We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Ghost Bones

by Phyllis Sinclair

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $7 CAD  or more

     

1.
O Land 04:17
Ancestral place, motherland home, Flesh of creation, skin of my bones Breath of my lungs, heartbeat of my chest, Water and blood of those long at rest In a rush of the four winds, I hear you come near Without hesitation you meet with me here Through path-parting grasses you walk to my side Open your arms, welcome your child O land, land of my birth Life-breathing land, life-giving worth You run through my veins, help me to stand O Land, land of my birth In quiet communion where time has no hold I lift you my offering, you nourish my soul Seed of tomorrow, life blood from the past Take in the four winds the gift of my thanks O land, land of my birth Life-breathing land, life-giving worth You run through my veins, help me to stand O Land, land of my birth Kaki nokowi uski, Kischi nokawi uski neki Kakinow nechi inninewuk nekinan nitaskiminan Ke pimatisihinan Ninanan ki chiwasimisuk Manitou kahnaweyniminan Nininaskomitinan Manitou O land, land of my birth Life-breathing land, life-giving worth You run through my veins, help me to stand O Land, land of my birth, O Land, land of my birth Ancestral place, motherland home, Flesh of creation, skin of my bones
2.
Hush little baby, don’t you cry 
Gonna find you baby by and by 
 Won’t let you lie out in the cold, 
Down some unhallowed road undignified 
Unhallowed road undignified 
 Miss you my babe, I miss your smile, 
(I) sit on your empty bed and we talk awhile 
I reach my hand out into space, 
Close my eyes to touch your face, but I’m denied
 Touch your face, but I’m denied Every night its the same old thing 
 Look out my window and I start to sing 
I wonder which direction that I just haven’t tried 
I howl, I moan, I wail, I weep, I cry 
Its my unforgotten lullaby, Unforgotten lullaby 
My little baby, where can you be?
 Every night I hear you cry out, in my sleep 
I sit up straight and I listen close
 Was that the wind? Was it your ghost crying out for me? 
Was it your ghost crying out for me? 
Every night its the same old thing 
 Look out my window and I start to sing
 I wonder which direction that I just haven’t tried 
I howl, I moan, I wail, I weep, I cry 
Its my unforgotten lullaby, 
Unforgotten lullaby
 Unforgotten lullaby,
It’s my baby’s lullaby
3.
Another one gone, another walks free One mother cries, “how can this be?” No recompense for her star blanket son Taken at the hand of everyone Bang, bang, blanket and stones No redemption when a blindfold has holes Cover up the stain with gavels and robes Forgive the doubt in your soul Weigh it down in blankets and stones River runs deep, one turns to go Leaving one there sinking below High cheek bone smile, put out in the night No one has paid, can this be right? Bang, bang, blanket and stones No redemption when a blindfold has holes Cover up the stain with gavels and robes Forgive the doubt in your s-o-u-l Weigh it down in blankets and stones 
Weigh it down, weight it down in you soul Weigh it down, weight it down in you soul Your child and mine, ours to defend Children of life, of innocence Bang, bang, blankets and stones No redemption when a blindfold has holes Cover up the stain in gavels and robes Forgive the doubt in your soul Weigh it down in blankets and stones In blankets and stones In blankets and stones In blankets and stones In blankets and stones
4.
She closed her bedroom window, her curtains fell in place She straightened back her thinning hair, courage lit her face This summer storm is nothing, I’ve lived worse through the years The storms of life she’d weathered, made my worries disappear She said, weathered wings still fly high Climb the wind, sail the skies Weathered wings, don’t ask why Weathered wings know they’ll never learn if they never try He walked out to the backyard, looked out to the west (He) said the years that he worked the land, were the years that he loved best The South wind dried the windrows, bought hail that did them in But, he wouldn’t change one day out there in the Manitoba wind She said, weathered wings still fly high Climb the wind, sail the skies Weathered wings, don’t ask why Weathered wings know they’ll never learn if they never try When storms of life start blowing, bring a chilling cold Rattles at my shallow breath, and hope that holds my soul I look out for a reason, to catch the wind and fly One day I’ll look back on this time and understand the why She said, weathered wings still fly high Climb the wind, sail the skies Weathered wings, don’t ask why Weathered wings know they’ll never learn If they never try She said, weathered wings still fly high Climb the wind, sail the skies Weathered wings, don’t ask why Weathered wings know they’ll never learn if they never try Weathered wings know they’ll never learn if they never try

