Albatross

Words and Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

The lady comes to the gate dressed in lavender and leather
Looking North to the sea she finds the weather fine
She hears the steeple bells ringing through the orchard
All the way from town
She watches seagulls fly
Silver on the ocean stitching through the waves
The edges of the sky

Many people wander up the hills
From all around you
Making up your memories and thinking they have found you
They cover you with veils of wonder as if you were a bride
Young men holding violets are curious to know if you have cried
And tell you why
And ask you why
Any way you answer

Lace around the collars of the blouses of the ladies
Flowers from a Spanish friend of the family
The embroid'ry of your life holds you in
And keeps you out but you survive
Imprisoned in your bones
Behind the isinglass windows of your eyes

And in the night the iron wheels rolling through the rain
Down the hills through the long grass to the sea
And in the dark the hard bells ringing with pain
Come away alone

Even now by the gate with you long hair blowing
And the colors of the day that lie along your arms
You must barter your life to make sure you are living
And the crowd that has come
You give them the colors
And the bells and wind and the dream

Will there never be a prince who rides along the sea and the mountains
Scattering the sand and foam into amethyst fountains
Riding up the hills from the beach in the long summer grass
Holding the sun in his hands and shattering the isinglass?

Day and night and day again and people come and go away forever
While the shining summer sea dances in the glass of your mirror
While you search the waves for love and your visions for a sign
The knot of tears around your throat is crystallizing into your design

And in the night the iron wheels rolling through the rain
Down the hills through the long grass to the sea
And in the dark the hard bells ringing with pain
Come away alone
Come away alone...with me.

All On A Wintry Night

Words and Music by Judy Collins, Denise Rich, Michael O'Hara
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

All On A Wintry Night
A bright star was shining down
Upon the little town of Bethlehem
The shepherds in their fields
Were amazed at the sound
Of angels singing in Jerusalem

The wise men made their way
Every traveling night and day
With myrrh and frankincense and gifts of gold
While Mary, meek and mild
Labored with her first born child
And Joseph sheltered with her from the cold

The angels and the animals
Were kneeling to His glory
To praise the Son of God
Come once upon a time
The promised Prince of Peace

The babe in swaddling clothes
In his mothers arms did sleep
Embraced within a lullaby of light
The angels sang on high
The song of heaven bright
Redemption came upon that blessed night

The trembling voice of shepherd
The harp that played a melody
And Joseph knew among the straw
The glory of divinity
The promised prince of peace

So let us sing his praise
The baby King of light
And make a place within our manger stall
His promise is renewed
Upon this Christmas night For you, for me, for shepherd King and all

The glory of this humble verse
Relieves us of our poverty
And we are rich in blessing
For He was born for you and me
The promised Prince of Peace

Angel On My Side

Words and Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

There was a time when the clocks all stopped
When the world just went away,
I didn't know if it was night or day.
I didn't know if there were clouds or fire in the sky,
I didn't wanna live if I could die.
Somewhere down the line I found myself up on that road,
Where the devil led me, I would go.
I had sold my soul for pleasure, 
Thinkin' it would last,
All my hopes had vanished in the past.

Lost, I was lost like a child in the dark,
Driftin' away with the tide.
God only knows how I made it back home.
I must have an angel on my side.

In the mornin' I'd wake up and shake my weary head,
Wonder where I'd been and what I'd said.
Was I on the River Styx for all eternity?
Would I drown forever in the sea?
Why did anyone keep livin', what was there to find?
I wanted just a little peace of mind.

Lost, I was lost like a child in the dark,
Driftin' away with the tide.
God only knows how I made it back home.
I must have an angel on my side.

Never had a flash of lightnin' comin' right at me,
One day I just know I woke up free.
The day was breakin', I was livin', 
I couldn't tell you why,
First I laughed and then I learned to cry.
Somethin' in my heart was sayin' you can reach the sky,
You just gotta live until you die.

Lost, I was lost like a child in the dark, 
Driftin' away with the tide.
God only knows how I made it back home.
I must have an angel on my side.
I must have an angel,
I must have an angel,
I must have an angel on my side.

At Times Like These

Words and Music by Judy Collins, Denise Rich, Michael O'Hara
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

Something in the world is shaking
Everywhere you looks, hearts breaking
Winds of change are blowing us apart
People in a wild confusion
Trusting in a grand illusion
Never face to face, or heart to heart

At times like these
Don't we all need to believe
That there is a higher power of love
At times like these
Don't we need to stop and listen
For the answer from the heavens above
At times like these

There used to be the old traditions
Rituals that gave us visions
That lifted us beyond our broken dreams
Ceremonies of the spirit
Close enough to almost hear it
How could they be so far out of reach

At times like these
Don't we all need to believe
That there is a higher power of love
At times like these
Don't we need to stop and listen
For the answer from the heavens above
At times like

Look a little closer
I'm your family
Children of the planet
There's hope for you and me
It's all there inside you
Take the time to see
If we bond together
We change our destiny

At times like these
Don't we all need to believe
That there is a higher power of love
At times like these
Don't we need to stop and listen
For the answer from the heavens above
At times like these

Bard Of My Heart

Words and Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

The summer was sweet
And the flowers were blooming
The wind was as gentle
And sweet as a kiss
The great Northern Lights
Danced above us till morning
The stars were like diamonds --
We each made our wish.

