We Will Rise

I believe
your roots dig deeper when you bleed
your leaves reach higher when you weep
though you tend to deny
your possibilities

I believe
your shoulder’s stronger day by day
as the path less beaten is your way
though you tend to deny
all that you can be
I believe
that

we will rise
into the sun
spread your wings
before everyone
we will rise
together

I can see
your struggle’s equipped me to be
a truer version of their reality
and time has
proven our victory

I can see
that hand in hand we’ll have a sky more blue
and hand in hand we’ll have a clearer view
of so many better things
for you and me
cuz I can see
that

we will rise
into the sun
spread your wings
before everyone
we will rise
together

through the darkest of my days
your strength has shown me the way
and though we may fear
I know that our clouds will clear
and our trials will disappear
cuz

we will rise
into the sun
spread your wings
before everyone
we will rise
together

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Additional Vocals: Myra Ferrell

Brother (Freedom Is Calling)

the capitol is on fire
and the children they have blood in their eyes
and all of the king’s men
they’ve put the white flag
and taken to flight

my brother
run for cover
the sky is calling
but freedom is calling

our souls they get weary
our destination seems so far away
but the heavenly bodies
they lead us on
past the fallen figures kneeling to pray

o, just a little bit further
the rosy dawn hints at the songs we sing
and I know we can find it
just like we’ve dreamed
like we always dreamed

my brother
run for cover
the sky is calling
but freedom is calling

it’s calling

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

This Gift

if you could only see
just what you are and what you mean to me
then you’d know what I mean
when I say I need you

you are the only place
that I can really call my home
and my actions are selfish
but I hope you can soldier on
once I’m gone

and though the moment
soon flies
we need this gift
to survive
our future lives through
this gift

when I first saw you smile
it’s like I saw myself through different eyes
now I know just what it means
to have somebody need you

your age of innocence
will soon be too quickly gone
but I’ll do the best I can
to help you to soldier on
once I’m gone

and though the moment
soon flies
we need this gift
to survive
our future lives through
this gift

so blindly I’ve been traveling
too self-involved to see
the beauty of the things in front of me
though I’m living on borrowed time
I hope my efforts to redeem
could bring a healing

and though the moment
soon flies
we need this gift
to survive
our future lives through
this gift

•••

Music: Soulganic

Horn arrangements: Brad Wilcox + Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Flugelhorn: Matt Giella
Saxophone: Tim Gordon
Trombone: Keith Johnson

Homecoming

in the morning wake up screaming
strange things surrounding me
it’s like I just don’t know you
and I know you don’t know me
and it’s a shame

used to dream about it
always talk about it
made it through and now I’m coming home
now that I made it
looks like the grass has faded
nothing’s bad as
coming home

in the evening – train is coming
I’ve got to go – got to go
I’d love to stay here with you
but we don’t live the same way no more – any more

used to dream about it
always talk about it
made it through and now I’m coming home
now that I made it
looks like the grass is faded
nothing’s bad as
coming home

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Wildfire

keep it on the tracks mama
there’s no need to switch the time
you and I will bleed into each other
long as we’re favored with the time

so never you mind
what you left behind
I promise you I
will give you the fuel to light your fire wild

your wildfire

only takes a word
to set my world ablaze
and the heavens will bear silent witness
of the heat your passion raises

so never you mind
what I left behind
I’ll never decline
to give you the fuel to light your fire wild

your wildfire

whether burning sweet & low
or rising angry to the sky
it’s your love your love your love
that keeps my purpose bright

so never you mind
what we left behind
till the dawn through the night
I’ll give you the fuel to light your fire wild

your wildfire

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Returning to You

I remember you
I’ve known you
since before you painted your lips

I remember you
I’ve known you
since before I was confident enough to dance

and still in your eyes I see
the same beautiful girl
and still in your hands I feel
the same beautiful world
and still in my heart I feel
the same beautiful love
and still in my soul
I’m returning to you

I remember you
I’ve known you
since before we discovered the male and female in each other

I remember you
I’ve known you
since before the phrase ‘come out & play’ took on new meaning

and still in your eyes I see
the same beautiful girl
and still in your hands I feel
the same beautiful world
and still in my heart I feel
the same beautiful love
and still in my soul
I’m returning to you

