Bird Song

“Heather Masse is a delightful find…Her songs are sharply drawn, witty and gloriously melodic.”
— SING OUT!

Video

Bird Song is an autumn collection of acoustic pop and jazz songs that warm the soul with uplifting songs like “Our World” and “Bird Song,” co-written with Wailin’ Jenny Nicky Mehta. Alternately melancholy and playful, she tears it up on the sassy country number “High Heeled Woman” and on the sexy blues song “Bathtub” while “I Don’t Wanna Wake Up Today” finds Heather at the top of her game, showing she is a songbird of the first order.

Lyrics

I Don’t Wanna Wake Up Today

I don’t want to wake up today I want to sleep and sleep the day away
I want to stay all warm and cozy safe and sound in my nightgown
I don’t want to face the day don’t want to open up that door
To the cold wind and all those things that remind me of how I’m lonesome

Oh won’t you give me a sign
Hurry I don’t have much time
Cause I can’t stay in bed all day just waiting for something to happen
I’m stuck inside without a light to lift my aching bones

The leaves start falling around this time the snow is coming soon
My slippers sit by my bedroom door so my feet stay warm on the tile floor
The days are shorter the nights are long they’re as heavy as my heart
The seasons change while my reasons for staying inside stay wrong

Oh won’t you give me a sign
Hurry I don’t have much time
Cause I can’t stay in Bed all day just waiting for something to happen
I’m stuck inside without a light to lift my aching bones
I’m stoned and sad can’t get outside my own head
I’m all broke up and broken into pieces on the ground
so wake me up pick me up put an overcoat on me and push me outside

Our World

I saw a somebody that I hadn’t seen in awhile
We started talking about our lives
Then we untied a smile
Cause we’re all working hard at living
Trying to find out what’s real
While they keep on telling us how we should feel

But these are our lives
These are our fears
This is our world
And we can choose to be sincere

The corn is growing along those fields
The green never seems to end
If we keep sewing our seeds in oil
There’ll be nothing left to spend

Our hearts are empty our pockets are full
Our songs are all unsung
Its hard to see when your eyes are blind
To the world you’re really in

But these are our eyes
These are our lips
This is our song
And we can let our voices ring

These are our hearts
These are our hands
This is our world
And we can
Join it together again

Over the Mountain

I know a place
Over the mountain
Where you can be free from
All the burdens you bear

The night will light up
The path that you travel
With no one to follow
You’ll know where to go

Oh won’t you come
Won’t you come
Won’t you come and be free
Won’t you come
Won’t you come
And be released

The rain will fall down
When the heat hangs on heavy
The sun will dry all tears
And remain on your face

A place for the weary
The strangers and the good thieves
Farther along
You’ll find your peace

Oh won’t you come
Won’t you come
Won’t you come and be free
Won’t you come
Won’t you come
And be released

Your body won’t stop you
Your mind cannot fight for you
Come and find your truth.

High-heeled Woman

I want a high-heeled woman
To make me feel small
I want a long-legged woman
I like em nice and tall
She’d be kicking up dirt
And picking up trouble
I want a high-heeled woman
You’ve got to reach up to cuddle
Give me that black-strapped, sling-back, patten leather mamma
I want a high-heeled woman
She’d make me holler

Well I’m a hard working man
I don’t make much money
When my paycheck comes in
I can’t waste one penny
But if you come home wearing red pumps of leather
Your feet catching fire making my whole day better
I’ll spend all my money on your feet honey
I’ll be your shoe sugar pappa
Buy you high-heels forever.

Orphan Girl

I am an orphan girl
Mother and father have I none
I’ve wondered all alone
Never had I a home

I’ve walked this road of tears
Trying to find some peace
I’ve never known my own
Known my own

I am an orphan girl
Looking for what was mine
Remember what mamma said
She said I’m gonna buy you a ring
she said
Hush little baby don’t say a word
Mamma’s gonna buy you a mocking bird

I’d like to find my song
Then I’d sing it for ma and pa
But heavens my only tune
I’ll be there soon

I am an orphan girl
Mother and father have I none
I’ve wondered all alone
Never had I a home

Hollywood

Who and what is home when you live on the road?
Who and what can you call your own?

What is life? What does it mean?
When greed leads us to take when we don’t need?

We live alone surrounded by people
Stuck in our houses fenced in and fit
Why can’t I love you the way that I want to?
Can’t love look different than Hollywood?
Can’t love look different than Hollywood?

Why do we all wear this sad face?
Why can’t we live in our own chosen place?

Why can’t we open like light on a hill?
Why do we fight and fear our free will?

