ulysses' purse artbook · the first time i saw you you would not stop to talk. your fierce...

Jane Siberry

ULYSSES’ PURSE

ULYSSES’ PURSE

1 Hide Not Your Light (6:19)

2 Dark Tent (5:58)

3 Walk On Water (6:17)

4 Anytime (5:06)

5 Geranium (4:24)

6 Everything You Knew as a Child (5:08)

7 Five & Dime (5:05)

8 Morag (7:13)

9 Mama Hereby (6:33)

10 In My Dream (6:22)

11 The Great Train (4:23)

12 Ulysses’ Purse (1:40)

13 Let Me Be a Living Statue (5:04)

elen’s pearl

the first time I saw youyou would not stop to talkyour fierce determinationwas going to get you to the topthen the mountain became as a blade of grasslowering you to the delphin seacan one’s heart can one’s heart breakcan one’s heart break even as it bursting be?

I love you, yes I doI love everything about youI love how you laugh in your sleephow you smell of roses when you weepI love your styleyour wide-open prairie smilehide not your light under a bushel

the next time I saw youI saw that you had changedyou’d pulled the darkness ’round youand hid yourself awayliquified by ancient tidesyou waited quietlycan one’s heart can one’s heart breakcan one’s heart break even as it bursting be?

I love you, yes I doI love everything about youI love how you can laugh even when you’re madhow you smell of roses when you’re gladI love your styleyour wide-open prairie smilehide not your light under a bushel

the last time I saw youyou’d changed your name to Libertyyour fierce determinationas you twisted to break free and when you finally unfurled in glorious victory can one’s heart can one’s heart breakcan one’s heart break even as it bursting be?

I love you, yes I doI love everything about youwhat you might consider a weakness or a flawwe consider uniqueness, real and right for youwe love your styleyour wide-open prairie smilehide not your light under a bushel…

someday you mightneed your own light to see

hide not your light under a bushel

IDE NOT YOUR LIGHT

jane: vocals; piano

ali hughes: vocals rebecca jenkins: vocals

maria doyle kennedy: vocals kd lang: vocals

mary margaret o’hara: vocals

also david ramsden, hallie and jacob switzer, hannah bussiere: vocals

ken myhr: electric guitar rich moore: bass

kevin breit: mandolin, mandola john macarthur ellis:

mandolin, ukulele, 12-string, classical

john switzer: tambourine

pauline kim: viola christine kim: cello (choruses)

kevin fox: cello (verses)

david travers-smith: trumpets, flugelhorns,

e-flat peck horns, keyboard programming for vox

continental, drums, misc

do you remember the dark tentdesertwhitehotglowing

do you remember the long road to the dark tentfeet bleedinghearts singing

do you remember the songs of the dark tentsands sighingnight owl sobbing

do you remember the dawn when the flap roselight flooding inand the thunderas the tumblers broke

goodbye my lovegoodbye my lovefor too long

jane: vocals, piano, organ

pauline kim: viola christine kim: cello

carlos beceiro: zanfona (hurdy gurdy)

do you remember the dark barcitycrowded dirtylonely

do you remember the dark side of the dark baryou came in, you came over like you knew meyou did not know me, didn’t matterwe had a few drinks, a few laughswe never asked each others namesthen we left in a taxi, silly, laughing againyou overtipped, my high heels hurtwe stumbled up some stairs to your place where we stripped

and then things went terribly wrongwe looked into each other’s eyes for too longit scared meI ran outcalling your name

do you remember the dark tent on the desertwhere we’d lay closelisteningas the sands froze

ARK TENT

come up my brothercome up my sistercome up my childrenand walk on water with me

I’d give anything to hear your voiceto touch your hand, your hem, anything I knelt down in hopelessness hopelessness

I’d give everything to feel your graceto wash your feet, kiss your hem, anythingI knelt down in thankfulnessand then I felt virtue flow to me

come up my brothercome up my sistercome up my childrenand walk on water again

oh, that was the night of nightsI stood against the sea in that strange starlightI felt the wind upon my face I thought I heard my nameI thought I heard our names

I was standing at the back of a crowdat the edge of the sea, a multitudea single worda hush would fall

