The following lyrics were created for the Musical Stories which were published as our sixteenth collection in 2020 under the title of “Quiet Comes Along.” Simply click on the images below to go directly to the original story, music and complete lyrics along with other related links.
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Quiet Comes Along – Lullaby
When all is said and done
That’s when the quiet comes along
Within a song
When the day turns into night
There’s no more need for might
Along comes this song
Sometimes feeling tightly bound by worries of the day
We can rest assured those ties will loosen, fall away
Although night seems distant, barely there
It finally comes with a song
This song
One day gives way right to the next
The new one often brings more stress
With furrowed brows, somehow we always muddle through
Waiting longingly for rest
When all is said and done
That’s when the quiet comes along
Within a song
When the light begins to dim
With the hour to settle in
Along comes this song
A soothing song
This song
“Quiet Comes Along” is a soothing reflection on the restorative power of music as a sanctuary from daily stress and anxiety. By framing the transition from day to night as a time to drop one’s defenses, the song suggests that music provides a unique, internal quiet where heavy worries can loosen and fall away, offering a gentle, predictable ritual for weary minds to rest and reset.
Nighty-Night
Scattered among the Milky Way
All the way to the moon
Millions of twinkling stars say
Sweet dreams
Nighty-night Rosie June
When your sweet blue eyes close
No matter if night or noon
We are waiting here for you
Sweet dreams
Nighty-night Rosie June
You’ve had such a busy day
Filled with fun and love
Now it’s time to rest a bit
And dream
Floating above white fluffy clouds
Drifting with kites and balloons
You will soar on wings of sleep
Sweet dreams
Nightly-night Rosie June
“Nighty Night Rosie June” is a tender lullaby that reassures a child through imaginative, comforting imagery of the night sky. By framing sleep as a weightless journey among stars, clouds, and balloons, the text validates a full day of play and offers a safe, peaceful transition into dreamland, wrapping the listener in a sense of warmth and cosmic protection.
Before Eight
You swore you’d always try
Recklessly, I believed you
You looked me in the eye
But planned an escape
I pictured morning talks
Everlasting days together
You couldn’t see the same
And left before eight
We lived a simple life
I thought we both were happy
You took my hand and heart
Which got in your way
You needed something more
Than only me forever
Steady isn’t edgy enough
So you just couldn’t stay
Until then it seemed that
You were my one and only
Sparks and fire
The perfect match
Dark and brooding
To me you were my perfect catch
Then from out of nowhere
Without the slightest inkling
You became a stranger
With somewhere else to be
Today I’m sad to say
I don’t know what you’re thinking
I used to know you
But you gave us away
So then as this story ends
With memories bittersweet
Yesterday will forge
Tomorrow’s dream
“Before Eight” explores the grief and disorientation of a sudden, quiet abandonment, contrasting one partner’s quiet contentment with the other’s restless need for novelty. Capturing the painful transition of an intimate partner turning into a distant stranger, the text progresses from the shock of broken promises and misplaced trust toward a bittersweet acceptance, acknowledging that the pain of the past will ultimately help shape a new future.
Dutchman’s Dilemma
There is a hand, holding a sphere
Reflecting an outstretched hand, holding a sphere
There is a drawing, with pencil in hand
A sketch of a hand, drawing a pencil in hand, in 3-D
Peering even closer still, I wonder how can it be?
Beginnings without ends—mystery
There is a man, climbing the stairs
Ascending to another plane, step by step
Nearby another man makes his way
But he’s walking down, descending into depths yet unknown
Turning the page around, I wonder what do I see?
Deciding which is up or down—that’s the key
An artist’s vision leads us to see more
Showing something never seen before
An artist’s language may seem familiar
Whispering magic words
Perspective altered with the stroke of the pen
Perspective shifted again
Just with the stoke of a pen
Escher plays, as he looks at the day
Inspecting every little thing, until it moves
Birds fill the sky, taking to flight
Their tails interlace but which way do they face, in mid-air
Separate forms fill the page, yet somehow blend into one
Exchanging black for white—how is it done?
Where there were none
To worlds beyond
“Dutchman’s Dilemma” is a tribute to the power of artistic vision. Through the lens of M.C. Escher’s impossible geometries, the song shows how a single stroke of a pen can bend physical laws, dissolve opposites like light and shadow, and prove that reality depends entirely on your perspective.
