I was born in this fair land
This is where I live
What I see going down
Tells me I should leave
Where on earth would I go
Wander ’round out there
No I’ll stay take a stand
Keep on living here

This fair land cries to me
east coast to the west
Head up north go down south
see that we are blessed
If we stand up together
build on what we can
You and I can shout on high
For freedom in this fair land

A life in exiles not for me
Or anyone I know
To wake up free on a sunlit morn
Is the place that I call home
If I meet you in this fair land
Its hello and bonjour
I’d like to call you mon ami
My friend no borders here

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

Thirty cents is no pretense
She looks just how you saw her the first time
Great big windows for eyes up front
Others ‘round the side and back
She looks good just waiting at the loop
She takes you in out of the cold
Gets you where you’re going
May be slow you get there all the same
Streetcar’s run is done in March
Think I’ll march up to the loop for a ride

Let me go for one last ride
Down the road they call Mt Pleasant
Funny name I will say
As the things that pass
Make little sense to me

Sit by the driver on an empty car
Find out he’s been on this run
Longer than he cares to tell
Move to the back sit in the seat you sat in
When you had a job for eight months
People’s names carved on the back
Of the seat that sits in front of me
Lovers or school kids I guess
Look out the window here we are
Back at the loop the run is done

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

Pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen
Pitter patter of the rain upon the roof
Look out to the sky no sun again
But it’s still my friend
That will never change
That will never change
As long as there is rain

Friends drop by this morning
Say hello and see how I’m getting on
Somehow rounding the edge off of blue
And that can happen to you
That will never change
That will never change
As long as we have friends

Took a walk along that lonesome country road today
Wondering when I would see you… see you again

Laid in bed this evening
Knew the time had come I’d be on my way
What once was easy gets harder with time
Leaving good friends behind
That will never change
That will never change
That will never change

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

My dad took me out
To my first ballgame
Down by the lake at night
Just like a dream
Lights up bright
The field looking greener than green
Crack went the bat
Away flew the ball
Sailed high over the fence
My dad picked me up
The crowd stood and cheered
Waiting for the boy to come home

I remember as a teen
Bought my first leather jacket
Just feeling out my way
Wasn’t bent on being a rebel
Saw the movie Easy Rider
Could say that’s how it might play
Stayed out way too late
Learned to drink beer
Underage ok now I’m busted
Back home sneaking in
Dad sitting in the dark
Waiting for the boy to come home

That stadium my Dad
Long now a memory
A diamond in my mind

I took my son out
To the Highway of Heroes
Standing in the driving snow
We were not alone
Bridge after bridge
Full of people watching the road
A war in a strange land
Someone’s lost a son
Now a final journey home
The motorcade approaches
Full frontal salute
Waiting for the boy to come home

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

I met you back
Some time ago
You’re a singer
Of rock and roll
As a good friend
You never knew
Just how I felt
Fell hard for you

Old friends are gold
And I’ve been told
As you get on
Old friends are gold

You sang a song
Out of the blue
Tattooed my heart
With love for you
Those darker days
You saw me through
I found my heart
So lost in you

What I see now
Through all these years
Of holding on
To laughs and tears
Is a good friend
Who sang a song
And stole my heart
And played right on

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

I’m sitting here starring
At a picture
I took of my dad and I
With my arm
Wrapped around his shoulder
I’m holding him kind of tight
I asked him to pin on his decorations
He got after the war
And standing in the picture
Is a kid and his hero
Wearing medals from long ago

It wasn’t easy for him to get
His medals from the drawer
I watched his hand shake a bit
Son who you doing this for
Dad you can hide
Your medals away
You’ll always wear the scars
And standing in the picture
Is a kid and his hero
Wearing medals from long ago

He fumbled with the pin
On the back
Help me close the clasp
I placed the medals
Over his heart
In plain view on his chest
Set the camera to ready
Jumped back to his side
And standing in this picture
Is a father and his son
Can you see his pride
And standing in the picture
Is a kid and his hero
A kid and his hero

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

Time and time again
We drift into and out of
Each others lives
Momentarily alive
But we separate
Just watch and wait
Standing on the sidelines
While the action would mount again
And bring fire to our eyes

Time and time again
You catch a glimpse of someone close
But then it goes
And where it goes
Well who really knows
For a moment there in time
You see and feel all that’s sublime
In someone else a part of you
And everybody too

I just can’t help feeling
That you are lost to me
Takes so much travel down that road
To find yourself and think you’re free

Time and time again
I’ve watched you go
With tears and sorrow
In your eyes just humble pride
And I’d hide behind some disguise
Then you’d go and close the door
I’d not see you anymore
‘til you’d come ‘round again
And ask what’s all this for

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

Woke up this morning
You could hear the wind blow
Sitting there dumbstruck
Just looking out the window
And then it hit me
Man its good to be back home
You can travel far
You can wander wide
And after you get there
Where you gonna hide
And then it hit me
Man it’s good to be back home

Look across the room
An empty captain chair
Daddy’s gone now
But he’d sit there
Dangling his foot
in the air

Down on the right
Sitting on the shelf
A white bound Holy bible
And it’s talking to myself
And if it’s ever gonna hit you
Man its good to be back home
Next to the bible
Little Bo Peep
Just another book
Talking ‘bout lost sheep
And then it hit me
Man its good to be back
Man its good to be back
Man its good to be back home

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

I lived as a kid in a house
On a quiet street
We made do with what we had
That was my family
I remember many games
With my childhood friends
We’d play in the shadows
Of that sleepy dead-end

There are times
Out on the edge of somewhere
I’ll run up against that fence
Come on try and climb it
Go under walk behind it
So much in life is just an experiment

There was bumpy cobblestone
Up and down the hill
We’d ride our bicycles
Kids racing for a thrill
Kissing tag we’d play
And always hide and seek
Hiding out ‘til after dark
A long day’s play complete

At the top of my street
You will find a sign
In the shape of a diamond
Four words cross my mind
Caution now to all who come
This street won’t see you through
I think now in looking back
That may not be true

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN

Gravity hold on
After lift off
Booster breakdown
Thrust is lost
Rocket’s red glare
Over Pacific
Bursting in air
Light show terrific

Beam me up one more time
Beam me up one more time
Beam me up one last time
Heaven will be mine

Have no fear
Fire and glory
Ashes swirl down
In earthbound fury
World without him
No resting place
One class act
Lost in space

The heavens will be mine

David McLachlan
© Handy Publ 2015 SOCAN