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Clark Datchler

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AUTUMN YEARS 

Picking up the pieces of my life 
I wonder why the hell I ever came here 
A man without a future left to face 
And nothing but a memory to embrace 

Holding on to threads of sanity 
Imagining the roads I could have taken 
It fills me with a deepening sense of shame 
And outside I can hear the pouring rain 

There is a place where in my mind I escape 
And there I understand the way I feel 
And deep in this world of make-believe 
I will spend my Autumn Years 
With you 

Sitting in this grey and sunless world 
I try to come to terms with guilty feelings 
A man about to pay the final price 
And nothing but his breath to sacrifice 

There’ll be a time when I’ll be gone from your mind 
A fading ghost that soon will disappear 
And deep in my world of endless pain 
I must face my Autumn Years 

I’m picking up the pieces 
I’m picking up the pieces 
I’m picking up the pieces 
I’m picking up the pieces 
Picking up the pieces of my life 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

BROKEN SPIRIT 

You promised things you couldn’t give 
You took away my will to live 
And now the greatest irony 
You want to make it up to me 

Once you had me spellbound 
Once you had me cursed 
You were hunger, you were thirst 

But I don’t belong to you 
So spare me the sweet apologies 
Nothing you say or do 
Will ever come close to mending this Broken Spirit 

Just when I found my feet at last 
Behold a vision from the past 
And though desire overspills 
You’ve only come back for the kill 

In my hour of darkness 
In my hour of need 
You just left me there to bleed 

It’s time you realized 
I don’t belong to you 
So spare me the sweet apologies 
Nothing you say or do 
Will ever come close to mending this Broken Spirit 

And if you ever change your ways 
It would have to be a miracle 

Through the anguish 
There’s a flicker of a smile 
Like a cruel, malicious child 

It’s time you realized 
I don’t belong to you 
So spare me the sweet apologies 
Nothing you say or do 
Will ever come close to mending this Broken Spirit 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1992 Clark Datchler

CHILD TO BE 

I am the giver of life 
You are the answer to my wildest prayers 
My wildest prayers 
Born with the right to exist 
Into a society that doesn’t care 

Have I done wrong 
Have I been careless 
Bringing you here? 

Child To Be 
Your destiny is waiting 
I pass the World into your hands 
And hope that you will understand 
The meaning of it all 

In the adventure ahead 
Every horizon bears a different sun 
You’ll find your one 
And this is the promise I make 
Whether in doubt or danger 
Don’t ever hide, I’m by your side 

Though strangers today 
Maybe tomorrow 
We can be friends 

Child To Be 
Your destiny is waiting 
I pass the World into your hands 
And hope that you will understand 
The meaning of it all 
What is the meaning of it all? 

And when I have done my best 
My body is laid to rest 
Remember that you are you 
Let life begin 

Child To Be 
Your destiny is waiting 
I pass the World into your hands 
And hope that you will understand 
The meaning of it all 
What is the meaning of it all? 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1992 Clark Datchler

CLOSE TO THE EDGE 

All my emotions have intertwined 
Or could it be that I’ve lost my mind 
There is a feeling of hopelessness 
Now that I’ve cracked up my life’s a mess 

The pressure’s building up 
This world has got too much 
Can’t take society 
You are my enemy 

I’m Close To The Edge 
And I don’t want to fall 
I’m losing my head 
My body and soul 
I’m Close To The Edge 
And I don’t want to fall 
I’m losing my head 
My body and soul 

I can’t help shaking I’m so afraid 
Caught in a gap between night and day 
Living in silence behind closed doors 
I’m not the man that I was before 

This grip on sanity 
Is slipping out of me 
The fear of facing life 
There is no end in sight 

I’m Close To The Edge 
And I don’t want to fall 
I’m losing my head 
My body and soul 
I’m Close To The Edge 
And I don’t want to fall 
I’m losing my head 
My body and soul 

If I am still that strong 
Enough to just hold on 
I’ve got to stand and fight 
In this eternal night 

I’m Close To The Edge 
And I don’t want to fall 
I’m losing my head 
My body and soul 
I’m Close To The Edge 
And I don’t want to fall 
I’m losing my head 
My body and soul 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

CROWN OF THORNS 

You were yesterday’s hero 
An ordinary man of flesh and blood 
Took the world on your shoulders 
A hopeless crusade, an act of love 

But it’s a world obsessed with religion 
And now you wear the face of a god 
Like the words you said 
You’re as good as dead 
Just a work of art on the wall 
And that’s why 

Nobody wears a Crown Of Thorns 
Nobody cares 
Nobody wears a Crown Of Thorns anymore 

Holy men talk of hunger 
While standing beneath a cross of gold 
And there are preachers on the TV 
In their thousand dollar suits 
Who sell your soul 

To think you died for what you believed in 
Only to be exploited and used 
Now you’re superman 
From the promised land 
Just a vision of Hollywood 
And that’s why 

Nobody wears a Crown Of Thorns 
Nobody cares 
Nobody wears a Crown Of Thorns anymore 
Anymore 

You showed me that there’s hope for humanity 
But once more you’re being betrayed 

So many countries torn by their idols 
Too many prophets screaming for blood 
And they only hear 
What they want to hear 
When it comes to god up above 
And that’s why 

Nobody wears a Crown Of Thorns 
Nobody cares 
Nobody wears a Crown Of Thorns anymore 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

FISHING FOR SOULS 

A lifetime away from the here and the now 
A shadow is waiting, his body is bound 
A man whose existence was stolen away 
Who hopes against hope they’ll release him some day 

Look at you powerful people 
Cowering in silence 

And it seems clear to me that you’re 
Fishing For Souls 
He’s hostage to all your political goals 
When freedom comes closer 
And deals could be done 
A fair-weather government plays deaf and dumb 

The days became months and the months became years 
But hers is a memory that’s still crystal clear 
And sometimes it seems she’s alone in the fight 
To rescue the man who was torn from her life 

Look at you powerful people 
Grey suits and black hearts 

And it seems clear to me that you’re 
Fishing For Souls 
He’s hostage to all your political goals 
When freedom comes closer 
And deals could be done 
A fair-weather government plays deaf and dumb 
Will is time ever come? 