Two Sweet
She wakes each day with a smile
Cheerfulness is just her style
Prefers to eat around eight
Then on to do the things that just can’t wait
Dance party draws her in
Quick feet, kicks, ending with a spin
One of a kind in all of the world
Rosie June, our two year old girl
She stops, requests a different song
While dancing she sings along
Partial to Swift or Phish
Then on to do just what she wishes
Blank paper calls her name
Colored crayons stake a momentary claim
One of a kind in all of the world
Rosie June, our two year old girl
Saturday Mama sleeps in while
Rosie hangs with Dad at Bean Town
Then off they go to the pool
She learns to swim
Munching on carrots and peas
Rosie’s lunch looks like a rainbow
Berry bites and chunks of mango
Finish out her meal
Hugging with Wolfie it’s time
For an hour or two in Snoozeville
Such a busy little girl always needs her rest
To be the best
Much to do in the afternoon
Busy bee, that’s our Rosie June
Sidewalks in need of colored chalk
Snack in hand heading out for a neighborhood walk
It’s almost time to take a bath
Scrubba-dub, soapy bubbles—splish-splash
One of a kind in all of the world
Rosie June, our two year old girl
One of a kind, you just have to meet
Rosie June, she’s simply Two Sweet
“Two Sweet” is a joyful, affectionate portrait of a toddler’s daily life, celebrating her vibrant personality, boundless energy, and unique quirks. By capturing playful moments, from impromptu dance parties to colorful art projects, pool trips with Dad, and cozy nap-time routines, the text highlights the sweet chaotic magic of age two, honoring a cherished child with deep parental warmth and adoration.
Wash Ashore
Barefoot summers of my childhood
Skipping stones along the water’s edge
Jumping castles built into the sand, melting
Waves swell and break
Seashells wash ashore
Salt-dusted hands
Flushed from a day of sun
Sea woven tangled hair
Weary with fun
Wistful daydreams of those summers
Brightened many grey, cold winter days
Facing an imaginary sun, blazing
Salty fingers trace
My dry, wind-chapped lips
Snow starts to fall
Flakes drift into my eyes
Cheeks sting, blush, and glow
Dreaming of sun
Driving the Western coast
Fires have charred the hills again
Offshore rigs loom
Mud rivers swell, flowing into the sea
Sun fades from view
Dusk falls across the Florida Gulf
Hurricanes rage
Trees torn limb from limb
Flooded homes blown apart
Daydreams have blurred
Nothing is as it once had been
Naive no more
Where have all my
Childhood memories gone
Memories gone
Dreams of sun
Till winter was done
Now they are all gone
Wistful daydreams of those summers
Brightened many grey, cold winter days
Now my once imaginary sun, blazes
With anger sears
My dry, wind-chapped lips
Sand dreams give way
Sifting quickly through the glass
Victims of our own design
Awakened at last
To what we have done
Mourn and long
For memories gone
Sweet dreams of the sun
“Wash Ashore” is a poignant reflection on the loss of innocence and the environmental degradation of the natural world, contrasting idyllic childhood memories of sunny beaches with the harsh adult reality of wildfires, hurricanes, and polluted coasts. As the soothing sun of youth transforms into a searing, destructive force, the text shifts from nostalgia to grief, serving as a sobering wake-up call to humanity’s role in altering the climate and destroying the sanctuaries of the past.
Lightning Rod
Dark heavy air, cloudy skies
Flashes of light before the rumbling thunder
Forewarned, another outburst begins
Wading through water to our knees
Though we’re soaked down to the bone
We survive—since the lightning rod draws the strike
When will it end, we ask into the sky
Searching for sun, maybe just a glimmer
Then the sky splits, another downpour begins
Pending danger, charge in the air
Though the flashing is close by
We survive—since the lightning rod draws the strike
Sometimes we pause to wonder
If there’s some sort of limit
How much more can it hold
Or is the lightning rod full of the flashes drawn
Sometimes we start to worry
There really is a limit
Leaving us exposed
Raw and helpless to the flashes drawn
Lightning rod sizzles, vapor escapes
Taking with it the heat held inside
Can we take it, is the heat too high
Will it charge us, or melt down inside
Skies darken again, another storm
Hope for some sun
Today seems sadly doubtful
Then the sky splits
Another cloudburst begins
Sudden deluge, soaked to the skin
Then lightning lights the sky
We survive—since the lightning rod draws the strike
Takes the charge
The surge
Lightning rod
“Lightning Rod” is an intense exploration of relentless emotional turmoil, resilience, and the severe toll of absorbing trauma. Using severe weather as an extended metaphor for recurring crises, the lyrics highlight how individuals endure constant adversity by relying on a “lightning rod”—a protective person or defense mechanism that absorbs the hardest blows. Ultimately, the song serves as a poignant warning about burnout and vulnerability, questioning how much pressure a single protector can sustain before overloading and leaving everyone exposed. The loved ones around you need support in their efforts to protect, however, your own Light within is capable of sustaining you through all traumas that life may bring.
