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World on Fire

by Val Blaha

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1.
Enough 03:05
Arms wide open, mind aglow, hearts brimming full. Nothing blocking the chosen path: following love's pull. Enough love to go around, enough love to live unbound, enough love to take to town, enough, love's enough. Standing waiting at the brink, ready to jump in. Don't turn back now, the choice well-made, salvation over sin. Enough love to go around, enough love to live unbound, enough love to take to town, enough, love's enough. Enough love to stay true, enough love to be renewed, enough love to see you through, enough, love's enough. Satisfy me, sanctify me, hold me in your faith. Freedom's trust builds strength in us, no need to be afraid. Enough love to go around, enough love to live unbound, enough love to take to town, enough, love's enough. Enough love to stay true, enough love to be renewed, enough love to see us through, enough, love's enough. Enough, love's enough.
2.
In the Sun 03:10
Under the cloud is where I live until I find an alternative. Under the cloud is where I breathe. I sit and I write and I wail and grieve. I cannot thrive I barely survive. Under the cloud is where I live until I create an alternative. In the rain is where we sleep, huddled close like docile sheep. In the rain hide the naïve, those who don't see the thief in chief. We blindly creep we wait for treats. In the rain is where we sleep until we refuse to sell out so cheap. This isn't our country, this can't be our life. This is our country, until we make it right. In the dark is where we fight until we learn wrong from right. In the dark we burn from the blight, we rage and howl and scream and bite. We have to win, we can't be polite. In the dark is where we fight until we choose to bear the light. This isn't our country, this can't be our life. Well this is our country, we gotta make it right, 'cus In the sun is where we belong. Love and color aren't wrong. In the sun we are strong. We hug and hold and sing our song. Turn back the lynch mob, show our chutzpah. In the sun is where we belong. We shine our light, bright and strong. This isn't our country, this can't be our life. Well this is our country, we gotta make it right, 'cus In the sun is where we belong. Love and color aren't wrong. In the sun we are strong. We hug and hold and sing our song. Turn back the lynch mob, show our chutzpah. In the sun is where we belong. We shine our light, bright and strong. In the sun is where we belong. We shine our light, bright and strong. In the sun is where we belong. We shine our light, bright and strong.
3.
I've been walking. Walking in circles. Circling around and round the truth I should have seen. The truth I should have seen. You've been talking. Talking in circles. Circling round and round the truth you must have known. The truth you must have known. How could we end up here, darlin', when it was all so clear, darlin' . Now there's nothing left to fear, darlin' nothing left here, nothing left here. We've been choosing. Choosing to close. Close our minds and hearts, hearts that used to glow. We've been hoping. Hoping for more. More than this bitter end. The end that shouldn't be, the end that has to be. How could we end up here, darlin' when it was all so real, darlin'. Now there's nothing left to feel, darlin'. Nothing left here but our keys and tears. You packed your bags, pulled your charger from your nightstand, and left your key on the table. I've been walking. Walking in circles. Circling around and round the house we used to share. This house we used to share. How did we end up here, darlin', when it was all so real, darlin'. Now there's nothing left to fear, darlin' cause there's nothing left here. Nothing left here. Nothing left here but our keys and tears. Keys and tears
.
4.
Fiery skies, smoke's on the wind. I want to make it stop but I can only cough. Darkness filters out the light, chokes hope's fading glow, our spirits, sinking low. The world is on fire, but it's really nothing new. The world's been on fire, it's just now reaching me, reaching you. The storms keep on pummeling. Our hearts can't take the pain, only change remains. Luck of birth can only last so long. We're dust, destined to join the ashes of the past. The world is on fire but it's really nothing new. The world's been on fire it's just now reaching me, reaching you. Nothing gold can stay, everything fades away. Nothing gold can stay, so hold me for today. So we breathe and love the ones we're with. Follow the tao, we only have right now. The world is on fire but it's really nothing new. The world's been on fire, it's just now reaching me, reaching you, reaching you. Nothing gold can stay, everything fades away. Nothing gold can stay, everything fades away. Nothing gold can stay, so hold me for today
5.
Open Up 03:55
Open up, step forward, find a new reality. Open up, step forward, suspend your disbelief. The way, the path, a point of view. Breath, learn anew. I need to see, to touch, to feel beyond what I can grasp. I need to know, to love, to fall, to fall in love at last. Lock up, step backward, shutter your heart, your mind. Lock up, step backward, hands over their eyes. I read to weep, to rage, to wail at truths I wish were lies. I read to cry, to hurt, to fall, to fall back into time. Open up, step forward, dive into another life. Open up, step forward, watch your soul take flight. I read to sleep, perchance to dream of lives I cannot live. I need to be, to breathe, to fall, to fall and to forgive. To fall and to forgive. To fall and to forgive.
6.
Don't try to tell me that we are free. Don't try to tell me this is how it's gotta be. Don't try to tell me that you are shocked. And don't try to say that it's too soon to talk, 'cus I don't wanna cry anymore. Don't wanna worry 'bout who's gonna walk through that door. I don't wanna be scared to send my child to school. I don't wanna cry anymore. More people lost to guns than in all our wars. I don't want to hear any of your prayers or platitudes. Don't try to sell me that we are safe. Don't try to say that it's too late. Don't try to argue that we should all be armed. Don't pretend that that would cause less harm. I don't wanna cry anymore. Don't wanna worry 'bout who's gonna walk through that door. I don't wanna be scared to send my child to school. I don't wanna cry anymore. More people lost to guns than in all our wars. I don't want to hear any of your prayers or platitudes. This freedom isn't free. It's sheer insanity to watch the same scene play out yet again today. This freedom isn't free. This fraught reality is bought for us courtesy of the NRA. Don't fold your hands and stand on by. Don't ask your god, Why, God, why? We know the reason this keeps happening. Money talks and money blocks the laws that should be changing. I don't wanna cry anymore. Don't wanna worry 'bout who's gonna walk through that door. I don't wanna be scared to send my child to school. I don't wanna cry anymore. More people lost to guns than in all our wars. I don't want to hear any of your prayers or platitudes.
