Wired by Ashley Cleveland

During this season of prayer and soul-seeking inner conversion, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity highlight the talent of Ashley Cleveland in Wired from her album Second Skin.Known for her clear-eyed maturity, grit and passion, Ashley is a woman who’s not afraid to follow her longings into places both light and dark. She connects emotionally with a strength and clarity. It’s that emotional connection -a combo of Cleveland’s natural wonder of a voice and fierce songwriting talent – that has been thrilling listeners since her debut in 1991.

Blending rock, blues, gospel and folk with her distinct open-tuned guitar playing, she has forged an unmistakable sound that has won her two Grammy Awards, three Dove Awards, a place on countless year-end Top Ten lists and a legion of devoted fans. Beyond her own career, Cleveland is also one of Nashville’s most in-demand session singers, having performed on over three hundred albums, for artists including Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Jars Of Clay, Don Henley, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Delbert McLinton, Etta James, Rodney Crowell, Pam Tillis, Patty Smyth and Michael McDonald. A spokesperson for SHARE (Songs of Hope And Recovery for Everyone), Cleveland regularly performs at national events focused on addiction recovery. Her seventh album, Before The Daylight’s Shot, finds Cleveland at the height of her powers. Whether she’s singing about purpose (“Ready Or Not”), faith (“Deeper Walk”), fulfillment (a bluesy take on Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”) or enduring married love (“Twilight Hour“), there’s a clear-eyed maturity and depth of artistry that lifts her into an exclusive class. Ashley Cleveland is the first woman ever nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Rock Gospel Album. She is also the only woman ever nominated twice… and she won both times she was nominated! (You Are There in 1999 and Lesson of Love in 1996.)

Lyrics: Wired by Ashley Cleveland

Original sin, original sin

The weight of the world is original sin

Everything grown, everything bent

To won that glorious second skin

Love is what we all desire

That love goes a long, long way

I’m going to heaven wired

 

Trying to get by, trying to get through

Trying to figure out the right thing to do

Too much greed , Too much food

 Shiney paper on a sack of coal

Love will keep us all inspired

That love goes a long, long way

I’m going to heaven wired

That love goes a long way

I’m going to heaven wired

 

Times like this

Change is slow

Jesus Christ is all I know

Glasses dark, Chipped on the rim

All I want is to rest in Him

And in His shadow where there is no jacket required

That love goes a long, long way

That love goes a long way

I’m going to heaven wired