Get all 7 Maggie McKaig releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Celtic Wonder Band--Small Wonder, A Night at the Classic Café, This Music Heals Broken Hearts, Edge of the World, Storm Sessions, Grand Promenade, and Lost In The Colonies.
1. |
Grand Promenade
04:50
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Grand Promenade
Sometimes I bend like a willow
Sometimes I’m hard as steel
Sometimes I reach for you
Sometimes I just can’t feel
And then we all join hands together
In this Grand Promenade
And the dance goes on and on
Until the circle is made
They’re cutting down the redwoods
Polluting the sea
I’m supposed to help keep it together
Well you must excuse me
There’s days I’m good for nothing
Except staring at the wall
Let the world crumble around me
I don’t care at all...
I’m feeling, so broken
Impossible to mend,
Will this, circle
Ever really end
Then I see the trust and innocence
In my children’s eyes
That’s enough to fan the flames
That are flickering inside
And I get it all together
I’m a force to reckon with
I’ll make the world a better place
For us all to live
Sometimes I bend like a willow
Sometimes I’m hard as steel
Sometimes I reach for you
Sometimes I just can’t feel
And then we all join hands together
In this Grand Promenade
And the dance goes on and on
Until the circle is made
Until the circle is made....
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2. |
Cave of the Swimmers
04:07
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Somewhere deep in Africa,
Where desert sands drift far and wide
There is a cave, dark and cold
Wherein strange paintings do abide
A thousand miles from any kind
Of river, lake, or ocean
And yet these paintings on the wall
Are all in swimming motion
The stories of these legendary caves
Were sheltered by the elder’s tongues
Faces lit by firelight
Breathing stories to their young
And now we come within that light
As our two worlds join
Eyes like diamonds in the fire
As we toss the coin
Do you come to offer me an ocean?
Or do you plan to leave me in these desert sands?
Now when I wake
There’s no trace
Yet I feel your face
And that last kiss
And I can hear
Your breath
It's my life
And my death
In that last kiss
The tides of war have carried you
So far away,
The light no longer penetrates the dark
Night never turns to day
Yet oceans turn to desert sands
It is safe to say
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3. |
Coyote Lives
03:41
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Coyote
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote can charm the pants off you
Makes you feel so good
And just as you’re feeling comfortable
That’s when she's leaving you
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote seems to fit right in
But she is never truly tame
And she's given too many rules
She’ll find another game
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote loves to improvise
Never sticks to the written notes
And if you show any weakness
She’ll have you by the throat
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
Coyote lives for freedom
Coyote lives for song
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4. |
December Serenade
03:11
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December Serenade
When the days are darkening short
And the nights hang low
The wind may roar and down the rain may pour
The mountains fill with snow, well
Give me red wine, give me candlelight
I’ll write a song for you
Stoke the fires, keep it burning
Now let the storms come through
In this wintertime
Serenade December
A simple melody on the
Darkest night of the year
Shall we dance?
If you listen on the darkest night
You can feel the earth in its
Tossing, its turning
Just like its giving birth
In its planning and scheming
Its own dreams of spring,
Each exhale, and inhale
And that’s what we bring
To this wintertime
Serenade December
A simple melody on the
Darkest night of the year
Shall we dance?
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5. |
Witness
04:18
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Witness
I have been here
Once before
The floods were raging
Thunder roared
When all at once the ground split open
And swallowed down the storm
And across the land grew many flowers
That healed the sick and worn
I saw that day so many faces
None were young or old
Nor black nor white nor any color
All there within the fold
I have been here
Once before,
The wolves were howling
At my door,
I finally opened up the door
Tiring of the chase
Well big surprise, what did I see
But my own face
I jumped into that deep abyss
Without another thought
And through the swirling, whirling mist I found what I had sought
You shall witness the changes
You shall witness the changes
I have been here
Once before
Our paths have crossed
We’ve asked for more,
Our voices chime together and
We fill the air with song
Not understanding all the words
But still we sing along,
Hope and faith well in our hearts
And lift us high above
All the trials and tribulations
Felled by love
You shall witness the changes
You shall witness the changes
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6. |
Ah-ro-he
04:04
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Ah-ro-he!