5.
Ghost Bones 03:21
Parchment ghosts ride between - sweetgrass and stars Slipping forward - on muddy roads and dusty cars They - shot for the moon, but their phantom autograph Keeps their eyes looking back, Keeps their eyes looking back Hallowed halls below, celebrate the lottery Hide the x’s - Keep the dough under lock and key But a - five dollar bill, will never pay the price For a key to paradise, for a key to paradise Give Bones to our Ghosts, Don’t tie them to here below, Let them travel home Give Bones to our Ghosts, Let them know you know They paid with their souls , They paid with their souls No sign the were here, No sign that they gave, No sign of the sacrifice they made Words unrealized tie spirits to the earth Break the shackles, give credit to their word Hear their spirits moan for the people down below Show spirit riders home, show spirit riders home Give Bones to our Ghosts, Don’t tie them to here below, Let them travel home Give Bones to our Ghosts, Let them know you know They paid with their souls, They paid with their souls They paid with their souls
6.
Waiting for night to find my way out of the dark Watching the sun strike sparks that turn into stars I wait for your light to appear, beacon of the atmosphere Going home Star Unchanging star you carve out a path for my feet When I can’t find my way you point a direction for me Hope for the lost to be found, guiding the way to familiar ground Going Home star Hunter and whaler, traveller and sailor know Wait for the night time, wait for the northern glow Leading me home, Going home star Motionless circle of light now No other star plays your role On the stage of the millions of light beams Only you in your stillness give life giving hope to the soul Going home star, a saviour to lost down below From stars, here we came, to stars back we will go Gate to ones that I love, here on the earth, and those up above Going Home Star Hunter and whaler, traveller and sailor know Wait for the night time, wait for the northern glow Leading you home, Going home star Going home star, Going home star Going home star, Going home star
7.
Hurry Brother don’t look back, run like a deer for the woods Hurry brother don’t look back, run like a deer for the woods About this time they’ll know that we’re gone, They’re gonna do what is “for our own good” I’m tired of working in the paid man’s field, They pay him for his so-called home Four years working like a chain gang mule, I’m only twelve years old. R-u-u-u-u-u-n, brother, run Up ahead in the Jack Pine, brother, wolves and the coyote bay They’re hungry for a taste of fresh blood, brother, Better save a breath to pray Sleep will be light in that timberline, Fear will chew our bones! But, I’d rather spend a night shivering in the dark, Than warm in cold, hell-hole R-u-u-u-u-u-n, brother, run Run Brother Run, The hounds are barking at our heels They need someone to till the fields, Bale the hay, cob the corn Work the moon and early morn, Run brother run, we’ll make it home Don’t slow down, night falls coming, to hide us from the hunter’s trail Those thin slit eyes that stare us to the ground, Won’t stop until we’re back in their hell Ice water fills my gum boots brother, Tree limbs they tear my clothes My lungs burn hot like a back-handed slap, My feet are bitter cold Ru-u-u-u-u-un, brother run Run Brother Run, The hounds are barking at our heels They need someone to till the fields, Bale the hay, cob the corn Work the moon and early morn, Run brother run, we’ll make it home Did you hear last night in the dim twilight, distant voices closing in I swore we were found, but with howls around, We were Daniel in the lion’s den Hackles raised up high baying in the dark, They sacrificed their skin for our bones Now I’d rather trust a den of blood hungry wolves, Than wolves hidden in sheep’s clothes R-u-u-u-u-u-n, brother, run Run Brother Run, The hounds are barking at our heels They need someone to till the fields, Bale the hay, cob the corn Work the moon and early morn, Run brother Run, we’ll make it home, Run brother run, we’re almost home R-u-u-u-u-n, brother, run R-u-u-u-u-n, brother, run R-u-u-u-u-n, brother, run
8.
Shimmering light sweeping down, 
Lift my eyes to watch the milky heavens dance around Across a freckled canvas where stars and green-eyed moon Try as they might, can’t hold a lamp to you Try as they might tonight, can’t hold a lamp to you Your veil of cafe curtains light the snow Your neon hem becomes four rivers, winding as they go Green as a mountain meadow, white as a summer bloom I stand below your grand display, on a night time afternoon Stand before your grand display, on a midnight afternoon Wawatay eh nimihitocik Cipayuk eh nimihitocik Wawatay eh nimihitocik Ispimihk It’s said that you’re an Earth-gone living soul Come on down to dance a fancy dance and say hello Wild as a rearing stallion, soft as a flowing mane Watch you dance over the sky, move away then back again Watch you fading out of sight, heading back to where you came
 Wawatay eh nimihitocik Chipayuk eh nimihitocik Wawatay eh nimihitocik Ispimihk
9.
The Sail 03:24
They say that you and I don’t work together well Looks like you and I we have some rumours to dispel Different styles, different taste Doesn’t mean we can’t relate, we can make this better if we try They say this boat is sinking, its just a matter of time Split by indecision, leaky alibis We can do the fixing, if we stop to listen Find a way to turn this, you and I I’ll be the hammer, you be the nail, I’ll be the water, you be the sail Strip old boards to save our lives, Work together, to make it right I will be the water, you the sail Holes in rusty timbers, surrender the shore Ignore the looming tempest, suffer the storm We can stop the drifting, if we start believing Make this tired vessel something more I’ll be the hammer, you be the nail, I’ll be the water, you be the sail Strip old boards to save our lives, Work together, to make it right I will be the water, you the sail Sail on, to some where new Sail on, me and you and….. I’ll be the hammer, you be the nail, I’ll be the water, you be the sail Strip old boards to save our lives, Work together, to make it right I will be the water, won’t let this boat go under, no-no I will be the water, you the sail You the sail You the sail

about

Suffused with prismatic cinematism, this nine song album pools a daring look at Indigenous realities ranging from social justice to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, juxtaposed with dancing northern lights, and going-home stars. Its spacious tribal atmospheric-ism subterfuges the hard-hitting depth of its topicality. While stars and northern lights may appear to divert from the album's ethos, on the contrary. These songs point to the power of her culture's spirituality, utilizing mythology, and astronomy to teach and sustain through centuries of deprivations and afflictions.

credits

released June 21, 2021

Produced/Engineered by Stew Kirkwood

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Phyllis Sinclair Edmonton, Alberta

Distinguished by Maverick Magazine as a "A Lady of Conviction" singer-songwriter, Phyllis Sinclair taps on the conscience of the established ethos to flag distinctions and inequities under a brilliant banner of song. With seraphic vocals she charmingly disarms, soliciting a self-imposed metamorphosis to transform old ways of thinking into new possibilities. ... more

contact / help

Contact Phyllis Sinclair

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Phyllis Sinclair, you may also like: