“Finally Here” Songbook
Escape From the Mitre Box
Steven Kalas
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Live As If
Steven Kalas
See my list of all the reasons to quit
Not smooth enough, tough enough, inferior fit
And all the voices saying why don’t you just step aside
How dare you dare to reach so high, they’re asking for my suicide
Always one hand open, the other a fist
I guess I’ll have to live as if
See me tearing up my list
See my beloved and me in a bitter rift
Trying to remember why this love is such a gift
I want to fly away and find me something easier
I don’t feel much in love right now; what did I ever see in her
What do we hold on to while we search for what we missed
I guess we’ll have to live as if
I think we’re called to live as if
As if it matters that we live
As if it matters when we love
As if it matters ...
When we offer something beautiful
Stand against some ugliness
Endure the days of emptiness
We can live as if we’re loved
Absurdity, anomaly, a sand that always shifts
All the evidence says life is meaningless
I’ve tried to face reality, to live my life the way life is
So now I’ve seen reality but I’m not sure how real it is
I’m left with this bit of foolishness
I prefer to live as if
I will try to live as if
Cello arrangement: Scott Ramer
Vocal arrangement: Kirsten Keilty/Temple Hall
Percussion: Dave Romero
Produced by Stacy Henry & Steven Kalas
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Some Place Cold
Steven Kalas
Something inside of you is broken
I don’t know how many people see
But I’ve come here to offer you a token
A warning of what’s about to be
I don’t rise easy to the warrior
But lady you’ve awakened him in me
Never have I seen the like before you
If I were you I’d run away from me
You’re a liar
And the fire
That you started here just isn’t mine to hold
You’re a liar
You built the pyre
And the flames around you come from some place cold
Something inside of you is broken
I’m saying that there’s something wrong with you
I could have left these ugly words unspoken
But the broken in you can’t leave me alone
Percussion: Lenny Lopez
Vocal arrangements: Kirsten Keilty/Temple Hall
Produced by Stacy Henry & Steven Kalas
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Where the River Goes
Steven Kalas
Wonder, full of wonder
How the river knows the way
How the water longs to take you to the banks of each new day
Your heart’s desire, empty
Next to what the river knows
If only you would learn to trust where the river goes
So thrash the water with your will
Cling to shorelines, fearful still
But the invitation’s yours to just let go
Before you swim the river
There is something you should know
You’ll be dashed and broken sometimes in the rapid flow
The river means to polish you
To make you something more
To shape you into someone whom you’ve never met before
So spin in eddies of your will
Dam the water, fighting still
But the invitation’s yours to just let go
Wonder, full of wonder
Let the river flow today
Life is so much better now that I’m out of the way
Is it hard to swim the river
That’s what people want to know
Only if you’re swimming where the river doesn’t go
Percussion: Lenny Lopez
Vocal arrangements: Temple Hall
Produced by Steven Kalas
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Threshing Floor
Steven Kalas
Your life a slow and boring suicide
Big bowl of circumstance, that’s where you hide
Life can be beautiful, but there’s a catch
You need an arsonist, shall I strike the match
Here’s the strangest wish I ever wished for lover or a friend
And I’ll understand if you misunderstand this wish I send
I wish you chaos and the fire and the wrenching of the womb
I hope some misery grabs you by the neck and drags you from the tomb
And when this life is finished shaking you across the threshing floor
It’s not likely that you’ll ever choose the life you had before
Here’s the strangest wish I ever wished for someone that I love
But if ever there was someone whom this wish was thinking of ...
Don’t think I’m angry or the least upset
I’m your biggest fan, your staunch advocate
But sometimes Love’s the demolition man who comes upon the scene
And decides to clear the way to build a life as yet unseen
Vocal arrangements: Temple Hall/Steven Kalas
Percussion: Lenny Lopez
Produced by Stacy Henry
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Innocence
lyrics: Steven Kalas
music: Steven Kalas and D.R. Wilke
I see you on the swing, taking wing
I can see that life is beautiful to you
You can’t see the future as I do
And that’s a good thing
You completely lost in innocence
Abandoned to the zen of happiness
Celebrating life without pretense
A while longer
You play today as one still in the garden
How precious are these days without a clue
But on the day you reach for your desire
You will see that you are naked too
So soon they come to interrupt your play
To teach you how to live another way
Calculating every move you make
Learning how to hide from your mistakes
How to earn the love you take
God only knows who made this birthday cake
A closet full of fig leaves by mistake
Some rite of passage
Fender Precision Bass: Blaise Sison
Gallagher Acoustic Guitar: D.R. Wilke
Vocal arrangements: D.R. Wilke
Percussion: Lenny Lopez
Produced by Steven Kalas
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All the Angels Come
Steven Kalas
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Created For You
Steven Kalas
Daisies bloom to make you smile, darling
Sunsets linger, showing off for you
Cactus blooms crown silent sentries watching
Songbirds bid you welcome afternoon
Ponderosa pine trees whisper love songs
Meadows call the little girl in you
Snow-capped mountains twinkle frozen greetings
Thunder booms a brave salute to you
Well I watch you watching life surround you
And I see you see the Maker’s hand
With the gladness of a child just awoke on Christmas morn
You tear the wrapping from each day
All you see is given here to bless you
To make you smile, to stand in awe of God
And if you find great joy in her creation
Then you know the joy I find in you
Then you know how much I love you, too
Flute arrangement: Scott Ramer
Vocal arrangements: D.R. Wilke
Acoustic bass: Blaise Sison
Produced by Steven Kalas
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Born to Love You
Steven Kalas
There’s one thing for sure, I don’t know a lot about the future
