Kiya Heartwood

Bold Swimmer

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 07, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

The title comes from Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Part 46

..."Long enough have you dream'd contemptible dreams, Now I wash the gum from your eyes, You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every moment of your life.

Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore, Now I will you to be a bold swimmer, To jump off in the midst of the sea, rise again, nod to me, shout, and laughingly dash with your hair."

Bold Swimmer Kiya Heartwood

Now the hungry ghosts are waiting

at my table for a feast.

They like the way my visions taste.

My dreams are oh, so sweet.

But we must walk like giants.

We must take the stand.

I will be a bold swimmer

reaching for the promiseland.

I drove across this country

sleeping at the wheel.

Searching for a better map

and mysteries revealed.

And the wind blew down the canyons.

The sermons never ceased.

I must be my own salvation.

I must be my only priest.

Times may change

and traitors reign.

Their stories always

stay the same.

The blood that’s spilt

is never quite their fault.

And when we see the damage done,

the friendships lost, the smoking guns

Will we just turn away?

I was standing at the crossroads.

I was there to make a deal.

The offer was most generous

All sleek and cold as steel

But I burned down my ambition.

I turned on my own greed.

I have everything I want here.

I have everything I need.

Now my love and I are waiting

at the table for a feast.

We like the way our visions taste.

Our dreams are oh, so sweet.

And we will walk like giants.

We will take a stand.

I will be a bold swimmer

reaching for the promiseland.

TV

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 07, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

T.V. Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

I am watching you

with the sound turned down.

I am watching you

with the sound turned down.

CHORUS:

Do what you say.

Say what you do.

Do what you say.

Say what you do.

V.2 You like to stay

between the lines.

You like to stay

between the lines.

CHORUS and Break

V.3 How many times

will you break my heart?

How many times

will you break my heart?

Hold On

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 07, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

Hold On Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

I can’t go back

and I can’t move on.

I've lost my faith and

I don't belong.

I keep calling out

but I'm losing ground.

I know I need help.

Oh, I'm slipping down.

CHORUS:

Hold, Hold On.

Hold On.

V.2

The wheels have turned

and I've split my skin.

I must find the strength

to start again.

Can you still see

the best in me?

With our heads held high

we'll jump and fly.

CHORUS

BRIDGE:

Frozen Rivers melting towards the sea.

A thousand forces pushing on.

Everything that’s brought this down to me.

Keeps asking me to go on.

Change ( Is Gonna Come )

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

Inspired by the Arab Spring and Occupy Movements.

CHANGE ( is Gonna Come) Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

V.1 I was so broken. I was feeling so down.

Torture and hatred, murder all around.

I asked myself will we ever get free?

Then I started to call off the wars within me.

CHORUS:

Change. Change is gonna come.

V.2 Now, if you got money then you do as you please.

You keep us all hungry . Down on our knees.

Your sweatshops and bailouts. Your ad lie campaigns.

But I know change is coming.

Yes, we said change.

CHORUS:

Rap:

In our United States of isolation

Station to creation

on this sacred ground.

We talk Mom, apple pie,

Do or die,

A hole in the Sky

Buys another round.

An articulation

and a reclamation

of the Declaration’s what we need.

To attack and recant

Counteract and replant

hypocrisy and greed.

You see the stories we were sold,

Freedom good as gold,

We may be down but never out.

Sex, race and gender

We are all contenders

To stop

hate, prejudice and doubt.

Hope leads the way

Watch the children play

working for a better day

better pay and more say

See our colors sway.

In all the gods we pray.

CHORUS

V.3 We are crossing your borders.

We are out in your streets.

When we walk in our power

Our lives are so sweet. They say,

“Things will get better near Heaven’s gate.”

But our lives are precious and we cannot wait.

I Love You

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

I Love You Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

There's a moment between

awake and asleep,

a twilight where

we are peaceful and

nothings wrong.

Where I know

you will always be the one who

holds me in your arms.

V.2 I love the way your

smile can dance

when you tell a story.

You take me there and

I'm so happy to be

the one you stand beside.

The one you stand beside.

Oh,

I love you.

V.3 I'm breathing deep.

How can I list

the riches of my life?

There's so much beauty.

Brave and free ,you are

everything,

everything to me.

Oh,

I Love you.

V.4 Carousel,

going round.

Up and down,

a quiet music.

But I know,

I will be the one who

hold you in my arms.

Holds you in my arms.

Oh,

I love you, I love you.

Cross the Line

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

CROSS THE LINE Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

V.1 Hold so tight honey, I can’t breathe

I got something that you want to see.

You say, Baby, just follow me.”

I crossed the line, yeah.

V.2 Teach me the secrets things that you know.

The hard lessons take it good and slow.

Tell me baby, how far can we go?

Cross the line, yeah.

CHORUS:

White blindfold and a cigarette.

A full surrender and no regrets.

We lit a cannon with no safety net.

We crossed the line, yeah.

V.3 I keep a record of our many sins.

Out in the moonlight where the fun begins.

Open up baby, let me in.

Cross the line, yeah.

V.4Tried to be good, all sugar and spice

I played it fair yeah, I tried to be nice.

When I met you went from good to bad.

It was the best time that I ever had.

Yeah

CHORUS:

V.5 I know you’re wicked with a checkered past.

That why I gave you that all access pass.

We’re an e ticket honey, built to last.

We crossed the line, yeah.

Take Me

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

TAKE ME Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

The flowers in the vase are slowly opening.

