Natalie Merchant

Isabel met an enormous bear, Isabel, Isabel, didn't care; The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous, The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous. The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you, How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you! Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry....

I'm on a lonely road and I'm traveling, looking for something, what can it be Oh I hate you some, I hate you some, I love you some, Oh I love you, when I forget about me, I wanna be strong, I wanna to laugh along, I wanna belong to the living, Alive, ali...

The sun has gone from the shining skies Bye, baby, bye The dandelions have closed their eyes Bye, baby, bye The stars are lighting their lamps to see The babes and squirrels and birds and bees Are sound asleep as they ought to be Bye, baby, bye. The squirrel...

You were the love for certain of my life you were simply my beloved wife I don't know for certain how I'll live my life now alone without my beloved wife my beloved wife I can't believe I've lost the very best of me you were the love for certain of...

Oh, it's no secret You know my every weakness Oh, haven't the strength now Not enough to waste tonight Oh, spark the fire Tinder blocks of desire Oh, Lord have mercy The first to feel tonight I can see that you can see my eyes Black sheep up on the...

I am Ebenezer Bleezer, I run BLEEZER'S ICE-CREAM STORE, There are flavors in my freezer You have never seen before, Twenty-eight divine creations Too delicious to resist, Why not do yourself a favor, Try the flavors on my list: COCOA MOCHA MACARONI T...

People down-cast in despair See the dis-illusion everywhere Hoping their bad luck will change It's a little harder everyday People struggle, people fight For the simple pleasures in their life The trouble comes from everywhere It's a little more than...

When I was just a little girl my mamma said to me, "beware of the devil my child In the dark rocky places he'll keep Beware of the devil my child Beware of his charming ways You'll fall under an evil spell Just looking at his beautiful face You gotta bu...

Well, my heart is sad And I am lonesome For the only one I love When shall we meet? Oh no never Till we meet in heaven above So bury me underneath the willow Under the weeping willow tree So that he may know Where I am sleeping And perhaps he'll weep for me...

Calico Pie, The little Birds fly Down to the calico tree, Their wings were blue And they sang 'Tilly-loo!' Till away they flew,- And they never came back to me! They never came back! They never came back! They never came back to me! Calico Jam, The...

I’ve walked these streets A virtual stage it seemed to me Make up on their faces Actors took their places next to me I’ve walked these streets In a carnival of sights to see All the cheap thrill seekers The vendors and the dealers They crowded...

Within the fire And out upon the sea Crazy man Michael was walking He met with a raven With eyes black as coal And shortly they were talking "Your future, your future I will tell to you Your future You often have asked me Your true love will die By your own r...

Crying, my little one, footsore and weary? Fall asleep, pretty one, warm on my shoulder.. I must tramp on through the winter night dreary, While the snow falls on me colder and colder. You are my one, and I have not another; Sleep soft, my darling, my tr...

Young Emily was fair lady bright She loved her diver boy Who sailed over the ocean To gather up some gold Seven long years returning, His money for to show He'd been sailing over the main Down in the low land, low "My father runs a big hotel Down by the river...

Come here ladies and gentleman Listen to my song Play it to you right But you may think it wrong May make you mad But I mean no harm It's just about the renters On Penny's farm It's a hard time in the country Down on Penny's farm Go into the fields...

I'm an effigy A parody of who I appear to be Put your flaming torches under me I'm an effigy A parody of who I appear to be Put your flaming torches under me I'm an effigy A parody of who I appear to be Put your flaming torches under me Endless so...

See, they are clearing the sawdust course For the girl in pink on the milk-white horse. Her spangles twinkle; his pale flanks shine, Every hair of his tail is fine And bright as a comet's; his mane blows free, And she points a toe and bends a knee, And...

Blue like the winter snow in this full moon Black like the silhouettes of the trees Late blooming flowers lye frozen underneath the stars I want you to remember me that way Far away I'll be gone Will you wait for me here? How long? I don't know But w...

Giving up everything, My hungry ghost of hopefulness. Giving up everything, Not haunted by wanting this. Giving up everything, The fortune I was saving. Giving up everything, I mercy-killed my craving. Giving up everything, I've opened up my eyes fo...

Moving on, moving on, Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Just hold it back and keep moving on. Pushing on, pushing on, Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? But it's so hard to keep pushing on. I'm moving on, moving on, Isn't that what everybody tells...

Top of the fold Toast of the town Everyone stops when you come around They hold their breath for you Heroes are born Idols are made We're all fools for this factory fame And you've got the brand new face You've got the brand new face Golden boy Be...

