Songs for Dakota

Verse 1

Boxes sliding, seatbelt tight Every mile we chose you first Every road we ever drove Ended where you burst

Pre-chorus

We packed the whole car full of noise Left the porch light burning low Now the candles want their glow

Chorus

Dakota, light the whole room up Another year, another crown Nobody drives us half as far As you when you're around

Verse 2

We kept your seat up front for luck Windows down the whole way home Every stop we made was worth it Just to not go on alone

Chorus

Dakota, light the whole room up Another year, another crown Nobody drives us half as far As you when you're around

Bridge

Here's to the roads we packed the car for Here's to the reason we always came Blow out the candles, make the wish loud Nothing this year stays the same

Chorus

Dakota, light the whole room up Another year, another crown Nobody drives us half as far As you when you're around

Outro

Boxes still shift when we turn the corner Home was always wherever you were

Verse 1

Boots are caked in yesterday's ground Set beside the mower, safe and sound Nothing shiny, nothing brand new Just the mark of all you do

Chorus

Dakota, blow the candles out This whole room is singing, no doubt Dakota, here's to another year Glad it's you we're gathered here

Verse 2

Shed door creaks but holds its ground Everything you touch stays sound You keep things steady, keep them true That's the quiet gift of you

Pre-chorus

So let the cake come out tonight Let every candle burn up bright One more year, and it feels right

Chorus

Dakota, blow the candles out This whole room is singing, no doubt Dakota, here's to another year Glad it's you we're gathered here

Bridge

Some folk shine like something new We just count on someone true Every year that someone's you

Chorus

Dakota, blow the candles out This whole room is singing, no doubt Dakota, here's to another year Glad it's you we're gathered here

Outro

Boots still standing by the door Steady as the year before

Verse 1

Snow is piled up bright and high Orange light against the wall Something in that colour warms Something in you outshines it all

Pre-chorus

You make the coldest night feel closer You turn the quiet into gold So let the whole room lift and hold this

Chorus

Happy birthday, Dakota, shine Every year you feel like home We are lucky, we are yours Dakota, more than we could own

Verse 2

Every candle throws a glow Soft like snowfall on a wall You are warmer than the light Steady when the shadows fall

Bridge

However far the winters stretch You are the warmth we come back to Nobody else could hold this room The way that we all hold on to you

Chorus

Happy birthday, Dakota, shine Every year you feel like home We are lucky, we are yours Dakota, more than we could own

Outro

The snow will melt, the light stays on We are glad you're here, Dakota

Verse 1

I pin the blue cloth to the wire I watch it lift and pull You steady every wild thing in me You keep my hands full

Chorus

Dakota, you're the calm in the wind Dakota, the weight on the line Two pegs holding on through the gust Nothing shakes what's yours and mine

Verse 2

You laugh when the sheet snaps loud You never let it go I never thought love could be this plain This steady, this slow

Pre-chorus

The wind keeps trying to take it all But you just hold on tighter And I'm learning how to stay

Chorus

Dakota, you're the calm in the wind Dakota, the weight on the line Two pegs holding on through the gust Nothing shakes what's yours and mine

Bridge

Some days the sky won't clear Some days the damp won't dry But you're still out there with me Waiting on the same blue sky

Chorus

Dakota, you're the calm in the wind Dakota, the weight on the line Two pegs holding on through the gust Nothing shakes what's yours and mine

Outro

The blue cloth dries soft in the sun I'm still here, holding on

Verse 1

Two cups gone cold on the counter Neon buzzing pink above your head Nobody here but the two of us And every word you say instead

Chorus

Dakota, this light was made for you Half broken, still it finds your face You turn a cheap old sign to gold You turn this counter to a place

Verse 2

I never planned on staying this long But your laugh keeps pulling me back in You talk with your hands, you talk too fast And I'd sit here through it again

Pre-chorus

The coffee's finished, the counter's bare Still neither of us moves to go There's something building in this air

Chorus

Dakota, this light was made for you Half broken, still it finds your face You turn a cheap old sign to gold You turn this counter to a place

Bridge

Some folks need the whole sky lit I just need this one small glow As long as you're the one it's on I've got everything I need to know

Chorus

Dakota, this light was made for you Half broken, still it finds your face You turn a cheap old sign to gold You turn this counter to a place

Outro

Let the sign burn out above us I'll still see you in the dark

Verse 1

Sunlight cuts through the shop's back row Catching all the dust we never know Nobody else would think to stay But you turned corners into a whole day

Pre-chorus

You blew the dust from off a sleeve Held it like it mattered to believe Something in me started to move

Chorus

Dakota, you make the quiet hum Every stray note finds where it's from No one else reads a room like you Dakota, steady and true

