Atom Time

A MORTAL MAN

ã 2006 Stephen Now

VERSE I

I can only see what I see here,

I can only know what I understand,

I can only cry when I feel tears,

I can only touch when you are near,

Ooh, hoo, ooh, hoo, I guess that’s how it feels

To be a mortal man

Ooh, hoo, ooh, hoo, I guess that’s how it feels

To be a mortal man

VERSE 2

I can only dream in darkness,

I can only love when I am loved,

I can only long for meaning,

I can only hope for heaven above,

Ooh, hoo, ooh, hoo, I guess that’s how it feels

To be a mortal man

BRIDGE

In a moment, in a twinkling,

Our lives pass before our eyes,

Swirling atoms, bound together,

Make this body come alive,

And in an instant, our beginning,

Flickers in the sea of time,

Flickers in the sea of life,

Flickers in the sea of light

VERSE 3

I can only pray for better days,

I can only try and nothing more,

I can only play by earthly rules,

I can only pass through open doors,

Ooh, hoo, ooh, hoo, I guess that’s how it feels

To be a mortal man

Ooh, hoo, ooh, hoo, I guess that’s how it feels

To be a mortal man

CAN’T GET HER

ã 2006 Stephen Now

VERSE 1

I can’t believe in nothin’, I can’t believe her lies,

She tells me “sad and lonely,” then tells me, “got’a fly.”

I can’t believe in nothin’, I can’t believe her lies,

She calls me “to the rescue,” then tells me, “never mind.”

CHORUS

Can’t get her, can’t get her, can’t get her,

She always gets away,

Can’t get her, can’t get her, can’t get her,

She always gets away

VERSE 2

She holds me at a distance, so close and yet so far,

I see her bits and pieces don’t add up anymore,

She tells me that she loves me, she gives me “lost and found.”

But when I try to see her, she’s always “not around.”

CHORUS

VERSE 3

I can’t believe in nothin’, I can’t believe her lies,

She plays “I need you so bad” until I’m paralyzed,

I can’t believe in nothin’, I can’t believe in her,

I’m left with “make me crazy,” and there ain’t any cure

CHORUS

I GOT A DIFFERENCE

ã 2006 Stephen Now

CHORUS

I got a difference and it feels alright,

I got a difference and it’s out’a sight

I got a difference that you’ll never see,

I got a difference, it belongs to me

VERSE 1

Spin the bottle, pull the throttle, make her sing,

Suzy’s got her eye on her next diamond ring,

Pitter patter, doesn’t matter, what you think,

All you got’a do is give a little wink

CHORUS

VERSE 2

Truman and Capote and the FBI,

Struttin’ out in paisley like a retro spy,

Makin’ money swimmin’ in a limousine,

Over easy, baby, it ain’t what it seems,

CHORUS

BRIDGE

Every boy and every girl,

Everyone around the world,

Close your eyes and count to three,

No surprise you won’t find me,

But when you’re lookin’,

There I’ll be!

VERSE 3

Hocus pocus, out of focus, keep it blurred,

Sippin; on that nectar like a hummingbird,

Dancin’ in your stockings ‘til you feel absurd,

Close the window, baby, you just might be heard,

CHORUS

I WANT TO KNOW WHY

WE NEED LOVE

VERSE

I live alone in a great big world, but I’m not afraid,

I got a feeling that there’s something more,

But I can’t give it a name

I ain’t got too much to offer—maybe just my pride,

But there’s someone that I remember-- yesterday she died,

I want to know, why did she go, without me

CHORUS

I want to know why we need love

When everyone just goes away

BRIDGE

If we live forever, why must we all fade away?

If we live forever, why do children die?

If we live forever, what’s the point of being here?

Is it just a dream to keep us all alive?

Is it just a dream to keep us all in line?

REPEAT VERSE

I live alone in a great big world, but I’m not afraid,

I got a feeling that there’s something more,

But I can’t give it a name,

I ain’t got too much to offer—maybe just my pride,

But there’s someone that I remember, yesterday she died,

I want to know, why did she go, without me

I’M GONNA

TAKE CARE OF YOU

ã 2006 Stephen Now

CHORUS

Baby, I’m gonna take care of you, oh now

Baby, I’m gonna take care of you, oh

Baby, I’m gonna take care of you, oh now

Baby, I’m gonna take care of you

VERSE 1

I ain’t got too much money and I ain’t got too much cash,

But I can live in your sweet love forever if you ask,

I’ll give my all to you each day because you gave to me

A reason to believe in life that I could never see

I’ve never met someone like you I can’t believe you’re mine,

I thank my lucky stars each day for being in my life,

You’ll never live without my love, you’ll never need a thing,

I’ll be there when you call my name, and everyday I’ll sing

You know, you know, yeah, you know

CHORUS

VERSE 2

I got no inclination this world cares for me and you,

I got no indication what we’re told is ever true,

It’s everyone for number one, who cares who makes it through?

Well baby, you’re my only one, I’m always there for you

You can spend your life in giving all you have for some career,

But when it’s done, they shake your hand and let you disappear,

You’ve got to ask what’s gonna last, what’s worth my living here?

The answer with each other is you’ll always have me near,

You know, you know, yeah, you know,

REPEAT CHORUS THREE TIMES

IN MY NEXT LIFE

ã 2006 Stephen Now

VERSE 1

In my next life, I’ll be born to a mother, I’ll be born to a father,

Who’ll give a damn,

In my next life, I’ll know who I can trust, so I’ll never be Abandoned, or betrayed again,

In my next life, I’ll learn from my mistakes, and forgive the

Things that others say,

In my next life, I’ll have friends I like, who stay around

And never go away,

In my next life… in my next life…

VERSE 2

In my next life, I’ll live in a world, with no violence or greed,

Or poverty,

In my next life, each child is important, and they matter much More than material things,

In my next life, all creativity, and curiosity will be

Priority,

In my next life, our religions have nothing, to do with fear or hate, Or enmity,

In my next life… in my next life …

VERSE 3

In my next life, artists and musicians, instead of politicians,

Will rule the world,

In my next life, men and women share government control,

Every other year,

In my next life, we’ll praise diversity, instead of living, ‘isms’, We’ll live in unity

In my next life, the world’s a place to live, where resources are Shared, and people want to give

In my next life… in my next life…

VERSE 4

In my next life, I want you there with me, I can’t imagine living,

Any other way,

In my next life, I’ll celebrate with you, a world so new with no Need to run away,

In my next life, children won’t know fear, they’ll only know each Day as a life of peace,

In my next life, we will learn and we will grow, we will change Together, it will never cease,

In my next life… in my next life…

VERSE 5

But in this life, I’ll hold my dream intact, as I look around and see,

The inequality,

And in this life, I will do what I can do, to make one human dream,

My reality,

I will see it all, I won’t look away or act. like I don’t know

What’s in front of me,
And in this life, I will live it to the end, trying to become

What I want to be,

In my next life… in my next life…

ONE DIGIT AT A TIME

ã 2006 Stephen Now

CHORUS

I’ll play my song for you one digit at a time

I’ll sing my song for you one digit at a time

My words will come to you from outside space and time

Sent in an endless code of digit, dot and line

VERSE ONE

I’ve not felt human touch for many, many years

I only have my virtual sense

I watch my video screen and interact in kind

With words and images I invent

I live within my walls of quarantined technology

Insulated and controlled by what is fed to me

I wonder what it’s like to really touch and feel

But I can’t afford the risk—it might be real

CHORUS

VERSE TWO

I wonder what it used to be like long ago

When people touched and talked each day

When they held hands, when they met face to face

What was it like to feel a warm embrace?

I know that paranoia rules my every day

I know we’ll never be the same

Isolated huddled in our single cells

Connected only by electro magnetic waves

ENDING THEME

SO COLD

ã 2006 Stephen Now

VERSE I

I don’t expect you, to think about me,

I don’t expect you, to worry about me,

This world is so cold,

We’re all the same,

This world is so cold,

We’re all the same

VERSE 2

I don’t expect you, to remember my name,

I don’t expect you, to understand my game,

This world is so cold,

We’re all the same,

This world is so cold,

We’re all the same

BRIDGE

These are the words I hear

Coming from your eyes,

These are the words of those

Left here to survive,

These are the words I hear

You whisper in your sleep,

These are the words I hear

From the broken in the street

VERSE 3

I don’t expect you, to look my way,

I don’t expect you, to give me the time of day

This world is so cold,

We’re all the same,

This world is so cold,

We’re all the same

SO SORRY, SO BLUE

VERSE 1

After all these years have gone, After all we knew,

After all we’ve seen and done, Now I’m beggin’ you.

Can you see I know inside, What I did was wrong,

But now I’m tellin’ you my love, Those old ways are done

CHORUS

So sorry, so blue, So sorry to you,

So sorry you knew, So sorry, I don’t know what to do

BRIDGE

At the first I saw you, I just lost my mind,

Could I ever know you? Would you please be mine?

But I never told you, All the things I hide,

I just tried to hold on, As I crashed inside

CHORUS

VERSE 2

I can take my life away, I can run somewhere,

But I’ll never be the same, Knowing you’re still there,

Could you ever believe in me? How I struggled to share,

Couldn’t handle it all myself, Couldn’t handle the fear

BRIDGE 2

Maybe we could start again, Baby let my try,

With our eyes wide open, And nothin’ left to hide

CHORUS + VERSE 1

THIS LITTLE TOWN

ã 2006 Stephen Now

VERSE 1

All around town there’s a feeling I don’t know,

Maybe it’s me, but somethin’s different that I can’t show,

People I knew, I don’t know anymore,

This little town has left me homeless, closed her door,

CHORUS

Do I need her? Do I want her?

Should I leave her? I don’t know

Do I need her? Do I want her?

Should I leave her? I don’t know

Well, I’ll wait one more mornin’

Play like I’m sortin’ all the things

I might have to leave behind

BRDIGE

Understand, the way I feel,

All alone, sad and empty,

Where will I find my home?

When the world has gone and left me

VERSE 2

This was my home, all my memories belong here,

The people I knew who watched me grow, were always near,

But one by one, they all left and died away,

Leaving me lost in a place where no one stays

CHORUS

TOGETHER

David reads his paper with the same news every day,

Mary drives to work in fear of being blown away,

Malcolm can’t remember when his father went to war,

Angie’s mother left her two days after she was born

CHORUS

Together, together, got to, got to, got to get us together,

We all got to get together now, got to get us together,

Got to get together,

We only got a little line,

We’re runnin’ out of precious time

Aaron wakes up hungry but there’s no food left to eat,

While Jason takes another hit and drifts off into sleep.

Kay Ling works for eighteen hours at pennies for the day,

Mohammed says his prayers for peace a thousand miles away

CHORUS

BRIDGE

Sittin’ in the rubble of a world

Filled with trouble where there’s

Nothin’ but a struggle to

Control what can’t be done

Armies fighting, bullets flying,

People dying, children crying

Tyrants vying, terrorizing,

Living by the gun

Just look around, don’t make a sound

And listen to your own heart pound

CHORUS

YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY

FOR ME TO LOVE YOU

ã 2006 Stephen Now

VERSE I

I know that you are trying, I see your face,

I know that you are trying, it’s no disgrace,

When everyone is leaving, you’re always left behind,

What everyone’s achieving, you never come to mind,

I know that you are trying, I see your eyes,

I know that you are trying, there’s no disguise

When everyone is weeping, you’re waiting for a smile,

When everyone’s competing, you give in your own style

CHORUS

But I believe you know, yes I believe you know,

You don’t have to try for me to love you,

I believe you know, I believe you know,

You don’t have to try for me to love you

BRIDGE

I know you try, I see your heart,

I know you try, it comes so hard,

And no one ever sees you, unless they take the time,

To see how it’s confusing, for such a gentle mind,

VERSE 2

I know that you are trying, I see your hands,

I know that you are trying, I know you can

Make the little things important, and my life not so grand,

Make simple things a wonder that I can’t understand

CHORUS