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The Sleeping World (ep)

by The Sleeping World

/
1.
It’s over. I’m sorry. You will have to live without me now. I’m moving to Chicago. I’ll pick up my things tomorrow. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m like a leaf stuck to a tree. I’d give my roots, my breath, my home, my peace to freefall with the autumn breeze. Let the wind blow me to anywhere but in your arms and let the city lights eclipse the moonlight’s song. A fever’s burning my whole world into a rage, but darling, you will forgive me one of these days. Come closer. I would like to tell you how you shook my life. I’m still inebriated from the myth that you created when you fell in love with me and let me bring my misery into your house, into your mind a cloud against your sky-blue eyes. I don’t remember how I let it come to this when you were wild-eyed and begging me to reconsider. I had no choice. I slammed the door and walked away, but baby you will forgive me one of these days. There is a special place in hell for one like me who tears the wool right off of the sheep and brings a grown man to his knees But when you get up, it’ll be better you than me. You’ll be the still-bright moon lighting up the sky; I’ll be the insatiable sea. Don’t worry about me. I chose this life. I’m finally free. Don’t worry about me. I chose this life. I’m finally free.
2.
Come on. Let’s go. There’s a promised land to find I’ll be your compass if you’ll be mine There’s a land of milk and honey over the hill where the grass is green and the color of the sky is the color of your eyes as you lead me over I don’t know how to read this meadow It feels safe but there’s something amiss I’m a goat with the sheep, a chicken with the swans a whale on the beach, a preacher in the ghetto Oh, I’m looking for the secrets you don’t want me to know Oh, the hand that feeds me is the hand that never lets me go I can only think for myself these days I don’t know how to navigate the maze of you the sweet I do the foolproof power of sticking to the plan Give me wilderness or give me death I don’t need a place to rest I need the swarms I need the hail to beat my body, take away my breath I’m running to a place that you will never know Oh, the land that feeds me is the land that never lets me go Don’t look for me Don’t look for me
3.
She’s been getting used to this since she was 5 years old Why don’t you let your little girl be a little girl? I’m supposed to love you as if you were my kin but I can’t say I would love you if you were I come and sit by your bedside but I’m running out of things to say You’ve been dying for way too long. Why don’t you give it up? Just give her up You think religion’s gonna ease your pain-- your streets of gold and last minute messiahs Long as you get on a fast train out of her mind Dirty daddy’s kisses taste like ashes Mama looks so pretty through the smoke She’s been dusting shadows all her long, long life and you’re still throwing fires on the stove I could shine some light on your life but the smoke is getting in my eyes You think religion’s gonna ease her pain-- your streets of gold and last minute messiahs Why don’t you get on a fast train out of her mind? I come and sit by your bedside but I’m running out of things to say You’ve been dying for way too long. Why don’t you give it up? Just give her up You think religion’s gonna ease your pain-- your streets of gold and last minute messiahs Long as you get on a fast train out of her mind Why don’t you get on a fast train out of our lives?
4.
Holy Holy 03:49
In the underworld there’s a little girl throwing fire into her wounds And your god is there, sees that she is scared but he just watches her, amused It’s just a nasty dream, but it looks just like a scene out of the books that we’ve been reading A god of power and light stained onto these pages residue of fear in every eye Holy, holy Holy, holy Who’ll be the star of Jesus Who memorized that verse? I started to tell my story but he had to sell his first In his tragic fantasy, the hero always dies and we’re standing on the shoreline waiting for him to arrive Holy, holy Holy, holy I’m sorry. It’s just me. I don’t really mean to accuse but all the prophets and the holy bible, they didn’t help to ease the confusion I’m sorry. It’s just me. I don’t really mean to accuse Just throw the literature out the window and show me a little piece of good news I want to be whole Wholly, holy
5.
If I could take you anywhere right now we’d climb the Brooklyn Bridge, I’d show you how to see the whole wide world inside your camera lens but you’d waste all your pretty shots on me instead We’d throw our voice out to meet the edge even though competing steamboats have the upper hand and every time I make a little dent there’s nowhere left for me to go but home again You wrote a song that set my blind love free, took your guitar and moved away from me and ever since my days are all the same tuning in to hear the one you titled my name. I lay my head down on the radio and let your love sing me to sleep This song’s the only thing in life right now I’m sure I want to keep. I’ve seen the tired sands of Africa I’ve been to France I’ve been around the world and back again but I’m still living in the town we knew That means I’m too much of a small-town girl to hold the likes of you The New York skyline’s got me wondering if you’re okay I haven’t seen you since that autumn day when you threw up in the cab and kissed my cheek and I cleaned up and paid the tab and left you on the street I go back home to where I know I’m safe and wait for you to come out of this haze ‘cause suicide is not the only way to kill yourself these days Something happened when the lights when out You rose up like a phoenix from my silent mouth and whispered in my ear until I came around I packed up my bags with all of my rage and stormed the man who’s hogging up the stage It’s not your fault you get to live like that I don’t want your life. I want mine back. Your luck’s the only thing in life right now that’s keeping me on track. I lay my head down on the radio and let your love sing me to sleep This song’s the only thing in life right now I’m sure I want to keep.
6.
The sun is rising like a swollen reverie. October's here; I wear my memories on my sleeve. I tried to stay but there were masks to wear and leaves to chase. I miss you now but, not to worry, nothing’s changed. I don’t even mind that I’m not doing anything of any consequence in my life. I’ve got all the time in the world. Wrap me up inside an acorn shell. Toss me to a pile of leaves. Light my love on fire, dear, and watch the night sky bleed. The rain came down and washed away the scent of you and me. It covered up whatever I was going to say. I love the autumn ‘cause it makes me want to fall - let go my will and I’ll drift anywhere at all. I don’t even mind that I’m not doing anything of any consequence in my life. I’ve got all the time in the world.

about

Jessica's first EP, recorded with her original band, The Sleeping World

credits

released August 1, 2008

All songs written by Jessica Smucker
Copyright 2008

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Jason Rubal at Seventh Wave Studios

Musicians: Jessica Smucker, Tommy Leanza, Matt Underhill, Rob Nye, Erin Gosik

Cover image by Rob Jengehino

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Jessica Smucker Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Jessica has performed all over the Eastern U.S. and has won several national songwriting contests including the Connecticut Folk Festival and SolarFest. She has opened for notable acts like Cheryl Wheeler and Bill Staines, and shared festival stages with Patty Larkin, Dar Williams and Antje Duvekot. Her third full-length album, Lucid Stories, Tentative Lies, is due out in September 2020. ... more

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