The River of Life
And how we live along the way will be our legacy
– David Harley, Take a Stand lyrics
This collection of material marks the first released album from David Harley that demonstrates his virtuosic depth and intuitive breadth as a performing songwriter. The songs draw upon a lifetime of experiences and impressions and reflect back to the listener through an eclectic mix of musical genres and heartfelt performances.
Play
I long to go-to far-off places to get away from it all
And fly away on a big jet plane to exotic ports of call
From where I sit, it would be legit, to cruise around the world
And be the one that wins the heart of a lovely island girl
Chorus:
Come away with me, we’ll sail across the open sea
And we will be, so happy to be traveling
Even if it’s just, a dream…
Verse:
I’ll send myself a postcard from a land so far away
When the travel bug gets ahold of me on my secret holiday
Perhaps I’ll go to Borneo or wake up in Pompeii
Or feast my eyes upon a sunset in Waimea Bay
Chorus:
Verse:
But as I sat there thinking about what my life could be
My phone began a ringing and someone texted me
I said I’d be right home of course and could they forgive me?
For escaping to these far off places, if only in a dream…
Because from where I sit, it would be legit, to cruise around the world
And be the one that wins the heart of the lovely island girl
And be the one that wins the hand of the lovely island girl…
Play
Rising son, reach out your hand, casting your rays upon the land
Clouds drifting by, up in the sky, can’t hide for long the fire in your eyes
Rising son, what can we do? Our crops have been laid to waste when your warmth was subdued
The rains they fell heavy as the wind it did cry, for the day that again your light would shine
Rising son, burning bright, bring forth the morning, cast off the night
Our seeds have been sown and wait now your light, to make them grow and nurture our lives
Rising son, we’re beholding to you, the heat of your fire has always burned true
Through the ages you’ve shown the light of our days, come light up the world to show us the way
Rising son, reach out your hand, casting your rays upon the land
Clouds drifting by, up in the sky, can’t hide for long the fire in your eyes
Play
When I was a young boy my mother said to me, when you grow up son, what do you want to be?
I told her I didn’t know but I hoped I could see a way to make this a better life, for you and me
She told me that someday my dream could come true, if we all work together and do the best we can do
Chorus:
To make this a better life…, make this a better life…
So sing it from the mountains to the deep blue sea
Let’s make this a better life and be all we can be
Gonna’ tell everybody and let the bells ring
That love is the answer to set us all free
And make this a better life for you and me…
2nd Verse:
Now that I’m older I know what it means, to rise to the challenge that life and death brings
But I can still hear my mother’s voice a call’en out to me, if you strive to be better and do the right thing
The world can be a better place if you give it a chance and help one another to find peace at last
Chorus:
And make this a better life…, make this a better life…
Instrumental
So sing it from the mountains to the deep blue sea
Let’s make this a better life and be all we can be
Gonna’ tell everybody and let the bells ring
That love is the answer that will set us all free
And make this a better life for you and me…
Play
Another day of work and I’ve just got to get away
The pressure’s building up, about to drive me insane
I can’t hear a sound but this pounding in my brain
My heart it skipped a beat keeping time with the rain
I think its quitting time and I’ll collect my pay
Heading for my side of town to stake my claim
Chorus:
I’ll be meeting you tonight, the band will play and we’ll feel alright
We’ll cast these working blues away and dance all night by the lights of the bay
Verse:
Come early Monday morning catch a cross-town train
In the bustle of the city streets I make my way
Looking at the clock and I’m already late
Pushing through the crowd now I can’t hesitate
But I’m dreaming of the weekend when my work is through
And I can spend my time doing what I like to do
Verse:
Back on the job we start the same old race
Its everyman for himself so take your place
Remember who you’re working for let’s get it straight
You’re here to make a living and accept your fate
But when our time comes again and we can live like we please
And the rhythm of the music will set us free
Chorus
Play
If you want to see the face of love you must look it in the eyes
Trials may mark the road ahead, only the strong survive
Some will lose along the way and some will win the prize
So looked to see the truth behind my teacher’s eyes
Chorus:
And I saw all the sadness of the World, I saw all the sadness of the World
I saw all the sadness of the World, saw all the sadness of the World…
Verse:
Is this the way to salvation or is this the road to hell?
