1. |
Queen's Gambit
04:33
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Chorus: I am she who walks these walls, and I cannot forget
I've been trying to return to you, but I haven't found you yet
Time is nothing but a passing breath that marks each twist and turn
I am lost within this place continuing to learn
I'm searching for a time that's past, oh so long ago
A fairytale of love long lost, the depths that no one knows
I tasted once of magic fruit and dared to meet your eyes
Now I weep for crumbling labyrinth walls, the loss of what was mine
Count your steps and mark your way
But don't believe your marks will stay
Seek out the center, enter in
But you will not return again
I walk over walls I once ran past, empty now of friends
And even so without their aid, the labyrinth never ends
Once overcoming trials of the heart did let me in
Now there's naught but stones and dusty walls, no trials to begin
I count my steps and make my way,
I can't believe my marks still stay
Old words still linger in my ear
But I will not give in to fear!
The challenge met and match was set, a Queen against a King
It took leaving you to show me what you taught me with your dream
The strength to make my choices and in choosing shape my fate
Now I've returned to choose again, and I pray I'm not too late
I count my steps and make my way
I can't believe my marks still stay
This time there is no game to win
But will you ever let me in?
I count my steps and make my way
I can't believe my marks still stay
Seek out the center enter in
And I will not return again!
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2. |
Sleeping Beauty
04:32
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Cold and clear the screaming came, the cries were carried on the wind
A shadow on the forest lay, a curse on all who dwelt within
A maze of briars twisting grew to keep the fragile world safe
Entrapping she who sleeping lay on silvered sheen of spider's lace
Chorus: Sleeping Beauty, a danger to us all
If you hear her, promise you'll not heed her call
Sometimes a curse is not the evil thing it seems
Promise child, that you'll not heed her dreams
Her call was subtle, dark and deep, it stole the hearts of dreaming men
For all who live must sometime sleep and dreams is where she lives again
Once by one they made their way along the narrow winding track
To where the maze of briars grew to try and win their lady back
Yes one by one they tried the maze, and left the briars wet with blood
As first they tried and then they died, their bodies broken in the mud
Hungry as the briars grew, they ate the hearts of dreaming men
Devouring all but stark white bone, and the lady cared for none of them
Her meat and drink are death and pain, and twisting shadows is her play,
But stealing dreams she loves the most, this darkest lady of the fay
That she must stay ever bound is a truth that all can clearly see
But I wonder which is worse, the lady bound or walking free
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3. |
Once More
02:23
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Chorus: Once more into the fray brave knight, before the day is done
Once more before the shadows fall and time again moves on
Once more to lift your sword and sing, once more to live the dream
Once more before the knight descends to wipe away its gleam
Strike forth for truth and honor bright, for love and life and joy
For melody and whimsy and each frightened girl and boy
Strike for freedom, strike for hope, strike true and hold your ground
For who else will defend us when at last they cut you down
Oh live! Though precious life's blood is spilled upon the land
Live to ward the ones who's lives depend upon your hand
Though darkness fills the plain like some unending troubled sea
Live and buy us time to plan, and time with which to flee
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4. |
Erl-King
04:37
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A man rides swiftly in the night, with his son upon his knee
The child cries out "Ride faster, from the Erl-King must we flee!"
But the father keeps a steady pace, "My son 'twas just a dream
There's no such thing as fair elfland, or of the Erl-King"
He holds his son more gently now, as they ride toward the town
"But Father, he's behind us in his flowing robe and crown!"
"Be calm, its just the fog my son, nothing else you could have seen,
There's no such thing as fair elfland, or of the Erl-King"
"Dear boy, don't heed your father's words, take my hand and come with me
You'll play in fields of flowers, take thy rest beneath a tree
My mother, she will dress you child, in her golden garments fair
I am the King of fair Elfland, and I will take you there!"
"Oh father hear him whisper now? Such promises he makes me!
But father, I'm afraid to go, so do not let him take me!"
"Wind is all there is to hear my child, nothing else it could have been,
There's no such thing as fair elfland, or of the Erl-King"
"Sweet boy, come fast away with me, my daughter's they will greet thee
You'll join their nightly dancing and they'll sing to you most sweetly
They will rock you fast asleep, and attend to thee with care
I am the King of fair Elfland, and I will take you there!"
"Oh father, see his daughters there! All in the darkness standing?"
"My son, I see that you are right, grey willow trees are dancing.
Hush and rest your fevered mind my son, and listen to me sing
Think no more of daughters fair, or of the Erl-King"
"I love you boy, your handsome form has charmed me quite completely,
Since you'll not come with me by choice, than I'll not give you any!"
"Father, oh my father dear, he's here to take me from thee!
Oh Father, I was right to fear, the Erl-King has claimed me!"
