Charlie Root is a Folk singer-songwriter from the Netherlands. His major musical influences include Bob Dylan, Melanie and Pixelated Poets. He also likes Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, and The Tallest Man On Earth. His guilty pleasure is Kina Grannis.
The Running Man
In a quiet town where the river winds
There lived a man who chased the signs
He’d lace his shoes at the break of day
And with the morning mist, he'd find his way
Oh, Johnny boy, you ran so wild
Like a rolling stone, a wandering child
With the weight of the world on your weary back
But nothing could ever keep you from the track
Through autumn's gold and summer’s fire
You kept your stride, never tired
With every step, you faced the end
The running man who’d never bend
Oh, Johnny boy, you blazed your trail
Like a ship set sail with a roaring gale
With a spirit so strong you never lost track
Always moving forward, never looking back
When the doctor said, "Your race is through"
You smiled and said, "I’ve more to do"
For there’s miles to go and tales to share
And a fire in my soul that’s still burning there
On New Year’s Day, when the frost took hold
You laid it down like a tale of old
"How much time?" I asked the open sky
But Johnny just grinned, said, "No need to cry"
Oh, Johnny boy, you soared so high
With wings of hope beneath the sky
Carrying dreams in a weathered pack
And you never let the darkness hold you back
Now the track is quiet, the stands are bare
But Johnny's footsteps linger in the air
In the hearts of the lost, the broken, the torn
Your race lives on in the early morn
In a quiet town where the river winds
There lived a man who chased the signs
He laces his shoes at the break of day
In eternal mist, he'll find a way
Echoes of Justice
You builders of ruin
You merchants of dread
With hearts cold and cruel
You leave homes to shred
There's a chill in the air
From the plans you devised
You peddle destruction
Beneath cloaked disguise
You feast on the agony
Reap profit from pain
While the tears of the grieving fall like biting rain
The young lie in tatters
The old fade away
Yet you revel in chaos
As you lead them astray
War’s sweet bliss
That's your wretched gain
While the world cries in anguish
Hearts laden with strain
You play with the lives
As if pieces in a game
Leaving naught but the ashes and the echoes of names
A child’s cry echoes
It pierces the night
And you're deaf to their sorrow
You’re lost in your might
Every land you have scarred
Every soul you have vexed
Yet you bask in the pyres of a future perplexed
You might cloak your crimes
Behind banners and trust
But your empire of lies will erode into dust
For the cries of the fallen
They haunt the night air
And no riches can purchase the peace that’s not there
You masters of sorrow
Architects of pain
Will you face retribution
Or just feigned disdain?
For the ghosts they are rising
From the fields laid bare
And perhaps someday soon
You’ll find justice there
When the last echoes fade
Of the havoc you’ve wrought
The weight of your deeds
Will be all you’ve got
For the world won’t forget
The darkness you’ve spread
And in the end, you'll meet
The judgement you've bred.
Old Man's Whiskey
Old man sits by the window pane
Whispers carry the scent of rain
Holds his bottle, a weathered friend
Life’s long story, nearing its end
Dusty shoes and a tattered hat
Memories dance in a smoky flat
Whiskey warms his frail cracked bones
Nights of silence, distant moans
Whiskey river flows so deep
In the dreams where old men weep
A heart that's heavy, tales untold
Whiskey’s burn, memories of gold
Once he roamed wild open lands
Now his world fits in trembling hands
Eyes that’ve witnessed rise and fall
Every sip, he’s seen it all
Whiskey river flows so deep
In the dreams where old men weep
A heart that's heavy, tales untold
Whiskey’s burn, memories of gold
Dust on the Shoulder
Fingers calloused
Strings betray
Words that howl
Won't keep at bay
Trouble's shadows stretch and sway
In the end
The price you pay
Rusted blade
A heart gone cold
Echoes whisper
Lies they told
Midnight barrels
Fear unfolds
In the dark
The truth is sold
Dust on the shoulder
Wind in the trees
Voices that smolder
Lost in the breeze
Rivers run colder
Nights never cease
Hands on the trigger
Begging for peace
Broken bottles
Shattered dreams
Silence louder
Than it seems
Lonely highways
Twisted schemes
In the end
They're just bad dreams
Howls of sorrow
Screams of pain
Kings and jesters
Both insane
