-------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- American Dream -------- I had a face so cute made a young girl cry And I could blow 'em away with just a wink of my eye I got all dolled up on a Saturday night Can't find a lady so I'll start a fight Hey but ain't that the American Dream But at School the young boys would assemble down in the parking lot And we spoke of the homecoming queen and all the goodies she's got Well those stories would choke a semi And every dare was do or die Hey but ain't that the American Dream Well I grew up believin' I could do what I wanted to do When I got a little older I found that it just wasn't true There's gotta be a place for me Where I can out-be just what I want to be Hey but ain't that the American Dream Some of the girls are out teaching high school biology And all of my boyfriends they work down at Cummmins factory But me I'm still out on the streets trying to locate some destiny Hey but ain't that the American Dream Well I grew up believin' I could do what I wanted to do When I got a little older I found that it just wasn't true There's gotta be a place for me Where I can out-be just what I want to be Hey but ain't that the American Dream -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Chestnut Street Revisited -------- Well I've lived and breathed and been disbelieved In these small town streets too long I've held nothin' but aces and been many places And hung on the corner 'til dawn But my hands have been tied To a life I've been denied I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And workin' a nine to five Well I worked like a fool 'til after done with high school Just to form a rock and rollin' band But the streets were exploding and my life I was decoding Had a dream I couldn't understand And I work it out everyday For no fun and very little pay I'm just a smal town boy bein' used like a toy And doin' what other people say Well I've drooled and fooled and been ridiculed For havin' dreams just above my reach And I've lied and died and tried suicide For all the things you people wanna preach But I always had to turn the other way When I heard those homefolks say (They say) You're just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And livin' on a day to day But you must believe that when I walk down the tracks All those young girls fall back and say There goes that sleek young silhouette He don't drive no Corvette But he stings just like a Sting Ray And that's my only redemption in this house of detention That keeps me from simply blowin' it all away 'Cause when I walk down the street in the hot summer heat I say, God don't take this away Well by the end of the day, all the kids would go play And I'd come staggering back home With a dream in my hand and a master plan That wouldn't leave my mind alone Well I compromised all my schemes And I fluctuated all my dreams I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And nothing is like it really seems But what a fool I must seem to have all these dreams And try to live them all through It's like a slap in your face, with a mercurochrome taste When the dream is long overdue And it seems kinda strange that nobody came To the game that I have put myself through And when I walk down the street in the hot summer heat I say, what the hell can I do Well I keep hopin' and wishin' that these romantic positions Gonna help me hide all this pain And all the hurt that I've felt underneath my leather studded belt Of not findin' my fortune and fame Some day I'll blow 'em away with the things that I sing and I say I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And waitin' on my pay day I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And waitin' on my pay day -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Chestnut Street -------- Well I've lived and breathed and been disbelieved In these small town streets too long I've been up with the winners and down with the sinners And hung on this corner 'til dawn And my hands they have been tied To a life I've been denied I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And workin' from nine to five By the end of the day, all the kids would go play And I'd come staggering home With a dream in my hand and a master plan That wouln't leave my mind alone I compromised all my schemes And flucturated all my dreams I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And nothing is like it really seems But you must believe that when I walk down the tracks The young girls fall back and say There goes that sleek young silhouette He don't drive no Corvette But he stings just like a Sting Ray And that's my only redemption in this house of detention That keeps me from simply blowin' it all away 'Cause when I walk down the street in the hot summer heat I say, God don't take this away I keep hopin' and wishin' that these romantic positions Gonna help me hide my pain And all the hurt that I've felt underneath my leather studded belt Of not finding fortune and fame But some day I'll blow 'em away with the things that I may sing and Might say I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And waitin' for my pay dirt day I'm just a small town boy bein' used like a toy And waitin' for my pay day -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Do You Believe In Magic -------- Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart How the music can free her, whenever it starts And it's magic, if the music is groovy It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free her soul But It's like trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock and roll If you believe in magic don't bother to choose If it's jug band music or rhythm and blues Just go and listen it'll start with a smile It won't wipe off your face no matter how hard you try Your feet start tapping and you can't seem to find How you got there, so just blow your mind If you believe in magic, come along with me And we'll dance until morning till theres just you and me And maybe, if the music is right I'll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night And we'll go dancing, baby, then you'll see How the magic's in the music and the music's in me Yeah, do you believe in magic, yeah Believe in the magic of a young girl's soul Believe in the magic of a rock and roll Believe in the magic that can set you free Aaahhh, im talkin bout the magic Do you believe in magic, yeah Do you believe like I believe Now do you believe like I believe in magic Do you believe like I believe Do you believe like I believe -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Dream Killing Town -------- Pre-war matador Save your broken bones Golden rule, he's such a fool In the streets alone Slow burn, taciturn Nothing left to say Column five, sympathize It's easier that way Just want to be a big boy Pushin' some Jim-jims around But it's hard to be a dreamer In a dream killing town Hard to be a dreamer In a dream killing town Good as dead, Sally said I fear what she knows Money spent, for reconnaissance And blood's upon her clothes Child's toy, soldier boy Playing with his gun Uptown, missile clown Living on the run He just want to be a big boy Growing up too soon Show you his gun Flash his knife in the sun And dance to a rock and roll tune Once tried, twice denied Sally said she knew Full sized polarized Is what she's looking through Switch blade, promenade Leather jacket war Cliche, don't runaway Slipping out the back door All night parasite Wake me up at noon Copped himself an attitude Down at the Red Dog Saloon Quick laid, masquerade Gets the young boy up tight Low rent, Jack-a-Lent Says he's gonna be all right -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Good Girls -------- Good girls don't stay for breakfast They know it's in poor taste Good girls won't blow your evening With small talkin' chit chat just a waste I don't wanna walk with you And I don't wanna talk with you And I don't wanna be with you 'till the night time Good girls have reputation Good girls have to keep it clean But you girl you're so damn reckless You're a boll weevil evilly obscene I don't wanna walk with you And I don't wanna talk with you And I don't wanna be with you 'till the night time Hey girl you know I've heard those stories About you girl last of the pony-tail queens China chops are a dime a dozen So hey girl go on and shake that thing I don't wanna walk with you And I don't wanna talk with you And I don't wanna be with you 'till the night time -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Hit The Road Jack -------- Ah, ah, ah, ah, hey hey hey, yeah Ah, ah, ah, ah, hey hey hey, yeah Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more Hit that road Jack and don't you come back no more I said baby baby don't treat me so mean Your the meanest old woman that I ever seen I guess if you say so I'm gonna have to pack my things and go Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, yea Ah, ah, ah, ah, hu-huh, hey hey hey Ah, ah, ah, ah, uh-huh, hey hey hey I said baby baby don't treat me this way I'll get back on my feet someday I don't care if you do, your just no good You ain't had no good loving and ... Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, yeah, yeah Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more Ah, ah, ah, ah, hey hey hey Ah, ah, ah, ah, hey hey hey Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more Hit that road Jack and don't you come back no more, yeah -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- I Need Somebody Baby -------- I am your crazy driver Honey, I'm sure to steer you so wrong I'm a dying in this story I'm only livin' to sing this song I need somebody, baby You need somebody too I need somebody, baby Just like you, just like you Well, I'm losing on my feelings And I'm running out of friends You know you lied to me in the beginning Now your gonna try to bring me to the end And you know that's such a shame I need somebody, baby You need somebody too I need somebody, baby Just like you, just like you Now it's time to leave this signal In a run down and rotten mess You know, I got my reputation Right there in your blue jean dress And it's such a shame, baby I need somebody, baby You need somebody too I need somebody, baby Just like you, just like you I need somebody Somebody Somebody -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Jailhouse Rock -------- The warden threw a party in the county jail The prison band was there and they began to wail The band was jumpin' down they began to swing You should've heard those jailbirds sing Let's rock, everybody, let's rock Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock Well Spider Murphy played on the saxophone Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang The whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang Let's rock, everybody, let's rock Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock Well number forty-seven said to number three: "You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see I sure could enjoy some of your company Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me." Let's rock, everybody, let's rock Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock Well sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone When over in the corner weepin' all alone The warden said, "buddy, don't you be no square If you can't find a partner use a wooden chair." Let's rock, everybody, let's rock Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock Well Henry said to Bugs, "For Heaven's sake No one's lookin', now's our chance to make a break." Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, "Nix nix I wanna stick around a while and get my kicks." Let's rock, everybody, let's rock Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Oh Pretty Woman -------- Pretty woman, walkin' down the street Pretty woman, the kind I'd like to meet Pretty woman, I don't believe you You're not the truth No one could look as good as you Mercy Pretty woman, won't you pardon me Pretty woman, I couldn't help but see Pretty woman, you look lovely as can be Are you lonely just like me? Kiss me Pretty woman stop a while Pretty woman won't you talk a while Pretty woman give your smile to me Pretty woman, yeah, yeah, yeah Pretty woman, won't you look my way Pretty woman, won't you say you'll stay with me 'Cause I need you, hey I'll treat you right Come with me baby, you can be mine tonight Ahhhhh, ahhhh Pretty woman, hey don't walk on by Pretty woman, don't make me cry Pretty woman, don't you walk away, hey! OK If that's the way it must be, OK I guess I'll go on home, cause it's si late There'll be tomorrow night, BUT WAIT! What do I see? Is she walking back to me? Yeah, she's walking back to me! Wohoo PRETTY WOMAN! -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Sad Lady -------- Oh Sad Lady do you curse your name And how many times have you been ashamed Crazy Lady letting your emotions show It's hard being a woman knowing what you know Oh Sad Lady were you born in vain Nothing to live for and no one to blame Ain't no use in screaming or pulling on your hair Crazy Lady dancing with a chair Oh oh if you should get to know Sad Lady Say maybe Oh Sad Lady won't you dry your eyes You go on living wishing you could die 'cause dying's not bad when living's not so good Crazy Lady so misunderstood Oh oh if you should get to know Sad Lady Say maybe Tell me what you're thinking As you lace up white shoes Tell me Sad Lady -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Supergirl -------- You see this kind of chick in every town Whenever there's a scene she's always hanging around She's so na've and innocent, she looks with all She's only fourteen but she knows how to draw Now now now baby now Super...supergirl, yeah Super...supergirl She never gets involved with blowing her cool She's to busy getting high with her classmates in school The teachers all ignore her, they would if they could She ain't quite grown up yet but her credence's real good Super...supergirl, yeah Super...supergirl, yeah, alright You see this kind of chick in every town Whenever there's a scene she's always hanging around She's so na've and innocent, she looks with all She's only fourteen but she knows how to draw Now now now baby now, yeah Super...supergirl, yeah Super...supergirl Super duper, super duper, hey, super duper, super duper Yeah yeah yeah supergirl -------- 1976 Chestnut Street Incident -------- -------- Twentieth Century Fox -------- Well, she's fashionably lean Hey and she's fashionably late She'll never gonna wreck a scene She'll never break a date But now she's no drag Just watch the way that she walks She's a twentieth century fox She's a twentieth century fox She's got world, she's got the world All locked up inside a plastic box She's a twentieth century fox, oh yeah She's the queen of cool And she's the lady who waits Sent to manless school She never gonna hesitate Well know she don't waste her time On all this elementary talk She's a twentieth century fox She's a twentieth century fox She got the world, babe Now she got this world She got it all locked up Inside some kind of plastic plastic box She's a Twentieth century fox, oh yeah She's a Twentieth century fox, oh yeah She's a Twentieth century fox, oh yeah She's a Twentieth century fox -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Alley Of The Angels -------- Another sad sad day The world's KO'd again And I used to always say No one could hit, like my old man Do you really have to be so tough Is it necessary to talk so (son of a bitchin) rough Hey ain't there some place I could fit in Could I find a little action there Hey wait just a minute, I don't really care Any place is bound to be better Than where I'm standin' Yeah I wish that for just one day Hey ya know I wouldn't have to be afraid And ashamed of its work And its disgusting glory Welcome to the alley of the angels Hey they say your eyes can gleam When you can a just tell the truth all night (And you can a chase them dreams all night) Welcome to the alley of the angels (They say) The reckless young hearts Beat to (the flash of) the neon lights Look at those kids, they're such a mess Just can't teach 'em no respect They want the world And they want the best on a silver platter Hey but ain't that, sometime son The kids grew up and the world moved on They're just lookin' for some place in the sun So they would not shatter Welcome to the alley of the angels Hey they say your eyes can gleam When you can a just tell the truth all night (And you can a chase them dreams all night) Welcome to the alley of the angels (They say) The reckless young hearts Beat to (the flash of) the neon lights Do you really have to be so tough Is it necessary to talk so (son of a bitchin) rough Hey ain't there some place I could fit in Welcome to the alley of the angles -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Born Reckless -------- Spend a lot of time tryin' to grow up Guess I got a lot of growin' up to do Used to tell me sit down, hey shut up Guess they don't know what I was goin' through But I've loved me some girls And I've broken me some hearts A cast in Nova in my own right As I see here watching the sun coming up I guess it's okay, yea its ok To say good night Born reckless, born reckless Born reckless (watch the family cry) Cause I was born to be reckless Till the day, I die Well you know, I've been shoved around Hey, but I've done my share of the shovin' too I guess you get what you deserve Yeah you get what's comin' to you For the life of me, I don't understand I don't understand, how I ever got you Someone so warm to hold my hand When this world has beat me back through Born reckless, born reckless Born reckless (watch the family cry) Cause I was born to be reckless Till the day, I die Well what I really want to say is I guess I don't know, what it is I really wanna say Anyway the thing is, I'm just surprised That you're still here with me today 'Cause I've lied and I've cheated And I've spit in your face I've taken from you exactly what I need But I want you to know There's no one to take your place How can we embrace love, how can we make love At such an high rate of speed Born reckless, born reckless Born reckless (watch the family cry) Cause I was born to be reckless Till the day, I die -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Factory -------- Be yourself, boys Let's get this show on the road Well I'm up every morning by 6:08 Take the Voltswagon bus up the interstate Feel Charlie Manson just like ... I'm diggin' real hard for some money to spend Well it ain't that bad if the summer's free I got my evenings ... to cruise the scene oh yeah I got a pretty old lady Who rolls back in the morning She don't pressure me about my over time Got a kickin' black chick Who meets me in the alley Sayin' unsnap your jeans, baby I'll take what I find I got non-stop shootem up, on a layaway plan I've got a workman's compensation, I'm a union man Working at the factoy Gonna get me some of them luxuries Well now me and the boys Machines are making noise Working at the factory (moola) It works like this I got one eye on the time clock I got my other eye on, the girl in the hall I got this ... rocket, hum, stuck right here in my pocket Waitin' for the five o'clock whistle to call I'm the whistle dancer of the production line I got an encour tomarrow at the very same time Working at the factoy Gonna get me some of them luxuries Well now me and the boys Machines are making noise Working at the factory (moola) Working at the factoy Gonna get me some of them luxuries Well now me and the boys Machines are making noise Working at the factory (moola) -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Goodnight -------- It's rainin' on me Watch the cab drive you away I see the night bein' eatin' up By just another day I guess I'd better accept That we just didn't have a lot to say Except goodnight I guess it's goodnight The city workers Cleanin' up the streets An old man wrapped in rags and newspaper Lies asleep on the corner of the street Whatever we had Lies in a heap at your feet Goodnight I guess it's goodnight A crowd of people, aw shit -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- High C Cherrie -------- She's one of those Sunday afternoon walkers Who searches down the rich dick So here comes, speak this way baby Ain't no tongue some kinda a trick So shake that kick, ooh shake that kick Shavin' your underarms I got my eyes on your ... If I could just get your hands on my balls Hello High C Cherrie Would you bring it on over here I got a big jet black Cadillac Parked out back in the rear I'd give you twenty five heathens To serve you a six pack of rollin' thunder beer Say ain't that enough, Cherrie To stick it in you Eww my my the girl with ... rolls That's the way talk (High C) You must admit you're heaven sent For big boys ... Hey I'm on the corner taken ... Hey baby, I can hold my own (Cherrie) Meet me on C Street, baby Hey little girl, you want an ice cream cone Hello High C Cherrie Shake that trash over here I got a big jet black Cadillac Its parked out back in the rear I'd give you twenty five heathens To serve you a six pack of rollin' thunder beer Say ain't that enough, Cherrie To stick it in you Hey baby, are you with escort Are you really on your way home (Cherrie) Would you make it with a poor schoolboy Would you let this dog throw you his bone I don't mean to be pushy But I know I'd shove you down on the ground (hell ya) How can a sane man Adjust to havin' you around Hello High C Cherrie Would you bring it on over here I got a big jet black Cadillac Parked out back in the rear I'd give you twenty five heathens To serve you a six pack of rollin' thunder beer Say ain't that enough, Cherrie To stick it in you Hello High C Cherrie Would you bring it on over here I got a big jet black Cadillac Crashed out back in the rear I'll give you twenty five heathens To serve you a six pack of rollin' thunder beer Say ain't that enough, Cherrie Hey is that enough, Cherrie Oh hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, Cherrie ... -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- I Need a Lover (UK single version) -------- I need a lover that won't drive me crazy (I need a lover that won't drive me crazy) I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" Well I've been walkin' the streets up and down Racing through the human jungles at night I'm so confused, my mind is indifferent Hey, I'm so weak, won't somebody shut off that light Electricity runs through the video And I watch it from this hole I call home And all the stony's are dancin' to the radio And I got the world calling me up here Tonight on the phone I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl to thrill me and then go away I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" Well, I'm not wiped out by this poolroom life I'm living I'm gonna quit this job, and go to school, or head back home And I'm not askin' to be loved or be forgiven Hey, I just can't face shakin' in this bedroom One more night alone I need a lover that won't drive me crazy I need a lover that won't drive me crazy I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl to thrill me and then go away I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" You betcha! -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- I Need a Lover -------- [Intro] I need a lover that won't drive me crazy (I need a lover that won't drive me crazy) I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" Well I've been walkin' the streets up and down Racing through the human jungles at night I'm so confused, my mind is indifferent Hey, I'm so weak, won't somebody shut off that light Electricity runs through the video And I watch it from this hole I call home And all the stony's are dancin' to the radio And I got the world calling me up here Tonight on the phone I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl to thrill me and then go away I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" Well, I'm not wiped out by this poolroom life I'm living I'm gonna quit this job, and go to school, or head back home And I'm not askin' to be loved or be forgiven Hey, I just can't face shakin' in this bedroom One more night alone I need a lover that won't drive me crazy I need a lover that won't drive me crazy I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl to thrill me and then go away I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" You betcha! -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Let Them Run Your Lives -------- Hello girls and boys As you sit in your carpeted bedrooms With your stereos on and on Playin' with those hundred dollar toys Built to occupy your minds So you don't notice your future's are gone And as you race on through the streets tonight Lookin' for some lonely lover to hold you tight You think that the world is alright Well you're out of touch, you're out of time You're gonna crack, your fragile regulated minds As you're headin' on to no kind of conclusion Go on, let 'em run your lives Watch 'em as they cut your throat With they're parental carving knife Go on, let 'em run your lives Are you too young to see Or just to old to fight They've taken the energy away from you They haven't taught you enough to deal With the ordeal you must be goin' through Yeah but look at this now They've left you the schools They've left you the government But they're all fallin' down Don't forget to make the past due payments And in this world of uncertainties You can be certain that You must kiss the ass of the authoritites And kiss you will if you want to survive You don't have to look too hard to see That there just ain't no free rides Hell it takes a real man to survive Go on, let 'em run your lives Watch 'em as they cut your throat With they're parental carving knife Go on, let 'em run your lives Are you too young to see Or just to old to fight Well Jay Dee is locked in his soul some kinda hotel Well he's burnin inside he shakes shakes shakes All through the night And little Ruda Juda is passed out on the floor She's just so damn stupid won't somebody Take away her gun and show her the door Show her the door, show her that door's open And me I'm so misunderstood, but I'm still alive And my eyes are open wide to the fact That the world just will lie And it'll kick you right in the face Go on, let 'em run your lives Watch 'em as they cut your throat With they're parental carving knife Go on, let 'em run your lives Are you too young to see Or just to old to fight Hey are you too young to see Or just too old to fight Do we have to fight the rest of our lives -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Night Slumming -------- (Night Slumming - burp 123) Well good evening to, the dirty bordellos And good evening to, the girls who work uptown And say hello, well hello, to the gay young fellows Who make their love, on the meat rack In their sister's gowns Well I ain't no king, but I ain't no princess And I don't get drunk, no no But I can still be blown away The phantom lover of the future And I don't go to work 'Cause I sleep all through the day Talkin' 'bout Night, night, night, night slummin' Night, night, night, night slummin' Night, night, night, night slummin' So when you see me tonight I'd be reaching the heights So were coming I never counted on ... All the good things have been taken away from me Aww, heavy or hard, I know those younger punches Cause tonight is another day for destiny Well the damage is done, hey I can't really feel it Well I don't fault your love and The bathroom stains, oh yeah And its a little too fast and dieing too young That's what we're talking about Well it's this slummin' that makes me Stop to think Night, night, night, night slummin' Night, night, night, night slummin' Night, night, night, night slummin' So when you see me tonight I'd be reaching the heights So were coming Night, night, night, night slummin' Night, night, night, night slummin'(goodnight) Night, night, night, night slummin'(yeah, yeah) -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Taxi Dancer -------- Oh yeah Well she started out, just to be a dancer Gonna make her livin' dancin' In the Broadway shows So she hitchhiked cross the country From Pasaroba to the Big Red Apple Where your dreams are made Your debts must be paid on time Well she wasn't used to livin' in the city So she took a job cleanin' up as a maid At the Grammercy Park Hotel And all her auditions They didn't turn out so pretty So she took a job dancin' At the bar down the street as well I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer And I'll listen to how your outgrew your dreams How they faded away I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer We can pretend this floor is the Broadway stage Well I don't know how long or how far Her fortune did take her But I heard she sits alone drunk In a bar downtown on 42nd Street And sometimes an old Butch Will slip a quarter into the jukebox And she'll stagger to the bar And dance with that girl for free I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer And I'll listen to how your outgrew your dreams How they faded away I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer We can pretend this floor is the Broadway stage Oh the stage, baby -------- 1978 A Biography -------- -------- Where The Sidewalk Ends -------- Oh talk to me Pretty girl in the corner Tryin' out your sex appeal Oh no, it won't bother me If you talk about your TV Jims And their overkill You can be ... You can roll out of you seats I know what I want, baby But you know exactly what I need Oh run with me I'll show you what life is like across the street Oh take me If you want to you can take me seriously I just wanna throw you one Time around the block I know those small minded people And I know that you won't talk, not much Don't put me on When all it really depends On how you see yourself Where the sidewalk ends Well ther goes James Richard Riley Screamin' his redundent lines He's such a time waster What's his he thinks is mine But none of this for me or you I got something for you better here I got loads of dreams, everything is deep I got laws, I got power, I got you And that's all that matters Hey you, they think you're crazy But I knew that the first time That you laid down They know it's just your behavior Well it's hard to be a lady When you paint your face just like a clown There's somethin' goin' on here I don't need to hear from you I got twenty five rings and a joker's ring ... been real to you Yeah they say I caught you Where the sidewalk ends But there ain't nobody buyin' nothin' Where the sidewalk ends -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- A Little Night Dancin -------- Well, west of Zion They got a hot spot brewing Handcuffs and kisses For the people who live there Guitar player's playing Cinderella saying Hey boys, get that spoon to my