I've got a lot of love to give...

Welsh folk, contemporary jazz, free improvisation

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V5.5

Verse 1
I woke before the morning,
rain moving on the glass,
the hills were barely there
and the night was holding fast.

I thought about the years
I had given to being strong,
all the things I swallowed down,
all the places I went wrong.

And somewhere in the silence
I heard my own heart say:
you don't have to carry everything
just because you carried it this way.

Verse 2
There's salt upon the windows,
there's mud beneath my shoes,
a blackbird in the hedgerow
singing like it has nothing left to lose.

The sea keeps changing colour,
the mountain keeps its shape,
and I've begun to wonder
what I'm asking love to save.

Chorus
I've got a lot of love to give,
I know I do.
It's not the easy kind,
it's not the kind that promises
I'll never hurt you.

It's the kind that's been through winter,
the kind that knows the rain,
the kind that sits beside you
when there's nothing left to say.

I've got a lot of love to give.
I just need somewhere
to put it.

Verse 3
I remember your hand in mine,
though I don't remember why
we were standing in the doorway
letting half the evening die.

You said, “Maybe we're afraid
of what happens if we stay.”
I had no answer for you then.
I might not have one today.

But I know this:

I don't want to become
a house with all the windows shut,
full of furniture and memories
and nobody waking up.

Interlude
Don't count the bars here.
Let the piano wander.
Let the bass pull against it.
Harp like distant rain through the trees.

The vocal can almost speak:

I have loved badly.
I have loved well.
I have loved people
I could not help.

I have been loved
and not known what to do with it.

Verse 4
There's a path down to the water
I haven't walked in years.
The stones are slick with weather,
the wind gets in your ears.

But I went down there this morning
with nothing to defend,
and for the first time in a long time
I didn't need the day to end.

I stood there in the cold
and let the whole world be
the gulls, the rain, the broken clouds,
the dark Welsh sea.

And I thought:

maybe nothing needs repairing.
Maybe I just need to stay.

Chorus
I've got a lot of love to give,
I know I do.
Not the kind that asks for forever,
not the kind that needs to be proved.

It's the kind that knows your silence,
the kind that leaves the door.
The kind that doesn't keep a tally
of what it gave before.

I've got a lot of love to give.
More than I can hide.
And if you want to meet me,
I'll meet you
on the other side.

Bridge
If you come,
come as you are.

Come tired.
Come frightened.
Come with your hands empty.

I won't ask you
to make me whole.

Just sit with me
until the light comes back.

Final Chorus almost whispered
I've got a lot of love to give...
I think I always did.

It was underneath the anger,
underneath the fear,
underneath all those years
I thought I'd disappeared.

I've got a lot of love to give.
And now I know

love doesn't always arrive
like an answer.

Sometimes
it is only a door
left open
in the rain.

Outro
So leave the door open.

Let the wind come through.

Let the mountains keep their silence.

Let me give
what I have left
to you.

(Long silence.)

(One final piano note, slightly imperfect.)

3159/7500

Verse 1 I woke before the morning, rain moving on the glass, the hills were barely there and the night was holding fast. I thought about the years I had given to being strong, all the things I swallowed down, all the places I went wrong. And somewhere in the silence I heard my own heart say: you don't have to carry everything just because you carried it this way. Verse 2 There's salt upon the windows, there's mud beneath my shoes, a blackbird in the hedgerow singing like it has nothing left to lose. The sea keeps changing colour, the mountain keeps its shape, and I've begun to wonder what I'm asking love to save. Chorus I've got a lot of love to give, I know I do. It's not the easy kind, it's not the kind that promises I'll never hurt you. It's the kind that's been through winter, the kind that knows the rain, the kind that sits beside you when there's nothing left to say. I've got a lot of love to give. I just need somewhere to put it. Verse 3 I remember your hand in mine, though I don't remember why we were standing in the doorway letting half the evening die. You said, “Maybe we're afraid of what happens if we stay.” I had no answer for you then. I might not have one today. But I know this: I don't want to become a house with all the windows shut, full of furniture and memories and nobody waking up. Interlude Don't count the bars here. Let the piano wander. Let the bass pull against it. Harp like distant rain through the trees. The vocal can almost speak: I have loved badly. I have loved well. I have loved people I could not help. I have been loved and not known what to do with it. Verse 4 There's a path down to the water I haven't walked in years. The stones are slick with weather, the wind gets in your ears. But I went down there this morning with nothing to defend, and for the first time in a long time I didn't need the day to end. I stood there in the cold and let the whole world be the gulls, the rain, the broken clouds, the dark Welsh sea. And I thought: maybe nothing needs repairing. Maybe I just need to stay. Chorus I've got a lot of love to give, I know I do. Not the kind that asks for forever, not the kind that needs to be proved. It's the kind that knows your silence, the kind that leaves the door. The kind that doesn't keep a tally of what it gave before. I've got a lot of love to give. More than I can hide. And if you want to meet me, I'll meet you on the other side. Bridge If you come, come as you are. Come tired. Come frightened. Come with your hands empty. I won't ask you to make me whole. Just sit with me until the light comes back. Final Chorus almost whispered I've got a lot of love to give... I think I always did. It was underneath the anger, underneath the fear, underneath all those years I thought I'd disappeared. I've got a lot of love to give. And now I know love doesn't always arrive like an answer. Sometimes it is only a door left open in the rain. Outro So leave the door open. Let the wind come through. Let the mountains keep their silence. Let me give what I have left to you. (Long silence.) (One final piano note, slightly imperfect.)

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