I prayed that your gaze might fall on methat my longing might part the sea of facesand in my miseryI turned and walked away

come up my brothercome up my sistercome up my childrenand walk on water with me

I walked away from that crowdout along a long and dusty roadI saw a woman she was lying there in pain crying out to me

but I was so absorbed in my own lonelinessare you not my brother? I guess not yetoh, to turn back the hands of timedrowning in my shame

ALK ON WATER

jane: vocals, piano, organ, nylon guitar,

drum loops, bells

rebecca jenkins: vocals ali hughes: vocals

david ramsden: vocals jocelyn barth: vocals

john macarthur ellis: electric, steel guitars

rich moore: bass

pauline kim: violin, viola christine kim: cello

david travers-smith: trumpets

NYTIMEthe hardest thing I’ve ever donewas to stand back when I wanted to runafter your tiny unprotected backbut stand back I mustas you learn to trust your wingsyour heart

anytime anytime that you want meI’ll always be hereanytime anytime that you need meI’ll always be here

and in your darkest hourI will always be nearby through Love’s power

anytime anytime that you call meI’ll always be hereanytime anytime that you miss meI’ll always be here

and in your darkest hourI will always be nearby through Love’s power

jane: vocals, piano, hammond, nylon and

electric rhythm guitars


jocelyn barth: vocals

ken myhr: electric guitars

drew jurecka: violin rebekah wolkstein: violin

brandon chui: viola amy laing: cello

lief mosbaugh: oboe

david travers-smith: e-flat peck horns,

keyboard bass, moog at beginning, percussion

I’ll always be hereI’ll always be hereI’ll always be herefor you

someday when I’m long goneI’ll still always be heresomehow …

maybe in the windor maybe in the rainor maybe in a songor maybe in the sunshinethe beauty of a rosea feather falling near youthe kindness of a strangerto show that I hear you

I will always I will always be here for you

always

I don’t remember a boxI don’t remember a bowI do remember a gunnel, ribs thump of paddle

I do remember women’s voicesand being carried across the watershorelinewhite pineravenswilderness

I don’t remember where I waswhen I first was lifted upI don’t remember where I waswhen I first held the cupI only know that you were thereI looked into your eyesand there I saw a world so …

I don’t remember a bowI do remember a boxthe box much smaller than you when you were bornyour father stumbling oncecarrying your box across the lawn

I do remember the minister’s shoesand a lawn-mower nearbya drop of dewgeraniumsand the crumpled kleenex in my mother’s hand beside

I don’t remember where I waswhen I first was lifted upI don’t remember who I waswhen I first held the cupI only know that you were thereI looked into your eyesand there I saw a world so beautifulso full of loveand hardship tooI held my breath and with the breath of godI came rushing through

ERANIUM

jane: vocals, piano


james roe: oboe

david travers-smith: trumpets, e-flat peck horns

you’re sitting in a cafe, feelin’ good, havin’ fun you’re watching a tiny sparrow hopping on the tableand you’re feeding it some crumbsyou look up and see someone watching youwith disgust and fake hygienic fear you knock the table over as you stand up saying it’s just a sparrowis there anyone sane around here?

everything you knew was good and truewhen you were just a childit hasn’t gone away everything you knew was right to dowhen you were just a childit hasn’t gone away

we watched you catch your first fish and then we watched you cry we watched you make a wish for the worldas you freed a butterflythen you closed your beautiful forehead and opened up your book of lifetrying on the clothes of being a rebel, leader, conformist, pleaser, victim just tryin’ to get it right

VERYTHING YOU KNEW AS A CHILD

jane: vocals, piano, organ, electric guitar bits


mary margaret o’hara: vocals maria doyle kennedy: vocals


ken myhr: electric, acoustic guitars

kevin breit: acoustic, electric wah guitars

rich moore: bass (verse)

aubrey dale: drums (verses)



lief mosbaugh: oboe

david travers-smith: bass (keyboard), solina, drum

programming (chorus)

everything you knew was good and truewhen you were just a child it hasn’t gone awayeverything you knew was right to dowhen you were just a child it hasn’t gone away

everything that you knoweverything that you trust everything beautiful

as you knew in the beginningso you shall know once againas you finally overturn the tablesof the press of throng in the temple withinthere’s a fire building inside youburning off dross and straightening out the trackyou’re starting to hear music againand when you lose your taste for salt you won’t look back everything you knew was good and truewhen you were just a child it hasn’t gone awayeverything you knew was right to do when you were just a child it hasn’t gone awayeverything you knew was good and truewhen you were just a child it hasn’t gone awayeverything you knew was right to do when you were just a childit’s just been waiting for you

it’s just been waiting for you

IVE & DIMEimagine a world where the columns of the temple come to lifeat first stiff and then flexible and flowingstriding down the street a perfect reflection of their inner beauty, inner glory reaching here, helping there until separation from their brotheris just a puzzling memory instead of quietly sitting in their cubicles at work wondering how this came to be

Marjorie works the diner at the five & dime making sure that no one feels alone she’s famous for her kindness and her Solomon’s advice but if you saw her on the bus you’d not look twice

and hopelessly unmodern Millie does not look right in a cadillac she just doesn’thopelessly unmodern Millie does not sound right in comradely bantershe can’t seem to banter back

but lead her to the ledger of a hopeless nightmarish, accounting messand she can bring the columns back to life with her numerical tenderness

imagine a world where the columns of the temple come to lifeat first stiff and then flexible and flowingstriding down the street a perfect reflection of their inner beauty, inner glory reaching here, helping there until separation from each other is just a puzzling memory instead of quietly sitting in their own apartments five feet from each otherwatching the same show on different tvs

and then there was Moose who worked at the corner storeif you talked to him about spirituality he’d just shrug his huge shoulders ‘what?’

jane: vocals, piano, acoustic guitar

ali hughes: vocals

kevin breit: electric, baritone guitars



david travers-smith: trumpets, e-flat peck horns,

bass (keyboard)

he is everything you would not want in a refined, romantic cavalier, I supposebut on the day they came up over that hill he out-Thorred Thor

and Quincy, he’s a hard-assed kid who lives under the overpass downtownwhen he comes at you with a squeegee well, you kinda sorta wanna duck down sometimes you do but if a teen unseen a bird unheard, a struggling flower should fail to take to song, to take to wingQuincy’s the first one to their sidehe has that healing thing

imagine a world where the columns of the temple come to lifeat first stiff, and then flexible and flowingstriding down the street a perfect reflection of our inner beauty, our inner glory reaching here, helping there until separation from each other is just a puzzling memory instead of quietly sitting at the family reunion saying oh gosh, oh no, you don’t want a picture of mewell, actually … we do

and Ramona she works the library cart in the third ward

ORAGoh darlin’ …

arise from your mossy bedleave your lichen dreams behindthe deer have left clear trails for you to findlift the bough to the left, press the bough to the righttoday has something special for you oh darlin’, there’s a man a-knocking on your door at midnight most dayshe’s a handsome stranger with lots of wisdomand he’s come to help you on your way

oh my darling, you have so much love ahead of yousomedays you’ll feel like you can fly or like Hercules standing against the azure skyand other days you’ll feel like you don’t have the will to carry on, to carry out your dreams you’ll choke on truth and your body will get sick instead

but the wondrous thing is help is everywhereand it comes in the strangest of waysso poetic and poignant is the farelike in springtime when peeper frogs rise up from the mudthey’re happy, they’re laughing they’re calling for love at the top of their lungs like you thought you never could and they did instead healing is in the air

life is a precious ring given to us by loveto polish and shine with all we learn with all we earn like perhaps forgiving others and getting on with loving ourselves insteadand shining will be the eyes of your friendsholding your perfection when you can’twhen you recant your soul and descend into darkness on your way to the miracle of spring

oh darlin’, the gift of your sensitivity is truly a gift though you’ll be told it is a weakness, a handicap in fact, you’ll be the sound of the ocean before we see it you’ll keep us safe and on trackthis also means, though you’ll be standing in the village squarefeeling nauseous and deaf you’ll just be picking up what’s left after all the hangings that took place there

oh my darlin, when things don’t make sensewhen things feel desperate and insane all beauty doomed remember the choice that’s always yours to makein the blink of an eye, the all-seeing eye you can choose to change coal into diamonds with compassion and love and greater understanding instead …