Iron shackles
Heavy chain
Freedom's just a fleeting name
Dust on the shoulder
Wind in the trees
Voices that smolder
Lost in the breeze
Rivers run colder
Nights never cease
Hands on the trigger
Begging for peace
Dust on the shoulder
Wind in the trees
Voices that smolder
Lost in the breeze
Rivers run colder
Nights never cease
Hands on the trigger
Begging for peace
Storm Riser
Smokestacks are blazing
Sky's turning to coal
Man upon the hill
He's selling his soul
Rivers got poison
Fields lay to waste
Folk on the ground got that fire in their gaze
Iron law's pressing down
Chokehold's lethal tight
Voices scream silent in the dead of night
Boots on the pavement
Cracking the stone
No room left for a heart made of bone
Oh, the storm's rising
Ashes in the wind
Chains they're binding
Ain't no saving grace for sin
Oh, the storm's rising
Hear that thunder's moan
We ain't got nothin' 'cept the fight in our bones
False kings and coin
They bathe in the lie
Blind us with darkness while reaching for sky
Voices long muted
Fists held so tight
We'll mark our place 'gainst the dying light
Shadows are lurking
Hope's railing in chains
Fear spreads like fire
Red in the veins
But man, don't you tarry
Don't bend to the crow
We'll rise like clover
Through cracks in the stone
Oh, the storm's rising
Ashes in the wind
Chains they're binding
Ain't no saving grace for sin
Oh, the storm's rising
Hear that thunder's moan
We ain't got nothin' 'cept the fight in our bones
Master of the Midnight Move
From the heart of a country, cold and wide,
Rises a shadow where the truths divide.
Through the eyes of a player who knows the game,
A silent struggle against the tyrant's name.
Oh, master of the midnight move,
In your darkened halls, what do you prove?
In the land of winter's endless night,
We stand against your blinding might.
In the quiet rooms where secrets lie,
A challenge to the power that won't die.
With every pawn and every move,
A whisper of freedom starts to groove.
Oh, master of the midnight move,
In your darkened halls, what do you prove?
In the land of winter's endless night,
We stand against your blinding might.
Against your might.
Masters of Deceit
You build your empires, brick by brick,
With death in your eyes, you make me sick.
You send the young to fight your wars,
While you stay safe behind closed doors.
You speak of peace, but hold the sword,
And sow devision, the burden's we bear
Masters of deceit, kings of despair,
Your greed and power, the burdens we bear.
You paint your lies, but we see through,
The future's bleak, all thanks to you.
You profit from the blood and pain,
Counting coins in the storm and rain.
You write the laws, bend the truth,
Leaving scars on the soul of youth.
You smile and nod, with empty eyes,
While mothers weep and children die.
Masters of deceit, kings of despair,
Your greed and power, the burdens we bear.
You paint your lies, but we see through,
The future's bleak, all thanks to you.
Miracle in Motion
You're the poet in the silence, the dancer in the dark,
The spark that starts a wildfire, the arrow from the arc.
Oh, I see you in the swaying of the willow’s gentle bow,
In the spinning of the heavens, I can feel your glow.
You're a whisper in the canyon, a ripple in the stream,
A lantern in the distance, lighting up a dream.
The wind tells your story though you haven’t yet cried,
You’re the echo of tomorrow, soft as moonlight’s tide.
Your father and your mother, they’ve been running through the rain,
With a pocket full of questions and a shadow full of pain.
But they hear you in the thunder, see your light upon the hill,
A beacon in the distance, a promise to fulfill
Someday you’ll be walking where the shadows used to lay,
The sun upon your shoulders and the night you keep at bay.
Oh, the world will try to name you, but you’ll teach it something new,
A miracle in motion, the road will follow you.
Singer of the Sun and Moon
In the days of peace and love so free,
A voice emerged with clarity.
Through the echoes of a changing tide,
She sang her truth with eyes so wide.
Oh, singer of the sun and moon,
Your melodies brought light so soon.
In the festival of dreams and song,
You led us where our hearts belong.
From the city parks to the Woodstock stage,
Her voice was wise beyond her age.
With a guitar and a heartfelt cry,
She showed us how to touch the sky.
Oh, singer of the gentle rain,
With every note, you eased our pain.
In the tapestry of love and light,
You wove the songs that felt so right.
