Origami Man Lyrics
Origami Man Lyrics
Paris
There’s a room in Paris
with a view of the Seine
through a window that is grimy
with sleet on the pane.
There’s a place in Paris
on the poor side of town
with no light on the stairwell
and paint peeling down.
I’ve a dream of Paris
that I keep in my head.
There, when you come to me willingly
I’m dressed in red.
And the weight of your kisses
and the love on your breath
do capture completely
this bird in my chest.
Flowers spring back to life
though it’s snowing
and the romance of one candle glowing
will light me and fill me forever.
Only in Paris
Only in Paris
Only in Paris
Only in Paris.
Boxes of flowers
have faded for winter.
They’re waiting for love
to come back and win her.
Only in Paris
Only in Paris
Only in Paris
Only in Paris.
Meryl Leppard © 1996
Origami Man
I give you scissors
to cut my sweet sensation
and ribbons to tie up my hair.
Rare fruit to taste
and seeds to sow,
I write you letters to show
that I care,
because I love you,
God knows I love you.
The gentle hands
of the Origami Man
make paper boats
to sail away my pain.
Paper so thin,
to wrap my heart up in.
For happiness he folds
a yellow crane.
I told him I love you.
Why do I love you?
You and I could fly together
over silvery seas led by the moon.
She’ll shine a way
if only you’ll say
that you love me too.
I tell you secrets
I don’t know if you respect them
I want you to know who I am.
I say my prayer
that someday you’ll be there.
I dream I’m walking on shifting sand.
I guess I just love you,
and I can’t help but love you.
you and I could fly away together
over silvery seas led by the moon.
She’ll shine a way
if only you’ll say,
go on say it,
that you love me too.
Meryl Leppard © 1998
Ophelia
I’m gonna grow my hair
and wrap it around me.
I’m gonna grow my hair
and wrap it around me.
He is over the ocean.
He promised devotion
and I feel like I’ve been broken in two.
I’m gonna tattoo my skin
give me protection.
I’m gonna tattoo my skin
give me protection.
A child is already growing
A seed carelessly sewn
and I don’t know what I’m gonna do.
And I long to jump into the river,
but the banks are so wide and so steep.
Pray for me sweet Ophelia.
I’m burdened with love and with grief.
I’m gonna sew a fine coat
hide all my burdens.
I’m gonna sew a fine coat
hide all my burdens.
The stars have already gathered.
The moon won’t be overshadowed.
It shines a path especially for me.
And I cry to my love, “why did you leave me?”
But my voice just gets lost on the wind.
Pray for me sweet Ophelia.
I need to know how to begin
to stand on my own two feet again.
Hold up my head with pride again.
Stand on my own two feet again.
Hold up my head with pride again.
Ophelia, pray for me.
Ophelia, pray for me.
Meryl Leppard © 1995
Naval Wife
Excuse me if I’m being too familiar.
I know we only met late yesterday.
I usually don’t intrude like this, forgive me.
It was something that I overheard you say.
It’s funny how the simple things stay with you
when the drama of a life can fade way.
I remember you, one afternoon in winter,
standing on the pier at Jervis Bay.
You were looking out to sea,
waiting for the love of your life.
It’s hard, being a Naval wife.
My sister had a lover in the Navy.
She only saw him briefly, home on leave.
He had a secret mission in the arctic.
She took a correspondence course in geography.
She stood looking out to sea,
waiting for the love in her life.
It’s hard, being a naval wife.
It took her a year or more to get over him.
First loves are the hardest ones to forget.
Forgiving doesn’t come easily.
She still smiles at sailors,
says she can’t help herself.
I’ve noticed something strange while we’ve been talking.
The women in this town all look the same.
They have a sort of hunger on their faces.
Weary eyes, all quite unashamed, they stand
looking out to sea,
waiting for the men in their lives.
It’s hard, being a Naval wife.
Far too hard, being a Naval wife.
I could never stand
Being a Naval wife.
Meryl Leppard © 1995
Magdalena
Not another word,
there’s nothing left to say.
I’m a true believer
in our love today.
My body’s Holy.