jane: vocals, piano


kevin fox: cello, acoustic guitar elijah abrams: bass

rich moore: bass harmonics at end



david travers-smith: trumpets, e-flat peck horns,

metal percussion

bells: st. pauls, london

and as we learn to do such thingswith all our heart and soul and might with the intensity of single sight we’ll see things we’ve never seen before they say we will do this and much morewe will have the healing hands to help the ones we love which will be every living thing

oh darlin, only touch the things that turn you on let whatever makes you dark and dull and drained be goneeven if people criticize and say you’re wrong

this makes for a life that’s beautiful and brighta life that shines with your own lighta life where you wake up everydayexcited to be up and on your way

and that makes for a love of this world where separation has no placeis replaced by the sound of bells and wings, and the upsweep to grace

oh darlin’, there’s a man a-knocking on your door at midnight these days

mama, are you listening?please put your tea towel downthis is the most important thing I’ve ever said I love you as my motherI love you as no otherbut the pain we cause each other is killing me

can we hereby agree with love and dignityfrom now on my life is fineand you are free?you know anytime you come to me with lovemy arms will always be open

all the times I lay my head upon your lapyour hand upon my forehead brought such comfortsuch treasured memoriesas are so many stillbut across this kitchen table words are hurting

can we hereby agree with love and dignityfrom now on my life is fineand you are free?you know anytime you come to me with lovemy arms will always be open

don’t worry about my health or my weightmy body is just finedon’t worry about what other people think of mejust laugh about my waysand be glad that I have faithand for what time is left let’s just enjoy each other’s company

let us hereby agree with love and dignityfrom now on my life is fineand you are free

don’t cry, mamathis is not goodbyenot at alltry, mamabe light, mamalike with your friends, mama be light with me too

you know anytime you come to me with love (or not)my arms will always always always my arms will always be open to you

AMA HEREBY

jane: vocals, piano, keyboard pizzicato strings, nylon guitar

pauline kim: violin, viola christine kim: cello

james roe: oboe

david travers-smith: e-flat peck horns

I’m running along with my fatherhe’s running like a boywe’re running along in slow motion and he falls in the leaves like a child strong and free in my dreamin my dream

I’m running along with my mothershe’s laughing like a girlshe’s telling me about all her hopes and dreams there is light in her eyesshe is open, she is wisein my dreamin my dream

in my dream it’s Octoberand the leaves are floating downlike tiny yellow boatseach finding their own unique, particular way to the ground

N MY DREAM

jane: vocals, piano, nylon guitar


david travers-smith: trumpets, manitoba

maple-tag shakers

I’m running along with my sisterour pigtails flying freewe’re racing ahead of our sweet baby brother there is joy on our faceswe are sure of our placesin my dreamin my dream

and the dog runs ahead of us always almost-out-of-sight pulling us furtherinto the golden autumn lighta lighthouse for the family following that sweet familiar tailpulling us closer on the troubled family trail

I’m running along with my family we’re running through the leaves we’re running along in slow motion we are happywe are laughing no one’s missingwe are holy in my dream in my dreamin my dreamwe are holy in my dream

jane: vocals, piano, organ



chris bilton: piano (the beautifully played last verse)

ken myhr: electric guitars



lief mosbaugh: oboe

aubrey dayle: drums

david travers-smith: trumpets, flugelhorns,

e-flat peck horns, keyboard bass, cymbal swells, moog bass

part in verse 5,6, phone bells

crickets: god

Ulysses’ Purse jane: collage of instrumental

excerpts from songs david travers-smith:

trumpet, wind

you know, when the great train of freedom comesno one will be left behindnot the least of sparrows nor those on their darkest flightall shall be lifted up into the light

and the stable doors will openand from cages bird will flyand the animals will talk to us like they used tonot like thislike THIS

when the great train of freedom comeswhen every village bell starts to ringwhen every whistle blows in the valleys belowwhen people look up listening

and angels shall enter the buildingwith music on their lipsplacing stars on our foreheads like a kissnot like thislike THIS

