2015 Christmas Song, Lyrics, Screenplay and Music Video

On a Christmas Day song lyrics

Verse 1

In the entrance of an Eastside shop.

I lay my cardboard on the cold sidewalk.
So tired and so weak,

I can barely stand on my feet.

And I’m an addict, my back's against the wall.

Sinking down another eight ball.

I am prepared to meet;
My final deal on the street.

Chorus 1

I’ve been a-runnin’ in the Eastside.

How could this be Christmas?
I'm alone now dying in pain.

Didn’t I pray for a new tomorrow?

On a bright light’s ray.

On a Christmas Day.

Verse 2

Wasn't it three years or more.
The first time that I walked to the shore.
I searched across the sea;

Basked in a full moon's beams.

If there's something far out of sight,

Come to help me in the midst of this night.
I need a break in life.

To get another roll of the dice.

Chorus 2

So I stood there on the seaside.

Thinkin' maybe this'll be the Christmas;

When I stop playing my games.

I am praying for a new tomorrow;

On this bright light’s ray.

On this Christmas Day.

Musical Interlude

Verse 3

The beating of my heart;

Fading as the years tear me apart.

I start screaming and I don't know why.

Crying out to angels in the sky.

Hoping one will save me today,

Show me the way,
This Christmas Day.

Chorus 3

I’m still running in the Eastside.

Wanting a better Christmas;

But I keep losing the same.
Even though I prayed for a new tomorrow;

On a bright light’s ray.

It was on a Christmas Day.
On a Christmas Day.

On a Christmas Day screenplay

video locales:

• ARA Mental Health Advocacy, 163 W Pender, Vancouver BC - East Side storefront
• English Bay Vancouver BC

Musical Introduction C Dm C Dm Am G C

video begins with various scenes of homeless man at identifying Vancouver as location and introducing a man dressed completely in white who is his angel and is always seen somewhere in most of the scenes

Verse 1 C Dm C Dm Am G C

video scene 1 - homeless man on bench at English Bay with blue Canucks cap, empty bottle in hand, preparing to sleep, removes his boots, angel dressed in white is seen nearby

In the entrance of an Eastside shop.

I lay my cardboard on the cold sidewalk.

video scene 2 - homeless man now sleeping, blue Vancouver Canucks hat falling out of his hand, angel walks by

So tired and weak,
I can barely stand on my feet.

video scene 3 - homeless man still sleeps but hat is gone, angel drops off new white Vancouver Canucks ball cap

video scene 4 - homeless man in alleyway, new pipe in hand, white hat is on his head but getting dirty

And I’m an addict, my back's against the wall.

video scene 5 - an eight ball falling into corner pocket

Sinking down another eight ball.

video scene 6 - homeless man in alleyway, broken used pipe, very dirty white hat, angel walks by

I am prepared to meet;

video scene 7 - playing cards thrown down on sidewalk

My final deal on the street.

Chorus 1 C G Dm G C G Dm G Am F G

video scene 8 - Christmas on Hastings

I’ve been a-runnin’ in the Eastside.

How could this be Christmas?

video scene 9 - homeless man walking on Hastings looking upwards

I'm alone now dying in pain.

Didn’t I pray for a new tomorrow?

On a bright light’s ray.

On a Christmas Day.

Verse 2 C Dm C Dm Am G C

video scene 10 - well dressed, well groomed man with luggage walking to the Pacific Ocean with blue Vancouver Canucks hat

Wasn't it three years or more.
The first time that I walked to the shore.

video scene 11 - same man sleeping on bench across the Sylvia Hotel on a moonlit night with blue Vancouver Canucks hat in hand

I searched across the sea;

Basked in a healing moon beam.

If there's something far out of sight,

Come to help me in the midst of this night.

video scene 12 - a pair of dice rolling on the sidewalk

I need a break in life.

To get another roll of the dice.

Chorus 2 C G Dm G C G Dm G Am F G

video scene 13 - ARA and adjacent Christmas storefront up and down West Pender Street

So I stood there on the seaside.

Thinkin' maybe this'll be the Christmas;

When I stop playing my games.

I am praying for a new tomorrow;

On this bright light’s ray.

On this Christmas Day.

Musical Interlude C G Dm G C G Dm G Am F G

video scene 14 to 16 - well dressed man man deteriorates into homeless man with several similar scenes of him entering and exiting Sylvia Hotel

Verse 3

video scene 17 - homeless man drunk on park bench at English Bay and angel walks by unnoticed but drops off a new white Vancouver Canucks ball cap with new logo. Homeless man wakes up and puts it on his head.

The beating of my heart;

Fading as the years tear me apart.

I start screaming and I don't know why.

Crying out to angels in the sky.