I am the wind blowing over the sea, Ah-ro-he
I am the sound the sea makes, Ah-ro-he
I am the deer of the seven tines, Ah-ro-he
I am the eagle upon the rock, Ah-ro-he
I am the ray of the sun, Ah-ro-he
I am the fairest of plants, Ah-ro-he
Who makes wise the company on the mountain
Who makes known the ages of the moon
Who knows the secret resting place of the sun
Ah-ro-he Ah-ro-he Ah-ro-he Ah-ro-he
I am the lake on the plains, Ah-ro-he
I am the word of knowledge, Ah-ro-he
I am the spear point of battle, Ah-ro-he
I am the kindler of fire, Ah-ro-he
I am the raging boar, Ah-ro-he
I am the salmon in the river, Ah-ro-he
Who makes wise the company on the mountain
Who makes known the ages of the moon
Who knows the secret resting place of the sun
Ah-ro-he Ah-ro-he Ah-ro-he Ah-ro-he
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7. |
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Tír na nÓg
Budding on trees, green leaves of spring
Golden skies of autumn weather
The sun and the moon rose over the hills
Shining unending together
And looked over snowy fields covered with corn
In those fair sea sundered places
The Isle of the Sea God Manannán mac Lir
The faraway land Tír na nÓg
Come with me cara
Come away A Stór Mo Chroí
A wondrous life awaits us
Come away A Stór Mo Chroí
In a boat of rainbow colors
We’ll sail a crystal seas
To the edge of the world A Stór Mo Chroí
Come with me now, Tír na nÓg waits
But I shall not wait here forever
We’ll ride on a silver white horse o’er the waves
Soft and as light as a feather
We’ll travel as fast as the blink of an eye
A thought that is here and then gone
To a land as enchanted as you’ve ever seen
The faraway land Tír na nÓg .
Come with me cara
Come away A Stór Mo Chroí;
A wondrous life awaits us
Come away a-stor-mo-chroi,
In a boat of rainbow colors
We’ll sail a crystal seas
To the edge of the world, A Stór Mo Chroí
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8. |
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Wish I Lived On the Prairies
I wish I lived on the prairies
Where I could ride for miles
There’d be no towns or fences
There’d be no roads or rails
And I would ride forever
Morning bleeds into noontime
Noontime fades to night
I’ve never seen an evening star
Without wishing wish I may wish I might
I’m just a dreamer
I’ve always been the kind
Who’s easily lead astray
You know the kind
I’ve always been the kind
Who’s here and there, everywhere
I look for the signs
Some day I’ll get back to the prairies
I know just what I’ll find
There’ll be miles and miles of endless skies
Just waiting there for me
And I will ride forever
I just want to ride
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9. |
Precious Cargo
03:38
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Precious Cargo
Long ago, once upon a time,
My father took me to see the first satellite,
We stood on a mountain high above San Francisco Bay,
And we looked at this little moving light such a long, long ways away,
And right across its path sped a shooting star so bright,
So brilliant and wondrous that I forgot that man-made satellite,
We carry precious cargo on this ship of fools, Precious Cargo
We carry precious cargo on this ship of fools, Precious Cargo
Through the years there's a place I go,
A little house overlooking the ocean down by Pacific Grove,
And the soft white sand is as pure as light,
And the sound of the crashing waves lulls me to sleep at night,
My grandmother slept there, and my great-grandmother too,
As one generation is coming on there’s one that’s just passing through
We carry precious cargo on this ship of fools, Precious Cargo
We carry precious cargo on this ship of fools, Precious Cargo
Every summer I live in the high country,
With the ancient cedars and aspens I share my morning tea,
The generations of their leaves help make up my bed,
And the sky is that richest shade of blue way above my head,
I pause to drink in the cool clear stream,
Will my grandchildren ever be here too will they share my dream?
We carry precious cargo on this ship of fools, Precious Cargo
We carry precious cargo on this ship of fools, Precious Cargo
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10. |
Tea With Honey
03:17
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Tea With Honey
I like my tea with honey
I like my tea with cream
I like my tea with honey
Won’t you have a cup with me
Now I have always been the type to say
There is nothing like a cup of good earl grey
And when you come to visit, after how do you do
I will always make a cup of tea for you.
