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small planes

by the innocence mission

supported by
wdy561
wdy561 thumbnail
wdy561 A lovely collection of beautiful songs Favorite track: too early to say.
traincalledthomas
traincalledthomas thumbnail
traincalledthomas makes me want to convert to Catholicism
Gregor Buchkremer
Gregor Buchkremer thumbnail
Gregor Buchkremer The Innocence Mission make the world a better place. Listening to their albums makes me cry and smile and the same time. Favorite track: today.
Bill H
Bill H thumbnail
Bill H Such a beautiful record and the last full-band full effort to date. Love the new track listing, which makes this album much more of a natural transition between Glow and Birds of My Neighborhood (the explanation of that album title is in “Migration”). Just love everything about this band. Truly not one song on any record that you can say is “filler”. Extraordinary body of work over the years. Favorite track: today.
Homeostasis
Homeostasis thumbnail
Homeostasis An album of "lost" songs that's better than the seminal work of most other musicians. I want to live in the parallel universe where "Today" was the suprise hit of summer 2001. Really enjoying the alternate/new versions of some of the songs. Little extra touches that make me feel like I'm listening to the album anew. Highly recommended. Favorite track: today.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    2024 re-pressing. Recorded in 1999, simultaneously with its sister album Birds of my Neighborhood. The vinyl pressing restores the song “ A Thousand Miles” to its original home in this album. Translucent cobalt blue vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of small planes via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $23 USD

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Autumn 2022 re-pressing of small planes on CD. The includes the bonus song A Thousand Miles. A 6 panel package with complete lyrics.

    Includes unlimited streaming of small planes via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 1 day
    7 remaining
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD

     

1.
Oh Do Not Fly Away I’ll wait to ring the bells awhile, till all the light and color have stayed the whole of spring, until I believe it. And if, and if I count on you, oh do not fly away. I dare not count on you, it is too early to say. Oh can you tell me of the future, if something is the matter? I am afraid to look down the road much further. And if, and if I count on you, oh do not fly away. I dare not count on you, it is too early to say. All through the dog paths and hazel, in every place I’ve entered, I’ve looked for you to come, years ago or sooner. And if, and if I count on you, oh do not fly away. I dare not count on you, it is too early to say.
2.
today 03:39
Today Into the traffic changing, a good friend I have had. Today, today his leaving makes me sad. My friend is starting over. There is a trembling. Today, today is trembling through the trees. If you see him there on your street will you smile or shake his hand? Today, today, the brotherhood of man.
3.
The Girl On My Left Some days ring out into night my failures with people right here. The living room growing wide. If I get near, what will I say? Miles to fly over, miles to the girl on my left. The boy I love, he can walk right over to anyone here and talk about anything, rain porches, car trips to the sea. Miles to fly over miles to the girl on my left. Walk over, fly over, run over, walk over there. People feel loved when he’s around. People feel light when he’s around.
4.
Song About Traveling A man said Why, why does traveling in cars and in trains make him feel sad, a beautiful sadness. I’ve felt this before. It’s the people in the cities you’ll never know, it is everything you pass by, wondering will you ever return. The colors of rowboats, the greens and the blues. Orange grove side streets you only see halfway. And beaches in winter and when kites are flown. It’s the people in the cities you’ll never know, it is everything you pass by, wondering will you ever return.
5.
Some Clear Joy Is Coming Father John in the driveway comes here to bless me. My Father in the morning will bend to hear me. Some clear joy is coming on some slowest train, I am hearing it coming again. Flowerless in the country, birdless in the spring, my man and I are weeping, we have been weeping. Some clear joy is coming on some slowest train. Do you hear that it’s coming again?
6.
rooftop 02:04
Rooftop I hope you are on your rooftop now, in the sun, in the middle of five hundred flowers, and the warm wind blows your scarf around, flying like a flag. I hope you’re on your rooftop now. I hope you are on your rooftop now, in the sun, in the middle of five hundred flowers, and the warm wind blows your scarf straight out, flying like a flag. I hope you’re on your rooftop now.
7.
A Thousand Miles My soles catch dogwood petals. I don’t know who lives here, where people are walking to a birthday. I am just passing by. This boy who sits in sadness beside me in the traffic, he is turning farther and farther; I go straight into town. A thousand miles near, a thousand miles far, a thousand miles away. Oh I want to be like Sister Margaret Edmund, whose life connects with so many in this city. I am inside my door. Some fellow misunderstood me. I thought I’d spoken clearly. Living rooms are such a long way for words to travel alone. A thousand miles near, a thousand miles far, a thousand miles away.
8.
Too Early To Say Long roads of orange groves I try, try to see down. Joyful arrival may be far, far away. When will I see you coming so many miles? It is too early to say. Out in the backyard I will wait for a downpour. The sky may open but it won’t be today. When will I see you coming so many miles? It is too early to say. Oh down orange groves, narrow roads I have been looking. I am half in tomorrow and half in today. When will I see you coming so many miles? It is too early to say. Wait for bright news to reach us, wait for bright news to reach me. We will sing through the city, we will sing through the day. When will I see you coming so many miles? It is too early to say.
9.
Migration My love will sail this ship through great storms and ice flows. He is not afraid as I am, he is not afraid. And this is why he knows the way. And this is why he knows the way. He knows the way. Oh my brothers and sisters, he is so kind, despite the losses that have made us this sad. Five blocks of sidewalk chalk he steers us clear of, blue ice skaters and animals. And this is why he knows the way. And this is why he knows the way. He knows the way. All the birds of this neighborhood are leaving. Some days we feel left behind.
10.
I Left The Grounds I have turned around. I’m walking back to join the choir. Leaves are flying through the sky. There’s a hidden life, there’s a life that no one knows, there are things that can’t be told. And Sister Michael didn’t know. I’ve never said a word to her. It’s not her fault, but it was getting hard enough to be around. I left the grounds.
11.
small planes 04:30
Small Planes I know what you mean, when you want to run to meet the world, intentions may not carry you far. Small planes are here but they never leave my room at all, they don’t make it through, they don’t make it out. I want to be like Sister Veronica, whose life connects with so many lives. Small planes are here but they never leave my room at all. They don’t make it through, they don’t make it out. My words to him they didn’t touch him, not at all. And I never can say what I mean to say. Small planes are here but they never leave my room at all. They don’t make it through, they don’t make it out. Twenty-five miles or thousands of miles, when am I going to leave here? Twenty-five miles or thousands of miles, when am I going to get there? Twenty-five miles or thousands of miles, who am I going to help there? Twenty-five miles or thousands of miles, when am I going to get there?
12.

credits

released November 3, 2021

Karen Peris - voice, guitar, piano, bass guitar, organ
Don Peris - guitars, organ, drums, vocal
Mike Bitts - bass guitar, vocal
Steve Brown - drums


W.A.R. (What Are Records?) 2001 / the innocence mission 2021

All songs © 2001 Umbrella Day Music / BMI and written by Karen Peris, except Rooftop and Some Clear Joy is Coming written by Karen and Don Peris, and I Have Loved You by Michael Joncas.
Cover photo by Mary Lynn McCullough Devine.

Recorded in 1999.

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the innocence mission Pennsylvania

See You Tomorrow -
“Both sweet and refined, one of the most beautiful albums of the new year, recalling both 60s bands like the Mamas and the Papas, and contemporaries Beach House and Beirut” Rolling Stone, France

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