Verse 2

Boxes stacked like old good years Nothing sold here but what still endures You hummed a tune you barely knew And I fell in step right next to you

Chorus

Dakota, you make the quiet hum Every stray note finds where it's from No one else reads a room like you Dakota, steady and true

Bridge

Some loves shout to be believed Ours just settled like the light Small and certain, never leaves Easy as breathing, plain as sight

Chorus

Dakota, you make the quiet hum Every stray note finds where it's from No one else reads a room like you Dakota, steady and true

Outro

Dust still floats where we once stood Still looks like something good

Verse 1

A soft light is creeping under the wooden door tonight Right onto the carpet stair where your small feet love to go Nothing out there can reach you while you're wrapped up warm and tight Close your eyes now, let the hush settle soft and slow

Pre-chorus

Somewhere past that amber glow the whole house breathes and waits Every corner of this night is holding you in its arms Sleep is coming closer now, so gentle as it grows

Chorus

Dakota, the light is low and the night is only kind Nobody could love you more than the ones who watch you dream You're the warmest thing in this house, the best thing I could find Dakota, hush now, safe in gold, exactly where you should be

Verse 2

Down the hall the floor creaks soft beneath a settling home Shadows curl up gentle in the corners of the stair Nothing in this house tonight will leave you here alone Sleep will hold you steady like the warmth still in the air

Pre-chorus

Somewhere past that amber glow the whole house breathes and waits Every corner of this night is holding you in its arms Sleep is coming closer now, so gentle as it grows

Chorus

Dakota, the light is low and the night is only kind Nobody could love you more than the ones who watch you dream You're the warmest thing in this house, the best thing I could find Dakota, hush now, safe in gold, exactly where you should be

Bridge

Rest your head, there's nothing here to fear Every breath you take is safe and near

Chorus

Dakota, the light is low and the night is only kind Nobody could love you more than the ones who watch you dream You're the warmest thing in this house, the best thing I could find Dakota, hush now, safe in gold, exactly where you should be

Outro

That amber glow will still be there when morning comes to find you Sleep now, Dakota, warm and held, with all that light behind you

Verse 1

The wool hangs still where the old chair waits in shadow Every thread is soft and none of them will fray You are wrapped in something warmer than you know And the dark tonight has nothing left to say

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes, the room is settling into quiet Every breath is pulling softer than before Sleep is coming closer with the light turned low

Chorus

Dakota, the night is folding gentle around you Nothing here will ever pull away You are held the way the fringe holds shadow Dakota, safe until the break of day

Verse 2

The armchair keeps its shape while the whole house dreams Nothing needs to move, nothing needs to stir You are curled up smaller than the smallest seams and still the whole wide dark belongs to you, I'm sure

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes, the room is settling into quiet Every breath is pulling softer than before Sleep is coming closer with the light turned low

Chorus

Dakota, the night is folding gentle around you Nothing here will ever pull away You are held the way the fringe holds shadow Dakota, safe until the break of day

Bridge

Rest now, there is nothing left to carry Every worry has already drifted far

Chorus

Dakota, the night is folding gentle around you Nothing here will ever pull away You are held the way the fringe holds shadow Dakota, safe until the break of day

Outro

The wool still hangs soft where the old chair is dreaming And you are the warmest thing that this house has ever known

Verse 1

The house has gone quiet, every window turned to grey Somewhere behind glass a slow gold pendulum will sway I hear it keeping time while you are curled up small And nothing in this whole wide house will lead you astray

Pre-chorus

Let your breathing slow to match that patient wooden beat Let the day dissolve away from your tired little feet There is nowhere left to be but here, and warm, and deep

Chorus

Sleep now, Dakota, the dark is only soft Nothing out there tonight will find you or make you lost I will watch the small hand turning, low light and low key Hush now, Dakota, you're the calm this whole house has sought

Verse 2

The clock behind the oak door doesn't hurry, doesn't fear Back and forth it goes so gently, always staying near You are held the way that pendulum is held by time Steady, sure, and never far from someone who loves you dear

Chorus

Sleep now, Dakota, the dark is only soft Nothing out there tonight will find you or make you lost I will watch the small hand turning, low light and low key Hush now, Dakota, you're the calm this whole house has sought

Bridge

Tick by tick the whole wide night grows softer, grows so slow Every swing says you are loved more than you'll ever know

Chorus

Sleep now, Dakota, the dark is only soft Nothing out there tonight will find you or make you lost I will watch the small hand turning, low light and low key Hush now, Dakota, you're the calm this whole house has sought

Outro

Somewhere behind glass the pendulum will keep its gentle sway Sleep on, little one, we're both still here at the close of day