Collapse

You finally crushed me
You knew that I was sorry before I could say
Your answer bring me to my knees
And I am crying on the floor

How do you know me
How do you know me
My whole life
My whole life

I thought I could take the war right to you
No you are more prepared than I
Just when I put down my shield
You pulled out a secret knife

How do you know me
How do you know me
My whole life
My whole life

I let a better man die before my eyes
The day that I lost my pride
And I sunk down to my abyss my abyss
You lowered down a rope for me to climb

How do you know me
How do you know me
My whole life
My whole life

I put that rope around me neck
And I will wear it every day and it wears me
Keeps me tethered to my life
Measure by the way he dies the worth of a man

How do you know me
How do you know me
My whole life
My whole life

Step

My four friends
Please carry me
Broken legs
Wounded feet
Through these crowds
Just get through
And climb that house
If there's no more room
Noise inside yeah
Break the roof
And lower me down
On my rug
There it's You
My God really You
Looking back at little me
Touch my hands
My crippled hands
And heal me
Like only you can
I will walk home
My God walk home
For the very first time in my life
Where is my faith
My faith in you
I can't keep secret these things you do
With every step I turn my back on you
But I'm sorry too
With every step I turn my back on you
But I'm sorry too

Brother

And I am tired of turning the ground
And my hands bleed breakin up rocks
And this apple fell to the ground
And my offer the best that I got

It's not enough for your love
My father it's not enough for your love

So my brother would you come with me now
To the field and I'll show you what
I've been growing if you just turn around
And if you kneel please look at the ground

Just bow your head and pray
My brother just bow your head and pray

So I am sorry if you could believe
I did it all for you I was in pain
I'm not his keeper but I know where he lay
And I will go now wander the earth

And I will hide from you my love
I will hide from you my love
I will hide my face my love
I will hide my face

Alarm

Dear dear friend I write maybe too late
Night may end without a following day
Maybe we missed our last chances
Thinking why were we never afraid
Late again to work
Late again that's life
Stare at the door
I'm up all night
You come home around this time

My alarm slept through me
Trying hard to wake him from his dream

My dear king I seek
your council on behalf of my friend
I come to you just like you ask
And you can save these asleep
I ask that you break and bring him peace

My alarm slept through me
Trying hard to wake him from his dream
Hear me please my Lord
Make him one of yours

My alarm slept through me
Trying hard to wake him from his dream
Hear me please my Lord
Make him one of yours

Trees On Fire

That little devil finally came home
Blood on his paws
Caught that crow
Killed it just for Ma

What should we do with this one
He went off on his own
Loyalty abandoned
The creature has no soul

Trees on fire across the lake
So much smoke hides the way
House burned down while we prayed
911 keep it contained

What should we do with this one
All he did was hide
Could have swam and made it
Saved a child on the other side

Surgery turned for worse
One too many times
Doctor's hands must be cursed
Tells himself don't ask why

What should we do with this one
He thought he did enough
Put that faith on the trigger now
His nerves were a loaded gun

Cabinets

I will race you to the sky
I get a head start while you drink my wine
Think of me when you say goodnight

And you will remember his words
Like an old timer's tune
Like something ain't right

Waiting where you never knew it
Hidden your tallest cabinets
Is a note from him to you
Written in a different language

Oh read it slow
Oh read it slow

It says my light is whisper tonight
Like it always has been
You gotta stay deep in this fight
But you lean on me and I will do you right

And you will remember those words
Like an old timer's tune
In the back of your mind

In A Rough Summer Storm

We sailed along with him
And the clouded sky grew dim
In a rough summer storm
But he was still on board

Asleep all quiet like nothing's wrong
He slept right there so sound

We said teacher show you care
We are in danger here
And then he awoke
And in a simple word he spoke

He calmed the waves
He hushed the wind
We asked who is this man

And we didn't know that he was our way
Across the sea

Ye of your little faith
Ye of your little faith
Me and my little faith
How much more is his grace
Me and my little faith
How much more is his grace

And I finally knew that he was my way
Across the sea

Pretty Little Love

Sit with me away from the games
I see your crooked eyes
When no one else will

Know that I'm not rational right right now
We will live on oatmeal faith and snow
Until they close

Don't you fall in your pretty little love
Lay down in the snow
Warm you one more time
Walk away the cold

No I'm not capable of doin right right now
Don't don't you forget a man's in jail

