Solid Ground

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There are 15 new songs including two violin instrumentals and the playing time for the CD is a whopping 58 minutes. Solid Ground is my first release of all new material in four and a half years, with lots of water under the bridge, so there's lots of music to share with you. I'm particularly excited about the new CD because I am coproducing it with Paul Steenhuis, a veteran producer, engineer, and musician who has worked with many notable artists over the years ranging from Loreena McKennitt, Garnet Rogers, Peter Tosh, the Duke Ellington Band and Mr. Dressup, to the London Philharmonic. As you can imagine, we're already having a lot of fun! GOING TO THE RIVER © 2000 Lowry Olafson, Joe Stanton & Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Going to the River There's a place we love to go, With our baby girl, where the river flows, And the day floats away, like paper boats out on the bay And fills me more than I can say. We're going to the river, going to the river, Goin' to the river, goin, goin' goin' goin' gone, And when we hear that river rushing by, by by, Nothing stays the same for very long. A little girl changes everything Cuz she knows the songs that the river sings, And if you hold her close up to your ear, She'll sing the words so you can hear, Makes you wonder who's the wise one here. Chorus: When I'm stuck in the city's race, With a furrowed brow and a worried face, I call my girl, and I tell her Mom, The river says it's time for us to come, And off we ride to where the river runs. IF YOU ARE AN ANGEL © 2003 Lowry Olafson    -- listen to   If You Are An Angel If you are an angel, with tiny angel wings Who floated down from heaven, where all the angels sing, And if you are an angel come into this world, I would not be surprised, when I look into the eyes Of this tiny little girl. If you are an angel dressed in baby's clothes A perfect little spirit, so awkwardly disposed And if you are an angel that would shed some light On how someone so small could come and change us all over night And when you miss your angel friends Remember they surround us all till our journey ends And if you listen close whenever they rejoice You can hear the songs of angels in your mama's voice And if you are angel, It may take a while for you to grow accustomed to being a little child But you must be an angel cuz ever since your birth Your tiny beating heart has brought a little part Of heaven down to earth Chorus: And if all of us were angels, not so long Help us to remember what all the angels know And if you are an angel come into this world Won't you help us to find the grace to make this a better place For a tiny little girl. SHIP OF DREAMS © 2003 Lowry Olafson    -- listen to   Ship Of Dreams When I was a boy, my father told me He'd always had a dream. Someday he'd buy a boat and pull up anchor, And where the wind would blow, That's where he would go. Chorus: And he would sail his ship of dreams, Crimson blue and green, Take it on a journey far and wide. And while he was fast asleep, he would sail his ship of dreams Till he was safe in harbour in the morning light. When he was getting old, nearly ninety. He'd never seen his dream come true. I asked him if he was disappointed. He smiled at me and said, "I never told you where I went," Chorus 2: "But son, I sailed my ship of dreams, Crimson blue and green, Took it on a journey far and wide While you were fast asleep, I would sail my ship of dreams Till I was safe in harbour in the morning light." "I discovered lands you can't imagine Weathered storms you won't believe, My life has overflowed with such adventure, And you were there with me, I never had to leave." Chorus 3: I sailed my ship of dreams, Crimson blue and green, Took it on a journey every night While you were fast asleep, I would sail my ship of dreams Til I was safe in harbour in the morning light." Now I have a little girl, and we love sailing Our boat is called the Ship of Dreams, I know it's not the boat her grandpa dreamt of But you should see him grin When we catch the wind. Chorus 4: And we can sail our ship of dreams Crimson, blue and green, And though the shore is never ever out of sight When it rocks my Dad to sleep, He can sail his ship of dreams Till he's safe in harbour in the morning light. When it rocks him off to sleep, He can sail his ship of dreams Till he's safe in harbour in the morning light. A LOVE LIKE THIS © 2003 Lowry Olafson & Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   A Love Like This She sits and she rocks and she holds her baby Late into the evening, The lights are way down low. The look on her face is so contented As he lies