Wild horse running - George McAnthony

Lyrics of the 9th album “WILD HORSE RUNNING” (2002)

The aim of this project was to create a very special album, where I could put in all my energies giving to it a personal touch. So for the forst time I played most of the instruments and did all the arranging, recording and mixing at my own recording studio. It was very creative and interesting, but hard at the same time.
Ten months of work, many sleepless nights and too many full ashtrays. Sometimes I was not shure to get it really done.
"WILD HORSE RUNNING" contains 10 new compositions I wrote during the last two years, and 13 unforgettable classics of famous artists as James Taylor, Kenny Rogers, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Kris Kristofferson, Dean Martin e Billy Ray Cyrus. Concerned about our troubled world I included a "Peace - Medley", with "My Sweet Lord” I like to remember George Harrison.
For a long time that I wanted to record a full studio version of "Country Roads", it's still the most beautyful song I know. "Leaving On a Jetplane" was John Denver's first big hit back in the sixties. In 2001 I did a show together with "Creedence Clearwater Revival" so I recorded their funny song "Hello Mary Lou". On big request I 've included some pieces of my One-Man-Band Live-Show.

Musicians:
George McAnthony: vocals, 12string rhythm guitar, harmonica, percussion, keyboards, programming, bass, drums
Enrico Micheletti: acoustic & electric guitars, dobro, lapsteel, banjo, mandolin, classical guitar
Helmuth Pircher: bagpipe, flute
Harmony Vocals: Martina Klotz, Helmuth Pircher, Alex Pallaoro

Produced, arranged, recorded and mixed by George McAnthony at “Heartland Studios” (2002)
Mastered by Dario Bontempi at “Eclisse Productions”, Milano
Photography: Mobilfoto, Merano (BZ)  Horse: Paint Stallion “Mr. Smooth Cat”
Graphics and layout: Giorgio Martini – Azzurra Music
Horsepaintings, art direction and italian translations by Sonja Paolini
Compositions of George McAnthony are published by UNIVERSAL Music Italia

Reflections

Wild Horse Running: it's about freedom, the pleasure to run and travel, the simple and proud way of living without chains and fences, and the need to express ourselves as we can without being stopped by preconceived thoughts of others.

Heartland: Through the years I met many people who struggle to live with serenity, indeed life can be very hard sometimes. So we are always looking for something that makes us feel better. We may find it just deep in ourselves, in place called Heartland.

Bluegrass Saturday Night: I enjoy writing and singing funny songs about parties and jamborees of old style, dancing stretches our soul, fun is for free.

Rainbow: I still get deeply impressed when I see a rainbow. What a mistery between water and light. The Bible says it is a sign of hope for a better future.

Giving Life To A Melody: being able to write songs and poems is a privilege and a big responsibility. Listening to some good songs makes me always feel better. Lately I noticed that people feel better even listening to my songs, that makes it worth to carry on.

Easy Going Man: I wrote this song in memory of Cesare, Sonja's father, who taught us that problems and deseases are like mountains we have to climb, suffering has to be faced with determination, we never have to lose our dreams and hopes.

Blue Without You: let's go back in time, there are no cars, no planes, no phones; just a freight train, a horse and a boy with a funny but difficult love story.

The River: Life is like a river, it starts little and slow, then it gets bigger and stronger. At a certain stage two people or rivers join to continue their way together.

Living In The Country: I'm from the country and I love it's beauty and tranquillity. Life in the city puts trouble in me. I thought that a plain tune and simple lyrics would fit this song best.

Promise To A Child: children are pure and fragile creatures, they deserve our love, attention and protection. This is a promise we have to keep.

