The Traveler – Songs

Songs, Players, and Lyrics

Music By Cathy DeWitt; Lyrics by James Dillet Freeman unless otherwise noted.

Oneness
Just for One More Day (lyrics and music by Cathy)
Out of Forever
And Not a Sound was Heard (The Laughing Mountain)
The Church that I Love Best
The Traveler
Faith (Hebrews 11:1)
God is Truth
Rivers Hardly Ever
Breathing (words based on a chant by Thich Nhat Hanh)
Take Time This Christmas
Prayer for Protection

Free Download: This version of “Just For One More Day” has a different vocal track, available only here as our free download (right click to download and save).

The Players and the Lyrics:

Oneness
Vocals: Cathy; Keyboards/Strings: Tracy Collins and Cathy; Flute: George Tortorelli; Cello:Hannah Alkire (Acoustic Eidolon); Accordion: Michael Ward-Bergeman; Percussion: Rob Rothschild and Tracy Collins

This poem has a very rhythmic, rollicking feel, as well as a theme of the sea, which made it a perfect match for this Celtic sound.

Out on a Cape where sea and land
Are almost one, I like to stand;
There, boundaries become unfixed.
Sea, earth and I all intermix.

Or sometimes I am swept along
A crowded street, one with the throng,
And losing consciousness of me,
Feel only my humanity.

Or in the silence of a prayer,
I find God’s presence everywhere.
My heart dissolves in God’s one heart.
Where does God end? Where do I start?

Just for One More Day (lyrics and music by Cathy)
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: Cathy; Keyboards/Strings: Tracy Collins

This song about choosing to be kind for just one day at a time was based on a message given by Unity minister Marciah McCartney, along with some words from author Alan Cohen.

Just for one more day, I choose kinder words to say;
With an open heart I do my part
To keep doubt and fear at bay;

I won’t be cold or small; I’ll look for the good in all,
And I’ll shine a light on the dark of night
To help others find their way,
Just for one more day.

I know that peace begins within, and each must do their part;
To bring about a peaceful world, I must come from…a peaceful heart.

So this is what I do, and I’ll start right here with you.
In a loving way I say “Namaste—I behold the good in you!”*
Just for one more day.

When I look for the love and light in everyone I see,
Then love and light become more bright, illuminating you and me.

*Alternate lyric: When I look at you in a loving way, I behold the good in you.

Out of Forever
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: Cathy; Keyboards/Woodwinds:Tracy Collins; Acoustic Bass: Ali Che’Ree; Harps: Lisa Lynne and Tina Tourin; Percussion/Drums: Rob Rothschild

When the music for this came I was sitting in the semi-darkness at the piano, looking at this poem. The music was very beautiful and flowed so freely it just kind of took over.

A wind from far away, out of forever,
Blows sometimes from I know not what strange strand;
Then I am as in a dream, a dream I never
Remember, yet somehow I understand.

I turn, although I know no road returning
To the high country whence my mind’s winds come
To fill me full of dreams and full of yearning.
What fair land, what far shore, the wind blows from?

I cannot say, but when the wind is blowing
It blows to me a sense of truths more true,
Of lives beyond this life, and worlds past knowing .
Companions, does the wind not blow for you?

And Not a Sound Was Heard (the Laughing Mountain)
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: John Chapman; Acoustic Bass: David Ottenberg; Drums: Jon Jackson

Virginia Love-Freeman sent me this poem when I asked if she and James had any personal favorites besides the ones I had found. It took a year for the music to come for this lighthearted and playful piece. I almost thought it was going to be a bluegrass song at first! (You’re probably relieved to find that’s not the case.) We had so much fun recording this great jazz trio live in our home studio!

I sat and looked at the mountain and laughed.
I laughed not because the mountain was there,
But because I was there.
I laughed to be alive – and what am I alive for, if not to laugh?

I said to the mountain,
“I believe I have the right to address you, sir.
Princes can speak to mountains, and poets
Are at least the equal of princes.”
Then I heard the mountain laughing.
I wondered,
Is this mountain laughing at me or with me?
Suddenly I sensed
The trees were laughing too,
And the streams and the grass and the rocks
And the earth under my feet.
We laughed-they and I-
There upon the mountain, rocking
Through space together,
Rolling with the laughter of being!

The Church that I Love Best
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: Cathy; Keyboards/Strings: Tracy; Flutes: Christine Alicot; Guitar:Bob McPeek; Percussion/Drums: Rob Rothschild

This poem was printed on a little card we had at Unity of Gainesville, and it immediately looked like a song to me. We’ve used it as an opening song for about two years now.