Hoping one will save me today,

Show me the way,
This Christmas Day.

Chorus 3 C G Dm G C G Dm G Am F G

video scene 18 - homeless man walking out to shore, angel behind him is unnoticed. His white hat is completely discoloured and tattered.

I’m still running in the Eastside.

Wanting a better Christmas;

But I keep losing the same.

video scene 19 - homeless man sleeping next to log, angel watching over him. Man no longer has a hat.

Even though I prayed for a new tomorrow;

On a bright light’s ray.

It was on a Christmas Day.
On a Christmas Day.

video scene 20 - angel drops off original blue ball cap

Musical Ending C Dm C Dm Am G C

to be performed by Fred Joly and the Freaks of Nature Band December 2015

Behind His Mask

“Behind The Masks” – Testimonials of Those Marginalized by Income, got its name and was inspired by singer/songwriter Fred Joly who performed as the audit was being held, and also for those attending the audit closing dinner. Fred wrote the song Behind His Mask based on his true experiences. The playing of his song prompted Rapporteur Daisy Wai to remark that his song affected her as much as anything she'd heard that day. We have included an excerpt from the song below.

A Report on the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition
(ISARC) Social Audit in York Region on April 20, 2010

Behind His Mask

Do you see the old the old man under the bridge?

Sitting there with a suitcase in his hand.

He’s been drinking there for years and years;

And whenever he’s tired he just beds down on the sands.

 

Does anybody know him?

Can someone please tell me his name?

Because whenever I see him walking through the city;

He keeps his head down in shame.

 

He’s a refugee.

Or is he just another shipwreck of society’s.

Looks like a rebel.

Penting up the angers from the past.

Into a twisted fantasy.

The empty bottles are just escapes from his realities.

Bums around wearing a loner’s mask.

 

The morning’s sun’s an awakening misery.

No doubt another aweful day.

Cramped from the cold misty whispering night.

He doesn’t want to go but he knows that he cannot stay.

Stumbles to the ground on his hands and knees.

There’s mud dripping off of his face.

Then a tear draw a line down his wrinkled cheek;

He cries out “Lord help me please!”

 

I’m a refugee.

And I’m running from the scorns of this society.

But I’m in a lot of trouble.

‘Cause I’m drifting at sea with a broken mast.

And everybody judges me.

As I’m trying to find my own destiny.

It looks about time to put on my “keep away from me mask”.

 

When I heard about the old man from under the bridge.

Died there just the other day.

I decided to show up at his Sally Ann service.

Where the Captain tried but he didn’t know how to say.

 

That’s there a new star’s light shining in the sky.

Because another soul has been set free.

The man spent his final moments scribbling in the sands.

“I think, I see, my liberty.”

 

Look way up at the refugee.

Can’t you see the castaway of society.

No wonder he was such a rebel.

Still hurting from all the pains of his past.

Living in a fantasy.

Trying to escape his own reality.

 

From up above beams down a man.

Behind his mask.

My Heart's Empty of Your Love

Love gave me one more chance for its dance of hot romance.
For the gentle kisses in the night, for every hour to be bright.
Oh each moment with you was like a brand new memory.
Slow walks in the parks were kaleidoscopes of sensory.

Now my heart's empty of your love yet it's such a heavy weight.
Why can't light break through my dark, how long do I have to wait.
For a smile on my face. For laughter to replace my tears.
Find a happy place. My moment of sweet grace. I fear,

I don't know if I can carry our flame forever.
Hoping some day you'll come back to me.
I don't want to give up, never forget, not ever.
I'll be waiting on the shore, always looking out my door for you, my baby.
And when I'm crying in the night, it's 'cause I'm holding on to you tight. It's driving me crazy.

My heart needs a filling up. Oh ya'.
I want to smell the sea, listen to a bee, touch a buttercup.
Now's the time to come, won't see the summer sun this way.
I'm running empty on dreams. I got to find a way to scream. Please fill me up!

Will the rest of my days be spent wasting away.
Trying to get back my favourite yesterdays.
And I don't seem to have the will to get any stronger.
And I know I can't keep holding on much longer.

get over her they say, you've got to find a way.
Break through the stormy clouds and get into the rays.
Go out amongst the crowds. Move yourself along.
Suck it up and let her go 'cause it's time you sing a different song.

I don't know if I can carry our flame forever.
Hoping some day you'll come back to me.
I don't want to give up, never forget, not ever.
I'll be waiting on the shore, always looking out my door for you, my baby.
And when I'm crying in the night, it's 'cause I'm holding on to you tight. It's driving me crazy.

My heart needs a filling up. Oh ya'.
I want to smell the sea, listen to a bee, touch a buttercup.
Now's the time to come, won't see the summer sun this way.
I'm running empty on dreams. I got to find a way to scream. Please fill me up!