Anonymity or fame or some ol’ slice of white bread in between
Only one thing for sure has destiny been kind enough to show me
It’s that win or lose, live or die – I was born to love you
Here inside my mind, friends and enemies both implore me
Am I worth a damn, will I do the things I came to do
But destiny is sweet to me, she lights at least one path for me
Whatever more, rich or poor – I was born to love you
My heroes in life all had a calling
A mission to change the world
But my holy grail, I find this morning
Waking up next to this girl
I’m called to love this girl
There’s one thing for sure, a crystal ball sure makes a lousy compass
A guard at Buckingham, a muted tour guide who just stares at me
But I’m a lucky man for in my hand I find another kind of compass
Lose my way, night or day – I set my course to love you
Let the heroes change the world – I was born to love you
I was born to love you
Vocal arrangements: Kirsten Keilty/Temple Hall
Produced by Stacy Henry
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I’ll Wash Your Lover’s Car
lyrics: Steven Kalas
music: Steven Kalas and Roger Lee
First time, I’ll be braver
Next time, I won’t waver
Third time, do me favor please
Fourth time, I can take it
Fifth time, I just fake to fake it
Six times and it drives me to my knees
I aim to please
I’ll wash your lover’s car
I’ll cast my joy away
I’ll sacrifice until you stay
I’ll wash your lover’s car
I’ll make the whitewalls shine
Then you will see that you are mine
I aim to please
This love’s gonna make it
Even if I have to fake it
Even if it drives me to my knees
I aim to please
Seven times, I’ll try harder
Eight times, plea and barter
Nine times, a joyful martyr, me
Ten times, I’ll be patient
Check your story, secret agent
I bleed better than the Nazarene
You say you love me
And then you just shove me
Away ‘cause you need space
My heart in my face
Phone rings, you want me
Love when you haunt me
I’ll wash your lover’s car today
I aim to please
Vocal arrangements: Temple Hall/Steven Kalas
Percussion: Gino Garcia
Produced by Stacy Henry
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The Star
Steven Kalas
It’s time to see the star again
To ponder whether anything is changing
To give this life a chance again
To open up a window for the soul
And just like this time last year
That same star will turn and say
Will you bring your gift to the birth of love
Or just turn and walk away
Every now and then a star shines brightly
And hovers over a new chance to live life differently
Born today is an outrageous possibility
What if we were loved and darkness was redeemed
Maybe then we wouldn’t have to clutch and grab at things
Maybe then we could embrace our joys and sufferings
Do we dare believe that love created everything
‘Tis the season to go wandering after the star
Soprano saxophone: Rocko Barbados
Additional vocals: Ken Gold
Vocal arrangements: Louie Merlino
Percussion: Joe Bergerone
Produced by Ken Gold
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Serenading Juliet
lyrics: Steven Kalas and Bill Shakespeare
music: Steven Kalas
The stars entreat your eyes tonight
To twinkle in their spheres
They’ve business elsewhere at great heights
They’ll not want the earth to fear
You stand there on your balcony
Wondering where I might be
I stand below you in the garden night
Hoping that you’ll see me
Oh fair Juliet
Soon this angry world will look the other way
And then I’ll climb these walls
And we’ll step out into the day
You lay your cheek upon your hand
You lift our love as a kite
If I were a glove upon that hand
I’d cradle your beauty tonight
You speak, oh bright angel; what of that
Did I hear you calling my name
Call me but love and I’ll turn my back
Love me and hear this sweet refrain
Percussion: Dave Romero
Flute arrangement: Steven Kalas
Vocal arrangement: Steven Kalas/Temple Hall
Produced by Steven Kalas
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I Will Never Go
Steven Kalas
Well the days they’re mostly happy, and the nights they seem so strong
But still we don’t know how trust that we belong
And I know that you’re afraid today; its there behind your eyes
Even now do you prepare your heart for me to say that I must go
Well we’re quite a pair, our love is true; we treat each other well
But part of you is poised to tell me “go to hell”
While I do not know the magic words to send your fear away
There is one thing that I can say, and if you’d like I’ll say it every day
I love you and I’ll never leave you
Put your weapons down
My thoughts and dreams may wander, sure
But I know what I’ve found
I have a friend in you I never had before
I love you, woman, and I will never go
The things I say to you right now, I’ve never said before
I’ve always had one restless foot hanging out the door
But I’ve closed those doors and windows tight; I’ve got no place to go
If you doubt me as we sleep tonight, just wake me and I’ll let you know
Produced by Steven Kalas
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To Be Loved
Steven Kalas/Paul Taylor
It pays you to love me
It costs you to love me
A trainwreck of angels and lye
I push you to panic
I offer you solace
The wonder is that you still try
You slay me, you save me
A ruthless beloved
Provoking the tears that you dry
An anchor, a catapult
In the same dress
Renders me helpless to lie
Is this how it’s done
Is this how we run
What’s less romantic than love
The peace, the unrest
Of course we are blessed
Some days it just hurts to be loved
To be loved
Can I hear my own refrain
Love is real, at times insane
Sets you free to wear a chain
All the joy and all the pain
You are here to wake me
You come to take me
Away from my greeting card life
Now it comes clear to me
The source of our agony
Love is the name of our strife
Vocal arrangements: Temple Hall
Produced by Ken Gold
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Finally Here was recorded at Digital Insight Studios in Las Vegas, Nevada
Recording Engineer: Matt “Lou” Salveson
Mixing Engineer: Jeff Basso
Finally Here was finalized at Sound Ward Studios in Titusville, Florida, and mastered at Zone Productions Studio in Melbourne, Florida
Mastering Engineer: Mark Brasel
Photography: Carlo Roncancio
Executive Producer: Jackie Robinson & Stavros Entertainment
Promotion: Fred Migliore/Fast Forward Artist Promotion
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