Esther Valentine Music | home
Biography | Songs & Lyrics | News & Reviews | Image Gallery | How To Buy | More links... | E-mail/guestbook
Songs & Lyrics (Excerpts)
Click links below to "taste" a byte....
I searched the ancient corridors
Trying to hold a course that's true
Looking to find what seemed like illusion
Now, comin' up to the borders
Tryin' to gather all the clues
I'm out of my mind with all this confusion
Gotta keep my eyes face forward
And, hold on to what seems like the truth
Missing Mantra, where are you now
I really need you
Missing Mantra, come to me somehow
I stumbled upon you
And, sought to clear the way so you'd find me
Missing Mantra, tell me what to do....
So tired, in the mire, can't go on, now
Sick of psychotic, so neurotic, gotta let you go
You're a liar, and your fire is a false profit
Profit for the many, stealing the many, leaving a few
On the seesaw, open up your jaw --
Let me make love to you
Dipped in chocolate, so exotic and delectible
Panacea, look no fear, I'm invincible
He's a liar, and his fire is a false profit
Profit for the many, suffer the many, scaring a few
On the seesaw, button up your jaw,
The only thing to do....
(re: the perils of quitting da wacky tobaccy)
You look familiar, why is it so?
Who are you that I should feel this way?
Who am I, do I even know?
It's so peculiar, seems like light years ago,
We were standing on this very spot
You held my hand, everything moved slow
Maybe, love, in another life
I held you close, kissed you goodnight
Maybe, you were the one who had my heart
And said that we could go on 'til time's end
Were you once my lover and friend?
Oh, maybe, in another life....
Peace, Now
Ishmael, my son
Now, please come home,
Isaac awaits you
He’s not alone
Sarah has missed you
Though you wouldn’t have guessed,
But, the Angels had told her
It was for the best
And as for me, son
I was lonesome,
But, it just had to be
For new things to come
Please don’t be angry
Put your weapons away,
And, come take my hand
To start a new day
Oh, Peace, Now
Peace, somehow
There will come a time
When the white dove will rise in the sky....
(response to 9/11)
What rings true for you, what gets you going
Keep asking yourself, get it through, start the flow,
Going round and round, say it out loud --
What you’re wanting.
And the closer I get to the truth
A clap of thunder turns me around, I pursue,
Aware of the way doubt preys in the haze --
But still I’m wanting, how I’m wanting….
‘Cant watch yourself dance, no
Gotta keep on movin’ to what moves you,
Let go, let go and dance, dance
Turn attention away and you’ll lose it....
Inspired by the book "Out of the Trap" by Alan Watts
She put on her mother’s fancy garter belt
She was only eight and a half years old,
All the girls were told it was the motif of the party.
Everybody loathed the boy’s belligerence
He was often not doing what he was told,
Babysitter’s scolding was his only true attention.
Is there something wrong
When you get the feeling that you don’t belong?
Where is all the lost emotion
You hide away from me?
Where is all the lost emotion?
(How can I give you my devotion – 2nd time)
You can come out now so I can see who you are.
You pay the price when you roll the dice on yesterday
Which memory’s gonna come up in the clouds?
Oh, these daydreams are like duties,
Are they doin’ it for ya now? ...
(on growing pains)
Sitting in the dark room
Her head in her hands, she’s in a strange land,
Now what’s she into, the photographs are like blueprint plans
And she thinks that no one understands,
But you know I do.
Something as simple
As jasmine tea and a little of me, yeah,
Notice the twinkle, see how easy this life can be
When you think that someone understands
Like you know I do, oh….
If he calls he’ll call again
Oh I can’t keep Jennifer waiting,
If he calls I’ll be a friend
No, I can’t keep Jennifer
Something happened before the time
I closed my mind to this melody and,
As the music began to play
I found you smiling at me
Something startling it's so familiar
But will you play me the whole song,
I was drifting on a sea of sorrow
Then someone called out to me
Was I dreaming
Could it be something that I can't see?
Dreaming
Could there be something waiting for me?
Now you've taken us out of time
Across the line of uncertainty,
And as the music continues playing
I feel it move through me....
When the Idol Falls
You’re looking through me just as if you’re lost inside a dream
When you open up your eyes I wonder what you’ll really see?
With the blinders on, the perfect picture painted on to me
Oh, I wonder what you’re thinking I should be?
So many times the object of a mindless fantasy
Where some out of control impassioned soul
Shined so bright I can’t see,
And enchanted by the actor caught in his own reverie
Oh, I wonder as I feel your urgency….
When the idol falls will you remember my name?
When the idol falls will it still be the same?
If you’re hearing at all what it is I’m trying to say
When the idol falls will our love fall away?
