Hello Peeps!
I’ve been playing the hell outta one of my CD’s and I wanted to talk about it… It is one of those times where the music touches my soul and I absorb the words into my skin and breathe it like fresh air. The artist is Native American so you’ve probably never heard of her before. Her name is Annie Humphrey, the CD is The Heron Smiled….
A couple of my favorite songs on there are “Same Old Years” which is kind of a sad song of lost love. I get great visuals listening to her music and can almost see this man who is mourning the loss of the one true love of his life that never was fulfilled… the man also has a stubborn streak and is set in his ways which may be why he is still alone.
Annie sings of an Indian woman who is afraid to love in “Falling Down and Falling Apart” She says, -Sometimes she can be lonely and sometimes she can cry…and drops her sadness into the bread she fries. Another line that touches me from that song is –Well she can be afraid, and sometimes she can shake…but her medicine will never let her break. That resonates with me as well as my medicine has never let me down or let me break either.
I really like the song “DNA” because it talks about how people tried to take everything from this man and tried to change him and break him down but his Native American roots stood firm within him. I love the Chorus which goes- Johnnie goes on singing, cause Johnnie owns his voice. Johnnie owns his spirit and Johnnie owns his choice…yes he does. The song says to me that no matter what somebody else tries to do to you or how they try to drag you down and force their will upon you that you will always have your spirit inside and you always have choices. It also connects to my spiritual side as it says –Who taught Johnnie sacrament , who taught Johnnie sin, Who thought of teaching Johnnie’s soul the color of God’s skin… another part is Who forgot about the healing gifts, who ignored the ancient ways, who denied that Grandmother hid her hope in Johnnie’s DNA… Reminds me that the Great Spirit is all encompassing that there is no one right way and only one way… no matter what organized religions try to tell you, they are not the only ones walking the red road.
“I Can Hear You” is a soft sad song. It creates the image for me of a woman saying goodbye to her lover who is going to prison and never coming home. It is their last night together under the moon laying in the wet grass under the stars. She says- I wanna live inside your eyes…Take me with you… When I sleep won’t you please come to me, and be silent there is no need to speak…I can hear you. I can hear you… I feel your tears fall on my fears, sorrow in your fingertips, touch my face…take me with you… And you know in the final goodbye she is already mourning the loss of him… The sun will soon fade the moon, will fade you too… Take me with you.
The last song I love is the title song “The Heron Smiled”. Makes me think the heron is her power animal. I will post them all and let you enjoy the words. If you get a chance to ever listen to her, do…I think you will like it. You may have to search for her through, but she is on the internet.
The Heron Smiled
The heron came knocking at my door
But I was not at home
The heron stared into my eyes
And found herself alone
And she cried
Why refuse the gifts I carry on my wings
And I cried I am rich in pride
And pain and foolish fearful things
The heron came knocking at my door
Inviting me to dance
The heron peered into my heart
And offered one more chance
And she cried
Why refuse the gifts I carry on my wings
And I cried I am rich in pride
And pain and foolish fearful things
The heron glided from my door
Left me sad and hollow
The silent heron disappeared
And I began to follow
And she cried
Why do you desire the gifts
I carry on my wings
I cried hearts that yearn to touch the sky
Must trade the world for wings
And she smiled
She smiled
Falling Down and Falling Apart
I know a woman, Indian in her bones
Spends the pow-wow dancing all alone
She can be lonely, sometimes she can cry
And drop her sadness into the bread she fries
I know a woman, Indian in her eyes
Full blood in her heart, full blood when she cries
She can be afraid, and sometimes she can shake…
But her medicine will never let her break.
But she don’t want a warrior
And she don’t want no brave
She don’t want a renegade headed for an early grave
She don’t need no stolen horse
She don’t need no stolen heart
She don’t need an Indian man
Falling down and falling apart
I know a woman, Indian in her hands
Wanting him to sing, wanting him to dance
Well, she’s out there waiting
No matter the weather
He’d walk through lightening
Just to give her a feather
But she don’t want a warrior
And she don’t want no brave
She don’t want a renegade headed for an early grave
She don’t need no stolen horse
She don’t need no stolen heart
She don’t need an Indian man
Falling down and falling apart
Same Old Years
He still drives the same old car
Still wishes on the same star
And he still wonders where you are
After all these same old years
He still says the same old prayers
And still takes the same old dares
And he still doubts that a damn soul cares
After all these same old years
The same old dream that can’t come true
The perfect love he never knew
And he’s so glad they didn’t see it through
After all these same old years
The same old pain, the same old heart
The same old horse before the cart
And still cries to think that they’re apart
After all these same old years
He still says the same old prayers
And still takes the same old dares
And he still doubts that a damn soul cares
After all these same old years
After all these same old years
DNA
Who killed Johnnie’s woman
Who killed Johnnie’s kids
Who thought they’d silent Johnnie’s prayers
Make his spirit hit the skids
Who stole Johnnie’s water
Who stole Johnnie’s land
Who thought they’d beaten Johnnie down
Give him nowhere left to stand, left to stand
Johnnie goes on singing
Cause Johnnie owns his voice
Johnnie owns his spirit
And Johnnie owns his choice…yes he does
Who blamed Johnnie’s people
Who laughed at Johnnie’s dance
Who thought they’d fold up Johnnie’s dreams
Make it wear those red striped pants
Who taught Johnnie sacrament
Who taught Johnnie sin
Who thought of teaching Johnnie’s soul
The color of God’s skin…God’s skin
Johnnie goes on singing
Cause Johnnie owns his voice
Johnnie owns his spirit
And Johnnie owns his choice…yes he does
Who carved up Johnnie’s future
Who carved up Johnnie’s wage
Who thought they’d carve up history
Page by bloody page
Who forgot about the healing gifts
Who ignored the ancient ways
Who denied that Grandmother hid her hopes
In Johnnie’s DNA
I Can Hear You
Let’s lay
Let’s pray
Smell the wet grass
Til the sky turns red
I wanna live
Inside your eyes
Take me with you
Take me with you
When I sleep
Won’t you please come to me
And be silent, there is no need to speak
I can hear you
I feel your tears
Fall on my fears
Sorrow in your fingertips
Touch my face
When I sleep
Won’t you please come to me
And be silent, there is no need to speak
I can hear you
I wanna live inside your eyes
Take me with you
The sun will soon
Fade the moon
Will fade you too
Take me with you
When I sleep
Won’t you please come to me
And be silent, there is no need to speak
I can hear you
I can hear you
Love you all!
PolarB ;)
