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Necessary Angels

by Sara Hickman

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1.
Pursuit of Happiness 04:55
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Pursuit of Happiness by Sara Hickman Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing And loving and leavingIn your pursuit of happiness I see you running yourself to death In your pursuit of happiness Dont forget to count your blessings Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing And loving and leaving Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing And loving and leaving Go for the gold Straight for the glittering gold Forego the silver, forget the bronze Stick to your guns, look to the skies Break a sweat, better yet Break your back ‘Til your dream’s realized In your pursuit of happiness I see you running yourself to death In your pursuit of happiness Dont forget to count your blessings Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing and loving and leaving Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing and loving and leaving Work your way to the top of the heap You’re living a dream and there’s no time to sleep Invest what’s left of yourself Do it alone without anyone’s help If at first you don’t succeed Practice makes perfect Ambition builds greed You’re addicted, indeed Burn, baby, burn, feel the burn You’ve been so eager to climb The ladder You’ve bought into those loving lies Life has been passing before your eyes In your pursuit of happiness I see you running yourself to death In your pursuit of happiness Dont forget to count your blessings Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing and loving and leaving Hiding and seeking Thinking and Speaking Wanting and needing and loving and leaving
2.
Shadowboxing 04:25
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Shadowboxing Words & Music by Sara Hickman Shadowboxing with the moon It’s a tiny pearl in God’s eye Every step I take Every swing I make Brings me closer than I was before Shadowboxing with the moon The night’s silver cup pouring down on me The ebb and tide Of day and night Keeps me wanting so much more Keeps me wanting… Ooooh oh Shadowboxing the night sky Do you remember moon, it used to be just you and I? Then Desire stepped in the ring She made you seem less challenging But, that was all a lie Please save me from the sky! Take time to step back and reflect I’m doing the best I can do And when we’ve outgrown these gloves We’ll be ready for dancing shoes Shadowboxing by myself For tonight the moon is just a sliver of herself Last week I won the round The sky he saw me take her down But she’ll be back to box… some more I’ve seen that grin before
3.
The Best of Times 04:41
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Best of Times Words & Music by Sara Hickman This the best of times Some say the worst of times I guess it all just depends Which glass you’re drinking from This is our only chance To reverse a dance That was started so long ago This is the best of times Look beyond the signs Don’t let yourself be scared Don’t let them make you numb This is the final day Each and every day We can return to the love That we keep running from I see only beautiful faces Hands eager to hold So when I see you down I want to pick you up I want to make you laugh And remind you of the best of times Living right before your eyes So, when I see you down I want to pick you up I want give you hope And remind you of the best of times Oh, we’re living in the best of times These are the best of times Yours and mine We can never forget How blessed we are And though the sun may set When we least expect it to Remember all the times Life was so sweet with you And in the end it will seem Life rolled by like a dream So when I see you down I want to pick you up I want to make you laugh And remind you of the best of times Living right before your eyes So, when I see you down I want to pick you up I want give you hope And remind you of the best of times Oh, we’re living in the best of times These are the daily trials Yet every once in a while Clouds all disappear Making everything else clear When our emotions grow cold Tide of winter takes hold Don’t give in to sorrow so soon When the spring could arrive by this afternoon! So when I see you down I want to pick you up I want to make you laugh And remind you of the best of times Living right before your eyes So, when I see you down I want to pick you up I want give you hope And remind you of the best of times Oh, we’re living in the best of times
4.
Sister and Sam 05:34
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Sister and Sam Words & Music by Sara Hickman 1967 Sam is sixty-one Sister’s in the kitchen Making dinner for everyone White frame house in Heflin On a tree lined street The buzz of gossip fills the air As the neighbors line up in the summer heat Sister’s skinny and she’s lost her hearing Sam is short and so’s her sight She wears the bottoms of bottles for glasses And her voice is like dynamite So, I try hard to remember What we grow up to forget And I have grown to love these women And my summers near Birmingham Pickin’ snap beans out in the garden Bead of sweat droppin’ down your neck There’s fried chicken and potatoes Hot rolls and ripe tomatoes Outside I hear those chickens peck Evening’s calling for a country walk Cicadas hummin’ the trees to sleep Hand in hand my aunts and I are counting the stars Reflecting off of our bare feet So, I try hard to remember What we grow up to forget And I have grown to love these women And my summers near Birmingham And I used to think: Did either kiss in the moonlight? Or feel the hot flame of a hand on her breast? Oh, maybe someday a child will wonder over me, too As I am laid to rest I open rusty trunks to find Letters, and dolls, and photo frames Yellowed faces but no names It hurts to think this is my past Lying here, scattered in my lap And no memories can come to mind When you’re sitting where the past has been left behind So I try hard to remember What we grow up to forget And I have grown to love these memories And my summers near Birmingham