I’ll wear a color if you change your shade
Then we’ll be different and all look the same
I’ll talk with new words if you change your prayer
Then we’ll find heaven and not know we’re there
Then we’ll find heaven and not know we’re there

Mittens

Icy fingers without a home
Cause of mittens that were never sewn
Last year When they got a tear

But its too cold outside tonight
For fingers to put up a fight
Against the wind the snow the air is white

But I know of a place
Where its nice and warm
there’s no one home
You could change your plans
I’ll warm your hands
You won’t need your mittens tonight

Your hat fell off when you crossed the street
And a car ran it over with its muddy feet
And now your ears can only hear the cold

You should have put your long johns on
But its too late now and your legs are gone
You can’t feel them they’re frozen to the bone

So won’t you come on up to my room
There’s a fire lit you’ll warm up soon
You’ll have no regrets when I warm your legs
You won’t need your long underwear

I know of a place
Where its nice and warm
there’s no one home
You could change your plans
I’ll warm your hands
You won’t need your mittens tonight

Bird Song

I hear a bird chirping, up in the sky
I’d like to be free like that spread my wings so high

I see the river flowing water running by
I’d like to be that river see what I might find

I feel the wind a’blowing slowly changing time
I’d like to be that wind I’d swirl and shape the sky

I smell the flowers blooming opening for spring
I’d like to be those flowers open to everything

I feel the season change the leaves, the snow, and sun
I’d like to be those seasons made up and undone

I taste the living earth the seeds that grow within
I’d like to be that earth a home where life begins

I see the moon a’rising reaching into night
I’d like to be that moon a knowing, glowing light

I know the silence as the world begins to wake
I’d like to be that silence as the morning breaks

Chosen

She was old like the night
Thin like rain
Watermarked with pain

Her story had been mistold
In her head it was all wrong
Her song should have been sung strong

The night was white heavy and dead
And stale thoughts rose to her head

I’m here she said
Not for myself
I’m here for god
And god has given me a child
to protect.

Her baby with a fever kept her body awake
Her dark eyes and strong hands never made mistakes
But the night shut her eyes when she woke from a dream
And the windows opened and closed as she screamed

The moon reflected in her eyes and in his sleep
The fruit of her womb was stolen
God’s child now
To keep

With time they all said
With time you’ll find rest
He opened his doors
He choose yours as his best.

With time they all said
In time you’ll find rest
She opened his gates
And drove a knife in her chest
Hoping to meet him
At the end of faith

Bathtub

You fill me up like a bathtub
You swallow my body as the bubbles come up
You’re like a cup of chocolate stuff
You’re dark and deep and just sweet enough
You’ve got what I love

Slide your soap down my spine
Up my legs into my mind
I’ve been thinking bout you baby
For such a long time
Pour your water on my honey
Wash my body with your wine
All I want is to be with you all the time

You fill me up like a bathtub
You swallow my body as the bubbles come up
You’re like a cup of chocolate stuff
You’re dark and deep and just sweet enough
You’ve got what I love

Morning’s Breaking the Rules

Morning’s breaking the rules
Waking up early to make love to the moon
Its full tonight who can blame her
Everybody wants to be part of the light
Part of the light

Meet me there on our mountain wave
We’ll rise up
We’ll light our own flame
We’ll fall down to the glowing
Our river keeps flowing

Lightening hit the tower above your room
The crowded street shook and we made love under the moon
Nothing could ever be the same
Grand St. sure lives up to its name
What a funny way
To light up this sunny day
Hey Hey

Time’s a Hoax

Yesterday was a new day
Tomorrow feels old
Today might be last week
And time a hoax

If there’s no limit to our love
Does it mean it’s like the sun?
Always shining brightly
Even if you can’t tell where from

I’ve been watching my watch
Counting hands on the clock
I’ve been wanting you here
But time seemed to stop
I’ve been holding my breath
Finding kisses to catch
Hanging onto my pillow
Till night’s gone to rest

Waiting won’t exist
If there’s no means to measure it’s weight
We could be miles away
Weeks away but not so far apart

My heart finds the window
That opens up to yours
And time and place can’t hide your face
I’m right there where you are

Be my Sailor

Sail away my love be my sailor

Sail away my love be my sailor out on the wharf
Go away my love push off from the dock
So I’ll miss you my love
So I’ll miss you my love

Set your traps down by the rock
Don’t forget to bait your hook
I want a big fish when you return
When you return my love

Throw out your line
Your lure’s bright but they still see your lies
Go away my love
So I’ll miss you my love

Sail away my love be my sailor out on the wharf
Go away my love push off from the dock
So I’ll miss you my love
So I’ll miss you my love

Sail away sail away sail away