Marc Cohn Olana song lyrics

They say my final masterpiece

Was this house upon the hill

High above the great and mighty river

My hand could not hold the brushes

Yes, I guess I lost my will

And you can't keep painting paradise forever

Whoa, forever

From the Andes to Niagara

To where we stand today

I drew the great creations of my master

'Til the oil and the canvas

Lord, I threw them all away

And traded them for stone and brick and plaster

I traded them all for you

(Winter wind blows and the river lies frozen at my feet)

I traded them all for you

(Springtime come and the river wanna run above the street)

She came to me one night

While I was tossing in my dreams

She said she'd give my family, protection

I recall the night I died

Beneath her arches and her beams

I thanked her for the shelter and direction

I was lost until Olana

(Sun beat down on a summertime town, he left me here)

I was lost until Olana

(Watching these hills turnin' gold for one more year)

Oh, I've been from Jerusalem to Rome

Now I'm floating through these rooms tonight alone

And looking back on everything, all I ever wanted was a home

I was lost until Olana

How sweet the sound

How sweet the sound

How sweet the sound

They say my final masterpiece

Was this house upon the hill