nose And we'll run through the midnight air To go Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Sodom and Gomorrah They run the roadhouse They keep everything jumping As the drummer keeps the beat And it's really something When those kids start bitchin' Yeah, it starts me itching As I jump up to my feet To go Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' Night, night, whoa night dancin' Hey just a little, little, little night dancin' -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Do You Think That's Fair -------- Well I see you've got a new boyfriend Got your mixed up husband too I got 25 dollars in my pocket Want me to spend it all on you But I know that you cheat on all of us That's just the way that you do Hey, girl, I don't care where you've been I know, I've been there too Woo, woo baby, do you think that's fair? Do we really have to be so lonely and so scared Woo, woo baby, do you think that's fair? Well I know this is up to me and you We make this thing turn out like we want to Well, last time I thought about you Didn't really think that much And the last time we spoke you said You were afraid of my touch And then you went your way I stumbled down a highway, I went mine You know, I think it's funny the Way infatuation gets beat up by the time Woo, woo baby, do you think that's fair? Do we really have to be so lonely and so scared Woo, woo baby, do you think that's fair? Well I know this is up to me and you We make this thing turn out like we want to Well, last time I thought about you Didn't really think that much And the last time we spoke you said You were afraid of my touch And then you went your way I stumbled down a highway, I went mine You know, I think it's funny the Way infatuation gets beat up by the time Well I see your life has evolved Into one big masquerade And all of those old fools you used to run to They shot you full of old age Well, don't go expecting too much no, no From this new love affair Probably fall flat on its face No one to pick you up, no one who cares Woo, woo baby, do you think that's fair? Do we really have to be so lonely and so scared Woo, woo baby, do you think that's fair? Well I know this is up to me and you We make this thing turn out like we want to Well, last time I thought about you Didn't really think that much And the last time we spoke you said You were afraid of my touch And then you went your way I stumbled down a highway, I went mine You know, I think it's funny the Way infatuation gets beat up by the time -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Great Mid-West -------- Everything is slower here, everybody's got a union card They get up on Sunday and go to church of their choice Come back home cook out in the backyard And they call this the Great Midwest Where the cornfields row and flow They're all 5 years ahead of their time Or 25 behind, I just don't know All the young men talk about their 4 wheel drives And how much money they're gonna make on Friday night And, they like to brag about how they mistreat their girlfriends Hey, let's get drunk, party it up, start a fight And they call this the Great Midwest Sure make a hell of a car And the old hearts, they race their way through the night The upheaval of who they really are Growin' up under normal conditions, television and radio That's just about all of this whole world That any of us get to see, get to know And they call this the Great Midwest Where you sacrifice your body and soul And no one really wants to get even Most of us find it hard enough just lettin' go Don't get me wrong I ain't complaining I ain't braggin' nor do I mean to place blame That's just the way things are around here And there's a future carryin' my name on it Sayin' hey man, you gonna stick around here you better get on it If you're gonna stick around here you better make yourself some real good friends Well I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth So I can't talk about the big city life But if you wanna talk about bein' bored and runnin' Away from yourself, hell I talk to you all night And they call this the Great Midwest Where livin' is just gettin' by And people trade in their happiness For a smokestack, a big money deal in the sky -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- I Need a Lover -------- [Intro] I need a lover that won't drive me crazy (I need a lover that won't drive me crazy) I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" Well I've been walkin' the streets up and down Racing through the human jungles at night I'm so confused, my mind is indifferent Hey, I'm so weak, won't somebody shut off that light Electricity runs through the video And I watch it from this hole I call home And all the stony's are dancin' to the radio And I got the world calling me up here Tonight on the phone I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl to thrill me and then go away I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" Well, I'm not wiped out by this poolroom life I'm living I'm gonna quit this job, and go to school, or head back home And I'm not askin' to be loved or be forgiven Hey, I just can't face shakin' in this bedroom One more night alone I need a lover that won't drive me crazy I need a lover that won't drive me crazy I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl to thrill me and then go away I need a lover that won't drive me crazy Some girl that knows the meaning of, uh "Hey, hit the highway" You betcha! -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Miami -------- Well I hear in Miami they have a lot of girls Who toast their flesh in the sun Living on allowances they receive from the old man at home To keep up appearances to have fun Hey baby Living in Miami I know you're hip to those hotel alibis I know you're nowhere near twenty But I ain't the kind to kiss and tell or tell lies Well they are easy to look at, they are hard to hold They have high opinions of themselves But at night you can find them drinking in the bar Wishing that they could find somebody else Hey baby Living in Miami I know you're hip to those hotel alibis I know you're nowhere near twenty But I ain't the kind to kiss and tell or tell lies Well they pull and tug on their high fashion clothes As they strip off their armor in their apartment bedrooms They wish that somewhere they can find a spark Well their sights and visions and dreams are set high They think the world can be won with a smile I hear 'em giggle out loud, lost in the crowd Give me a cuddle when we get outside Hey baby Living in Miami I know you're hip to those hotel alibis I know you're nowhere near twenty But I ain't the kind to kiss and tell or tell lies Hey baby Living in Miami I know you're hip to those hotel alibis I know you're nowhere near twenty But I ain't the kind to kiss and tell or tell lies -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Pray For Me -------- God gave Moses a few little rules And he said I want you to pass them around Take a look at those old tools I can't believe the shit that's going down You're supposed to have a good time But I think you take it a little too far Watchin' your life in vista-vision A monkey on your back, a brand new car Well Shakespeare threw down his pencil Said I think I'm gonna start layin' brick Too much of this Romeo stuff enough to make Anybody sick "To be or not to be," I mean what's that supposed to mean I'm changin' my image tomorrow Be a groupie, make the scene Pray for me if you want to If you don't want to don't stay Somebody shot the Vicar and the minister's on his way Sellin' open legs on the corner Punchin' Judy workin' uptown Pray for me if you want to Before some fool shoots you down The man in the cage is always for freedom The way of the transgressor is hard Cain and Abel and their old man Playin' croquet in the back yard Two guys beat up the sole survivor Up beat on the back street I don't really want to get involved Won't someone help me to my feet Chorus -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Small Paradise -------- Two veteran lovers french kiss in the doorway Their ears are cold but their hearts are so warm A country band playin' down the street just a little ways They're whiskey wild, they keep it up until dawn Small Paradise I glad to see everything's alright with you Alright then hold me tight - kiss me Small Paradise A neon sign blinks outside in the pouring rain It's ladies night free drinks until 10 Some people walk on by, hey girl don't I know you, won't you come on in Well it ain't love but it ain't bad Small Paradise I glad to see everything's alright with you Alright then hold me tight - kiss me Small Paradise Small Paradise I glad to see everything's alright with you Alright then hold me tight - kiss me Small Paradise -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Sugar Marie -------- Well I'm all gassed up The Car is waitin' outside I got three more hours on this loser's job And then I'll be ready to ride I got this cowboy comin' with me This guy's name is Jeffrey Jack He can shoot the eyes out of a pool ball He can get the young girls into the sack We'll go down to the dance hall Locals will be kickin' up their heels They'll be drinkin' tequila sunrises Until the morning light fills up the window sills And then I'll be with Sugar Marie She's the only girl I know that can make me forget about me Come on and dance with me Sugar Marie She don't ask me any questions when it's time to leave She works down at the truck stop Where she polishes the spoons She gets colas and burgers for the boys On those hot summer afternoons She's got this girlfriend named Linda Linda's got a tattoo that says Christ Well she ain't half bad to talk to And I reckon she looks pretty nice We'll drive down to the dance hall Sittin' there waitin' on me Jesus, you know it feels pretty good And sometimes I need some good ole company And then I'll be with Sugar Marie She's the only girl I know that can make me forget about me Come on and dance with me Sugar Marie She don't ask me any questions when it's time to leave She works down at the truck stop Where she polishes the spoons She gets colas and burgers for the boys On those hot summer afternoons She's got this girlfriend named Linda Linda's got a tattoo that says Christ Well she ain't half bad to talk to And I reckon she looks pretty nice We'll drive down to the dance hall Sittin' there waitin' on me Jesus, you know it feels pretty good And sometimes I need some good ole company She don't ask any questions And she don't flirt with the other boys She belongs to me Sugar Marie I never thought I needed no one I can make a big enough mess myself Oh, but when I finally found someone She made me respect myself Dance for me Sugar Marie And then I'll be with Sugar Marie She's the only girl I know that can make me forget about me Come on and dance with me Sugar Marie She don't ask me any questions when it's time to leave She works down at the truck stop Where she polishes the spoons She gets colas and burgers for the boys On those hot summer afternoons She's got this girlfriend named Linda Linda's got a tattoo that says Christ Well she ain't half bad to talk to And I reckon she looks pretty nice We'll drive down to the dance hall Sittin' there waitin' on me Jesus, you know it feels pretty good And sometimes I need some good ole company Hey girl I wish we could tear the heart Out of this old town tonight -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Take Home Pay -------- You've been checking some girls heart For some tenderness But all you found this far Her credit card eyes and some pretentiousness Tell her you're gonna have to pass If she don't like it she can kiss your ass Cos all you wanted anyway Was your take home pay Take home pay, better spend it as fast as you can Take home pay, buy yourself a lover beats beatin' it by hand You know what they say Money can't buy happiness But you 're feelin real good When you're real well dressed And you're blowin them all away Spending your take home pay! -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Taxi Dancer -------- Oh yeah Well she started out, just to be a dancer Gonna make her livin' dancin' In the Broadway shows So she hitchhiked cross the country From Pasaroba to the Big Red Apple Where your dreams are made Your debts must be paid on time Well she wasn't used to livin' in the city So she took a job cleanin' up as a maid At the Grammercy Park Hotel And all her auditions They didn't turn out so pretty So she took a job dancin' At the bar down the street as well I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer And I'll listen to how your outgrew your dreams How they faded away I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer We can pretend this floor is the Broadway stage Well I don't know how long or how far Her fortune did take her But I heard she sits alone drunk In a bar downtown on 42nd Street And sometimes an old Butch Will slip a quarter into the jukebox And she'll stagger to the bar And dance with that girl for free I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer And I'll listen to how your outgrew your dreams How they faded away I'll hold you close, Taxi Dancer We can pretend this floor is the Broadway stage Oh the stage, baby -------- 1979 John Cougar -------- -------- Welcome To Chinatown -------- In the cool of the evening I don't know the reason But I long to touch Some young tender hearts sometimes So I go to this party With a bunch of me hardies They say don't get too cute Don't get too smart 'Cause these people are crazy They toot coke and drink wang-too And they talk in some crazy tongue There's a slit-eyed lady Say'n don't you be so stupid I may be old but I'm still good fun Still good fun Yeah I'm still good fun Well I ain't that choosy I'll flip-flop with a floozy If I figure there's no strings attached But sometimes I loose my feet Underneath the back seat And I have to fly my heart at half mast Well this old bitty She was smart and she was witty She was really out of control you know It was stumble or fall I had my back to the wall I didn't know to bet on win, place or show Welcome to Chinatown, she said I'm gonna lay your body down, she said I ain't no queen, but I'm wearin' this crown She said Welcome to Chinatown Welcome to Chinatown Well she shimmered and she shook What she wanted she took She shook like some rickshaw ride She stuck her fingers down my throat 'Till I almost choked I thought I'd gone heaven and died Well she took me by the ear And said what do you want to hear boy You want to hear those crazy old lies I said nothing you can say girl Can drive me away Just check my complexion Make sure I'm still alive Welcome to Chinatown, she said I'm gonna lay your body down, she said I ain't no queen, but I'm wearin' this crown She said Welcome to Chinatown Welcome to Chinatown Welcome to Chinatown Welcome to Chinatown -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Ain't Even Done With The Night -------- [Verse 1] Well, our hearts beat like thunder I don't know why they don't explode You got your hands in my back pockets And Sam Cooke's singin' on the radio You say that I'm the boy who can make it all come true Well, I'm tellin' ya that I don't know if I know what to do [Bridge] You say that's all right, hold tight Well, I don't even know if I'm doin' this right Well all right, hold tight We can stay out all day or we can run around all night Well all night, all night Well, it's time to go home And I ain't even done with the night [Verse 2] Well, I don't know no good come-ons And I don't know no cool lines I feel the heat of your frustration I know it's burnin' you up deep down inside You say that I'm the boy who can make it all come true Well, I'm tellin' ya that I don't know if I know what to do [Bridge] You say that's all right, hold tight Well, I don't even know if I'm doin' this right Well all right, hold tight We can stay out all day or we can run around all night Well all night, all night Well, it's time to go home And I ain't even done with the night [Chorus] Ain't even done with the night, hold tight Well, I don't even know if I'm doin' this right Well all right, hold tight We can stay out all day or we can run around all night Well all night, all night Well, it's time to go home And I ain't even done with the night [Outro] No I ain't even done with the night No, no, ain't even done with the night No, I ain't even done with the night No, no, ain't even, ain't even done with the night No, no, ain't even done with the night No I ain't even done with the night -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Cheap Shot -------- Well I was out on the town I was out cruising around Looking for a suitable bitch To throw down on the ground I was out looking for a cheap shot Well you ain't got nothing but cheap shots a lot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Well I picked her up I took her to a movie cafe', yea And I took her to the XXX theater place, woo It was a cheap shot at best When I ran my hands across her dress Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Let me tell ya all about it Cheap shots are fun Cheap shots are for everyone Playboy after your done You know you've had a cheap shot So why don't you shoot shoot shoot me Well its was getting late Decided to take myself back home And I borrowed a dime and I called her on the pay telephone I was whispering real heavy into the phone When her old man picked it up Said "Leave my Kids alone" Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot, yea Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Now don't you know little boy You got the world a jerk-off man And don't you be no candy ass And a use your right hand Get out on the corner Take another cheap shot Never eat there with ... Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot, yea Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot, yea Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Shoot me -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Cry Baby -------- My baby is a cry cry baby She sits on my lap and balls My baby is a top mechanic She works with my nuts until She'll do it, do it, do it Do it, do it, do it, do it, she'll go down, she'll go down -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Don't Misunderstand Me -------- I bring you renegade stories And you tell me I'm crazy and wild You say that I lack maturity Stop actin' like a child But you know I am a liar And my promises only get in my way You feel so good, when you're in my arms Ain't there one right thing I can say To make oyu want to stay Oh, oh baby, baby Don't misunderstand me Oh, oh baby, baby You tell me that you love me but This ain't no way for you to live You hold so tight your fingers are broken I take more than I care to give But it's heartbeat to heartbeat It's push and shove and steal and prove It's hand to mouth sometimes If we run hard enough someday baby Gonna find some room to move Oh, oh baby, baby Don't misunderstand me Oh, oh baby, baby All of this showin' and provin' Is nothing but fear Everybody can do what they want But they just can't do it here Girl hold on to my childishness I'm gonna break on through Out of this mess Chorus -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Hot Night In A Cold Town -------- Sonny's out strolling, ambling slowly Washed in amber street lights A Mexican wind blows in Takin' ahold of Angelina's hair and her halo Motors runnin' muffling the sound Of street talk, a big deal's goin' down It's another hot night In a cold town Got yourself a hot night In a cold town Johnny's got spare change in his pocket And a ring and a watch to hock for a sweet ride A one way ticket hidden in his shoe These last few hours He says he'll spend with you He's leavin' home without a trace No forwarding address he'll never have to face another... It's another hot night In a cold town Got yourself a hot night In a cold town Well the losers and the groovers And the corner boys are hangin' 'round Runnin' in and out of doorways Up and down the stairs Stray dogs headed for the pound It's another hot night In a cold town Got yourself a hot night In a cold town -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Make Me Feel -------- This ain't no make believe I ain't foolin around this time You can believe what you want to believe It's a sin the way we've wasted our time Make me feel like I wanna feel Baby tear this pain from my heart Make me feel like I wanna feel Make me feel like I did in the start Maybe it's a change of plan Now that your dreams have left me behind Or is it another man Who didn't care that you were mine Baby this could be our last chance Now you're actin like it's no big deal Make me feel like I wanna feel Make me feel like I did in the start I can hear, I can hear, I can hear The radio playin' your favorite song I don't care, I don't care, I don't care I know that something had to go wrong Baby don't you walk away Stay here and listen to my plans You can leave, make it another day Stay tonight and hold me in your hands -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Peppermint Twist -------- Well they've got a new dance and it goes like this (Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op) Yeah the name of the dance is Peppermint Twist (Bop shoo-op, a bop bop shoo-op) Well you like it like this, the Peppermint Twist It goes round and round, up and down Round and round, up and down Round and round and a up and down And a one two three kick, one two three jump Well meet me baby down at 45th street Where the Peppermint Twisters meet And you'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist It's alright, all night, it's alright It's okay, all day, it's okay You'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist Yeah, yeah -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- This Time -------- I've had a lot of girls in my life They never meant that much to me A good time was always had by all But those ggod times, they were fleeting memories I used to lie to them and then I'd kiss them But I kept them an arm's length away Well hey man now you know me And look how silly I been acting today This time I really think I'm in love, I'm in love This time I think I'm really in love This time I really think I'm in love This time I think I'm really in love I used to roll down the window And let that tape deck blow And look at the honey I was holding that night I'd say, "Hey girl you're the one" And then I'd laugh when I'd take her home You got your arms around my shoulders You got my soul confused with my heart You were too smart to believe all those tired lines And I was too dumb to know what had started I hope you don't lose that innocent laughter I hope time doesn't take that away This time I really think I'm in love, I'm in love This time I think I'm really in love This time I really think I'm in love This time I think I'm really in love -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- To M.G. (Wherever She May Be) -------- I was watching a movie the other night on T.V The actress reminded me of you Her attitude, the way that she smiled She was doin' a part girl, like you used to do I do believe you played it better If it wasn't better, it was just as strong I would've called you up on the telephone that night But somehow girl, it'd been all wrong I heard you married a stranger In a horse and carriage that was covered with gold Well, you wanted to be different and still fit in I wonder if you feel different at all now that you're older Hope you didn't lose that innocent laughter Oh, God I hope time didn't take that away All those junior high nights underneath the front porch light A good Catholic girl during the day Oh, oh just watching the time grow Old enough to know that these memories can't hurt a thing Oh, oh just watching the time grow If I saw you today, girl I wouldn't even know ya Well I know it wasn't that big of a love affair But boy, it sure seemed like one back then When I parlay the memories into their proper places I can see now we were no more than friends Ooh your kisses sure tasted sweet But I guess any kiss tastes sweet at fifteen I just hope your touch is as warm to your ol' man As it seemed like it was to me Oh, oh just watching the time grow Old enough to know that these memories can't hurt a thing Oh, oh just watching the time grow If I saw you today, girl I wouldn't even know ya -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Tonight -------- Well I get up in the morning Have a smoke, have a drink Then I get dressed I don't want to get to work too late 'Cause that bossman he's a real mean son-of-a-bitch Everything is so fast and so crazy But the day still slowly slips on by And when that five o'clock whistle starts to blow I'll be gone in a wink of an eye Tonight, I'm gonna see my baby again And that long haired girl will be smiling When she sees me walkin' in Well all right, she looks so good That she just hasta be a sin Tonight, I'm gonna see my baby again We'll walk over to the East Street Montgomery Pier She says she likes holding something dangerous She pulls me close and whispers in my ear She says, "Come here little boy I'll put my pussy right on your face Because my fever is runnin' hot and high And you're the boy that makes me feel like I'm alive" Tonight, I'm gonna see my baby again And that long haired girl will be smiling When she sees me walkin' in Well all right, she looks so good That she just hasta be a sin Tonight, I'm gonna see my baby again -------- 1980 Nothin' Matters and What If It Did -------- -------- Wild Angel -------- Pretty girls in beat up cars Throwing kisses to the soldiers Pale blue eyes and whisky bars The lines on her face say she's getting older Girl you better reach out to me Runnin' with your Weakness in the dark You hope it disappears by tomorrow On your knees and in the dark Don't wanna beg Lord knows, you're too old to borrow You better reach out to me Girl you better reach out to me 'Cause you're a oh, oh, oh, oh wild angel Oh, oh, oh, oh a wild angel Cabin fever nearly drove us insane When the snow fell on us last December Look at me girl, I don't feel the same Now those days they've all gone together You better reach out to me Girl you better reach out to me 'Cause you're a oh, oh, oh, oh wild angel Oh, oh, oh, oh a wild angel -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- American Fool -------- Some people say I'm obnoxious and I'm lazy Some people say I take advantage of the younger girls and they're right Some people say should have been taught a few more manners at home Some say I'm chauvinistic better of just to leave me alone I don't know what I'm supposed to do If I can't please myself could I really please you? Being brought up The American fool Being brought up The American fool Some people like to talk and tell you their ideals and how it's supposed to be Some people are fools like me and say what's on their mind immediately Some people don't say at all and some just care too much Some people, some people, some people are driving me crazy I don't know what I'm supposed to do When I can't please myself could I really please you? Some people say I'm obnoxious and I'm lazy Some people say I take advantage of the younger girls and they're right I don't know what I'm supposed to do If I can't please myself could I really please you? -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Can You Take It -------- I was courting a Southern belle Her daddy was a rich 'un, too Sports car outside her door She was pretty good looking, too You call me up, want me to come over When the servants are all in bed And she said "Daddy's on a flight tonight Does that put any ideas in your head?" I say to her: Take it all the way Can you really take it all the way down? Can you really take it all the way down, down, down? Down, down, down So we watch a little TV I drink up the family wine She said, "You're such a snake in the grass, boy But tonight, you're mine." But wait a minute, wait a minute, baby Are you tryin' to make a fool out of me? She said, "I've seen men like you before I've got a long family tree." And she said to me: Take it all the way Can you really take it all the way down? Can you really take it all the way down, down, down? And I say to myself: Even a fool like me can be the lovin' kind Even a fool like me can be the lovin', lovin' kind Take it all the way Can you really take it all the way down? Can you really take it all the way down, down, down? Take it all the way Can you really take it all the way down? Can you really take it all the way down, down, down? -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- China Girl -------- China girl I met you on the sea sand You touched me with your cool hand Your perfume's in the wind China girl Your daddy tells you white lies To keep you from by blue eyes To know me is no sin And I won't break you, China girl If you take me into your world It's been my good fortune to find you China girl Stolen flowers are sweetest in the mornin' The Eastern sun is dawnin' Your silk's against my skin China girl Take me to your jasmine place Cool me with your subtle grace To know me is no sin And I won't break you, China girl If you take me into your world It's been my good fortune to find you China girl And I won't break you, China girl If you take me into your world It's been my good fortune to... Find you, China girl If you take me into your world It's been my good fortune to find you China girl -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Close Enough -------- I may not be a pillar in my town Or have the kind of job you think that I should I know you see me out running around with a couple of people You think are no good I've tried to clean it up a couple of times, but I'm a Backslidin' fool when it comes to walkin' that line It's OK. You think you're better than me Yeah, that's all right, girl, that's all right [Chorus:] 'Cause I'm close enough for rock and roll Close enough for rock and roll Close enough for rock and roll I'm close enough for a little rock and roll Yeah, it's true, I don't plan my time When you're lookin' for me, I'm hard to find I know you don't wanna run around with me With my socks fallin' down, girl, I'm just poor company I've seen your face, and it's a one-eyed jack We like to talk about this or that None of these things really interest me Hey, that's all right, girl, that's all right [Chorus:] 'Cause I'm close enough for rock and roll Close enough for rock and roll Close enough for rock and roll I'm close enough for a little rock I know you think I'm a rough cut, baby I ain't as rough cut as I am the blood on your hands Gonna love that blood right off of your hands [Chorus:] Yeah, that's all right, girl, that's all right Close enough for rock and roll Close enough for rock and roll Close enough for rock and roll I'm close enough for a little rock and roll -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Danger