Get all 6 John Lester releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Just One Heart [Acoustic Mix], Fathers and Sons, Jazz?, So Many Reasons, Big Dreams and the Bottom Line, and Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House.
1. |
The Ways of a Woman
04:02
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The Ways of a Woman
words and music by John Lester
How many Gods can man create
That turn him away from the love of his chosen one
His perfect mate
No I don't know why
We've sacrificed
All the Ways of a Woman
How many demons did our deities really burn
What priestly purpose could wipe out all the lives of those
Who helped the souls safe return
Through the healings
And through a healthy birth
And through the Ways of a Woman
She gave us life
And she gives us love
She's the earth and our connection to the heavens above
For all our saviors where born of her
I feel it's time that the world return
To the Ways of a Woman
Open your ears and let history speak
The tales of a time when the strength of a man
Didn't mean his partner was weak
She had the magic of the moon
Her cycle kept the world in tune
To the Ways of a Woman
Now does the bible really lead you to believe
All it took was Adam's rib and less than half a day
To start the beauty of Eve
No that was just a metaphor
Just an open door
Into the Ways of a Woman
How did the power people miss the point
Is Jesus Christ crying because the power to anoint
Was simply stolen from his mothers hands
When it really didn't matter
That he gave his message to us as a man
I've often wonder
How can our world survive
With all this separateness and pride
And as a man
I'll cry out to all my brothers
Maybe we can build a better race
If we might only just embrace
The Ways of a Woman
©John Lester
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2. |
On My Own
03:42
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On My Own
lyrics and music John Lester
I'm packing up my lessons
But I'm leaving my regrets
I'm moving through this opening door
But I'm not closing it
With one thing after another
It may feel like I'm falling down
But it's just the world and it's funny way
Of turning my head around
In the right direction
So now I
I'm gonna take a little walk on my own again
It really doesn't mean that I don't love you
I'm on my own
So now the rhythm of our love
May soon grow distant through these coming years
But I will not forget
Because in my heart it reappears
And it beats just a little bit louder
Than I believe it ever has
It sings for all our good times
And it cries for what we thought was so bad
But now I know that we taught each other well
So now I
I'm gonna take a little walk on my own again
It really doesn't mean that I don't love you
I'm on my own
With so many burning bridges
I'm gonna get right down in the river and ford this stream
I'm gonna let the water wash over me
And I'll bathe all of my dreams
So now I
I'm gonna take a little walk on my own again
It really doesn't mean that I don't love you
I'm on my own
©John Lester
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3. |
I Saw You
02:57
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I Saw You
lyrics and music by John Lester
I saw you
Waking ‘round in my dreams
It’s been more than a time or two
And I think I know what that means
I saw you
Slip away into the night
But I just kept on dreaming
Of bringing you into the light
Now you stand before me
Your like a long lost friend
And though we’ve really never met
Well it’s good to see you again
I know this must sound crazy
But I’ve missed you for sometime
I’ve seen you’ve been searching
And I know that I’ve been on your mind
Because I saw you
Waking ‘round in my dreams
It’s been more than a time or two
And I think I know what that means
I saw you
Slip away into the night
But I just kept on dreaming
Of bringing you into the light
Of a life
That I knew I would always have
Of the woman
That could help make me a better man
Of the light of a love
That could turn this night to day
I’ve been watching and waiting
So believe me when I say that
I saw you
Waking ‘round in my dreams
It’s been more than a time or two
And I think I know what that means
I saw you
Slip away into the night
But I just kept on dreaming
I just kept on dreaming
©John Lester
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4. |
Two
03:22
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Two
lyrics and music by John Lester
There’s a tale that’s been tossed around
It started long ago moved from town to town
It wove through country, church, and state
It’s the story of man and his very first mate
Word of mouth passed for centuries
Then a thousand times re-written down for us to read
Is a very long legend that some literally believe
It says first came Adam, second came Eve
But in the dawn of me and you
How could there be one before the other
Perhaps there were Two
Just Two
When I look into my world I see
A very certain inclination towards duality
What would we be without our opposite
And what would we attract without this perfect fit
But in our recent race for equality
We’ve stated nothing now more separate than he and she
It seems so simple why aren’t we aware
That the essence of life is always found as a pair
So in the dawn of me and you
How could there be one before the other
Perhaps there were two
Just Two
Oh our mother and our father were once One
There was only one beginning for God’s daughter and God’s son
And when all this One Love wanted was to share the love it knew
Then there was only one thing One Love could do
It became Two
It doesn’t make a bit of sense
