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In the Earth's Fading Light

by Kristina Stykos

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    This package features a jewel case with full color artwork, including a 12 page booklet with intro by Kristina & lyrics, and photos of all the players on the album.

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    Get all 7 Kristina Stykos releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of River of Light, Horse Thief, Wyoming Territory, Beautiful Blood, The Lost Tapes: 1982-1992, Raven, and In the Earth's Fading Light. , and , .

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1.
This I Know 03:35
THIS I KNOW Gonna be careful this time Gonna be careful with my Gonna be careful this time This I know Gonna be nobody’s fool Gonna make freedom my rule Gonna be careful this time This I know Oh sister, let’s go down Down, and touch this sacred ground Gonna be sober this time Gonna be clear in my mind Gonna be sober this time This I know Gonna raise up my eyes Gonna reach out to the sky Gonna be ready to fly This I know Oh brother, let’s go down Down, and touch this sacred ground Gonna be honest with you Gonna make words that are true Gonna let my love get through This I know Gonna dive into the stream Gonna make love ‘til I’m clean Gonna take hold of this dream This I know Oh sister, let’s go down Down, and touch this sacred ground
2.
3.
SWALLOW COME DOWN I am the swallow, I am in flight I have been flying all of the night The sea is raging, my wing is torn I am the swallow of the storm Swallow come down Swallow come down, down, down Swallow come down Off in the distance, is that a light? Could there be a flame on such a night? My heart is weary, but my will is strong Could there be a place for me to belong? (Chorus) Hurricane lantern coming in sight Her dancing and swinging is my delight Glistening oak tree, weathered and true She is the beacon that brought me to you (Chorus) Lend me your branches, let me come down Help me find solace on solid ground Let your arms open, let your eyes see Keep the love flowing , between you and me (Chorus)
4.
Like a Thief 04:52
LIKE A THIEF I do remember you You were a handsome sight A weathered fiddle tucked beneath your chin Working the streets at night You made them laugh, you liked your whiskey You saw many, many dawns like this Sunlight stretching the Atlantic To touch you with its kiss And the rain comes down, like a thief And runs into the ground Orion was high in the winter sky Now he’s buried with his crown A shabby daytime soldier you were A constellation in the dark Your tunes flew out over the empty stage Like shiny pennies from a jar Like a child expecting love You could always make one shed a tear You’d catch the hardest heart like a thistle down Spread your wings and disappear (Chorus) I cannot say I ever knew you well Or that you saw me when you looked my way Once you said: “Sing us a song!” And I turned away Your old coat still hung by the fire Your empty glass, so bright and clear I cannot say I ever knew your love But you were welcome here (Chorus) The night is over, the light is rising The stars are lazy in the sky The wild music and the dancings done Its time to stoke the dying fire September’s wood was green Now in the cold March wind it burns My voice has come back to me But I know you won’t return
5.
Three Jigs 04:02
6.
HEART OF THE DARK SEA When the days are shining, I will know you Touch my eyes to your horizon, walk your shore You are my light, gentle light, holy light You pierce my soul; with your strength, I am whole Turning this night in my hands, I do seek thee Torn like a page from the heart of the dark sea Where your hearth is swept clean, I will know you When your words all have been spoken, I’ll reply You are in flight, ragged bird, o’er the dark sea Look for the light, lonely man, you are now free Cradle the flame of this parting, your passage Take now the gift of my love from this message
7.
8.
YOU FOLLOW MY SOUL You follow my soul - wherever it goes Wherever I go You are my shadow of gold - steady as stone I am no longer alone One bright doorway into this life Many long roads to find you Sunlight reaching out like a hand You are the spirit of the land You are the water I drink - the passion I seek In the river so deep You are the tumbling flash - swimming so fast You hold the secrets I keep Nights of thunder - nights of shame Nights of steady soaking rain Only you know who I am You are my sacred land You are the heather in bloom - under the sky In a meadow so high You are the summoning call - of a raven blue From a broken stone wall Your old well is hidden by hills My tin cup is dipping there I’ll be with you ‘til I die Release my spirit as she flies
9.
THE DELAWARE SIDE It’s not hard to explain It’s just hard to feel this pain I was young; I was unafraid Drawn just like a moth into the flame He was standing by the fire, shaking off the snow Now I’m thinking that I done wrong – I guess I’ll never know His old coat was tattered and blue, his eyes shone like gold He knew the land like the back of his hand; he asked me to go I’m already gone, I’ll love you while the night is long I’m already free, free to take your love with me Oh, freedom My father forbid me to go
 Anywhere near the troops in town
 He said a girl’s proper place is at home 
 And that we owed it all to the crown But my blue soldier was my country, my blue soldier was king We lay down on the blade of his knife, he gave me his ring I looked up at his face so fair, our fates closer than twine I still feel the caress of his hair, falling I’m already gone, I’ll love you while the night is long I’m already free, free to take your love with me Oh, freedom I left under the cover of night To that empty place up the hollow I held close to my dark pony’s mane And proceeded to my sorrow His bare back in the pale moonlight, her form slipping away Curse the night and the bitter hand that I was forced to play Nevermore like an old plum tree, withered on the vine Nevermore, just the memory, of our sweetest times I’m already gone, I’ll love you while the night is long I’m already free, free to take your love with me Oh, freedom I was just seventeen on that day When they took my blue soldier away On my heart there a secret I wore Standing like a stone in the door Now I’m thinking that I done wrong, I can feel the shame Burning hot like a wasted fire, pouring down like rain Rain in the gutter or rain in the sea, ain’t no difference how Just one big old river of life, too wide to cross now I’m already gone, I’ll love you while the night is long I’m already free, free to take your love with me
10.
NEVER LAY IT DOWN I’ll tell you my story I’ll tell you what I can I’ll tell you for the record About an angry man He lied and he was a cheater Always sneaking around He lied and he was a cheater But I would not lay down His mind was like the devil He cursed me from the start His mind was like the devil And cunning was his heart He fooled me with deception He pressed me to the ground He tried to break my spirit But I would not lay down I would not lay down I would not lay down I would not lay down So all you tender ladies Who’re thinking that you can Believe me when I tell you You’ll never fix a man If his love is a weapon It’s not love that you’ve found You’d best pick up your pride now And never lay it down
11.
Broken Wings 05:53
12.
IN THE EARTH'S FADING LIGHT It’s a matter of life In the beak of a dove It’s a fountain of stars Releasing their love In the cascading light, I see you Through the sleet and the ice My way is revealed Like a terrible vast And mine-laden field I will fight for my soul and I will be healed Many nights there’s a glow But I cannot read If only my heart Could bring what I need From this window so high, carry me It’s a moment of choice There will be no command Just silver and gold Or dirt in our hands Like a fledgling must fly, so must I You have given me clues Precluding my fall I am given to fear But you are my all In the earth’s fading light, hear you my call Fly, fly fair Pleiades Place your kiss upon my brow, take me now
13.
Apogee 03:23
14.
SONG TO MY CHILDREN You are my son Your eyes are true When you were young I held you You held me too You’ve been my friend Who knew you’d grow And offer up a man For me to know Children be wise, be strong, be driven Open your eyes to what is hidden Offer your tears like rain from heaven Open your heart to what is given And you, my girl The feisty one Who in my pain I prayed for That you should come I walked alone the winter long You brought me warmth and wonder Somewhere to go (Chorus) And then came one My smallest joy Your brightness came unbidden Just like the sun Your spirit called And so you flew To earth and through our window In dancing shoes (Chorus)
15.
VALLEYS ALL OF BLUE It’s a coarse and a hungry country With valleys all of blue You can ride in the vale for hours And never rise to a view Each is weary traveler Each knows trouble and strife Each is a soul gone so low Lost to the meaning of life Here’s a toast to the men behind me Here’s a glass to the setting sun To all who have cared for me roughly ‘Til my feelings they were numb You who’ve said that you loved me While you took aim with your gun I regret to announce my departure Our parting now has come I look to the road less traveled Where the air has a shimmer and shine Where the clouds are never cast over And tears run sweet like wine Here I carry my burden Quickened by the sound Of a bird crying out to the north wind While the mountain streams come down
16.

