Lyrics by Lady Shaula

(these were on a website that closed - I'm collecting them again here). 

They'll be in bits and pieces while I accumulate them once again - and save them in several places this time!

Freight Trains

Freight Trains are falling from the sky and I think I might die tonight 

Boulders crashing through the air, bombs like trees falling everywhere

The forest is falling, upwards downwards and side to side and do I dare

Look out of my window I stay under the covers and wait for morning light

 

v.1 There's a sliver of moon with the darkest light

near the winter solstice longest night

and an arctic blowtorch heads from across the sea

and instead of turning when it hits the land

it does something the bureau doesn't understand and it heads

straight towards me

 

and you can feel that it's gonna be such a storm 

so you get ready like usual to keep the house warm 

and you tuck the animals and the kids in tight

and reassure them that everything will be all right

 

and the lights give a flicker and then they go dark

but that's expected up here in a forest park

and the mighty Mountain Ash trees keep me safe 

in my forest home

I know this place

 

Freight Trains falling from the sky I wonder if tonight I'm gonna die

Boulders flying through the air, disguised as trees landing everywhere

The forest is falling, upwards downwards and side to side nowhere to hide

Look out of my window I stay under the covers and wait for morning light

 

and God can you keep my children safe tonight

I'll keep vigil till the morning light

and I'll join my spirit with the mighty trees 

and try to hold fast this deathly breeze  

 

{instrumental]

and a kookaburra calls out the sun is here

 it's the longest darkest night of the year

and against all odds somehow I'm still here

and another distant bird answers the call 

and we know that some of us didn't fall

and it's gonna be time to look outside

and find out how many of us died

 

and it doesn't seem possible we all got through 

but at the very least I know that there was me and you

and as we step outside hand in hand

I'm shaking my head

I don't understand why my house is still standing surrounded by freight trains 

smashed to the ground. 

 

The forest is falling

 

Freight Trains VERSION TWO

Freight Trains falling from the sky I think I might die tonight  

Boulders crashing through the air, bombs like trees falling everywhere 

The forest is falling, upwards downwards  side to side.  Do I dare 

Look out of my window Stay under the covers. wait for morning light 

  

v.1    Sliver of moon, darkest light 

Winter solstice longest night 

Arctic blowtorch heads across the sea 

Instead of turning as it hits land 

Something the bureau doesn't understand

it heads straight towards me 

  

Skin can feel it's such a storm 

Get ready like usual, keep the house warm  

Tuck the animals and kids in tight 

Reassure everything'll be all right 

  

Lights give a flicker then go dark 

Expected up here - forest park 

Mighty Mountain Ash trees keep me safe  

My forest home I know this place 

  

Freight Trains falling from the sky I wonder if tonight I'm gonna die 

Boulders flying through the air, disguised as trees landing everywhere 

The forest is falling, upwards downwards side to side nowhere to hide 

Look out my window stay under cover wait for morning light 

  

God can you keep my children safe tonight 

I'll keep vigil till morning light 

Join my spirit with the mighty trees  

Try to hold fast against this deathly breeze   

  

{instrumental] 

kookaburra calls out the sun is here 

After longest darkest night of year 

Against all odds somehow I'm still here 

Distant bird answers call  

Some of us didn't fall 

Time now to look outside 

Find out how many of us died 

  

Just not possible we all got through  

all I know is there's me and you 

Step outside hand in hand 

Shake my head don't understand

my house still standing surrounded by freight trains  

smashed to the ground.  

  

The forest is falling

[Copyright Salathe Music - Composed by Shaula Salathe after the natural disaster of June 8, 2021 in Mount Dandenong, Australia] 

 

SPIRIT THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN I am the spirit that cannot be broken Tho you may try day after day And you can throw all of the shackles you want at me My heart knows just where to stay And deep in the darkness that my life has placed me A flame burns on small but so strong And you may have patience to torture and torment But my little flame burns long Ohhhhhhhh ohhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhhh Copyright Salathe Music 2017

