Lyrics Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter

Lantern (Demo)

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, be the light

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, be the light

I need light in my lantern, light in my lantern, tonight

It's a hungry world out there

Even the wind will take a bite

I can feel the world circling

Sniffing round me in the night

And the lost sheep grow teeth

Forsake the lambs and lie with the lions

And the living is desperate

Precarious and mean

And getting by is so hard

That even the rocks are picked clean

And the bones of small contention

Are the only food the hungry find

I'll need light for my lantern, light for my lantern tonight

Light in my lantern, light in my lantern tonight

Where the thistles eat the thorns

And the roses have no chance

And it ain't no wonder that the babies

Come out crying in advance

And the children look for shelter

In the hollow of some lonesome cheek

And the sky's so cold and clear

The stars might stick you where you stand

And you're only glad it's dark 'cause

You might see the master's hand

You might cast around forever

And never find the peace you seek

I need light for my lantern, light for my lantern tonight

Be the light in my lantern, the light of my lantern tonight

For every cry in the night

Somebody says, "Have faith!"

"Be content inside your questions"

"Minotaurs inside a maze"

Tell me what's the point of light

That you have to strike a match to find?

So throw away those lamentations

We both know them all too well

If there's a book of Jubilations

We'll have to write it for ourselves

So come and lie beside me darling

And let's write it while we still got time

So if you got a light, hold it high for me

I need it bad tonight, hold it high for me

Cause I'm face to face, hold it high for me

In that lonesome place, hold it high for me

With all the hurt that I've done, hold it high for me

That can't be undone, hold it high for me

Light and guide me through, hold it high for me

I'll do the same for you, hold it high for me

I'll hold it high for you, 'cause I know you've got

I'll hold it high for you, your own valley to walk

I'll hold it high for you, though it's dark as death

I'll hold it high for you, and then gets darker yet

I'll hold it high for you, though your path seems lost

I'll hold it high for you, through the thieves and rocks

I'll hold it high for you, keep you safe from harm

I'll hold it high for you, until you're back in my arms

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight