A Short CD By Ann Reed From Somewhere Outside Her House - 2021

1. I’m All Right
2. Crazy Lady On A Bright Yellow Bike
3. X
4. No Fair
5. To The Earth
6. Listen
7. Julian Of Norwich
8. Angels Hovering ‘Round

Don't forget: Using a songwriter's lyrics and/or music without permission is very bad indeed. Frowned upon. Quite disrespectful. Creates icky stuff in the universe.

I’m All Right
words and music: Ann Reed
© 2021 Turtlecub Publishing/BMI

Well, they were thinking:
What’re we to do with you?
They dressed me up, they dressed me down
A teacher told me
in the hallway after school
You’re so square and the world’s so round
I’d like to tell her:

I’m all right
I’m all right
I’m out walkin’ the same sun light as you

Unattractive, weird,
a little off, just not okay
Too much yourself y’can’t come in
I bump and roll along,
find others on the way
Recognize my kith and kin
Then I sing out  (chorus)

Oh, 
Sing it out for no one else
Sing it loud, convince myself
I’m all right

A miracle I’m even standin’ here today
Firm foundation ‘neath my shoes
Remember words
the bard had scribbled in his play:
To thine own self, yeah, you be true
And then we all sing (chorus 2X)

Crazy Lady On A Bright Yellow Bike
words and music: Ann Reed
©2019 Turtlecub Publishing/BMI

What’cha wanna be when you grow up?
It’s what the adults ask me
I look at them and I don’t know what 
Not one of them looks happy

The woman down the street they say
Not all there, there’s somethin’ wrong
She gets on her bike and makes the break
Only one with a smile and a song

I wanna be the I wanna be the
Crazy lady on a bright yellow bike
I wanna be the I wanna be the
Crazy lady on a bright yellow bike

What’cha wanna do when you grow up?
Dreams of where and what and why
Always think there’s time enough
Life has a way of zippin’ by

The woman down the street they say
When asked where she was goin’
I’ve been to Spain, now please make way
I’m late for a date with the Pope in Rome. (chorus)

What’cha wanna be when you grow up?
Medicare is comin’
Give you a watch and a little shove
Yeah, but I’m not done yet …

The woman down the street they say
Oh so tightly wound and strict
Played by the rules until one day
She fin’ly said Oh, hell with it. (chorus)

X
words and music by Ann Reed
© 2019 Turtlecub Publishing / BMI

Where did this letter come from?
Where did it get its name?
Without it “e” could not express itself, could not explain
Love/hate in Scrabble ™ and other word games.

You need to know, I’ll tell you
It’s what you really wish
A small Phoenician symbol, and what it meant was “fish”
Then come the Greeks who take it and make it their own

Madame and Mister X
It’s a mystery posed
In mathematical equations it means: I don’t know
Signifies You Are Here
Lost? Well, I’ll tell you what
On any map you long to see: X marks the spot!

What other letter could you
Even imagine this:
Placing an X in lieu of giving someone a kiss?
And in rating raunch how would we know?

Multiplication tables
No doubt that X does rule
A generation’s name, we know that they’re no fools
Letter twenty-four this song’s for you! (chorus)

Standing firm with you
Z and Y and Q
As an alias you’re usedπ
Xanax and Xalatan
Big pharma likes the sound
X makes it easier
For anxious people to pronounce

Madame and Mister X
Leaving room for some doubt
In mathematical equations, you figure it out
Signifies: You Are Here
Lost? Well, I’ll tell you what
On any map you long to see: X marks the spot!

No Fair
words and music: Ann Reed
(with help from Dale Connellly and the AR Facebook folks)
© 2020 Turtlecub Publishing / BMI

This crazy year it isn’t safe to shake a person’s hand
If you’re inside y’put a mask on
And be careful where you stand
Our great state get-together the one of fries and curds and cones
Remember when we’d drink and laugh and sing
Together, not alone

No fair, it’s no fair
There’s no fair

Each year she’d ride her bike there right down Como Avenue
Have a pronto pup for breakfast
yeah, she’s gonna miss that too
Families dressed in matching T-shirts; the walleye cakes, the beer
Sweet Martha will we meet again
Have a cookie, dry your tears (chorus)

Oh city folk and country folk together for twelve days
The Fine art and the crop art
Never fail to amaze
Tell the truth when I heard the news I could hardly believe my ears
The carving of the butterheads
Is virtual this year  (chorus)

It’s not like me to say it
But perhaps there is a way to look at this
From a different point of view
It’s hard to comprehend 
The fair’s not everybody’s friend
But maybe it isn’t only about you

Piggy Mama’s full of peace and mirth
No crowds are watching her give birth to her little baby piglets
Now that they’re not in tiny cages, all the chickens are courageous
Stop and think how plants and grass now breathe
A sigh of such profound relief
To have a little break a little respite they can take
From all the feet …

Minnesota, Minnesota, time to think outside the box
Right now there’s someone dreamin’ up a booth
He’s callin’ Deep Fried Lox
Oh how we’re gonna miss it,
Nothin’ like it anywhere
Next year right by the grandstand
I’ll expect to meet you there (chorus)

To The Earth
words and music: Ann Reed
© 2020 Turtlecub Publishing / BMI

I pledge allegiance to the Earth
To water, sky and trees
And to the life that it sustains
Above, below the seas
Any harm that’s done to her
Is done to every being 
I pledge allegiance to the Earth
Above, below the seas

I dedicate my actions to
The healing and repair
Of damage done by rampant greed
To gifts left in my care
Half-asleep too many years,
Now awake, aware
I dedicate my actions to
The gifts left in my care

The sacredness of all the Earth
Her air so sweet, the scent
Her waters clean and freely flow
I promise to defend
I am only one but hand
In hand with others, friends
The sacredness of all the Earth
We promise to defend

I pledge allegiance to the Earth
To water, sky and trees
And to the life that it sustains
Above, below the seas
Any harm that’s done to her
Is done to every being
I pledge allegiance to the Earth
Above, below the seas
Above, below the seas

Listen
words and music: Ann Reed
© 2020 Turtlecub Publishing / BMI

Listen
Can we stop just a minute
Open our hearts
Let a little bit in,
It’s impossible
We can’t stop explainin’
Truth: there’s no way
We know a whit about the pain

Oh, 
Keep talk, talk talkin’
So many shoes
We never walk walk walk in
Ah …

Listen
You can hear the other voices
Tryin’ to break through
All the everlasting noise
It’s impossible
We can’t hear a word if
We’re busy chatter chatter
Every righteous thing we heard  (chorus 2X)

Listen
When a person tells their story
Open our hearts
For the whole offertory
It’s possible
We might start to get it
Maybe take a hold
If only we can let it  (chorus: But no …)

Julian of Norwich
(Trad. Sydney Carter, composer; public domain)

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich, and let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

Love, like the yellow daffodil, is coming through the snow.
Love, like the yellow daffodil, is Lord of all I know. 

Ring out, bells of Norwich, and let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

Ring for the yellow daffodil, the flower in the snow.
Ring for the yellow daffodil, and tell them what I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich, and let the winter come and go
All shalll be well again, I know.

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich, and let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

Angels Hovering ‘Round
Traditional; Philip P Bliss, composer. PD

There are angels hovering ‘round,
There are angels hovering ‘round,
There are angels hovering round.

To carry the tidings home …

Let all who heareth come …

We’re on our journey home …