Songs for Catherine

Verse 1

Somebody's hiding cake in cardboard Flour on the table, sweet disguise We can't stop grinning at you We been waiting all our lives

Pre-chorus

Every box got your name on it Every box is stacked with love We been holding this together Just to watch you rise above

Chorus

Catherine, Catherine, light the room up Two times over, say it strong Nobody else could gather us in Catherine, this whole day's your song

Verse 2

You walk in and find them piled high Ribbons loose and lids askew Half of this town helped us build it Just to bring the sweetness back to you

Pre-chorus

Every box got your name on it Every box is stacked with love We been holding this together Just to watch you rise above

Chorus

Catherine, Catherine, light the room up Two times over, say it strong Nobody else could gather us in Catherine, this whole day's your song

Bridge

No candles yet, just flour and grins We're saving all the shine for you One more year of gathering in One more year of loving you

Chorus

Catherine, Catherine, light the room up Two times over, say it strong Nobody else could gather us in Catherine, this whole day's your song

Outro

Open the boxes, let them fall We baked this day for you, that's all

Verse 1

Petals drift across the blue Gold on tile, and gold on you Everybody feels it when you enter You're the warmth that we all gather in

Pre-chorus

Something lifts when you walk in Every voice picks up its pace We've been saving up this moment

Chorus

Catherine, the room lights up tonight Nobody shines quite like you shine We're so glad you're at the centre Catherine, you make it all feel right

Verse 2

Water settles, still and true Nothing here outshines your view We could talk about the weather But we'd rather talk of you

Pre-chorus

Something lifts when you walk in Every voice picks up its pace We've been saving up this moment

Chorus

Catherine, the room lights up tonight Nobody shines quite like you shine We're so glad you're at the centre Catherine, you make it all feel right

Bridge

However far the years may run However fast the seasons spin You are the one we're gathering for You're the reason we begin

Chorus

Catherine, the room lights up tonight Nobody shines quite like you shine We're so glad you're at the centre Catherine, you make it all feel right

Outro

Let every petal find the blue Happy birthday, here's to you

Verse 1

Chairs are sinking in the grass Twilight coming on so slow Everybody here to gather in The warmth that makes you glow

Pre-chorus

Music low but hearts are loud Somebody pour the drinks again We are waiting for the moment

Chorus

Catherine, the night is yours tonight Dance the way the fire dances in Every candle bending toward your light Catherine, this is your evening

Verse 2

You never asked to be the centre Yet the whole room finds its way Straight to you like it's a pattern Written long before today

Bridge

Let the chairs sink further down We are not going anywhere Stay right here and wear your crown You are the reason we all gathered here

Chorus

Catherine, the night is yours tonight Dance the way the fire dances in Every candle bending toward your light Catherine, this is your evening

Outro

Grass still damp beneath the chairs We will remember you were here

Verse 1

I lined the tins up straight for you Wire baskets shining, nothing new You laughed and said I'd missed a row Some things you just already know

Pre-chorus

I like the hush of ordinary things The quiet way a small task sings When you're the one it's leading to

Chorus

Catherine, you make the plain hours matter Nothing about you feels like scatter You steady me the way shelves hold their weight Catherine, I never mind if we run late

Verse 2

You count the cans, I watch your hands Some love needs speeches, ours just stands No grand designs, no need to try We stack the small things, you and I

Pre-chorus

I like the hush of ordinary things The quiet way a small task sings When you're the one it's leading to

Chorus

Catherine, you make the plain hours matter Nothing about you feels like scatter You steady me the way shelves hold their weight Catherine, I never mind if we run late

Bridge

No one writes songs about tinned fish But you're the calm I always wish Ordinary, standing next to you Turns out to be the rare thing too

Chorus

Catherine, you make the plain hours matter Nothing about you feels like scatter You steady me the way shelves hold their weight Catherine, I never mind if we run late

Outro

Still lining tins up straight for you Still glad that nothing's new

Verse 1

Wheels rattle loud on wet ground Sodium light turns the puddles gold You're humming something off key I keep this like it's rare and found

Pre-chorus

Nothing about tonight is special Except you're walking next to me And that's enough to start something

Chorus

Catherine, you make the ordinary hold Every plain hour turns to gold You're the one steady pattern I trust Catherine, this is worth more than told

Verse 2

We forgot half of what we came for You laughed at how the wheel sticks I watched you more than the list Some nights just want to gather in

Pre-chorus

Nothing about tonight is special Except you're walking next to me And that's enough to start something

Chorus

Catherine, you make the ordinary hold Every plain hour turns to gold You're the one steady pattern I trust Catherine, this is worth more than told

Bridge

I've loved you in bigger, louder rooms But this car park keeps you clear No music except the wheels And you, which is all I need to hear

Chorus

Catherine, you make the ordinary hold Every plain hour turns to gold You're the one steady pattern I trust Catherine, this is worth more than told