there sleeping, Soft as she's ever known. And the life that she is holding,Cradled in her arms, Tiny as a tiptoe, fragile as a lamb, yeah, Who could hold a love like this? The life that she lives and the one she's holding, Bundled in a blanket Wrapped together for all time. The love that she feels is like no other Growing by the hour, words cannot describe. And the tears that well up in her eyes As she thinks about the gift, The joy this little bundle has to give her, Who could hold a love like this? Bridge: No one could have told her How her love would grow And how her heart would open But now she knows. She sits and she rocks and she holds her baby And there's a reflection of starlight in her eyes. One day he'll be grown, his own star gazing And she imagines him, tall and strong and wise. She marvels at life's beauty, what her life has become What brought her to this place? Cause it's not just anyone Who could hold a love like this. DOWN IN DREAMLAND © 2003 Lowry Olafson & Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Down In Dreamland In the winter, down in dreamland The snow is soft and deep. And it's falling down in dreamland, As you drift off tom sleep, And even though it doesn't make a sound, Just like feathers it's been falling down, Down in Dreamland. We'll go gliding down in dreamland, Gliding on our sleigh And the stars so, high above us, Don't seem so far away. And flying all around the town, We'll be bundled up in eiderdown, Down in Dreamland. Bridge: Hey now Mr. Moon, Don't you go to bed too soon, Won't you come and shine your light For one more ride. In the stillness, down in Dreamland, Soft against your cheek, Mama's kisses will not wake you, When you're fast asleep And we'll go back again to night Gliding through that world of white, Down in Dreamland. HERE WE GO AGAIN © 2003 Lowry Olafson & Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Here We Go Again The view from Gospel Rock is at its best When you can see clear across the bay Where the mist turns into clouds A million miles away. But you and I aren’t stopping her for long Much as we’d love to spend the afternoon And watch the sun go down I’d love to stick around, wouldn’t you? Chorus: And here we go again, out on the road again Whatever’s around the bend, we’ll never know And when the winds that blow are calling your name Here we go again. You know how I love the open road, It stretches out before us like the sky And every turn and twist Is just another reason why. Chorus Bridge: There’s such a world out there to see And I couldn’t ask for better company. Chorus PIER 21 © 2004 Lowry Olafson, John Cowell and Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Pier 21 He crossed the cold Atlantic in 1929 An orphan boy just 12 years old, sent to start a new life As they pulled into the harbour on that cold December day I don't know what I would have done if I were no man's son Standing all alone on Pier 21. That boy was my father, William was his name Like so many orphans kids whose story was the same He went to work to pay his passage, took 5 years to clear his debt Left that farm when he was done for the new life he'd begun Standing all alone on Pier 21 On the morning he turned seventeen, he jumped a westbound freight, Cause he couldn’t wait to taste his freedom, Rode the rail to the lumber camps, west of the Cariboo. Did what he could do, wherever he was needed. When the second war broke out they gave my dad a gun And his boat shipped out from Pier 21 He came home the same way, but he couldn’t bring his bride, She must have wondered what she'd done, when they finally let her come, And she was standing all alone on Pier 21. She took the train across the country in 1946 Gave my dad a kiss when he met her at the station If she missed the life she left, she never let us see Cause the family needed raising. So many years have passed since that orphan boy arrived And I'm standing in this place with my arms around my wife We look out across the harbour like so many souls have done I think how far we’ve come, and our dreams have just begun As we stand here with our son on Pier 21. I think how far we’ve come, and our dreams have just begun As we stand here with our son on Pier 21 SOLID GROUND © 2004 Lowry Olafson & Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Solid Ground Broken windows lie On the porch outside Doors left open wide Banging in the wind. Once this house stood tall Portraits on the wall, Trees pruned every fall, Way back when. Chorus: This house was built on a firm foundation And every nail was pounded in by hand It was built with love to last for generations And with a little love, We can get this house back on solid ground. People stop and stare Think we’re fools to care Think that we should tear the whole thing down And build something new. But though these walls are falling down Underneath the frame is sound And there’s treasure to be found For me and you. Bridge: These rooms have held so many dreams And ours is just one more. There’s a story that still sings in every board. Chorus SAFE AND SOUND © 2004 Lowry Olafson and Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Safe And Sound Love is like a branch that you’ve been reaching for When it’s in your hands, you hope it holds, But you don’t know, Until it takes your weight, and if it doesn’t break Chorus: You’re safe and sound, It’s what my heart longs to be Safe and sound And it’s your love that keeps me Safe and sound. Life can be a stream, swollen by the rain Swept out of your depth, It can drag you down You’re never seen again But your love is the branch that reaches from the bank. Chorus But your love is the branch That reaches from the bank. ANNABELLE © 2004 Lowry Olafson & Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Annabelle Annabelle, my precious one, I’m writing to you much in haste. The press gang came, look what they’ve done, They gave me this uniform gave me this gun. They gave me these boots and told me son “Don’t you try to run.” Annabelle, I love you so, you know that I’m a man of peace And if I were free, I would never leave, I would never fight, and I would never be In shells and blood and mud up to my knees If it were up to me. Chorus: Before they break your heart in pieces, Say how proud I fell, Know that I have always loved you More than life itself, Annabelle. Annabelle, there’s one thing more, I’d give anything to stop this war But that’s a long way off, yes I know that’s true, But if a soldier’s faith in God is any use I’ll hold on to that to pull me through And my love for you. Chorus: Before they break your heart in pieces, Say how proud I fell, Know that I have always loved you More than life itself, Annabelle. Chorus 3: Before they break your heart in pieces, If this is farewell, Know that I have always loved you More than life itself, Annabelle. STRONGER THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW © 2004 Lowry Olafson, John Cowell and Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   Stronger Than You'll Ever Know Times are hard now, harder than they’ve been, You’ve come this far, baby don’t give in The path you’ve taken leads to higher ground A new day is breaking, though you can’t see it now. Chorus: Tides are turning, though storms may rage The love you carry in your heart will help you find your way When the water’s churning, don’t let go The love you carry in your heart is strong, Stronger than you’ll ever know. Dark clouds may blow your way And they will disappear But first the morning sky has to shed some tears. Whispers in the wind tell you “Don’t lose faith” The sun will shine again, if you just wait. FEELS LIKE FOREVER © 2003 Lowry Olafson    -- listen to   Feels Like Forever It feels like forever, Been waiting patiently, Like I’ve been holding on for an eternity And now at last you’re here, Just like I always knew And it feels like forever, I’ve been in love with you. Feels like forever, Like there’s a history Feels so familiar between you and me, It’s like I’ve always known you Although our love is still brand new It feels like forever, I’ve been in love with you. Bridge: Since the instant that I saw you, Everything has changed. The lonely days are gone, Won’t be alone again. It feels like forever, So we can take it slow. We’ll always be together, I’ll never let you go And as the years unfold, We’ll watch these dreams come true Cuz it feels like forever, I’ll be in love with you. THAT'S WHERE WE FALL DOWN © 2002 Lowry Olafson and Lisa Aschmann    -- listen to   That's Where We Fall Down I asked a wise man ‘bout our wars, “Why don’t we ever learn? All religions on the planet Share the same concerns. ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ We all know what to do. So why is peace so hard to come by When these words ring so true CHORUS: “And that’s where we fall down, That’s the stone that makes us stumble, Trips us though we try to choose the path of love, When the road gets a little rough, That’s when we give up And that’s when we fall down.” What if we might lose it all, everything we have? We carry so much fear inside, that we don’t see the path. We don’t see the more we have the more we have to lose, That underneath the skin, I’m the same as you. CHORUS Bridge: What if no one ever said:, “I’m right, you’re wrong, you’re evil.”? What if no one ever said, “You’re strangers, not my people.”? CHORUS

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