Little Man's Throne
In the towers tall, where the shadows grow long,
There's a man who's been singing his own song.
From the golden halls to the bitter streets,
He's a story of triumph and deceit.
Oh, tiny man, what have you done?
You've played your games, now the show must go on.
With your words like fire and your heart of stone,
You've turned the world into your throne.
With promises made of a wall to build,
He deceived the hearts of those unfulfilled.
But behind the smiles, there's a deeper tale,
Of power and greed and the way we fail.
Oh, little man, what have you done?
You've played your hand, and the deal's been spun.
With your words like fire and your heart of stone,
You've turned the world into your throne.
Now the history books will tell your name,
A legacy of fortune, a game of fame.
But the people know, as the seasons turn,
That the lessons learned are the ones that burn.
The Shape I Hold Dear
Your eyes hold a weight that the years can’t explain
They shine through the cracks where love hides its pain
You speak like the rivers that run to the sea
With whispers that drown out the doubt inside me
I’ve seen the storms rage, I’ve felt the earth fall
But your voice is a thread that stitches it all
Not soft, not gentle, but certain and clear
A truth that’s a flame, burning bright, drawing near
Oh, the shape of you, carved in my mind
A map of the world I was meant to find
Through the broken roads and the bitter climb
You’ve held me steady, you’ve given me time
You move through the moments that others let fade
A keeper of things the world never made
I watch, and I wonder how one heart contains
The sun and the sorrow, the joy and the rain
And if there’s a story at the end of my days
It’s written in footsteps that walk in your ways
Oh, the shape of you, it’s all I’ve known
The place I return, the place I’ve grown
Oh, the shape of you, carved in my mind
A map of the world I was meant to find
Through the broken roads and the bitter climb
You’ve held me steady, you’ve given me time
Throughout the years, both quiet and wild
You've carried my heart, my love and my child
A friend, a lover, and a beautiful wife
The soul of my journey, the light of my life
During our journey, I’ve learned what is true
Life finds its meaning when I share it with you
In all that I’ve gathered and all I hold near
I carry your love, the shape I hold dear
The Night is Long
In the house of the people, the old man stands,
With a trembling voice, he gives commands.
His eyes are weary, but his grip is tight,
Holding the reins through the darkest night.
Oh, the winds of change are cold and cruel,
An iron grasp, a fool's man tool.
Hold on tight, to the threads of fate,
For the night is long, and the dawn must wait.
His speeches falter, his steps are slow,
Yet he clings to the seat where power flows.
The halls of power echo with his name,
But shadows linger, plotting their claim.
Oh, the winds of change are cold and cruel,
An iron grasp, a fool's man tool.
Hold on tight, to the threads of fate,
For the night is long, and the dawn must wait.
There's a serpent waiting with an evil grin,
Eyes on the price, ready to step in.
The old man fights with a heart so bold,
Against the tide, as the night grows cold.
To hold on tight, or let it go.
A crossroads stands, with fate in tow.
In his decision, the night may creep,
Or dawn may break from the depths so deep.
So deep.
Oh, the winds of change are fierce and cold,
An rusty grasp, a story told.
Hold on tight and the threads will break,
For the night is long, and the dawn won't wake.
Whispers of Waves
Salt in the air and the wind at my side
Endless horizons where the lonely abide
Stars are my blanket
My boat is my bed
Dreaming of you in the moonlight's spread
Ocean's a mirror
Your face in the deep
Echoes of laughter that haunt me in sleep
Nights are so silent
The gulls do not cry
Wishing you’re here as the long days go by
Oh, the sea's got a hold on the heart of a man
Spent all the seasons with this lonely plan
Waves whisper secrets
But they can't comprehend
Pull of your love that won't ever end
Fishing through shadows that dance on the waves
Stories of old sailors lost in their graves
Tales of the sirens and tempests that brew
None of them compare to missing you
Compass is broken, direction runs wild
Maps were the dreams of a love reconciled
Foghorn is moaning a sorrowful song
Yearnings of distance where I don't belong
Oh, the sea's got a hold on the heart of a man
Spent all the seasons with this lonely plan
Waves whisper secrets but they can't comprehend
Pull of your love that won't ever end
The anchor is heavy, the journey is long
But love's not forgotten in the ocean's song
I'll sail through the storm with the calm and the blue
And dream of the map that will lead me to you