The spark died out, as the day got colder.
This fire that once burned brightly fades as the nighttime creeps in slowly

And I promised you, that it would last forever.
But I bet all I had away, hoping to win someday, but that day it never came

But you told me of this place where we could go
Where someone told you long ago
To never lose the faith that brought you there
Not even for the promise of an heir

But darling there can’t be.
There’s no place, no place like this
And it ain’t for me.
I gave all I had; I’ve got nothing left
The promise has been broken; go get some rest.

So the night dragged on, and the skies they thundered.
Reaching out to all who wander, you weary dreamers to wonder no longer

For the skies don’t lie, to the lives of the hopeful.
Promising all that you’ve wanted, and all that you’ve needed to be yours completely.

And I know of this place where we could go
Where someone told me long ago
To never lose the faith that brought me there
Not even for the promise of an heir

And I know, 
That she’s waiting there for me.
Yeah I know,
For I hope in things unseen.
The promise will live on through her and me.

Now the fire burns on, guiding those weary dreamers
To where their hearts can rest, and their souls live on and on forever


Things Unseen

It's Friday night and I'm lonely, baby
Life on the road just drives me crazy
I wish you were here by my side

The sweet scent of your perfume, honey
Is the only drug that don't cost me no money
But still leaves me feelin' high

Oooh, when you're here, I feel alright

These long days workin', baby
Mean I ain't seen you lately
Your sweet scent's been on my mind

I try to give it up, honey
But I know someday I'll get lucky
And have the best of both these lives

That day's not here, but I feel alright

The riches of a king, don't mean a thing to me
I wish that you could see
I'd sell 'em all for you
But I don't know what I'd do
That dusty road is beckoning me home

It's Friday night and I'm lonely, baby
And I don't know what can save me
I'm just a man chasing a dream

You're not here
No, you're not here
Oh, you're not here
Oohhh...
But I feel alright

Friday Night Shuffle

The telephone ringing sends echoes through the night
A faceless voice brings news that don't feel right
Your momma and your papa ain't comin' home tonight
In the silence a young boy sits and wonders why

He knows nothing can bring them back to life
They never said this world was fair or kind
But he knows things can be better than they seem
In the silence a young boy sits and starts to dream

Just like the wolves cry in the night, singing songs that never die, though all that's listening is the moon
Though their presence may be gone, their hopes and dreams live on in you

So he's packing his bags and he's heading to the west
Where promises call with hope for what comes next
Yes he's payin' his dues, prayin' he'll make it through
In the silence a young man suits up and salutes

Just like the wolves cry in the night, singing songs that never die, though all that's listening is the moon
Though their presence may be gone, their hopes and dreams live on in you

The sun sets low upon the mountain side
As young kids run wild into the night
A job well done sir, you know what's next
In the silence an old man lays down to rest


In the Silence

A full moon shines o’er and old highway road 
I walk along the side where the wildflowers grow 
This two lane has taken me where I’d never been before 
A place lost somewhere between here and Mexico 

Oh and I long to find where the memories began 
Where the sun shone high over this promised land 
Been six years but I swore someday I’d return 
I guess I forgot of what once I was sure 
And they haunt me, oh they haunt me 

These memories play through my mind 
Endlessly 
And someday, I know they’ll leave forever 
Like whispers into the wind 
Just like whispers into the wind 

So I walked off the road, down by the riverside 
See the water run high, and glow in the light 
Dip my hands in to cleanse them of sin 
And the river rages on at the touch of my skin 
And I see them, I feel them 

These memories play through my mind 
Endlessly 
And someday, I know they’ll leave forever 
Like whispers into the wind 
Just like whispers into the wind 

These memories play through my mind 
Endlessly 
And someday, I know they’ll leave forever 
Like whispers into the wind 
Just like whispers into the wind 

Now you see life ain’t always how it appears 
I’ve been knocked down enough to know how that feels 
Tonight I’ll return to where it began 
Find freedom from these demons inside my head

Whispers Into The Wind

My girl came bustin’ through the door this mornin’ 
Said tonight’s the night we’re gonna break free 
We went out on a ride, lookin’ for some place to hide 
Trying to escape this life we left behind 

But my girl she got taken away from me, man 
And now there’s no sign of her coming back 
I’m stranded and alone, oh I got no place to go 
And all I want is you, to come and take me home 

