Like some night bird, homeward wingin'
He seeks the sheltered nest
Like the sailor's lost horizon
He needs some place to rest
The songs that he's been singin'
No longer make much sense
And those strangers' cold perceptions
They've killed his confidence

Nightingale
She sails away upon a sea of song
Nightingale
She serenades his lonely, lonely life along
When his tired voice is broken
His golden hope is gone
She makes a lost soul's simple longing
Somehow not so wrong
Nightingale
Nightingale

He was strong, but he was taken
By the thought of his success
Those spotlight shadows, how they lured him
And took him like all the rest
But that old dream don't look good now
No, it don't seem quite the same
He needs to hear a tender word
Won't you sing him home again

Nightingale
She sails away upon a sea of song
Nightingale
She serenades his lonely, lonely life along
When his strength is slowly goin'
His pride is all but gone
She makes a foolish dreamer listen
To one last song
Nightingale
Nightingale

© 1974 Elorac Music (ASCAP), ColGems-EMI Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

Lyrics courtesy of EMI Music Publishing.
For printed lyrics or sheet music, please visit www.halleonard.com or www.sheetmusicdirect.com.

I'm hanging on to my peace of mind
I just don't know
I'm hanging on to those good times, baby
Just want to let them roll
I'm gonna make it to the light and joy
I'll tell you why
I got a woman who can take me there
the apple of my eye
oh, I just don't know, no no, no, no
I love her so
Don't let me see that morning paper
cause I don't need those dues
it's just the same old murder movie
but they call it the news
I'll tell you what would be some story
and what would set me free
Is if the same thing happened to everybody
that just happened to me, oh,
I just don't know, no, no, no, no
I'll never let her go
Every time I hear somebody sneakin'
up behind whoa, I turn around
but I still hear that sound
and just when I'm about to lose my mind
Here comes my baby
singing like a nightingale
Coming my way down along that devastation
trail well tell the Lord above
she's got a brand of love
that cannot fail
I'm hanging on to my peace of mind
that's no lie
I'm hanging on to my special friend
the apple of my eye
my inspiration, too
she's got a lead on my heart and
my soul and she knows just what to do
oh, I just don't know, no ,no, no, no
No, I get so low, and my mind's about to go
but wait a minute, here comes my baby
singing like a nightingale
coming my way down along that devastation
trail
Well, let the fires burn, let the
floods return
we will prevail
Hanging on to my peace of mind
I just don't know

Nightingale
Sing us a song
Of a love that once belonged
Nightingale
Tell me your tale
Was your journey far too long?

Does it seem like I'm looking for an answer
To a question I can't ask
I don't know which way the feather falls
Or if i should blow it to the left

Nightingale
Sing us a song
Of a love that once belonged
Nightingale
Tell me your tale
Was your journey far too long?

All the voices that are spinnin' around me
Trying to tell me what to say
So can I fly right behind you
And you can take me away

All the voices that are spinnin' around me
Trying to tell me what to say
So can I fly right behind you
And you can take me away

(Ferry/Manzanera)

Before the morning comes, will I hear your song
Come little nightingale, I won't be here for long

When you're up there flying, do you care
If there's no one else around?
When your lover leaves you in the air
Do you waver, do you fall?

Now while the moon is high
Shall we, nightingale,
Duet all through the night
A pair of souls for sale
Stars cluster glistening
Captive till the dawn
Patiently listening
They've heard it all before

Should I stay here or should I go?
I couldn't bear to be alone
Was it really love I saw?
Oh, now I'll never know

What is this I hear?
I recognise that song
Sweet little nightingale I knew you'd come along
Soon when the morning comes.
We will both be gone
So sing pretty nightingale
Lead, I'll follow on.

[Dedicated to Carl Anderson (1945-2004)]

I built my house beside the wood
So I could hear you singing
And it was sweet and it was good
And love was all beginning
Fare thee well my nightingale
'Twas long ago I found you
Now all your songs of beauty fail
The forest closes 'round you
The sun goes down behind a veil
'Tis now that you would call me
So rest in peace my nightingale
Beneath your branch of holly
Fare thee well my nightingale
I lived but to be near you
Tho' you are singing somewhere still
I can no longer hear you

And I will flail under these lights that seep down from the bitter sky tonight
and I will kick and beat my wrists together
and feel an ocean breathing waves, feel them licking at my face.
Ceilings don't exist and there are no floors beneath me.
If I were king of this night, would you become my queen?
And I hope, your majesty that you like your position.
I'll do everything I can to keep you by my side
and I'll stare off through the darkness to find us a kingdom.
Just kiss me before I go.
I'll have to walk a thousand miles just to find the ground deserving of your feet.
You could throw me down and walk on me
and I'd just look on through my love and through the haze.
And I hope, your majesty that you like your position.
I'll do everything I can to keep you by my side
and I'll stare off through the darkness to find us a kingdom.
Just kiss me before I go.
The nightingales are singing now.
They're calling out our marriage to our subjects on their knees.
Their jewelery is thrown into the air.
They sigh at their release as their shackles hit the ground.
The trumpets call out now.
We're home at last.
And I hope, your majesty that you like your position.
I'll do everything I can to keep you by my side
and I'll stare off through the darkness to find us a kingdom.
Just kiss me before I go.