Another Mother

Another mother doesn't tuck her babies into bed tonight Another child pleads with God I'll take it back make everything all right I know I only get to see her face as young as you would let it grow and mother, you're forever young and perfect please never let me go Another mother doesn't kiss a forehead just to take away the pain another child walks out on a sunny day and only feels the rain and time gets topsy turvy when your mother isn't there to hold you tight Father Time, please go on backwards to go back to when everything was right I... have my mother's eyes I have my mother's smile I can make your heart feel strong make everything worthwhile I have my mother's heart so I'm not afraid to cry She's inside of me What else could I be? No need to say good-bye Another mother spreads her wings around the children looking from above Another child weeps into the pillow crying out for love And mothers of our mothers of our mothers are inside everyone And child I wish you love without your mother, forever young Copyright 2018 Shaula Salathe
 

 

BABY MINE  

Baby Mine learn to crawl 
Learn to walk, then to fall 
In a world where first you're up  
and then you're down  
Baby Mine 

Baby Mine learn to talk 
Learn to say the things you mean 
In a world where honesty is hardly found 
Baby Mine 

Learn good from bad 
and to follow your own heart 
when everyone else has lost their way  
Learn light from dark 
and to keep the light  
that shines within you night and day 

Baby Mine hold your head high 
and know the smallest words that you say are 
Ripples on an endless stream 
Baby dream

 

 

BEARLY COPING   I'm bearly coping without you Wandering below this big ol' moon what can I do? I'm bearly coping, you're all that I see Wond'rin if you're looking at the moon and seeing me My heart is as full as the bright ol' moon And all that I hear is this old love tune I'm bearly seeing anything but your beautiful face Your smile I can bearly replace. 

 

BLOW BILLOW BRAVE A life upon the sea is not what I’d wish for ev’ryone The rats, the men, the stink ’n’ the slurry but oh, ho When the wind blows then I’m free I spend my life on the waves with a woman who keeps me safe on the sea And she and I ride the billowing waves As the world comes on forward to me And we sail abroad through wind and through rain Unto islands of glittering sand And we roar and fight Her beauty and might As I take her round wheel in my hand Blow, blow, billow and bale Pray that she’ll keep you safe Blow, (blow), billow and bale For there’s room here for only The bold and the brave All the yo ho billow and shadow And into your wat’ry grave Mermaids and treasure and dolphins and sunsets And things that you wouldn’t believe And land-loving men, whose hearts can’t be trusted Are best left alone to deceive And I’ll take what I can, as long as it’s mine And I’ll drink me some rum with good friends And we’ll fight and we’ll laugh and we’ll dance with a woman and live 'til the journey ends Blow, blow, billow and bale Pray that she’ll keep you safe Blow, blow, billow and bale A sailor must surely be brave Yo ho, stand against storm Stand for your right to be free Yo ho, pity me not! Here on the endless sea 

 'Ce un Nuovo Diem' - written in 2016, with words and music by Australian composer, Shaula Salathe. Sheet music available for download at www.ladyshaula.com/scores-for-sale Sung by soprano Heidi Ruckert and cellist Tara McAsey (both age 16) in St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne. The words are in a Latin inspired language (which is in itself inspired by the international language used by Cirque du Soleil!) Ce un nuovo diem Ce un nuovo illuminare Dominus in cielo inspirare Ce un nuovo diem Carpe queste diem Dominus laudate Insieme glorifica Ce un nuovo diem (loose translation) It's a New Day It's a new illumination God in heaven inspires It's a New Day Seize this day Praise the Lord Together give glory It's a New Day

CHAMELEON

I'm compliant, giving in to everything I hear, everything I see; non-defiant bending to your every will make an easy kill, I never learned to say no I watch everything I dreamed go, Chameleon, I can change the colour of my skin just to fit in, Chameleon and you think I'm just like you, well you've been fooled.  I'm me and you gotta know me a long time before you find out I'm just like - me/If you look hard enough you'll see 

I'm complicated. Not my fault I've got a brain or how I was trained.  I know you hate it when I'm four steps ahead of you. What can you do? I live life adhering to quid pro quo.... I never learned to say no.