But it’s cold and it’s dark in this city 
That adventure we had came to an end, honey 
But I still got debts to pay and nothing to give, babe 
I’ve got desires runnin’ deep through my viens 

And these romantic dreams just left me hungry 
I’m out here starvin’ for some help for your touch 
You know that’s all I’ve ever needed; no I’ve never wanted much 
But babe tonight I need you to come and take me home 

Broken hearts and dyin’ dreams fill these lonely streets 
Scournful glares and Wild Bill are my only company 
And ghosts still haunt me every day that prove to me my life’s the same 
As the day that we ran away 

Girl I know I was never your hero 
I’ve got no redemption to offer you, babe I know 
But if as you run away you hear this song and you think of me, 
I hope that you’re doin’ okay, now 
And babe I’ll promise you one thing that I’m the same old Joe I used to be 
Just sittin’ waiting for something… 
Girl I'm just sittin' here waiting... 
For you to come and take me home

Take Me Home

The telephone ringing sends echoes through the night 
A faceless voice brings news that don’t feel right 
Your momma and your papa ain’t comin’ home tonight 
In the silence a young boy sits and wonders why 

He knows nothing can bring them back to life 
They never said this world was fair or kind 
But he knows things can be better than they seem 
In the silence a young boy sits and starts to dream 

Just like the wolves cry in the night, singing songs that never die 
Though all that’s listening is the moon 
Though their presence may be gone, their hopes and dreams live on 
In you 

So he’s packing his bags and he’s heading to the west 
Where promises call with hope for what comes next 
Yes he’s payin’ his dues, prayin’ he’ll make it through 
In the silence a young man suits up and salutes 

Just like the wolves cry in the night, singing songs that never die 
Though all that’s listening is the moon 
Though their presence may be gone, their hopes and dreams live on 
In you 

The sun sets low upon the mountain side 
As young kids run wild into the night 
A job well done, sir, you know what’s next 
In the silence an old man lays down to rest

In The Silence

The wind starts to howl when the sun goes down 
And Johnny waits on the porch for his daddy to come home 
Each morning his dad leaves him all alone 
And at night he returns with a fire in his soul 

This fire burns with a passion so strong 
It loves when it’s warm but that don’t last long 
Cause it’ll rage, it’ll rage when it don’t get its way 
This fire no man can contain 

Blood is the tie that binds you to the place where you were born 
But it’ll ruin the man it keeps from a life of his own 
Sometimes you can’t go home 

So at night Johnny leaves while the city’s asleep 
Out to the edge of town where them wild boys meet 
They’re singin’ their songs about breakin’ through 
That threshold where their dreams’ll come true 

His dad will be waitin’ on the porch for him to come home 
He’s gonna make him feel that fire in his soul 
Oh it’ll rage, it’ll rage when it sees Johnny’s face 
Tellin’ him he needs to get his life straight 

Blood is the tie that binds you to the place where you were born 
But it’ll ruin the man it keeps from a life of his own 
Sometimes you can’t go home 

But Johnny ain’t gonna live no lie 
Or a life controlled by that fire inside 
So he packed his bags with all that he owned 
And he went to cross over that threshold 

Blood is the tie that binds you to the place where you were born 
But it’ll ruin the man it keeps from a life of his own 
Sometimes you can’t go home

Waiting On The Porch

September nights, I feel the ward wind on my face 
As I drive down a deserted highway five 
In my mind, I see a candle burning bright 
The only thing that keeps these worn-down wheels spinning right 

Ooooh, stereo on, this “Tunnel of Love” 
Singin’ loud like these words are a window to my soul 
Highway signs, pass me by, so I know 
Just a few hundred more miles ‘til I stand at your front door 

There’s something in the air that keeps me blowing to the north 
Like a compass beating red inside my chest 
I’ll always hear the call that draws me to a love so sure 
Like a blind man wandering aimlessly into the dark 

I see the trees, swaying softly in the breeze 
In the shade an empty seat brings me gently to my knees 
I feel the chill of her sweet breath on my neck 
Slowly drawing me deeper into her unrelenting web 

Some say no, as they watch me lose control 
You can warn a man so long, but in the end he still will go 

There’s something in the air that keeps me blowing to the north 
Like a compass beating red inside my chest 
I’ll always hear the call that draws me to a love so sure 
Like a blind man wandering aimlessly into the dark 

Her voice filled with empty whispers 
I’m a moth chasing after her light 
But when belief comes from listenin’ 
What happens when the light dies out? 

