Every Street Inside of You~Mexico City:  Released in 2008
                     
 
Produced by Ethan Allen, Jim Watts and Jill Cohn

Recorded by Ethan Allen and Jim Watts

Mixed by Ethan Allen

Mastered at Sterling Sound by Will Gunell

Additional production credits:

“All I want” produced, recorded and mixed by John Baxter

String arrangement and direction:  Greg Fulton

 

Musicians:

Acoustic Piano & Guitars, electric keyboard, Vocals:  Jill Cohn

Drums: Michael Barsimanto

Bass: Todd O’Keiff

Electric & acoustic guitars, drum loops & programing,

Keyboards, Mellotron, percussion, Bk Voice: Ethan Allen

additional electric guitars, Ebow, percussion and Bk Voice: Jim Watts

Violin:  Bill Boyd

Viola:  Mike Watson

Celo:  Barbra Salkin

Acoustic Guitar & Bk. Voice on “All I want”: John Baxter

Art Direction:  Brian Lasley

Photography:  Eniac Martenez, Mexico City D.F.

Liner notes & editing:  Thane Tierney and David Baker

 

All songs written by Jill Cohn 2007 BMI

except: “Mexico City” and “All I want” 

written by Jill Cohn & John Baxter

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 MY SKY

Drive your car

Park it far in the middle of nowhere

Spill your heart to the sky

‘Cause it don’t care

It won’t ask you why

In the wide wide land of nowhere

the wide wide land of all you could be

it’s the wide ideas and questioning

It’s the wide wide love of you and me

Do you know why you are my sky

Planes may leave

time to grieve

And it still burns

your cold words do not hurt

‘cause I know more this time

Fly free and take your prayer to the sky

fly free and tell him you’re willing to try

fly free and tell him you’re still wandering

Set your sites on the impossible

trust is so full

all you need, all you need is me

and know why you’re my sky

 


 

BLESSING MOON    Torre Latinoamericana 9/19/2005

No need for words

No need for talk

I’ve said enough

And I need some silence

We all need kindness, gather while we can

I’m strong in your arms

Your lights they give me, they give me calm

Come close and take me, take me into your ruin

Under your blessing moon

Can I make you proud

in thy name all over, all over this town

I’ll accept my position

please take me, and make me, give me a mission

I’ll loose my opinions

your lights they illuminate, illuminate and listen

come close and take me, take me into your ruin

Under your blessing moon

Let me be love

let me be peace

let me be everything, everything you know I could be

We play with stars

the wind blows cold, I close my heart

if this gate was wider

I’d slip right through and soar from the tower

I lost my music

it lies in bruises longing for my hands

Come close, and understand, understand it’s come to ruin

Under your blessing moon

 


 

GOOD MAN

On this Sunday, I hope you’re with your daughter

You’re so lucky you get to be a father

‘Cause there’s so many men who might turn and walk away

I know she won your heart, but some point you chose to stay and

Teach your child

What a good man looks like

If you stay with her she will have a good life

On this Sunday, I buy myself some candy

Wonder what it would be like to be part of your family

Would we play some games and would she grow to love me?

Would she think I’m funny writing words while I’m driving?

Show your child

What a good man looks like

If you stay with her

she will have a good life

Show your child what a good man looks like

Maybe it’s wasting time

Lamenting all that’s left behind

One more night alone, one ear, one city, it’s all one tone

If I could push my wish aside and realize my good, good life

But the family time is slipping to the sublime

If you’re going back I will try to understand

If you’re going back, well, I know I could let you go if you

Show your child

If you stay with her

she will have a better life

 


 

MEXICO CITY

I’m at my best when I’m in a new place

and I dream of flying only with you

I get more patient

filled full of wonder

I got new faces

new people

then you smile, and I listen

Buy yourself a hat when you visit the city

Buy yourself some flowers for the love that you bring

Sing out your joy, if it rains in the city

and always give thanks to a love that’s guiding

So I land on your sea of lights

I know the name of every street inside of you

I don’t speak your language, but I understand what you say

and I’m so sure we all come from this place

come from this place

I can tell the taxi directions to my house

even though I‘ve never ever been here before

I don’t know a single soul, but I remember what I was told

I remember what I was told

 


 

MARSHMALLOW CHAIRS

I think I’m looking for you in these streets

just another chance to find me peace

to break the spell you placed on me

it’s always me who tries too hard

it’s not really all-important

it’s just another hard

If I had known the wreckage you would cause

I’d read the book and find a higher law

but it’s always me to rush the gate

when something special comes too late

it’s really not a big deal

it’s just another hard

I think I saw our son today

in a beautiful park an innocent child’s play

I was biting my lip and smiling at his parents

wondering if you ever went

to the marshmallow chairs in the forest

in the middle of the city and all you’ll forget

and it’s really not important

and I know you never want to offend

I know it’s not just what you meant

there’s nothing left for me to pretend

it’s just another hard

 


 