about

This album combines Kristina’s eclectic talents as a celtic guitar stylist, songwriter and roots musician. She has gathered friends to make her first home-studio recording, one that is full of grit, passion, and honesty. The song topics cover torn apart relations, spiritual alienation, and inspired reconnection with the core of living.

credits

released January 1, 2005

IIn the Earth’s Fading Light © 2005 Kristina Stykos, Thunder Ridge Records, BMI. Produced by Kristina Stykos.

All songs/tunes written and arranged by Kristina Stykos © 2005, except for "Broken Wings" Composed and written by Dougie MacLean; published by Limetree Arts and Music (MCPS & PRS UK). Bela Fleck appears courtesy of Columbia Records.

Recorded by Kristina Stykos at Pepperbox Studio, Chelsea VT except for Karen Almquist’s track recorded at Red Rooster Studio, Berkeley CA, and Bela Flecks tracks recorded on the road. Edited, mixed and mastered by Corin Nelsen at Imaginary Road Studios, Windham County VT.

Kristina plays a ’56 Martin D-28, Froggy Bottom ’04 Koa/German spruce model K and ’03 Cuban Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce Model H-12 guitars, a Gibson junior mandolin and a Yamaha Keyboard.

Cover photo by Ethan Hubbard; Booklet design by Kevin Lyons.

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Kristina Stykos Chelsea, Vermont

Kristina is a music producer, recording engineer, songwriter, performer, podcaster and landscape gardener based in Vermont. Her recording studio, Pepperbox Studio, is solar, wind and generator powered. She has engineered & produced over 25 albums for herself and clients. Her songwriting and composing have been supported by the Ucross Foundation and Brush Creek Artist Residency in Wyoming. ... more

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