No Road Back: a Retrospective

by Craig Bickhardt

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This Retrospective, originally released on CD in a limited edition in 2010 but long out of print, is being made available on the Internet for the first time right here on Bandcamp. From the liner notes: "This collection is a way of bringing closure to earlier chapters in my life and accounting for some time when I was avoiding the spotlight. The recordings span twenty-six years and a couple of days. Hopefully they fill in some gaps and address a few omissions from my other CDs. Somewhere back up the winding road in Tennessee there's a gravel drive I rolled down one late spring morning. I took a sharp left turn and wound up as a traveling troubadour. They say you can't go home again. It's like that with songs sometimes, but it was fun to revisit some of these anyway. I hope you enjoy this parting glance in the rear view mirror - CB 3.15.10" FREE BONUS* TRACK included with every download of the12-song Bandcamp edition of No Road Back. * Craig and Wendy Waldman singing their original version of "That's How You Know When Love's Right" which went on to become a top ten hit for Nicolette Larson and Steve Wariner. ... more

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1.	You're The Power 03:20	lyrics	buy track
You’re The Power (Craig Bickhardt and F. C. Collins) Shining like a beacon through the darkest night You’re the only light that leads me home Home is where the fire burns so warm and bright Long as I have you, I’ll never roam Our paths may wander on this walk of life But I won’t walk alone Like a blaze of gold at the break of dawn You’re the power that heals my soul When the wind blows cold and I’m halfway gone You’re the power that keeps me whole Running like a river to the rolling sea The waters of your love are deep and strong My harbor and my shelter you will always be Even when the storm blows hard and long While your spirit is a part of me It gives life to this song Like a blaze of gold at the break of dawn You’re the power that heals my soul When the wind blows cold and I’m halfway gone You’re the power that keeps me whole
2.	You Are What Love Means To Me 04:17	lyrics	buy track
You Are What Love Means To Me (Craig Bickhardt) With tender hands you gathered up the pieces of my life Lying in your loving arms never felt so right The hard luck road behind me is reflected in your eyes The glory of the bright lights can’t compare to this feeling when you smile You’re the good things I threw away Coming back to me every day You’re the best it could ever be You are what love means to me I’ve been around and seen it all from the bottom to the top And honey, I can tell you now, I’m thankful for what I’ve got These prison walls inside me never set this poor soul free Till the power of your true love broke them down just in time to rescue me You’re the song I could never write You’re the magic in my heart tonight When the morning sun comes shining through I’ll still be holding you You’re the good things I threw away Coming back to me every day You’re the best it could ever be You are what love means to me
3.	Givers And Takers 03:46	lyrics	buy track
Givers And Takers (Craig Bickhardt) We’ve both had our share of heartaches And learned to be a bit too careful along the way I say better safe than sorry Especially when love’s as rare as gold these days There’s givers and takers Lovers and heartbreakers So, take it slow And be sure you know There’s winners and losers Cheaters and users If you find a heart that’s true Keep it close to you We’ve both done our share of crying There’s a need we’re both denying but you wear it well I say better safe than sorry I see that look in your eyes, but honey, it’s hard to tell There’s givers and takers Lovers and heartbreakers So, take it slow And be sure you know There’s winners and losers Cheaters and users If you find a heart that’s true Keep it close to you You can’t go on forever making the same mistakes Sooner or later, you’ve got to lie in the bed you make (Repeat Chorus)
4.	On God's Green Earth 03:27	lyrics	buy track
On God’s Green Earth (Craig Bickhardt and Don Schlitz) On God’s green earth A golden sun shines down On God’s green earth The fields are red and brown The silver rain of spring time Brings the miracle of birth There’s room for every color Here on God’s green earth In God’s blue sky Sometimes the gray clouds blow And storms may rise From the land that lies below When all the different colors Forget each other’s worth They clash with one another Here on God’s green earth So, God made the night Took away the light Made the colors fade Into a single shade And God made the day Took the night away So we all could see How it was meant to be On God’s green earth On God’s green earth From Birmingham to Johannesburg Though we may be different Let us shine for all we’re worth There’s room for every color Here on God’s green earth
5.	All The Things We've Never Done 03:16	lyrics	buy track
All The Things We’ve Never Done (Craig Bickhardt and Jeff Pennig) They drain their anniversary glass A silent moment’s passed, then they kiss She knows there’s something on his mind He’ll tell her in due time what it is He says I’ve never built Your mansion on a hill Or warmed you in the Spanish sun I simply blink my eye And think as years fly by Of all the things we’ve never done She smiles and takes his hand in hers And says it just occurred to me now The thought that brings you such regret- What hasn’t happened yet, makes me proud You never walked away When I needed you to stay Or made me feel I’m not the one There’ve been no broken vows And the reason we’re here now Is all the things we’ve never done We’ve never grown apart You never broke my heart With secrets that you’ve kept me from We’ve never been untrue And I’m still here with you Through all the things we’ve never done
6.	We Will Not Pass This Way Again 04:41	lyrics	buy track
We Will Not Pass This Way Again (Craig Bickhardt and Don Schlitz) We will not pass this way again So let us take our time And think of where our hearts have been And those we’ve left behind We will not sing these songs again So let us sing them slow And think of where these songs have been And where they’ve left to go It’s too soon, far too soon But who are we to say The one who gives us everything It’s his to take away, take away We will not hold these hands again Or look into these eyes So let us know say we were friends With no good reason why It’s too soon far too soon But who are we to say The one who gives us everything It’s his to take away, take away We will not pass this way again So let us take our time And think of where our hearts have been And those we’ve left behind
