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Precious to Me

by The Blue Élan Family

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1.
Call you up in the middle of the night  Like a firefly without a light  You were there like a blowtorch burning  I was a key that could use a little turning    So tired that I couldn't even sleep  So many secrets I couldn't keep  Promised myself I wouldn't weep  One more promise I couldn't keep    It seems no one can help me now  I'm in too deep  There's no way out  This time I have really led myself astray    Runaway train never going back  Wrong way on a one-way track  Seems like I should be getting somewhere  Somehow I'm neither here nor there    Can you help me remember how to smile?  Make it somehow seem worthwhile  How on earth did I get so jaded?  Life's mysteries seem so faded    I can go where no one else goes  I know what no one else knows  Here I am, just drowning in the rain  With a ticket to a runaway train    And everything seems cut and dry  Day and night  Earth and sky  Somehow I just don't believe it    Runaway train never going back  Wrong way down a one-way track  Seems like I should be getting somewhere  Somehow I'm neither here nor there    Bought a ticket for a runaway train  Like a madman laughing at the rain  Little out of touch, little insane  It's just easier than dealing with the pain    Runaway train never going back  Wrong way down a one-way track  Feels like I should be getting somewhere  Somehow I'm neither here nor there    Runaway train never going back  Runaway train tearing up the track  Runaway train burning in my veins  I run away, but it always seems the same  Same 
2.
Well they call me the breeze  I keep blowin' down the road  Down we go    They call me the breeze  I keep blowin' down the road    I ain't got me nobody, no  I don't carry me no load    Ain't no change in the weather  Ain't no change in me  Ain't no change in the weather  Ain't no changing in me    I ain't hidin' from nobody  Nobody's hidin' from me  That's the way it's supposed to be    Well, I got that green light, baby  I got to keep movin' on (here we go)    I got that green light, baby oh  I got to keep movin' on    Well, I might get out to California  Might go to Georgia, I don't know  Hell, I don’t know    They call me the breeze  I keep blowin' down the road    Well, they   Well, they call me the breeze  Hell, I keep blowin' down the road    I ain't got me nobody  Don't carry me no load  I ain't got me nobody  I don't carry no load, no load    Oh, Mr. Breeze 
3.
I’m a backseat driver from America  We drive to the left on Falls Road  And the man at the wheel's name is Seamus  We pass a child on the corner he knows    And Seamus says, "Now, what chance has that kid got?"  I say from the back, "I don't know."  He says, "There's barbed wire at all of these exits  And there ain't no place in Belfast for that kid to go."    Cause It's a hard life   Hard life   A very hard life   A hard life wherever you go   And if we poison our children with hatred   Then, the hard life is all that they'll know   And there ain't no place in Belfast for that kid to go     A cafeteria line in Chicago  The fat man in front of me  Is calling black people trash to his children  But he's the only trash here I see    And I'm thinking this man wears a white hood  In the night when his children should sleep  But, they’ll slip to their windows and they’ll see him  And they’ll think that white hood's all they need    Cause It's a hard life   Hard life   A very hard life   A hard life wherever you go   And if we poison our children with hatred   Then a hard life is all that they'll know   And there ain't no place in Chicago for those kids to go    It’s a hard life    I was a child in the sixties  When dreams could be held through TV  With Disney, and Cronkite, and Martin Luther  And I believed, I believed, I believed    Now, a backseat driver from America  I am not at the wheel of control  And I am guilty, I am war, I am the root of all evil  Lord, and I can't drive on the left side of the road    Cause It's a hard life   Hard life   A very hard life   A hard life wherever you go   And if we poison our children with hatred   Then, a hard life is all that they'll know   And there ain't no place in this world for those kids to go  Cause It's a hard life wherever you go  
4.
One evening, as the sun went down  The jungle fire was burning  Down the track came a hobo hiking  And he said, "Boys, I'm not turning  I'm headed for a land that's far away  Beside the crystal fountains  So come with me, we'll go and see  The Big Rock Candy Mountains"    In the Big Rock Candy Mountains  There's a land that's fair and bright  Where the handouts grow on bushes  And you sleep out every night  Where the boxcars are all empty  And the sun shines every day  And the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees  The lemonade springs, where the bluebird sings  In the Big Rock Candy Mountains    In the Big Rock Candy Mountains  All the cops have wooden legs  And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth  And the hens lay soft-boiled eggs  The farmers' trees are full of fruit  And the barns are full of hay  Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow  Where the rain don't fall, the wind don't blow  In the Big Rock Candy Mountains    In the Big Rock Candy Mountains  You never change your socks  And the little streams of alcohol  Come a-trickling down the rocks  And brakemen have to tip their hats  And the railway bulls are blind  There's a lake of stew, and of whiskey too  You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe  In the Big Rock Candy Mountains    In the Big Rock Candy Mountains  The jails are made of tin  And you can walk right out again  As soon as you are in  There ain't no short-handled shovels  No axes, saws or picks  I'm a-goin' to stay where you sleep all day  Where they hung the jerk that invented work  In the Big Rock Candy Mountains    I'll see you all this comin' fall  In the Big Rock Candy Mountains 
5.
