4. Jubilee by Mary Chapin Carpenter

I can tell by the way you’re walking
You don’t want company
I’ll let you alone and I’ll let you walk on
And in your own good time you’ll be
Back where the sun can find you
Under the wise wishing tree
And with all of them made we’ll lie under the shade
And call it a jubilee
And I can tell by the way you’re talking
That the past isn’t letting you go
But there’s only so long you can take it all on
And then the wrong’s gotta be on its own
And when you’re ready to leave it behind you
You’ll look back and all that you’ll see
Is the wreckage and rust that you left in the dust
On your way to the jubilee
And I can tell by the way you’re listening
That you’re still expecting to hear
Your name being called like a summons to all
Who have failed to account for their doubts and their fears
They can’t add up to to much without you
And so if it were up to me, I’d take hold of your hand
Saying come hear the band
Play your song at the jubilee
And I can tell by the way you’re searching
For something you can’t even name
That you haven’t been able to come to the table
Simply glad that you came
When you feel like this try to imagine
That we’re all like frail boats on the sea
Just scanning the night for that great guiding light
Announcing the jubilee
And I can tell by the way you’re standing
With your eyes filling with tears
That it’s habit alone that keeps you turning for home
Even though your home is right here
Where the people who love you are gathered
Under the wise wishing tree
May we all be considered then straight on delivered
Down to the jubilee
Because to people who love you are waiting
And they’ll wait just as long as need be
When we look back and say those were halcyon days
We’re talking about jubilee
             Source:LyricFind
Songwriters: Mary Carpenter
Jubilee lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
COMMENTS ON THE PREVIOUS SELECTION
“In Every Grain of Sand”
Bob Dylan’s religious period was not a notable one from an artistic perspective, with the exception of “In Every Grain of Sand.”  Indeed, it is possible that this is even the best of a host of great songs written by this 20th century prophet. The Jesus who would sing this song is the pre-baptism Jesus, of whom we know nothing for certain.  What can be surmised about a man who,  in middle age,  bothered to forego work to trudge four days into the wilderness to be baptised by John. People who went for this baptism went for cleansing, for the forgiveness of sins.  Then perhaps this Jesus would be singing about “the time of my confession, in the hour of deepest need.”  Was it the experience of the Transcendent, present in every grain of sand, that turned his life around and sent him into the wilderness to ponder the path his life would take from this moment on?

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