To preach the past here in this present tense
If we’re going to start a brand New Age
I think it’s time we ought to turn the page
If simply keep old words divine
We won’t have our minds open in this modern time
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Well they died long ago so someone grab a pen
And write the dawn of me and you
Didn’t start with one before the other
There were Two
©John Lester
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5. |
Broken
06:22
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Broken
words and music by John Lester
So now all's been said and done
I thought the truth might ease our minds
But the truth just makes two very separate sides
That we each defend
But if I'd only tied
To give ourselves just a little time
Some time to leave the fragile space behind
Maybe we'd part as friends
But I've broken all that you and I would ever be
For my anger and my pride, it never lets me see
That each change must start in me
But now it's grown to late to mend
What I've broken
What I've broken
But life goes on and on
And like two river's to the sea
There's no real end to you or me
And though we part maybe we'll meet again
But in the stillness that I greet
There's one reflection
Of a willow weeping with the breeze
It's telling me I should have learned to bend
Because I've broken all that you and I would ever be
For my anger and my pride never let me see
That the change must start in me
And now it's grown to late to mend
What I've broken
What I've broken
Why do I always try
To dig so deep inside
When there's a time for letting go
And you think by now I'd know
Because I've broken all that you and I would ever be
For my anger and my pride, it never let me see
That the change must come from me
And now it's grown to late to mend
What I've broken
What I've broken
What I've broken
©John Lester
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6. |
The Happy Man
03:39
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The Happy Man
lyrics and music by John Lester
The happy man doesn’t have my status
And he’ll never earn the money I make
The happy man catches sideways glances
‘cause everybody thinks he’s Mother Nature’s mistake
But the happy man doesn’t have any problems
‘cause his mind doesn’t think that way
The happy man can’t worry ‘bout the future
So the happy man just lives for today
He lives for today
He lives for today
The happy man has some trouble when he’s walkin’
So he dances all the time
The happy man takes the long way home
Because he never could keep a straight line
The happy man doesn’t carry any baggage
‘cause he never knows if he’s gonna stay
The happy man can’t worry ‘bout the future
So then happy man just lives for today
He lives for today
He lives for today
Maybe I was given too much in this life
Or I’ve got too much time to think about what’s not going right
Because a little slow kid like we all teased in school
Has worked it all out while I’m still playin’ the fool
Maybe he’s here to help me understand
It really doesn’t have to take alot
To be a happy man
To be a happy man
The happy man likes to yell real loud
As he passes by my little coffee shack
The happy man likes the sound of his voice
As it bounces of the walls of our cul-de-sac
A passer by asks me “why’s he do that”
And I give the only answer I can
Though the guys a little slow, there’s one thing that I know,
He’s a very happy man
And I hear him singin’
Yea-e-yea-e-yea-e-yea-e-yea…
©John Lester
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7. |
The Heart of Our Family
02:41
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The Heart of Our Family
lyrics by John Lester
music by Chris Chernesky
There's something on my mind
I'd like you to know
So I'm taking a little of your time
To tell you before you go
I've been living a good life
Out on my own
I've been taking so many chances
Knowing I could always come home
I am you
And you are me
I'm a flower that sprung from your seed
And it's your love that's helped me to grow
So as I walk out into my world
I won't stand alone
I'll always carry the heart of our family
Even after you go
©John Lester
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8. |
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Out of the Clear Blue Sky
words and music by John Lester
When I was a young man
So many troubles seemed to come my way
I didn’t see that I sewed the seeds of my anger
They grew a little every day
Always a battle for my ways
And always someone else to blame
So many enemies
But never did I wonder from whence they came
I never stopped to look inside
To see if I held the reasons why
The world was coming at me
From out of the clear blue sky
Now comes a time
When my country’s also come of age
A hell hit the homeland
And everyone is rightfully filled with rage
The president’s pointing his finger
And from the pulpit I heard him say
We’re one nation under God and by God
We’re gonna get ‘em back one day
With no admission to reasons why
He put all the blame on another side
And said the Evil One came at us
From out of the clear blue sky
Call me a traitor
Say I’m a coward not a patriot
Well I know we had to strike back
I just don’t think we’ve planned the hardest battle yet
How many fights for freedom
Will we wage while the peace is denied
And is that peace just a prayer we make on Sundays
And hope that God to bless upon us
From out of the clear blue sky
They were crazy
They were evil and they were wrong
But the weak take a desperate measure
When they’re backed into the corner by a foe to strong
My brother, my sister
My countryman, and my friend
I think we’d better take a really hard look at ourselves
