Fear of Heights
(Words and Music by Doug Hoekstra)

There’s a church in my neighborhood
Steps leadin’ to the sky
The other day it was pourin’
And I wanted to get dry
I don’t know why I was so dizzy
Those steps were three feet wide
But, I had one hand on the railing
And my stomach turned inside
I felt like someone else comin’ in from the other side
Carryin’ a fear of heights
I had this fear of heights
 
I didn’t want to look behind me
To see where I’d begun
I had a long way left to go
And my knees were growin’ numb
Sweat was rollin’ down my back
I saw the end in sight
There was a statue of a saint
Promisin’ a brief respite
When I reached the top, it felt so good I don’t know why
I’m so afraid of heights
I got this fear of heights
 
I can remember…the other kids were wild and free
Hangin’ loose from silver branches
And climbin’ in to trees
A place I couldn’t see, no matter how I tried
My feet were firmly planted
My hands were always tied
To my fear of heights
 
I was ridin’ in New Mexico
High upon a horse
Straddlin’ a cliff
And followin’ a course
That was beaten in the ground
By all who came before
Everytime we took a turn
I saw them openin’ a door
I felt like someone else from another place or time
Carryin’ a fear of heights
I had this fear of heights
 
The air was growin’ colder
As we reached another plane
When you get a little older
You learn to love the pain
My woman knows me well
And she still does not complain
I learned to love the sound of gravel
Fallin’ down like rain
When we reached the top, it felt so good I don’t know why
I had this fear of heights
I dreamed of endless flight
 
Doug Hoekstra – acoustic guitar, rainstick, vocals
Jeff Kowalkowski – mellotron
Bill Murphy – bass
 
<>Engineered by Matt Allison, Windy City Recorder, Chicago IL

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