HE GREAT TRAIN when the great train of freedom comeswhen wealth will be who you are not what you havewhen common sense will guide instead of fearwhen we can stand with honesty and love before the mirror

when all sisters and brothers stand togetheragainst separation from each otherwhen in all living things we can hear the angels singwhen we know, really know that love is everything

and the butterfly flies between buildings brightacross the empty lots and through the barbed wirethen up towards the snowy mountain pass holding holdinglike THIS like THIS

when in all living things we can hear the angels singwhen we know, really know that love is everything

you know, this great train of freedomhas come a long, long way over a long, long time right to where we stand here together today

as you flowed through those before menow I separate my ringsI consider this the lilyI accept all that this bringsfacing fully to the windnot turning from the hardest partslet me be a living statuefearless, though my pounding heart

let me be a living statueholding all that life does sendlet all life move me freelyjoy and sorrow pure, intenselet my blessings simply beto know each moment blessing melet me be a living statuea pillar of love’s firmament

let me be a living statueholding all that life does sendlet me be a living statueknowing when to brace or bendlet my blessings simply beto know each moment blessing meand let me be a living statueholding all that life does send

let me be a living statueholding all that life does sendlet me be a living statueknowing when to brace or bendthe eye within the hurricanethe spire within the spiraling storma gauge of love’s eternal promisewhispered through each dawning morn

let me be a living statuestark against indifferencelet all life move through me freely joy and sorrow pure, intenselet me know the faith that knows no boundsno meager-more my chosen soundthe sound of exultationever-upward countenance

though the jagged winds despairto ever rise above the soundso the human soul in rising upstill panics that we’ll drown

ET ME BE A LIVING STATUE

jane: vocals kd lang: vocals

vocals at end: rebecca jenkins

ali hughes maria doyle kennedy

jocelyn barth

ken myhr: electric guitars (strum, pedalled)

kevin breit: electric guitar (melodic)

joe phillips: acoustic bowed bass



david travers-smith: trumpets, e-flat peck horns

rebecca jenkins

ken myhr

david travers-smith

jocelyn barth

jane

gwyllym

jacob & john switzer

ali hughes

maria doyle kennedy

kevin breit

mary margaret o’hara

elijah abrams

kd lang

MUSICIANS jane siberry: vocals, piano, organ, guitars

my singing sisters: rebecca jenkins, ali hughes, kd lang, maria doyle kennedy, mary margaret o’hara, jocelyn barth

and friends: david ramsden, hallie switzer, jacob switzer, hannah bussiere

david travers-smith: all brass, percussion, soundscapes, etc. ken myhr: acoustic, electric guitars kevin breit: acoustic, electric, mandolin, mandola, baritone guitars john macarthur ellis: mandolin, ukelele, 12-string, classical, electric, steel guitars (hide) kevin fox: cello (morag, hide), guitar (morag) john switzer: tambourine (morag) rich moore: bass, (morag, everything, walk, hide) elijah abrams: bass, (morag) chris bilton: piano (end of train) carlos beceiro: zanfona aka hurdy gurdy (on dark tent) aubrey dale: drums (everything, train)

new york pauline kim: violin, viola christine kim: cello james roe: oboe

toronto drew jurecka: violin rebekah wolkstein: violin brandon chui: viola amy laing: cello lief mosbaugh: oboe joe phillips: acoustic bowed bass (on living statue)

WORDS AND MUSIC jane siberry

PRODUCTIONjane siberry

CO-PRODUCTION, ENGINEERING, MASTERINGdavid travers-smith found.sound.toronto

ENGINEERS OVER PAST FIVE YEARSjim zolis (toronto); josh bowman (toronto); warren brown, sheldon zaharko (vancouver); john macarthur ellis (ashcroft, bc); peter kiesewalter (new york); chalet studios (toronto) – great work, thank you all.

ARTWORKdesign: dianne blackmore art direction: jane siberry

PHOTOScover photos of jane: peter mettler cover photo of pieter the friesian horse: cheryl kohler photo of pearl the horse: elen nicholas, wales musicians: snapshots by friends of jane

PAINTINGSl’albero della vita (tree of life): tim lowly all other paintings: jane siberry (with thanks to owners for permission to include)

ou are holding in your hands the latest studio recordings of Siberry songs. We celebrate the arrival of Ulysses’ Purse.