List -------- Office girls, they pass me by They don't know my name Put me on the danger list Just too wild to tame Take the drinks off of the table Throw my guitar out the door Set my sights on some new sunrise Help my feet to the floor [Chorus:] I ain't lookin' for affection I guess I need myself a shove Give me someone I can look up to Show me someone I can love Good boys go to heaven Good girls say their prayers Me, I don't say anything at all I hope the Big Man still cares Touch my soul with your religion Cut my throat with your spite Hurt me with your silence, girl Stay with me, stay with me, stay with Me tonight [Chorus:] I ain't lookin' for affection I guess I need myself a shove Give me someone I can look up to Show me someone I can love Don't go starin' at me Makes me feel so insecure Talk behind my back if you want to I don't hear no more Take me to my destination Put me on the plane Fly me up to heaven, dear Lord Take me home again [Chorus:] I ain't lookin' for affection I guess I need myself a shove Give me someone I can look up to Show me someone I can love -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Hand To Hold On To -------- You can laugh and joke and make fun of your friends Spin in the middle when the troubles begin Take it nice and easy and always pretend That you're cool, so cool, so cool Say I'm alone and I'm wild and I will not be tamed Talk like a jerk or an educated brain Be an old girl drivin' the young boys insane Be a joker, a preacher, it does not matter Every one needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Don't need to be no strong hand Don't need to be no rich hand Every one just needs a hand to hold on to Havin' good luck with your financial situation Play the ponies, be president of the United Nations Go to work and be a Hollywood stud Drive your four-wheel drive right into the mud, yeah Every one needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Don't need to be no strong hand Don't need to be no rich hand Every one just needs a hand to hold on to And then those hours when you're alone And there's no body there except yourself I know it, you wanna pick up the phone And say, "Talk to me, talk to me Somebody please talk to me" Yeah...ah...ah...ahhh Oh, yeah...ah Every one needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Don't need to be no strong hand Don't need to be no rich hand Every one just needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Don't need to be no strong hand Don't need to be no rich hand Every one just needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Every one needs a hand to hold on to Don't need to be no strong hand Don't need to be no rich hand Every one just needs a hand to hold on to -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Hurts So Good -------- [Intro] [Verse 1] When I was a young boy Said put away those young boy ways Now that I'm getting' older so much older I long all those young boy days With a girl like you With a girl like you Lord knows there are things we can do, baby Just me and you Come on and make it a [Chorus] Hurt so good Come on baby make it hurt so good Sometimes love don't feel like it should You make it hurt so good [Verse 2] You don't have to be so exciting Just trying to give myself a little bit of fun, yeah You always look so inviting You ain't as green as you are young Hey baby it's you Come on girl now it's you Sink your teeth right through my bones, baby Let's see what we can do Come on and make it a [Chorus] Hurt so good Come on baby make it hurt so good Sometimes love don't feel like it should You make it hurt so good [Bridge] I ain't talking no big deals I ain't made no plans myself I ain't talking no high heels Maybe we could walk around, all day long Walk around, all day long Ugh! [Chorus] Hurt so good Come on baby make it hurt so good Sometimes love don't feel like it should You make it hurt so good Hurt so good (come on baby, now) Come on baby make it hurt so good Sometimes love don't feel like it should You make it hurt so good [Outro] Hey, hey -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Jack & Diane -------- [Verse 1] Little ditty about Jack and Diane Two American kids growin' up in the heartland Jack, he's gonna be a football star Diane's debutante backseat of Jacky's car [Verse 2] Suckin' on a chili dog outside the Tastee Freez Diane's sittin' on Jacky's lap, he's got his hand between her knees Jacky say, "Hey Diane, lets run off behind a shady tree Dribble off those Bobby Brooks slacks, now do what I please" Say a.... [Chorus] Oh yeah, life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone I say, oh yeah say life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone Now walk on [Verse 3] Jacky sits back, collects his thoughts for the moment Scratches his head and does his best James Dean "Well then, there Diane, we ought to run off to the city" Diane says, "Baby, you ain't missin' nothing" But Jacky say a... [Chorus] Oh yeah, life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone Oh yeah I say life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone [Bridge] Gonna let it rock, let it roll Let the Bible Belt come and save my soul Holdin on to sixteen as long as you can Changes come around real soon Make us women and men [Chorus] Oh yeah, life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone Oh yeah they say life goes on Long after the thrill of livin' is gone [Outro] A little ditty about Jack and Diane Two American kids doing the best they can -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Thundering Hearts -------- In these long, hot summer days Need a way to cool ourselves down Pop off the top of that Chevrolet Drive through the carwash Laugh and fall around Smokin' the old Ducados the old man got down in Spain Eatin' eggs and French fries on the side Ride that Harley Davidson in the hot summer heat Lord knows that I just love to ride Go by and pick up that Kentucky girl She knew me when I got my start Oh yeah, those were different days... In the valley of the thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Get your greasy hair, girl, right on my face This old redneck's on fire, burnin' up Give us a kiss, baby, make it on the same place Humidity's about to drive me all crazy wild Pretty soon, the sun will be goin' down And this little town will be cool and dark Forget about heaven Let me stay here forever... In the valley of the thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts Thundering hearts -------- 1982 American Fool -------- -------- Weakest Moments -------- Well, I hear you downstairs; You're foolin' around with your father's brother And your mother's gown All the old heroes keep coming round To find out if you're still at home So you lie in the sun, watch your body turn to tan Your skin is oiled with the sweat of a man He bought you a diamond ring, girl, to wear on your hand And baby, he's leaving tomorrow [Chorus:] Yeah, I'll be with you in your weakest moments, uh huh Yeah, I'll be there with you in your weakest moments You say you remember when it was your world And you were Mister Ruby's girl He gave you dreams and schemes that swirl Around your head and your body And when you drink sometimes, you try to liberate And you stagger in the front yard till you find the gate That swing on that thin line of love and hate And baby, just let it go [Chorus:] Yeah, I'll be with you in your weakest moments, uh huh Yeah, I'll be there with you in your weakest moments -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- American Son -------- Stuck inside a jigsaw Of the Midwestern modern midtown ?? Feeling like a trophy that The old man's been passing around Just another suit back ?? From a old time college degree And when I walked by I heard 'em Saying he was something to see Well now don't you know that I'm the American Son Living out the old man's fantasy of being number one Daddy use to tell me, son you never kiss ass I'm the last of the American Son's And its such a such a gasp Its like a shot of ... The way the conversation grew And everybody was telling me something That I already, already knew Well I might be dumb But it didn't take that long For me to get out of that room and bills And when I ran into the streets The crowd was yelling he's such a such a gasp Well now kiss ass Oh, yeah Ready to get on with that fool ?? You know that Eddy's ?? in danger of ?? Of a self indulgent fool To mesmerize himself into thinking That he is just to cool for school Well you know that its fun to carry a gun And shoot down what you never could be And when the dealer calls And has got you by the balls You tell him that ya, you tell that ya had it from me And its a, its a, its a, its a, its a Its such a, its such a, its such a gasp I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's I'm the last of the American Son's -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Cheap Shot -------- Well I was out on the town I was out cruising around Looking for a suitable bitch To throw down on the ground I was out looking for a cheap shot Well you ain't got nothing but cheap shots a lot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Well I picked her up I took her to a movie cafe', yea And I took her to the XXX theater place, woo It was a cheap shot at best When I ran my hands across her dress Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Let me tell ya all about it Cheap shots are fun Cheap shots are for everyone Playboy after your done You know you've had a cheap shot So why don't you shoot shoot shoot me Well its was getting late Decided to take myself back home And I borrowed a dime and I called her on the pay telephone I was whispering real heavy into the phone When her old man picked it up Said "Leave my Kids alone" Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot, yea Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Now don't you know little boy You got the world a jerk-off man And don't you be no candy ass And a use your right hand Get out on the corner Take another cheap shot Never eat there with ... Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot, yea Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot, yea Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Oh ho yea, give me another cheap shot Shoot me -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Gearhead -------- As the sound bounds in the street And you settle down to your back seat And the movement seems to be And all the jokes that you use to poke At all the dopes you were once seen with And every word that you had ?? Was looking up to you for a reason And you joke at all the words that you spoke And you say hey man I was only teasing And the rhyme is no longer in time And all the words are not the words you been needin' Well your not alone, you can feel right at home You've been fully wronged, into position Its the nature of the race, in an old type of place ?? Cause they'll spit in your face in their conditioned And now you think to yourself, what is left for tomorrow And it seems kinda strange, there's nothing left to gain And nothing left to borrow And the mistake your about to make Will be the final take of your sorrow (Chorus) -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Kid Inside -------- (One time only, [gulp] if you don't get it right this time, tough shit, tough shit Everybody ready, tell me when, say when your rolling here, a one, a two, a one, two, three, die) I press my face to the window I ran my fingers through my hair I watched my life go around in a circle And I realized that no body but me cares And I saw the hurt of my system And I felt the madness of our faults conforming And I walked around your house for hours And I could feel that you had me in some kinda of stranglehold And I don't know why you said those bad things about me Well it must be the way of protecting some kind of crazy pride Yeah you always direct your attention toward others And look you know, it's so easy to see that my wounds have been open Wide And you can just kid the kid inside so many times You can just kid the kid till he grabs you by the throat And is choking your young ass blind And you just kid the kid till you're walking on the tightrope in my my mind ?? Yeah, you can just kid the kid inside so many times Well it wasn't funny, no, when I was bleeding all over the table Yeah, now as I recall, hey it wasn't funny at all But you kept on laughing, huh, like it was some kind of party, yea Your always looking to belittle someone to make you feel tall Yea well, it's the same reaction in every situation Do you really think it's so necessary to be so mean Yeah, and it's hard for me to justify my position Yeah, when everything that I'm saying can be said bad about Mr. Springsteen, yea Yeah you know Yeah, well I really really am the first to desire you ?? And I feel so badly for his misery ?? Well I'll don't throw five dollars, to get into the kitty ?? And I'll bet my ass that this problem isn't me Now now don't get me wrong wrong Hey now don't you feel sorry, yeah 'Cause there's no one dead or alive that I'd rather be And I've learned to deal with my mortal existence And the moral is, now don't you go believe nothing that you can't see Yeah Yeah, and you can just kid the kid inside so many times, yea (Ha ha ha, we'll keep it) -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- R. Gang -------- Oow, hahaha ha Well now to live in this world Sometimes you gotta get touch I got me a bunch of boys when the going gets rough Someone to lean on when their calling my bluff Someone to ... Talking about R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang There were only your friends who died ?? Well now the boy wanna run out with the boys tonight And the girls are on the corner in a fashion show all right I got their allmoter dead on my right You better get great protect on this cool old night Talking about R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang There were only your friends who died ?? Well now, if there's a moral to be told Its just that, growin' up is to growin' old And when the asses say yeah, I'm doing all right Well I got my bunch of boys, its Saturday night Talking about R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang, R. Gang There were only your friends who died, yeah ?? -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Sidewalk And Streetlights -------- Homicide on the edge of town And no one said it be easy Sure has its ups and downs And Garfield is laughing Sitting in a dark room Making love with Sylvannia No so called friends around Cigarettes and champagne Gonna make me a big star Oh haven't you heard yet Don't know how its going to go Too young to tell And if it's just my name Well hell I can change it And if it's for the fame I guess I better grab it fast But it's just a dangerous game That you're playing, oow And you play it so well So let's play it again Sidewalks and Streetlights Sure make a pretty picture Strangers in the night Are you going my way You can drop me off at the corner I can walk the rest of the way It's not that far to the nearest star And if it's for the money Hey why can't I have it And if it's for the glory I guess I better grab it fast But it's just a dangerous game That you're playing, oow And you play it so well So let's play it again, oow Let's play it again -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Survive -------- Go on and admit it You can't take it anymore So why don't you quit it Your scratching off again Can't you see it Well the whole thing was such a surprise I know you and your hear crazy notions Your pretty girls and no devotions Down by the ocean middle class Down by the gulf side, you let it all slide But now your saying that you don't Wanna be a sixteen year old girl, aah But you don't want to turn twenty-five You never ever, you never ever lied Where you been, aahh You got to survive to keep yourself alive Yeah-ah, yeah It ain't no big deal if your attitude is wrong And you don't know how you feel You just cop someone else's ideas And masturbate yourself, make them your own Well I, I don't mean to tell you what to do Cause I've scratched off myself a time or two Well it just leaves you blue, with nothing to do And they think I'm crazy when I stay up all weekend But now your saying that you don't Wanna be a sixteen year old girl, oh yeah, aah But you don't want to turn twenty-five You never ever, you never ever lied Where you been, aahh You got to survive to keep yourself alive Yeah-ah, my na na no, yeah So if I'm walking down the street and you see me Don't walk on by, say hey man You know your looking, your looking so fine You don't have to mean it, no no Its just one of the regular lies that we've lived with And this is a love song and I'm writing it just to survive -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Take What You Want -------- Put your life on the table Stick your money on the line Create the situation there, one more time Your name it means nothing And the dreams that we live ?? And now you don't care if she is, the girl from next door She's never been known for nothing, but a motor street whore You don't believe nothin' that you can't see And you see me as nothing, to me, yeah-ah yeah You can take what you want Take what you want Take what you want But just don't take it away You can stay if you want Stay if you want Stay if you want But just don't stay all day Cause you know it means nothing, to me Don't see much sense in lying here with you The sex is over now, what is there left to do Conversation, conversation baby, I don't talk that much And now I don't know when I'm gonna see you again I'm leaving tomorrow and this will all start again I hope you don't believe that you was a failure ?? And you see it means nothin' to be a man You can take what you want Take what you want Take what you want But just don't take it away You can stay if you want Stay if you want Stay if you want But just don't stay all day Cause you know it means nothing, to me You can take what you want Take what you want Take what you want But just don't take it away You can stay if you want Stay if you want Stay if you want But just don't stay all day Cause you know it means nothing, to me But you know it means nothing Yeah you know it means nothing Yeah you know it means nothing, to me -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- The Man Who Sold The World -------- We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes I thought you died alone, a long long time ago Oh no, not me I never lost control You're face to face With The Man Who Sold The World I laughed and shook his hand, and made my way back home I searched for form and land, for years and years I roamed I gazed a gazely stare, at all the millions here We must have died along, a long long time ago Who knows? not me We never lost control You're face to face With the Man who Sold the World Who knows? not me We never lost control You're face to face With the Man who Sold the World -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Too Young To Live -------- Well its hard to be cool when your still in High School You got the old man jacking you around And he tells you what to do Gives your opinions to you And you feel like just some kinda clown And the old lady is bitchin Why do you clean up all the kitchen What time you gonna be home tonight And you walk out the door Cause you can't take anymore You don't know wrong from right As you walk by All the young girls gonna wink their eye You ain't playin' for pennies no no You know that the trick is to hide Your to young to live But your a little to fast to die Well you fear for you ass and run ?? Down that grass, when the crowd comes near ?? And the suicide dolls ?? can be easily bought After a six, six pack of beer And they talk a little loud When their - "Who have you been with now" ?? Did you find yourself a hero And you think its kinda fun That you don't have any money To bet if you place or you show All the young girls gonna shake their thigh Well some time in the night You cry for a sign Of someone to help you along But you see yourself as tough And you know its just a bluff You got that reputation to carry on And if you ever get away From what the old man might say Hey you been a big man ..... You'll remember the cliche In what your mother use to say Your family is your only friend All the young girls gonna shake their thigh -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Whore -------- And now I must face The crowd once again The curtain is calling And the show must begin The lights grow dim on the floor And they call me the whore, oh yeah They call me the whore They call me the whore They call me the whore -------- 1983 The Kid Inside -------- -------- Young Genocides -------- Destiny shares the eyes of the young genocides Suicides that are still alive Their success has been so well disguised, yeah And on their face, is a razors blank stare As if to know their destiny is going no where ?? But no where is not so hard to bare Where their parents can decide Hand and hand they walk together With their broken pride Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers And the whole world to decide ?? Desperately searching and dangerously... I deserve ... Not much worse than they are, of the young genocides Facing the world with your back to the wall Its hard to feel important at all The Grand Illusion that'll never come Its disguised itself as tomorrow -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Authority Song -------- They like to get you in a compromising position Well, they like to get you there and smile in your face Yeah, they think they're so cute when they got you in that condition But I think it's a total disgrace And I say I fight authority, Authority always wins Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins Well, I've been doing it since I was a young kid And I come out grinnin' Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins (Oh yeah!) I call up my preacher I say, "Give me strength for round 5." He said, "You don't need no strength, you need to grow up son." I said, "Growin' up leads to growin' old and then to dyin' Ooo, and dyin' to me don't sound like all that much fun." And so I'll say I fight authority, Authority always wins Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins Well, I've been doing it since I was a young kid I come out grinnin' Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins I say: oh no, no no I say: oh no, no no I say: oh no, no no no I fight authority, Authority always wins I fight authority, Authority always wins (kick it in) I've been doing it since I was a young kid And I come out grinnin' Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins I've been doing it since I was a young kid And I come out grinnin' Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins So I said I fight authority, authority always wins (Oh no) Well I fight authority, authority always wins (Oh no no) Well I've doing it since I was a young kid (Oh no) And I come out grinnin' (Oh no) Well I fight authority and authority always wins -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Crumblin' Down -------- Some people ain't no damn good You can't trust 'em you can't love 'em No good deed goes unpunished And I don't mind bein' their whippin' boy I've had that pleasure for years and years No no I never was a sinner--tell me what else can I do Second best is what you get 'til you learn to bend the rules And time respects no person--what you lift up must fall They're waiting outside to claim my tumblin' walls Saw my picture in the paper Read the news around my face And now some people don't want to treat me the same When the walls come tumblin' down When the walls come crumblin' crumblin' When the walls come tumblin' tumblin' down Some people say I'm obnoxious and lazy I'm uneducated--my opinion means nothin' But I know I'm a real good dancer Don't need to look over my shoulder to see what I'm after Everybody's got their problems--ain't no new news here I'm the same old trouble you've been havin' for years Don't confuse the problem with the issue girl It's perfectly clear Just a human desire to have you come near Wanna put my arms around you Feel your breath in my ear You can bend me you can break me But you'd better stand clear When the walls come tumblin' down When the walls come crumblin' crumblin' When the walls come tumblin' tumblin' down -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Golden Gates -------- Ain't no golden gates gonna swing open Ain't no streets paved in natural pearl Ain't no angel with a harp come singin' Leastways not that I know of in this world In these days of uncertain futures Who knows what the masters might do They got their big deals goin' on, goin' on Got nothing to do with me and you If I could I'd get us a big suite Overlooking the Park Only promise I know to be true Are the promises made from the heart I don't need to see the whole thing go down I don't need to see another lonely man I don't need to see a woman crying for the savior Holding on to some moneyman's hand Who can I call to make my reservations Forever thrown in the dark The only promises I know to be true Are the promises made from the heart I don't believe in the authorities They ain't gonna take care of me and you I don't have all the strength that I need To love the way that I want to The only promises I know to be true Are the promises made from the heart -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Jackie O -------- So you went to a party at Jacqueline Onassis If you're so smart why don't you wear glasses So you can see what you're doin' to me So you can see what you're doin' to me So you can see what tomorrow might bring Underneath your breath you know I heard you cussin' You were talkin' to my second cousin Were you talkin' about me Were you talkin' about me You better put on your glasses so you can see So you can see what tomorrow might bring Can your daddy get us backstage passes You know that we love to dance Can your daddy give us backstage passes With all his political power With all his political power It seems to me like you could dance better than you do So you went to a party at Jacqueline Onassis If you're so smart why don't you wear glasses So you can see what the future might bring So you can see what tomorrow might be -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Lovin' Mother For Ya -------- Riding in the park with your golden tan You got your new tattoo half devil half man Straddlin' a stallion made of chrome and steel Spittin' out fire this cat's for real He'll be a lovin' mother for ya, don't you know He'll be a lovin' mother for ya, don't you know Everybosy's got their attitudes Some are nice and some are rude They come up and slap your back They say, "Hey buddy, you can't do that." Everybody's got their opinions to protect But after midnight they'll be sucking your neck They'll be a sucking mother for ya, don't you know They'll be a sucking mother for ya, don't you know Squeeze me girl don't let me fall I wanna walk don't wanna crawl Let me put my kickin' mule into your stall 'Cause I'm a kickin' mother for ya, don't you know 'Cause I'm a kickin' mother for ya, don't you know -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Pink Houses (acoustic) -------- There's a black man with a black cat Livin' in a black neighborhood He's got an interstate runnin' through his front yard You know he thinks he's got it so good And there's a woman in the kitchen Cleanin' up the evenin' slop And he looks at her and says, "Hey darlin', I can remember when You could stop a clock" Ah, but ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America? Somethin' to see, baby Ain't that America? Home of the free, yeah Little pink houses for you and me Ooh yeah, for you and me Well, there's a young man in a t-shirt Listenin' to a rockin' rollin' station He's got greasy hair, greasy smile He says, "Lord this must be my destination" 'Cause they told me when I was younger Said, "Boy, you're gonna be president" But just like everything else those old crazy dreams Just kinda came and went Ah, but ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America? Somethin' to see, baby Ain't that America? Home of the free, yeah Little pink houses for you and me Ah, yeah, baby, for you and me Well, there's people and more people What do they know know know? Go to work in some high rise And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico, ooh yeah And there's winners and there's losers But they ain't no big deal 'Cause the simple man, baby, pays for the thrills, the bills The pills that kill Ah, but ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America? Somethin' to see, baby Ain't that America? Home of the free, yeah Little pink houses for you and me, ooh Ooh yeah Ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America? Hey, somethin' to see, baby Ain't that America? Oh, the home of the free Ooh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Little pink houses, babe, for you and me Ooh yeah, ooh yeah -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Pink Houses -------- [Verse 1] There's a black man with a black cat Livin' in a black neighborhood He's got an Interstate runnin' through his front yard You know he thinks that he's got it so good And there's a woman in the kitchen Cleanin' up the evenin' slop And he looks at her and says, "Hey darlin' I can remember when you could stop a clock." [Chorus] Oh, but ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America somethin' to see, baby? Ain't that America home of the free, yeah? Little pink houses for you and me Oh, yeah, for you and me [Verse 2] Well, there's a young man in a t-shirt Listenin' to a rock 'n' roll station He's got greasy hair, greasy smile He says, "Lord, this must be my destination" Cause they told me when I was younger Sayin', "boy, you're gonna be president." But just like everything else, those old crazy dreams Just kinda came and went [Chorus] Oh, but ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America somethin' to see baby? Ain't that America home of the free? Little pink houses for you and me Oh, baby, for you and me [Verse 3] Well, there's people and more people What do they know, know, know Go to work in some high rise And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico Ooh, yeah And there's winners, and there's losers But they ain't no big deal Cause the simple man baby pays for the thrills, the bills The pills that kill [Chorus] Oh, but ain't that America for you and me? Ain't that America somethin' to see, baby? Ain't that America, home of the free, yeah? Little pink houses for you and me Ooh Ain't that America for you and me Ain't that America somethin' to see baby? Ain't that America home of the free Little pink houses for you and me -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Play