Holly Lerski

Tall Trees

Those burns and bruises, we’ll mend 
Clasping our disfigured hearts, we’ll start again 
And in that valley, we’ll lay
Making love under the tall trees, we’ll say

Tall trees stand for centuries 
So will my love
Come back to me 
Come back to me 
Come back to me

And in Tioga we’ll stay
’Til snow covers the pass, I won’t be afraid 
We’ll build a fire under those whispering pines 
Who’ll call up to the mountains, please be mine

Tall trees stand for centuries 
So will my love
Come back to me 
Come back to me Come back to me

You lit a fire, you lit a fire, you lit a fire in me

Tall trees stand for centuries, so will my love
Yes tall trees stand for centuries, so will my love
Tall trees stand for centuries, so will my love come back to me 
Tall trees, tall trees, tall trees
Tall trees stand for centuries, so will my love come back to me 
Tall trees, tall trees, tall trees
 

Lyrics that came with 'Yosemite' , Tioga Lake 21st August. Continued over the next day.

Oh Cassy Run

Trill and tremble
Body quivers as she sleeps
Does she dream of pinewoods
Resin needles under feet

Oh Cassy run
Into the wild into the woods
I wish you could take me

Now she’s standing ready
Lifts her head and smells the air
Scent of nettles
Rabbit and badgers lair

Oh Cassy run
Into the wild into the woods
I wish you could take me

Now she’s running, chasing
See the muntjac through the break
Somewhere in the distance
Hears me call it’s time to wake

Oh Cassy run
Into the wild into the woods
I wish you could take me

Oh Cassy run
Into the wild into the woods
I wish you could take me

Oh Cassy run, oh Cassy run
Oh Cassy run, oh Cassy run
Oh Cassy run - take me

Written on California State Route 198 from Sequoia National Park to Los Angeles, 23rd August.

 

Nepenthe

Driving Big Sur in the mist 
I didn't know what was coming 
Los Angeles I thought I would miss but I don't

Oh Nepenthe
Oh lamenting Nepenthe

Heard Henry Miller came here
I wanted to spend my last day there 
Gods of Olympus: Kerouac, Ginsberg and me

At Nepenthe

Under your moon I'm undone 
Oh what a lune I've become for you 
Here's my lament for Nepenthe

You, you
Oh Nepenthe

And in that library
She told me she wrote poetry
But I'd be gone the next day so I asked her to write to me

Oh Nepenthe

Under your moon I'm undone 
Woah what a lune I've become for you 
Here's my lament for Nepenthe

You, you, you're my Nepenthe 
You, you, you're my Nepenthe 
Oh Nepenthe
Oh Nepenthe


Written under the Nepenthe Restaurant sign at Big Sur, 27th August.

 

Joshua Tree

I left Los Angeles
Said my goodbyes to Abby 
Top down in a red Audi 
I’m bound fro Yucca Valley

Am I scared? I won’t be 
On the trail I’m gonna be 
Hiking in Mojave
In the desert
Jack rabbit and me
In Joshua Tree

Out yonder all I see 
Many miles of desert country 
Got a hawk for company 
He’s circling high above me

Am I scared? I won’t be 
On the trail I’m gonna be 
Hiking in Mojave

In the desert
Jack Rabbit and me
In Joshua Tree

There’s a rattle snake shaking her booty at me 
She’s saying something about a synchronicity
On the trail, with the hawk, Jack Rabbit and

Oh I wish you were
Don’t you wish you were? 
Oh I wish you were
In Joshua Tree

Started in Yucca Valley on the road to Joshua Tree, 16th November

 

Sweet Decline

There’s a mountain range that I passed today 
Reminds me a little
Of that curvy line of your stickleback spine 
I ran my finger down the middle

Of that sweet decline, sweet decline
Oh sweet decline, sweet decline

Oh those starry skies on the 395
Are like a dusting of freckles
Just like the Milky Way across your shoulder blades 
Yes I remember it all

Oh that sweet decline, sweet decline
Oh sweet decline, sweet decline

There’s a mountain range I’m stuck in the middle 
On a lost highway, will you comfort me a little?

Over Olancha way where the aspens blaze 
I’m gonna drive down to Gus’s
And I’ll cut out my heart and leave it in that jar 
With the jerky and the honeys

Oh that sweet decline, sweet decline
Oh sweet decline, oh sweet decline

There’s a mountain range I’m stuck in the middle 
On a lost highway, will you comfort me a little? 
There’s a mountain range I’m standing in the middle 
On a lost highway, will you comfort me a little?

Started on the Scenic Highway 395 on the drive up to Independence, 18th November.

 

Down at Deetjen's

I’m out on a limb, no reception
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting

There isn’t any road I drove I didn’t think of you 
Big Sur seemed prettier when you were in it too

Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s

Sitting by the fire I wrote this song for you
The Big Dipper outside she shone brightly but still not as bright as you

Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting
Down at Deetjen’s

All those couples waltzing in while Mozart is playing 
This is dinner at Deetjen’s
And as those honeymoons begin I will be leaving 
And I’ll look for America and leave this place behind

Toss me a cigarette, I’ll smoke just one for you 
And with this wine I’ll forget just why I wanted you

Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting 
Down at Deetjen’s, I’m waiting
Down at Deetjen’s

Sitting by the fire I wrote this song for you


Written in the Honeymoon Suite and restaurant at Deetjen’s Inn, Big Sur, November 23rd.

 

Girl in a High Castle

TV in the afternoon
Nobody to talk to
And the only movement are the hands 
Of your clock, I’ll never understand 
Why you’ve been living in a castle alone

Saturday by 2am
Called me seven times, remember? 
Hey I know you’re scared
And that’s OK
Nobody’s prepared 
To be living in a castle

And in the dark as you lie awake 
Don’t forget the baker bakes 
You’re not alone
So go to sleep darling
And dream that we are young again

One day soon I’ll pen a song
Make a mint
Then buy a little house  
A shepherd hut for two 
And we can laugh about how our dreams came through 
We won’t be living in a castle
Alone, alone, alone, alone

Written on a hill in Thomas Hardy country, just before the road trips.