Since her very first recording in 1981, Siberry has become celebrated for forging her own path in music. Over three decades she has created one of the most original and admired bodies of work in contemporary music, ranging

from the pop of ‘Mimi On The Beach’ to the mysticism of the 21-minute epic ‘Oh My My’ to the beloved ‘Calling All Angels’ that she performed with kd lang in 1993 when she was on Reprise Records.

Her way of seeing life has inspired a new poetic language, conveying to the listener the beauty and power of nature. In ‘Morag’ she rejoices in: “a love of this world, where separation has no place, is replaced by the sound of bells, wings and the upsweep to grace”. These songs mine the hope that she finds contained in the DNA of the universe.

Siberry has described the process of making Ulysses’ Purse as similar to that of When I was a Boy, the release of which was also preceded by four years of silence: ‘this recording quickened slowly, as if it had to get used to the air before it started to move its limbs’. As she gave way to its own timing, she has observed the passing of both parents, learned to paint, studied shepherding with her dog and continued to delight us with her live performances.

Like the apparent hiatus that preceded the release of her sixth collection, this more recent fallow time has produced what is perhaps her finest work to date. Thank you, Ms. Siberry.

Nicholas and Nicole Campbell, Sheffield, 2016

HANK YOU

So many fine musicians, artists, friends have contributed to the fabric of this recording beyond the sound. I hope you really ‘know’ it and feel glad.

david travers-smith: you could be so many things, we’re lucky you turn your focus to music.

how lucky am I to have family, and such a one. not all are so blessed and I don’t forget that.

special thanks to bob reeves and peter kiesewalter.

rebecca jenkins, my spirit-family the switzers; ali (pal) hughes, elen nicholas; L inculcate; B ledgerly; bob blumer constantly; james borck and many more. hear my thanks.

nicole, nicky and twix for sundays, generosity, and sending gwyllym and me off along burbage edge.

‘patrons’, known and unknown, for your enthusiasm and trust – may it come back to you one hundred-fold.

our animal friends for taking such good care of us humans, silencing our noise with their reflection of god.

mom and dad, wherever you are. I looked into your eyes.

and finally, listener, may this music be a good listener and friend.

jane.

the hardest thing I’ve ever doneis to stand back when I wanted to runafter your tiny unprotected backas you walk out into the worldsteadfast, trusting

but stand back I mustfor I must trust that this is your own unique particular journey

I know that you will be moving through the perfect trials and tribulations that will teach you what you need to unfold unto yourself and the universe

and at a certain point you will move beyond the world within which i grewand my experiences will carry less helpfulnessyou will have to move into original thoughtfinding your own unique way to transform into the silken ear the strange challenges of today’s worldknow that there is nothing you could say or do that will stop me from loving and respecting you.

and as you move across the narrow bridgethat particularly vunerable time called being a teenagermaking your way alone, as you mustyour precious hands learning the twist and rough of rope

as you move forward on the narrow bridge high above the abyssas others, and perhaps you before may have slipped and slid‘givens’ now giving waythe hiss of pebbles raining past

know that we are waiting on the other sidewilling, urging you on towards safetyin this particularly perfectly difficult partof your private journeybetween you and the largesse of your soul

may these words be contained in a private place in your heart and not forgotten in a time of needthat you might remember and reach for mecall me from anywhere, anytimeand if not from a phone, then directly from your heartfor surely this is more possible nowand greater to come

the hardest thing I’ve ever doneis to stand back when I wanted to runafter your tiny, unprotected back

POEM TO A TEENAGER

ULYSSES’ PURSEULYSSES’ PURSE

1 Hide Not Your Light (6:19)

2 Dark Tent (5:58)

3 Walk On Water (6:17)

4 Anytime (5:06)

5 Geranium (4:24)

6 Everything You Knew as a Child (5:08)

7 Five & Dime (5:05)

8 Morag (7:13)

9 Mama Hereby (6:33)

10 In My Dream (6:22)

11 The Great Train (4:23)

12 Ulysses’ Purse (1:40)

13 Let Me Be a Living Statue (5:04)

ulysses' purse artbook · the first time i saw you you would not stop to talk. your fierce...

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