Playing with Echo
Ribbons of sunshine dancing among the toys
Suddenly tilting her head, did she hear a noise
Attention beyond the room, listening, body poised
There! she heard it again, the sound of her voice
Racing around the corner
Maybe she will find a brand new playmate
Searching in all the hiding places that she knows
Peeking around each doorway
She expects to see familiar faces
Yet she finds that there is no one there
Off she goes back into the sunshine
Singing her favorite song
Then just as her little tune ended
She heard Echo sing along
Echo was singing along
Seconds behind her, without missing a beat
Following note for note, she giggles with glee
Scouting each nook and cranny
She expects to see someone she knows well
Yet she finds there is no one there
Off she goes back into the sunshine
Singing her favorite song
Then just as her little tune ended
She heard Echo sing along
Echo was singing along
With each of Rosie’s songs
Echo sang along
“Playing with Echo” captures a toddler’s delightful discovery of acoustic reflections, transforming a simple sound delay into a whimsical game with an imaginary playmate. As young Rosie sings her favorite tunes and hears her voice repeated back, her curious search through doorways and corners yields no physical companion, but rather the pure, giggling joy of cause-and-effect, framing childhood innocence through the magical lens of a call-and-response game with nature.
No Better
Thought I knew better, head over heart
Left me deeply lonely, all alone and torn apart
Sure I knew better, started to second guess
Everything I felt was real
Leaving empty rooms filled with regret
Being right is cold comfort
Through the many endless nights
I fill my days in the park with countless strangers
Random passers by in hopes that I might feel
Something more than heartache and grief
Should have known better
Than to trust my thoughts
They’ve betrayed me so many times
No matter how much I fought
Now I find myself feeling so broken
Cheated, made a fool
If only I’d taken some time, a second or two
Just to play it through, I’d know what to do
Then I’d feel something more than
Heartache and grief
You’d think I’d know better
“No Better” is a bitter, introspective exploration of self-sabotage, examining the grief that follows choosing intellectual pride over emotional truth. Overthinking and prioritizing from the head over the heart leaves the speaker in cold isolation, realizing that “being right” offers no true comfort against deep regret. As they attempt to fill the void through brief, meaningless encounters with strangers, the text culminates in painful self-reproach, capturing the haunting cycle of repeating past mistakes and misjudgments.
Lucky Day
When Rosa met Harry, it must have been a lucky day
‘Cause they been hangin’ ’round together for quite some time
And when they got married, it must have been a peaceful day
‘Cause they settled in together to create a life that’s just their style
Fifty years now I’ve been told, always young and never old
Not a bad start for the rest of your life
And I’m proposing a toast as we meet here on the coast
Here’s to Mom and Dad who gave us life
And when they had children, it must have been on sun-filled days
‘Cause they keep on growin’ stronger in each and every possible way
When their children had children, it must have been on faith-filled days
So they’d get to make a difference in the future for the next hundred years
Fifty years now I’ve been told, always young and never old
Just a head-start for the best of your life
And I’m proposing a toast as we meet here on the coast
Here’s to all of you who give them life
And I propose a special toast to the ones who we love most
Here’s to Mom and Dad, partners for life
When Harry met Rosa, it surely was a lucky day
“Lucky Day” is a heartfelt, celebratory tribute to a couple’s 50th wedding anniversary, honoring the far-reaching legacy of a single fortunate encounter. Moving from Rosa and Harry’s serene early days of marriage to the growth of their children and grandchildren, the text frames a golden milestone not as an endpoint, but as a joyful foundation for future generations. Rooted in a coastal anniversary toast, it radiates gratitude for lifelong partnership, family strength, and a love that remains eternally young.
Imagination
Everyday Imagination blooms
Change Identity assumed
Sometimes we play as kids, dogs or cats
All we know for sure—Ruby is bad
Everyday favorites grow
Competitions: ready, set, go
We draw, we dance, claim the win by a tad
Although better, alas—Ruby’s still bad
There’s plenty to do, hundreds of pics
Adding up to the fact that Rosie is six
Gymnastics and school, more friends in the mix
Celebrating the day that Rosie turns six
Birthday cake glows with so many wicks
Light up the day, now that Rosie is six
Everyday begins anew
More to learn, so much more to do
Gold medal award for 100 books read
What a treat to share the thoughts in her head
Being part of Rosie’s world is the best
So much more than we ever guessed
Rosie is six
“Imagination” is a exuberant milestone celebration of a child turning six, capturing the expanding horizon of her creative inner world and everyday achievements. Through vivid snapshots of pretend play, drawings, dance, school, and a love for reading, the text contrasts her fluid childhood imagination with her blossoming independence. Ultimately, it serves as a loving reflection on the profound, unexpected joy of sharing in a young girl’s growth as she steps into a new year of wonder.
Quality time is undeniably great for relationships. We've discovered that quantity of time can provide that quality. Perhaps it takes Time to Partner.