 WHAT YOU’VE WON     from Ute Mountain to Miraflores

One hundred miles an hour

Fast as fiction says you have her

From another continent

Turn your head and your confidence around

to the other cheek, and know you’re not the only link

In your own defense, you find a presence

Do you love all that you’re not

Do you love all that you’ve got to give

Challenge the stones falling from the sun

If tomorrow was right now, would you want what you’ve won

Leave the car in the desert with your fear

Walk the sand till you can’t hear

all the voices on your shoulder, the lies you told her

and the thing she chose to believe

Tear your heart from her sleeve

and wash it clean till it can bleed off your vengefulness

Do you love all that you’re not

Do you love all that you’ve got to give

Challenge the stones falling from the sun

If tomorrow was right now, would you want what you’ve won

Love all that you’re living

Give more than your giving

Challenge the love coming from your soul

If tomorrow was right now, would you be letting us go

 


 

ISRAEL

All the way to Israel

My body warms and the rain is still

I can tell there is no middle

In desert arms I am fulfilled

You are the end of my earth

My feet I use for you I search and search and search

I will go all the way to Israel

All the way to destiny

Taste a tear in solo dreams

Your memory is an island that rescues me

I can sense that this might be an end

but I will try and try and try again

If all we can be is just good friends, then

your wish is my will

All the way to Israel

All the way

Don’t need to find a Holy Grail

Or set my journey out on the ocean

The seed you have planted in this desolate place

will grow without water through thy grace

All the way to Israel

So many thoughts no need to tell

I can say everything in a dream

And everyone will know how you fell back to me

No expectation just a house of peace

For you I save a place where only you can be

We can go anytime you feel

All the way to Israel

 


 

RESCUE DOG   for Tosca

Sick of writing sad sad songs of silly stories and life lived wrong

You say that I am not that strong

Well, I know, I’m in a rut

Sometimes you forget that staying in your own shoes might be the best bet for you

Perhaps I’m just the animal that you lack in your life

So I went to the pound

To see if he was back around

Because I still believe in round trip tickets and the promises

Or maybe he chose not to be

No more humane society

But I believe he’s coming back for me

My rescue dog

Seems to me that he left the scene

he’s now the Chihuahua of the beauty queen

she’s everywhere I wanna be

man, she’s living well

With designer shoes and designer dogs

Fame’s become a favorite god

Play that card with all your heart

I just want a Saint Bernard

Lassie and my lassitude

Save myself, no time to brood

My lack of courage and changing mood just gives you more fuel

Well, now my inspiration is lacking and all the dogs are snapping snapping

So sick of writing sad sad songs

of silly stories and life lived wrong

Well maybe I am growing strong, and I just fail to see

The beauty of this funk I’m in

I’ll just break my case like Rin Tin Tin

Understand I’m not a sin, I just need a dog

 


 

SEVEN YEAR SURRENDER    for my family

It was a seven year surrender

It wasn’t easy to remember

How everything is perfect and everything is heaven sent

And I can see the miracles stretch out for miles and miles and miles

It was a seven year surrender

It wasn’t easy to protect her from all the burdens of proof

Never knew I’d feel this good

It was just a matter of meeting you and doing what I could

It was a seven year surrender

Driving high and sick down a lonely mountain road

Oh, the Devil, he tried to take me down

I held the wheel I stood my ground

I didn’t know it was there that I would be found

I didn’t know I’d be found

It was a seven year surrender

And all I have to do is hold her

And have the lips to say yes with

Have the heart to say I love my family with

In your eyes, you made it all make sense

Finally making sense

It was a seven year surrender

 


 

MISS THE MOUNTAINS

Leaving, staying

Packed a bag in case

Trying, quitting

Just need space

Take my heart and buy a ticket

somewhere I can’t be found

And truth always finds me

no matter where I run to

truth be told I miss the mountains

as much as I miss you

Forward, backwards

Caving in down here

Started on Monday

living through my fear

Take my things and search for sun

Somewhere from every one

Surrender, fighting

Mistrust could mean faith

All words change meanings

when you give more than you take

Why guard everything you own

we begin and end alone

 


 

ALL I WANT  

I’ve got your picture, your scent in my hair

and a hope that this month could end right

This city’s deserted and the only ones left

are the lonely one ones for this night

You know I’m always all right on my own

but tonight, this girl is a little too alone

Oh, baby

All I want for New Years is to be in your arms

To be in your arms and feel safe

Could this be the year we find a clearer vision

A clearer vision and your grace, some grace, your grace

There are no presents

or celebrations that could cloud my thoughts of you

because I could never forget those nights we spent

The imprint is lovely, yes it’s permanent

Baby you are my future, my happily ever after, grow old together

Live everybody’s dream, yes, that’s you and me

 


 

SEE ME AGAIN   

How I love our circle

Perfect, crooked and incomplete

And just to hear you’re coming around again

It does something for me

So, take me in your arms

You’re my closest thing to home

And, baby, when you have to go

Please know, I’ll always be your home

Well, I could play your music

if I could teach myself not to loose it anymore

But when you find someone who’s special and they let you love them to pieces

Well, it’s good enough for me

So, take me in your arms

You’re my closest thing to home

Baby, I know you need to go

Please know, it doesn’t have to end

Just say you’ll see me again