There’s something in the air that keeps me blowing to the north 
Like a compass beating red inside my chest 
I’ll always hear the call that draws me to a love so sure 
Like a blind man wandering aimlessly into the dark

September Nights

I come from the city, where you’re born to fit the mold 
And ever since I was young, I learned the hard way to trust no one 
Cause this town that shines like gold 
Will just strip you of the things that you own 
And up until now, I’ve kept my head down, walking over the cracks on the ground. 
But I wanna feel the hurt, the pain, the love, the heartbreak, this world’s got. 

These streets I walk down, they remind me, of all that I’ve lost 
See my favorite store window, boarded up, with signs that say closed 
And these memories they won’t haunt me 
If I promise myself to break free 
And up until now, I’ve lied to myself, saying this barren land felt like home 
But I know, that outside these walls, there lies something waiting for me 

And I ain’t got all the answers 
But I got my facts learned straight 
And up until now, I’ve been here wondering, could you get out if you try? 
And I might find that I’m wrong 
But It won’t be wasted time 
Cause up until now, I’ve sat here waiting, wasting away my only life 
So long my friends, I wish you well, and I’ll see you on the other side

Up Until Now

Spent seven hours singin’ ‘til the rain came
So it would wash away what’s left in my mind
You know I never wanted it to come to this
I always promised to never leave you behind

Left a couple roses by your front door
Signed my name on the porch hoping someday you’d see
One final farewell to the house I grew up in
Nothing left inside that means something to me

You spend your days askin’
How could I be leavin’?
Too many years things stay the same

I gotta know, can you get out
Of this gold rush town?

Drove a thousand miles without lookin’ back
Single rose on the dash ain’t as red as it used to be
This city’s got a lot of famous people here
Give me a couple of years, one will be me

But I don’t think the rain here will clear my mind
Cause the road ain’t dry, but I can’t sleep right
And I left my high school year book, beneath the bed
What will I read tonight?

Always searching for fortune
Just to lose it again
Trying to find something new in the same old way

I’m all alone, but I ain’t going back down
To that gold rush town

Feels like the years keep on passin’ me by
Though I’m not sure why, still got so much work to do
As I look around I know that I am far from home
But everyone I know, feels that way too

Took forever to see
What was in front of me
Places change but the faces stay the same

Now I know, nothin’ knew I’ve found
Still in that gold rush town

Singles

Gold Rush Town

I was the high school homecoming king
First of my kin, valedictorian
One summer night, next to my sweetheart I did lay
I awoke in a white room, needles through my veins
Doctor says I got voices in my head
Tellin’ me lies, keepin’ me up at night
Gave me pills, that may help or make it worse
There’s only one thing that’s for sure

It ain’t fair, I can’t fall asleep at night
It ain’t fair, these drugs can’t cure me right
It ain’t fair this place called home don’t treat my parents nice
But it ain’t fair to leave it all behind

My girl left me when she heard the news
Love wasn’t strong enough to make it through 
Left for school, no one I knew would meet me there
And I locked my secret up to never share
But I can’t seem to make it out of bed
My friends don’t mind, if I can’t graduate on time
They don’t see, that something’s wrong with me
And I’m too scared to disagree

Thought about wishin’ this world goodbye
Sometimes I don’t think anyone would cry
But there’s a few, that I call friends who tell me no
And It ain’t fair to let ‘em go

It Ain't Fair

“I’ve never felt like I write sad songs,” Marker says. “Sad songs leave me feeling hopeless, but I find hope in mine.”

Maybe it’s the simple, stripped-down sound that gives the impression of sadness. There’s little palatable production in Marker’s music, not much to dance to, and not much distracting from lyrics written to be listened to.

Maybe it’s the sometimes-sobering stories Marker writes. “We all experience hard things… But if we don’t talk about them, our experience can feel pretty isolating. I like to believe we’re not alone.”

There’s a lot to be gained from seeing the world through a different set of eyes. And the songs Marker writes ask for that. “I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I like to think I’m starting to ask the right questions.”

Craig Marker