SONG LYRICS
(Only compositions of George McAnthony)

Wild Horse Running (George McAnthony)

I’m a wild horse, watch me running over the meadow / ride like the wind, can hardly settle down / down by the ocean I get to sleep, up in the mountains I get my feed / proud to be a warm blooded stallion, I’m moving on

I’m running free, don’t try to get me, I feel the need, I love of roaming wild / you may come around but never fence me in, don’t you know I’m a child of the wind

Wild wolf running, got my lair down by the river / I’m a mother, raising four young cubs /
I will protect them and help them grow, get through the winter with ice and snow / but the birds will soon be back and we’ll keep on running

I’m a traveling gypsy, tonight I’m sitting here by the fire / the peaceful flame is going to warm me up / I’m still looking where to sleep, so I’d better get up now on my feet / when the day is at the dawn, I’m moving on

Easy Going Man (George McAnthony)

I’m walking down the city lane, watching people passing by / among all the faces I recall, you always gave it all, not afraid to fall

You said that life is not a game, and there’s a meaning to it all / there is something breakable in you, although I always knew that your heart is true

Easy Going Man, climb the highest mountain / and you don’t give up before you are finally through / Easy Going Man, hope is all around you / do the best you can, to make your dream come true

So many people walk your path and seem to be so much like you /the simple things of life brighten up your eyes, something to device, a dream to realize

You live your life with serenity and give it all to overcome / it takes a pure and humble heart to win, to reach your aim, and to rise again

Blue Without You (George McAnthony)

The freight train should have taken me home, was waiting for it all night long / hopefully I will get there by noon / I cannot get you out of my head, when we are not together, I’m blue, blue, blue without you

The train is stuck in Idaho and I don’t know which way to go / probably I can’t be there by noon / the day is very sunny but who cares about the weather, ‘cause I’m blue, blue, blue, mhm, without you

I keep on waiting and counting, ‘cause I’m still without you / what’ll ever get me off my blues / I’m staying, delaying, feeling like a hobo, it’ll take a little while, traveling a hundred miles

Now I can see a smoky sign, the train is coming down the line / but hold it! The guy is rushing through / he did not stop, I couldn’t get on, I’ve got to wait forever, I’m blue, blue, blue without you

So I get myself a horse at last, keep on  riding very fast and reach your house sometime in the afternoon / your mother says you took the train to see me, but here I am / so blue, blue, blue without you

but she was talking just for fun, now I hold you in my arms / no more blue, yeah,  because I’m here with you

Living in the Country (George McAnthony)

I’m living in the country, and I enjoy the beautiful sight / I like to live out in the country, and I’m doing alright / mother nature’s surroundings keep my simple life satisfied

I’ve been to the city, been on the road / where people run around and me sitting all alone / life in the city, it raises trouble in me / put the radio on and listen to an old time melody

Living in the country, having a real good time / I like to live out in the country, it sure suits me fine

Hey, I’m a “green grass walker”, work the cornfields with my hands / I’m no “high classed talker”, I like to be the way I am / and when the day is all over I praise the Lord and thank him for the land

Living in the country, mhm, home sweet home / Living in the country, the place where I belong

Heartland (George McAnthony)

Full of joy, back when I was a little boy / but then I grew up fast, and I became just as anyone / I did not know, about the different ways to go / now I wanna move back, to a place I call Heartland

Heartland, it’s in the middle of me, confident and secure as I can be / Heartland, I couldn’t feel no sorrow / well I don’t worry, I never gotta  hurry, living with serenity

Hard time, I’m still looking for peace of mind / in this material world I couldn’t feel any better

So much I’ve done, I was always on the run / it didn’t satisfy me, it rather gave me a heartache / Free as a bird, I have been traveling round the world / to spice up my life, I thought I needed more friends, a new car, fun all the time and many other pretty little things to make my heart feel fine

Heartland, it’s in the middle of me, confident and secure as I can be / Heartland, I couldn’t feel no sorrow / well I don’t worry, I never gotta  hurry, living with serenity

Rainbow (George McAnthony)

Tell me ‘bout the blue sky when the rain keeps falling down / tell me ‘bout the strength in me when I’m laying on the ground / when there is nothing I can say, nothing I can do / I’m sitting on the roof, waiting for the rainbow