Seems like it's always midnight  Sweepin' up broken glass after every fight  But the sound of a train that I could have been on  Remindin' me that the last one's gone  With you it's always midnight    Are you blind?  Can't you see me standin' here waitin' in line for you?  Are you mine?  Not just when you wanna be over the top, are you?  Are you blind?  Don't you see me standin' here, won't you tell me what it is  I'm waiting to find?    You're right, I must be crazy  You're out gettin' high, I'm here pretendin' I'm in love  The sound of your heart, my head on your chest  Dropped your hands to your sides and gave up  I'd rather be crazy than right tonight    Are you blind?  Can't you see me standin' here waitin' in line for you?  Are you mine?  Not just when you wanna be over the top, are you?  Are you blind?  Don't you see me standin' here, won't you tell me what it is  I'm waiting to find?    A way to get back to you, a way to get outta here  I don't wanna be alone at midnight anymore  How do I get away?   I wanna see you in the daylight  I don't wanna be alone at midnight anymore    But the sound of a train that I should have been on  Remindin' me that the last one's gone  With you it's always midnight    Are you blind?  Can't you see me standin' here, waitin' in line for you?  Are you mine?  Not just when you wanna be over the top, are you?  Are you blind?  Don't you see me standin' here, won't you tell me what it is  I'm waiting to find?    With you it's always midnight 
6.
Hey, kids, shake it loose together  The spotlight's hitting something  That's been known to change the weather  We'll kill the fatted calf tonight  So stick around  You're gonna hear electric music  Solid walls of sound    Say, Candy and Ronnie  Have you seen them yet?  Ooh, but they're so spaced out  B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets  Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful  Oh, Bennie  She's really keen  She's got electric boots, a mohair suit  You know I read it in a magazine, oh  B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets    Hey, kids, plug into the faithless  Maybe they're blinded  But Bennie makes them ageless  We shall survive, let us take ourselves along  Where we fight our parents out in the streets  To find who's right and who's wrong    Oh, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?  Ooh, but they're so spaced out  B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets  Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful  Oh, Bennie   She's really keen  She's got electric boots, a mohair suit  You know I read it in a magazine, oh  B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets    Oh, Candy and Ronnie  Have you seen them yet?  Ooh, but they're so spaced out  B-B-B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets  Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful  Oh, Bennie  She's really keen  She's got electric boots, a mohair suit  You know I read it in a magazine, woah-oh  B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets, alright    Oh, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie  Bennie and the Jets (alright)   Oh, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, B-Bennie  Bennie and the Jets    (Oh I got to sang that one more time) 
7.
Loneliness is the cloak you wear  A deep shade of blue is always there  The sun ain't gonna shine anymore  The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky  The tears are always clouding your eyes  When you're without love, oh yeah    Emptiness is the place you're in  There's nothing to lose but no more to win  The sun ain't gonna shine anymore  The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky  The tears are always clouding your eyes  When you're without love    Lonely, without you, baby  Girl, I need you  I can't go on    (The sun ain't gonna shine anymore)  The sun ain't gonna shine anymore  (The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky)  The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky   (The tears are always clouding your eyes)  The tears are always clouding your eyes   (Sun ain't gonna shine anymore)  When you're without love, oh yeah    Baby!  (The sun ain't gonna shine anymore)  The sun ain't gonna shine anymore  (The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky)  The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky   (The tears are always clouding your eyes)  The tears are always clouding your eyes   (Sun ain't gonna shine anymore)  Without love    (The sun ain't gonna shine anymore)  The sun ain't gonna shine anymore  (The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky)  The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky  (The tears are always clouding your eyes)  The tears are always clouding your eyes   (Sun ain't gonna shine anymore)  Without love 
8.
I know a cat named Way-out Willie  He got a cool little chick named Rocking Millie  He can walk and stroll with Susie Q  And do that crazy hand jive too     Mama told Willie “You’ll ruin my home  You and that hand jive’s gotta go”  Willie said “Papa don’t put me down  Been doing that hand jive all over town”     Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive  Doing that crazy hand jive     Mama, mama, look at Uncle Joe (look at him)  He’s doing the hand jive with Sister Flo  Even gave baby sister a dime (hey, hey)  Say, do that hand jive one more time     Well the doctor and the lawyer and a native chief  They all dig that crazy beat  Way-out Willie gave them all a treat, yeah  When he did that hand jive with his feet     Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive  Doing that crazy hand jive  Hey, yeah     Well, Willie and Millie got married last fall  They got a little Willie Junior and that ain't all  Y’know that baby’s got crazy and it's plain to see  Doing that hand jive on TV  C’mon     Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive  Doing that crazy hand jive     Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive  Doing that crazy hand jive     Doing that crazy hand jive
9.
Sweet wonderful you  You make me happy with the things you do  Oh, can it be so  This feeling follows me wherever I go    I never did believe in miracles  But I've a feeling it's time to try  I never did believe in the ways of magic  But I'm beginning to wonder why    I never did believe in miracles  But I've a feeling it's time to try  I never did believe in the ways of magic  But I'm beginning to wonder why    Don't, don't break the spell  It would be different and you know it will  You, you make loving fun  And I don't have to tell you but you're the only one    You, you make loving fun  (All I want to do)  You, you make loving fun  (All I want to do)  You, you make loving fun  (All I want to do)  You, you make loving fun  (All I want to do) 
10.
