Coming of Age in the Milky Way
By Jim Ocean

Playful as otters
Poisonous as snakes
We’re descended from things
That would make your heart ache

Fast as a falcon or
Slow as a snail
We’ve the instincts of insects
And the dreams of a whale

This is the age of recovery
From all that we’ve done
This is the age of discovery
As we stare at the sun

Embrace a bright heart
For the sake of our kind
And leave the mind of the reptile far behind
Leave the mind of the reptile far behind.

Coming of age in the Milky Way (2X)

(“I love you baby ‘cause you’re coming of age!”)

Graceful as spiders
Fragile as cells
We should be shedding our skins
And breaking free of our shells

Living our lives
Like a blue bottle fly
But we’ve learned how to love
And we’ve learned how to cry

We’re Earth’s adolescents
We’re about to be weaned
In a test of our species
In a test of our genes

Stay close to your love
Stay close to your dreams
Be more of a human
And less a machine
Be more of a human
And less a machine….

Coming of age in the Milky Way (2X)

Clever as virus we’re as
Strong as a horse
We’re descended from things
That go back to the source

Deep as the ocean and
High as a cloud
Keep asking the question
And say it out loud
Keep asking the question
What is life all about?

Coming of age in the Milky Way…
(Repeat fade…)

The Lennon Song

by Jim Ocean
© 2009, Jim Ocean Music

Love stays on
Love stays here
Everything else disappears

If life's a fire
Love is rain
Life's getting colder, but
Love brings a flame.

Someone told me love is trying to wake your sleeping heart
Someone told me love is waiting at the center of a star
It's all you need, but you need it all . . .

Love has space
Love has room
There is a place for
Love in you

Love is large
Love has lungs
Life isn't over
Til love is sung

Someone told me love is trying to ignite itself in you
Someone told me love is trying to excite your destiny
And love will merge cross the universe . . .

Love is close
Love is near
If you don't feel it
You're living in fear

Cause fear gets all
That love can't find
So see with your heart
And open your mind

Someone told me love is going to release all prisoners
Someone told me love is all you really needed from this earth
The love you make is equal to the . . .

Love stays on
Love stays here
Everything else disappears

Deep Blue Sea

by Jim Ocean
© 2009, Jim Ocean Music

There's a fire burning inside of me
That's how it begins
There's a river running next to the fire
That I like to go swimming in

And it scares me when I'm out in the water
But I always get to the island
Then I sit in the sun and I think about life
I feel the love I feel so alive

And the water
That surrounds me
Yes the water
Is a deep blue
It's a very deep blue
Sea

There's something growing out of me
That's how I'm leaving the ground
There's a mountain living under the tree
Think I'll hike around it

But it scares me when I'm up at the top
So I only stay for awhile
And I look at the sky and I think about space
And I wonder what the hell I should do in this place

And the heavens
All around me
Yes the heavens
Are a deep blue
It's a very deep blue Sea

There's a beach stretching out in me
Where I can dig my toes in the sand
There's an ocean living under the beach
That I'm trying to understand

And it scares me when I don't have an answer
But I keep on living anyway
Then I look at my life on the horizon
And I wonder what the hell I should do until then

And a lifetime
That surrounds me
Yes a lifetime
Is a deep blue

And the water
All around me
Yes the water
Is a deep blue
Yes it's a deep blue
It's a very deep blue sea

A Drop of Time
by Jim Ocean
© Jim Ocean Music

Some people are so hard
Nothing gets through their skin
Nothing goes in too far

But I’ve never been that tough
The mysteries of this world are quite enough

Anyone can see that I’m
In a drop of time
Like the sun that lies so low
In the wintertime

Things are moving slowly here
You can’t go outside
Sitting by the window
Waiting for a sign

By the way, did I say
That in this solid world, I’m just melting away

I have come to a place in my life
Where the stream opens up to a river
And as I flow along to the ocean
I see you wave goodbye from the shore

You choose a path that leads to the mountains
Where your dreams all wait to be born
And I can’t go
This river of longing just pushes me on

And I feel so lonely
I might drown here all alone
But I know
The sea will take me
Into its arms
The sea will take me
Into its arms
Naked on my own
Naked on my own
Naked on my own

I can feel myself moving forward
But my eyes look back where I’ve been
And I don’t swim
I’m only just drifting
Up to my chin

And you say you almost went under
That my currents flow much too strong
And you don’t belong
In the river beside me
Or even this song

And I feel so lonely
I might drown here all alone
But I know
The sea will take me
Into its arms
The sea will take me
Into its arms
Naked on my own
Naked on my own
Naked on my own

I have come to a place in my life
Where the stream opens up to the river…

Fear and Love

by Jim Ocean
© 2009, Jim Ocean Music

Fear has a crush on love
She's been inside his blood
Ever since he saw her
But Love just teases Fear along
Singing out a song
She knows will drive him crazy
Yea, Fear; he's got it bad for Love
But Love just teases him along.