Guitar -------- You may drive around in your town Ina brand new shiny car Your face in the wind your haircut's in And your friends think you're bizarre You may find a cushy job and I hope that you go far But if you really want to taste some cool success You better learn to play guitar Play guitar--play guitar Play guitar--play guitar Play guitar--play guitar You got your eye on the cheerleader queen You're walkin' her home from school You know that she's only seventeen She's gonna make you a fool You know you can't touch this stuff Without money or a brand new car Let me give you some good advice young man You better learn to play guitar Play guitar--play guitar Play guitar--play guitar Play guitar--play guitar All women around the world want a phony rock star Who plays guitar You can pump your iron and shine your shoes And wear your hair just right You go down out on cruisin' street 'Cause you want to score tonight Ra da ra da ra da And you really want to show your scars Forget all about that macho shit And learn how to play guitar Play guitar--play guitar Play guitar--play guitar Play guitar--play guitar -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Serious Business -------- You ain't goin' nowhere Gonna sit by this pool until you fall in Didn't know what you were getting into When you walked in to this room now did you kid We got some girls over here We got some boys over there And they're here just for your fun So have some dinner, baby, play some records But just remember one thing son This is serious business Sex and violence and rock and roll This is serious business Sex and violence and rock and roll You know my head is sweating I can't dance and I can't relax Outside is too threatening now I've come this far and I can't go back Call up some old friends Call up some strangers Get me used to that French telephone Donna Donna educate me But tell those girls that I'm not alone This is serious business Sex and violence and rock and roll This is serious business Sex and violence and rock and roll Take my life Take my soul Put me on the cross for all to see Put my name around my neck Let those people throw stones at me This is serious business Sex and violence and rock and roll -------- 1983 Uh-Huh -------- -------- Warmer Place To Sleep -------- Well I've been up to the mountain Seen the ashes down below I had breakfast with the wise man He told me what he thought I should know And I've been to bed with Jezebel And I found the well was deep And I'd trade in my ambitions For a warmer place to sleep Well I've seen the heart of darkness Read the writing on the wall And the voice out in the desert Was the voice out in the hall And once he called me Abel And once he called me Cain And for forty days and forty nights I slept out in the rain Girl can you share your warm bed tonight I need to find a safe retreat Someplace where they can't see my eyes I need to find a warmer place to sleep Well I rested in the devil's arms I've chased the hounds of hell I played truth or dare with the angels And as far as I can tell That a heart of gold ain't no better Than a heart torn from the street And I'd trade in my heart of stone For a warmer place to sleep Girl can you share your warm bed tonight I need to find a safe retreat Someplace where they can't see my eyes I need to find a warmer place to sleep -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Between A Laugh And A Tear -------- When paradise is no longer fit for you to live in And your adolescent dreams are gone Through the days you feel a little used up And you don't know where your energy's gone wrong It's just your soul feelin' a little downhearted Sometimes life is too ridiculous to live You count your friends all on one finger I know it sounds crazy just the way that we live Between a laugh and a tear Smile in the mirror as you walk by Between a laugh and a tear And that's as good as it can get for us And there ain't no reason to stop tryin' When this cardboard town can no longer amuse you You see through everything and nothin' seems worthwhile And hypocrite used to be such a big word to you And it don't seem to mean anything to you now Just try to live each and every precious moment Discouraged by the future, forget your past That's old advise but it'll be good to you I know there's a balance 'cause I see it when I swing past Between a laugh and a tear Smile in the mirror as you walk by Between a laugh and a tear And that's as good as it can get for us And there ain't no reason to stop tryin' Between a laugh and a tear Smile in the mirror as you walk by Between a laugh and a tear And that's as good as it can get for us And there ain't no reason to stop tryin' No, no When paradise can no longer amuse you... -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Grandma's Theme -------- 'Twas a dark stormy night As the train rattled on All the passengers had gone to bed Except a young man with a baby in his arms Who sat there with a bowed-down head The innocent one began crying just then As though its poor heart would break One angry man said, "Make that child stop its noise For it's keeping all of us awake." -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Justice And Independence '85 -------- He was born on the fourth day of July So his parents called him Independence Day He married a girl named Justice who gave birth to a son called the Nation And she walked away Independence would daydream and he'd pretend That some day him and Justice and Nation'd be together again But Justice held up in a shotgun shack Wouldn't let nobody in So a Nation cried... Oh, Oh When a Nation cries His tears fall down like missiles from the skies Justice look into Independence's eyes Can you make everything alright? And can you keep your old Nation warm tonight? Well, Nation grew up and got himself a big reputation Couldn't keep the boy at home, no no He just kept running 'round and around and around and around Independence and Justice well they felt so ashamed When the Nation fell down they argued who was to blame And Nation if you'll just come home we'll have this family again Oh, Nation don't cry Oh, Oh When a Nation cries His tears fall down like missiles from the sky Justice look into Independence's eyes Can you make everything alright? Can you keep your Nation warm tonight? Roll a rock around the Country, yeah, yeah Everybody come along When you're feelin' down, yeah, yeah Just sing this song, yeah, yeah -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Lonely Ol' Night -------- [Verse 1] She calls me up and says baby it's a lonely ol' night I don't know I'm just so scared and lonely all at the same time Nobody told us it was gonna work out this way No, no, no, no, no I guess they knew we'd work it out in our own way [Chorus] It's a lonely ol' night Can I put my arms around you It's a lonely ol' night Custom made for two lonely people like me and you [Verse 2] Radio playing softly some singer's sad sad song He's singing about standing in the shadows of love I guess he feels awfully alone She says I know exactly what he means Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah And it's a sad, sad, sad, sad feeling When you're living on those in-betweens But it's okay [Chorus] It's a lonely ol' night Can I put my arms around you It's a lonely ol' night Custom made for two lonely people like me and you [Bridge] She calls me Baby She calls everybody Baby It's a lonely ol' night but ain't they all [Chorus] It's a lonely ol' night Can I put my arms around you It's a lonely ol' night Custom made for two lonely people like me and you [Outro] It's a lonely ol' night Can I put my arms around you It's a lonely ol' night Custom made for two lonely people like me and you Yeah, like me and you Yeah, like me and you -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Minutes To Memories -------- On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line He looked at the young man who was riding beside him He said I'm old kind of worn out inside I worked my whole life in the steel mills near Gary And my father before me I helped build this land Now I'm seventy-seven and with God as my witness I earned every dollar that passed through my hands My family and friends are the best thing I've known Through the eye of the needle I'll carry them home Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned You are young and you are the future So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can The rain hit the old dog in the twilight's last gleaming He said Son it sounds like rattling old bones This highway is long but I know some that are longer By sunup tomorrow I guess I'll be home Through the hills of Kentucky 'cross the Ohio river The old man kept talking 'bout his life and his times He fell asleep with his head against the window He said an honest man's pillow is his peace of mind This world offers riches and riches will grow wings I don't take stock in those uncertain things Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned You are young and you are the future So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can The old man had a vision but it was hard for me to follow I do things my way and I pay a high price When I think back on the old man and the bus ride Now that I'm older I can see he was right Another hot one out on highway eleven This is my life It's what I've chosen to do There's no free rides, no one said it'd be easy The old man told me this my son i'm telling it to you Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned You are young and you are the future So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock) -------- [Verse 1] They come from the cities and they come from the smaller towns Beat up cars with guitars and drummers going crack, boom, bam [Chorus] R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A., yeah, yeah Rocking in the U.S.A [Verse 2] Well, they said goodbye to their families, said goodbye to their friends With pipe dreams in their heads and very little money in their hands Some are black and some are white They ain't too proud to sleep on your floor tonight With the blind faith of Jesus, you know that they just might Rocking in the U.S.A Hey [Verse 3] Voices from nowhere and voices from the larger town Filled our head full of dreams and turned our world upside down And there was Frankie Lymon, Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder (They were rocking) Jackie Wilson, Shangri-las, Young Rascals (They were rocking) Spotlight on Martha Reeves, let's don't forget James Brown [Chorus] Rocking in the U.S.A Hey R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Rain on the Scarecrow -------- Scarecrow on a wooden cross Blackbird in the barn Four hundred empty acres That used to be my farm Grew up like my daddy did My grandpa cleared this land When I was five I walked the fence while Grandpa held my hand Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow This land fed a nation This land made me proud And son, I`m just sorry There`s no legacy for you now Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow The crops we grew last summer Weren`t enough to pay the loans Couldn`t buy the seed to plant this spring And the Farmers' Bank foreclosed Called my old friend Schepman Up to auction off the land He said: "John, it`s just my job And I hope you understand." Hey, calling it your job, ole hoss Sure don`t make it right But if you want me to I`ll say a prayer for your soul tonight And grandma`s on the front porch swing With a Bible in her hand Sometimes I hear her singing Take me to the Promised Land When you take away a man`s dignity He can`t work his fields and cows There`ll be Blood on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Blood on the scarecrow Blood on the plow There`s 97 crosses Planted in the courthouse yard Ninety-seven families who Lost ninety-seven farms I think about my grandpa My neighbors and my name And some nights I feel like dying Like that scarecrow in the rain Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow This land fed a nation This land made me proud And son, I`m just sorry They`re just memories for you now Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow This land fed a nation This land made me so proud Son, I`m just sorry They`re just memories for you now Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Rumbleseat -------- All the leaves are green All my friends are gone I'm livin' in my hometown I can barely get along I feel sorry for myself That's an easy thing to do I feel sorry for the world I feel sorry for you Yes I am a pitiful sight I can't even get one thing right I know just what it's like To be a rider ridin' in the rumbleseat Yes I know just what it's like To be a big time rider in the rumbleseat Well I could have a nervous breakdown But I don't believe in shrinks I should be drunker than a monkey But I don't like to drink Call up some girls But I'm afraid of the phone I'm always talkin' to myself I guess I'm never alone Am I the only one that feels this way I'd buy myself some stylish clothes But I sure hate to pay I know just what it's like To be a rider ridin' in the rumbleseat Yes I know just what it's like To be a big time rider in the rumbleseat The sun is coming up Just goin' to bed I combed my hair with my pillow Still got some dreams left Tomorrow is a new day Gonna make these dreams come true I'm gonna believe in myself I'll tell you what I'm gonna do I'm gonna stop puttin' myself down I'm gonna turn my life around I'll be ridin' high With my feet kicked up in the rumbleseat Yeah we'll go for a drive And we'll be singin' shotgun from that rumbleseat Yes I will blow you a kiss And we'll be ridin' big time in my rumbleseat -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Small Town (Acoustic Version) -------- Well, I was born in a small town And I live in a small town Prob'ly die in a small town Oh, those small communities All my friends are so small town My parents live in the same small town My job is so small town Provides little opportunity Educated in a small town Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town Used to daydream in that small town Another boring romantic, that's me But I've seen it all in a small town Had myself a ball in a small town Married an L.A. doll and brought her to this small town Now she's small town just like me No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from I cannot forget the people who love me Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town And people let me be just what I want to be Got nothing against a big town Still hayseed enough to say, "Look who's in the big town" But my bed is in a small town Oh, and that's good enough for me Well, I was born in a small town And I can breathe in a small town Gonna die in this small town And that's prob'ly where they'll bury me -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- Small Town -------- Well, I was born in a small town And I live in a small town Probably die in a small town Oh, those small communities All my friends are so small town My parents live in the same small town My job is so small town Provides little opportunity Educated in a small town Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town Used to daydream in that small town Another boring romantic that's me But I've seen it all in a small town Had myself a ball in a small town Married an L.A. doll and brought her to this small town Now she's small town just like me No, I cannot forget where it is that I come from I cannot forget the people who love me Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town And people let me be just what I want to be Got nothing against a big town Still hayseed enough to say Look who's in the big town But my bed is in a small town Oh, and that's good enough for me Well, I was born in a small town And I can breathe in a small town Gonna die in this small town And that's probably where they'll bury me -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- The Face Of The Nation -------- As I run through this life Sometimes it breaks my heart Seein' old people goin' downtown Stumblin' their way through the dark And the little babies cry For their mothers' warmth Sometimes I feel so helpless I don't know where to start And the face of the nation Keeps changin' and changin' The face of the nation I don't recognize it no more The face of the nation The face of the nation So many lonely people Damn those broken dreams Oh yes it could be better You can say that about anything Some got it worse than me Some got it worse than you You see the people starvin' underneath the tree And you wonder what happened to the golden rule And the face of the nation Keeps changin' and changin' The face of the nation I don't recognize it no more The face of the nation The face of the nation You know babe I'm gonna keep on tryin' To put things right If only for me and you Cause the devil sleeps tonight And the face of the nation Keeps changin' and changin' The face of the nation I don't recognize it no more The face of the nation The face of the nation And the face of the nation Keeps changin' and changin' The face of the nation I don't recognize it no more The face of the nation The face of the nation -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- The Kind Of Fella I Am -------- Well I don't like it when I see your eyes dartin' Back and forth across the room And I don't like it when I see you doin' dances Baby that I ain't used to But that's the kind of fella I am That's the kind of fella I am I'm a jealous kinda fella And I might fall in love with you I'm a jealous kinda fella And I just might fall in love with you Hey Well I don't like it when you try to impress me With your daddy's jewels and his car And I don't like it when I hear you talkin' 'Bout your ex-boyfriend the movie star What I like is when you walk me home And you let me hold you tight But I don't like it when I hear that you learned All this from some other guy But that's the kind of fella I am That's the kind of fella I am I'm a jealous kinda fella And I might fall in love with you I'm a jealous kinda fella And I just might fall in love with you Hey So look out But that's the kind of fella I am That's the kind of fella I am I'm a jealous kinda fella And I might fall in love with you I'm a jealous kinda fella And I just might fall in love with you Hey -------- 1985 Scarecrow -------- -------- You've Got To Stand For Somethin' -------- I've seen the Rollin' Stones Forgot about Johnny Rotten Saw The Who back in '69 Saw Bobby Seal Talkin' to the Panthers Sayin' just what he had on his mind I saw Marlon Brando On a motorcycle He was actin' out rebellion I saw Rocky Stallone In an X-rated movie Called the Italian Stallion I've seen lots of things But I have not seen a lot of other things (But I know) You've got to stand for something Or you're gonna fall for anything You've gotta stand right up for somethin' Or you're gonna fall....for anything I saw Nikita Khrushchev Kissin' Fidel Castro Saw a man walkin' on the moon I saw Miss America In a girly magazine I bet you saw that too I've seen the London Bridge In the middle of the desert Seen 33 years go by I know the American people Paid a high price for justice And I don't know why Nobody seems to know why I know a lot of things But I don't know a lot of other things...Yeah Yeah Yeah You've got to stand for something Or you're gonna fall for anything You've gotta stand right up for somethin' Or you're gonna fall....for anything Well I've been to Harlem County And I've seen Paris, Texas And I've spent some time in Rome I know a lot of funny people In a lot of funny places But the Midwest is my home We've got to start respectin' this world Or it's gonna turn around and bite off our face You've got to stand for something Or you're gonna fall for anything You've got to stand for something Or you're gonna fall for anything...Yeah Yeah Yeah You've got to stand for something Or you're gonna fall for anything Yeah, you've gotta stand right up for somethin' Or you're gonna fall....for anything -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Blues From the Front Porch -------- Well it's another hot day In Lima, Mississippi Evan played the harmonica And the old group sang Some are laughin', some are crying' Most are still relyin' on the old (damn tar) Yeah in Shannon County No one's overworked today There ain't no use to So they took our dignity and ran away Well who we are And we what we achieve When it comes to (cruzmitat) Well maybe someone will believe In Shannon County Here in the Midwest Farm prices are a slow burn Well I know it ain't my fault So I reckon it must be my turn Aimless days Empty future Whose got the fizzle You know we ain't no quitters here In the county Just keep a talkin' Do you know what I mean? You can keep all those big deals Don't take away our reason to believe We can work and we feel And plant your farm in green Send soldiers in the world (And peace signs) keep our dream We'll just keep on talkin' -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Check It Out -------- A million young poets screaming out their words To a world full of people just living to be heard Future generations, riding on the highways that we built I hope they have a better understanding (Check it out) Going to work on Monday (Check it out) Got yourself a family (Check it out) All utility bills have been paid You can't tell your best buddy that you love him (So check it out) Where does our time go (Check it out) Got a brand new house in escrow (Check it out) Sleeping with your back to your loved one This is all that we've learned about happiness (Check it out) Forgot to say hello to my neighbors (Check it out) Sometimes I question my own behavior (Check it out) Talking about the girls that we've seen on the sly Just to tell our souls we're still the young lions (So check it out) Getting too drunk on Saturdays (Check it out) Playing football with the kids on Sundays (Check it out) Soaring with the eagles all week long And this is all that we've learned about living This is all that we've learned about living Check it out Check it out Check it out Check it out A million young poets screaming out their words Maybe someday those words will be heard By future generations riding on the highways that we built Maybe they'll have a better understanding (Check it out) Hope they'll have a better understanding (Check it out) Maybe they'll have a better understanding (Check it out) Maybe they'll have a better understanding (Check it out) Hope they have a better understanding Check it out Check it out Check it out Check it out Check it out Check it out -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Cherry Bomb -------- Well I lived on the outskirts of town In an eight room farmhouse, baby When my brothers and friends were around There was always somethin' doin' Had me a couple of real nice girlfriends Stopped by to see me every once in a while When I think back about those days All I can do is sit and smile [Chorus] That's when a sport was a sport And groovin' was groovin' And dancin' meant everything We were young and we were improvin' Laughin', laughin' with our friends Holdin' hands meant somethin', baby Outside the club"Cherry Bomb" Our hearts were really thumpin' Say yeah yeah yeah Say yeah yeah yeah The winter days they last forever But the weekends went by so quick Went ridin' around this little country town We were goin' nuts, girl, out in the sticks One night, me with my big mouth A couple guys had to put me in my place When I see those guys these days We just laugh and say do you remember when [Chorus] That's when a sport was a sport And groovin' was groovin' And dancin' meant everything We were young and we were improvin' Laughin', laughin' with our friends Holdin' hands meant somethin', baby Outside the club"Cherry Bomb" Our hearts were really thumpin' Say yeah yeah yeah Say yeah yeah yeah Say yeah yeah yeah Say yeah yeah yeah Seventeen has turned thirty-five I'm surprised that we're still livin' If we've done any wrong I hope that we're forgiven Got a few kids of my own And some days I still don't know what to do I hope that they're not laughing too loud When they hear me talkin' Like this to you [Chorus] That's when a sport was a sport And groovin' was groovin' And dancin' meant everything We were young and we were improvin' Laughin', laughin' with our friends Holdin' hands meant so much, baby Outside the club"Cherry Bomb" Our hearts were really thumpin' Say yeah yeah yeah Say yeah yeah yeah -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Down And Out In Paradise -------- Dear Mr. President I live in the suburbs It's a long way from Washington , D.C Had me a job Workin' for wages Till the company moved out And they forgot about me Can't draw unemployment For some unknown reason My kids are hungry I've got four mouths to feed I go out every day looking for suitable employment Do you think there's something you could do for me Cause I'm Down and out here in paradise Down and out and I'm on my knees I'm down and out here in paradise Looks like the milk and honey Done run out on me Dear Mr. President I used to be a dancer Got a little bit too old So I became a secretary Married a man In Las Vegas, Nevada And ten years later He ran out on the kids and me Some said I was pretty But those days are over Now I've no place to live And I'm out on the streets Oh, Mr. President Can I tell you a secret I never ever thought that this could happen to me Cause I'm Down and out here in paradise Down and out and I'm on my knees I'm down and out here in paradise Looks like the milk and honey Done run out on me Dear Mr. President I'm just a young kid I'm in the fourth grade At Riley Elementary My mom and dad's been actin' funny I'm not sure what If it's got something to do with me My daddy's always drunk My mom's a babysitter And I don't like the Russians Cause I hear they hate me Dear Mr. President Can I ask you one question When the bombs fall down Will they hurt everyone in my family Yeah, yeah Down and out here in paradise Down and out and I'm on my knees I'm down and out here in paradise Looks like the milk and honey Done run out on me -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Empty Hands -------- In the shadows of the smokestacks Through the black snow that lay on the land Walked home one winter morning With my life's savings in my hand Maryanne, she's fixin' up some breakfast Got the lights on, on the Christmas tree Sittin' there lookin' up at an angel With something dyin' inside of me Grew up with great expectations Heard the promise and I knew the plan They say people get what they deserve But Lord, sometimes it's much worse than that Maryanne she's takin' in some laundry I got a part-time job at a drive-in stand Oh Lord, what did I do To deserve these empty hands Across the cities, across this land Through the valleys, and across the sand To many people standin' in line Too many people with nothin' planned There's too many people with empty hands Now Maryanne's been cryin' Lord knows I love her the best I can When my pride is bruised and broken She slips her hand into my empty hands Without hope, without love, you've got nothing but pain Just makes a man not give a damn That's no way for us to live We've got to fill these empty hands -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Hard Times For An Honest Man -------- One man Does his work He's not satisfied Not at all Feels like That he is being used His self respect starts to fall His frustration Runnin' very very high He takes it out On the one he loves Because it's safe And who they gonna tell And he hates the cold-bloodedness That runs inside Oh yes It's hard times For an honest man Very very very hard times Hard times for an honest man Very very very hard times Sister She's got a lot of pride You can see it when she walks into the room But she's young And she's unaware Of what a brutal world can do to you So she loves a man He lies like a dog Tears her little world all apart So the walls go up For the rest of her days And there ain't no man can touch this girl's heart Oh yes It's hard times For an honest man Very very very hard times Hard times for an honest man Very very very hard times So we walk From the front porch to the back yard Just to laugh and say hello and say good-bye But some days are hard, like a soldier's steel-toed boots And the rent we pay to stay here gets high Oh yes It's hard times For an honest man Very very very hard times Hard times for an honest man Very very very hard times -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Hotdogs And Hamburgers -------- Drivin' down on a dry summer's day Old Route 66 and I was just a kid Met a pretty little Indian girl Along the way Got her into my car And tried to give her a kiss I'll give you beads and wampum Whatever it takes girl, to make you trade She jumped into the back seat And she kind of flipped her lid She said you're tryin' to get something for nothing Like the pilgrims in the olden days We rode for a while till the sun went away And I realized it was sort of an honor Bein' around this girl I felt embarrassed Of what I tried to do earlier that day She was the saddest girl I ever knew She told me stories about the Indian nations And how the white man stole their lives away And although she kinda liked me She could never trust me And when the sun comes up We'd go our different ways Now everybody has got the choice Between hotdogs and hamburgers Every one of us has got to choose Between right and wrong And givin' up or holdin' on So I dropped her off at some railroad crossing in Texas An old Indian man was waiting there He smiled and thanked me But he saw right through me I could tell he didn't like me For my kind he did not care Because to him I was the white man The one who sold him something that he already owned And it was like he'd been riding in the car right there with us And I felt ashamed of my actions And the way the west was really won So I drove down the highway Till I came to Los Angeles The town of the angels The best this country can do I got down on my knees And I asked for forgiveness I said, Lord, forgive us for we know not what we do Now everybody has got the choice Between hotdogs and hamburgers Every one of us has got to choose Between right and wrong And givin' up or holdin' on -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Paper In Fire -------- She had a dream And boy it was a good one So she chased after her dream With much desire But when she got too close To her expectations Well the dream burned up Like paper in fire Paper in fire Stinkin' up the ashtrays Paper in fire Smokin' up the alleyways Who's to say the way A man should spend his days Do you let them smolder Like paper in fire He wanted love With no involvement So he chased the wind That's all his silly life required And the days of vanity Went on forever And he saw his days burn up Like