Well I don't know why I came here tonight  Got a feeling that something ain't right  I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair  And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs  I got clowns to the left of me  Jokers to the right  Here I am stuck in the middle with you  Stuck in the middle with you    And I'm wondering what it is I should do  It's so hard to keep this smile from my face  Lose control, and run all over the place  I got clowns to the left of me  Jokers to the right  Here I am stuck in the middle with you    Well you started off with nothing  You're proud that you're a self-made man  Well your friends they all come crawling  Slap you on the back and say  Please  Please    Well I’m tryna make some sense of it all  But I see that it makes no sense at all  It’s so cool to go and sleep on the floor  I don't think that I can take anymore  I got clowns to the left of me  Jokers to the right  Here I am stuck in the middle with you    Yeah we started off with nothing  You're proud that you're a self-made man  Well your friends they all come crawling  Slap you on the back and say  Please  Please    Well I don't know why I came here tonight  Got a feeling something ain't right  I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair  And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs  I got clowns to the left of me  Jokers to the right  Here I am stuck in the middle with you    Yeah, stuck in the middle with you  Oh, stuck in the middle with you  Yeah, stuck in the middle with you 
11.
Swaying room as the music starts  Strangers making the most of the dark  Two by two, their bodies become one    I see you through the smokey air  Can't you feel the weight of my stare?  You're so close, but still a world away    And what I'm dying to say, is that  I'm crazy for you  Touch me once and you'll know it's true  I never wanted anyone like this  It's all brand new  You'll feel it in my kiss  I'm crazy for you  Crazy for you    Trying hard to control my heart  I walk over to where you are  Eye to eye, we need no words at all    Slowly now we begin to move  Every breath I'm deeper into you  Soon we two are standing still in time    And if you read my mind, you'll see  I'm crazy for you  Touch me once and you'll know it's true  I never wanted anyone like this  It's all brand new  You'll feel it in my kiss  You'll feel it in my kiss    Because I'm crazy for you  Touch me once and you'll know it's true  I never wanted anyone like this  It's all brand new  You'll feel it in my kiss  I'm crazy for you  Crazy for you  Crazy for you  Crazy for you    It's all brand new  I'm crazy for you  And you know it's true  I'm crazy, crazy for you  It's all brand new  I'm crazy for you  And you know it's true  I'm crazy for you  Crazy for you, baby  I’m crazy for you  Crazy for you, baby 
12.
Let me show you   What I'm made of   Good intentions are not enough   To get me through today  And this life    You're in the basement watching the TV  I'm on the second floor watching the ceiling  We sleep underneath the same big sky at night  I dream the same dream we can fly     You can run from me   And you can hide from me   But I am right beside you   In this life    Let me tell you who you really are   You're my comfort   You're not a superstar   I can reach up and bring you back down to the ground   And give you everything you dream about     You can run from me   And you can hide from me   But I am right beside you   In this life    I'll give you all the things that I never get   Give you all I have and have no regrets  Take you to the places that I've never been   Forgive you all the things that you can't forget   Take away the pain with my healing hand  Wash away your sins and set your spirit free     You can run from me   And you can hide from me   But I am right beside you   In this life    You can run from me   And you can hide from me   I am right beside you   In this life    Let me show you what I'm made of 
13.
Look over yonder  What do you see?  The sun is a-risin'  Most definitely  A new day is comin', whoo-hoo  People are changin'  Ain't it beautiful, whoo-hoo  Crystal blue persuasion    Better get ready  Gonna see the light  Love, love is the answer, whoo-hoo  And that's all right  So don't you give up now, whoo-hoo  It's so easy to find  Look to your soul (Look to your soul)  And open your mind    Crystal blue persuasion  It's a new vibration  Crystal blue persuasion  Crystal  Blue persuasion    Maybe tomorrow, whoo-hoo  When he looks down  In every green field, whoo-hoo  And every town  All of his children  In every nation    There'll be peace and good  Brotherhood  Crystal blue persuasion  Yeah, yeah, yeah    Crystal blue persuasion, aha  Crystal blue persuasion, aha  Crystal blue persuasion, aha (Oh)  Crystal blue persuasion, aha  Crystal blue persuasion, aha  Crystal blue persuasion, aha  Crystal blue persuasion, aha 
14.
Baby, baby, don't you leave me here to make it alone  'Cause I don't think that I could take it for a day on my own  Why would you wanna hurt me  When I love you, baby, can't you see  You're precious to me?    And I can't let you go   Baby, one day you'll see   That you'll always be  So precious to me    Well baby, baby ya can tell me when will we meet again  If I can't be your one and only then I'll have to pretend  Ah, that you're still with me  Boy, I love ya so affectionately  You're precious to me    (I love you so) and I can't let you go (can't let you go)  Baby, one day you'll see (boy can't you see)  That you'll always be (you'll always be)  So precious to me    Why would you wanna hurt me  When I love you, baby, can't you see  You're precious to me?    (I love you so) and I can't let you go (can't let you go)  Baby, one day you'll see (boy can't you see)  That you'll always be (you'll always be)  So precious to me, to me 
15.
Little child dry your crying eyes  How can I explain the fear you feel inside  'Cause you were born into this evil world  Where man is killing man and no one knows just why    What have we become just look what we have done  All that we destroyed you must build again  When the children cry let them know we tried  'Cause when the children sing then the new world begins    Little child you must show the way  To a better day for all the young  'Cause you were born for all the world to see   That we all can live with love and peace    No more presidents and all the wars will end  One united world all as one  When the children cry let them know we tried  'Cause when the children sing then the new world begins    What have we become just look what we have done  All that we destroyed you must build again  No more presidents and all the wars will end  One united world all as one    ‘Cause when the children cry let them know we tried  When the children fight let them know it ain't right  When the children play let them know the way  'Cause when the children sing then the new world begins 