7.
Hell, No 03:10
I won't smile and be polite, I will jump and dance. I won't wear a skirt if I'd rather wear a suit with pants. I won't polish my nails, I'd rather strum my guitar. I won't stumble in high heels, my boots will take me far. I know I can't be everything to everyone; that's not why I exist. I choose to carve my own path. I choose to resist. I will take the high road when others take the low. I'm not gonna be meek and quiet – I'll yell, hell, no! Don't say women should be silent, don't say that we are weak. Don't say we're crazy when we bleed, don't tell us to shut up and sing. Don't say we need to be thin and pretty, or we are worth less. Don't say we can't be president, 'cause I'm pretty sure we'd do it best. We know we can't be everything to everyone; that's not what we need. We choose to stand and fight. We will not concede. We won't stick around if we'd rather go. We're not gonna be meek and quiet – we'll yell, hell, no! I don't want to be a princess existing in some prison of rules. I want to be king of my world speaking my power with truth. I want to live my life – it's the only one that I've got. I need to be true to myself, rather than to what I'm not. I'll give my best to people who place their trust in me. I won't be a slave to some fiction, I'm gonna live free. I know I can't be everything to everyone that's not why I exist. I choose to carve my own path I choose to resist. I will take the high road when others take the low. I won't be meek and quiet – I'll yell, hell, no! Let's yell, hell, no!
8.
Twenty five years since they first fell in love. Lives are now filled with gotta and should. Some days barely finding a moment to speak. How can love grow when buried so deep? Life is honey, life is blood. Taking the bad along with the good. Hoping for sun while living with rain. Rising each morning to start again. He drives the children to school every day. She's there after work, for dinner and play. So few moments shared as a family of four. They make do with less, but all wish for more. Life is honey, life is blood. Taking the bad along with the good. Hoping for sun while living with rain. Rising each morning to live again. Running ragged, no time to spare. How high can we climb till we run out of air. Spinning in circles, caught up on the wheel. Lives lived too fast leave no time to heal. Life is honey, life is blood. Taking the bad along with the good. Hoping for sun while living with rain. Rising each morning to love again. Rising each morning to love again.
9.
Senseless 03:41
I saw you in the store today. I saw you, but then I looked away. The right hair, the right clothes, the right movement. The wrong hair, the wrong clothes, the wrong moment. I saw you in the store today. I heard you in my mind today. I heard you, imagined what you'd say. The voice from my childhood, the voice that healed. The voice from adulthood, the one I feared. I heard you in my mind today. Life passes by so swiftly, so casually. We close our eyes and miss it far too easily. I'm breathless, senseless today. I smelled your perfume today. The scent of yesterday. Sweet flowers, gardenias, bring me back. To Sundays, and dinners, as I unpack. I smelled your perfume today. What I'd give to give you one more chance. To be the one who'd always hold my hand. Time can't turn back, it's a one way street. But I'm still that little girl in the backseat. I held your black gloves today. Soft leather, lightly frayed. You wore them while driving, when it was cold. You kept them so carefully, as you grew old. I held your black gloves today. It's all so senseless today.
10.
Wash Over Me 04:03
Thrown against the rocks again on a tide of fear and pain. Impossible to comprehend one man's hate-filled hurricane. Close my eyes to hide the sea of smiling faces lost. Lives now torn, loved ones bereaved. One night of holocaust. Let the hope wash over me even when I cannot see beyond the grief that blinds and bleeds. Let the hope wash over me. Pointed fingers, mistrust and blame. Shadows poised to overrun as we hoist sails of fear and shame. The words as pointed as that gun. Let the hope wash over you after the pain invades anew, when there's nothing that you can do. Let the hope wash over you. The smog of hate, the acid rain of terror and nihilism, cannot last in the face of joy and optimism. So hold my hand as we cry and rage against the night. The tears will dry, and magnify dawn's early, needed light. Let the hope wash over us. Let go of the doubt and trust our hearts, strong and generous. Let the hope wash over us. Let the hope wash over me. Give me strength so I can see and courage to stand up and lead. Let the hope wash over me.

credits

released August 30, 2019

World on Fire

Written by Val Blaha
Published by Val Blaha / Withdrawl Music (ASCAP)

Produced, mixed, and mastered by Jamie Hill
at The Department of Energy Management, Tacoma

Engineered by Jamie Hill
Additional production, recording, and mix advice: Shannon Curtis

The Players

Val Blaha: acoustic guitars, mandolin, piano, lead and backing vocals
Jamie Hill: drums, bass, keyboards, sequencer, programming
Dave Hannon: electric and acoustic guitars
Dan Tyack: pedal steel, resonator guitar
Jesse Turcotte: bass
Shannon Curtis: backing vocals

album cover: Val Blaha
photography: Tyra Murray/Grace Portraits

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Val Blaha Portland, Oregon

Music has always been an important part of Val Blaha's life. She loved to sing from a very young age, and started studying piano at age 6, earning accolades and numerous awards before age 17. She has been steadily performing and songwriting for the past 12 years. Val also plays guitar, bass, and mandolin. Her newest album World on Fire will be released in late August 2019. ... more

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