paper in fire Paper in fire Stinkin' up the ashtrays Paper in fire Smokin' up the alleyways Who's to say the way A man should spend his days Do you let them smolder Like paper in fire There's a good life Right across this green field And each generation Stares at it from afar But we keep no check On our appetites So the green fields turn to brown Like paper in fire Paper in fire Stinkin' up the ashtrays Paper in fire Smokin' up the alleyways Who's to say the way A man should spend his days Do you let them smolder Like paper in fire Paper in fire Stinkin' up the ashtrays Paper in fire Smokin' up the alleyways Who's to say the way A man should spend his days Do you let them smolder Like paper in fire -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- Rooty Toot Toot -------- Got my hands on a little bit of dough So I went to the grocery store And got some steaks to go Went by and picked up my gal, Teddi Jo We had ourselves a picnic Beside a dirt road Rooty toot toot Rooty toot toot We had it made in the shade Like a ball through the hoop Spinnin' and tumblin' inside this hoola hoop Livin' and learnin' Rooty toot toot We laid out a blanket And started a fire Had the radio playin' From inside the car I took off my shirt and kicked off my shoes She read the paper And told me the news She said, there's a lot of people out there Who are at the end of their rope Sometimes baby You've got to lay low Rooty toot toot Rooty toot toot We had it made in the shade Like a ball through the hoop Spinnin' and tumblin' inside this hoola hoop Livin' and learnin' Rooty toot toot We stayed there all day We both got us some real good suntans I thought that was ok Sometimes life can be so grand We were gettin' ready To shake out of that place When the Illinois state trooper Got in my face He said, You're on private property But once he cooled down he was ok Sometimes you're golden, man That's all I got to say Rooty toot toot Rooty toot toot We had it made in the shade Like a ball through the hoop Spinnin' and tumblin' inside this hoola hoop Livin' and learnin' Rooty toot toot -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- The Real Life -------- Suzanne divorced her husband She got the keys to the car and the home But her friends were really his friends No one stops by to see her much anymore So one night she goes back down to the old haunts That once upon a time were her own She didn't know nobody out there no more And the whole experience just made her feel so old She says I want to live the real life I want ot live my life close to the bone Just because I'm middle-aged that don't mean I want to sit around my house and watch T.V I want the real life I want to live the real life Jackson Jackson was a good kid He had four years of college and a bachelor's degree Started workin' when he was 21 Got fed up and quit When he was 43 He said, "My whole life I've done what I'm supposed to do Now I'd like to maybe do something for myself And just as soon as I figure out what that is You can bet your life I'm gonna give it hell" He says I want to live the real life I want ot live my life close to the bone Just because I'm middle-aged that don't mean I want to sit around my house and watch T.V I want the real life I want to live the real life I guess it don't matter how old you are Or how old one lives to be I guess it boils down to what we did with our lives And how we deal with our own destinies But something happens When you reach a certain age Particularly to those ones that are young at heart It's a lonely proposition when you realize That's there's less days in front of the horse Than riding in the back of this cart I say I want to live the real life I want ot live my life close to the bone Just because I'm middle-aged that don't mean I want to sit around my house and watch T.V I want the real life I want to live the real life -------- 1987 The Lonesome Jubilee -------- -------- We Are The People -------- If you're feelin' shut down May my thoughts be with you If you're a black man bein' beat down and shoved all around May my thoughts be with you If your world's gettin' a little to tough You know our thoughts are with you Hey, I know that it's crazy out there And my thoughts are with you We are the people And we live forever We are the people And our future's written on the wind On the wind If you are one of the homeless May our thoughts be with you If you are scared and alone You know our thoughts are with you If you are one of the fortunate ones We all know it's lonely up there We understand that nobody's got it made So our thoughts are with you We are the people And we live forever We are the people And our future's written on the wind On the wind You see yourself as a leader May my thoughts be with you If you try to divide and conquer We'll rise up against you We know only the strong will survive But the meek will inherit So if you've got a coat of arms, oh friend I suggest we wear it We are the people And we live forever We are the people And our future's written on the wind On the wind -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Big Daddy of Them All -------- You used to raise your voice so that it could be heard You used to shout out your orders, and your word was the final word Do as I say and not as I do They've taken your picture off the wall How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all? You used to chase your women right into your home You used to tell them you loved them over the telephone Now they all see through you And you're sinking like a stone No one's knocking at your door No one calls How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all? You're sad and disgusted Is what you've grown up to be Bet you had no idea what your dream would turn out to be But when you live for yourself Hell, it's hard on everyone But you did it your way and man you did it all How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all? Now you did it your way and man, you did it all How does it feel to be the big daddy of them all? -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Country Gentleman -------- Country gentleman walked a crooked mile Got our money in his pocket Did it all with a very handsome smile Now, he's livin' it up in a great big office He ain't a-gonna help no poor man He ain't a-goona help no poor man He ain't a-gonna help no poor man He's just gonna help his rich friends He ain't a-gonna help no women He ain't a-gonna help no children He's just gonna help his rich friends Country gentleman, we see him on T.V., Glad handin' folks and chattin' to the nation We never knew what really to believe Just word upon slogan with emotional connection He ain't a-gonna help no poor man He ain't a-gonna help no children He ain't a-gonna help no women He's just gonna help his rich friends And in the papers all we'd ever read is So and so big-shot signed his resignation Now, country gentleman he wants us to believe That he's kind and honest with the best intentions He ain't a-gonna help no poor man He ain't a-gonna help no children He ain't a-gonna help no women He's just gonna help his rich friends Country gentleman, now there's a bird that flew High above his nation, prayed on its weakness Picked our bones and threw it in his stew Thank God he went back to California Chorus -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- J.M.'s Question -------- Virginia's in the bath house sayin', "Don't drink the water," And I'm already in the swimmin' pool The woman in the straw hat said, "The meat ain't worth eatin'," And sunbathin' here, baby, ain't so cool There's a hole in the ozone and the rats all got cancer From too much tartar and nicotine Well, what kind of world do we live in When the babysitter treats all the kids so mean? No trespassing will blow your brains out Will do it with atomic bomb They're cuttin' down the rain forest and the food here's fattenin' And I hope there's no satanic message in this song But, there's Live Aid and Farm Aid and all kind of hand grenades To help us all get along Well, what kind of world do we live in When ev'rything we do turns out so wrong? Well, what kind of world do we live in When eleven and seven equals two? Yeah What kind of world do we live in When you do it to your buddy 'fore he does it to you? Got to do it to your buddy 'fore he does it to you The preacher he hands out verse and scripture Just like he wrote it down himself Doctors and lawyers got a good thing going But that ain't no place to go if you need help There's too much sodium in my heartburn medicine And I think I need to lay down for awhile Well, what kind of world do we live in When ev'rything we do we do with such style? Well, what kind of world do we live in When eleven and seven equals two? Yeah What kind of world do we live in When you do it to your buddy 'fore he does it to you? Got to do it to your buddy 'fore he does it to you -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Jackie Brown (acoustic version) -------- Is this your life, Jackie Brown? Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown? This pretty little girl In the worn out clothes That have been hand-me down Is this your wife, Jackie Brown? With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown Is this your family, Jackie Brown? Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream And giving the world more than it gave you What ugly truths freedom brings And it hasn't been very kind to you Is this your life, Jackie Brown? Is this your meal, Jackie Brown? Barely enough, I've seen people throw away more than this out Is this your home, Jackie Brown? This three room shack With no running water And the bathroom out back Is this your grave, Jackie Brown? This little piece of limestone that says another desperate man took himself out Is this your dream, Jackie Brown? Going nowhere and nowhere fast We shame ourselves to watch people like this live But who gives a damn about Jackie Brown? Just another lazy man who couldn't take what was his One helluva life Jackie Brown Forevermore, Jackie Brown Amen and amen - Jackie Brown? -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Jackie Brown -------- Is this your life, Jackie Brown? Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown? This pretty little girl In the worn out clothes That have been hand-me down Is this your wife, Jackie Brown? With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown Is this your family, Jackie Brown? Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream And giving the world more than it gave you What ugly truths freedom brings And it hasn't been very kind to you Is this your life, Jackie Brown? Is this your meal, Jackie Brown? Barely enough, I've seen people throw away more than this out Is this your home, Jackie Brown? This three room shack With no running water And the bathroom out back Is this your grave, Jackie Brown? This little piece of limestone that says another desperate man took himself out Is this your dream, Jackie Brown? Going nowhere and nowhere fast We shame ourselves to watch people like this live But who gives a damn about Jackie Brown? Just another lazy man who couldn't take what was his One helluva life Jackie Brown Forevermore, Jackie Brown Amen and amen - Jackie Brown? -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Let It All Hang Out -------- No parking by the sewer sign Hotdog - my razor broke Water dripping up the spout But (hey) I don't care - Let it all Hang Out Hanging from a pine tree by my knees Sun shining through the shade Nobody knows what it's all about It's too much, man - Let it all Hang Out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Saw a man walking upside down My TV's on the blink Make Galileo look like a boy scout Sorry about that - Let it all Hang Out Sleep all day and drive all night Brain my numb can't stop now Ain't no doubt Keep an open mind - Let it all Hang Out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out It's raining inside a big brown moon How's that mess your baby up leg Eating a Reuben sandwich with sauerkraut Don't stop now, woman - Let it all Hang Out Man in the straw house Sure don't know what he's talkin' about Don't leave me standing On the front porch, baby Makes me feel like I'm selling something Ask me in - Let it all Hang Out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out Let it all hang out -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Mansions In Heaven -------- The old paper mill stinks up the beaches As I walk along the ocean shore I'm just a plain man, thoughts full of creases Haven't accomplished much, but I dream of more Mansions in heaven, I see myself walking with the King The angels are descending to wrap me up in red velveteen I don't control much of my home life I'm not an old man but I'm not young anymore Haven't kept in contact with any of my good friends So I live with strangers and sleep on another man's floor Mansions in heaven, I see myself walking with the King The angels are descending to wrap me up in red velveteen As I pack my suit bag 'cause soon I'll be leaving Going back to the earth which is where I come from Withstood the heartache Kept on believing It ain't winning or losing Just the singing of the song Mansions in heaven, I see myself walking with the King Mansions in heaven The old paper mill stinks up the beaches As I walk along the ocean shore -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Martha Say -------- Martha say she don't need no stinking man making no decisions for her She don't need his money, she don't need him between the sheets She ain't gonna sleep on the edge of the bed for no stinking man And that's the way she lives 'cause I saw her last night Pouring water on a drowning man in the moonlight, saying: Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha Hi-de-hi-de-hi, sister Say what, hey you, look out, Martha Martha say she don't need no revolver to shoot some idiot down She can do it with her eyes, she can do it with her smile She can do it with a conversation just walking down the hall Man, now ain't that the truth 'cause i saw her take a bite out of Some macho dude laying some corn ball line on her last night, saying: Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha Hi-de-hi-de-hi, sister Say what, hey you, look out, Martha Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother. (Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother.) Hi-de-hi-de-ho, sister. (Hi-de-hi-de-hi, yeah.) Hi-de-hi-de-hi. (Hi-de-hi-de-ho, yeah.) Hi-de-hi-de-hi, Martha Say what, look out, shake it up Martha Martha say say she ain't changin', no nothin' for nobody for No damn good reason It's the way that she wants it, it's the way that she gets it Well, the girl loves playing hardball, it leaves me in a No win situation saying: Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha Hi-de-hi-de-hi, sister Say what, hey you, look out, Martha Martha say she don't need no stinking man making no decisions for her -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Pop Singer -------- Never wanted to be no pop singer Never wanted to write no pop songs Never had no weird hair to get my songs over Never wanted to hang out after the show Pop singer (writing) of pop songs Never wanted to have my picture taken Now, who would want to look into these eyes? Just want to make it real - good, bad or indifferent That's the way that I live and that's the way that I'll die (As a) Pop singer (of) pop songs Pop singer, writing of pop song Never wanted to be no pop singer Never want to write no pop songs Never wanted to have a manager over for dinner Never wanted to hang out after the show Pop singer, writing pop songs Never wanted to be no pop singer, of pop songs A pop singer Never wanted to write no pop songs -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Sometimes A Great Notion -------- (Verse One) Never give an inch That's what I say, son When it's too tough for everybody else Hell, it's just right for me Now, my lips are bleeding From the selfish things that I've done And my heart it lies at the bottom of the ocean Sometimes a great notion (Verse Two) Wanted to make love to my girl In the backseat of my car So, I took her to the drive-in picture show So, I filled her up with Lies and a strong love potion And I'm sittin' here watching the movie alone Sometimes a great notion [Instrumental Interlude] (Verse Three) Sometimes the best-made plans Have been known to go astray So, you better put your seat belt on Just like your worst headache Well, a bad day don't go away And, you hit the ground running against your emotions Sometimes a great notion Sometimes a great notion -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Sometimes There's God -------- Sometimes there's God in someone else's eyes Sometimes there's God when you see the sun rise Sometimes your work, only in vain Sometimes there's very little heartbreak and pain Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not Sometimes there's God and sometimes there's just not A little redemption would help us a lot Sometimes there's God in the palm of your hand Somedays hard times will cover your land Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God And sometimes there's just not Sometimes you pray for witness you can rise above There's judgment and destruction in the name of God Can we find truth in all that we feel Sometimes there's God when sickness is healed Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not We all need God when people don't care What we do to each other when there's nobody else there In the dark we promise God I'll never do this again Let the choices we've made be forgiven Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not And sometimes there's God -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Theo And Weird Henry -------- Henry worked at Sears or somehwhere Theo did, too They both got themselves a van together; Nineteen seventy-two, Ford Drove around all night long playing music very, very loud Big noise, all the time; Little legends in a little town Moments of time they shared together Moments of time between two friends Standing on street corners with shirts unbuttoned There was a moment in time they swore they were friends to the end Couple of wild boys They told me they could hear the grass grow Theo used to say, hey Henry, man I'm screwin' this cat You're just holdin' it I never knew what they was talking about But they laughed like they both thought it was funny Theo and weird Henry went chasing after something And neither one of them believing in nothing Moments in time they shared together Called themselves the "He-man women lovers club," Throwin' pop bottles against the wall just to get some attention There was a moment in time they swore they were friends until the end Theo's out there living it up doing a little earth shaking -somewhere Henry sent a postcard from a better place But I can see them both sitting there laughing and breathing I can still see that smile on weird Henry's face Moments in time they shared together Moments in time between two friends Dancing on that old van with their shirts wide open That was a moment in time they swore they were blood brothers until the end -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- To Live -------- Sometimes fly a little high Then you know better dig yourself Sometimes get a little lost Then you know you got to find yourself Happens to everyone and Lord, I don't know why I want, I want I need, I need I want, I want to live To see it all Laugh, touch it all Sometimes we say silly things And act like two little kids Like the tail wagging the dog We both get hurt by what was said That's okay, that's allright with me I'd rather fight with you than lay down and die I want, I want I need, I need I want, I want to live To see it all Laugh, touch it all I want, I want I need, I need I want, I want to live To see it all Laugh, touch it all To live, to see it all -------- 1989 Big Daddy -------- -------- Void In My Heart -------- There's a void in my heart I can't seem to fill Been a parent, had three children And a big house on the hill Hundred dollar in my pocket And it didn't buy a thing Now there's a void in my heart And a hole in my dreams Well I poured miles of concrete And strung wire for telephones Dug ditches when I was a young boy When I first left my parents' home Sang my songs for millions of people Sang good and bad news Now there's a void in my heart And a fire at my fuse Well I did everything just like they said So I could find happiness Went to school and got a college degree And at my job I did my best As I sit here alone tonight I see a billion just like me With a void in their hearts and running from eternity There's a void in my heart I can't seem to fill I do charity work when I believe in the cause But in my soul it bothers me still Hey, Lord, well you made me like I am Can You heal this restlessness? Will there be a void in my heart When they carry me out to rest? -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Again Tonight -------- Run in circles again tonight Hump the moon again tonight Gonna wear my dancin' shoes out tonight Gonna have myself a big time again tonight Again tonight Again tonight Again tonight Girl's got lightning Underneath her skirt Boys try to touch it For whatever it's worth In the morning She's just gonna be hurt She wonders is it worth it again tonight Again tonight Again tonight Again tonight Gonna catch that cloud tonight Nine, cloud nine Gonna try and catch that cloud tonight Nine, cloud nine Again tonight Can you hold me baby again, again tonight Can you sing Can you dance baby Can you sing Can you hold me again tonight Baby can you sing Go ego trip'n again tonight Tell the same lies they work all right Gonna wear my dancin' shoes out tonight Probably make a fool of myself again tonight Again tonight Again tonight Again tonight Again tonight All right, all right Again tonight -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Crazy Ones -------- She's got tights on her legs She's got a floppy French hat Voodoo in her eyes An endangered species on her back She talks about the movies She likes to talk about art She can show you a good time But you'll never touch her heart Mama why do I always fall for the crazy ones Mama why do they lay so heavy on my heart Well I'm drawn to the devil every time we kiss Mama why do the crazy ones leave me feeling like this She's got backstage access And she's a dancin' in the aisles She looks a little sad and crooked When you see her smile She's got the magic heart She says you cannot understand She's got a secret hurt She ain't gonna share with no man Mama why do I always fall for the crazy ones Mama why do they lay so heavy on my heart Well I'm drawn to the devil every time we kiss Mama why do the crazy ones leave me feeling like this She's got her mind on her business She never wants to be broke Well, I hate to see her suffer But she just does not get the joke I can't afford her style of living I can't afford to get so mad Every time I think about her It just makes me sad Mama why do I always fall for the crazy ones Mama why do they lay so heavy on my heart Well I'm drawn to the devil every time we kiss Mama why do the crazy ones leave me feeling like this Mama why do I always fall for the crazy ones Mama why do I always fall for the crazy ones Well I'm drawn to the devil every time we kiss Mama why do the crazy ones leave me feeling like this -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Get A Leg Up -------- Don't look at me, don't touch me Keep your mind straight ahead Don't get no funny ideas about 'we' Or you'll wish that you were dead That's what I'm thinking she must be thinking The girl I spent 53 bucks on last night She gives me a look from the corner of her eye That says, "Boy, keep acting right." How surprised was I when she leaned over And whispered in my ear Get a leg up Get a leg over, boy Get a leg up What's the matter Are you shy, shy, shy? I'm pretty good with first impressions But sometimes I'm not always right I pulled the car to the shoulder of the road To see what she had in mind "Want me to spend the night Hey, lover boy, you know I will And my best girlfriend that lives down the road Together we will thrill ya" And I'm thinking to myself I could be lucky Pierre tonight If I could get a leg up If I could get a leg over, boy You know I ain't that handsome But you know I ain't shy, shy, shy The rest of the night went on and on And the moral to this song Don't go making hasty judgments Because sometimes they could be wrong Nothing wrong with a good time Just keep yourself protected, make a list And you can bet your life that the women don't know The little girls are acting like this So the next time a young one moves up And she whispers in your ear Get a leg up Get a leg over, boy Get a leg up Now don't you be shy, shy, shy Get a leg up Get a leg over, boy You know I ain't that handsome But you know I ain't shy, shy, shy Get a leg up Get a leg over, boy Get a leg up Now don't you be shy, shy, shy -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- I Ain't Ever Satisfied -------- I love the things that scare most folks to death But I ain't ever satisfied I'll stay till the end or till I'm gasping for breath But I ain't ever satisfied No, I am never satisfied I can pretty much come and go as I like But I ain't ever satisfied Hey, with no bottom line it's hard to know wrong from right But I ain't ever satisfied I'll try anything once but then do it to death But I ain't ever satisfied I expect the worst but I hope for the best Oh, I ain't ever satisfied No, I ain't ever satisfied No, no, no, no, I am never satisfied Can't get enough, no, of nothing I've got seven of everything and more in the till But I ain't ever satisfied You think this is dangerous stuff It ain't even a thrill I ain't ever satisfied Oh, I am never No, I am never I don't know why I ain't ever satisfied -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Last Chance -------- A cold day in December I'm still here alone I look through my window and I surrender Should be gone But I've no place to go Last chance to get up Last chance to go Last chance to get up and go Last chance to get up Last chance to go Last chance to get up and go If there were someone I'd hold her If there was love I'd let it take me away But I just stay here alone Last chance to get up Last chance to go Last chance to get up and go Last chance to get up Last chance to go Last chance to get up and go I feel nothing I feel no pain I feel no joy nor hurt inside I only have myself to blame If I see that the world's past me by Last chance to get up Last chance to go Last chance to get up and go Last chance to get up Last chance to go Last chance to get up and go -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Love and Happiness (London Club Mix) -------- Well, we're droppin' our bombs In the southern hemisphere And people are starving That live right here And they're tearing down walls In the name of peace And they're killing each other In the Middle East But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness They raise the price of oil And they censor our mouths If you're a young couple today Forget buying a house And we wage or wars In the neighborhoods We kill the young to feed the old And man that ain't no good But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness So, if you sell arms Or you run dope You got respect And you got hope But the rest of us die On your battle fields With wounds that fester and bleed But never heal But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness And love and happiness And love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Love And Happiness -------- Well, we're droppin' our bombs In the southern hemisphere And people are starving That live right here And they're tearing down walls In the name of peace And they're killing each other In the Middle East But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness They raise the price of oil And they censor our mouths If you're a young couple today Forget buying a house And we wage our wars In the neighborhoods We kill the young to feed the old And man that ain't no good But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness So, if you sell arms Or you run dope You got respect And you got hope But the rest of us die On your battle fields With wounds that fester and bleed But never heal But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness And love and happiness And love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Melting Pot -------- I met my girl She was livin' in the melting pot I touched her skin It was greasy from the melting pot Get yourself a weapon Cause they slice you up in the melting pot Well, I don't really have time to talk But I wish you lots of luck in the melting pot And in the end it's always just some game The heartbreak, the laughter has all been in vain Beat up and lied to For your whole life Kick you in the head In the melting pot Well, the hawks live upstairs Where the air is clean in the melting pot They like to swoop down And gnaw on your brain in the melting pot Money, sex and power Jerk you off in the back seat of the melting pot Then they say I saw you last night And you sure were looking sweet in the melting pot And in the end it's always just some game The heartbreak, the laughter has all been in vain Beat up and lied to For your whole life Want to kick you in the head In the melting pot They'd like to buy you off If they possibly can in the melting pot With temptation and dreams and persuasion That's what they got In the melting pot Keep you bleeding, begging and snotty here In the melting pot Well, don't you dare laugh out loud They'll take away what you got In the melting pot And in the end it is always just some game The heartbreak, the laughter will all have been in vain Beat up and lied to For your whole life Kicked in the head In the melting pot -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Now More Than Ever -------- [Verse 1] If you believe Won't you please raise your hands Let's hear your voices Let us know where you stand Don't shout from the shadows Cause it won't mean a damn Now more than ever [Chorus] Now more than ever The world needs love Not just a slogan But the world needs love Now more than ever I can't stand alone Now more than ever [Verse 2] If I was to buy you A diamond ring Make you my princess Would it mean anything Would you take me for granted And just curse my name Now more than ever [Chorus] Now more than ever The world needs love Not just a slogan But the world needs love Now more than ever I can't stand alone Now more than ever [Verse 3] Who am I to say What needs to be done I'm just nobody Another lost one Caught between what's left And what needs to be done Now more than ever The loss of love Now more than ever The loss of our dreams Now more than ever It's not too