Griselda is greedy, I'm sorry to say. She isn't contented with four meals a day, Like breakfast and dinner and supper and tea (I've had to put tea after supper-you see Why, don't you?) Griselda is greedy as greedy can be. She snoops about the larder Fo...

Who'll save the poor little girl? Henry Darger Henry Darger Who'll save the poor little girl? O, Henry... Who'll tell the story of her? Henry Darger Henry Darger Who'll tell it all to the world? O, Henry... Who'll buy the carbon paper now? Henry...

"well met, well met And I know true love Well met, well met", said he "I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea And it's all for the love of thee" "come in, come in My own true love And have a seat with me It's been three-fourths Of a long, long year Since...

I may know the word but not say it I may know the truth but not face it I may hear a sound a whisper sacred and profound but turn my head indifferent I may know the word but not say it I may love the fruit but not taste it I may know the way to c...

I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And oh, it was all laden With pretty things for thee! There were comfits in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold. The four and twenty sailors, T...

I'm not gonna beg you for nothing I'm not gonna beg you for your love Straight talk, give me the straight talk Tell me what's on your mind if it ain't love I'm not gonna beg you for nothing I'm not gonna beg you for your love Scared now, what are you s...

If no one ever marries me,- And I don't see why they should, For nurse says I'm not pretty, And I'm seldom very good- If no one ever marries me I shan't mind very much; I shall buy a squirrel in a cage, And a little rabbit-hutch: I shall have a cotta...

Ye shall say they all have passed away, That noble race and brave, That their light canoes have vanish'd From off the crested wave. That 'mid the forests where they roam'd There rings no hunter's shout; But their name is on your waters, Ye may not wash...

There's nothing makes a Greenland whale Feel half so high and mighty As sitting on a mantelpiece In Aunty Mabel's nighty. It makes a change from Freezing Seas, (Of which a whale can tire), To warm his weary tail at ease Before an English fire. For th...

It's a-coming. Wild fires, dying lakes, Landslides, hurricanes, Apocalypse in store Like nothing ever seen before. It's a-coming. Third-generation refugees, Street mob burning effigies, Revolution, civil war Like nothing ever seen before. It's a-...

Ooo, jealousy Is she fine So well bred The perfect girl A social deb Is she the sort You've always thought Could make you What you're not? Ooo, jealousy Is she bright so well read are there novels by her bed Is she the sort You've always said Could s...

I swear I know your face I wish I knew your name I wish I could take you by the hand. If I could name it, if I could just explain it. If I could only help you, help you understand. I can see that you're hurting Weighed down like a beast of burden about...

La-La-La-La-La... You've been so kind and generous, I don't know how you keep on giving For your kindness I'm in debt to you For your selflessness, my admiration For everything you've done, you know I'm bound, I'm bound to thank you for it.... La-La-La...

Farewell today Travel on now Be on your way Go safely there And never worry Never care Beyond this day Farewell tonight To all joy And to all delight Go on Go peacefully We can't keep your majesty Be on your way Make ready for the last king of...

Hey, Ladybird, ain't it just the way, The way that love grows cold and then fades away? Now when he touches you, make no mistake, The fire's long gone out and the ash has blown away. You don't know how to leave and you don't know where to fly. You don't...

It's a pity It's a crying shame Who pulled you down again? How painful it must be To bruise so easily inside It's a pity It's a downright crime But it happens all the time You wanna stay little daddy's girl Wanna hide from the vicious world outside...

They said that Hollywood was Never gonna be the same without you, Still, you're gone. How could we forget that face And all that silver, flickering grace That died with the silent age? When everybody knew your name; They all knew your name. Born wild...

maggie and milly and molly and may went down to the beach(to play one day) and maggie discovered a shell that sang so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and milly befriended a stranded star whose rays five languid fingers were; and molly was...

Maggie said Dig one more shallow grave before I'm dead Maggie said I'm just lookin' for a place that I can lay my weary head There's no perfect end Just time to leave Maggie said They wreck the table at the game of love Maggie said It's just stupid l...

Where in hell can you go far from the things that you know Far from the sprawl of concrete that keeps crawling its way about 1,000 miles a day? Take one last look behind, commit this to memory and mind. Don't miss this wasteland, this terrible place. When...

Take a look at my body Look at my hands There's so much here that I don't understand Your face-saving promises Whispered like prayers I don't need them 'cause I've been treated so wrong, I've been treated so long As if I'm becoming untouchable...

