Norine Braun

Now & Zen (a hard hitting number with a strong bass line and the listener expects they are about to hear a CD in the Alternative genre)

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"a hard hitting number with a strong bass line and the listener expects they are about to hear a CD in the Alternative genre" Dennis Halsey The Best Female Musicians

I lie and wait for the sleep that wont come Counting the truths in the lies that are done You filled with light You shine on shadow frights You I lie and wait for the sleep that wont come Now and Zen I follow Now and Zen I lead you too Now and Zen I am always Now and Zen I never was You steadfast strong You hang on notions great you I lie and wait for the sleep that wont come In the nighttime we will race forever With the stars that never die I’m not alone mere flesh and bone We can comb the skyways Ransack sideways Spinning on absurdities That tether peace You are release Now and Zen I follow Now and Zen I lead you too Now and Zen I am always Now and Zen I never was © Norine Braun All Rights Reserved

Jade

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Jade was inspired by the novel Jade Peony by Wayson Choy. I read the novel in 2003 and was deeply moved. I loved many things about the story and what stood out for me was the rich character development and the universality of those character’s feelings. It was the first time I had read a novel with the setting of Vancouver the city where I live and also a story with the Chinese Canadian point of view. I found The Jade Peony historically fascinating and felt Wayson Choy transported me back in time. In my song each verse is about each of the 3 sections of the novel. It is difficult if not impossible to condense a novel into a song so I tried to capture the essence and feelings the story evoked in me that mirrored my own life. The chorus is representative of the grandmother in the story and the wise woman in all of us. Symbolically it is that part that gets handed down to the future generations and never dies.The first section is about the little girl and the old man and that deep connection and the sudden loss or abandonment she experiences. The second verse is about longing and being who we really are. The young man struggles with his sexual identity and his forbidden desires. The final verse is about the boy and his neighbour babysitter, their secrets, bonding and the insanity of war and racism and how though young, his eyes and soul are very wise and have seen much pain and sorrow . The boy also follows his intuitive self which I find admirable. JADE
For her Monkey King
She would dance and sing
Put on the show
He'd hobble with his canes
They would play her games
A bandit's love grows

More than just a girl
He would rule her world
She waited there
But old man in a hurry
Left with bones to bury
Her heart was breaking

Jade
Washes clean
Hangs in the sky
Jade peony won't die
Jade
Like oceans in the sun
Forever

Fighter second son
Sole adopted one
The loyal boy
Came from tragedy
Banished memory
Kept fading slowly

Star-crossed and attuned
Learned he was the moon
His idol sun
Hiding never speak
Or be found he's weak
His longing burning

Jade
Washes clean
Hangs in the sky
Jade peony won't die
Jade
Like oceans in the sun
Forever

When the baby came
Jealous eyes were tamed
When ill lungs cried
Coddled and caressed
Grew up and impressed
The neighbour's maiden

Witness to her risk
Mortal lover's kiss
He'd never tell
She loved the enemy
Blood stained misery
As she lay dying

Jade
Washes clean
Hangs in the sky
Jade peony won't die
Jade
Like oceans in the sun
Forever.......


©Norine Braun SOCAN
All Rights Reserved

Intimate Hour

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INTIMATE HOUR
Intimate hour become surreal power hour
Intimate hour become surreal power hour

I can’t take you there
I’ll take you anywhere but there

You play host to ghosts in my head
You’re my feared projection
I’m the lonely overhead
Self conflicted, self indulged, self imposed, misled
You catch me sighing, lying, hiding beneath the crushing
To be so close and not quite touching
To be so close, to be so close without....

I can’t take you there,
I’ll take you anywhere but there
I’ll be along for the ride
I’ll learn to take it in my stride
I’ll be along for the ride

Intimate hour become surreal power hour (3 more times)

Now you are my mother
Now you’ve become my lover
Mother Lover
I’m just a mother fucker
All these symbols falling out of my head
Is archetypal Self
like Carl Jung said?
What do you do when you’re told God’s dead?
Do I keep talking to you instead?
I should, I could, I would
If a wood chuck could chuck wood
Meaning No meaning
Meaning No meaning

I can’t take you there,
I’ll take you anywhere but there
I’ll be along for the ride
I’ll learn to take it in my stride
I’ll be along for the ride

Where are you now?
How do you feel today?
I understand
Where do we go from here?

Intimate hour become surreal power hour
Intimate hour become surreal power hour
Intimate hour become surreal power hour
Intimate hour become surreal power hour

Dig down deep
Give me something real
Now dig down deeper
Give me something real
Fill my cup ‘til my cup runs over
My time is up
Your time is up and over
Overcome not overjoyed
I’m ripped open wide
Now I got to get going
Get it going outside Get it going outside

I can’t take you there,
I’ll take you anywhere but there
I’ll be along for the ride
I’ll learn to take it in my stride
I’ll be along for the ride (again)

Intimate hour become surreal power hour
Intimate hour become surreal power hour......

©Norine Braun SOCAN
All Rights Reserved.

Buffalo Nights

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J'en Suis Desolee

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 J'en Suis Desolee is broken French for I am sorry I do not speak French. The song for me is about movement as spiritual practice, being proud of who you are, about communicating even if you don’t speak the language (symbolically and literally) or others don’t understand what you are trying to say. The French chorus came from a little spiel I once said thousands of time when I was a long distance overseas telephone operator(my first job out of high school). In my failed attempts to understand those fast talking French Canadians and convey my apologies at my ineptness at the beautiful language I had composed my sentence which years later became a chorus. 

