This song is so pretty and relaxing. If you get a bandcamp I would love to buy your music! I hope you release all your songs someday!

Canary In A Coal Mine

There's a god in the cranberry bogs, you've found. Who else would turn the toads and frogs into a symphony?
-
Yes, the background vocals do have lyrics, but it was improvised muttering, so if you can tell what's being said, great... I can't.

Sleeping God [Instrumental]

A song from the 2021 archives... hated it back when I wrote it, but after some cleaning I think she's ready to go out into the world!

Lyrics:

Bundles could never warm me up,
by God, even the sun won’t do;
I shiver asleep with dreams to be
a living pyre among the spruce.

I’ve heard word of a forest aflame, how a flare eats at lamb’s wool—
hair soaking thick with gasoline, I’ll hail this hearth my home.

My Momma met a doctor once,
who diagnosed me as a ghost,
‘cause no flame too harsh, nor glacier cold
could pierce my stiffened soul.
But, I could never fall in love,
this body, weakened, would
keel with fever strong and rough…
even if I could.

I’ve heard word of a forest aflame, how a flare eats at lamb’s wool—
hair soaking thick with gasoline, I’ll hail this hearth my home
(hail this hearth my home)

No, I’m no kindling, nor no coal,
but it’ll light me like wood.
And I’m no hunter, nor no hunt,
but it has caught me good.
No, I’m no lover, nor no love,
yet this, I’ve mourned and chewed…
And I’m no hunter, nor no hunt
but it has caught me good.

Living Pyre Among the Spruce [2021 Demo]

just clearing out the archives...

LYRICS:
(blame the biteless bug, blame the biteless bug)

And he opened his hands,
those live-wire hands,
spits of bioluminescence peppering out.

Oh, did he cry, did he cry?
Or did he blame the husk of the firefly–
paper wings, a light so bright
too tempting for his human eyes?

And did he think that his spots
were glowing gifts from the gods? 
Or did he connect the dots?
His constellations scrape off…

Not like this, not like this,
jar me and let my light kiss
all that you cannot love,
darkness hugs, darkness hugs.

Oh, did he cry, did he cry?
Or did he blame the husk of the firefly–
paper wings, a light so bright
too tempting for his human eyes?

And did he open his mouth,
his bug-catcher mouth,
and claim the freckles on his skin were always his?
I bet he did,

Star-Freckled Hands [August Demo]

Played by The Crane Wives...
Kate Pillsbury - Emilee Petersmark - Ben Zito - Dan Rickabus

featuring their friends…
Steven Leaf - Savannah Buist - Katie Larson - Seth Bernard
Justin Dore - Ian Gorman - Michael Dause

Produced by The Crane Wives & Ian Gorman
Mixed by Ian Gorman
Engineered by Ian Gorman & Ben Zito
Recorded at La Luna Recording & Sound in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Mastered by Glenn Brown at GBP Studios in Lansing Michigan

Artwork by Rebecca Green

Thank you ~ our loving families, Ian & Rachel Gorman, Edith the Kitty, Carmen & Javier Vargas of Mi Pueblo in Kalamazoo, Rebecca Green, Joey Schultz of Chickenbach, The Accidentals, Seth Bernard & May Erlewine Bernard, Steve Leaf & the Ex Pats, Sean & Sarah Lamborne, Arlo Lamborne, Tyler Rehm, 88.1 WYCE, Matt Jarrells, John Sinkevics at Local Spins, Amber Buist, Josh Gibson, Bill Chesney, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, The Appleseed Collective, Kris Kessel, Marianne Fisher, Leah Pillsbury

Special thanks to our PledgeMusic campaign donors. We would not exist without our fans! We are so grateful.

Never Love An Anchor

The Hand That Feeds

Lyrics:

I’m burning wick to fingertip with sage
from my shaky-shakin hands
Millie, what have you done to me,
my friend?

I’m tossin’ turnin’ in an open grave
coined-tongued with whatever I can save,
carrying hauntings of a brand-new age—
Millie, can’t you see I slide
planchettes with my wake?

Catch me walking with the ghosts again
Must be on that double dose, depends
Roman chamomile all down the throat, lift hands
In Michigan, the lakes all darken
Blackbirds flocking to and fro, sevens
Roots drag marsh over the floor, levelin’
Millie, can’t you stop them? You slow no omens
like exhaling, it never ends

I’m coughing up elderberry on the stage
like your sacrificial lamb
Millie, hypnotize pain away, I beg

I’m whisper-hissing notes on every slate
that I scribe and toss into the hungry waves
carrying itchings for a familiar ache
Millie, can’t you see I made a walking stick out of my stake?

Catch me walking with the ghosts again
Must be on that double dose, depends
Roman chamomile all down the throat, lift hands
In Michigan, the lakes all darken
Blackbirds flocking to and fro, sevens
Roots drag marsh over the floor, levelin’
Millie, can’t you stop them? You slow no omens
like exhaling, it never ends

Three redwing blackbirds outside my window
two fish heads at my door
What be this omen, I’ll never know
Millie, warm the kettle once more

Three redwing blackbirds outside my window
Two fish heads at my door
One kettle bubbling atop rusted stove but
Millie, warm the kettle once
Millie, warm the kettle once
Milly could you so please be 
a kind old dearie just for me
and warm the kettle’s tea once more?

Catch me walking with the ghosts again
Must be on that double dose, depends
Roman chamomile all down the throat, lift hands
In Michigan, the lakes all darken
Blackbirds flocking to and fro, sevens
Roots drag marsh over the floor, levelin’
Millie, can’t you stop them? You slow no omens
like exhaling, it never ends

Millie, Warm the Kettle

The Crooked the Cradle - The Crane Wives

Veronika Lebetskaya - Plan It Earth (with backing voices)(2)

River Of Dreams

The Crane Wives - Metaphor

a lil bit folk, a lil bit cosmic, a lil bit whatnot... 
songs for the winged, moss-clad being that climbs through my window every blue moon and demands MUSIC.

Star-Freckled Hands [August Demo]

Rabbitology

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