Lately I've been walking all alone through the wind and through the rain Been walking through the streets and finding sweet relief In knowing that it won't be long. Lately it's occurred to me that I've had enough of that And lately I've been satisfied b...

I had a silver penny And an apricot tree And I said to the sailor On the white quay ‘Sailor O sailor Will you bring me If I give you my penny And my apricot tree ‘A fez from Algeria An Arab drum to beat A little gilt sword And a parakeet?’ Well...

One fine day, you´ll look at me And you will know our love was, meant to be One fine day, you´re gonna want me for your girl The arms I long for, will open wide And you´ll be proud to have me, right by your side One fine day, you´re gonna want me for you...

Ophelia was a bride of God A novice Carmelite, In sister cells, the cloister bells, tolled on her wedding night Ophelia was the rebel girl, A blue-stockinged suffragette Who remedied society between her cigarettes And Ophelia was the sweetheart t...

Well, I lived in a town Way down south By the name of Owensboro And I worked in a mill With the rest of the "trash" As we're often called As you know Well, we rise up early In the morning And we work all day real hard To buy our little meat and brea...

I am a poor wayfaring stranger Traveling through this world of woe But there's no sickness, toil or danger In that bright land to which I go Well I'm going there To meet my mother Said she'd meet me when I come I'm only going over Jordan I'm only going over...

Do I have to put the law on you baby for all the wicked things you do? Am I gonna have to put the law on you baby? That was not what I wanted to do. Do I have to put the law on you baby to try And make you come out clean for every evil deed? You're just...

Young & strong Hollywood son In the early morning light This star fell down On Sunset Boulevard Young & strong beautiful one One that we embraced so close Is gone Was torn away Let the youth of America mourn Include him in their prayers Let his ima...

Saddle up the horses and wear your Sunday best Sing your Sacred Harp, you be holier than the rest Fill up the room with a grand and a thunderous song Let it rattle out the windows, let it spill out on the lawn Shout, shout your praises to the man who kisse...

A woman of beauty A woman of pain In France or Jakarta Her shadow's the same You go home with Sally Ann You go home with Sally Ann You go home A woman of kindness With bracelets of jade In China, in Japan Choices are made You go home with Sally Ann You go hom...

Go west paradise is there you'll have all that you can eat of milk and honey over there you'll be the brightest star the world has ever seen sun-baked slender heroine of film and magazine go west paradise is there you'll have all that you can eat...

Well, of all those seven deadly sins I wore around my neck for him: Hunger, Anger, Lust and Greed, Envy, Pride and Jealousy There was one, I guess, that was the worst of all, That gave a little push, Started the fall from grace that I took so hard, I t...

How did I love you? There was no measuring Far above this dirty world Far above everything In your tower over it You were clean So warm and insightful Were you in my eyes I was sure the rightful Guardian of my life Damn you betrayer How you lied But for s...

Said, "soldier, now soldier Would you marry me Before the fight comes on?" "How can I marry Such a pretty little girl When I got no suit to put on?" Well she went to the dry goods store Hard as she could run She bought the finest Little suit in the store, "...

Ground Control to Major Tom, Ground Control to Major Tom Take your protein pills and put your helmet on Ground Control to Major Tom Commencing countdown, engines on Check ignition and may God's love be with you This is Ground Control to Major Tom You'...

Margaret, are you grieving Over Goldengrove unleaving? Leaves, like the things of man, you With your fresh thoughts care for, can you? Ah! as the heart grows older It will come to such sights colder By and by, nor spare a sigh Though worlds of wanwood...

[Mother's Song (My Heart)] My heart is like a fountain true That flows and flows with love to you. As chirps the lark unto the tree So chirps my pretty babe to me. And it's O! sweet, sweet! and a lullaby. There's not a rose where'er I seek, As comely a...

I know what you tell yourself, you tell yourself. Look in the mirror, look in the mirror what does it show? I hear you counting. I know you're adding up the score. I know, oh yes I know what you tell yourself, you tell yourself. Ever since Eden we're bui...

Gonna get what's mine Aand wild horses couldn't keep it from me. Papa says I'm a golden child And the whole world's gonna fall at my feet. It's all coming to me. Going down picking when it's harvest time, Gonna get my share, gonna get what's mine for...

Lalalalalala... You've been so kind and generous I don't know why you keep on giving For your kindness I'm in debt to you For your selflessness--my admiration For everything you've done You know I'm bound--I'm bound to thank you for it Lalalalalala......