The father shudders, spurs his steed, holds close his moaning child
Makes haste for home at greatest speed, his heart has grown wild
With urgency he enters, lays his ailing son in bed
Too late! Too late! And all in vain, his boy, his darling child, dead.
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5. |
Jenneth
02:56
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Chorus: Jenneth can you hear me?
Jenneth can you see?
Jenneth can you feel me?
Thou art everything to me.
You are the light that keeps me shining
Alone at night, I dream of thee
It feels so right, our souls entwining
Jenneth, thou art everything to me
A dance with you can last forever
And at your side I long to be
A bond like ours, nothing can sever
Jenneth, thou art everything to me
You sing to me like no one else does
You dream with me and set me free
I see you now, and see what once was
Jenneth, thou art everything to me
Darling Jenneth, thou art everything to me
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6. |
Swan Maid
02:58
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"Fair maid, why are you crying?
Why do you shed tears like blood in the snow?"
"I weep, for my children were stolen,
By one who loved me and won't let me go"
"Fair maid, what freedom was stolen?
You have at your fingertips all you desire."
"Blind sir, a cloak made of feathers,
Stolen from riverside, burned in a fire."
"A swan maid once was I
Born to touch the sky
But lacking wings I cannot fly
My cloak was burned before my eyes"
"Swan maid, why are you smiling?
Last that I saw you, you fought at your chains."
"Kind sir, my children are flying.
My captor is gone and I burned his remains."
"Swan maid, where are you going?
This place is now yours and you could stay here."
"Kind sir, the phoenix is calling,
Within her embrace lies all I now hold dear."
"A swan maid once was I
Born to touch the sky
For far too long I could not fly
But now released in flames I rise!"
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7. |
Brighten Up Your Fire
04:17
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Friend of my heart, let me brighten up your flame
Bringing light to the dark is the nature of your game
But fire requires fuel and my friend you're burning down
So let me brighten up the fire that never can be bound
Chorus: Burn hot, burn hard, burn fast
And I will fan the fires so they last
And I will dance among the flame without fear of burn or pain
Freely given is the gift and nothing asked
Fire of my heart, I could never bear to tame
I cup myself around your spark and I fan it into flame
I watch you blaze a trail, burning bright across the sky
And as I long to join you, so I love to watch you fly
Fire of my heart, you have burned away my pain
You have left your mark, and I'll never be the same
As my wings catch fire I can only hope to burn
So let me brighten up your fire and show you what I've learned
Burn hot, burn hard, burn fast
Freely given is the gift and nothing asked
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8. |
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"Who are you?" He said, to the woman before his eyes
"I did not see you coming, and so I am surprised
To find that I can see the sky when looking in your eyes"
"I came across the void" said she, "and I'm a stranger here,
And I have need this moment to whisper in your ear
A favor I must ask of thee, and so will you draw near?"
She breathed herself like whiskey into his waiting brain
And in a startled voice he asked the lady of her name
"You know me from your waking dreams of when you were a boy,
I am the King of Elfland's daughter"
"Now friend will you drop everything and come away with me?
Along the rocky cliffs so high and then across the sea
Come and join our fairy band as we dance under the tree."
"I will" he said, and shook her hand, and so they journeyed far
And called the dance together between the daylight and the dark
And if you should go seeking them, you'll find them dancing still
She breathed herself like whiskey into his waiting heart
But in the end it mattered not, they came from worlds apart
He a mortal man and she quite something else again
She was the King of Elfland's daughter!
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9. |
Dark Knight
06:39
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So dark a knight that can not see nor hear his lover's cries
Who is blinded by the shadows does not see his love's demise
As his sword goes flashing brightly through the darkness and the gloom
He does not know or does not care that he was his lover's doom
So softly crept she nigh him as in his sleep he lay
To stand watch upon his dreams that night until the break of day
And as she watched she made no sound to wake the knight she loved
But steadfastly endured the chill even through her cloak and gloves
Till at last at midnight's darkest, when the moon fled from the sky
His lover watched the clouds roll in and she saw the starlight die
Forbidding filled her heart then at a half remembered tale
Of a curse upon her lover's arm and her face turned deathly pale
For if he were to waken when all light was gone and fled
Then by his sword and by his arm, his lover would lie dead
And yet she stood beside him bravely praying for the light
Guarding well the dreaming of her loved and gentle knight
Swift came the assassins and she there in silence strove
She heard her true love stirring in the shadows of the grove
She was not weak, but they were strong, and many more than she
And they had the advantage, for in darkness they could see
She felt it more than heard it, the blow aimed at his head
And out of desperation she screamed to wake the dead
Her knight awoke, his blade came up in time to block the blow
But at what cost? For in his eyes the dark began to grow
As blood dripped softly down his sword, he could be heard to growl
As his heart was taken by the beast, he loosed a fearful howl
He whirled and attacked, no longer fighting for his life
But wrapped within a hunger fierce for killing and for strife
So it was he did not see them as they held his lady pinned
They stood her there before his blade as from shadows Darkness grinned
And so he then unknowing cut his lady to the ground
Gone were the assassins who there had held her bound
And the Dark could be heard laughing as it faded into light
It left behind an anguished, bruised and battered, broken knight
Who fell before his lady fair and caught her in his arms
He knew full well 'twas by his hand that she had come to harm
"Why then did you follow me? Why stay to guard my dreams?