about

Blue Élan Records has been a believer in the mission of the Alliance for Children’s Rights for a long time. Over the years, we’ve been privileged to release two-holiday albums and various holiday singles to bring attention to the Alliance and the good that it does.

Precious to Me, an album executive produced by Blue Élan Records' very own artist Colin Devlin and label co-founder Kirk Pasich, revisits classic songs from over the years contributed by Grammy award-winning artists Soul Asylum, Gerry Beckley, Ozomatli, and more. Precious to Me includes songs that the artists love—and that we thought would be fun to cover—“Call Me the Breeze,” “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” “Always Midnight,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “The Sun Ain’t’ Gonna Shine Anymore,” “Willie and the Hand Jive,” and “Stuck in the Middle with You. Others are songs that we also love, but that we thought said something in their own way about helping children—“Runaway Train,” “It’s a Hard Life,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Crazy for You,” “In This Life,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” “Precious to Me,” and “When the Children Cry.” Something within each of them resonated with the Alliance’s mission, with caring for children, and with wanting to make the future a better place for all children.

With this album, we hope to raise more awareness for the wonderful work the Alliance for Children’s Rights continues to do. We hope you enjoy it, and know that by listening, you’re helping the Alliance for Children’s Rights protect and advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable members of our society every day - foster children. For direct donations and more information about The Alliance for Children’s rights please visit allianceforchildrensrights.org

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released March 17, 2023

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