Copyright © 2017 Kyle Knapp. All rights reserved.
Iris Forever -
Track List (click for lyrics)
words and music by Cat Stevens (Usef Islam)
I listen to the wind, to the wind of my soul
And where I’ll end up, well I think only God really knows
I sat upon the setting sun,
But never never never never
I never wanted water once
Oh never never never
I listen to my words but they fall far below
I let the music take me where my heart wants to go
I swam upon the devil’s lake
But never never never never
I’ll never make the same mistake
Oh never never never
©BMG Gold Songs
words and music by George Harrison
I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you
I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
No one alerted you
I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps
©Harrisongs, Ltd.
music by Kyle Knapp
©Sod House Records
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
words and music by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell
The road is long with many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where, who knows where
But I'm strong, strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go, his welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear, we'll get there
For I know he would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm burdened at all, I'm burdened with sadness
That everyone's heart isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It's a long, long road from which there is no return
While we're on our way to there, why not share?
And the load doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
©Music Sales Group & Jenny Music Inc.
words and music by Don McLean
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They did not listen, They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They did not listen, They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you Vincent
This world was never meant for one as
beautiful as you
Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
Silver thorn of bloody rose
Lay crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They did not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
©Universal Music Publishing Group
words and music by Jerry Garcia, John Dawson, and Robert Hunter
I lit out from Reno, I was trailed by twenty hounds
Didn't get to sleep that night til the morning came around
I set out running but I'll take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
I ran into the Devil, babe, and he loaned me twenty bills
I spent that night in Utah in a cave up in the hills
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
I ran down to the levee, but the Devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill and vanished in the air
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie, she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby, sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me I'll spend my life in jail
Got a wife in Chino, babe, and one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child, but it don't look like me
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie, she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, momma, sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me I'll spend my life in jail
Got a wife in Chino, babe, and one in Cherokee
The first one says she's got my child, but it don't look like me
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
©Universal Music Publishing Group
from the musical Godspell
words and music by Jay Hamburger & Peggy Gordon
Where are you going?
Where are you going?
Can you take me with you?
For my hand is cold and needs warmth
Where are you going?
Far beyond where the horizon lies
Where the horizon lies
And the land sinks into mellow blueness
Oh please, take me with you
Let me skip the road with you
I can dare myself
I can dare myself
I'll put a pebble in my shoe
And watch me walk
I can walk, I can walk!
I shall call the pebble Dare
We will talk, together, about walking
Dare shall be carried
And when we both have had enough
I will take him from my shoe
Singing. "Meet your new road!"
Then I'll take your hand
Finally glad that I am here
By your side
By your side
By your side
©Quartet Music Inc. & Range Road Music Inc.
music by Kyle Knapp
©Sod House Records
words and music by Pierce Pettis & Gordon Kennedy
Was that the highway calling me, or just my nervous energy
Either way I had to leave, at least that's what I thought
But what's the good in being gone
If you're not there while your life goes on
And you're somewhere else you don't belong
And it's a long way, a long way
Such a long way back home
Hollywood's got that walk of fame
People walk right on those names
You can tread on falling stars
All the way down Sunset Boulevard
Well all that glitters is not gold
And even then it’s hard and cold
Like the way it turns your soul
And it's a long way, a long way
Such a long way back home
Sometime the only difference
Between a pilgrim and a prodigal son
Is just the difference between the dream that you began
And the thing that you become
So, hail a taxi, catch a train, ride the shuttle to the plane
Full of strangers I don't wanna meet
I wish them well away from me
Vomit bags and magazines, flying nuns bring me drinks
While out the window, I can see...
It's a long way, long way
Such a long way back home
©Universal-
words and music by Jorma Kaukonen
The time has come for us to pause
And think of living as it was
Into the future we must cross (must cross)
And I'd like to go with you
And I'd like to go with you
You say I'm harder than a wall
A marble shaft about to fall
I love you dearer than them all (them all)
So let me stay with you
So let me stay with you
And as we walked into the day
Skies of blue had turned to grey
I might have not been clear to say (to say)
I never looked away
I never looked away
And though I'm feeling you inside
My life is rolling with the tide
I'd like to see it be an open ride
Along with you
Going along with you
The time we borrowed from ourselves
Can't stay within a vaulted well
And living turns into a lender's well
So let me come with you
And let me come with you
And when we came out into view
And there I found myself with you
And breathing felt like something new
Along with you
Going along with you
©EMI Blackwood Music Inc.
from the musical Fiddler On The Roof
words and music by Sheldon Harnick and Lewis Bock
Is this the little girl i carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older,
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?
Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?
Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset,
Swiftly flow the days,
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as they gaze...
Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset!
Swiftly fly the years,
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears...
What words of wisdom can I give them?
How can I help to ease their way?
Now they must learn from one another
Day by day
They look so natural together
Just like two newlyweds should be
Is there a canopy in store for me?
Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset,
Swiftly flow the days,
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as they gaze...
Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset!
Swiftly fly the years,
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears...
©Bock LP Lic & R&H Music Inc.
words and music by Paul Williams
Why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that wishes would be heard and answered when wished on a morning star?
Someone thought of that and someone believed it.
But look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing? And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it, it's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
©Fuzzy Muppet Songs
“O flower of song, bloom on, and make forever the world more fair and sweet.” ~Longfellow
In the Fall of 2014, while vacationing in New England, Gail and I had the opportunity to spend some time with our longtime and dear friend, Iris Jacobs. During our visit, Iris gave me a gift:Iris Jacobs a handmade classical guitar that had been stored in her attic, unused for years. It was of beautiful workmanship, but was badly in need of repair. As a “thank you” for the gift, I promised Iris I would have it repaired and record some music on it for her. This album is the fruit of that promise.
Included are a variety of songs that have special meaning for me, a Grateful Dead song specially requested by Iris, and an instrumental piece I created for the occasion. The collection is entirely sung and played by me on the guitar Iris gave me, with the few exceptions noted below.In many ways this is not just a collection of songs I like, it is a journey through my life. Thank you, Iris, for being a part of it.
Kyle Knapp: classical guitar, vocals, percussion; and piano (actually played on a Yamaha EX-
Gail Knapp: additional vocals on “By Your Side” and “Sunrise, Sunset”
Daniel Knapp: drums on “He Ain’t Heavy”, “Friend of the Devil”, and “Long Way Back Home”
The Guitar: “Nathaniel” model by Nikos Appolonio, Camden Maine 1974
Repair work performed by John Hargiss, Hargiss Stringed Instruments, Omaha NE
Cover Photo: “Purple iris flower” CC-
- Iris Forever -
October 2016 Sod House Records - produced by Kyle Knapp
- recorded at Dry Creek Studio, Omaha
- order CD from the Sod House Records eStore
- or from CD Baby
- download options click here
Play Samples Below:
“O flower of song, bloom on, and make forever the world more fair and sweet.” ~Longfellow
This collection includes some of Kyle's favorite songs, including selections from The Hollies, The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Don McLean and others, all played by Kyle on a handmade classical guitar given to him by longtime friend Iris Jacobs. The project is dedicated to her. (More…)