1. |
On the Isle of Manhattan
00:58
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And on the isle of Manhattan where we slay
The corpses of history in our way
We tripped but we never fell nor let fear steal the day
Now that we're out of the maelstrom, we prevail
You can't tell me we were meant to fail
We came and we saw, we conquered, lived to tell the tale
To you
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2. |
Under Control
02:54
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Well you told me once before
And you told me twice I’m sure
But I don’t know what you want from me
I don’t know anymore
Well I’m sure it’s there between the lines
I’m sure it’s written fine
Well it’s in my eyes, I know
And it’s on my mind, for sure
Damned if I do, damned if I don’t
Find which ever way to go
Well I’m sure I saw it in the lines
I’m sure it’s written fine
Well I’m telling you I got this
Under control
So just get out of my way
I am on a roll
Got this ringing in my head
And I’m moving on ahead
And there’s nothing here to keep me back
I see no signs of red
As I’m cruising through between the lines
I’m sure it’s written fine
And I got two more things to say to you
I promise you they’re true
One of them is just a motion
The other is a salute
I’ll make sure you see between the lines
I’m sure it’s written fine
Well I’m telling you I got this
Under control
So just get out of my way
I am on a roll
And I’ll come crawling back to you
Or so you’d like to think
Well I’ll say what’s on my mind
And I’ll do it in rewind
You can scurry on out of my head
You can kiss my behind
And the scribble there between the lines
I’m sure it’s written fine
Well I’m telling you I got this
Under control
So just get out of my way
I am on a roll
So excuse me if I’m spinning
Out of your hold
But I’m telling you I got this
Under control
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3. |
Count to Ten
04:03
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So by yesterday
The world will have seen its last sunrise
And everyone will shed their disguise
And see each other through plain, unfiltered eyes
But somehow today
I see nothing in your eyes but mist
Are you exempt or do you insist
On holding to yourself so you persist
You said
Let’s go for a ride
I’ll be by your side
And show you the night
It’ll all be alright
You said
Let’s go for a spin
‘Till you’ve got a grin
Just let go again
And just count up to ten
So ’til tomorrow
Until world has calmed quietly
I’ll be waiting right here patiently
Within plain sight so everyone can see
With no more sorrow
And with no more pain within our hearts
We’ll see the truth in the paths we chart
Once our vision has separated apart
You said
Let’s go for a ride
I’ll be by your side
And show you the night
It’ll all be alright
You said
Let’s go for a spin
‘Till you’ve got a grin
Just let go again
And just count up to ten
Baby this is not a test
No time to relax and rest
Maybe this is not a drill
So where do you find the thrill
And how is this not a rush
The panic comes as a gush
So how is this not the end
So how do you unbend
You said
Let’s go for a ride
I’ll be by your side
And show you the night
It’ll all be alright
You said
Let’s go for a spin
‘Till you’ve got a grin
Just let go again
And just count up to ten
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4. |
Centuries Apart
04:05
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Breathe in, breathe out
We’re centuries apart
What to do, what to do, what to do
Can’t distinguish between what’s false and true
And when you stare in
To the darkness
Why
Dive in, tag out
We fail to hear the shout
So we skate, and we slip, and we fall
And our pride by now has long checked out
And will not be taking our calls
And when you stare in
To the darkness
Why
And when you gaze up
Towards the blue skies
Fly
And when you cry
Do you think it will help you understand why
And when you sleep
Do you think it will make the struggle less steep
And when you stare in
To the darkness
Why
And when you gaze up
Towards the blue skies
Fly
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5. |
Try Again
03:43
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What’cha gonna do when it falls down
Falling apart all ‘round you
Every one of the grand plans you made
Each one that’s not coming true
For you, I would cry
But my tear ducts are dry
What’cha gonna do when your tongue’s tied up
Can you speak up loud and clear
Every single line that you rehearsed
Somehow falls short of my ear
Through your voice can reach
All your words fail to breach
I know you’ve tried
But try again
I know you’ve failed
But stand back up
What’cha gonna do when you’re ten feet short
After reaching out your arms
Trying really hard to extend your mind
Really turning up that charm
Well I’ve seen it all
For your tricks I won’t fall
What’cha gonna do when you’re swept away
Far out in the deep blue sea
Looking around trying to get your bearings
Black triangles all you see
Well, just reach up high
And jump up towards the sky
I know you’ve tried
But try again
I know you’ve failed
But stand back up
I know you’ve dreamed
So dream again
I know you’re felled
But get back up
Maybe there is something missing
Are your eyes open or blinking
Maybe if you just stopped talking
You could calm down and be breathing
Maybe there is something better
Are you grounded to the letter
Maybe if you stopped the chatter
You could be higher
I know you’ve tried
But try again
I know you’ve failed
But stand back up
I know you’ve dreamed
So dream again
I know you’re felled
But get back up
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6. |
Shine
04:05
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Where will this road take us
Will it take us back to start
How will we know we’re there
Where in our minds or in our hearts
I’ll hold the light for you
I’ll shine it right on you
I’ll hold on tight with you
I’ll bring the fight to you
When the stars line up together
Gotta run to try to catch her
Lady Luck won’t stay forever
Through the storm that we must weather
Why do we twist and turn
Twisting about and turning around
When will it ever end
Will it ever sink to the ground
I’ll be the guide for you
I’ll never hide on you
I’ll stem the tide with you
I’ll take the ride to you
When the stars line up together
Gotta run to try to catch her
Lady Luck won’t stay forever
Through the storm that we must weather
And when the cracks in the Earth open
It’s now not if but instead when
I will hold in my hands the pen
That draws our world to one again
When the stars line up together
Gotta run to try to catch her
Lady Luck won’t stay forever
Through the storm that we must weather
And when the cracks in the Earth open
It’s now not if but instead when
I will hold in my hands the pen
That draws our world to one again
Once we cross over the finish line
It’s the start of when we will shine
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7. |
All Along
04:15
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Dear Diary
Today I saw the sun
'Twas shining o'er the horizon
I spread my arms to let the warmth in
And in the sky
I saw a bird fly by
It looked so dark against the mist
But if I blinked, I would have missed it
(And everything just goes so slow)
When you're not here by my side
(And everything blends in the snow)
When it's only me outside
(And everything hides in the flow)
When I reach out my arms to find
That everything was not there all along
Dear Diary
Today I saw the light
Even though it was hard to see
Through all the wind that threatened to freeze
And through my tears
And despite all my fears
I looked back to the beginning
And began to find all its meaning
(And everything just goes so slow)
When you're not here by my side
(And everything blends in the snow)
When it's only me outside
(And everything hides in the flow)
When I reach out my arms to find
That everything was not there all along
So was it all a figment of my imagination
And did I fall beyond the pit our of desperation
So did I see the truth inside or just an illusion
And will I find all that I want to know
(And everything just goes so slow)
When you're not here by my side
(And everything blends in the snow)
When it's only me outside
(And everything hides in the flow)
When I reach out my arms to find
That everything was not there all along
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8. |
And Where I Sink
03:58
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When the night cries streaks from the eyes
I will run, dance, toes through the grass
As the dew swirls and you and I twirl
Under the full moon
I will hold hope bound to a rope
Anchored to my heart where I lie
These seeds of light I send to the sky
Will they reach you soon?