5.
Time Will Tell 01:59
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Time Will Tell Words & Music by Sara Hickman Clocks keep ticking in this town You walk towards the bell Too much heartache fills your heart And your soul, as well Dancing with the devil’s voice You race for relief Somehow, somewhere You made this choice And only time will tell Waltzing up to past mistakes Pour yourself some juice Too much thinking going on Shake these voices loose All your anger All your fear All your laughter and bitter tears Too much wanting Hidden here And answers never seem quite clear… But only time will tell Only time will tell
6.
Eye of the Storm 06:16
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Eye of the Storm Words & Music by Sara Hickman Tonight I read the questions The tears on your face You wonder how long I will love you If your heart is safe Well I don’t remember What I should say ‘Cus it’s been too long Since I felt this way Someone broke the locket By forcing the key Someone said they were a poet With no words to say And I don’t remember What you should say ‘Cus it’s been too long Since you felt this way And all I remember Is the eye of the storm You got caught up in the hurricane Oh, and I stayed safe and warm You should separate The rose from the thorn I’ve learned to watch for the wolves Dressed in sheep’s clothes We’re in for nasty weather You’re not reading the signs I see lightning and thunder I hope you’ll protect yourself this time And I don’t remember What I should say ‘Cus it’s been too long Since you felt this way And all I remember Is the eye of the storm You got caught up in a hurricane Oh, and I stayed safe and All I remember Is the eye of the storm Losing yourself to the wind and rain While I stayed safe from harm And all I remember Is the eye of the storm You got caught up in a hurricane Oh, and I stayed safe from harm
7.
Oh Daddy 04:24
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Oh, Daddy Words & Music by Sara Hickman & David Batteau Drove her home to the south side He lived on the west side He explained the best that he could “Oh, your momma and your daddy Were drawn to a flame But, we burned up like so much dead wood.” Oh, daddy Oh, daddy Where did we go wrong? Let’s throw out these ashes We’ve carried so long Oh, daddy Oh, daddy Let’s settle the score It don’t make a difference What happened before Now Lila’s memories of daddy Were pictures so fractured Slides of an incomplete tour Oh, the heart of a daughter Aching with anguish Is a heart that can never be cured These old accusations These questions that burn About past relations She never will learn Memories so painful Like sticks or like stones Shattering the remnants Of your heart and bones Oh, daddy Oh, daddy Where did we go wrong? Let’s throw out these ashes We’ve carried so long Oh, daddy Oh, daddy Let’s settle the score It don’t make a difference What happened before Now Society whispered Cruel thoughts in her head Claiming daddy did something Untrue And those stories stained hard And hardened her heart Lila began to believe in them, too Daddy’s shoulders were shaking He cried tears of thunder At the questions she threw in his face A good father he’d been All those long loving years He listened as they were erased These bold accusations These questions that burn About past relations That never occurred Memories so painful Like sticks or like stones Shattering the remnants Of your heart and bones Oh, daughter Oh, daughter Where did I go wrong? Let’s throw out the ashes You’ve carried so long Oh, daughter Oh, daughter Let’s settle the score It don’t make a difference What they said before
8.
Room of One's Own 05:27
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Room of One’s Own Words by Sara Hickman Music by Sara Hickman & Gerald O'Brien Shaking her drunken head Full of pearls Eyes tired from fighting an unseeing world She took the book From the shelf And handed it down smiling to herself A sharing of secrets She told me to read This vernacular seed Days passed between us like so many Fallen leaves Something inside Could not be denied I heard her voice True and tried Wanting to warn me not to forget And all that she wanted Was a room of her own A place to create her heart’s Burning song All that she wanted was a chance to leave More than her name in stone More than her name in stone A dream is a gift Hard work and love She said, “If you get stuck ask for help from above.” She warned me that life Would give me a try It held no remorse in passing me by If I ignored the call Her fingers stiff at the piano Recalling melodies I did not know She took a bow to the applause in her mind An encore performance that madness designed I felt a tear fall, ooh I felt a tear fall from my eye And all that she wanted Was a room of her own A place to create her heart’s Burning song All that she wanted was a chance to leave More than her name in stone Oh, more than her name in stone The smell of death dated her breath Old-fashioned drinks laced with regret She’d courted fame but they’d never met I took a walk when I finished the book Feeling inspired She was weak when I saw her working in the yard I promised to follow the path she’d begun I promised to sing the songs she’d never sung And I smiled to myself as I told her All that I want is a room of my own A place to create my heart’s Burning song Oh, all that I want is this chance to leave More than my name in stone Oh, more than my name in stone
9.
Tiger in a Teacup Town 04:34
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Tiger in a Teacup Town Words & Music by Sara Hickman Tigers usually live in a jungle And you did Until you moved into town last summer and Started asking questions Oh, life was just a pleasant game that we all played Until you tried to tell us we were living charades You weren’t afraid to speak your mind Or show your true colors And though they seemed like friends whenever you were around Behind your back they’d laugh and they’d call you a clown They were building you up just to tear you down Now you’re a tiger in a teacup town How does it feel, how does it feel? Now you’re a tiger in a teacup town Now now now now now When they started building the red cage on wheels I knew where you were headed I watched their eyes grow dark Whenever you passed by You’d say “good morning” And wag your tail To who’d ever notice I guess you didn’t mind Eating your lunch alone And as they sipped their tea Acting so politely You were living your life too far out on a limb They grew to hate your nature and your beautiful skin They were fragile with the fear ‘Cause you’re not like them Now you’re a tiger in a teacup town How does it feel, how does it feel? Oh, you’re a tiger in a teacup town You better watch where you sit down You’re a tiger in a teacup town They’re gonna lock you up and throw away the key But deep inside You’re gonna eat them alive With the strength of your own memory One morning I was called to have tea With the neighbors and friends I guess I started asking too many questions I guess it escaped me I guess I had closed my eyes But the look on their faces Started to fill me with fear They said that you’d left town And tried to console me And it was then I knew that you’d been taken for sure For underneath my feet was the feel of your fur And the room was spinning…. Endlessly Then it hit me I’m a tiger in a teacup town How does it feel, how does it feel? Oh, I’m a tiger in a teacup town Now now now now now Oh, I’m a tiger in a teacup town I’m a tiger in a teacup town
10.
Slippery 04:12
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Slippery Words & Music by Sara Hickman Closing My eyes Looking but not seeing Here in the darkest room I have ever been in Slippery things slip through my fingers Keeps me wondering I’m searching For something Gnawing at my soul Here in this bottomless pit My stomach is grumbling I sure hope that I don’t quit Before I find peace of mind Oh, I can believe in myself Like never before Oh, something within me Is leading me to An open door… Life just keeps getting faster But I refuse to speed up I won’t allow myself to be blown around town Like a broken down paper cup I’m gonna sit right down On solid ground And remember what sitting is for What’s the sitting for? What is sitting for? Opening My eyes Finding what I was searching for Here in the brightest room I have ever seen Oh, slippery things slip through the night Passing me by In the strangest dream La da da da di da da da da da da
11.
Joy 05:26
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Joy Words & Music by Sara Hickman A grocery cart for a car A broken curb for a pillow No house, no kids, no pets, no bills Just a husband with an angry scar Her face was kissed by the night And I’m a slice of the moon I gave her my toaster oven On a frozen afternoon Her mother named her “Joy” It was the last word from her lips How strange a woman with not much more than a name Can find such happiness Living on the streets she don’t mind Everyone she meets has no time To be kind I can search for days up and down So afraid she won’t come around And I find If I stop looking There is Joy to be found She would visit our dumpster Collecting empty bottles of beer I gave her an electric blanket On the hottest day of the year Joy can shop in the rain And she makes dinner in the snow Joy finds things in places I’m too scared to go Living on the streets she don’t mind Everyone she meets has no time To be kind I can search for days up and down So afraid she won’t come around And I find If I stop looking Nothing is hers, she says: “There is nothing we really own” And she ignores the fences Society’s sown Summer fell into fall And fall grew into spring There was never another word from Joy And I knew it could only mean Living on the streets she don’t mind Everyone she meets has no time To be kind I can search for days up and down So afraid she won’t come around And I find If I stop looking Oh, if I stop looking There is Joy to be found
12.
The Place Where the Garage Used to Stand 04:06
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The Place Where the Garage Used to Stand Words & Music by Sara Hickman I thought I’d grow up to build Underwater cities We thought you’d be a runway model ‘Cause your face was oh-so-pretty Girl Scouts, soccer, softball, boys Sneaking out you better not Make a noise Jane scraped your arms with her Red fingernails Frisbees flew like summer sails, and Here is the place Where we made our future plans In the days of my childhood Here is the place where The garage used to stand And it stood and it stood and it stood And it stood in my old neighborhood John killed a lime-green tree frog With a single blasted Black Cat First heard of some secret Family jewels as You kicked Tim for calling Barbara fat Summer dresses, swimsuits, shorts, Tried to gain access to all their forts One of the boys lit a loaded match The garage went down in seconds flat, and Here is the place Where we made our future plans In the days of my childhood Here is the place where The garage used to stand And it stood and it stood and it stood And it stood in my old neighborhood Mom is whistling, “Time to come in!” Summer’s fading School year begins “Eat your dinner. Did you wash your hands?” School is ending And it’s summer again Life was easy to… Life was easy to… Life was easy… to understand Here is the place Where we made our future plans In the days of my childhood Here is the place where The garage used to stand And it stood and it stood and it stood And it stood in my old neighborhood

