Love Songs

AI Music

Words and music © Copyright by Peter Lloyd 1999

Early every morning the prisoner opens his eyes 
Turns his pillow over and tells himself he never cries 
But words fall from the radio, a memory fits like a glove
He thinks of you and wonders, How long is your love?

Days still dawn without you to carry his dreams on your voice
The walls around him echo the curses of derelict choice
Today he’s building barricades his predators can’t rise above
To bide his time and wonder, How long is your love?

He knows your love is strong enough,  abusing it—his crime
He hopes your love is long enough to stand the strains of time

Night gives little shelter should hungry eyes meet in the dark 
When they trade their secrets, they tremble without a remark 
Tonight he carves a makeshift knife just in case push comes to shove
He hides his pride and wonders, How long is your love?

He knows your love is strong enough,  abusing it—his crime
He hopes your love is long enough to stand the strains of time

Early every morning the prisoner opens his eyes 
Turns his pillow over and tells himself love never dies 
But words fall from the radio, a memory fits like a glove
He thinks of you and wonders, How long is your love?

Yes, he thinks of you and wonders, How long is your love?

How Long Is Your Love

Performed and produced by Caitlin and Jason Ayers
Words and music © Copyright 1969, 2015 Peter Lloyd

Sometimes I'm up. Sometimes I'm down
In this world there could not be a smile if it were not for the frown
Every 24 hours, if there's a night there's a daytime, too
No matter what shape my face may take
I'm always in love with you

Sometimes I'm caught so deep in thought
You may think that there's no room for you around my troubled mind
A love is hard to find, but it's worth it when you know it's true
No matter what shape my face may take
I'm always in love with you

Your love gave me a purpose
You love showed me the way
Your love gave my heart a song to sing
I'm gonna sing it every day

Just because I'm low sometimes, don't let me go
If you're looking for the perfect love, you'll be looking till your dying day
Just remember, Darling, when I'm feeling blue
No matter what shape my face may take
I'm always in love with you

Your love gave me a purpose
You love showed me the way
Your love gave my heart a song to sing
I'm gonna sing it every day

Sometimes I'm up. Sometimes I'm down
In this world there could not be a smile if it were not for the frown
Every 24 hours, if there's a night there's a daytime, too
No matter what shape my face may take
I'm always in love with you
In love with you
In love with you

Sometimes (Sherry's Song)

Words and music by Ben Lawson. Ben sent his version of this song around to friends and invited them to re-do it. So I did. The image features Dash of the Ayers family.

I don't know why I think like a dog
But I'll run all day, yeah, like a dog
If runnings what I gotta do
I'll do it for you

I can't explain why I'm hungry all the time
But I go without food, yeah, I'll be fine
If starvings what I gotta do
I'll starve for you

I don't understand why you make me wait outside
When all I wanna do is be by your side
If waitings what I gotta do
I'll do it for you

If waitings what I gotta do
I'll wait for you
If that's what it's coming to
That's what I'll do

Laika Dawg

Words and music by Peter Lloyd © Copyright 2006, 2015 Peter Lloyd

Look outside my door, sun is shinin' bright 
What's the sun good for? Might as well be night
Ain't it plain to see I miss Marie

Left without a trace, why I'll never know 
Still I see her face everywhere I go 
Where can she be I miss Marie

I sit here reminiscin’ 'bout the huggin' and the kissin' 
She swore would never end
Nobody wants to listen but a part of me is missin' 
And I need some time to mend

Now it's time to go to the Town Hall Dance Me 
I'm layin' low, I don't stand a chance 
Everyone will see I miss Marie

I sit here reminiscin 'bout the huggin' and the kissin' 
She swore would never end
Nobody wants to listen but a part of me is missin' 
So why should I pretend?

Look inside my door. What an awful sight 
Lying on the floor, I'll be here all night
Ain’t it plain to see, I miss Marie

Well, it's plain to me I miss Marie

I Miss Marie

Queria hablar español, and so
I wandered my way to Bolivia 
Now from my cell in the heart of La Paz
I pine for my lovely Olivia

Olivia appeared like a long-lost dream
From Heaven she said God had hastened her
“Sip my elixir of love,” she implored 
 My trust then I readily placed in her

We sang to the stars of the southern sky
And sipped sucumbé, tea and lemonade
Danced to the whims of her passion until
Polícia cut short our escapade

O-li-iv-ia, if God sent you down from the sky to me 
O-li-iv-ia, when I asked you your age, why’d you lie to me?    

