If You Could Read My Mind

Gordon Lightfoot If You Could Read My Mind Lyrics
1.Minstrel Of The Dawn

The minstrel of the dawn is here
To make you laugh and bend your ear
Up the steps you'll hear him climb
All full of thoughts, all full of rhymes
Listen to the pictures flow
Across the room into your mind they go
Listen to the strings
They jangle and dangle
While the old guitar rings
The minstrel of the dawn is he
Not too wise but oh so free
He'll talk of life out on the street
He'll play it sad and say it sweet
Look into his shining face
Of lonelines you'll always find a trace
Just like me and you
He's tryin' to get into things
More happy than blue

A minstrel of the changin' tide
He'll ask for nothing but his pride
Just sit him down upon that chair
Go fetch some wine and set it there
Listen to the pictures flow
Across the room into your mind they go
Listen to the strings
They jangle and dangle
While the old guitar rings

A minstrel of the dawn is near
Just like a step 'n fetchit here
He's like an old time troubador
Just wanting life and nothing more
Look into his shining eyes
And if you see a ghost don't be surprised
Like me and you
He's tryin' to get into things
More happy than blue

The minstrel boy will understand
He holds a promise in his hand
He talks of better days ahead
And by his words your fortune's read
Listen to the pictures flow
Across the room into your mind they go
Listen to the strings
They jangle and dangle
While the old guitar rings

The minstrel of the dawn is gone
I hope he'll call before too long
And if you meet him you must be
The victim of his minstrelsy
He'll sing for you a song
The minstrel of the dawn


2.Me And Bobby Mcgee

Busted flat in baton rouge
Headin' for the train
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down
Just before it rained
Took us all away to new orleans
I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin' sad while bobby sang the blues
With those windshield wipers slappin' time
And bobby clappin' hands we finally
Sung up every song that driver knew
Freedom's just another word
For nothin' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin
But it's free
Feelin' good was easy lord
When bobby sang the blues
Feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and bobby mcgee

From the coalmines of kentucky
To the california sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Standin' right beside me lord
Through every thing i done
Every night she kept me from the cold
Then somewhere near salinas lord
I let her slip away
Searchin' for the home
I hope she'll find
And i'd give all my tomorrows
For a single yesterday
Holdin' bobby's body close to mine

Freedom's just another word
For nothin' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin
But it's free
Feelin' good was easy lord
When bobby sang the blues
Feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and bobby mcgee


3.Approaching Lavender

If you'd like to spend the afternoon approaching lavender
You'll feel just fine but one thing's sure
You'll never be the same
If you'd like to try your hand at understanding lavender
Then you must be very sure
That life is not a game
You might even learn a thing or two approaching lavender
You'll soon be on a one night tour
Forgetting your own name
You won't need a reason just to be alone with lavender
For the light so warm and pure
Will draw you like a flame

The colors that surround you there will be the shade of lavender
Shadows dancing everywhere
Like flowers in the rain
You will find your tongue's on fire while lying next to lavender
With words you never spoke before
And will not speak again

Oh sweet lavender i understand you perfectly
There is no way that i can see
You living by yourself
Oh sweet lavendar i must be with you constantly
Your presence means so much to me
Much more that life itself

Oh sweet lavender as fragrant as the name you bear
Please cast away the clothes you wear
And give your love to me
Oh sweet lavender your smile is like the golden sun
I'd love to see you laugh and run
As naked as the sea

If you'd like to spend the afternoon approaching lavender
Don't try and get the best of her
She will not share the blame
If you'd like to try your hand at understanding lavender
Then you must be very sure
That life is not a game
There is no shame


4.Saturday Clothes

I feel a blue 'cause i can't sew
There's still a lot of things that i should know
Anyone can guess
I don't know how to press
My saturday clothes
Everyone's goin' home
I feel a little sad to watch them leave
But i'll be cool because i don't believe
The happy times are gone
I can still put on
My saturday clothes
Every warm body knows

I've got to tell you
That was a swell time
So now i'll take the butts away
And put the glasses on the tray
I'll see you all next saturday

I feel a little off because they're gone
And if my gal were here i'd still be on
But in a week or two
There's lots of things to do
In my saturday clothes
Everyone's gone home

I've got to tell you
That was a swell time
So now i'll take the butts away
And put the glasses on the tray
I'll see you all next saturday


5.Cobwebs & Dust

Island goodbye, island goodbye
We been too long together, my island and i
'cross the blue sea, cross the blue sea
We been too long together, my island and me
Cobwebs and dust, cobwebs and dust
I hate to leave you but leave you i must
Float through the sky, float through the sky
We been too long together, my cobwebs and i

Unlock the gate, unlock the gate
Lower the drawbridge the hour is late
Whom shall it be, whom shall it be
We been too long together, my drawbridge and me

Troubles goodbye, troubles goodbye
We been too long together, my troubles and i
'cross the blue sea, cross the blue sea
We been too long together, my troubles and me

Cobwebs and dust, cobwebs and dust
I hate to leave you but leave you i must
Float through the sky, float through the sky
We been too long together, my cobwebs and i

Tear down the walls, tear down the walls
Gather my treasure and scatter it all
Whom shall it be, whom shall it be
We been too long together, my treasure and me

Kisses goodbye, kisses goodbye
We been too long together, my kisses and i
'cross the blue sea, cross the blue sea
We been too long together, her kisses and me