There ya go the long and the short of it. 
Cheers, 
Norine

J'EN SUIS DESOLEE J'en suis desolee. Je ne parlez pas francais. J'en suis desolee. Je ne parlez pas francais. J'en suis desolee. Je ne parlez pas francais. J'en suis desolee. Je ne parlez pas francais. J'en suis desolee. Je ne parlez pas francais. J'en suis desolee. Space in the molecular Indelible spectacular We ride the Milky Way Infinitely swayed Me and the seven sisters Got separated, Antiquated We avoided The shaded and the jaded They never created Only looked for hooks and crooks While millions die in their cerebral sky Rationalizing why Cynics don't cry They deny To feel they'd die Which side of the screen do you live on? Who milks your thoughts ? Why are you asleep? Do you hear me? CHORUS To see your own shadow you have to see your own light. Don't believe the right and everything they hand you Question everything And if they brand you Where the label proud and know what you stand for Believe in something a credo, a vision, a prayer For when you despair on the horizon It is still your decision to withstand derision or cataclysm becomes your ism We the seven sisters we dance and no one catches us Dance until the fever scratches us Dance to feel what matches us We dance to come home You know what I'm saying? CHORUS Walked miles in one's footsteps found the blind can't lead I looked for wisdom in meanings of words that never cease I rubbed the belly of the buddha Wished for luck to meet me in time, one more time When I dance in the darkness or the lightness moves my soul divine, One more time,one more time © Norine Braun SOCAN

I'm The 1

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Survival of the Richest

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Gently

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GENTLY
Oh gently, she said gently for your soul
Gently, find the path and where to go
Don't lose direction
You know there's always hope
Open up doors, examine all that's close

She had to learn how to fight
Taking chances in the night
She had lost herself again
She couldn't play those heavy games

Gently, gently for your soul
Gently, find the path and where to go
Don't lose direction
You know there's always hope
Open up doors, examine all that's close

She knew she was far
She couldn't get back so easily
She would organize her sources
She would try to break the chains

Gently, gently for your soul
Gently, find the path and where to go
Don't lose direction
You know there's always hope
Open up doors, examine all that's close

She wouldn't give up the struggle
She wouldn't cash in all her chips
She would finally realize
She's got fire inside her eyes

Gently, gently for your soul
Gently, find the path and where to go
Don't lose direction
You know there's always hope
Open up doors, examine all that's close
Gently, gently for your soul
Gently

©Norine Braun SOCAN All Rights Reserve

Maya

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MAYA

Maya, Mother Maya
I know why the caged bird sings
Oh Maya, Mother maya
I know why the caged bird sings
Maya, Mother maya
I know why the caged bird sings
Oh Maya, Mother Maya
I know why the caged bird sings

©Norine Braun

Understanding

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Understanding


In your eyes of misconception
I try and find the one exception
But only see through your deception

And in the background I see
I’d rather be there with you
Than alone with me

Through your lips of wrong presumptions
I try and find the right assumption
But only find i’m your consumption

And in the background I find
You were never too unkind
Only lost in fantasy
Or was it always only me

Understanding
Give me back again
Your love
DIg in
Reassure me
Take me back again
Hold on
Singing

ANd in your thoughts of grand illusions
I try and find the end of confusion
But only see there is no conclusion

Understanding
Give me back again
Your love
DIg in
Reassure me
Take me back again
Hold on
Singing

©Norine Braun SOCAN All Rights Reserved.

Maya

Be Brave

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"'Be Brave' was a song I wrote a couple of weeks after my father's death, I was trying to make sense and be brave of losing someone I love and of my own immortality. the impermanence of life, how we must say goodbye to everyone and everything and that nothing is forever.

In the name of love We must face this night We will build the fires Of eternal light For the day will come When survivors none We will walk alone In the setting sun When we take that step We can still be brave For the love we take Is the love we gave Yes, When we take that step We can still be brave For the love we take Is the love we gave And if we live our lives With this thought in mind We will not be lost We will just be kind ©Norine Braun SOCAN ALl TIghts Reserved

Lucky 13

Move The Clouds

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Move The Clouds

Two ravens circled overhead
A feather fluttered down and led
Me to the beach
Where you were there

And for a moment I was 10
My hands in pocket
A stupid grin
I said hello, you said goodbye
You couldn’t stay for long
Time had come, calling you in psalms

I stumbled fast to get away
The waves came crashing down to say
This is a chance to give away
How I move the clouds
I could show you how I can move the clouds

With all the courage I could muster up
I ran back to you and said look up
I’ll sing these songs then watch the sky
I can move the clouds
I can move the clouds

You said it was a sign that we should meet that day
Your blue eyes glistened ina most peculiar way
And I’ll hang on to all that you said
And I’ll hang on to all that we did

You said it was a sign that I could shape the sky
I learned impermanence and again must say goodbye
And I’ll hang on to all that you said
And I’ll hang on to all that we did
And I’ll hang on to all that you said

Two ravens circled overhead
A feather fluttered down and led
Me to the beach
Where you were there
I can move the clouds
Where you were there
I can move the clouds

© Norine Braun SOCAN All Rights Reserved.