If we want to keep this from happening again
And if we search beyond our pride
Perhaps we’ll find an answer that has long been denied
And peace will reign upon us
From out of the clear blue sky
©John Lester
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9. |
Reach Out
05:03
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Reach Out
words and music by John Lester
I'm gonna reach out
And hold on to the positive
I'm gonna reach out
And shake the judgement tree
Don't always need to talk about
All the petty little problems that are and will always be
Instead I'm gonna reach out
Reach out with me
I heard it in the Rasta man's song
I bathed in the Reggae on the River and the whole daylong
He sang of peace, love, and living in harmony
But when I returned to my normal day
I heard the critical voice of my America say
That’s just dreadlocks and drugs
But we stand in our own way, unless we
I'm gonna reach out
And hold on to the positive
I'm gonna reach out
And shake the judgement tree
Don't always need to talk about
All the petty little problems that are and will always be
Instead I'm gonna reach out
Reach out with me
I read it in a book that they call the Koran
And now the I Ching shows me all the balances of man
But the right side of religion says there's only one word to read
If we're all to reach for the highest peak
Then while I travel from the west my brother journeys from the East
And we could both help each other through the obstacles we meet, if we just
I'm gonna reach out
And hold on to the positive
I'm gonna reach out
And shake the judgement tree
Don't always need to talk about
All the petty little problems that are and will always be
Instead I'm gonna reach out
Reach out with me
Believe what you believe
But you’ve gotta set your neighbor free
We can all spread our wings in flight
If we stop wasting energy making wrong from right, instead
I'm gonna reach out
And hold on to the positive
I'm gonna reach out
And shake the judgement tree
Don't always need to talk about
All the petty little problems that are and will always be
Instead I'm gonna reach out
Reach out with me
The positive vibration
Makes its way into every religion
So reach out
The positive vibration
Doesn't recognize the borders of a nation
So reach out
We gotta reach out
©John Lester
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10. |
Sister
04:35
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Sister
lyrics and music by John Lester
She’s not a lover, not the mother that this world would have me need
She’s not a friend or the woman sent to one day marry me
And yet she’s cared to share with me all my joys and all my fears
She’s at my side, standing by and she will be all my years
Sister I live this life with you
Just like heaven meant for me to do
With me at my infancy we shared a common world
Together while we faced the trials of a young boy and little girl
When I didn’t understand the brand new man that I would turn into
Just across the hall, I’d often call on the sage in my siblings room
Sister I live this life with you
Just like heaven meant for me to do
A healer, a teacher, an old soul stands next to me
A beauty, a bright light, a true love is what I see
A friend from forever, a partner at every turn
Now all I can offer, I offer her in return
For sister I live this life with you
Just like heaven meant for me to do
The prophets say it’s no mistake we pick the lives we do
Our parents, friends, and family all teach the lessons our souls choose
For all the joys and trials in life I picked a sibling on this earth
She’s helped set free the voice in me so now I sing my song for her
For sister I live this life with you
Just like heaven meant for me to do
©John Lester
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11. |
Your Tattoo
03:53
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Your Tattoo
words and music by John Lester
I can't hear
the rhythm and blues
And I can't see
the pictures hanging in your room
I don't remember
the conversations that we had
And lord I just can't say
if this is good or if it's bad
The years keep stealing memories,
as if we had never met
Father time just stands there laughing
as he tosses each regret
But the hour glass won't bury all
the passion we once knew
I just can't forget
Your tattoo
I just can't forget
Your tattoo
Didn't I tell you
Not to scar your body so
What a misconception
I decided sight unseen but how was I to know
The imprint on your body
would leave an image in my brain
So many days now stand between us
But each second will remain
Caught within a symbol
that the midnight artist drew
I just can't forget
Your tattoo
I just can't forget
Your tattoo
The years keep stealing memories as if we had never met
Father time just stands there laughing
as he tosses each regret
But the hour glass won't bury
all the passion we once knew
I just can't forget
Your tattoo
I just can't forget
Your tattoo
©John Lester
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12. |
The Garden
03:42
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The Garden
words and music by John Lester
I'd like to start a garden
But no seeds will I sow
I've buried all my hopes and dreams
And I'm tending them while they grow
It's a garden where your wishes all come true
If you give them space and time
Would you like to start a garden
You can plant your row of wishes right beside mine
©John Lester
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John Lester San Francisco, California
Award-winning singer-songwriter, bassist and multi-instrumentalist.
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