I like my tea with honey
I like my tea with cream
I like my tea with honey
Won’t you have a cup with me
Now I have other friends who say to me
No no no no no you should not drink caffeine
So for them I make a cup of herbal brew
But that is not what I will make for me and you
I like my tea with honey
I like my tea with cream
I like my tea with honey
Won’t you have a cup with me
Now I have other friends who say to me
All you really need to do is eat blue-green algae
Then you will never ever have to drink earl grey
But asking friends to algae is not quite the same
I like my tea with honey
I like my tea with cream
I like my tea with honey
Won’t you have a cup with me
Won’t you have a cup with me
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11. |
Horse and Rider
04:33
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Horse and Rider
Horse and rider traveling along
At times not knowing the way
Horse and rider we never get lost
But sometimes we do tend to wander
I remember that first time you came to me
On a cold rainy day in May
The wind was rising, blowing clouds around the sky
And you were shining in my eyes
So we kicked up our heels in the sunshine of the morning
Made some tracks, I can tell you
Horse and rider traveling along
At times not knowing the way
Horse and rider we never get lost
But sometimes we do tend to wander
Said you’d meet me in the springtime when the snow melts
But I haven’t seen a sign
Now the flowers are all blooming on the plum trees
I've got traveling on my mind
And I toss and turn through the long lonely nighttime
Dream I see a horse and rider up the valley
Horse and rider traveling along
At times not knowing the way
Horse and rider we never get lost
But sometimes we do tend to wander
In my younger years I’d swear I’d wait forever
Hoping that you’d come around
But what I love in you is what keeps you a rambling
And I’ve no wish to tie you down
So I’ll see the fields come ripening in the summer
Then my dear I will wait no longer
Horse and rider traveling along
At times not knowing the way
Horse and rider we never get lost
But sometimes we do tend to wander
Oohs...
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12. |
Jasmine
04:04
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Jasmine
I remember
When we were kids
We’d go out summer evenings
Out to play hide and seek
And all the other kids in the neighborhood
All the kids on the street we’d meet
There’d be Mary Gill, Bobby Neal, Ronnie Metzer,
The Bishop boys from around the corner
And we’d be out till it got dark
Singing with the crickets here I am ready or not,
And our parents never seemed to worry
No fears we’d disappear
And we’d trail in when the stars came out
And our yard was filled with the scent of
Jasmine, jasmine, jasmine jasmine. oh
Sweet jasmine, jasmine jasmine oh
Sweet jasmine, jasmine jasmine oh,
Sweet jasmine on the summer evening air
And the years go by blowing on the wind,
And as you grow old that wind begins
To take on the force of a hurricane
Everything changes and everything's the same
The mountains still get snow in the winter
But the snow is not as deep
And the summer heatwaves don’t seem as hot
But our yard's still filled with the scent of
Jasmine, jasmine, jasmine, jasmine, oh
Sweet jasmine, jasmine jasmine oh
Sweet jasmine, jasmine jasmine oh,
Sweet jasmine on the summer evening air
Now I’m all grown up
I got my own children
And they’re grown up enough to want to
Go out and play on those warm summer evenings
Smell the new mown lawns and roses
Some people say that I should worry
Fear someone would snatch my child
But I refuse to live with that paranoia
It’s food to make the heart grow weak
So when my children go out to play
I choose to remember the scent of
Jasmine, jasmine, jasmine, jasmine, oh
Sweet jasmine, jasmine jasmine oh
Sweet jasmine, jasmine jasmine oh,
Sweet jasmine on the summer evening air
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13. |
Brigit's Song
04:04
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Brigit's Song
Now comes the hour foretold
A god-gift bringing, a wonder sight
Is it a star new born
Splendid up springing
Out of the night?
Is it a wave from the Fountain of Beauty
Up-flinging foam of delight
Is it a glorious immortal bird
That is winging, hither it’s flight
Hmm mm mm mm, hmm mm mm, mm
Ours to take and to keep
Let the wave break, let the star rise
Let the flame leap, if our hearts are wise
It is a wave high-crested, melodious
Triumphant, breaking in light
It is a star rose-hearted
A joyous splendor risen in light
It is a flame from the world of the gods
And love runs before it
It is a flame from the world of the gods
A quenchless delight, risen from night
Hmm mm mm mm, hmm mm mm, mm
Ours to take and to keep
Let the wave break, let the star rise
Let the flame leap, if our hearts are wise.
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Maggie McKaig Nevada City, California
I'm a singer-songwriter, guitarist, accordionist, composer, poet, essayist, playwright. Since 2009 I've led World music
quartet Beaucoup Chapeaux. With my partner of 45 years Luke Wilson we raised two sons, made seven albums, and grown veggie gardens and fruit trees on five acres of never ceded land once occupied by the Nisenan Tribe near Nevada City, CA.
Photo by LeeAnn Brook.
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