And when I blink
Everything's gone to the brink
And when I sigh
Everything has gone goodbye
Spread my wings far past where you are
Stretch your arms and latch on my hand
I will take you far beyond the blue
Farther than our minds
Racing down train tracks through the plains
Soaring through clouds above the sound
I release here 'til I have no fear
'Til I can't rewind
And when I blink
Everything's gone to the brink
And when I sigh
Everything has gone goodbye
And where I lay to cry
Will you sing me a lullaby
And where I sink to the sea
Will you come and tell a story
And when I blink
Everything's gone to the brink
And when I sigh
Everything has gone goodbye
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9. |
Theories of You and Me
04:49
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So can you see what's in your hands
And can you see what's in the stars
Is it the same as in the past
Demystifying all the bands
That come together in the wars
And inexplicably last
Do you know what's on my mind?
Are you stuck and left behind?
And through the lens I don't know what I see
Can you make sense of what it's supposed to be
And can you solve the puzzles piece by piece
And find the theories of you and me
By diving into microns deep
And sifting through them byte by byte
What conclusion are you seeking?
Before your bias starts to seep
Before you think you know what's right
Are you sure you want this ending?
Is this all that's on my mind?
Am I stuck and left behind?
And through the lens I don't know what I see
Can you make sense of what it's supposed to be
And can you solve the puzzles piece by piece
And find the theories of you and me
And I'll run, run, run 'till the end
And I'll slip, slide, crash into you
And I'll go, go, go until it is done
And we'll run, run, run for the hills
And we'll slip, slide, crash in the sea
And we'll go, go, go until we have won
And as the dust starts to dance in the breeze
Can you see patterns forming in the trees
And can you rout all of life's mysteries
And find the theories of you and me
And I'll run, run, run 'till the end
And I'll slip, slide, crash into you
And I'll go, go, go until it is done
And we'll run, run, run for the hills
And we'll slip, slide, crash in the sea
And we'll go, go, go until we have won
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10. |
Fly Away
04:02
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And I don't know how the world works
How the people think or how they see
And I don't know where courage comes from
Is it from our minds or our hearts so full of
Fear
I'm looking right into its eyes
And I just want to know how this story goes
And I just want to know how nobody knows
And I just want to see past the faces that everyone shows
What happens when the stars can't find their way back home?
Or when we're thrust into the unknown?
Won’t you take my hand
Let's run
Run away
And I don't know why I'm standing still
While the world spins and sprints and swirls
And I don't know what it means to be strong
Do we find our will to survive amidst our
Hope
I'm looking right into the light
And I just want to know how this story ends
And I just want to know before the road bends
And I just want to see past the part where everyone pretends
What happens when clouds begin to stain the sky?
Or when we become the question why?
Won’t you take my hand
Let's fly
Fly away
'Cause we've got
Time
I'm looking right in to my heart
And I just want to know how the story starts
And I just want to know why we're tossing darts
And I just want see past the point where we're just playing parts
What happens when the stars can't find their way back home?
Or when we're thrust into the unknown?
Won’t you take my hand
Let's run
What happens when clouds begin to stain the sky?
Or when we become the question why?
Won’t you take my hand
Let's fly
Fly away
Fly away
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11. |
Straws in the Air
03:28
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And where the sunlight
Fails to hit the ground
And where I'm curled up
Far too tired to fight
Where I am grasping
At straws in the air
Winds cracking my skin
With each of its passing
Some people want to set the world on fire
Others just want to watch it burn
But what would I know, I am just a child
And I've so much left to learn
As the world continues to turn
And to the edge I'll
Walk before I dive
Into the vortex
Where I'll spend a while
A trip in my mind
From the face of truth
I cannot handle
I cannot throw behind
Some people dive into the depth and swim
Others just ease into the flow
But what could I do, I am just a pawn
All I see is what I know
And I am lost within the snow
Some people want to set the world on fire
Others just want to watch it burn
But what would I know, I am just a child
And I've so much left to learn
As the world continues to turn
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Stephen Liu
Stephen Liu is an Honorable Mention-winning singer-songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area, pairing together the results of eight years of childhood piano lessons with thoughtful lyrics crafted from leftover adolescent angst.
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