My calculations clicking like a clock upon the wall.

Gathering the pieces that I’m gambling.

I will risk it all, I will risk it all.

If I told you all I hope for, all my secret dreams.

Would you see in their reflection the aspect of your frame?

Baby can you feel the quickening?

I am rising up to meet you. I am calling out your name.

CHORUS:

Take me now

as I am,

as I will be.

Come to me.

Hear me now.

Take me as I am,

as I will be.

Take me.

V.2 All the clouds are talking at the same time.

A rain of hard opinion spitting in my face.

I can hear their arguments in my own mind.

But this love for you is quiet and its singing like a saint.

CHORUS:

V3. Can you hear the rhythm in the beating of my heart?

It’s a voice out of the wilderness, a streak of light, a spark.

I was there and blinded, just a pauper in this storm.

Now here I am beside you, rich and naked in your arms.

CHORUS OUT

Territory

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

For Lance Hughes 1955-2011

Territory Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

Brother, where are you going?

When you lay your body down?

I’m going west of Oklahoma

till I reach that sacred ground.

CHORUS:
When will you see the territory where the cool waters flow?

I’m headed west of Oklahoma.

After that, nobody knows.

V.2 A Red Tail Hawk is climbing

higher in the sky.

But my brothers low and dying

and no one can tell me why.

CHORUS:

V.3 Sister how where can I meet you?

Will you still know my name?

I ‘ll be by the golden river.

I’ll be standing

in a pouring rain.

CHORUS:

V.4 The Tree of Life

is standing

with a mirror tree below.

There a richness in the darkness

and from Death

new spirits grow.

CHORUS

V.5 They say Life is for the living

and the dead must pass away.

But I can see the dancers spinning.

I can hear the drums they play.

The Tower

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

The Tower Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

To tell the truth the tower's shaking

and the walls come tumbling down.

I can swear there’s no mistaking the heartbreak in that sound.

Chorus 1

And I who am I without you?

And who will you be?

Though I walk in the valley of shadow,

I want you to stand by me.

V.2
Now we're sorting through the wreakage.

Oh, what is there to save?

I stare in a broken mirror

at the mistakes that we made.

CH.2 And who are you without me?

And who will I be?

Though we walk through the valley of shadow,

will you stand by me?

V.3 Now I’m calling the directions.

For these scars are slow to heal.

And I’m crying for a vision that all will be revealed.
CH 1 and 2 plus though we walk through the valley
Though I walk through the valley of shadow

I want you to stand by me.

The Lights of Austin

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

The Lights of Austin Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

Laura Nero in the dark.

Waiting for my life to start.

Trading kisses for a spark

to light my desperation.

B.1

The shoes don’t fit.

The too tight clothes.

I was always the last to know.

I gathered up my chances

And I took to the road.

V.2

Twenty three with 6^th St dreams.

The Amps were loud.

Our souls were clean.

We sang out strong.

We made a scene.

We knew our destination.

B.2

We made the cut.

We wore the clothes.

We put on a real good show

We spent all our chances.

Till we ran out of road.

CHORUS:

Now the Texas stars keep shining.

And the moon holds up the sky.

I will drive till I see

the lights of Austin.

Till I lay me down by your side.

V.3

From what you say you did your best.

School, a husband, house and deck

Like the laundry, clean and pressed

But somehow you broke free.

B.3

The wrong fit.

The wrong clothes.

It took all you had to go.

You were running out of chances.

You were running out of road.

CHORUS

V.4

So breathe in slow and hold me tight.

Stories for 10,000 nights.

If we get it wrong.

we’ll make it right.

That how it’s has to be.

B.4

I love you fierce.

I love you best.

You can hold these words up to the test.

We can hold our heads up high.

I’m never sorry.

CHORUS

I will drive till I see

the lights of Austin.

Till I lay me down by your side.

Feeling Good

(Kiya Heartwood)

January 05, 2012

Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley

Sometimes a song is just right for your life right in that moment. Nina Simone's version of this song always hits home to me.

FEELING GOOD    Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley

Birds flying high you know how I feel

Sun in the sky you know how I feel

Reeds driftin’ on by you know how I feel

It’s a new dawn

It’s a new day

It’s a new life

F-o-r     me And I’m feeling good

Fish in the sea you know how I feel

River running free you know how I feel

Blossom in the tree you know how I feel

It’s a new dawn

It’s a new day

It’s a new life

F-o-r me And I’m feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don’t you know

Butterflies all havin’ fun you know what I mean

Sleep in peace when day is done That’s what I mean

And this old world

is a new world

And a bold world

F-o-r     me And I’m feeling good

Stars when you shine you know how I feel

Scent of the pine you know how I feel

Oh freedom is mine

And I know how I feel

It’s a new dawn

It’s a new day

It’s a new life

F-o-r me And I’m feeling good

Turnaround

(Stealin Horses)

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

Boston

(Wishing Chair)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

Carolina

(Wishing Chair)

January 05, 2012

Words and Music by Kiya Heartwood

Where All The Rivers Run

(Stealin Horses)

Words and music by Kiya Heartwood

Bold Swimmer

TV

Hold On

Change ( Is Gonna Come )

I Love You

Cross the Line

Take Me

Territory

The Tower

The Lights of Austin

Feeling Good

Turnaround

Boston

Carolina

Where All The Rivers Run

Sign up on Kiya's e-list.

Upcoming Tour Dates

Facebook