When Was the Last Time Lyrics

When Was The Last Time - Robin Holcomb

When was the last time

You were the witness to

The blacks of night blurring into blue

And the weird grey light

That washes up and over you

The heavy blanket lifted strange

And each fresh breath

so soft feels new

Can you name that place right now

Where the dawn came over you

Or do you feel you live too far

From anywhere wild

I sent ahead some money

so they'd hold me for a room

With a window that can open

Not an easy thing to find here

Uneven snow is falling

somewhere in another town

The fat wet flakes so lazy

That they suck up all the sound

Here they're hanging lights

and bells for Christmas

Up and down the streets

It used to be a desert here

I know

I tried to go out walking

Ahead the sky was burning

Painted snowflakes on the windows

Snowflakes painted on the schoolyard

And the little bells all ringing ringing

When you stop or finally start

To take the time to notice

Every child who's wilding

Or tangled in the mountains

Is singing

Running in the shadows

If you get up in the morning

O catch me if you can

Turn each houseyard to a wild place

The house too big

the house too big

Let each family breathe the sweet air

In the morning

Pale doomsayers on streetcorners

These we shall unbalance

If you get up in the morning

I will look you in the eye

Like many who have gone before

We've moved so many times

I chose a small town from the map

It had the same name a mine

But when we got there

there was just

A pole a tree a field a sign

Followed at slow speed by a patrol car

And there's no passing

Lost towns are dying inside of verdant fields

O I can show you

Pale ghost signs flapping in the winds

I will drive slowly

How will you recognise

The place of your birth

O how many will know

Of your place on this earth

I am trying to live like I taught my baby

Trying to live like I taught my baby

And I'm going to try to live

Like I learned from my baby

Try to live like I taught my baby

Try to live like I taught my baby

And I'm going to try to live

Like I learned from my baby

The sun comes up

And the world begins

We used to lie there sleeping

Try to live like I taught my baby

Try to live like I taught my baby to

And I'm going to try to live

Like I learned from my baby