Recorded in 2002 with engineer/producer Rob Ignazio in Somerville, MA
Copyright Teresa Storch 2002

LYRICS

Hand Against My Fist

So I’ve lived with my dial up to 9, my gauge well up passed the red line.
My hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand… as I resist

So I’ve learned I can lie all the time once I’ve earned it they’ll still believe the next time. My hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand… as I resist

Water falling down on my face is this place real or just a miracle?  Can we be made full of grace?  What is that pounding?
My hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand… as I resist

Ego will not land here, not if I can stand it. It’s the smell of fear to my mind, this time I won’t go blind.  When is it enough ‘cause the stuff of the world holds my hand, my hand against my fist

So I scale the wall made by me for one last look at that ocean view I’ve seen in my life but never in my dreams.
My dreams were like water on desert sand, never noticing the gift was right there in my hand

My hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand against my fist…

But I found out, I found what I wanted all along. No great epiphany just somewhere in a song.
But I found out, I found what I wanted all along. No great epiphany just somewhere in a song I heard.

…my hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand against my fist, my hand against my hand against my

Choose Your Battles

I’ve gone through life with blinders on that use to block what I choose
And I believe in human kindness, that’s why it hurts so much, so much to be used
But when I catch a glimpse, some injustice completely blocks my view
It’s then I fear I’m sucked back into reality I tried to lose

But when the light glares down on my unblinded face
I feel the warmth I’ve missed in hiding and the cold, of an unfamiliar place
Why can’t I go on unrivaled, why must conflict invade my space
Is this the key to survival, meet the challenges you face

Chooose your battles, Choose your battles well

I’m one who seeks perfection, I get frustrated by the rest
When it’s just out of the question, I convince myself that I could care less
So I’ll appear undaunted, but there’s a confidence I lack
Because I fear my mind will always stab me in the back

But when the light glares down on my unblinded face
I feel the warmth I’ve missed in hiding and the cold, of an unfamiliar place
Why can’t I go on unrivaled, why must conflict invade my space
Is this the key to survival, meet the challenges you face

Chooose your battles, Choose your battles well

Muscle Memory

Feel time passing through your essence
Sink down deep in the abyss
Breathe deep, deep within your system
Release the images trapped within your veins

My body senses more than what you’re saying
It’s a language we speak but never hear
Listen close to what your body’s saying
Muscle Memory holds more than our ears

Because these blues, yeah these blues, are long overdue…

I feel the future underneath my fingertips
But I taste today on my tongue and lips
Watching time within as it rewinds
To relieve the images and find some peace of mind

Because these blues, yeah these blues, are long overdue…

Feel time passing through your essence
Sink down deep in the abyss
Breathe deep, deep within your system
Release the images trapped within your veins

All Those Things

Once again I am walking through my mind, but this time, I sense the danger
It’s a battlefield filled with mines and it’s raining artillery
Once again I am walking through the square and I see the people on the street
Some smile back at me, others, let’s just say I’m forced to retreat

We need more empathy what if some catastrophe would the people on the trains lookup in time react What if there was blood What about all those things we don’t like to think of

What if one day I just stopped thinking
For the first time I would notice all those things I see everyday
And what would I really say

Who said more therapy analyzing’s killing me the people on the trains can’t see if you don’t use your heart What if there was love  And what about all those things we forget to think of

Can’t they see I am doing the best, best that I can
Can’t they see I am doing the best that I can

Once again you are speaking to me but this time I sense the barricade
It’s that disparity between what you say and what you really mean
And what do you really mean

We need more empathy what if some catastrophe would the people on the trains look up in time react What if there was blood What about all those things we don’t like to think of

Who said more therapy analyzing’s killing me the people on the trains can’t see if you don’t use your heart What if there was love  And what about all those things we forget to think of

I can see you are do the best, best that you can
Cause I can hear what comes form your heart not from your fear
Can’t they see we are doing the best, best that we can
Can’t they see we are doing the bet that we can
All those things, all those things….

Gone Away

There’s a clock on the wall and it tells me my times almost through
There’s a man in a car wondering what else he can do
There’s a place in the west where the sun streams down through the clouds
And there’s a place in my head where it’s all been played out

Now I’m pounded by words and whittled by water making grooves down my face
And you would ask me to stay, but you know not to bother, I’ve already gone away

There’s a moon in the sky once I asked for a reason to give
But the moon, he replied with a chance like this
The love in your eyes held me closer than I could deny
But the warmth of your heart melted my wings before I could fly

Now you’re pounded by words and whittled by water making grooves down your face
And you would ask me to stay, but you know not to bother, I’ve already gone away

Out there is a sky above we so rarely see
We’re trapped inside the light beneath this canopy
But I feel each and every star and galaxy pressing down on me

There’s a clock on the wall and it’s tells me it’s time to move on
And the man in the car knows it’s best to not turn around
Because the sun in the west will still shine all the time
And there’s a place in my heart where I’ll visit from time to time

When you’re pounded by words and whittled by water making grooves down your face
There’s only one way to make it better if you’ve already gone, gone away

Happy To Know You

I did not know you well the day that you died How could I have known you when we’ve only met a few times My sister sits on the back porch showing me things that you’ve done Your son continues on with the things you gotta do to move on

I have gotten to know you well through the stories and the lines I am happy to know you now through those you’ve left behind

She tells me you loved to sail spent your time on the sea I know you were happy you spent that day with your wife at the beach My sister sits on the back porch telling me over the phone how your wife slept soundly after so many nights of praying for the dawn

I have gotten to know you well through the stories and the lines I am happy to know you now through those you’ve left behind

You gave them a love of life you taught them to be strong You did the best you could to help them carry on

That day I heard my heart broke for that empty space Those places can’t be filled by much less than grace My sister sits on the back porch showing me all of their plans Your son comes out to join us and this is what he says

I don’t need you to comfort me I’m not sad to move on I am happy I’ve known you well it’s just hard to know you’re gone