A baptism of fire, or cool water from the well?
The chill of separation, the wound of love we feel
Where is this Kingdom Come, somehow we thought was real?
Verse:
Instrumental:
Verse:
But somewhere in our hearts the flame of hope still burns
The friends we make along the way can help us through these years
And the sweet joy of surrender, the grace that comes within
Compassion is the light that guides us home again
Chorus:
And I saw all the sadness of the World, I saw all the sadness of the World
I saw all the sadness of the World, saw all the sadness of the World….
Play
Out on the town your world’s turning around, looking to see what the night brings
Will you find friendship or will you find love? It’s tough when you’re out there to face it alone
Chorus:
But this is the road that we’re on, the road that goes on forever
And this is the life that’s your own and you can make it better
Verse:
Taking your time you’ve got nothing to lose, don’t be afraid you won’t be a fool
Go out and grab it and if it knocks you down your day will come so get up off the ground
Chorus:
This is the road that were on, the road that goes on forever
And this is the love that you found, a way to bring it together
Bridge:
Nothing can stop you don’t live in the past, the time is now to follow your path
Believing is something you need to do, to make the future look bright for you
And help you find your way…
Verse:
Everything changes it’s never the same, when all is gone what remains?
The trials we face can turn us around but the journey leads us to where we are bound
Chorus:
And this is the road that we’re on, the road that goes on forever
And this is a song from our hearts we sing when were on it together
Bridge:
Take a stand now you’re part of the plan, intended to be all that you can
The horizon’s opening up for you, you’re on your way now so see it thru
Go out into the day…
Last Choruses:
This is the road that were on, the road that goes on forever
This is the life that’s your own and you can make it better
This is the love that you found, a way to bring it together
And this is the time of your life and you can make it better
Play
When the break of morning brings the light to our eyes, we wake up, look around and begin to rise
When the sunlight fills the room it comes as a surprise, the world has brought another day, a way for us to try
Opening up the window, the air rushes in, a feeling overtakes us as another day begins
Chorus:
And I know it’s been a long time since we felt that we could give, everything that we have within
But I believe that day will come again…
Verse:
After all that we’ve been through it’s hard to believe, the world has brought another day, a way for us to see
The new day brings a chance to change what we feel we should, to rearrange a better way to be all that we could
Time heals many wounds and now the future lies ahead, the new day brings the light to see the path that we will tread
Chorus:
And I know it’s been a long time since we felt that we could give, everything that we have within
But I believe that day will come again…
I know it’s been a long time since we felt that we could give, everything that we have within
But I believe that day will come again…
Yes I believe that day will come, again…
Play
Turn around and you’ll see that the walls are falling
To the ground, on my knees, can you hear it calling?
Like a sweet old song they wrote about us
Such a sad melody from the start
Chorus:
And I don’t want to gamble with my heart
I don’t want my world to fall apart
Maybe I will win or I could loose
If I were to bet it all on you
No, I don’t want to gamble with my heart
Verse:
Because love is the prize that our hearts desire
There’s a price that we pay when it burns like fire
For this treasure we play and our souls do aspire
To a place of our dreams bye and bye
Chorus:
And I don’t want to gamble with my heart
So now the time has come for us to part
And I don’t want to tempt the hand of fate
Or come to realize that it’s too late
No, I don’t want to gamble with my heart
Instrumental:
On the road up ahead there’s a new day dawning
Through the clouds of the past now the sun is shinning
And as memories fade I’ll remember you darling
Even though the seasons must change
Chorus:
And I don’t want to gamble with my heart
I just need to make a brand new start
And I don’t want to take a chance on you
Or if it’s in the cards that we will choose
I don’t want to gamble with my heart
No, I don’t want to gamble with my heart
Play
They went down to the river of Jordan, from the Sea of Galilee
Joshua led the Children of Israel to the promised land of their dreams
They came to the River of Jordan, It was wide and it was deep
If they could make it to the other side, they could finally live in peace
Chorus:
If they could make it to the other side, yah, trying make it to the other side
Make it to the other side, yah…, make it to the other side
Verse:
For forty long years they wandered, the burning sand beneath their feet
Their faith was strong and it led them on with the power of their beliefs
If they could hold out longer, surely they would come to see
The land of milk and honey where they would finally be set free
Chorus: Repeat
Bridge:
Oh, ho, ho, ho, you got to let my people go
Oh, ho, ho, ho, tear down the walls of Jericho
Play
Won’t you take me by the hand and let the boy become a man?