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

On Again (Off Again)

ready to start one more war
unsure of what sides have been drawn
in the blood and the sands on the steps of our thrones

ready to close all the doors
on the battles we’ve lost between
to find a new beginning

on again
our time is coming
off again
when you release me
on again
faster than emotion you make it go
off again
please bring it back to me

bring it on
bring it on

the close of our peaceful days
is right around the bend with no need to pretend
that our egos will now be mended

through the smoke and ashes of pain
pride dissolves into the love between
the sins we hid from you and me

on again
our time is coming
off again
when you release me
on again
faster than emotion you make it go
off again
please bring it back to me

bring it on
bring it on

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Video

from the comfort of your security
watching your every move is where I’ll be
you look so lovely
look like you smell so
I’ll resurrect the memory
watching the video

watching the video
watching the video
watching the video
watching
watching the video
watching you

from the absence of you noticing me
my devotion for you will be playing constantly
you seem so hesitant
seem like you want to go
I’ll convince you stay
show you the video

watching the video
watching
watching the video
watching
watching the video
watching, watching
watching the video
watching you

from the poisonous words dripping into me
your ignorance of my love stands in the way of destiny
you beg so sweetly – beg like you want to know
if your cries will prevent you from starring
in the video

watching the video
watching the video
watching the video
watching, watching
watching the video
watching the video
watching the video
watching, watching
watching the video
watching the video
watching the video
watching you

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

The Story She Tells

the story she tells

before the lights dim
before the curtain rises
away from the glare
silently she cries

just as quickly
she’s self-assured
her voice is steady
her words are sure

it makes her into who she would like to be
the story she tells

when the aisles clear
and gone is the crowd
she’s blanketed by
the silence so loud

as she faces it
she again recedes
to the comforts of
all the tales she weaves

it makes her forget all the memories
the story she tells
but just she just can’t from what lives on underneath
the story she tells

the story she tells

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Singular Vibe (Essence)

stay a while
don’t go away darling
our time is not yet done

we have so much
so much in common darling
I feel already part of your soul

when it’s like this I get a singular vibe
coming from your feminine
stirring me inside
moves this yearning
long for you to be
more than just memories
lingering
of your essence

don’t get me wrong
don’t mean to leave the impression of
intentions to drive you away

to be honest I enjoy just being with you
these moments we share
help me to survive

when it’s like this I get a singular vibe
coming from your feminine
stirring me inside
moves this yearning
long for you to be
more than just memories
lingering
of your essence

on the strength of a word
I’ll be the man that you deserve
and I will work to keep this feeling alive

put your confidence in me
I’ll lead you tenderly
and our love will linger on

when it’s like this I get a singular vibe
coming from your feminine
stirring me inside
moves this yearning
long for you to be
more than just memories
lingering

when it’s like this

when it’s like this I get a singular vibe
coming from your feminine
stirring me inside
moves this yearning
long for you to be
more than just memories

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez

Out of Time

running wild & restless little child
so much yet to be done
spent it all to be the next one
waiting for my day in the sun

give it up for one more quiet conversation
give it up just to be held by you
but we’re out of time

but we’re out of time

when we were young the future seemed so out of reach
our lifeline is all I see
if I could only change the way things used to be
then you’d be here with me
but we’re out of time

just a momentary glance puts me into a daze
I’m slowly frozen in your gaze
before my eyes and dreams and mind
our destinies intertwined
perfect
but out of time

then you focus moving forward break my hold
shattered dreams illusions
stories go untold
now in white an angel flying to the sun
fallen to earth from chasing you my soul is done

how did I just let you slip away
how could I never find words to say
that I truly needed you
slowly burning over you
I’m out of time

I’m out of time

when we were young the future seemed so out of reach
our lifeline is all I see
if I could only change the way things used to be
then you’d be here with me
but we’re out of time

•••

Music: Soulganic

Words: Anthony Rodriguez, Ryan McKeithan

Violin: Kelsey Kundl

CREDITS:
Cory McClure (drums, keys, percussion, vocals) • Ryan McKeithan (guitars, vocals, keys) • Anthony Rodriguez (lead vocals, bass, percussion, sound manipulation) • Lucas Torres (percussion)

Written, composed, arranged, performed, engineered, recorded & mixed by: Soulganic here & there from 2011-14 in NC, SC & NV, USA except “This Gift” (horns recorded by Brad Wilcox, Charlotte NC, USA 2013)

Additional Personnel: Myra Ferrell, (additional vocals) on “We Will Rise” • Brad Wilcox (flugelhorn), Tim Gordon (alto sax) & Keith Johnson (trombone) on “This Gift” • Kelsey Kundl (violin) on “Out of Time”

Lyrics by: Anthony Rodriguez for Soulganic except “Out of Time” (written with Ryan McKeithan)

Mastered by: Joe Kuhlmann for Muse Media, Charlotte, NC, USA