My sentence may outlive my life, but now
I must not let misery harden me
Locked in La Paz for the rest of my life 
I pray presidente may pardon me

O-li-iv-ia, if God sent you down from the sky to me 
O-li-iv-ia, when I asked you your age, why’d you lie to me?    

My lovely Olivia. Of course, I forgive ya
Olivia, I give ya my love    
Olivia, te doy mi amor    

© Copyright 2025 Peter Lloyd
Music composed with Suno AI

Olivia

Another November I stand with the trees
Their black branches robbed by a mean autumn breeze
I lean on a tall oak, my cheek to her bark
And mourn my companion as the woodland grows dark

Oh, I miss my companion, always more, never less
As the years wrap around me, they embrace my distress
I return to you empty. Speak again what you teach
From the ages inside you round and as wide as my reach

Then the oak speaks for hours and her wisdom I heed
I hear in her silence all the solace I need
"Stay standing, she minds me, "let death do its worst
"Welcome each sunrise as if it's your first"

Yes, another November I stand with the trees
Their black branches robbed by a mean autumn breeze
I must leave you again now with tears on your bark
But I'll come back each autumn till my memory goes dark

© Copyright 2025 Peter Lloyd
Music with Suno AI

Companion

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

Justine, I hate to walk with you downtown
Justine, I hate to walk with you downtown
You talk so loud and you're always putting me down

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

Justine, you wear your clothes inside out
Justine, you wear your clothes inside out
Your hearts so full of anger and your heads so full of doubt

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

Justine, come and get your cigarets
Justine, come and get your cigarets
You left them on the table and I'm trying to forget

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

© Copyright 1976, 2000 , 2025Peter Lloyd
Music with Suno AI

Justine

Well, I never climbed a mountain, no, I never even tried
What’s the point of crawlin halfway to the sky? 
When everything I wanna see is somewhere in your eyes
And I never have to ever leave your side 

No, I’ll never solve a mystery or cure a rare disease
My face will never grace Time magazine 
And though I try to please you and keep you trouble free
I can never ever give you guarantees 

But every day I try to make you smile and never cry
Help you soothe your wounds and chase away your blues 
I’ll never get it all right and always come up shy
But I’ll never ever give you alibis 

Oh, there’s so much more I haven’t done and so much more to do
To be the man you hoped that I would be 
But there’ll always be one promise you can count on comin true
I will never, no not ever, not love you 

And every day I try to make you smile and never cry
Help you soothe your wounds and chase away your blues 
I’ll never get it all right and always come up shy
And I’ll never ever give you alibis 

Oh, there’s so much more I haven’t done and so much more to do
To be the man you hoped that I would be 
But there’ll always be one promise you can count on comin true
I will never, no not ever, not love you

No, I’ll never, no not ever, not love you 

Words © Copyright 2014 Peter Lloyd
Music with help from Suno AI

Never

let’s remember Alice Ball, long unrecognized 
found a cure for leprosy, so long ago   
Alice died at twenty-three      
white men called her work their own
I think we all know why
I think we all know why

let us give Charles Drew his due, long unrecognized
taught us how to share our blood, so long ago
volunteered to donate first
white men turned charles drew away
I think we all know why
I think we all know why

where have all the lepers gone?
Alice healed them all
blood banks save so many lives
Charles made it so
why were they not recognized?
jealous white men feared their fame

I think we all know why
I think we all know why

© Copyright 2025
Music with Suno AI

We All Know Why

You walked right in
With a smile in hand
The years being good to you
Easy to understand
Talked about the past
Talked about the day-to-day
Laughed out loud
Talked the night away

What part of my smile don't you understand?
When I touch my hair and wave my hand
At the end of that strand, on the top of my mind
Without exception, dear
You're that near
It's you every time

I feel the heat
Cooking dinner with you
It feels like kissing you
Cuz it's so easy to do
I want you on my plate
We won't need that serving spoon
You taste so good
I'm coming after you

What part of my smile don't you understand?
When I see you turn and touch your hand
At the end of that hand, so easily mine
Without exception, dear
You're that near
It's you every time

My pillow's sweet
With dreams of you
Your voice still fills my head
Honey, it comes on through
It's the way you say
An ordinary "How are you?"
Night or day
Yeah, I'm talking to you

What part of my smile don't you understand?
When I rest my head and hold out my hand
Like the wind in my ear at the end of a sigh
Without exception, dear
You're that near
It's you every time
You're that near
It's you every time

© Copyright 2001, 2025 Annamarie Borich and Peter Lloyd

Every Time

Songwriter since 1966. Can't believe I still have to write protest songs. Prefer writing love songs and songs of praise for stand-up women and men, parodies, lyrical nonsense, blues and adaptations.