Why did you not let me die? Why warn me with your screams?"
He broke and howled with anguish at the loss of her he prized
Then stood there in his place a beast with fire in its eyes
The curse fulfilled had lifted and returned him to his form
Of a creature born of nightmares with a gleaming jet black horn
For as long as she still loved him, he in human form could stay
But with her death the Dark reclaims a Nightmare run away
Refrain: And yet she stands beside him, bravely praying for the light
Guarding well the dreaming of her loved and gentle knight
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10. |
Mine to Love
03:47
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Where the wind blows off the water,
And the mountains pierce the sky
Where the sun falls down into the night
And the full moon starts to rise
In between the elements
Where they meet and intertwine
It is there that I will wait for you
And there I'll make you mine
Mine to dance with, mine to love
Mine to touch and know
Mine to sing with, mine to hold
To keep or to let go
In the purple of the twilight
And the rose and gold of dawn
Where the stars shine bright from fairyland
And the music lingers on
In between the elements
Where they meet and intertwine
It is there that I will wait for you
And there I'll make you mine
Mine to dance with, mine to love
Mine to touch and know
Mine to sing with, mine to hold
To keep or to let go
I'm in the wind that kisses softly,
A gentle touch upon your brow
I watch you through reflections
For that's all that I'm allowed
Until you call my name again
And our worlds intertwine
Its here that I will wait for you
To fear me and be mine
Mine to dance with, mine to love
Mine to touch and know
Mine to sing with, mine to hold
To keep or to let go
In between the elements
Where they meet and intertwine
It is there that I will wait for you
And there I'll make you mine
And then I'll make you mine
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11. |
Voiceless
05:02
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Chorus: Words trapped within can be poison
Sinking us into dark and despair
We build demons formed of all the things we don't say
Convincing us no one will care
And we are the voiceless, the silent, the mute
All the things we could say, someone else could refute
And we all must stay silent to save someone else
So we never speak up to rescue ourselves
The mermaid sought love, but it came with a price
She gave up her voice and she never asked twice
Who made her believe that was all she could do?
Who told her that silence makes loving come true?
The swan maid spun nettles and said naught a word
Hands covered with blisters, her brothers were birds
And I can't help but wonder what she would have said
If the curse were reversed and she flew in their stead
A mother was tested and told not to speak
Her worth lay in how well a secret could keep
Her silence meant more than her poor children's lives
And so we are trained to be good silent wives
I watch you fall silent as others speak out
Fallen prey to their scorn and to your own self doubt
And as they steal your voice, let me scream and shout
"Stand fast and don't let them all shove you about!"
But my voice is long gone and no words will come out
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12. |
Lessons of the Labyrinth
05:26
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CHORUS: Wrap me up in mystery and take me far away
Set me down in labyrinth walls and let me find my way
Feed me not your fairy fruit, but challenge me instead
In challenges I prove my worth and learn from what you've said
Lesson one, be careful what you ask
Lesson two, beware the simple task
Lesson three, nothing is ever as it seems
Lesson four, don't lose yourself in dreams
Beware, take care, be aware
Beware, take care, be aware
Lesson five, be kind to make a friend
Lesson six, the journey never ends
Seventh I learned that words can hold great power
Lesson eight, don't waste a single hour
Beware, take care, be aware
Beware, take care, be aware
Lesson nine, be careful who you fight
Lesson ten, things don't always come out right
Eleventh taught me to know when I should run
Lesson twelve, there are ways thing must be done
Beware, take care, be aware
Beware, take care, be aware
Last of all and the hardest one to learn
Lesson thirteen, when there's no where left to turn
A choice once made can't ever be undone
Sometimes you've lost, just when you think you've won
Beware, take care, be aware
Beware, take care, be aware
Beware, take care, be aware
Beware.
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Leannan Sidhe Seattle, Washington
Leannan Sidhe is a fey musician with wandering feet, a shimmering soprano voice, and who writes music that tends to the bittersweet. She performs mostly in the Pacific Northwest, but will happily travel further abroad if the opportunity is provided.
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