late [Chorus] Now more than ever The world needs love Not just a slogan But the world needs love Now more than ever I can't stand alone Now more than ever [Chorus \ Outro] Now more than ever The world needs love Not just a slogan But the world needs love Now more than ever I can't stand alone Now more than ever -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- They're So Tough -------- They're so tough They like to make us feel little (So tough) They like to make us feel small (So tough) They like to put us down And keep us down 'Til we feel no good at all Then they tell us that we're stupid (So tough) That we got no sense at all (So tough) They'll take away the spark Keep us in the dark Make us feel we have no vision at all No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way No, I don't believe it has to be this way Then they tell us to be patient That our time will come But I've stood outside their doors And walked their floors And I ain't gonna do it again They'd like to make me their nigga (So tough) I say to hell with them (So tough) I'm not gettin' down on my knees And beggin' please Can you throw me a crumb now and then No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way I can't really speak to you And I don't know about them They must be out of their minds Can't read between the lines They can stick it where the sun don't shine No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way No, no, no, I don't believe it has to be this way They're so tough They are so tough -------- 1991 Whenever We Wanted -------- -------- Whenever We Wanted -------- We weren't afraid of nothing Wasn't nothing we couldn't do She held her breath once for seven minutes And never turned blue She could burn a woman down If she felt she'd been unkind Or if she thought she was coming on to me It drove her out of her mind Oh yeah, it's true We did what we did Whenever we wanted to Yeah, it's true We did what we did Whenever we wanted to She was my very best friend My biggest enemy On judgment day we would go either way It was all the same you see She was not afraid of Satan But she thought he was a joke Said she'd tear off his tail And run her fist down his throat Oh yeah, it's true We did what we did Whenever we wanted to Yeah, it's true We did what we did Whenever we wanted to She was the apple of temptation The apple of my eye Used to rest on a bed of burning coals Every single night And I know she's out there somewhere She's wrestling in the bones With confetti in her hair You can bet she's not alone Oh yeah, it's true We just did what we did Whenever we wanted to Yeah, it's true We did what we did Whenever we wanted to Yeah, it's true We did what we did Did what we did And we just did what we did Whenever we wanted to -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- Beige To Beige -------- No songs on the stereo That we could sing with anymore No dance that I can do That would not embarrass you A sound bite here and there With no reason for me to care It's just beige to beige That's all it is these days Little windows for you to crawl through You just do what's expected of you It's just beige to beige to beige These days Uniforms for this and that To be in our club you must wear this hat Charlie's gonna look out for you You just do what you're supposed to do You're gonna fit in here Just like you should Learn the rules and learn them good It's just beige to beige That's all it is these days Little windows for you to crawl through You just do what's expected of you It's just beige to beige to beige These days If you need a thought We'll give it to you Our statistics show what we do is true A world without color Is a world without sound A world to keep the rabble down So close the deal, close the door Forget about the colors that you knew before It's just beige to beige That's all it is these days, yeah Little windows for you to crawl through And Charlie gonna take care of you It's just beige to beige to beige These days -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- Case 795 (The Family) -------- Tony Jones stabbed Alice Jones On their first anniversary Down in Dallas, Texas In a small apartment With nobody present He pulled out a knife And he stuck it to her He left her bleeding On the floor in the kitchen With cake on her fingers And her wedding ring holding In her hand was a note That said the wicked must suffer And he drove off quickly To his girlfriend's apartment But who really suffers in the end? It's easy enough for us to pretend that Everything's all right with the family Everything is safe here at home Everything's all right with the family The beds are made but there's no sheets on From the courtroom stand Tony said he was sorry That he was sad and mixed up And he didn't know what he was doing That he'd always loved Alice And he begged for forgiveness So he threw himself On the mercy of the jury And he told how his father Had beat and abused him Back in grade school In the basement den And that maybe prison Was the best thing for him And he said, "Oh God, can you forgive me?" yeah But who really suffers in the end? It's easy enough for us all to pretend that Everything's all right with the family Everything is safe here at home Everything's all right with the family The beds are made but there's no sheets on How many days does it take to make us weak? And how many hours do people spend lonely? In the heart of the heart the family lay dying The ruin of a nation lies at our feet, yeah Everything's all right with the family Everything is safe here at home Everything's all right with the family The beds are made but there's no sheets on Everything's all right with the family Everything is safe here at home Everything's all right with the family The beds are made but there's no sheets on -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- French Shoes -------- He was a good lookin' guy Stood about six foot three Long brown hair As nice as he could be Everybody liked him But he didn't have a clue He looked silly as hell In those funny French shoes You know the type Without any heels Leather soles Kind of a slip on deal He was cavalier Whether he'd win or lose But he looked silly as hell In those funny French shoes I know it's not right To judge a man by his clothes By the way that he looks Or the people he may know I'm embarrassed to say If I had to choose I could never really trust Any man wearing those funny French shoes Funny French shoes Funny French shoes No man should be wearin' Those funny French shoes They look good on a woman's foot I must say that they do But no guy should be wearin' Those funny French shoes Get some socks on, man! -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- Human Wheels -------- This land today, shall draw its last breath And take into its ancient depths This frail reminder of its giant, dreaming self While I, with human-hindered eyes Unequal to the sweeping curve of life Stand on this single print of time Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face That time, today, no triumph gains At this short success of age This pale reflection of its brave and Blundering deed For I, descend from this vault Now dreams beyond my earthly fault Knowledge, sure, from the seed Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face This land, today, my tears shall taste And take into its dark embrace This love, who in my beating heart endures Assured, by every sun that burns The dust to which this flesh shall return It is the ancient, dreaming dust of God Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- Junior -------- They call me Junior I live here on the street I earn two hundred dollars a week I'd like to say "Hey, thanks a lot." I know I'm missin' something But I don't know what it is That I don't got I sit here watchin' The people down below I try to imagine The places they may go I don't know I stay home a lot I know I'm missin' something But I don't know what it is That I don't got I see the world through the TV Guide What a safe place for me to run What a small little man I am I'm afraid of everything From golden rules to airplanes What a small little man I am They call me Junior I'm caught up in this hell Sometimes I feel better But I never do feel well Jesus must have one hell of a plan for me I know I'm missin' something But I don't know what it is That I don't got And if I have anything to say About judgment day There'll be a crown in heaven For those who live this way Anyway You know exactly who you are I see the world through the TV Guide What a safe place for me to run What a small little man I am I'm afraid of everything From the golden rule to airplanes What a small little man I am They call me Junior I live here on the street I earn two hundred dollars a week I'd like to say "Hey man, thanks a lot" My name is Junior -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- Suzanne And The Jewels -------- Suzanne was the jewel keeper In a word she stole all the jewels And she took them to a foreign land Which was strictly against all the rules And she wore them all proudly Like a tiara crown on her head She slept with them at night Suzanne and the jewels in a bed Suzanne and her jewels Livin' on the edge of a friend Suzanne, how will you sleep at night When they take that crown from your head? Suzanne lived down by the river The fountain of youth did flow And she played on a steel guitar And the drifters did come and they'd go And she'd put on her crown And she'd sing them a song And some drifters would stay here the night But they never did stay long Suzanne and her jewels Livin' on the edge of a friend Suzanne, how will you sleep at night When they take that crown from your head? This girl flew on the wind She wrote her own name in the stars Just goes to show sometimes you win No matter how crazy you are But a thief can come knocking Even with blood on the door And drink up your fountain of youth And throw your jewels and your crown on the floor Suzanne and her jewels Livin' on the edge of a friend Suzanne, how will you sleep at night When they take that crown from your head? Suzanne and her jewels Livin' on the edge of a friend Suzanne, how will you sleep at night When they take that crown off your head? -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- Sweet Evening Breeze -------- I was loud and a little sad She was visiting from Atlanta, Georgia She had come to spend the summer with her dad I thought she was very pretty We would kiss and hold hands Every night by the football field Her body was tan From the afternoons by the public swimming pool Sweet evening breeze Blows around my thoughts and memories As I lie here today And drink my tea I can still see Sweet evening breeze I saw her in a coffee shop In a big hotel down in Austin, Texas She had cut her long hair off And replaced it with Blue eyes of sadness Still acted like we were kids And she told me that she had to marry And she asked me if I did Still remember Sweet evening breeze Blows around my thoughts and memories As I lie here today And drink my tea I can still see Sweet evening breeze How redundant the future can be These days of old are very, very Ridiculous for me to see When I think about the real gone stories And how time holds the winning hand I can tell by the lines on our faces And the young can't understand That they look at me When they look at themselves Oh, sweet evening breeze Blows around my thoughts and memories As I lie here today And drink my tea I can still see Sweet evening breeze -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- To The River -------- [Verse 1] They are master and slave We are sunlight and shadow All roads to the river I am lost, I am saved I'm beloved and betrayed All roads to the river [Chorus] And the river runs wide And the river runs deep And I spit in the eye of safe company When I dive right down to the undertow Well, the deeper I drown Lord, the higher I'll go [Verse 2] I am whispering dreams I am howling revolutions All roads to the river I am valentine sweet And I live in this nightmare All roads to the river [Chorus] And the river runs wide And the river runs deep (Runs Deep) And I spit in the eye of safe company When I dive right down (Right down) To the undertow (Undertow) Well, the deeper I drown Lord, the higher I'll go [Verse 3] This is nothing like we planned That's the way it's always been All roads to the river I have hated and I have loved I have prayed and I have sinned All roads to the river [Chorus] And the river runs wide And the river runs deep (And the river runs Deep) And I spit in the eye of safe company When I dive right down (Right down) To the undertow (Undertow) Well, the deeper I drown Lord, the higher I will go -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- What If I Came Knocking -------- What if I came knocking On your front door some night? Would you open the window And drop me down the key? What if I came knocking On your bedpost that same night? Would you open up your heart Or try to get the best of me? What if I came knocking On your brain the next day And ask for your truth and your love and your honesty? Would you build up your big walls And try to hide behind that smile Or would you try to pull the wool right over me? So what if I came knocking? So what if I came knocking? So what if I came kicking And it scared you a little bit And I came on strong Would you think That there's something wrong with me? Or could it be your fears Of trying something real Or just afraid to touch A guy like me? What if I came knocking? What if I came knocking? What if I came knocking On your front door some night? Ahh So let's just say it worked out Like a storybook dream And we lived happily ever after Fa la la la But what if I came crying After just a few weeks And said I misread my heart This is not really meant to be? yeah So if you hear some knocking On your window tonight You can bet that it's probably me But let it be known That we're just a pair of tumbling dice And the outcome of these crap shoots Is hard to see So what if I came knocking? So what if I came knocking? So what if I came knocking On your front door tonight? Ahh So what if I came knocking? Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knocking Kick, kick, kick What if I came knocking On your front porch tonight, tonight? -------- 1993 Human Wheels -------- -------- When Jesus Left Birmingham -------- When Jesus left Birmingham All the disciples went crazy When Jesus left Birmingham All the people went completely nuts They all busted out on a wild night Riding high on a golden calf When Jesus left Birmingham All the people had themselves a big long laugh Well my girl, she's a walker And she can talk herself out of any mess My girl, she don't pray But somehow she seems still to be blessed And when those crazy nights come callin' Man, she'll dance on the tables Like all of the rest When my girl left Birmingham She was doing what she thought was best It's all free on the inside I passed a very uncomfortable feeling last night Save us right now, we need you... To hell with all the lies and liars Recovery, recovery, I don't know about any recovery Inside, gotta get inside Inside I see myself with a rosary I'm in a garden and I'm talking to myself I ain't sayin' much worth repeating Just askin' for forgiveness and all of his best When those crazy nights come callin' Man, I'm just as human as I can be When Jesus left Birmingham He left it there for you and me When Jesus left Birmingham He left it there for you and me So let it rock, let it roll Let the Bible Belt come and save my soul -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- Another Sunny Day 12/25 -------- We see it on TV, we get calls on the phone By the prophets of doom, they won't leave us alone The planet is dying and there's no time to spare They spend all our days sowing seeds of despair We get enough bad news to harden our hearts This fear that we feed on is what's keeping us apart To say that we're doomed is just an obvious remark And it don't make you right, it just keeps you in the dark I don't want to live angry, I don't want to live scared I don't need no more prophets crying "brother beware." Just put some work in my hands and give me a dollar to spare And don't let me sow those seeds of despair Well, this earth is a graveyard, it will swallow our bones It was here long before us, It will be here when we're gone And it's a vain generation that looks for a sign Don't you think we could make better use of our time Yeah, the air could be cleaner and the water could too But what we do to each other are the worst things that we do And we can treasure our freedom behind our locked doors But God speed the day when we're lonely no more I don't want to live angry, I don't want to live scared I don't need no more prophets crying "brother beware." Just put some work in my hands and give me a dollar to spare And don't let me sow those seeds of despair -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- Brothers -------- Let's get to the point now Just because we've got the same mom and dad That don't mean I'm your keeper That don't mean I owe anything to you You don't care for me And man, I don't think that much of you Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers I don't approve of anything you do Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers Cain and Abel and me and you You drove my car when we were young boys And you tore it up too You never paid to get it fixed And you got me beat up a time or two I know I should forgive and forget But man I still hold a grudge against you It's as normal as it can be This sibling rivalry We should have dropped it at 22 But man I can't stand the thins you do Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers You're always wanting something from me Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers It was so much fun having you in the family Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers Now that we're grown it ain't helped nothin' at all Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers On my birthday, please don't bother to call Cause we're brothers, brothers, brothers Brothers, brothers, brother Yeah, you're my brother, brother, brother Brothers, brothers, brothers Yeah, we're brothers, brothers, brothers Yeah, we're brothers, brothers, brothers Brothers, brothers, brothers -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- Dance Naked -------- I want you to dance naked So I can see ya I'd like to get to know ya You dont have to act naughty Spin around, and round Spin around, round and round I want you to dance naked I promiss I won't touch you I promise to tell no-one I want you to dance naked Spin around, and round Spin around, round and round Spin around, round and round I want you to dance naked If you'd like I'll join you I want to enjoy your body I want to hear your secrets I want to know if you like me As much as I like you I want you to dance naked But only if you want to Spin around, and round Spin around, round and round Spin around, round and round I want you to dance naked So I can see you I'd like to get to know you But only if you'd want to Spin around, and round Spin around, round and round Spin around, round and round Spin around, round and round I want you to dance naked -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- L.U.V. -------- Guilty 'till proven innocent I'm thinking about the government Wondering where the money went Into outer space, I guess Lying cs's everywhere Pretty boys in their underwear Statue of Liberty Who really cares About freedom Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Throw up, throw down Get yourself a better town All these towns look the same Self pity, number one recreation We're dying in the USA Preacher man, he keeps preachin' While he covets your wife I ain't sayin' what's good I ain't sayin' what's right Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Wait a minute, let me check my tan Am I the same color as Superman? Helter skelter in a foreign land Monkeys versus dogs Lying under a big palm tree With cream and bananas all over me That's the way it's supposed to be Here in the Garden of Eden Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv Singin' about l-u-v baby, luv (About love, about love.) (About love, about love.) (About love, about love.) (About love, about love.) -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- The Big Jack -------- I know you and you know me We met many years ago In the halls of some ivy covered university Where we both used to go Now we stand outside the Denmark hotel With Japanese men in their business suits It's midnight you're talking to some Frenchman About who does what to you know who You want the big jack You want the sky to crack You want something that's going to give you The big jack You want the big jack Hell we all want that You want something that's going to give you The big jack You say you want to go somewhere Where your ideals were much more than luxuries And just like some great old painting You set there so smug With your hands between your knees You want the big jack You want the sky to crack You want something that's going to give you The big jack You want the big jack Hell we all want that You want something that's going to give you a Heart attack So go back down to that Mississippi town Where you come from Have a big time tonight I can still see you in your father's coat On the delta shore That he once owned I want to be your father's coat I want you girl to marry me I want the big jack I want the sky to crack I want something that's going to give me The big jack I want the big jack Hell we all want that I want something that's going to give me a Heart attack I want the big jack Yeah we all want that We want something that's going to give us the big jack I want the big jack I want the sky to crack I want something that's going to give me the big jack -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- The Breakout -------- Why do I think there's nobody out there? No one who wants me and no one who knows I wait in this place, no one can see me After all this time could I be so alone? I walk through this old town and still feel lonely The wind plays sad songs high in the trees The sun never shines this deep in the forest Am I in the darkness or is the darkness in me? I wanna break I wanna break out I wanna break I wanna break out I want to taste the tears of a lover Warm as my blood, as wet as a kiss But it's only dark rain that falls in this old town Old as my memory and as cold as my lips I wanna break I wanna break out I don't wanna fake it I want to break out And when I feel lonely And when I feel lonely You fly me to the sun Above this old town From the top of the tower I forget about living, I forget about pain At the edge of the platform At the edge of a heartbeat Above this old town I flew away I wanna break I wanna break out I don't wanna fake it I want to break out I wanna break I wanna break out I want to break I want to break out -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- Too Much To Think About -------- Sister help me take this pain from my heart Help me stand up and find out what is right Don't want to exist here in the dark When the gates of Eden offer so much light But there's too much to think about Too many problems in my brain Yeah, there's too much to think about How could I ever make up my mind? Young man lay down your guns And hold your woman in your arms This concrete's not worth dying for They say there's more to this life But there's too much to think about Too many problems in my brain Yeah, there's too much to think about How could I ever make up my mind? My mind My mind So what am I living for? They say the truth is not hard to find It's right here in front of my eyes If I could just open my heart sometimes But there's too much to think about Too many problems in my brain Yeah, there's too much to think about How could I ever make up my mind? Too much to think about Too many problems in my brain Yeah, there's too much to think about How could I ever make up my mind? Make up my mind Make up my mind Make up, make up my mind Make up, make up my mind -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- When Margaret Comes To Town -------- When you were a kid you received no good instruction And your mother was nowhere to be found The lies were yelled and the truth was seldom spoken That's what you get when Margaret comes to town She likes to keep things upside down When Margaret comes to town When your thoughts are twisted and distorted And your children are forced to choose sides and lie down And the keeper is screaming drunk running around naked It's for your pleasure When Margaret comes to town She likes to keep things upside down When Margaret comes to town Oh, but those who believe in her They cut off their noses to spite their faces Leaving you the little one scared and lonely Who really cares about you now So if you see her coming man you'd better take cover She stays down at the dark end of a frown And just like the sirens that are so sweetly singing It's better just to leave when Margaret comes to town When Margaret comes to town She likes to keep things upside down When Margaret comes to town She likes to keep things upside down When Margaret comes to town -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- Wild Night (acoustic version) -------- As you brush your shoes and stand before your mirror And you comb your hair and grab your coat and hat And you walk the streets trying to remember, yeah All those wild nights breeze through your mind And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling All the girls walk by dressed up for each other And the boys do the boogie woogie on the corner of the street And the people passing by just stare with the wild wonder And the inside jukebox roars just like thunder And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling The wi---ld night is calling The wi---ld night is calling Come on out and dance (Come on out and dance) Come on out and make romance Come on out and dance (Come on out and dance) Come on out and make romance And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling -------- 1994 Dance Naked -------- -------- Wild Night (Ft. Meshell Ndegeocello) -------- [Verse 1: John Mellencamp & Meshell Ndegeocello] As you brush your shoes and stand before your mirror And you comb your hair and grab your coat and hat And you walk the streets trying to remember, yeah All those wild nights breeze through your mind [Chorus: John Mellencamp, Both] And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the streets And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Ooh, ooh-ooh wee The wild night is calling [Verse 2: John Mellencamp & Meshell Ndegeocello] All the girls walk by dressed up for each other And the boys do the boogie-woogie on the corner of the street And the people passing by just stare with the wild wonder, yeah And the inside jukebox roars just like thunder [Chorus: Meshell Ndegeocello, Both] And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Ooh, ooh-ooh wee The wild night is calling [Instrumental Break] [Bridge: John Mellencamp & Meshell Ndegeocello] Wild night is calling The wild night is calling Come on out and dance Come on out and dance Come on out and make romance Come on out and dance Come on out and dance Come on out and make romance [Chorus: John Mellencamp, Both] And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Ooh, ooh-ooh wee The wild night is calling Ooh, ooh-ooh wee The wild night is calling -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Circling Around The Moon -------- There may come a day when you grow weary Troubled waters stain the paper cup From other venues, other voices carry Spilled dreams soaking into thirsty dust Maybe then and there you'll find another Lover with a blank and empty heart Filled with breath and old sails to discover Strength to push the seas apart On the day we met I began to want you On the day we met I began to lose you too Both of us circling round the moon Both of us circling round the moon There may come a day when you feel anger China cracked and glued by clumsy hands Veins of memory touching only hunger The heart devours what it cannot understand On the day we met I began to want you On the day we met I began to lose you too Both of us circling round the moon Both of us circling round the moon Maybe it was then I saw my future Saw it as a shadow on the ground Beneath the earth old nails to discover Strength to hold my body down On the day we met I began to want you On the day we met I began to lose you too Both of us circling round the moon On the day we met I began to want you, want you On the day we met I began to lose you too Both of us circling round the moon The both or us circling round the moon Both of us circling round the moon -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Emotional Love -------- (Sally in the roses) I woke up today Everything's on my shoulders I never told her Such emotional love I hear what you say Yes I owe ya But I don't know ya And I smash soldiers with love I'll come there today To your station It's recreation This passing notion of love I hear what you say It's demonstration Crossing oceans above Crossing oceans above Hand on my shoulder Like I told her I control ya Crossing oceans above Sally in the roses What she knows is Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Not for beginners Or Sunday sinners Court disasters A.J just killed his love Who's on the left and right Lonely days and nights Who's your master When gods pass motions above I hear what you play On your station Smashing Soldiers with love Crossing oceans above Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love I woke up today Everything's on my shoulders I never told her Such emotional love I hear what you say Yes I know ya But I don't owe ya And I smash soldiers with love I'll come there today To your station It's recreation This passing notion of love Is crossing oceans above Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love Such emotional love -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Jackamo Road -------- I'd like to buy you a cabin cruiser And we could sail around with our time I'd like to get you, a southern mansion And we could burn it down, down to the ground But I'm movin on down To Jackamo Road On my way thru Georgia And all the points unknown Yeah, I'm going to heaven I'll come back to get you Someday Someday Someday -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Jerry -------- Jerry's yelling at the man in the Moon He's right outside of my window He acts like a madman from time to time I hope he brings it to a crescendo soon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry rides his skateboard down the street He's thirty-seven years old with six children He sees the world through a ten year