7.	Find Your Own Way Home 04:18	lyrics	buy track
FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME (Craig Bickhardt and F. C. Collins) SOMEONE KNOWS HOW HARD IT IS TO TRY AND GET ALONG EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU MIGHT TAKE IT TO THE BONE THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THE THOUGHT WILL CROSS YOUR MIND TO EASE OUT SLOW, AND FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME, BOYS, FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME THOUGH THE ROAD IS LONG, BOYS, FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME YOUR OWN WAY HOME SOMETIMES YOU LOSE YOUR WAY AND WANDER FOR A WHILE IF, ALONG YOUR JOURNEY, YOUR SAILS ARE TORN AND BLOWN FOLLOW YOUR STAR AND REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE SING YOUR SONG AND FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME, BOYS, FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME THOUGH THE ROAD IS LONG, BOYS, FIND YOUR OWN WAY HOME YOUR OWN WAY HOME SOMEWHERE IN THE DISTANT SKY A NEW STAR IS THROWN ON A MOUNTAIN WITH A TELESCOPE THIS EVENT IS KNOWN TREASURE WHAT YOU HAVE, TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN ONE BY ONE, WE'LL FIND OUR OWN WAY HOME
8.	How Lonesome 04:05	lyrics	buy track
How Lonesome (Craig Bickhardt and Nathan S. Bell) I'm so lonesome I'm a train whistle I'm a small station as the train passes by I'm so lonesome I'm the last red rose Ungiven and forgotten, it wilted a died I'm as lonesome as that mockingbird singing I'm the sound of laughter when she's laughing at me Now she's running somewhere else And I don't know myself How lonesome can one man be I'm so lonesome I'm a dammed river Run down through the valley to a trickle of tears I'm so lonesome that I'm gone already And no one even knows it, or cares if I was here I'm as lonesome as that mockingbird singing I'm the sound of laughter when she's laughing at me Now she's running somewhere else And I don't know myself How lonesome can one man be Solo – Repeat 2nd Bridge I'm so lonesome I'm a train whistle I'm so lonesome I'm the last red rose I'm so lonesome I'm a dammed river I'm so lonesome that I'm gone already
9.	Deep In The Grain 03:04	lyrics	buy track
Deep in the Grain (Craig Bickhardt) I'll build you a mantle of hickory wood Cut from the heart where the timber is good I'll plain it smooth and darken the stain You'll see your reflection deep in the grain Deep in the grain, down in the core This is like nothing that I've known before It's part of me now, in the blood and the vein I love you deep, deep in the grain And under that mantle I'll build you a fire Just a few branches are all I require I'll warm you and keep out the cold wind and rain You'll feel my love burning deep in the grain Deep in the grain, down in the core This is like nothing that I've known before It's part of me now, in the blood and the vein I love you deep, deep in the grain
10.	Untasted Honey 03:27	lyrics	buy track
Untasted Honey (Craig Bickhardt and Barry Alfonso) I'll be leaving when the sun is on the rise I can see the sorrow shining deep inside your eyes But this life that I've been living Has grown to a routine So I'm headed for somewhere I've been in my dreams Oh, I wanna go where a soul feels alive And the untasted honey waits in the hive Yeah, I wanna be where a free spirit thrives And the untasted honey waits in the hive You were faithful as a lover and a friend All the good times and the bad, I'd live them once again But I'd never be contented With a family and a ring Better open your window I'm a bird on the wing Oh, I wanna go where a soul feels alive And the untasted honey waits in the hive Yeah, I wanna be where a free spirit thrives And the untasted honey waits in the hive Call it heaven on earth Call it fools paradise Gonna find where it's hidden Even if it takes all my life (Repeat Chorus)
11.	You I Love 03:21	info	buy track
12.	You Take Me Home 03:44	lyrics	buy track
You Take Me Home (Craig Bickhardt and Thom Schuyler) Sometimes I feel like I’m on the moon Something inside me is out of tune The water has a funny taste All the stars are out of place And I know I don’t belong here Back home the leaves would be turning now A gentle snow should be falling down Here it’s only cold and gray But I always have a way Back to where my heart is You take me home When you wrap your arms around me You take me home To a place where love surrounds me With a gentle locomotion You take me home No one knows my name at the grocery store They don’t understand what a smile is for I dream about the place I miss Till you wake me with a kiss And I’m as good as going I don’t need no greyhound station, you take me home I don’t need no airplane ticket, you take me home I don’t write no homesick letters, you take me home Hang up on the operator, you take me home

about

Craig Bickhardt is a master of his craft, including not only his songwriting but also his evocative perfomances which have been captured on these 12 tracks. Bickhardt has influenced many other artists along the way, some of whom have dipped into his deep well of original songs for their own records. Among the artists who have covered his material are Johnny Cash and the Highwaymen, Ray Charles, Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, Poco, B. B. King, Martina McBride, Nicolette Larson, Jonathan Edwards, Tony Rice and the Rice Brothers, The Judds, Randy Meisner (Eagles), Jesse Terry, Diane Schuur, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Vince Gill and many others. This Retrospective is a testament to the staying power of his music.

credits

released September 1, 2023

2010 Stone Barn Records
Produced by John Mock, Craig Bickhardt and Allen Reynolds
Mastered by John Mock
Musician credits are in the "About This Song" fields for each cut.

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Craig Bickhardt Pennsylvania

"Bickhardt’s musical vagabondage has been a dialogue with his 6-string, a dialectic with his dreams, a reckoning with memory. The journey has been full of unexpected detours, strange rambles, turning points and shocks of recognition. The songs are a celebration of an artist’s freedom to walk the narrow path of a finely wrought lyric or balance on a thin wire of an unbreakable tune." -BarryAlfonso ... more

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