Bill Gessner Song Lyrics and Poems

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

"Busy Man," Song Lyrics, undated

Gessner Bill

Song lyrics for "Busy Man" by Bill Gessner. One single sheet of paper that was originally typed out, then later revised with pen. The song talks about what a "Busy Man" he is, referencing examples like "I seldom take the time to sleep" and how his "address book is overflowing."
"Baseball Blues," Song Lyrics, 1978

Bill Gessner

Lyrics for "Baseball Blues," a song written by Bill Gessner in April 1978. The song regards a dream he had while napping in his "favorite chair" while listening to a game. The lyrics are typed, with hand written revisions. One sheet of paper, which was a photocopy from the book "Private Screenings."
"Beaker's Bridge and Bullheads," Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

“Song lyrics for "Beaker's Bridge and Bullheads" by Bill Gessner. Handwritten opposite a beer poster. The song paints a picture of rural life, father-child bonding, and the quiet beauty of small traditions that linger in memory long after the moment has passed. It has a country ballad structure.
"Blue Lake, Blue Lake" Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

"Song lyrics for "Blue Lake, Blue Lake" by Bill Gessner. Two sheets of paper, that include typed lyrics and handwritten guitar chords. Both pages include handwritten notes and revisions. The song is about admiring a lake during the night.
"Busy Man," Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Busy Man" by Bill Gessner. One single sheet of paper that was originally typed out, then later revised with pen. The song talks about how much of a "Busy Man" he is, giving references saying "I seldom take the time to sleep" or how his "address book is overflowing".
"Catch Me at Park Rapids, Minnesota," Song Lyrics, 1983

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Catch Me at Park Rapids, Minnesota" by Bill Gessner. Four sheets of paper, which include handwritten and typed lyrics, as well as guitar chords. The second sheet indicates a date of May and June 1983. The song has numerous references to fishing, as well the middle of the street parking in the downtown area.
"Cedar Waxwing," Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Cedar Waxwing" by Bill Gessner. One sheet of paper, handwritten on both sides. It also includes many inserted revisions. The song is a metaphorical description of human civilization from the ancient to the modern. Going back and forth, Gessner talks about different animal species, such as dinosaurs and birds.
"Christmas Island", Song Lyrics, 1981

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Christmas Island", by Bill Gessner. One sheet of paper with typed lyrics that included handwritten notes and guitar chords. He has no revisions written on the lyric sheet. The song "Christmas Island" is about a place where it is Christmas every day. Gessner talks about how he was inspired to write this song by his love of the Christmas season and Christmas music.
"Cruel Memories," Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Cruel Memories" by Bill Gessner. Seven pages total, including one double-sided page. The typewritten pages include multiple versions of the lyrics, with some pages including handwritten marks and notes; some notes and suggested revisions appear on yellow post-it notes affixed to the sheets of paper. The song is at least partly concerned with changes and restrictions to diet.
"David and Oprah," Song lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "David and Oprah" by Bill Gessner. A song about David, who is Bill's friend, overly watching Oprah on television, to the point where he is losing sleep over it.
"Disillusioned Downbeat," Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Disillusioned Downbeat" by Bill Gessner. Two pages on one sheet of paper. One side includes typed lyrics, and the other side is a copied page of "Civil Disobedience." The song follows a character who Gessner refers to as a "disillusioned downbeat" and makes several references to events/topics from the late 1970s, such as the discotheque and the Vietnam War.
"Double Lives," Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Double Lives" by Bill Gessner. Three pages total, including one double-sided sheet of paper. The double-sided pages include typewritten lyrics, with only minor variations. The third, single-sided page has typewritten lyrics, with handwritten notes and revisions, including guitar chords. All pages are undated. The song is about the "double lives" all people lead, including our public vs. private selves and the different lives we lead at home and work.
"Equal Opportunity," Song Lyrics, 1981

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Equal Opportunity" by Bill Gessner. One sheet of paper with handwritten lyrics that include multiple versions for the chorus, as well as notes and light revisions in the margin. Gessner performed this song live on April 25th, 1981. The song references relationships and unfulfilled romance.
"Grand and a Glorious Day," Song Lyrics, 1994

Bill Gessner

Lyrics for "Grand and a Glorious Day" by Bill Gessner. The song was written in 1994 during the Holiday season. Gessner (1947-2019) graduated from UND in 1969 and was a major figure in the co-op grocery industry. He was also a musician and guitar player who composed many songs.
"Growing Up," Song Lyrics, 2002

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Growing Up" by Bill Gessner. Nine sheets of paper, which includes seven drafts of the lyrics and two drafts of the lead sheet. Though the first draft is not dated, we can assume the lyrics was drafted nearly on a date close to the second draft which is on April 1, 2022. We assume because all drafts were produced by following a periodical gap of few days between each. The 3rd, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh drafts were done respectively on April 10, June 3, June 22, June 27, and July 6 in 2002. The last few parts of the first draft are quite different than other drafts. From second to the last draft, gradually Gessner has changed different parts of the lyrics such as adding or omitting words and lines, putting side notes in different places of the lyrics and so on. After several modifications, the final draft becomes quite different than the first one. This lyric addresses the natural way of growing up of the children. Here, the growing up of the children are metaphorically represented through the portrayal of growing up of the lilies, sap, kittens, filly etc.
"In the Web of My Hand," Song Lyrics, 1997

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "In the Web of My Hand" by Bill Gessner. Four sheets of paper, which includes typed lyrics and music sheets. Music sheets also include the handwritten lyrics in between the staff notations. The sheets look like faxed copies and have different dates on them. The first sheet is a typed lyrics which is dated as 15 October 1997 on top-left of the page. Rest of the sheets are dated as 27 October 1997 on top-left of the pages. The last two sheets are sheet music and include handwritten lyrics on both. The lyrics glorifies human hand for being the source of everything such as power, resources, etc. described. Human hand also symbolizes the inner reflection of the human beings lies within. The lyrics also emphasizes human bond and cooperation to each other for a better world.
"In the Web of My Hand" Song lyrics, October 15, 1997

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "In the Web if My Hand" by Bill Gessner. The lyric sheet provided for this song is four pages long, with two copies of the song on two pages and a two-page cord sheet. The song copies appeared to be typed in while the cord sheet looks handwritten. The lyrics sheet also indicates that one of the copies was created on October 17th, 1997, at 12:07, and the other copy along with the chord sheet was created on October 27th, 1997, around 18:56, 18:57, and 19:35. The words of the song expresses how one can use one's own hands as a simple tool to connect, care for, and make a difference in a world full of inequality.
"Minneapolis Sound," Song Lyrics, undated

BIll Gessner

Song lyrics for "Minneapolis Sound” by Bill Gessner. A photocopy of a handwritten notebook page. Talks about Minneapolis as a place and the time he spent there. This song doesn't have a chorus.
"More Every Day" Song Lyrics, 1979

Bill Gessner

"Song lyrics for "More Every Day" by Bill Gessner. One sheet of paper, including lyrics from May 1, 1979. The song mentions his yearning for a woman and how he misses her every day.
"Net Worth" Song Lyrics, undated

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Net Worth" by Bill Gessner. Four double-sided pages include handwritten and typed lyrics, notes, and revisions. No date is indicated on the lyric sheets. Gessner writes about an encounter he had at the bank when trying to get a loan.
"Norwegian Fandango" by Bill Gessner

Bill Gessner

Bill Gessner (1947-2019) was a UND alumni and an amateur musician. This is music for one of his songs titled "Norwegian Fandango." It is a short instrumental piece played on guitar. The music sheet has an illustration of several people (presumably Norwegians), doing the fandango.
"Norwegian Fandango", Instrumental, undated

Bill Gessner

Sheet music for "Norwegian Fandango", by Bill Gessner. The music appears to be hand-written, with a written in chord progression and a basic melody. There are no lyrics, as this song is purely an instrumental. There are two drawings on the document, one of a person playing what appears to be a violin, and another of a group of people smiling and dancing.
"Nulla Nulla" Song Lyrics, Undated

BIll Gessner

“Song lyrics for “Nulla Nulla” by Bill Gessner. One handwritten yellow notebook page. The song is about the journey of a singer and songwriter named "Ole." Although he is from North Dakota, his songs are popular even in far-off places like Jamestown and Washington.
"Office Supplies," Song Lyrics, 1999

Bill Gessner

Song lyrics for "Office Supplies" by Bill Gessner. Two pages total, typed in a word document. These typed pages include the date written, and the date of revisions. In this song, Gessner writes of his "obsession" with office supplies and his trip to the grocery store.
"Peach Pie," Song Lyrics, 1999

Bill Gessner

Lyrics for "Peach Pie," by Bill Gessner. The song describes the process of baking a peach pie, with Gessner's recipe being that of an unnamed loved one. There are three sheets of paper, with two of them being typed lyric sheets with handwritten notes on the side, and the third being fully handwritten lyrics and guitar chords. The first typed sheet also has the recipe's ingredients and instructions noted.