 

DADDY'S SHOES  And one day you were here And one day you were gone And everybody thought I understood what's going on And they thought that I was good And they thought my heart was fine But your face gets kind of foggy every time I try To remember your smile And the things you'd say to me And the games we'd play Just you and me And it makes me mad That I can feel so sad And alone When I remember you're not coming home And I'll be strong As I face the world alone And I'll decide the things I choose till I'm big enough to Walk in your shoes I'll grow up without you here I can do it on my own Just leave me some hints so I don't get it wrong You seemed perfect to me But I can't be like you Though I already see some bits of you in me that shine through And I wonder some times if you a plan Of the things you'd say Speaking man to man And it makes me mad That I can feel so sad And alone When I remember you're not coming home And I'll be strong As I face the world alone And I'll decide the things I choose till I'm big enough to Walk in your shoes And it makes me sad That I can feel this mad So I'll decide the things I choose till I'm big enough to Walk in your shoes (song lyrics) Copyright 2002 River Productions, Melbourne, Australia www.ladyshaula.com

 

  

Dancer in the Sky. It's time for you to leave and dance in the sky There's a time for everything and I don't need to know why And if it's time for you to go and I'm still meant to stay it's easy to imagine that you're going off to play So dance ballerina on silent angel feet Dance ballerina until one day we meet again and dance together hand in hand You're part of me you understand So grand jete on high Dancer in the Sky The music moved you just like how it moves in me The music gives and takes so indiscriminately You seemed to float on air when you were here I see it as a blessing that you were here So dance ballerina on silent angel feet Dance ballerina until one day we meet again and dance together hand in hand You're part of me you understand So grand jete on high Dancer in the Sky Dedicated to Rhyll Copyright 2011 Salathe Music https://music.apple.com/au/album/the-trial-dancer-in-the-sky/579736989?i=579737110 https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZSKw2LYOymfuQR1c3FIjw?si=7Cjsp3nhSPmeu4aoyyc5dg

  

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM  -  A cup of tea at 5 past 3, just like we'd always known And as we sat and had our chat Put on our little show And every word seemed evidence to me That what was silent was plain enough to see And tea was over way too soon to mention The Elephant in the Room They told me that Don't speak or chat about things with trunks or tusks that you can see And I was good Spoke like I should and blushed when they mentioned tusks on TV And every word seemed evidence to me That what was silent was plain enough to see And tea was over way too soon to mention The Elephant in the Room I thought everyone had an elephant I’m not the only one Walking round the world with an elephant Isn’t that much fun I thought everyone had an elephant Turned out I was wrong You know what I'm talking about If you understand this song So don’t ask me to tea Cos it won’t be just me I’ll meet you at High Noon There’s an Elephant in the Room Copyright 2015

 

GOT TO FLY AWAY

Canaries in my head, flying round in Scottish kilts/Spiders in my bed, walking on bright orange stilts/and I've got to fly away to be free/I've got to fly away to be free/I've felt the walls around slide inwards till I'm crushed/and I've heard some different sounds/I know I've felt too much /Now I'm searching for reality/Had enough of all that stuff and I've got to fly away to be free/and now each way I look /hope I see what should be there/Had enough of clouds had enough of being scared Sick of searching for the ground

Want to see what's in my head

Hope there's something left to use

Hope the real me isn't dead/ and I've got to fly away to be free

I've got to fly away to be free. 

 I Got Teeth Like a Tiger I got teeth like a shark I got teeth like the possums that play in the park I got teeth like a lion or a hippopotamus Like a bit fat croc or a rhinoceros I love to smile eeeeee That's what makes brushing so worthwhile eeeeee I love to brush in the morning and night til my teeth are pearly bright I love to smile eeeee That's what makes brushing so worthwhile so clean Macleans (spit!) [Written for my son River who would complete any task if there was an accompanying song! The updated version has the last lines I love my teeth (spit!) Copyright 2002 Salathe Music]

I HAVE TWO HOMES/TORN  I have two homes One near and one so far away Where I live and where I was born Father I hear your voice Within the river Wherever I go I'm torn Copyright 2019 River Productions, Melbourne, Australia

 