Don't you fall in your pretty little love
Lay down in the snow
Warm you one last time
Walk away the cold

Oh My Goodness My Woman Of Silence

Man I get it these times are tough
Just take the wallet the shoes the keys
Money back pocket just let her go free
No need to shoot I'm on my knees

Oh my goodness my woman of silence
Just think it through and know your name
Fix your wings and open your cage
Mom always said that there would be days

Oh my goodness my woman of silence
Where will you go when you sleep eternal
Capture your soul it's safe in my journal
Long long drive but I'll make your funeral

Man I get it these times are tough
Just take the body the blood is enough
To make her slow and think about
The way you pray the way you doubt
The way one carried salvation out
And oh
I want you in heaven too
I want you in heaven too
I want you in heaven too

My Tiny Blackbird

Baby I'll be your bass line
Simple solid slow and little bit groovy
Oh baby maybe you can be my melody
Over me beautiful with accidentals lady

Don't be afraid to sing
my tiny blackbird
Your little peep
sweeter to my ears than canaries
I don't expect you tweet my name
until you really really get to know me
Yeah your timid chirp
sweeter to my soul than a cherry

No I wouldn't ever want to
scare you off your branch
The foolish dog who tries to
climb your tree
No I wouldn't ever want to
make you fly away
Dog in the field will be on
an endless chase

En Passant

Backup to my corner
Lost my knight
Lost my bishop
Lost my queen
Guard my king
Guard my king

Here we are
Here we are
At the table again
Face to face again
My opponent and friend
Wait your turn
In the reign
In the reign

Open that cage
to the lion's den
I am safe
The only you
I've known is the lamb
that you are now

It's a game of patience and endurance
Concentration focus
My father taught me how to play chess
when I was six years old
It's a game I would teach my son
if I ever had one
And he taught me pretty good
I can beat him

For years and years and years
It was the primary form of communication
between the two of us
And uh he always said he never let me win
But I am skeptical

When it's raining in your window oh no
Said when it's raining in your window oh no
Said when it's raining in your window oh no
Streaks runnin down
Rainin in your window oh no
Streaks runnin down
The fight you keep is inside
Said the fight you keep is inside
Streaks runnin down

Rainy Day at a Carousel in the 1930s

It's this one right here
I'll give you eighty dollars
I don't know this artist
But it's a nice wooden frame

Mr. Stevens yeah
I just met your daughters
Sit down across from me
I wanna buy your painting

Know I shouldn't sing to you
But you should have a song
I'll sing it to a picture
That I bought right off the wall

From our little diner
I'll haggle with the owner
So if you go back there
You won't have to see it at all

Couple in that scene
Looks like you and me
Rainy day at a carousel
In the 1930s

We don't see their faces
They are turned toward time
Constant rotation
You won't have to see mine

I'll be back next week
Gotta do a little research
We'll make ourselves a deal
And we'll figure out what it's worth

Twelve More Folk Songs
Demos (c. 2013,2022)

Production

Demo collection of solo performer songs. This collection captures some of the lyrical abilities and classical guitar finger picking work of Kern. The goal of this collection was more spiritual than production technique.

In late 2013 Kern converted to Christianity due to profound inward insights in his personal life. Having performed very little in the several years prior, Kern kept writing and developed a finger picking style on the classical guitar. The inspiration was ripe for creativity and this collection was pulled straight from the soul.

Unlike many Christian works, this collection focuses on the somber and sober lamentations of a new convert. Not without inspiration and uplift, Kern focused on a different sort of telling of the instersection of life and gospel.

Ironically, one of his oldest songs, Brother, which appears as a rock song on Icarus Learns To Swim, made its way into this collection and fits in, as it is sung from the perspective of Kane in Genesis.

Also included are several songs that are themselves prayers, and the account of Jesus calming the storm, as well as the telling of Jesus performing healing miracles. The song Step is perhaps the most minimalist song in Kern's whole catalog, containing a completely bare guitar part, carried only by Kern's impassioned vocals.

If a fan was looking for Kern's most intimate work, where it feels like he is performing just for you, the audience of one, that fan found it here.

All songs in this collection recorded in mono with all guitarwork and voice recorded simultaneously, with the exception of rain sound effects on En Passant.

Credits

• Produced by Rich Kern
• Album cover art by Rich Kern

Cover art is a line drawing derived from photos of the sculpture "Homeless Jesus" by Timothy Schmalz.