Nothing's the same since I'm the loser in life's game.
Everything's gone and it's such a bloody shame.
Trudging through another day, trying to drown the pain away. I'll just endure.
It won't always be this grey. My love will come again this way, I'm sure.

I don't know if I can carry our flame forever.
Hoping some day you'll come back to me.
I don't want to give up, never forget, not ever.
I'll be waiting on the shore, always looking out my door for you, my baby.
And when I'm crying in the night, it's 'cause I'm holding on to you tight. It's driving me crazy.

My heart needs a filling up. Oh ya'.
I want to smell the sea, listen to a bee, touch a buttercup.
Now's the time to come, won't see the summer sun this way.
I'm running empty on dreams. I got to find a way to scream. Please fill me up!
I'm running empty on dreams. I got to find a way to scream. Please fill me up!
I'm running empty on dreams. I got to find a way to scream. Please fill me up!

The Words of An Angel

In one dark moment, defeated and alone.
I was struggling to find the answers, a reason to carry on.
My life of self-destruction has finally worn me down.
There's just nothing left to save me now, all hope is gone.

It's gonna' have to take one of God's angels.
To show me the way.
It's gonna' have to take the words of an angel.
Who's promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

Then one day she came knockin', so I opened up my door.
Man I wanted her more than anything but I wanted the bottle more.
One morning after drinking I woke up fully dressed on my floor.
Not yet realizing the pain that she'd endured.

It's gonna' have to take one of God's angels.
To show me the way.
It's gonna' have to take the words of an angel.
Who's promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

Hiding back the tears she smiled and said I love you.
Though you've fallen again my promises still stand true.
That no matter what it takes, together we'll pull through.
And when she kissed my hand it was then I finally knew.

It's gonna' have to take one of God's angels.
To show me the way.
It's gonna' have to take the words of an angel.
Who's promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

It's as if a light just lit up inside of me.
Knowing just how blessed a man can be.
To have a righteous lady sent to set him free.
With unconditional love for all eternity.

It's gonna' have to take one of God's angels.
To show me the way.
It's gonna' have to take the words of my very own angel.
Who's promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

My True Love Song

When I talked to you on the Internet, my sweetheart from so long ago.
Did you have to ask me for the years of stories I didn't want anybody to know.
You said that you would keep my secrets forever just to tell you what's been hurting me so.
I showed you the pain I've been carrying and the depth of my sorrow.

Then you just lifted me up from my many troubles from all my woes.
Your words were heavenly senders of the healing kisses from your soul.
You said that no matter where I'd roamed your spirit shone on me. I know.
I felt the warmth of your sweet touch gently guiding me back home.

Feelings came that I couldn't hide no more so I offered them for you to explore.
And that opened up my heart's door letting your light in once more.
Now I find myself whispering to you every night. Please tell me when the time is right.
'Cause our lives have been preparing for destiny to unfold.

And I know the day is coming when I will run my fingers through your hair.
Cheek to cheek embraces and I will lead you by the hand.
My mystery, my fantasy, we will dance flying through the air.
Oh that day will be wonderful. I'll be waiting until then.

Oh can't you see, it was meant to be, we'd be together all along.
Won't you come to me now baby, so I can sing my true love song.
I know it's crazy but there's no maybes, my tears they can't be wrong.
Won't you come to me now baby, so I can sing my true love song.

Won't you come to me now baby, so I can sing my true love song.

Song Poem - Words of an Angel

In one dark moment, defeated and alone;
I was struggling to find an answer, a reason to carry on.
My life of self-destruction has finally worn me down.
There's just nothing left to save me now, all hope is gone.

It's gonna' have to take one of God's angels;
To help show me a way.
It's gonna' have to take the words of an angel;
Promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

Then one day she came knocking; I opened up my door.
Man I wanted her more than anything but I wanted the bottle more.
And one night after drinking I woke up fully dressed on my floor;
Not yet realizing the pains that she'd endured.

It's gonna' have to take one of God's angels;
To help show me a way.
It's gonna' have to take the words of an angel;
Promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

Hiding back the tears she smiled and said “I love you.
Though you've fallen again my promises still stand true;
That no matter what it takes together we'll pull through.”
And when she kissed my hand it was then I finally knew.

It had to take one of God's angels;
To help show me a way.
It had to take the words of an angel;
Promising to walk with me, every step and every day.

It's as if a light just lit up, inside of me.
Knowing just how blesses a man can be.
To have a righteous lady sent to set him free;
With unconditional love for all eternity.

It had to take one of God's angels;
To help show me the way.
It's had to take the words of my very own angel;
Promising to walk with me, every step and every day.