INSPIRATION From where does the music play? From where does the dancer dance? From where does the artist paint? Is everything really by chance? From where does the sculptor sculpt? From where does the writer write? From where do the songs come that come to me In the middle of the night? Inspire, breathe in Let the fire of passion begin Inspire, breathe in I am ready for the inspiration ahhhhh From where do the lovers love? From where do the healers heal? And who is to say what’s imagined and what’s real? From where do you find the way Or the things that you know you must say? Does it come from on high Or within? Inspire, breathe in Let the fire of passion begin Inspire, breathe in I am ready for the inspiration Words and music by Shaula Salathe Copyright © 2015 River Productions

 

MELTING OF GOLD. I am a creature of extremes My grand ideals and my dreams don't fit into the perfect world of averages and means I stand apart from the crowd I always walk where it says I'm not allowed The legacy of a past of which I can't be proud The tyrant master to whome I've never bowed And I can only be me And i'm becoming more and more of who I really am And of your rules and regulations, I don't give a damn And if it scares you that my soul is breaking free Know that the fire of truth melted my padlock and key Six minutes at one thousand six hundred forty degrees I've walked through hell and now there's no fire that can burn I fought a dragon for five years till I brought him down I marked an 'X; upon his stomach to claim my space My brand of humour that keeps me on the ground in this place I was a master of disguise The girl you thought you knew has gone She wasn't very real when it mattered after all... A mask I wore a quarter century So you'd like me. I am a creature of extremes My grand ideals and my dreams don't fit into the perfect world of averages and means I stand apart from the crowd I always walk where it says I'm not allowed The legacy of a past of which I can't be proud The tyrant master to whome I've never bowed And I can only be me And i'm becoming more and more of who I really am And of your rules and regulations, I don't give a damn And if it scares you that my soul is breaking free Know that the fire of truth melted my padlock and key Six minutes at one thousand six hundred forty degrees I've walked through hell and now there's no fire that can burn I fought a dragon for five years till I brought him down I marked an 'X; upon his stomach to claim my space My brand of humour that keeps me on the ground in this place I was a master of disguise The girl you thought you knew has gone She wasn't very real when it mattered after all... A mask I wore a quarter century So you'd like me

 MICHAEL HAS LEFT ME WAITING

Michael has left me waiting. 24 hours is the longest time/Michael has left me hoping/that the passion shared was not a crime/Michael has left me hating/all the dreams I ever dreamed/and hating myself for times unseen// I look at my watch/I glance at a clock/I'm so out of touch/Want what I haven't got/I'm in the right key/But I don't like it much/and yesterday tomorrow and such -/crowd around me.  [MH 1983]

O Captain! My Captain! you were there through all my life but distracted by your laughter I couldn't see your strife and I guess there must have been a bunch of sad for you to hide cos I came to love your smile, Oh what a ride! O Captain! My Captain! I knew that you were smart For you could juggle time around and manipulate my heart Till tears of joy and sadness would tumble from my eye O Captain! is it time to say goodbye? And every time you changed so much and wore a different hat But underneath was simply you and I learnt that was that And you could be so crazy so that I could be that too You made the sky turn green, the grass was blue O Captain! My Captain! I promise I will try to look at life from upside down, to laugh instead of cry I saw you talk with a gorilla just the other day The part of you I love The part of you I know O Captain! you will never be far away The part of you I love The part of you I know O Captain! you will never be far away [Copyright 2014 Salathe Music]

SALOME

A child born on the other side of the world/I can hear it's cry as it reaches up to the sun in the sky/brightening each sunshine ray - does Salome//Travelling the winds like a bird/High above the clouds/seizing the day does Salome//Floating on the breeze with her will/Father can lover her still/Making up her own way does Salome// One child in the night/with the world at her feet/and life in her hands/the people she'll meet/will want her to stay/Salome//A child born on the other side of the world/I can hear it's cry as a hand reaches with strength to the sun/old to the world and wise to its ways/shining like the brightest stars/guiding the way/come what may/the child Salome//guiding the way - does Salome.

