From the recording Song for The Lights of Bruges
I wrote this lyric, less the last verse, for our friends in Bruges (Brugge) -- Lia, Alex and Katrien Kinnet -- to celebrate Alex and Lia's 40 year anniversary -- and sister Katrien's 15th year of living with them. These are warm and wonderful people, with Lia as the patron saint of singer-songwriters. Lia had invited Helen and I to attend the celebration, and she also invited the great Eugene Ruffolo from New York to attend a gala in Bruges. Neither of us could make it. I dashed out this lyric as a tiny gift -- and Eugene turned it into a box of chocolates, writing the music the very day he got the lyric from me and adding a third verse as the perfect ending. He recorded his version of the song -- and within the space of 12 hours and the enormous talent of Eugene, we turned out this petite hommage for the lights of Bruges.
Lyrics
Song for the Lights of Bruges
On this soft October evening over
oceans starry spray, see the Kinnet star
ascending as the distance falls away,
rises up above this city and rains down
right where we are, and lights go up,
like Moulin Rouge, on this night in Bruges
CHORUS
And the Belgian sky's the reason
that they shine for every season,
and every night the lights begin again,
and they say these constellations
take their shapes in celebration,
for one Alex, for one Lia, for Katrien.
Verse 2
All across the Southern District over
every tree-lined square, see the Kinnet star
still sailing, make a wish, it takes you there,
rises up in New York City to the sound
of soft guitars, and lights go up,
like Moulin Rouge, just like we're in Bruges
CHORUS
And the Belgian sky's the reason
that they shine for every season,
and every night the lights begin again,
and they say these constellations
take their shapes in celebration,
for one Alex, for one Lia, for Katrien.
Bridge
And tonight they take a picture
of this family gathered round,
all the Kinnets sure will be there,
in that ancient famous town,
there are faces in the photo
in between the ones you see
there are faces in the star light
of your friends across the sea.
So we write this song together and we
send it on its way,and though we cannot
be there, we still can sing and play
Yeah, music is our gift tonight, we send
across the sea, like a message
in a bottle, like a kiss upon your cheek.