credits

released October 4, 1994

Produced by Paul Fox and Mark Hallman and Sara Hickman
Engineers: Mark Hallman, Marty Lester, Kevin Smith, Ed Thacker
Mixing: Sara Hickman, Mark Hallman, Marty Lester,
Kevin Smith, Ed Thacker
Remixing: Sara Hickman, Mark Hallman, Marty Lester, Kevin Smith
Mastering: Joe Gastwirt
Photography: Lynn Sugarman

Musicians
David Batteau: guitar, background vocals
Adrian Belew: acoustic guitar, guitar, mandolin, calliope,
electric guitar, background vocals
Jim Cocke: organ, keyboards
Mike Daane: bass guitar
Carl Finch: accordion
Glenn Fukunaga: bass guitar
Rafael Gayol: drums
Mark Hallman: percussion, background vocals, choir, shaker,
tamborine drums
Ethridge Hill: trumpet
Bradley Kopp: electric guitar
Danny Levin: cello
Tony Levin: bass guitar
Mitch Marine: drums
Jerry Marotta: percussion, drums
Brad McLemore: electric guitar
Paul Pearcy: percussion, drums
Pierce Pettis: acoustic guitar
Mark Rubin: upright bass
David Sancious: piano, keyboards
Chris Searles: percussion, sound effects, tambourine, noise
Tommy Taylor: drums

Background vocals & choir
Darcy Matthews, Dominic Matthews, Genevieve Matthews, Ian Matthews, Kris McKay, Pamela Miller, Richard Weiss, Morgan Wommack, Brad Young

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Sara Hickman Austin, Texas

Sara Hickman's career in music began at 7, winning first place in a school talent show. She's appeared twice on "The Tonight Show;" at Carnegie Hall; performed on tv, radio & at hundreds of festivals, theatres, clubs and house concerts around the world. 2010 Texas State Musician (between Willie Nelson & Lyle Lovett). She created 2 volumes of the Texas Musicians Coloring Book & has over 18 albums. ... more

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