, big old smile, little old face
You know he’s happy cause he’s going to that place
Little old road, big pearly gates, little old man talking to those saints
They want to know, where did your love go?
I love my apple pie, my sunny sky, my little Maria
I love my happy home, the kids I’ve grown with my little Maria
Little old man, big old world, little old man, got know little old girl
You know she’s calling to him, from that happy world
I love my apple pie, my sunny sky, my little Maria
I love my happy home, the kids I’ve gown with my little Maria…..

Leather and Tattoos

My father fought in WWll,
When I was a kid I got in some fights too
I remember sitting in his car,
With the tires squealing and the top down
I have memories of Light My Fire,
playing for the first time on the radio
I can hear him laughing at a Boy Named Sue,
God those days still feel so true
1968 in Monterey
There were Harley’s and hippie’s
and Hells Angels too
At a red light sometimes they’d look at you
With their hair hanging down
on Leather and Tattoo ( 2x )
My brother had long curly hair
and expansion chambers that would fill the air
I remember hanging onto him
and flying down to the county fair
I have memories of old Salinas
And counting up the quarters
at my Dad’s car wash
Playing at the wheel of his old Bel Air,
And sleeping in the sun that warmed me there
1970 in Monterey
I turned 10 and we moved away
My Dad said it’s good we got out of there
Out of Leather and Tattoo’s, Harley’s and long hair
Leather and Tattoo’s, Harley’s and long hair
I loved Leather and Tattoo’s, Harley’s and long hair

Galaxy

Dad had a Galaxy,
He used to drive with me
He’d sit me on his knee
Man we would feel so free
It had black shiny paint
And whitewall radials
He’d drive that thing so fast
It gave us both a thrill
His hand was on the wheel
His nerves were hard as steel
Inside that Galaxy
It had a canvas top
A switch that made it drop
Red leather seats inside
People would look and stop
I loved the roar it made
There’s nothing I would trade
for that Galaxy
That car has gone some where
I wish that I knew where
I’ll find that Galaxy (3x)

True

I have friends in high places, watch out for me and you
I have friends in low places, that watch our for us too
I have blessings I know it, I am blessed to be your man
We have love and we grow it, and when I hold your hand
But I’m True, I’m True …
I have ghosts that haunt me, I don’t know who they are
I have memories that taunt me, and sins that linger on
But I’m True, I’m True, …True to you
How I long to show you, the man I am
But this kids still growing, doesn’t know how he can
Feel my heart it’s open, please understand
That I won’t stop trying, till I can
Be True, True….True to me and you

I Confess

I confessed to you once
You took me in
Though you know all I’ve done
You took me anyway
Every way, every day, I confess I love you that way
I confess that I do
Know each night I’ve loved you
Testimony true
Here to stay
Every way, every day, I confess I love you that way
You be my angel
I’ll be your rock
I’ve loved you every day
Since I touched your heart
Written on your face
Is such a graceful way
And loving you is
The way that I pray
Every way, every day, I confess I love you that way (repeat)