It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind. The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy...

Oh, it's fiddle-de-dum and fiddle-de-dee, The dancing bear ran away with me; For the organ-grinder he came to town With a jolly old bear in a coat of brown. And the funny old chap joined hands with me, While I cut a caper and so did he. Then 'twas fiddle...

That'll be the end of the road, When my battered, embittered Body and soul will go home. That'll be the end of the war, When we finally lay down The barrel and the blade and go home. By the sea, so wide and treacherous, By the land, so dark and danger...

Oh I'm in love with the janitor's boy, And the janitor's boy loves me; He's going to hunt for a desert isle In our geography. A desert isle with spicy trees Somewhere near Sheepshead Bay; A right nice place, just fit for two Where we can live alway....

The king of China's daughter So beautiful to see With her face like yellow water, Left her nutmeg tree. Her little rope for skipping She kissed and gave it me Made of painted notes of singing-birds Among the fields of tea. I skipped across the nutmeg...

From Breakfast on through all the day At home among my friends I stay, But every night I go abroad Afar into the land of Nod. All by myself I have to go, With none to tell me what to do-- All alone beside the streams And up the mountain-sides of dreams. The...

What's it like there outside With the living, with the living In a fallen down place I can hide From the living, from the living Because I don't care to stay with the living Oh, the bottle has been to me My closest friend, my worst enemy For a fable I...

The Man in the wilderness He asked of me How many strawberries grow in the salt sea? And I answered him, as I thought good As many a ship sails in the wood The Man in the wilderness He asked me, Why His hare could swim and his pig could fly? And I an...

The Peppery Man was cross and thin; He scolded out and scolded in; He shook his fist, his hair he tore; He stamped his feet and slammed the door. Heigh ho, the Peppery Man, The rabid, crabbed Peppery Man! Oh, never since the world began Was any one lik...

My age is three hundred and seventy-two, And I think, with the deepest regret, How I used to pick up and voraciously chew The dear little boys whom I met. I've eaten them raw, in their holiday suits; I've eaten them curried with rice; I've eaten them ba...

A capital ship for an ocean trip Was the Walloping Window Blind. No gale that blew dismayed her crew Or troubled the captain's mind. The man at the wheel was taught to feel Contempt for the wildest blow. And it often appeared when the weather had cleare...

So you're in love, that's so good for you Live it up girl 'cause it never lasts too long It's heaven for now, but not for long It's gonna hurt you It's gonna make you feel so bad Once I could love, I could trust, I could not doubt But that was just abou...

Remember how it all began The apple and the fall of man The price we pay So the people say Down the path of shame it led us Dared to bite the hand that fed us Fairy tale the moral end Wheel of fortune never turns again Never turns again The worst o...

This house is on fire! Kick off your boots, come sit a spell. Listen to me worry, come and listen well. All you better best come and lean in boys, I don't dare raise my voice. I've been sitting here for the longest time reading all the warning and the d...

If the butterfly courted the bee, And the owl the porcupine; If churches were built in the sea, And three times one was nine; If the pony rode his master, If the buttercups ate the cows, If the cat had the dire disaster To be worried by the mouse; If...

Lady, lovely lady, Careless and gay! Once when a beggar called She gave her child away. The beggar took the baby, Wrapped it in a shawl, "Bring her back," the lady said, "Next time you call." Hard by lived a vain man, So vain and so proud, He walke...

If you see them father Please tell them I'm a poor mourning pilgrim Bound for Canaan land Well I weep and I moan And I move slowly on I'm a poor mourning pilgrim Bound for Canaan land If you see them sister Please tell them I'm a poor mourning pilgrim Bound...

There's a land beyond the river That they call the sweet forever And we'll only reach that shore By fate's decree One by one we'll gain the portals There to dwell with the immortals When they ring the golden bells for you and me Don't you hear the bell...

Climbing under a barbed wire fence by the railroad ties climbing over the old stone wall I am bound for the riverside well I go to the river to soothe my mind ponder over the crazy days of my life just sit and watch the river flow find a place o...

Come all you good workers Good news to you I'll tell Of how the good old union Has come in here to dwell Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on? My daddy was a miner He's now in the air and sun He'll be with you fellow workers Until the b...

Doctors have come from distant cities Just to see me Stand over my bed Disbelieving what they're seeing They say I must be one of the wonders Of god's own creation And as far as they can see they can offer No explanation Newspapers ask intimate questions W...