The mountains were green
And they climbed to the heavens
The rivers ran sparkling down to the sea
Your laugh like a bell
Filled my heart with such gladness
Our songs they were happy
Our voices were free

We built a green bower
Of willows and roses
Sang of our pleasures
And sang of our woes
How could we have known
This would be your last summer
How precious the bower
How precious the rose

The world without you
Has gone dark as the winter
The sounds of the river
Are frozen and still.
The lark has grown silent
The stars have no luster
But I'll live through this darkness
I know that I will.

I know I will find you
Among the bright flowers
We'll walk in the rain
And we'll dance in the wind
We'll build a green bower
And fish all the rivers
We'll watch the stars fall
And we'll smile once again.

I still love you more
Than the earth and its beauties
You are all my seasons, 
We never shall part.
For though I have lost you
You live on forever
Oh joy of my future
Oh child of my heart.

Beyond the Sky

Words and Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

Once there was a girl with a dream in her heart
Wild as the wind was her hope
In those far off days she could dream all she would
No one but her heart believed her hope
All she could do was to hold to her dream
Catching every rainbow's light
Praying for the miracle to come to pass
Even on the darkest night

That she would fly beyond the sky
Beyond the stars beyond the heavens
Beyond the dawn she'd carry on
Until her dreams had all come true

Once there was a woman with stars in her eyes
Flying on the wings of her dreams
She had come so far it was hard to believe
Changed the world from what it seemed
Equal to the ones who had claimed the sky
Now she flew with them beneath the sun
But she dared a dream beyond all her dreams
She would take the helm and be the one

A nd she would fly beyond the sky
Beyond the stars beyond the heavens
Beyond the dawn she'd carry on
Until her dreams have all come true

She had led the way beyond darkness
For other dreamers who would dare the sky
She has led us to believe in dreaming
Given us the hope that we can try

Now in the grace of her dance of delight
Shining in her destiny
Here is the promise for all our hopes
Telling us we can be free And we will fly beyond the sky

Beyond the stars beyond the heavens
Beyond the dawn we'll carry on
Until our dreams have all come true

To those who fly - we sing to you

Into the sky

Beyond the stars

We’ll reach our dreams

BIG SUR

Words and Music by Judy Collins
The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)

I know this stretch of road, I’ve been here often
The ocean rolls as far as you can see
The rocky coast is misty in the sunlight
Seagulls flying low are flying free    

Their wings are like my memories and desires
Spreading out to carry me along
And I remember everything that mattered
The times when I was weak instead of strong

Today the hills are restless with desire
They shudder, shaking all their blossoms free
The scent of dusty pines and Eucalyptus
Remind me of the time when I was me

I loved you like the sunlight on the ocean
Loved you like the seagulls in their flights
Loved you like the stars that shine in heaven
Loved you through the days and through the nights

I left you and the rocky coast behind me
Found a way to live without a heart
For I had left it throbbing in your keeping
And grew another, praying it would start

I hear the saints still pray along the ocean
I see the padres walking in the dawn
The bells of Capistrano ring to call them
To pray for us and sing their ancient song

Please pray for me you padres of the ocean
Pray I find my heart among the waves
For freedom’s left one panting for the bondage
And you can see the light beyond the grave

I loved you like the sunlight on the ocean
Loved you like the seagulls in their flights
Loved you like the stars that shine in heaven
Loved you thru the days and through the nights

I know this stretch of road, I’ve been here often
The ocean rolls as far as you can see
The rocky coast is misty in the sunlight
Seagulls flying low are flying free

Blizzard

Words and Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

Colorado, Colorado
When the world leaves you shivering
And the blizzard blows,
When the snow flies and the night falls
There's a light in the window and a place called home
At the end of the storm.

One night on the mountain I was headed for Estes
When the roads turned to ice and it started to snow,
Put on the chains in a whirl of white powder,
Half way up to Berthoud near a diner I know

And the light burned inside, shining down through the snowfall
God it was cold and the temperature droppin',
Went in for coffee and shivered as I drank it,
Warm in my hands in the steam as it rose.

Sitting there at the counter was a dark headed stranger,
Me and the owner and him keepin warm,
Nodded hello and I said it's a cold one
Looks like there might be a blizzard tonight -

And "yes", said the owner,"
There's a big storm on the mountain,
Good thing we're open, we could be here for hours
There's nothing for miles and it's too late to get to Denver,
Better not try for the summit tonight".

And the snow fell
And the night passed
And I talked to the strangers
While the blizzard blew.

Me and the stranger, you know I don't talk to strangers,
I'm a private sort of person but a blizzard is a blizzard,
And somehow I found myself saying you'd left me,
Tellin' him everything I wanted to say to you.

You know how it is when you can talk to a stranger,
Someone your quite sure you'll never see again -
Soon we were laughin', and talkin', and drinkin'
He said "you must know you're too good for him".

And the snow fell
and the night passed
And I talked to the stranger
while the blizzard blew.

The stranger said "Love it can cry you a river -
Me, I'm a loner cause I can't take the heartache
And sometimes I'm a fighter when I get too much whiskey -
Here have a little whiskey, pretend you don't give a damn -

My cabin's up here on the side of the mountain
You can go up there and sleep through the blizzard".
I put on my parka, said goodbye to the owner
Followed the stranger through the snow up the mountainside.

Woke in the morning to the sun on the snow,
My car was buried in six feet of snow drifts,
They dug me out, just the owner and the stranger,
Sent me on my way when the snowplow had been by

And the roads were all clear and the sun on the mountains
Sparkled like diamonds on the peak to peak highway -
Then I knew that I would get over you, knew you could leave me
But you'd never break me.

Colorado, Colorado
When the world leaves you shivering
And the blizzard blows,
When the snow flies and the night falls
there's a light in the window and a place called home
At the end of the storm.