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The Naming of Things

from River of Ballyhoo by Smiley Kaul

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about

The song name came from a poem called "Heavenward" by poet, essayist and funeral director Thomas Lynch:

"Such power in the naming of things—
To walk out in the greensward pronouncing
Goldfinch, lilac, oriental poppy—
as if the shaping of the thing in sound
produced a pleasure like the sight of things
as if the housefinch winters in the mock-orange is
as tasty an intelligence to the lips and ears as
the sight of a small purple bird in December is
perched in a thicket of bald branches.
June you remember: the white blossoms, yellow
jackets, the fresh scent of heaven.
And other incarnations to be named:
nuthatch, magnolia, coreopsis, rose.
Surely this was God’s first gift of godliness—
that new index finger working over the globe
assigning from the noisy void those fresh,
orderly syllables. Ocean, garden,
helpmate, tree of knowledge.
Making came easy, creation
a breeze. But oh, that dizzy pleasure when
God said Eve and the woman looked heavenward."

Single artwork by J.L. Kaul.

lyrics

Lyrics:

Verse 1
I beseech you my dear can you make me into wine?
Steam all my wrinkles, with your water, heat, and time?
Doctor’s can’t explain it, point a digit try to name it,
what is true

Verse 2
There are so many words but none I can find
When I’m thinking of you trying to justly describe
Poets they have pondered, I did the math but still wonder,
about you

Chorus
All springs are in you
through the fall, past winter’s lapse to the summer days
All springs are in you
through the fall, past winter’s lapse to the summer days

Verse 3
THE Letters laid out as stones, with spaces in between
Like that place before you wake, after you have dreamed
Can I be your instrument, carving cliffs as a torrent, I’ll ballyhoo

Refrain
From Itasca out the Delta veins, You are the font and the aim
From Itasca out the Delta veins, we palindromes, Your voice arranged

credits

from River of Ballyhoo, released July 23, 2021

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about

Smiley Kaul image

Smiley Kaul Saint Paul, Minnesota

Ancient, winsome, harrowing delight! Fashioned by the giants of song such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, Smiley sees himself as more psalmist than songwriter, more carnival barker than balladeer, writing "new psalms for that old-time gospel." Musically, Smiley is heavily influenced by punk rock, hip hop, ambient music and the hymns of yesteryear. ... more

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