Nightingale sing
Though it's blacker than the bog
Nightingale sing to me
I need to hear your song
Nightingale come
And perch upon my tree
A terrifying light's
Been flashing over me

I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Til the nightingale came
And sang a song for me

She'll sing above the blasts
And the clothing singed by fire
She'll sing above the black smoke
Rising from the funeral pyre
Her heart a field in bloom
Her heart a sacred snow
Her heart a mirror blinding
All the greedy as they go

I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Til the nightingale came
And sang a song for me

I cannot help but want
To solder all the parts
Solder back together
All the shattered hearts
Nightingale come
And perch upon my tree
The terrifying night's
Been crashing over me

I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Til the nightingale came
And sang a song for me

I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Til the nightingale came
And sang a song for me

I
the sun is rising but i'm still awake,
my nightingale,
was it a dream that you were here with me all night

II
did we gaze upon the stars?
did we kiss under the pale moonlight?
my nightingale...

Chorus:
was it a dream but it feels so real
but it feels so real

III
this time i'm gonna make it right
this time it's only you and I
leave all your worries behind

Bridge:
and i can't hide my love for you is divine
you are the nest that cradles my heart

was it a dream
that you are here with me

was it a dream
that you are here with me

was it a dream
that you are here with me

was it a dream
that you are here with me

was it a dream
that you are here with me

was it a dream
that you are here with me

I’m hanging on to my peace of mind
I just don’t know
I’m hanging on to those good times, baby
Just want to let them roll
I’m gonna make it to the light and joy
I’ll tell you why
I got a woman who can take me there
The apple of my eye
Oh, I just don’t know, no no, no, no
I love her so
Don’t let me see that morning paper
Cause I don’t need those dues
It’s just the same old murder movie
But they call it the news
I’ll tell you what would be some story
And what would set me free
Is if the same thing happened to everybody
That just happened to me, oh,
I just don’t know, no, no, no, no
I’ll never let her go
Every time I hear somebody sneakin’
Up behind whoa, I turn around
But I still hear that sound
And just when I’m about to lose my mind
Here comes my baby
Singing like a nightingale
Coming my way down along that devastation
Trail well tell the lord above
She’s got a brand of love
That cannot fail
I’m hanging on to my peace of mind
That’s no lie
I’m hanging on to my special friend
The apple of my eye
My inspiration, too
She’s got a lead on my heart and
My soul and she knows just what to do
Oh, I just don’t know, no ,no, no, no
No, I get so low, and my mind’s about to go
But wait a minute, here comes my baby
Singing like a nightingale
Coming my way down along that devastation
Trail
Well, let the fires burn, let the
Floods return
We will prevail
Hanging on to my peace of mind
I just don’t know

Oh the world is still
It's quiet as a mouse, it's 3 am
Wide awake, trying to get the words out of my mouth
But I can't make a sound since you left me lying here in my bed
While you're running off with him

Everything in my world was yours, when I held you tenderly
I was once in his shoes, I had everything to lose and so I did
It wasn't long ago when I could feel the breeze of you blowing on my skin
I could feel your touch as your arms were closing in
If I could muster a sound I'd sing this song out loud just like a Nightingale

I was driving fast with roses on my seat and headed home
I was late with dinner getting cold
When I was struck in the side of the car
And then I saw your face
I couldn't move, I couldn't say a word to you

Everything in my world was yours, when I held you tenderly
Oh now my world is caving in because you're sleeping next to him
If I could die
You bet your life I would

Because I can't feel the breeze of you blowing on my skin
I can't feel your touch as your arms are closing in
If I could muster a sound I'd sing this song out loud just like the Nightingale
The Nightingale

If the tables had been turned I could never go without you by my side
But I'm reminded everyday how
I can't feel the breeze of you blowing on my skin
I can't feel your touch as your arms are closing in
If I could muster a song I'd sing this song out loud just like the Nightingale
The Nightingale

I can't feel the breeze of you blowing on my skin
I can't feel your touch as your arms are closing in
If I could muster a sound I'd sing this song out loud just like a Nightingale
The Nightingale

[Dedicated to Carl Anderson (1945-2004)]

I built my house beside the wood
So I could hear you singing
And it was sweet and it was good
And love was all beginning
Fare thee well my nightingale
'Twas long ago I found you
Now all your songs of beauty fail
The forest closes 'round you
The sun goes down behind a veil
'Tis now that you would call me
So rest in peace my nightingale
Beneath your branch of holly
Fare thee well my nightingale
I lived but to be near you
Tho' you are singing somewhere still
I can no longer hear you