Come lay beside me now.
I’ll be your Magdalena
kneeling at your feet.
I’ll be your Magdalena.
You can be my priest.
Whisper your desires
oh so tenderly.
I’ll do every secret thing
you ask of me.
I am a temple
calling you to worship now.
I’ll be your Magdalena
kneeling at your feet.
I’ll be your Magdalena.
You can be my priest.
Oh lover mine
I’ll take you to my breast
comforting the child I sometimes see.
Show me the man
who is unafraid to cry
and desperate to die
the little death with me.
Let us find communion
in the deepest kiss.
Breathing together
till we reach our bliss.
Enter your cathedral.
Love me in the face of God.
I am your Magdalena
kneeling at your feet.
I am your Magdalena.
Darling you ‘re my priest.
Meryl Leppard © 2003
Circus
When I look in your eyes
I go straight to the circus.
There’s a woman in blue
and she’s ready to fly.
Arching her back
sequins flash from her body.
Trusting that man’s gonna catch her
she dives in the sky.
When I gaze at your body
I’m standing on mountains.
On the roof of the world’s
a spectacular view.
Rarefied air that’s so pure
it is making me breathless.
Monks have been chanting their prayers
and I said one for you.
And when I dream at night
my dreams are lovely.
That’s when my soul takes flight
over the sea.
You are delicious fare.
Why don’t you take me where
I can run free.
And when I hear you laugh
I imagine a pirate.
These are dangerous oceans
I’m willing to sail.
Waiting for you with my swaggering crew
and they’re restless.
Swearing allegiance they ready
the mast and the rail.
And when I dream at night
my dreams are lovely.
(yes they are)
My soul takes flight
over the sea.
You are delicious fare.
Why don’t you take me where
I can run free.
Meryl Leppard © 2000
Corduroy
There you go again pretending I am nothing to you.
How can you look me in the eye?
A skittish dilettante, you dip your toes into the water
and then you lay them out to dry.
Why do you just assume
you can waltz into my life,
and exit just exactly as you please?
I see five o’clock shadow
and crumpled corduroy
on a man who’s strong in stature,
on a frightened little boy.
I know that you have suffered,
I’ve seen some pain.
It takes a lot of courage to love again.
Here we are again, wrestling with communication
and it’s all hit and miss today.
I practice holding back to get some more illumination
and ask for gentle words to say,
“why do you chose to come
close enough to taste my love?”
That game just brings me to my knees.
I see five o’clock shadow
and crumpled corduroy
on a man who’s strong in stature,
on a frightened little boy.
I know that you have suffered,
I’ve seen some pain.
It takes a lot of courage to love again.
See the street sweeper doing his rounds in the morning.
Do you think he would lose belief
if a single leaf
was lost from out his hand?
He’s not that kind of man.
He knows there is a plan.
There’s five o’clock shadow
and crumpled corduroy
on a man who’s strong in stature,
on my frightened little boy.
I know that you have suffered,
I’ve seen some pain.
It takes a lot of courage,
takes a lot of courage,
it takes a lot of courage to love again,
to love again.
Meryl Leppard © 1998
Lost At Sea.
There’s a rumour down here
on the dark side of town
that a doomed fleet just sailed in.
You’ll be down at the harbour
in bodice and gown
anxious for some word of him.
But those that you stop only leer and press on
with their own swift appointments to keep.
“Your man’s lost at sea!” exclaims one on the run.
“He delivers his speech,
he delivers his speech to the deep.”
Your face says you’re lonely,
your rags say you’re cold,
hungry in body and soul.
But love’s your salvation
in more ways than one,
keeps you from growing old.
The crowd presses closer demanding to know
who has gone to their watery sleep.
“Your man’s lost at sea!” exclaims one on the run,
“He delivers his speech,
he delivers his speech to the deep.”
Lost at sea?
Don’t let him be
lost at sea.
I am his lover,
his children I mother.
The last time your man
sailed away from this shore
he promised that he’d come back for good.
That was after you begged him never to go.
He said he’d stay, if only he could.
The rig of the sailing ship battered and torn
makes you fearful of what you might see.
