Tell Ol’ Bill (Alternate Version, North Country Soundtrack)

[Verse 1] The river whispers in my ear I've hardly a penny to my name The heavens never seemed so near All of my body glows with flame [Verse 2] The tempest struggles in the air And to myself alone I sing It could sink me then and there I can hear the echoes ring [Verse 3] I tried to find one smilin' face To drive the shadow from my head I'm stranded in this nameless place Lying restless in a heavy bed [Instrumental Break] [Verse 4] Tell me straight out if you will Why must you torture me within? Why must you come from your high hill? Throw my fate to the clouds and wind [Verse 5] Far away in a silent land Secret thoughts are hard to bear Remember me, you'll understand Emotions we can never share [Verse 6] You trampled on me as you passed Left the coldest kiss upon my brow All of my doubts and fears have gone at last I've nothing more to tell you now [Instrumental Break] [Verse 7] I walk by tranquil lakes and streams As each new season's dawn awaits I lay awake at night with troubled dreams The enemy is at the gates [Verse 8] Beneath the thunder blasted trees The words are ringin' off your tongue The ground is hard in times like these The stars are cold, the night is young [Verse 9] The rocks are bleak, the trees are bare Iron clouds go floating by Snowflakes fallin' in my hair Beneath the gray and stormy sky [Instrumental Break] [Verse 10] The evenin' sun is sinkin' low The woods are dark, the town is too They'll drag you down, they'll run the show Ain't no telling what they'll do [Verse 11] Tell Ol' Bill when he comes home That anything is worth a try Tell him that I'm not alone And that the hour has come to do or die [Verse 12] All the world I would defy Let me make it plain as day I look at you now and I sigh How could it be any other way?