‘Cause if you really valued life 
You would stop at nothing 
To get him back 
Or will you wait till he returns 
In a box 
Draped in union jacks? 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1992 Clark Datchler

HEART OF HEARTS 

Why do you hide in the shadows? 
Are you afraid of the sun? 
You’ve got a lifetime before you 
And many wars to be won 
You’ve got to look to the future 
And never dwell in the past 
And though you’ll never forget me 
Some things are not meant to last 

So why don’t you open the door 
It’s a beautiful day 
Nothing will stand in your way 
Just take a look in your Heart Of Hearts 
It’s true 

For everything there’s a reason 
Sometimes it’s hard to define 
But maybe you can take comfort 
Knowing you’re one of a kind 

So why don’t you open the door 
It’s a beautiful day 
Nothing will stand in your way 
Just take a look in your Heart Of Hearts 
It’s true 

In the darkness 
There’s a light that shines on you 
It’s not over, I’ll be waiting 
In another place and time 
I will still be by your side 

So why don’t you open the door 
It’s a beautiful day 
Nothing will stand in your way 
Just take a look in your Heart Of Hearts 
It’s true 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

IT’S BETTER THIS WAY 

Answers can come too late 
And time is not one to wait 
I no longer believe 
Feelings of deep despair 
I tell myself I don’t care 
It wasn’t meant to be 

Maybe It’s Better This Way 
Maybe it’s better than the games we used to play 
Maybe It’s Better This Way 
Won’t give in to fear of falling 
When I hear tomorrow calling 

If I should feel the need 
You know that my heart must bleed 
I will not touch that phone 
And maybe I’ll mourn my loss 
But after the caring stops 
Desire turns to stone 

Maybe It’s Better This Way 
Maybe it’s better than the games we used to play 
Maybe It’s Better This Way 
Won’t give in to fear of falling 
When I hear tomorrow calling 

Pride has taken hold of me 
I must escape this apathy 
And should I wake to deep regret 
I’ll suffer ‘cause I stand alone 

And if there was any doubt 
That this was the one way out 
I’d never let you go 

Maybe It’s Better This Way 
Maybe it’s better than the games we used to play 
Maybe It’s Better This Way 
Won’t give in to fear of falling 
When I hear tomorrow calling 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

RAINDANCE 

If paradise is such a fragile affair 
Then why have we the lion’s share? 
As if we walk the Earth alone 
Like infants breaking the cradle 

There isn’t anything we fail to corrupt 
The flipside of the Midas Touch 
We’re walking in a world of glass 
With iron footsteps 

We do the Raindance every night 
And hope the gods will treat us right 
And if the sky should tumble down 
Will it quench our thirst or crush us to the ground? 

Have you a ticket to the greatest event? 
The World inside a circus tent 
Where clowns debate disarmament 
And wildlife live within cages 

The parody is never far from the truth 
And mankind is the living proof 
A dying planet in our arms 
We walk the tightrope 

We do the Raindance every night 
And hope the gods will treat us right 
And if the sky should tumble down 
Will it quench our thirst or crush us to the ground? 

The answer’s very simple 
A World without its people 
Has got to be better than this 

We do the Raindance every night 
And hope the gods will treat us right 
And if the sky should tumble down 
Will it quench our thirst or crush us to the ground? 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

STATE OF PLAY 

There is a choice to be made here 
There is a will to be known 
Either you live your own life 
Or follow wherever I go 

Nothing’s forever 
And time always changes everything 
Nothing’s forever 
From pauper to king 

So tell me what’s the State Of Play 
Do I leave or do I stay? 
Tell me what’s the State Of Play 
Do you love, do you love, do you love me? 

Tell me your darkest of secrets 
Offer no thread of a lie 
For if there’s a key to the future 
You’re looking him right in the eye 

Nothing’s forever 
And maybe I’ll only cause you pain 
Nothing’s forever 
Or will we remain? 

So tell me what’s the State Of Play 
Do I leave or do I stay? 
Tell me what’s the State Of Play 
Do you love, do you love, do you love me? 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

THE LAST EMOTION 

Here where I stand 
The final touch is close at hand 
Where once joy was found 
(Fishing For Souls: On this hallowed ground) 
The weathered walls are crashing down 

If only you could feel my feelings 
Then you’d realize 

This is The Last Emotion 
I’m gonna feel for anyone else 
This is The Last Emotion 
Left within my tortured heart 
Now let the love depart 

Thoughts through my head 
The many things we left unsaid 
Will fade into dust 
Eternity betrayed my trust 

If only you could feel my feelings 
Then you’d realize 

This is The Last Emotion 
I’m gonna feel for anyone else 
This is The Last Emotion 
Left within my tortured heart 
Now let the love depart 

(Fishing For Souls: And if my life has reached the point 
Of self-destruction) 
I don’t need you to cry 
Just show me how to die 
Won’t you show me? 

This is The Last Emotion 
I’m gonna feel for anyone else 
This is The Last Emotion 
Left within my tortured heart 

This is The Last Emotion 
I’m gonna feel for anyone else 
This is The Last Emotion 
Left within my tortured heart 
Now let the love depart 

[* Raindance version: “Where once joy was found”] 

Music and Lyrics by Clark Datchler (PRS / BMI) 
© 1990 Clark Datchler

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