“Your man’s lost at sea!” exclaims one on the run.
Well it can’t be true, because his heart is lying right here.
Lost at sea?
Don’t let him be
lost at sea.
I am his lover.
His children I mother.
lyric by Meryl Leppard and Ian McBryde © 1987
Laying Your Ghost to Rest
Some days I lay flowers
on the alter of my grief.
Some days
I don’t get out of bed.
Other days I walk through town
and think I see your face
In windows,
who knows.
Time soothes all wounds.
Even the rawest ones heal over.
It’s over
and I am
Laying your ghost to rest,
laying your ghost to rest.
I’ll know that that I’ve been blessed
when I lay your ghost to rest.
Some days I’m fragmented
and it’s all that I can do
not to
call you.
Other days I’m strong enough
to walk down by the sea,
where the cool wind
calms me.
Time heals all wounds.
Even the bitter blows get dull now,
somehow
I am
laying your ghost to rest,
laying your ghost to rest.
I will survive the test
when I lay your ghost to rest.
I wrote the aching down
to cast it from my head.
All our dreams and promises
on paper stiff and red.
A simple dedication
to the gods up in the sky.
Hoping they were watching me
I set it alight.
And I am
laying your ghost to rest,
laying your ghost to rest, rest, rest.
I’ll know that I’ve been blessed
When I lay your ghost to rest.
When I lay your ghost to rest.
Silenciosa
The crucifix around my neck
is nestled safe between my breasts,
token of the love I left behind.
I polish it with love and care
for the child I’ve chosen not to bear.
I’ll cradle fruit of love another time.
Silenciosa
my lips are sealed.
Silenciosa
nothing revealed.
And how I love you
I dare not say.
Silence is golden today.
I hear your footsteps on the stair,
I run to see but no-one’s there.
Shadow on the wall looks back at me.
I whisper into empty space
of how I’d love to stroke your face.
Distant bells chime a prayer for me.
Silenciosa
my lips are sealed.
Silenciosa
nothing revealed.
And how I love you
I dare not say.
Silence is golden today.
How could you bear it my lover?
How could you stand the light of day?
Knowing I love you,
knowing you leave me,
hearing me beg you to stay.
Silenciosa
my lips are sealed.
Silenciosa
nothing revealed.
And how I love you
I dare not say.
Silence is golden today
Silence is golden today
Silence is golden today.
Meryl Leppard © 1994
Some Moon, Some Dream
That was some moon
down in Morocco,
that was some sweet sky.
I looked at you,
something came over me
that I’m unable to justify.
And when you kissed me I fell
head over heels in love with you.
That was a crazy old time.
Warmth in your eyes
filled me with longing
for everything I could not be.
Some moon, some dream.
That was some moon.
The heart of Morocco
has got some sweet sky.
We heard a tune,
slow and old fashioned
that sang of love and desire.
I was afraid for my heart
and just didn’t listen
when reason was shouting
a warning inside,
I shrugged it aside.
I’m totally reckless
when magic is stirred up in me.
Some moon, some dream.
That was some moon.
Deep in Morocco
there is some sweet sky.
I was fooled
into believing it only
existed for you and I.
I’m not excusing myself,
I never intended a romance to blossom.
Let’s get it straight,
we made a mistake.
It’s just a fantasy
that you could care for me.
Some moon, some dream
Some moon, some dream..
Meryl Leppard © 1987
The Box
I have a box.
It’s wooden.
Smooth and hexagonal,
mosaic on the top.
And when I open it up
I can smell the heat and the dust
of Africa.
I have a box.
I’ts precious to me.
It’s a keepsake for special things,
mosaic on the top.
And when I open it up
I am in the heat and the dust
of Africa.
Why did I go a travelling?
My body’s back,
but my heart lies somewhere else.
How can I get it back again?
I smell the dream,
and I close the lid,
I remember all the love I hid
in Africa.
I have a box.
It’s wooden.
And it’s smooth and hexagonal
with mosaic on the top.
And when I open it up
I’m in the heat and I am in the dust
of Africa.
Meryl Leppard © 1987