As I wander through this land, beyond the shifting sands
From within the forest deep to the churning of the sea
Comes a voice that’s telling me, go and meet my destiny
Pre-chorus:
All my life I’ve been waiting to see, oh the one that’s there for me
And it’s time we both agree, that this love was meant to be
Chorus:
Everybody’s got to find their own companion
Someone that they can take a stand with
Verse:
So won’t you please take my advice as you’re working to survive?
That it could be twice as nice with someone to roll the dice
I’m just an ordinary fool trying to play it by the rules
So how long they going make me keep going back to school?
Pre-chorus:
All my life I’ve been trying to see the love that will set me free
When all this time I wouldn’t believe it was there inside you and me
Chorus:
Everybody needs some understanding
Someone that they can make their plans with
Verse:
They say the strongest tree grows from a single seed
It stretches out to feel the sun and reach the light it needs
We’re born into this world for a time that is so brief
And how we live along the way will be our legacy
Pre-chorus:
All my life I’ve been waiting to see the one that’s there for me
And it’s time that we both agree, that this love was meant to be
Play
Somewhere in every town, you’ll see them wandering around, they never settled down, they’re the homeless
Laying in the street, begging for food to eat and we don’t want to see the homeless
Is it because they remind us of what we could have been, if our fates were different
And we were cast away instead of them this way?
Chorus:
Everybody’s got to have a home, a shelter from the rain and cold
A place to rest their mortal souls and keep them thru the night
Verse:
Where did they come from, a life that comes undone, a brother or a son left homeless?
They never had the breaks so now they’re on the take, to keep them from their graves, the homeless
Should we stop to help them, do they deserve our time, did they ever really try?
After all they had their chance, should we just walk past?
Chorus:
Everybody’s got to have a home, a shelter from the rain and cold
A place to rest their mortal souls and keep them thru the night
Verse:
How did they get this way, long ago and far away, where did they go astray, the homeless?
Who did they leave behind, did anyone really mind, that they should spend their lives being homeless?
Laying in the street, begging for food to eat and we don’t want to see the homeless
The homeless, the homeless
Play
As it passes along, let it carry us down
Like a stone we roll ever onward
As the river does wind, on its course through our lives
The current will carry us forward
It will nurture the land, across the expanse
To the great oceans tides it will tumble
And under the stars, merge into sand
Returning again, from the mountains
Still waters run deep, in the valley of dreams
Like a lifetime it stretches before us
And like a stone we will find, grow smooth over time
As our edges become ever rounded
And the river of time, it moves deep inside
This journey we are all traveling
And the river of life will carry us home
Back to the beginning
And its secrets will keep, as it flows to the sea
Through this moment of time we are living
And the river of change, it’s never the same
On its way through this life we are given
As it rambles along, let us join in a song
Like a stone we roll ever onward
As the river does wind, on its course thru our lives
The current will carry us forward
And the river of time runs deep inside
Our lives as we grow ever older
And the river of life will carry us back
In a story that’s never ending
The river of life will carry us home
Back to the beginning
Yes the river of life will carry us home
Back to the beginning
These soulful original songs stand as a testament to the power of persistence in the pursuit of inspiration and expression thru music.
Still waters run deep, in the valley of dreams
~ David Harley, The River of Life song lyrics
Ranked as a top singer-songwriter, David Harley has offered us a first-hand experience of the power of creative thought and music to inspire our lives…