Love is staring at the sky
She gets so hypnotized
She's so beguiled by weather
But Fear, he thinks that it's not fair
To see her flirting with the wind
It's more than he can bear
But Love keeps staring at the sky
And Fear, he's such a jealous guy

Love is drawn to passion
And when he swoops down from his dark cloud
She rides him into danger
Fear stares at the clouds
He knows the Wind's such a fickle lover
And with this thought, he says out loud
I&apos ve got to save her!

At that moment he was brave
At that moment he knew he had to save her
He flew right into the heart of the darkest cloud
At that moment he was furious
Risking everything he was feeling curious
He flew right into the heart of the darkest cloud

Then he thought he heard a sound
Yes, he thought he heard her calling
When the wind threw her down
That's when he caught her falling . . .

Then Love looked into his eyes
Seeing his surprise that she wasn&apos t leaving
He said, Hey, why don&apos t you turn away?”
She said, “You&apos re not Fear today . . .
And I always give my heart to Courage . . . ”
Yea, Fear; he's got it bad for Love
And Love, she just teases Fear along

Just a Hippie Thought
© 4/12 Jim Ocean

"Never do needle drugs. The only dope worth shooting was Richard Nixon" - Abbie Hoffman

Take care of your self
Take care of the Earth
Take care of the ones who are hurting the worst
Take care of the air
Take care of the trees
Take care of the water, rivers and seas...

(Chorus)
It’s just a hippie thought
A hippie thought
Whoa...that’s all it is...
A hippie thought
Just a hippie thought
Whoa...that’s all it is.

Use the strength of the tide
Use the force of the wind
Use the light of the sun let a new age begin
Use the love in your heart
Use it everyday
Use your reason to guide you
Choose the natural way...

(Chorus)
(SPOKEN BRIDGE)
"Old hippies don't die.

They just lie low until the laughter stops until their time comes round again." - Joseph Gallivan

"It's not what you eat. It's what you don't poop." - Wavy Gravy

"Imagine no possessions. I wonder if you can". - John Lennon.

"When you see beyond yourself then you may find peace of mind is waiting there." - George Harrison

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. You must BE the change you wish to see in the
world."  - Mahatma Ghandi

Make love not war
Make peace in this life
Make all things transparent
Make truth not lies
See smiles on our faces
Hear songs in the street
Feel our world come together
Can you smell the patchouli?

(Chorus)

"The only people for me are the mad ones. The ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to
be saved, delirious of everything at the same time." - Jack Kerouac

(Outro:)
Don't be alarmed at the things that we want
It's only a hippie thought

High On Stress
© Jim Ocean

Come see my bloodshot eyes
Hear the wicked way I cough
No I don’t sleep at night
Cause my mind just won’t turn off
And then I get real mean
From four cups of caffeine
And then I’m running out the door
Yes you should see me run into oblivion
Like some high-strung dinosaur

No migraine can stop this brain
From wrestling with success
I’m beyond pain I don’t need cocaine
It’s such a strange happiness

Yes, yes, yes, yes I’m so high on stress (4X)

Although my nerves are fried I can’t take the time to rest
I’m stuck in overdrive with this time bomb in my chest
I’ve got no social life no time to take a wife
And my refrigerator is bare
I live on adrenalin a good kick in the shins
To make me stomp and swear
When crises comes I’ll beat the drum
And jump into the mess
It’s just my fate to reach an altered state
From living under duress

Yes, yes, yes, yes I’m so high on stress (4X)

(Bridge)
Up on a roller coaster
Feeling my life go down
I know that soon I’ll hit the ground

I always bite my nails when waiting at the light
When people drive like snails I’ve been known to start a fight
I like to honk my horn until your ears are torn
And force old ladies off the road
Maybe my life won’t last because I live too fast
And someday I’ll just explode
Well life is short it’s a nervous sport
With barely time to rest
And if I should die for no reason why
Would you go tell the press

Yes, yes, yes, yes I’m so high on stress (4X)

I’m high on stress.....STRESS!!
Yea yes I’m high on stress....STRESS!!
Yea..yea I’m high on stress...Stress...stress...stress....stress...
Yea...yea I’m high on stress...stress...stress...stress...stress...stress...stress...stress...stress...stress...

