Canyons & Caverns
Shawn Mullins Lyrics

On a mantle made of oak wood
In my home, there is a wooden shelf where I keep decorative objects

There's a photograph from my childhood
Among the items on that shelf there's a picture of me from when I was younger

It was taken in the desert early light
The photo was captured outside in the early morning hours, in a desert area

I look a lot like a leprechaun
In the photo, I resemble the appearance of a small, magical creature from Irish folklore

With a Mexican vest and a red hippie hat on
I am wearing a vest with a design commonly found in Mexico and a hat that represents the style of the counterculture movement in the 1960s

Maracas in my left hand, stick in my right
Holding a percussion instrument with each hand: maracas and a small rod-shaped item

There are canyons there are caverns
In the desert area depicted in the photo, there are deep narrow valleys and caves carved out by natural processes

There are boarder roadside taverns
Along the roads that cross this region there are small bars that serve drinks and food

I am held captive by the big blue sky above me
The vastness of the sky that covers this desert area makes me feel like I'm being contained by this natural wonder

She naps with the TV on
My partner is sleeping while the television in the room is turned on

I smell the June cut grass from my pappy's lawn
I can sense the aroma of freshly cut grass from my father's yard, a memory from the past

I play alone in the little room upstairs
In the house where I grew up, I often spend time by myself in the small room on the upper level

There are Lincoln logs and cookie tins
Among the toys and items in this room, there are construction blocks resembling logs, as well as empty containers that held baked goods

Colored blocks and wars to win
In this room, there are also colorful blocks to play with and imaginative battles to fight

I draw and I dream and beat my drums up there
In this room, I enjoy expressing my creativity through drawing, dreaming, and playing musical instruments

There are circus lights and maple leaves
In the world I visualize in my mind, there are bright lights reminiscent of a circus show and the leaves of maple trees

There are daffodils and dogwood trees
In the same imaginary surroundings, I can also see the yellow flowers of daffodils and the blossoms of dogwood trees

Now the coffee's strong
Currently, the coffee I am drinking has a very strong taste

And the fruit's all wrong
The fruit that was offered to me is not ripe or tastes bad

And my wakeup call's for somebody else
The scheduled phone call to wake me up in the morning is meant for another person by mistake

And the TV's hoax and neurosis jokes
The television shows I am watching are presenting false information and making fun of mental illness

Always keep my laughing at myself
Despite the absurdity of some situations, I am able to find humor in the difficulties and mistakes I face

And I laugh a lot that's what I do
As a way of coping with the imperfections of everyday life, I find myself laughing quite frequently

And I learn the things I never knew
Through experiencing unexpected situations, I have the opportunity to discover new facts and insights

And I see canyons I see caverns
In my imaginings and memories, I am able to vividly picture deep valleys and caves

I see border roadside taverns
I am also able to remember and envision small bars on the side of roads in the desert region of my youth

And I am held captive by the big blue sky above me
The vastness and beauty of the sky is something that continues to fascinate and captivate me

I am held captive only by the big blue sky
The sky that surrounds me is the only thing that has the power to make me feel truly entranced and absorbed in the moment

I am held captive by the big blue sky above me
The majesty of the sky is always present and always captivating, no matter where I may be