SANTA’S DROPPING OFF THE REINDEER Santa’s dropping off the reindeer  and picking up a team of kangaroo Cos when the weather is hot You take what you got it’s the best that you can do… Santa’s dropping off the reindeer  and picking up a team of kangaroo That’s what grandpa told me When I was just three So you know it must be true Christmas time is always in December  It’s the same in countries round the world And we sing of snow and icicles in Winter It’s the same for every boy and every  girl But under Southern skies you know it’s Summer And weather can be warm or really hot And there’s swimming and there’s ice-cream when it’s Summer So Christmas in Winter is what it’s not Santa’s reindeer sometimes run into trouble But he fixes that right up on the double chorus I’m not making any kind of snowman I’m not rugging up because it’s cold I’m not warming up beside a fire I’m tired of singing Winter songs of old I am eating outdoors in the sunshine Endless swimming parties at the beach So all you freezing people in the Northern Hemisphere Remember, perfect Christmas weather's right within your reach Just catch a plane and go To a place where it won’t snow chorus A little girl told me he rides lions in Africa and kiwis in New Zealand and Jaguars in Peru But when he gets to Australia,  Santa knows just what to do chorus true… do be do be do be do… so listen on your roof not for reindeer hoof but for Santa….. but for Santa…….. and his team. of. kan. ga. roo……oooooooooo (yeah)
 

 

SPIRIT THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN I am the spirit that cannot be broken Tho you may try day after day And you can throw all of the shackles you want at me My heart knows just where to stay And deep in the darkness that my life has placed me A flame burns on small but so strong And you may have patience to torture and torment But my little flame burns long Ohhhhhhhh ohhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhhh Copyright Salathe Music 2017 

 

 Tic - - Toc - - Ba a by - - I know may be sometimes in nature things just don’t grow… I know fruit trees grow apples without seeds sometimes the peaches are solid all through and animals in twos or threes have puppies and kittens that just can’t breathe and I understand that absence of breath is just quiet death and peo---ple too - nothing that we ---can do sometimes a tiny angel grows only so far…… and I can fight - and say it’s just not right but then in my garden, it’s there for me to see and so my own little angel I give thanks for the only gift you could have given me One precious gift from the gods in the heavens above One precious gift I can take and turn back to love One precious gift that I hold the treasure is worth You came along on the day before my own birth And so every year on my birthday I’m linked up with you And so I don’t need to try to remember that you Are here in my heart to travel my days with me Little angel your gift of a birthday - so precious to me You — know — I — try— to find— reasons to get— by and sometimes I struggle and sometimes fall And time’s not a straight line So I don’t know if I’ll be fine But I’m older and wiser and that can’t be bad and Shiva you goddess of death and destruction, please shine a light for my reconstruction So I can build up where my heart has fallen down and sometimes I fight a darkness internal while I fight against forces eternal and sometimes Spring is hard, with blossoms all around and peo---ple too - nothing that we ---can do sometimes a tiny angel grows only so far…… and I can fight - and say it’s just not right but then in my garden, it’s there for me to see and so little angel I give thanks for the only gift you could have given me One precious gift from the gods in the heavens above One precious gift I can take and turn back to love One precious gift that I hold all the treasure is worth You came along on the day before my own birth And so every year on my birthday I’m linked up with you And so I don’t need to try to remember that you Are here in my heart to share in the laughter and fun Little angel your gift of a birthday - we are one Copyright 2016 

  

The Wedding Song   Upon this mountain I stand, my love at my side at the dawning of day Two in one and one in two, the journey begins And the waxing and waning from mother to daughter and father to son Grows stronger within And the women and men who have stood side by side through the ages give me strength in my heart And I shall journey with you, watch you and care for you, give and take in our union And I shall be there when you need me, for we are bound as one And earth below and sky above are witness to this day as ever before And as of earth and as of sky we join the circle here And the lightness and darkness of life to be shared grows stronger within And the friends and the family who watch me today give me strength in my heart And every year upon this day, while we both shall live I shall wake and smell the air and remember this day with you by my side And the words that were spoken that bind us together in spirit and in flesh Let us ever remember the words that were spoken this day 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 



 

SLOWLY BY SLOWLY

I look across at you in the middle of the night

Your features undefined by a distant light 

and I know each feature of your face 

and understand we're one

and angels we have heard on high

smile at what's begun 

and slowly by slowly you steal my heart

 

v. 3? I glance at you in a room I know so well

My mind finds comfort in your warm sweet smell

and we talk a little of the past

and fill the room with dreams 

and I wait for your smile of angel beams

and slowly by slowly you steal my heart