And if you wouldn’t belong to a club that would have you for a member, and
you set up the situation where you’re chasing the ever-evasive carrot, why not
grow your own?
When Your Eyes Stop Talking
You say the words don’t come easy, that’s okay
I’ve never know anyone to finish a sentence
With a sideways glance,
No sense in saying it to please me If that’s your way
I’ve never shown anyone so much without speaking,
Now I have to say….
If I had the choice between the sound of your voice
And the light that’s shining through,
I know what I’d have to do --
It’s when your eyes stop talking
That’s when our love’s gone away,
When your eyes stop talking to me.
It’s all gently showing
But it won’t be hard to see,
When your eyes stop talking to me.
Come up closer in the twilight so surreal
I’ve never known anyone to look like an angel,
Are my eyes seeing clear?
I know we’re both a little frightened, that’s okay
No reason to run, what are we doing
Chasing this love away?
If I had to choose between a whisper or two
And the sweetness of your gaze,
I know what I’d have to say --
It’s when your eyes stop talking
That’s when our love’s gone away,
When your eyes stop talking to me.
It’s all there for there for the knowing,
But it won’t be hard to see
When your eyes stop talking to me.
Stop talking and hold me,
Soon the morning light will take you from my sight….
(Musical Solo)
Stop talking and show me
There, it’s coming through, I love you, too.
Manhattan's For Me
(an homage....)
The day I left the borough it was cold, the sky was gray
Didn't know when I'd be back, but now I have to say
Oh, Manhattan, isle of my dreams
Smooth like satin, but strong at the seams
I tell you, you'll find passion
Feel the rhythm, hear the beat
Of subway cars and hideaway bars
And 42nd street
Oh, yeah, that torch burns brightly, it lights up the dark
The sun's still shining -- in Central Park
And when that curtain opens on a Broadway melody
I know that ol' Manhattan's for me....
-- By David & Esther Valentine-Collins
© 2003 Hidden Star Music
"Can't Watch yourself Dance" CD - CreditsVocals & Piano Esther Valentine
Keyboards - Esther Valentine - prog. strings: oboe, clarinet, flute, etc.
J. D. Bender - prog. strings on "When Your Eyes Stop Talking"
Acoustic Guitar Garrison White
Ken O’Malley - "When Your Eyes Stop Talking"
Elect. Guitar - Gregg Montante, David Collins
Flute -Robin Rader
Pennywhistle - Esther Valentine
Violin - Dov – "When Your Eyes Stop Talking"
Darrel Silberman – "When the Idol Falls"
Viola - Andrew Picken
Cello - Harry Gilbert
Drums - Robbie Myers
Percussion - Robbie Myers – bongos, triangle, tambourine
Jeanne Goodnight - congas (& "vocal" sound effects)
Esther Valentine – prog. drums, bohdran, tambourine, zils)
Electric Bass - Joe Caccavo, Mitch Laney, Gary Itri
Stand-up Bass - Connie Deeter
Accordion - Cindy Collins
All songs written and arranged by Esther Valentine
except the John Dowland Ayre (Trad.)
Produced and recorded by Esther Valentine at Hidden Star Studios
Additional production assistance by David Collins, Ken Allardyce and Gregg Montante
Additional engineering assistance by Gregg Montante & Ken Allardyce
Graphic Artists: Mark Weiss, illustration and design
Matt Gollnick, Photoshop & graphic art
Cover Photography (+ mask photo): Matt Reagan
Mastered by Paul Tavenner
(c) 2001 Hidden Star Music, BMI
All songs written by Esther Valentine
"An Uplifting Song" for you...
"...something steps in when I'm on the ground...."
PAZ (Peace)
Sent by Gustavo in Argentina
"I don't mind religion...as long as it doesn't get in the way of God" - EV does Bukowski :o)
Let's face it -- God is not Holy inquisitions, my way or the highwayway, bombing innocent people, etc.
I don't care what name it comes under, it's a shame that confusion in deciphering prophecy/holy
scriptures has lead to fighting for the wrong cause. A rabbi once said, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,
the rest is commentary.” That's it! When the "mental-funnelists" read into some of these
passages literally, it can often prove to be dangerous. John Lennon was right - GOD IS LOVE,
(the ideal). I made a discovery that seemed to illustrated this. God & Love have the same numerical
value in the Kabbalah. I guess Mr. Lennon was more profound than I thought. I have grown to appreciate
his idealogy and humor, i.e. "bag-ism." Everyone has a bag (the Christian bag, Jewish bag, Muslim
bag, etc.) What a Cosmic Jokester he were. Ghandi said to strive to see our similarities, not dwell
negatively on our differences. So, come on, people - let's just come together --
...RIGHT NOW!