Mary Oliver (Demo)

by Morgan Bolender

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lyrics

They always said she'd be a lawyer
'cause she was a real good talker
where she's from
that's what real good talkers do

then they said
maybe she'll be a doctor
you've got the brains
don't let them go to waste

what are you going to do with your vast and precious life?
Press your ear up against your soul and listen hard.

'cause we're all getting older
So what's it gonna be?
Are you living your life
Or someone else's dreams?

We're all getting older
So what's it gonna be?
Do you remember
Who you were before they told you
Who to be

they used to call her little soldier
she listened well, did as she was told
all the while dreaming of something more

she started listening to the birds and trees
found a new authority
everybody whispered she's gone crazy

go on and make yourself a life
you don't want to be rescued from
go on and make yourself a life

go on and make yourself a life
you don't want to be rescued from
go on and make yourself a life

'cause we're all getting older
So what's it gonna be?
Are you living your life
Or someone else's dreams?

We're all getting older
So what's it gonna be?
Do you remember
Who you were before they told you
Who to be

what are you going to do with your vast and precious life?
Press your ear up against your soul and listen hard.

i know that it's scary
to jump into the wind
but what if i told you
the wind opens up your wings
the wind opens up your wings
the wind opens up your wings

------
*Originally, the pre-chorus of this song was "What are you going to do with your one wild and precious life," which is a direct quote from Mary Oliver's poem, The Summer Day. To be safe, I emailed her people to see if using that line was alright. It wasn't (I later remembered Mary saying in an interview that she doesn't allow her poems to be set to music because they have their own rhythm and melody - fair enough). So I changed a few words.

credits

released August 15, 2015
Recorded by Austin Willacy.

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Morgan Bolender Oakland, California

Morgan feels most honest when she's singing.

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