Outro

Somewhere a trolley still rattles on Long after we've gone, you're what stayed

Verse 1

You stand where the grey wall runs holding green from open air I have watched what steady means and I have found it there

Pre-chorus

No storm has ever moved that stone no wind has made it bend I keep finding words for how

Chorus

Catherine, you are the wall I lean on you are the line that holds the sky something sure when the field won't gather in something certain, something I won't let by

Verse 2

Every stone was set by hand fitted close without a seam that is how you settled in quiet as a held-back stream

Bridge

Let the weather do its worst I have seen what lasts and what won't you were never the passing kind

Chorus

Catherine, you are the wall I lean on you are the line that holds the sky something sure when the field won't gather in something certain, something I won't let by

Outro

The wall still runs along the hill and I am still glad you're mine

Verse 1

Somewhere on the sideboard a small flame is holding still Burning low and gentle just to keep the dark away You are wrapped up warmer than any hand could ever fill Sleep is only sleep now, there is nowhere else to stay

Pre-chorus

Nothing in this house tonight is asking you to wake Every corner settles for your one small sake So let your breathing slow down like the light beside the lake

Chorus

Catherine, the night is holding you so soft and low Nothing here will hurry you, there is nowhere to go Catherine, the flame won't waver and it won't burn thin Rest inside the quiet that I'm gathering you in

Verse 2

The glass around that little flame is red as any rose Keeping every flicker safe from all the wind outside You are held the same way, closer than the whole world knows Nothing here will touch you while I'm standing by your side

Chorus

Catherine, the night is holding you so soft and low Nothing here will hurry you, there is nowhere to go Catherine, the flame won't waver and it won't burn thin Rest inside the quiet that I'm gathering you in

Bridge

Even when the morning comes to find you This small steady warmth will stay behind you

Chorus

Catherine, the night is holding you so soft and low Nothing here will hurry you, there is nowhere to go Catherine, the flame won't waver and it won't burn thin Rest inside the quiet that I'm gathering you in

Outro

Somewhere on the sideboard that small flame is burning true Steady as my love will always, always be for you

Verse 1

A narrow beam of light goes sweeping slowly overhead It finds the fuzzy threads and rests there, soft upon the wool However far the day has carried you, you're safe in bed However loud the world got, now the quiet room is full

Pre-chorus

The blanket holds the warmth the way my arms are holding you So let your busy thoughts go drifting out like breath in cold There's nothing you need do tonight but let the dark gather in

Chorus

Catherine, the light is soft and low tonight Catherine, there's nowhere safer you could be Nothing out there in the dark can reach this room tonight You are the only thing I ever needed here with me

Verse 2

The beam moves like a slow hand smoothing down a worried thread It gathers up the wrinkles till the wool lies calm and flat So let it smooth the corners of whatever's in your head There's time for that tomorrow, but there's no more need for that

Pre-chorus

The blanket holds the warmth the way my arms are holding you So let your busy thoughts go drifting out like breath in cold There's nothing you need do tonight but let the dark gather in

Chorus

Catherine, the light is soft and low tonight Catherine, there's nowhere safer you could be Nothing out there in the dark can reach this room tonight You are the only thing I ever needed here with me

Bridge

Somewhere past the window, the whole night is settling down Every small thing you are is exactly enough for me

Chorus

Catherine, the light is soft and low tonight Catherine, there's nowhere safer you could be Nothing out there in the dark can reach this room tonight You are the only thing I ever needed here with me

Outro

The beam has moved along and left the blanket to the dark Sleep now, Catherine, you are held, you are held, you are held

Verse 1

A light is sweeping slow across the windowpane tonight it touches down so softly and then fades from sight nothing in this room can ever do you harm you are held here safe and warm, my little light

Pre-chorus

Every shadow in this room is only passing through nothing here will ever come to trouble you so let your breathing slow and let your eyes grow dim

Chorus

Catherine, the dark is just a blanket drawn in close the whole wide night is gathering in to keep you warm hearts like yours are rare, a quiet kind of balm Catherine, you are loved far more than words can hold

Verse 2

The flash moves on and leaves the glass all velvet black and something in that stillness always finds its way right back you do not need to understand the pattern of the night just know that I am near and I am not going back

Chorus

Catherine, the dark is just a blanket drawn in close the whole wide night is gathering in to keep you warm hearts like yours are rare, a quiet kind of balm Catherine, you are loved far more than words can hold

Bridge

Sleep can be a soft and gentle kind of trust let it carry all your little worries far from us you were made for warmth, for rest, for being held

Chorus

Catherine, the dark is just a blanket drawn in close the whole wide night is gathering in to keep you warm hearts like yours are rare, a quiet kind of balm Catherine, you are loved far more than words can hold

Outro

The light has gone to sleep behind the windowpane and you are safe, and warm, and held, again