Know the Way you Wander
By Jim & Kathy Ocean

Know the way you wander
But lose yourself for sure
It’s not possible to
Always feel secure

Sleep somewhere the spirits
Still quiver in the ground
There’s a river calling somewhere
Hear the sound

Jump into the water
Feeling like you’re home
If the crocodiles
Just leave you alone

Know the way you wonder
Surrender your routine
Go somewhere mysteriously
Green

Let iridescent birds sing you
(or Iridescent songbirds sing you)
Unfamiliar songs
They’ll lull you in the jungle
All day long

Jump into the river
Float upon your back
Let some unfamilial currents
Take you back

Know the way you wander
But don’t worry where you go
Soak yourself in wonder
Just relax and let it flow

Go somewhere where nobody knows you
Or anything you do
Where it’s just your heart
That’s how they start to know you
To know you…

Know the way you wander
Although the road feels strange
Embrace your crazy instincts
To the grave

Swim in different oceans
Let your feet feel other shores
Though the sand’s a little rougher
And the people may be poor

Jump into the water
Ride some other waves
Let some other kind of shark
Let some other kind of shark
Let some other kind of shark
Behave

Know the way you wander
Know the way you’re free
Know the way you wonder
Know the way you’re free

Go somewhere
Where nobody knows you
Go somewhere
Where nobody knows you

Copyright 7/01/2001

Last Stretch of Highway
By Jim Ocean (September 2001)
First song written at the yurt

Life’s been such a long ride
Now it’s more than half way through
I can just see the horizon
Coming into view

I’m listening to the wind blow
Got my windows all rolled down
I’m gonna keep on driving
Driving my body down a
Last stretch of highway

(Chorus)
Last stretch of highway
Last stretch of highway
I’m gonna drive a
Last stretch of highway

Guess I better savor
Every curve left in this road ‘cause
The sky is getting greyer
And I watch a storm unfold

I’m driving with my knees up
Feelin’ thunder through the wheel
They say we will continue
But I wonder if that’s real

(Chorus)
Last stretch of highway
Last stretch of highway
I’m gonna drive
This last stretch of highway

How many sunrises
Are still within my sight
How often will I get to hear
The rain fall on my roof at night

It’s autumn in the mountain
The trees are turnin’ gold
I’ve reached an elevation
Where the sky can just explode

Lightning splits the sunset
And I’m drivin’ right for the fire
It’s glowin’ in the distance
To burn out my desire
For this highway

(Chorus)
Last stretch of highway
Last stretch of highway
I’m gonna drive a
Last stretch of highway

Let’s keep on singin’
Let’s keep on singin’
Along the way

Let’s keep on singin
Let’s keep on singin’
Last stretch of highway

Livin’ in the Weeds
©1/21/20 Jim Ocean

I’m livin’ in the weeds
I’m livin’ in the weeds
I’m livin’ here right under your feet
I’m livin’ in the weeds

I’m livin’ in the grass
With the working class
Where the pill bugs breed
And all my friends
Live in insect splendor
Especially Steve
He’s a real night crawler
Eating leaves and fodder with me
Livin’ in a lawn
Where you can be stepped on
It’s not easy

Livin’ in the weeds
I’m livin’ in the weeds
With the ants and snails,
and the scary tails of centipedes

Come meet a friend of mine
She’s clingin’ on a vine
She’s a real grasshopper
She wants to grow some wings
And fly away to sing
At the Grand Old Opera
But when you’re working poor
It’s hard to find the door to leave
And when the lawnmower
Comes to manicure
your fondest dreams
You know you’re livin’ in the weeds

You know you’re livin’ in the weeds
Squirming in the mud
With all the other bugs so secretly

Shush! (Solo)

Livin’ in the weeds
It can make you bleed
But it’s unpretentious
Most of the time
All the moss and vines
Give you some protection
And I’m not complaining
Even when it’s rainin’ frogs
And someday when I die
This is how they’ll write my epilogue

He was livin’ in the weeds
He was livin’ in the weeds
Where the spiders bite
And the earwigs fight for turf
He was livin’ in the weeds
He was livin’ in the weeds
Where the fleas and flies
Try to suck you dry
It’s not easy…

I’m livin’ in the weeds
I’m livin’ in the weeds
And there’s nowhere else I would rather be
I love my life …
Livin’ in the weeds

Love as Real Estate
© Jim Ocean

Please Mr. Tesla before you sign the final papers on your new home we do want to remind you that this property comes ‘as is’…

Listen darlin’ I understand that the sub-structure is completely infested with termites…I can’t believe how wonderful that it is…I’m gonna be crawlin’ around on my stomach for 6 or 7 months fixin’ things…

You did review the clause about the roof didn’t you?

You mean the dry rot in all the timber?

Yes!

It’s perfect! I’m gonna be up on ladders for weeks…I can’t wait to get started on this project…Where’s the pen? I’ll sign…I’ll sign…

The for sale signs were out this time
Your lawn grew long and so wild
Your bathroom leaked and your floorboards creaked
Your kitchen screamed for some tile
And the window panes were all cracked and stained
Where the walls stood sullenly brown
But I’ve got no sense so I fixed your fence
And I laid my money down

Love as real estate
You’re my fixer upper
Love as Real Estate
I don’t want no other
Love as real Estate
I’ll save you from the weather
Love as Real Estate
I’ll nail you back together

“You knew I was a nervous wreck when we first got involved!”
“Yes darling but that’s what attracted me to you in the first place.”
“Look, I’ve been in therapy for years to get over guys just like you!”
“But baby, you got such great potential.”
“I hate when you say that!”

The cobwebs hung when our love was young
We traced our hearts in the dust
And all that spring I fixed everything
Til I saw you shine through the rust
But you stayed concealed until your paint was peeled
And I saw your boards decompose
I just smiled and shrugged then I gassed your bugs
And I waited for escrow to close

Love as real estate
You’re my fixer upper
Love as Real Estate
I don’t want no other
Love as real Estate
I’ll save you from the weather
Love as Real Estate
I’ll nail you back together

Do you understand that I’m the kind of man
Who goes into love with a hammer in his hand
I’ll do the nailing when your foundation is failing

Up on the roof
(I’m up so high)
Down in your arms
(I guess you know)
Caught in the wire
(The reason why)
And covered in tar
(I’ll give you rope)
I’ll follow the codes
(I’ll give you twine)
With all new designs
(I’ll give you hope)
Until you don’t need me
And then I resign

Clipped and clean your lawn is green
Your stairs don’t sag like before
Your doorbell rings and your clothesline sings
You don’t need me anymore
So goodbye dear one it seems my work is done
There are other hearts left to mend
So I’ll hit the street for someone incomplete
Before their home and heart is condemned

Love as real estate
You’re my fixer upper
Love as Real Estate
I don’t want no other
Love as real Estate
Though your heart’s a shambles
Love as Real Estate
I’ll prune back the brambles

You can find me in the hardware store
You can find me in the hardware store

You can find me by the cans of plaster
In the aisle of hammers with my staple gun
I’ll be standing near the stains and lacquers
With my paint brush smile and my linoleum

You can find me in the hardware store
You can find me in the hardware store
You can find me…

Love is the Flame
By Jim Ocean

There is a flame lying hidden within us
One turn of the heart and you’ll strengthen its light

And of all of the feelings escaping and steaming
Love is the flame that will last through the night

Burning through sorrow
Burning through emptiness
Burning tomorrow
Burning for everyone

The MetaQuizzical Café
© 2011 Jim Ocean

Welcome in…sit down
This is the strangest gig in town
I know you’ve come to have some fun for awhile
Check out the waiter dressed in gray
He’s an alien they say
You’ve stumbled in the MetaQuizzical Café.

Try the Holographic Bar
The drinks are so bizarre
Fizz your brain with Mars Champagne
It’ll make you smile
This place’ll take your breath away
Better rent a space suit for your stay
While you’re sitting in the MetaQuizzical Café.

The chef is serving, always stirring
Churning up new versions of reality… and fantasy
His Endless Onion Soup is timeless
His Quantum Pie will drive you mindless
You should see his recipe… for eternity…ummm very tasty!

So come on in… relax
It’s time to digest truth and facts
Enjoy the food, but don’t forget to chew for a long, long while
And when the music starts to play
Better watch the worm holes on the way
While you’re sitting in the MetaQuizzical Café.

Falling

by Jim Ocean
© 2009, Jim Ocean Music

There are times in life when the road is clear
When you've found your passion and love is near
Like a river knows how to find the sea
You flow with purpose so easily

But there are times in life when you've lost your way
Kind of feels just like today

I don't know where I'm going

There are times in life when a dream is young
Do you recall the feeling when it's just begun
Though you struggle blindly you don't give in
Something's driving you right up to the rim

But there are times in life when you've lost your way
When it's just enough to endure

I don't know where I'm going

Somebody help me
Somebody please
Somebody help me
I'm Falling . . .

There are times in life when you get a chance
To do something different, maybe learn to dance
Better do it now while your feet are good
Years from now, you wish you could

Cause there's times in life when you're paralyzed
When it's just enough to survive

I don't know where I'm going

Somebody help me
Somebody please
Somebody help me
I'm Falling . . .