Cobwebs and dust, cobwebs and dust
I hate to leave you but leave you i must
Float through the sky, float through the sky
We been too long together, my cobwebs and i

Run to her side, run to her side
Run to my island and make her yer bride
Whom shall it be, whom shall it be
We been too long together, my island and me


6.Poor Little Allison

Poor little allison
Standing in the night wind
Wishing out loud
Turning her face to the summer rain
Poor little allison
Never had much goin'
Hard to forget
Always in step with the world she's in
Never knowin' never feelin'
Showin' so much pride
Never sayin' what she's thinkin'
Or feelin' deep inside

Poor little allison
Dreaming of the right one
Laughing out loud
Lost in a crowd of fair weather friends

Never knowin' never feelin'
Showin' so much pride
Never sayin' what she's thinkin'
Or feelin' deep inside

Poor little allison
Standing in the night wind,
Wishing out loud
Turning her face to the summer rain
Hard to forget
Always in step with the world she's in


7.Sit Down Young Stranger

I'm standin' in the doorway
My head bowed in my hands
Not knowin' where to sit
Not knowin' where to stand
My father looms above me
For him there is no rest
My mother's arms enfold me
And hold me to her breast
They say you been out wandrin'
They say you travelled far
Sit down young stranger
And tell us who you are

The room has all gone misty,
My thoughts are all in spin
Sit down young stranger
And tell us where you been

I've been up to the mountain
I've walked down by the sea
I never questioned no one
And no one questioned me
My love was given freely
And oftimes was returned
I never came to borrow
I only came to learn

Sometimes it would get lonely
But it taught me how to cry
And laughter came too easy
For life to pass me by
I never had a dollar
That i didn't earn with pride
Cause i had a million daydreams
To keep me satisfied

And will you gather daydreams
Or will you gather wealth
How can you find your fortune
When you cannot find yourself
My mother's eyes grow misty
There's a tremblin' in her hand
Sit down young stranger
I do not understand

Now will you try to tell us
You been too long at school
That knowledge is not needed
That power does not rule
That war is not the answer
That young men should not die
Sit down young stranger
I wait for your reply

The answer is not easy
For souls are not reborn
To wear the crown of peace
You must wear the crown of thorns
If jesus had a reason
I'm sure he would not tell
We treated him so badly
How could he wish us well

The parlor now is empty
There's nothin' left to say
My father has departed
My mother's gone to pray
There's rockets in the meadows
And ships out on the sea
The answer's in the forest
Carved upon a tree

John loves mary
Does anyone love me


8.If You Could Read My Mind

if you could read my mind

If you could read my mind love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
'bout a ghost from a wishin' well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
You know that ghost is me
And i will never be set free
As long as i'm a ghost that you can't see
If i could read your mind love
What a tale your thoughts could tell
Just like a paperback novel
The kind that drugstores sell
When you reach the part where the heartaches come
The hero would be me
But heroes often fail
And you won't read that book again
Because the ending's just too hard to take

I'd walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three way script
Enter number two
A movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me
But for now love, let's be real
* i never thought i could act this way *
And i've got to say that i just don't get it
I don't know where we went wrong
But the feelin's gone
And i just can't get it back

If you could read my mind love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
'bout a ghost from a wishin' well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
But stories always end
And if you read between the lines
You'll know that i'm just tryin' to understand
The feelin's that you lack
I never thought i could feel this way
And i've got to say that i just to get it
I don't know where we went wrong
But the feelin's gone
And i just can't get it back


9.Your Love's Return

Come to the door my pretty one
Put on your rings and precious things
Hide all your tears as best you can
Try to recall what used to be
Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Bells in steeple are ringing, singing
Listen to them talk about your love's return

Let me come in my pretty one
And try to undo what i have done
For i must be forgiven now
I will not lose what i have won

Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Leaves in the garden are falling, calling
Listen to them talk about your love's return

Open the door my pretty one
Wake from your sleep and take me home
Open your eyes and look my way
I cannot leave your love alone

Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Bells in steeple are ringing, singing
Listen to them talk about your love's return


10.The Pony Man

When it's midnight on the meadow
And the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story
At the window by my bed
If you listen very closely
Be as quiet as you can
In the yard you'll hear him
It is the pony man
We're always there to greet him
When he tumbles into town
He leads a string of ponies
Some are white and some are brown
And they never seem to kick or bite
They only want to play
And they live on candy apples
Instead of oats and hay

And when we're all assembled
He gives a soft command
And we climb aboard our ponies
As in a row the stand
Then down the road we gallop
And across the fields we fly
And soon we all go sailing off
Into the midnight sky

And as we gaily rock along
Beside a ripplin' sea
There's tom 'n dick 'n sally
And mary joe and me
And the pony man is leading
Cause he's travelled here before
And he gives a whoop and a holler
At mr. moon's front door

And as we stop to rest a while
Where the soda river glides
Up to the slip comes a pirate ship
To take us for a ride
And the pony man's the captain
And the children are the crew
And we go in search of treasure
And laugh the whole night through

And when the hold is filled with gold
And the sails begin to strain
And the deck's piled high with apple pie
We head for port again
And down the whirling starcase
So swift our ponies fly
And we're safely in our beds again
When the sunbeams kiss the sky

When it's midnight on the meadow
And the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story
At the window by my bed
If you listen very closely
Be as quiet as you can
In the yard you'll hear him
It is the pony man