The Church that I love best is small; it is no grand pretentious hall
Set round with works of holy art; it is the chamber of my heart.
Where else but in this sacred place might I catch glimpses of Truth’s face
And even catch, however dim, a chance of being one with Him?

I have no church until I find
Holiness in my own mind…

Once found, wherever I may be becomes the house of God for me…
Becomes the house of God for me. (For you and me)

The Traveler
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: Cathy; Cello: Mark Billman; Keyboards/Strings: Tracy

This moving poem has brought comfort to so many in times of loss, and my intention is for this song to do the same. My favorite line in the poem is “Our life did not begin with birth; it is not of the earth.” The lyric on the CD is the “she” version. Download an MP3 of the “he” version here (right click and save).

She (He) has put on invisibility.
Dear Lord, I cannot see—
But this I know, although the road ascends
And passes from my sight,
That there will be no night;
That You will take her gently by the hand
And lead her on
Along the road of life that never ends,
And she will find it is not death but dawn.
I do not doubt that You are there as here,
And You will hold her dear.

Our life did not begin with birth,
It is not of the earth;
And this that we call death, it is no more
Than the opening and closing of a door—
And in Your house how many rooms must be
Beyond this one where we rest momently.

Dear Lord, I thank You for the faith that frees,
The love that knows it cannot lose its own;
The love that, looking through the shadows, sees
That You and she and I are ever one!

Faith (Hebrews 11:1)
Vocals: Cathy; Violins: Geoff Perry; Cellos: Mark Billman; Keyboards/Strings: Tracy

When I heard Rev. Joe Bettencourt quote this scripture, I knew I wanted to use it as prelude for the next song, God is Truth. This simple choral arrangement is done here both a capella, and with strings.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
The evidence of things unseen.

God is Truth
Vocals: Cathy; Guitars: Peter Sprague; Acoustic Bass: David Ottenberg

I sent this song to West Coast guitarist Peter Sprague with a simple piano part, asking him to replace that with a guitar part. He sent me back this beautiful arrangement with three guitars, and bassist David Ottenberg added his part later, recorded at our home studio.

I asked God what is faith, and God replied
“Dear child, know I am walking by your side.”
I asked God what is prayer, and God say “Pray.”
As to what prayers you say, let your heart show the way.

I asked God what is God, and God was still…
But in myself I felt my self begin to melt

Beyond all words and thought–My self became one with the truth I sought…
My mind, God’s mind,
My heart, God’s heart,
My will, God’s will…

God did not have to speak.
God is the truth we find,
Whether or not we seek.

Rivers Hardly Ever
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: Cathy; Harps: Tina Tourin and Lisa Lynne; Violins: Geoff Perry;Cellos: Mark Billman

I tried to capture both the flowing feel and the ever-changing tempo of rivers as described in James’ lovely tone poem. Tina recorded the harp solo at Peter Sprague’s studio in California, and we worked on the session together back and forth via Skype! What a world…

Rivers hardly ever run
In a straight line,
Rivers are willing to take
Ten thousand meanders
And enjoy every one
And grow from every one—
When they leave a meander
They are always more
Than when they entered it.
When rivers meet an obstacle,
They do not try to run over it;
They merely go around—
But they always get to the other side.
Rivers accept things as they are,
Conform to the shape they find the world in—
Yet nothing changes things more than rivers;
Rivers move even mountains into the sea.
Rivers hardly ever are in a hurry—
Yet is there anything more likely
To reach the point it sets out for
Than a river?

Breathing (based on a chant by Thich Nhat Hanh)
Vocals: Cathy and Moksha Summer; Harmonium: Moksha; Chimes/Percussion: Rob

This repetitive and relaxing chant is perfect for a yoga retreat or meditation group. Moksha and I had a lot of fun matching our vocals, and recording this live at our home studio.

Breathing in I calm my body; breathing out I smile.
Being in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment.

Take Time This Christmas…
Vocals: Cathy; Piano: Cathy; Sleighbells: Rob

When I came upon this little Christmas message sent out by Unity Association last year, we decided to record it and make it our audio Christmas card. It turned out so sweet that we’ve included it on this album.

Take time this Christmas Day to go a little way apart;
And with the hands of prayer, prepare the house that is your heart.
Light every window up with love,
And let your love shine through—
That they who walk outside may share the blessed Light with you.

As mentioned above, this was the first work of James’ that I ever put to music, and we recorded it for the first time back in the 80’s. This version, however, has the addition of Tracy’s beautiful strings, soaring and sweeping throughout to emphasize the comforting message of this beloved prayer.

The light of God surrounds us, the love of God enfolds us,
The power of God protects us, and the presence of God watches over us.
Wherever we are, God is! And all is well.