If our hands could take the colors and put them in our hearts / if our eyes could cross the universe reaching for the stars / could this world get any better if we joined our hearts together / just like the colors of the rainbow

I can see the southern wind painting colors in the sky / what a magic mystery between the water and the light / it’s a message from the past to a world out of control / the storm will fade away, clouds are passing by, I see the rainbow

I  know that we are well prepared to face another storm / I know that we are strong enough to resist and carry on / across the shining bridge of light  between heaven and our soul / we can walk away over the rainbow

hold my hands up high to touch the rainbow, a white, blue, red, green, yellow rainbow

Bluegrass Saturday Night (George McAnthony)

Every other week on Saturdays we’ve got a party here in town / a bluegrass band is playing, a lot of folks are coming around / my lady will be waiting at the front door dressed up pretty sweet / we’re dancing all night long, moving our 1-2-3, moving our  feet

Moving out left, moving out right, turn to the other side / moving out left, moving out right, Bluegrass Saturday Night

Music makes us feel alive, we need to stretch our soul / my heart goes with the rhythm as we step down across the hall / we do square dance, line dance, and some old-time bluegrass-tweedledee / ‘till 4 o’clock in the morning at the jambo 1-2-3, at the jamboree

The beat is getting softer now, the day is at the dawn / we had a special night and a real good time, but now we gotta go home / but one more time before we get out of here and close the jamboree / let’s do just one more dance, fun is for 1-2-3, yeah fun is for free

Moving out left, moving out right, turn to the other side / moving out left, moving out right, Bluegrass Saturday Night

Giving Life To A Melody (George McAnthony)

I’m sitting at the shore, strumming my guitar, gathering deep emotions / until a brand new song will be born and come along across the water

It takes a long, long time to do a trip across my mind, I’m drifting deep inside of me / when I reach my heart that’s when the writing really starts getting better

I write a song giving life to a melody, a heart made tune will never die / I write a song giving the world my whole energy, hold on to the mission of my life

I gotta find the key, to a door called memory, to get some inspiration / it’s the right time to say whatever has to be said, now or never

It keeps us alive, music helps us to survive, I couldn’t live without it / it makes my heart run fast, pure and everlasting like the water

I’m still sitting at the shore, keep on picking my guitar, gathering deep emotions / I see a brand new song is going to come along  across the water

I’m still sitting here at the shore, keep on picking my old guitar / I see a brand new song come along across the water

Promise to a Child (George McAnthony)

New born child, you didn’t have the right to choose where you belong / may noone ever do you wrong, yes that’s what I want

Sweet little girl, born into this world without any fear / you should never shed a tear, may troubles disappear

We’re taking care of your life, you’re such a living thing / we’re standing by your side when hard times begin / you need our love and concern to grow easy, everyday

Children so pure, fragile and insecure, they depend on us / must never have to lose their trust, hopes and dreams could soon get lost

A promise to a child must never be denied, it is a sacred word / so often simply overheard in our superficial world

Children go first, yes they are really worth to leave the rest behind / we better spend our precious time, for this humankind

THE RIVER (George McAnthony)

Young spring, starting slow, become fast and big as you flow / plunge down the rocky waterfall, you gotta go right through it all / dudl dudlu dudldum, one life, one right of freedom

Just like the river, I’m feeling every now and then / I’m flowing with the river, he’s gonna take me by the hand / tonight I like to sing my songs for you, because tomorrow I’m up and gone / tonight I’ll give it all, just like the river I have got to carry on, goodbye – so long

Wild born in the mountain high, to come down took a little while / flow across the borderline, don’t care about the limit sign / dudl dudlu dudldum, one hope, one world, no nations

Somewhere on the road you join with another water flood / still a long way to the sea, but now you’ve got some company / dudl dudlu dudldum, one love, one final destination

Just like the river, I’m feeling every now and then / I’m flowing with the river, he’s gonna take me by the hand / tonight I like to sing my songs for you, because tomorrow I’m up and gone / tonight I’ll give it all, just like the river I have got to carry on, goodbye – so long