old boy's eyes He doesn't even notice that it's raining outside Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon But sometimes he cries He wants me to console him But I know that he's lying about everything he's told me Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Says he's prepared to suffer the consequences What is his penalty for his immaturity Will he be cast into eternal darkness Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon Jerry's yelling at the man in the moon -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Just Another Day -------- Bobie Doll and Big Jim Picato Call me up every single day They don't work and they don't want to Come on down to some Damn Cafe Bobie Doll tells me "live in the moment" Don't get too far ahead - don't live in the past I blink my eyes and the moment is over I guess another day has passed But it's just another day It's just another day Watching girls on the street Well, that's alright with me And it's just another day Bobie Doll and Big Jim Picato Always there with their free advice They've got pearl handled pistols underneath their vests They want me to go out drinkin with them tonight But it's just another day It's just another day Watchin girls on the street Well, that's alright with me And it's just another day You've got clean white sheets in the mornin' Conversation all afternoon Bobie Doll and Big Jim Picato, baby And me and you But, it's just another day Just another day Watching girls on the street Well, that's alright with me And it's just another day Well it's just another day It's just another day Watching girls on the street Well, that's alright with me And it's just another day -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First) -------- [Verse 1] In a hand painted night, me and Gypsy Scotty are partners At the Hotel Flamingo, wearin' black market shoes This loud Cuban band is crucifying John Lennon No one wants to be lonely, no one wants to sing the blues [Verse 2] She's perched like a parrot on his tuxedo shoulder Christ, what's she doing with him, she could be dancing with me She stirs the ice in her glass with her elegant finger I want to be what she's drinking, yeah, I just want to be [Chorus] I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight I saw you first, don't that give me the right To move around in your heart Everyone was lookin' but I saw you first [Verse 3] On a moon-spattered road in her parrot rebozo Gypsy Scotty is driving his big long yellow car She flies like a bird over his shoulder She whispers in his ear, boy, you are my star [Chorus] But I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight Yes, I saw you first, don't that give me the right To move around in your heart Everyone was lookin' [Verse 4] In the bone-colored dawn, me and Gypsy Scotty are singin' The radio is playin', she left her shoes out in the back He tells me a story about some girl he knows in Kentucky He just made that story up, there ain't no girl like that [Chorus] But I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight Yes, I saw you first, don't that give me the right To move around in your heart Everyone was lookin' but I saw you first I saw you first I saw you first Yeah, yeah -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Large World Turning -------- Someday this will all be over Nothing lasts forever Thank god for change I love you now, we should stay together No one's crying about a single thing Large world turning Live while you can Live while you can Large world turning Live while you can Live while you can You may sleep where your lover leads you Come and brush these crumbs from my bed Tell me the truth, I will never leave you I'll be happy by the baby's bed Large world turning Live while you can Live while you can Large world turning Live while you can Live while you can When this world becomes an ocean We will find the desert Right next to the pig's tail And watch the summer sun Corrugated roofs with little white houses Hide the dogs that walk on three legs Someday this will all be over No one's playing that pissin game Large world turning Live while you can Live while you can Large world turning No one can see the end Large world turning No one sees the end No one sees the end Large world turning Live while you can Live while you can -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Life Is Hard -------- Life is hard anyway you cut it Life is sweet, like a berry from a tree Life is temptation, Baby, every single day Life is hard Life is funny, I don't mean ha-ha It's not always sunny, when it needs to be Life is frightening, nothing lasts forever Life is hard My time Is next to nothin My time Falls on you, yeah Everything Is in motion Life is hard Life is precious, no matter how you see it Life is crazy, like yellow fishes in the street Life is lonely when you're not with me Life is hard Gentlemen Is that you story? Hanging religion from a tree, yeah My time is next to nothing Life is hard My time Is next to nothing My time Falls on you, yeah Everything Is in motion Life is hard My time Falls on you, yeah Life is hard Life is hard -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Mr. Bellows -------- The president he's a pretty nice guy I'd like to take him out to dinner sometime Drive around in his motorcade Talk about those bills that ain't been paid And maybe later on, just for fun We'll shoot off his submachine gun We'll shoot out the sky, shoot out the sea Shoot out those dreams about you and me Take my hand girl, I know where you've been Up the flag pole and back down again Walk on water or sink or swim When you're with me Her majesty, the Queen, is a pretty nice babe And I'd like to take her down to St. Petersburg someday Hand around with her friends and old Joe Kennedy After dinner I might give her a squeeze Then we'll just see how blue her blood really is And in the morning she can introduce me to her kids Take my hand girl, I know where you've been Up the flag pole and back down again Walk on water or sink or swim When you're with me Well our lord Jesus he wants me to pray So I do every single day I don't know if I'm coming in very clear Supposedly he can hear me from here And sometimes he gives me a little relief When I'm down here on my knees But there's no redemption on judgment day For people like you and me Take my hand girl, I know where you've been Up the flag pole and back down again Walk on water or sink or swim When you're with me -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- Overture -------- Instrumental) Arrangement by: Miriam Sturm -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- The Full Catastrophe -------- I've ridden down Sunset I drank expensive wine I've been married 2 dozen times Raised ten children on a workman's pay And I'm glad to say I've enjoyed everyday Of the full catastrophe of life I've sat in courtrooms Had people call me names I've been to London town On a supersonic plane I was lovin' your wife While you were lovin mine And I'm glad to say I've enjoyed everyday Of the full catastrophe of life I've opened my belt to trouble everyday Ain't looking for a fight But you know I won't run away From the full catastrophe of life I've seen the goodness I've known the baddest around I was tattooed when it first came out I shook the hand that showed Moses the way And I'm glad to say I've enjoyed everyday Of the full catastrophe of life -------- 1996 Mr. Happy Go Lucky -------- -------- This May Not Be The End Of The World -------- Please be quiet, everyone's asleep Stella's locked her door and she's requested some peace She teaches the English at the American school She teaches imaginary numbers and the golden rule She says it's hard to worry about the future When your past is knocking at your door Sweet mistakes and information Have been her lovers before Hello, all you losers You've got nothing to fear This may not be the end of the world But you can see it from here She runs the motors and the music On the carousel ride She catches the children on the horses As they fall through the rye It's hard to see the future When your back is bending over your shoes It's hard holding on to nothing When you've got nothing to lose Hello, all your losers You've got nothing to fear This may not be the end of the world But you can see it from here I guess you heard about Ol' PeeWee We had to tear his playhouse down Then they put him in the electric chair We'll have some fun now When you see her, give her some compliments on her looks She'll be wearing a Mardi Gras dress Coming after you with words and books We've given you the best seats in the house So don't be late St. Peter is at the door And he ain't no man to wait Hello, all you losers You've got nothing to fear This may not be the end of the world But you can see it from here Hello, all you losers You've got nothing to fear This may not be the end of the world But you can see it from here -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Break Me Off Some -------- Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby You're wicked, Baby So do what's right Break me off a piece of that love tonight Like a steel guitar that I love to play Everyone loves Jesus on judgment day You get hot just like gasoline In your cashmere shirt and your cut-off jeans I've been workin' all day Here's what I made Baby what you say Break me off some Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby Down in Mexico there's a man I know Who gave away his future for a piece of gold He washed his hands in Noah's flood Now those mountains they're just red as blood I left this place just to come with you Walkin' off the mesa in some dead man's shoes I've been workin' all day Here's what I made Baby what you say Break me off some Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby Eie yie yie yie yie yie yie Eie yie yie yie yie yie yie I like the way you're movin' on the dance floor baby I like the way you're moving' on the dance floor baby Shake shake shake 'til my eyes are sore baby Shake shake shake 'til my eyes are sore baby Bounce bounce bounce 'til your body is sore baby Bounce bounce bounce 'til your body is sore baby Feel the heat Moe Z Put his hands on Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby Babe break me off a piece of your love Once it's on I can't seem to get enough So keep it up Keep it comin' uh What Break me off some baby -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Chance Meeting At The Tarantula -------- Hey, don't I know you from somewhere Yeah, it was down in New Orleans In one of those backstreet bars in the French Quarter Between Desire Street and Honalee You were dancin' with a friend of Michael's I remember how we met You were talkin' to ol' Jimmy And you lit my cigarette How come you can't remember? This is me you're talkin to From May through September It was all about me and you, baby It was all about me and you Well it looks like to me That you have conveniently Forgotten everything This confusion that has surrounded you Is your morality and not your brain You've got a birthmark below your navel You wear a size seven and a half shoe You got this Rolex watch that I suspect you cobbed From that doctor who said he loved you How come you can't remember? This is me you're talkin to From May through September It was all about me and you, baby It was all about me and you Well you told me that you lived on the wind Like a bird who never touched the ground And if you did you would surely die Without making a sound Live, let's live, that's all you kept sayin' And our summer was full of life We're gonna send them a postcard And show 'em what it's like to be alive But I never wanted to leave your side No, I just couldn't believe that you'd lie No, I never wanted to say good-bye, baby How come you can't remember? This is me you're talkin' to From May through September It was all about me and you, baby It was all about me and you -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Days Of Farewell -------- Be careful...How you walk These days are evil...Look how you talk I hear...There are people that are listening This mystery...Is up to you So you be careful...What you do I know...There are people who are wondering These are the days of farewell Halfway undecided That's our peace That's our peace Be careful...The friends you keep He might not really...Be your friend He belongs...To the wishing and the wandering Be careful...Too much at stake You don't want ever....To be wronged Don't you ever...Let the dirty business make you clean These are the days of farewell Halfway undecided That's our peace Amen Amen Glory be to God I will bless the Lord at all times His words shall continually be in my mouth with praise For I am here today 'cause He said that I would live There's no reason why HIV shouldn't have missed my daughter and my life But it did Through the eyes of God He saw fit for me to be here I will praise the Lord at all times As we live in the last days The Devil will always be up under my feet And I will praise his name Hallelujah Don't you pretend...To be something That you are not...Hear me my friend I'll tell you what...I know it will only sicken you Let us be grateful...For what you've got Help me to know...What I am not Oh my friend...There are people who are wondering These are the days of farewell It's undecided It's undecided Oh my friend Oh my friend Oh my friend My friend My friend My friend It's undecided Too much Too much Too Much Too much at stake for you and me -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Eden Is Burning -------- Diane and Jack went to the movies They went to see Richard Pryor Screamin' on his knees for his lover How could have I been wrong about you? How could I have been so wrong about you? Eden is burning I can see it from my window Better take it to the water Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Thinking of Havana Eating cream and bananas You and me in the sunshine How could have I been wrong about you? How could I have been so wrong about you? Eden is burning I can see it from my window Better take it to the water Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah How could have I been wrong about you? How could I have been so wrong about you? With love on our side With love on our side Here's the masquerade of our living Well, I hope it makes you feel better It's for our own protection I thought we were forever, me and you But nothin's forever, I guess it's true Eden is burning I can see it from my window Better take it to the water Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Eden is burning I can see it from my window Better take it to the water Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Eden is burning Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Fruit Trader -------- Cain told Abel, "Brother, you'd better get busy We got watermelon burnin' up out there in the sun" Abel said, "Cain, brother, you're drivin' me silly Raisin' up this fruit trader bull, you know it ain't no fun" We're just yellin' in the dark We're just pissin' in the wind From underneath the sheets that we pray from Better let a little bit of this goodness get in So Cain rose up and he slay his brother The human soul and violence sometimes can be the next of kin And feelings are real in moments of desperation When the lowest dimension of the animal is let in We're just yellin' in the dark We're just pissin' in the wind From underneath the sheets that we pray from Better let a little bit of this goodness get in Ain't got no purpose, ain't got no direction, I ain't got no morals Ain't got no politics, ain't got no particular point of view What I've got is plenty of time on my hands, Ol' Skinny's playground Hey, Lord, tell me again, what you want me to do? We're just yellin' in the dark We're just pissin' in the wind From underneath the sheets that we pray from Better let a little bit of this beauty Better let a little bit of this goodness get in -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- I'm Not Running Anymore -------- Holly told me, "You better give me a child" I said, "Holly, there's no way We don't even like each other all that much We couldn't make it one more day" She said, "You better look out, buster The next time you see me you're gonna pay" I said, "Holly, I'm not running anymore But I'm on my way" I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my way But I'm not running anymore Well I got two circus clowns here who like to fight They got one black eye and a bloody nose They are the hoodlums of my third wife Whatever I say they will oppose I try to teach those clowns something Like how to make it day to day I say, "Hey, you kids, I'm not running anymore But I'm on my way" I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my way And I'm not running anymore Well I look in the mirror - what the hell happened to me? Whatever I had has gone away I'm not the young kid that I used to be So I push the hair back out of my face That's O.K., I knew this would happen But I was hopin' not today Hey Baby, I'm not running anymore But I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my way And I'm not running anymore I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my way And I'm not running anymore For sure! -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- It All Comes True -------- I stand here a black man I have no history I was brought up in East Chicago And I grew up on the streets The chains around the playground were the chains around my heart The brand upon my shoulder Well it reminds you who you are And it all comes true Yes it all comes true Like a wheel inside a wheel It turns on you And you think, What have I done? What can I do? What you believe about yourself It all comes true I was just a young girl My mother called me "Hon" My father was unhappy 'Cause I should have been his son They said, "Learn to be a waitress and learn to be a wife And be thankful for a chance to live an ordinary life" And it all comes true Yes it all comes true Like a wheel inside a wheel It turns on you And you think, What have I done? What can I do? What you believe about yourself It all comes true My life is a contradiction of sorrow and desire I drag my heart across the ash to throw it on the fire Maybe there's a reason and could there be a plan Or are we all just fools to think we'll understand And it all comes true Yes it all comes true Like a wheel inside a wheel It turns on you And you think, What have I done? What can I do? What you believe about yourself It all comes true And it all comes true Yes it all comes true Like a wheel inside a wheel It turns on you And you think, What have I done? What can I do? What you believe about yourself It all comes true -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Miss Missy -------- There's a band playing down the street we could see, yeah Movie showing down at the Von Lee A church supper with Grandma and Grandad Let's go out and have ourselves the best time we've ever had Say goodnight, my Miss Missy Goodnight, it's time to go home Hey, I might call you later Oh Missy, girl, it's late, it's time to go home Weight of the world's now on your head I take back all those mean things I said Little baby kicking down in your gut I hope it doesn't grow up to be as crazy as us Goodnight, oh my Miss Missy Goodnight, it's time to go home Hey, I might, I just might, call you later Oh Missy it's time to go home So let's dance slow just one more time Let me hold your face close to mine, yeah Let's pretend that Jesus has come To take us out just one more night for fun Goodnight, oh my Miss Missy Goodnight, it's time to go home Hey, I might call you later Oh Missy, girl, it's time to go home Goodnight, oh my Miss Missy Goodnight, it's time to go home Hey, I might, I just might, call you later Oh Missy it's time to go home -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Positively Crazy -------- We rode our horses in the city Didn't we love living there Now it's gone to those more beautiful 'Cause younger is always so pretty The marmalade the bed we made Seemed to stretch out into forever And we tried to stay together Yeah we tried to stay together Yeah, hey we had some good times Reckless at heart but never, never unkind In a perfect world we'd have done just fine We're positively crazy now -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Summer Of Love -------- Exotic cars scream down the sunset of dreams On a hot sunny afternoon I'm in a hot dog stand With a strange love holding my hand And we're both playin' it real cool It's the summer of love It's the summer of love, Baby It's the summer of love Leastways, I'm hopin' it is So we talk about her favorite movie star or something She says, "Ya know, I've never done this before" (Yeah, sure) "I know it sounds strange, but I can't remember your name But I remember last night on the floor" And we both laughed like she told a joke or something She takes her neckerchief off and wraps it around my head And says, "Hey, you" It's the summer of love It's the summer of love, Baby It's the summer of love Leastways, I'm hopin' it is It's the summer of love It's the summer of love, Baby It's the summer of love Leastways, I'm hopin' it is So we both walk along alone She says, "Hey, Mister, you sure make a strange kind of lover" And I say "yeah" I say "yeah" It's the summer of love It's the summer of love, Baby It's the summer of love Leastways, I'm hopin' it is Leastways, I'm thinkin' it just might be -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Where The World Began -------- I'm tired of being grateful for a chance to take a dive I'm sick of everything I do just to keep myself alive When you cut away the skin that bears the brand Standin' in the darkness, Baby, there I am Standin' in the darkness Someone call my name out Standin' in the darkness Someone put the flame out Standin' in the darkness Baby, there I am Where the world began Saw the man in Jamaica, he had a shadow on his back I recalled the ring of fire, and he wore his suit of black When the legend and the ocean meet the sand Standin' in the darkness, Baby, there I am Standin' in the darkness Someone call my name out Standin' in the darkness Someone put the flame out Standin' in the darkness Baby, there I am Where the world began Everyone is so fabulous, hey, we all got our gun Old Snakey's not a sinner, no, he just shows us how it's done When you separate the wretched from the damned Standin' in the darkness, Baby, there I am Standin' in the darkness Someone call my name out Standin' in the darkness Someone put the flame out Standin' in the darkness Baby, there I am Where the world began -------- 1998 John Mellencamp -------- -------- Your Life Is Now -------- See the moon roll across the stars See the seasons turn like a heart Your finest days are lost to you This is your time to do what you will do Your life is now Your life is now Your life is now In this undiscovered moment Lift your head up above the crowd You could shake this world If you would only show us how Your life is now Would you teach your children to tell the truth Would you take the high road if you could choose Do you belive your a victim of a great compromise Because I belive you change your mind you change our lives Your life is now Your life is now Your life is now In this undiscovered moment Lift your head up above the crowd You could shake this world If you would only show us how Your life is now Your life is now Your life is now Your life is now In this undiscovered moment Lift your head up above the crowd You could shake this world If you would only show us how Your life is now Your life is now Your life is now YOur life is now -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Between A Laugh And A Tear -------- When paradise is no longer fit for you to live in And your adolescent dreams are gone Through the days you feel a little used up And you don't know where your energy's gone wrong It's just your soul feelin' a little downhearted Sometimes life is too ridiculous to live You count your friends all on one finger I know it sounds crazy just the way that we live Between a laugh and a tear Smile in the mirror as you walk by Between a laugh and a tear And that's as good as it can get for us And there ain't no reason to stop tryin' When this cardboard town can no longer amuse you You see through everything and nothin' seems worthwhile And hypocrite used to be such a big word to you And it don't seem to mean anything to you now Just try to live each and every precious moment Discouraged by the future, forget your past That's old advise but it'll be good to you I know there's a balance 'cause I see it when I swing past Between a laugh and a tear Smile in the mirror as you walk by Between a laugh and a tear And that's as good as it can get for us And there ain't no reason to stop tryin' Between a laugh and a tear Smile in the mirror as you walk by Between a laugh and a tear And that's as good as it can get for us And there ain't no reason to stop tryin' No, no When paradise can no longer amuse you... -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Farewell Angelina -------- Farewell Angelina, the bells of the crown Are being stolen by bandits, I must follow the sound The triangle tingles, the music plays slow But farewell Angelina, the night is on fire, and I must go There is no use in talking and there's no need for blame There is nothing to prove, everything still is the same The table stands empty by the edge of the stream But farewell Angelina, the sky's changing colors, and I must leave The jacks and the queens they have forsake the courtyard Fifty-two gypsies now file past the guard In the space where the deuce and the ace once ran wild Farewell Angelina, the sky is folding, I'll see you after a while See the cross-eyed pirate sit perched in the sun Shooting tin cans with a sawed-off shotgun And the corporals and the neighbors clap and cheer with each blast But farewell Angelina, the sky is trembling, and I must leave fast King Kong little elves in the rooftops they dance Valentino-type tangos while the hero's clean hands Shut the eyes of the dead not to embarrass anyone Farewell Angelina, the sky is flooding over, and I must be gone The camouflaged parrot, he flutters from fear When something he doesn't know about suddenly appears What can not be imitated perfect must die Farewell Angelina, the sky's flooding over, and I must go where it is dry Machine guns are roaring, puppets heave rocks At misunderstood visions and at the faces of clocks Call me any name you like, I will never deny it But farewell Angelina, the sky is erupting, and I must go where it's quiet -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Human Wheels -------- This land today, shall draw its last breath And take into its ancient depths This frail reminder of its giant, dreaming self While I, with human-hindered eyes Unequal to the sweeping curve of life Stand on this single print of time Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face That time, today, no triumph gains At this short success of age This pale reflection of its brave and Blundering deed For I, descend from this vault Now dreams beyond my earthly fault Knowledge, sure, from the seed Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face This land, today, my tears shall taste And take into its dark embrace This love, who in my beating heart endures Assured, by every sun that burns The dust to which this flesh shall return It is the ancient, dreaming dust of God Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face Human wheels spin round and round While the clock keeps the pace Human wheels spin round and round Help the light to my face -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- In My Time of Dying -------- [Verse 1] In my time of dyin' I want nobody to mourn All I want for you to do is Take my body home [Chorus] Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed [Verse 2] Well meet me, Jesus, meet me Meet me in the air If these wings should fail me Meet me with another pair [Chorus] Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed [Verse 3] Well in my time of dyin' Don't want nobody to cry All I want for you to do Is take me home when I die [Chorus] Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Jackie Brown -------- Is this your life, Jackie Brown? Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown? This pretty little girl In the worn out clothes That have been hand-me down Is this your wife, Jackie Brown? With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown Is this your family, Jackie Brown? Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream And giving the world more than it gave you What ugly truths freedom brings And it hasn't been very kind to you Is this your life, Jackie Brown? Is this your meal, Jackie Brown? Barely enough, I've seen people throw away more than this out Is this your home, Jackie Brown? This three room shack With no running water And the bathroom out back Is this your grave, Jackie Brown? This little piece of limestone that says another desperate man took himself out Is this your dream, Jackie Brown? Going nowhere and nowhere fast We shame ourselves to watch people like this live But who gives a damn about Jackie Brown? Just another lazy man who couldn't take what was his One helluva life Jackie Brown Forevermore, Jackie Brown Amen and amen - Jackie Brown? -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First) -------- [Verse 1] In a hand painted night, me and Gypsy Scotty are partners At the Hotel Flamingo, wearin' black market shoes This loud Cuban band is crucifying John Lennon No one wants to be lonely, no one wants to sing the blues [Verse 2] She's perched like a parrot on his tuxedo shoulder Christ, what's she doing with him, she could be dancing with me She stirs the ice in her glass with her elegant finger I want to be what she's drinking, yeah, I just want to be [Chorus] I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight I saw you first, don't that give me the right To move around in your heart Everyone was lookin' but I saw you first [Verse 3] On a moon-spattered road in her parrot rebozo Gypsy Scotty is driving his big long yellow car She flies like a bird over his shoulder She whispers in his ear, boy, you are my star [Chorus] But I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight Yes, I saw you first, don't that give me the right To move around in your heart Everyone was lookin' [Verse 4] In the bone-colored dawn, me and Gypsy Scotty are singin' The radio is playin', she left her shoes out in the back He tells me a story about some girl he knows in Kentucky He just made that story up, there ain't no girl like that [Chorus] But I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight Yes, I saw you first, don't that give me the right To move around in your heart Everyone was lookin' but I saw you first I saw you first I saw you first Yeah, yeah -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Love And Happiness -------- Well, we're droppin' our bombs In the southern hemisphere And people are starving That live right here And they're tearing down walls In the name of peace And they're killing each other In the Middle East But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness They raise the price of oil And they censor our mouths If you're a young couple today Forget buying a house And we wage our wars In the neighborhoods We kill the young to feed the old And man that ain't no good But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness So, if you sell arms Or you run dope You got respect And you got hope But the rest of us die On your battle fields With wounds that fester and bleed But never heal But love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness And love and happiness And love and happiness Have forgotten our names And there's no value left In love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Minutes To Memories -------- On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line He looked at the young man who was riding beside him He said I'm old kind of worn out inside I worked my whole life in the steel mills near Gary And my father before me I helped build this land Now I'm seventy-seven and with God as my witness I earned every dollar that passed through my hands My family and friends are the best thing I've known Through the eye of the needle I'll carry them home Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned You are young and you are the future So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can The rain hit the old dog in the twilight's last gleaming He said Son it sounds like rattling old bones This highway is long but I know some that are longer By sunup tomorrow I guess I'll be home Through the hills of Kentucky 'cross the Ohio river The old man kept talking 'bout his life and his times He fell asleep with his head against the window He said an honest man's pillow is his peace of mind This world offers riches and riches will grow wings I don't take stock in those uncertain things Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned You are young and you are the future So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can The old man had a vision but it was hard for me to follow I do things my way and I pay a high price When I think back on the old man and the bus ride Now that I'm older I can see he was right Another hot one out on highway eleven This is my life It's what I've chosen to do There's no free rides, no one said it'd be easy The old man told me this my son i'm telling it to you Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned You are young and you are the future So suck it up and tough it out and be the best you can -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Rain on the Scarecrow -------- Scarecrow on a wooden cross Blackbird in the barn Four hundred empty acres That used to be my farm Grew up like my daddy did My grandpa cleared this land When I was five I walked the fence while Grandpa held my hand Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow This land fed a nation This land made me proud And son, I`m just sorry There`s no legacy for you now Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow The crops we grew last summer Weren`t enough to pay the loans Couldn`t buy the seed to plant this spring And the Farmers' Bank foreclosed Called my old friend Schepman Up to auction off the land He said: "John, it`s just my job And I hope you understand." Hey, calling it your job, ole hoss Sure don`t make it right But if you want me to I`ll say a prayer for your soul tonight And grandma`s on the front porch swing With a Bible in her hand Sometimes I hear her singing Take me to the Promised Land When you take away a man`s dignity He can`t work his fields and cows There`ll be Blood on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Blood on the scarecrow Blood on the plow There`s 97 crosses Planted in the courthouse yard Ninety-seven families who Lost ninety-seven farms I think about my grandpa My neighbors and my name And some nights I feel like dying Like that scarecrow in the rain Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow This land fed a nation This land made me proud And son, I`m just sorry They`re just memories for you now Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow This land fed a nation This land made me so proud Son, I`m just sorry They`re just memories for you now Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Seventh Son -------- Everybody's talking 'bout the seventh son In the whole wide world, there's only one I'm the one, yeah baby, I'm the one I'm the one, I'm the one, the one they call seventh son I can tell your future, it will come to pass I can do things to you and make your heart feel glad Look at the sky, predict rain And tell when a woman's got another man I'm the one, yeah, I'm the one I'm the one, I'm the one, the one they call seventh son I can talk these words, make it sound so sweet And even make your little heart skip a beat Heal the sick and raise the dead Make the little girls talk out of their heads I'm the one, yeah, I'm the one I'm the one, I'm the one, the one they call seventh son Yeah, I'm the one, yeah, I'm the one, I'm the one, oh yeah, I'm the one I'm the one, I'm the one, the one they call seventh son -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- The Full Catastrophe -------- I've ridden down Sunset I drank expensive wine I've been married 2 dozen times Raised ten children on a workman's pay And I'm glad to say I've enjoyed everyday Of the full catastrophe of life I've sat in courtrooms Had people call me names I've been to London town On a supersonic plane I was lovin' your wife While you were lovin mine And I'm glad to say I've enjoyed everyday Of the full catastrophe of life I've opened my belt to trouble everyday Ain't looking for a fight But you know I won't run away From the full catastrophe of life I've seen the goodness I've known the baddest around I was tattooed when it first came out I shook the hand that showed Moses the way And I'm glad to say I've enjoyed everyday Of the full catastrophe of life -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Under The Boardwalk -------- When the sun beats down And burns the tar up on the roof And your shoes get so hot You wish your tired feet were fireproof Under the boardwalk Down by the sea On a blanket with my baby Is where I'll be (Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun (Under the boardwalk) We'll be having some fun (Under the boardwalk) People walking above (Under the boardwalk) We'll be making love (Under the boardwalk, boardwalk) From the park you'll hear The happy sound of a carousel You can almost taste the hot dogs And French fries they sell Under the boardwalk Down by the sea, yeah On a blanket with my baby Is where I'll be (Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun (Under the boardwalk) We'll be having some fun (Under the boardwalk) People walking above (Under the boardwalk) We'll be making love (Under the boardwalk, boardwalk) Oh, under the boardwalk Down by the sea On a blanket with my baby Is where I'll be (Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun (Under the boardwalk) We'll be having some fun (Under the boardwalk) People walking above (Under the boardwalk) We'll be falling in love (Under the boardwalk, boardwalk) -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- When Jesus Left Birmingham -------- When Jesus left Birmingham All the disciples went crazy When Jesus left Birmingham All the people went completely nuts They all busted out on a wild night Riding high on a golden calf When Jesus left Birmingham All the people had themselves a big long laugh Well my girl, she's a walker And she can talk herself out of any mess My girl, she don't pray But somehow she seems still to be blessed And when those crazy nights come callin' Man, she'll dance on the tables Like all of the rest When my girl left Birmingham She was doing what she thought was best It's all free on the inside I passed a very uncomfortable feeling last night Save us right now, we need you... To hell with all the lies and liars Recovery, recovery, I don't know about any recovery Inside, gotta get inside Inside I see myself with a rosary I'm in a garden and I'm talking to myself I ain't sayin' much worth repeating Just askin' for forgiveness and all of his best When those crazy nights come callin' Man, I'm just as human as I can be When Jesus left Birmingham He left it there for you and me When Jesus left Birmingham He left it there for you and me So let it rock, let it roll Let the Bible Belt come and save my soul -------- 1999 Rough Harvest -------- -------- Wild Night (Live) -------- As you brush your shoes and stand before your mirror And you comb your hair and grab your coat and hat And you walk the streets trying to remember, yeah All those wild nights breeze through your mind And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling All the girls walk by dressed up for each other And the boys do the boogie woogie on the corner of the street And the people passing by just stare with the wild wonder And the inside jukebox roars just like thunder And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling The wi---ld night is calling The wi---ld night is calling Come on out and dance (Come on out and dance) Come on out and make romance Come on out and dance (Come on out and dance) Come on out and make romance And everything looks so complete When you're walking out on the street And the wind catches your feet And sends you flying, crying Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling Oooh, oo-ooh wee The wild night is calling -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Crazy Island -------- Hey Hey America You're some kind of crazy island You're a place where dreams can grow And there's history in your mansions Good fortune in your plantings You're well respected we all know Hey Hey America Let's check your children And see what they might know Hey Hey America With your salesmanship and your salaries And your strip malls a growin' And your handguns and your heresies Don't hold no responsibility In this land of easy millions Hey Hey America It's so thrillin' to see you grow You're some kind of crazy island You're some kind of crazy island Well I prefer a sunny day I just thought maybe I'd live a little bit longer that way I don't think we should look the same Or talk the same Yeah I think it's a shame And Hey Hey America Across the new horizon Are you sure that's the way we should go 'Cause I don't know Maybe it's too late for all that And Hey Hey America You're wrapped up in your red, white and blue Hey Hey America Wrapped up in yourself and your red, white and blue Hey Hey America You're some kind of crazy island You're some kind of crazy island Hey Hey America You're some kind of crazy island You're a place where dreams can grow And there's history in your mansions Hey Hey America You're some kind of crazy island Some kind of crazy island -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Cuttin' Heads -------- Hey Poppi yea ho Hey Poppi yea ho Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah [John Mellencamp] Lay low proud Poppi Lay low proud Poppi (shout it out) He's from the deep south (shout it out) Pass Christian Mississippi Where the cane breaks are burnin' every night Lay low proud Poppi (shout it out) Chorus: Hey o Hey o O Poppi Hey o Hey o Hey Poppi Hey o Hey o Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah [John Mellencamp] Poppi had a wife And she was black and Poppi was white (shout it out) Everything was rollin' great (shout it out) 'Til some man called her race a disgrace Oh no Chorus [John Mellencamp] Well Poppi went down to the river To defend the honor of his wife (somebody's killin' somebody) Gonna drown the man in the water (shout it out) And the water was shiny like a new knife But Poppi stopped at the banks of the Delta He said this sure ain't worth this man's life Someday the wind of change Is gonna blow on through And put all of these jokers right C'mon and sing now Chorus: [Chuck D] Papa got a brand new bag Delta blues got 'em dazed and confused Came a long way crazy Seems the abuse Is racism's baby It's wild Cause I connect the word with pain Now some smile when they scream the name? Funny how the times have changed And the rhymes have changed But some cat's frame remains the same Agitating adjective What gives? die n word die But I wanna live Known' all this Where the word came from I must be 3 times stupid And stuck on dumb If I use it and confuse it With a term of love Now popular culture Can't stop 'til it gets enough Underlined in marketing campaigns I feel undermined Heard the n word promotes the bottom line Down by the river there's a great divide Let's ride Don't call me nigga cause you know I don't like it like that Don't call me nigga cause you know I don't like it like that Don't call me nigga cause you know I don't like it like that Don't call me nigga cause you know I don't like it like that Shout it out Yeah Shout it out Tell the world Shout it out I said Hey o Hey o Hey o Hey o O Poppi Hey o Hey o Tell the world Yeah Yeah Yeah Tell the world That it ain't right Tell the world Don't set us back oh Poppi Don't set us back now Poppi Tell the world -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Deep Blue Heart -------- Daylight is leaving And the night is closing in In just a few hours The sleeplessness begins again My head feels thick And I'm unable to think I guess I'll wait 'til tomorrow And see what it brings I have a little hope left And I guess that's someplace to start But my memory's full Of a deep blue heart My fun-loving sense of humor Is nowhere to be found I stare into my own eyes With tears flowing down I'd sing out a song But I've forgotten the tune And the words now escape me But I think it's about you My vision now is way out in the dark With just a little sight left Of a deep blue heart I see us both flying In the clear blue sky Floating out on the ocean With the sun in our eyes Caught in a moment Just me and you In complete honesty Where everything is true That's what I wanted to believe Right from the start Just a little place for myself In a deep blue heart Carve out a place for myself In your deep blue heart -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- In Our Lives -------- Well I'm a middle-aged teenager I'm a man of angst and leisure Doin' the best that I can do My problems are incorrect I've always got it around my neck Hey I'm just like you Yeah I've done some good and I've done some bad But the most fun that I ever had Was singing my songs for you And if I should go astray I'd get down on my knees and pray Say God forgive me for what I do Oh in our lives There's no right way for us to live it You know in our lives There's a time to cry and a time to forget it Well I'm a broke down humble man Baby that's just who I am And that's from me to you Well I feel good here Got about a million more years To do what it is I gotta do And if some day you happen to be passin' my way Say hi, hello, how are you Well, I'll return the gesture in kind And hope that things are fine And you all just do what you gotta do Oh in our lives There's no right way for us to live it Oh in our lives There's a time to cry and a time to get with it You know in our lives there's no right way for us to live it Well I'm a broke down humble man That's just who I am And that's from me to you Yeah I'm a broke down humble man Yeah that's just who I am And that's from me to you Oh in our lives You know in our lives Yeah in our lives there's no right way for us to live it -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Just Like You -------- As my time goes by On the mean, cruel earth Trying to find some peace A little something to believe in How can things go so wrong In such a beautiful world Why are so many people crying Where's humanity gone And every time it gets so dark There's nothing for me to see Something comes along (just like you) Yea, just like you Something so unbelievably beautiful Just like you Well, it happened the other day I'm just walking down the street I'm looking down at my shoes With only myself in my way I'm livin' in my head Too much life in my veins Forgetting all of the time We're always in motion with angels And every time it gets so dark And there's nothing for me to see Something comes along (just like you) Yea, just like you Something so unbelievably beautiful Just like you As my time goes by On this mean, cruel world Trying to find some peace A little happiness to believe in How can things go so wrong In such a beautiful world Why are so many millions crying Where's humanity gone And every time it gets so dark There's nothing for me to see Something comes along (just like you) Yea, just like you Something so unbelievably beautiful Just like you Yea come along (just like you) Yea, just like you (just like you) Something so unbelievably beautiful Just like you -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Peaceful World -------- Come on baby take a ride with me I'm up from Indiana down to Tennessee Everything is cool as can be In a peaceful world People know this world is a wreck We're sick and tired of being politically correct If I see through it now but I didn't at first The hypocrites made it worse and worse Lookin' down their noses at what people say These are just words and words are okay It's what you do and not what you say If you're not part of the future then get out of the way Come on baby take a ride with me I'm up from Indiana down to Tennessee Everything is cool as can be In a peaceful world Racism lives in the U.S. today Better get hip to what Martin Luther King had to say I don't want my kids being brought up this way Hatred to each other is not okay Well I'm not a preacher just a singer son But I can see more work to be done It's what you do and not what you say If you're not part of the future then get out of the way Come on baby take a ride with me I'm up from Indiana down to Tennessee Everything is cool as can be In a peaceful world The money's good and the work is okay Looks like everything is rollin our way 'Til you gotta look the devil in the eye You know that bastard's one big lie So be careful with your heart and what you love Make sure that it was sent from above It's what you do and not what you say If you're not part of the future then get out of the way Come on baby take a ride with me I'm up from Indiana down to Tennessee Everything is cool as can be In a peaceful world Lay back the top and ride with me I'm up from Indiana down to Tennessee Everything is cool as can be In a peaceful world Hey yeah Hey yeah Hey yeah Hey yeah... -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Shy -------- Can you shelter me From this anxiety Hey baby don't look me in the eye 'Cause I'm sexually shy shy shy Sexually shy shy shy I don't know why With other girls I'm fine But with you baby I'm shy shy shy I hate for you to see me like this 'Cause nowhere else in my life Does this exist Can you shelter me From this anxiety Hey baby don't look me in the eye 'Cause I'm sexually shy shy shy I'm sexually shy shy shy Every time we talk I can't catch my breath I want a conversation But I scare myself I really can't hide behind this lie 'Cause with you baby I'm shy shy shy Woman Well I'm ashamed to say Woman That I'm afraid this way Woman Yeah Woman I gotta stop acting so crazy Can you shelter me From this anxiety Hey baby don't look me in the eye 'Cause I'm sexually shy shy shy Sexually I'm shy shy shy Can you shelter me From this anxiety yeah Hey baby don't look me in the eye 'Cause I'm sexually shy shy shy Can you shelter me From this anxiety yeah Hey baby don't look me in the eye 'Cause I'm sexually shy shy shy Sexually I'm shy shy shy I don't know why With other girls I'm fine But with you baby I'm shy shy shy I don't know why With other women I'm fine But with you baby I'm shy shy shy I don't know why I don't know why -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- The Same Way I Do -------- Before you go to sleep And close your eyes I'd like to kiss you One more time Touch your lips Perhaps your soul I'll be still and say no more Oh tell me do you feel the same way I do Well the night was sweet You filled the air Your gentle hands touched me everywhere I don't want this moment to end I'm afraid that we can't find it again Oh tell me do you feel the same way I do Oh tell me do you feel the same way I do The fragile bond Between us here Would take to build, a thousand years Before you close your eyes Just one more kiss A million years before we feel like this Oh tell me do you feel the same way I do Oh tell me do you feel the same way I do How can I trust my feelings In a moment that's always changing Tell me do you feel the same way I do The same way I do Hey do you feel Yea do you feel Hey do you feel The same way I do -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Women Seem -------- Women seem to like me They seem to like what I have to say When they see me out in public Women seem to look my way Women seem to treat me so gracious They sing me to sleep with a song But there always seems to be a problem Women don't seem to like me long Yeah Yeah Yeah Women seem to want me To stay with them all night We have so much in common Our futures really do seem bright Women seem to forgive me They seem to become my very good friends But when it comes time for a commitment The romance always seems to end They tell me all their stories We lay awake and talk all night Maybe it's me I don't know But in the morning there always seems to be some kind of fight La La La La La Well women seem to be so clever I love all the jokes that they tell Like my last boyfriend really hurt me in bed Hey but you seem to fit so well Women sure can hurt your feelings They can burn you down and not make a sound And then they call me up and say hey come over My husband has just left town They tell me all their stories We lay awake and laugh all night Maybe it's me I don't know But in the morning there always seems to be some kind of fight Women seem to love houses I've bought a couple for one or two Women seem to think all men are louses And I guess I think so too Women seem so much smarter Than your average Joe Women seem to be a little more intuitive And when they lie nobody knows Well women seem to know how to keep a secret They don't blabbermouth just for show Fifty percent of their charm is illusion And that is a good thing to know Women seem to like me They seem to like what I have to say And when they see me out in public Women seem to look my way Yeah Yeah Yeah Women seem to like They seem to like what I have to say La La La La La -------- 2001 Cuttin' Heads -------- -------- Worn Out Nervous Condition -------- I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you I thought we were having fun We were walking in the sun baby me and you Now you give me the cheek every time we kiss And I don't know what to do so Go ahead and break my heart It's your time to break my heart I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you I heard the miracle in your voice The miracle gave me no choice What am I gonna do here by myself I'm so afraid of being all by myself so Go ahead and break my heart It's your time to break my heart I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you Go ahead and break my heart It's your time to break my heart Go ahead and break my heart It's your time to break my heart I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you I'm in a worn out nervous condition over you -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Baltimore Oriole -------- Baltimore Oriole Took one look at that mercury, forty below No life for a lady To be draggin' her feathers around in the snow Leaving me blue, off she flew To the Tangipaho-down Louisiana Where a two-tiin' Jaybird Met the divine Miss O I'd like to ruffle his plumage That Baltimore Oriole Messed around with that big guy Till he singed her wings Forgivin' is easy - it's a woman like, now and then Could happen to thing Send her back home Home ain't home without her warbling How she can sing Make a lonely man happy, Baltimore Oriole Come down from that bough Fly to your daddy now -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Death Letter -------- I got a letter this morning How do You reckon it read? "Hurry the gal you love is dead"? I got a letter this morning I'm wonderin' How you reckon it read He say, "hurry, hurry" "On account that gal you love is dead" I grabbed up my suitcase I took off down the road When I got there she was laying On the coolin' board Yes, I grabbed up my suitcase I took off down the road When I got there She was laying 'Lain on the coolin' board: Well I walked up right close I look down in her face Oh, good gal Gotta lay here 'til judgement day I said I walked up right close I said I look down in her face Oh, the good ol' gal! Gotta lay here 'til judgement day: Look like ten thousand people Standing 'round the burying ground I didn't know I loved her 'til they laid her down Look like ten thousand Standing 'round the burial ground I didn't know that I love her 'Til they laid her down: Well I fol' up my arms I slowly walk away I say Farewell honey. I see you judgement day Yeah, with nobody: I slowly walk away Farewell! Farewell! I see you judgement day: You know I didn't feel so bad 'til the good ol' sun when down I didn't have a soul To throw my arms around I didn't feel so bad 'Til the good ol' sun down I didn't have a soul To throw my arms around: You know it's so hard to love Someone Don't love you Look like it ain't satisfaction Don't care what you do Yeah: so hard To love Someone Don't love you Seem like it ain't satisfaction Don't care what you do: Well I woke up this mornin' The break of day Just huggin' the pillows She used to lay -I say, soon This mourning At break of day Just huggin' the pillows Where my good gal used to lay: And I got up This morning Feeling 'Round for my shoes You know I must have The walking blues I say, soon This mourning Feeling 'round for my shoes You know Nobody? I must have the walking blues: Hush! Thought I heard her call my name Wasn't so loud So nice and plain I say, soon This mourning I slowly walk away Oh, good gal Lay here 'til judgement day: -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Diamond Joe -------- Diamond Joe, come get me Diamond Joe, come and get me When I got up this morning Before the rising sun I thought I heard him call my name But I saw no one There's some up in those buildings And some out on the farm Some have gone to the graveyard Some are heading home Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe The minutes feel like hours The hours feel like days And sometimes the dog will stay at home But sometimes he'll run away If I don't go crazy I'm bound to lose my mind I can't see nothing breaking, boys Nothing but a long sight line Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Well I don't come from the city And I ain't gonna work on this farm Seems like every place I go Wants to do me some harm So go tell Aunt Mary And my Uncle Jones Everytime that you see me cry That's my train fare home Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe Come and get me Diamond Joe -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Down In The Bottom -------- Well now, baby meet me in the bottom, bring me my running shoes Well now, baby meet me in the bottom, bring me my running shoes Well, I'll come out the window, I won't have time to lose When you see me streaking by, please don't be late When you see me streaking by, please don't be late Well, when you see me moving, though my life is at stake Well, I hope you'll see me, when I come streaking by Well, I hope you'll see me, when I come streaking by She got a bad old man, you know I'm too young to die I got to leave here. Get caught in there -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- John The Revelator -------- Well who's that a writing? John The Revelator Who's that a writing? John The Revelator Who's that a writing? John The Revelator A book of the seven seals Tell me what's John a writing? Ask The Revelator What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator A book of the seven seals Now who art worthy, crucified and holy Bound up for some, Son of our God Daughter of Zion, Judea's Lion He redeemed us, Jesus bought us with His blood Now tell me who's that a writing? John The Revelator Who's that a writing? John The Revelator Who's that a writing? John The Revelator A book of the seven seals Well what's John a writing? Ask The Revelator What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator A book of the seven seals Well Moses to Moses, Watching the flock Saw the bush where they had to stop God told Moses pull off your shoes Out of the flock, a well a you I choose Now tell me who's that a writing? John The Revelator Who's that a writing? John The Revelator Who's that a writing? John The Revelator A book of the seven seals Well what's John a writing? Ask The Revelator What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator A book of the seven seals -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Joliet Bound -------- [Originally by Memphis Minnie] -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Lafayette -------- You feel so good, Lafayette, now I've come to greet you Tell all my friends I've come back again I couldn't stay away, I was gone only a day But I'm comin' back to my sweet Lafayette I'm goin' down to Lafayette, I don't care how long I'm gone It's so hard to leave you, Lafayette, now I know where I belong When that sweet fiddle sounds and Clifton gets down That music sounds so good to me, I just might dance until three And I gotta get back to my sweet Lafayette Oh, those boys in Lafayette, smilin' so pretty Those sweet boys in Lafayette, they sure do look good to me We danced all night long to a sweet Cajun song Drinkin' and jivin' 'til dawn, I could dance on and on Doin' a two-step in my sweet Lafayette Take me back Lafayette, way down on the bayou I'm your girl, Lafayette, I'm gonna hang around you Eat that gumbo and rollin' and tumble And do crazy things every night, soon I'll be feelin' alright When I get back to my sweet Lafayette When I get back to my sweet Lafayette -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Stones In My Passway -------- [Verse 1] Well, I got stones in my passway And my road, it's black as night Yeah, I got stones in my passway And my road is black as night I got some pains in my hearts And they steal my appetite [Verse 2] Well, I got a bird to whistle I got a bird to sing Yes, I got a bird to whistle I got a bird to sing I got a woman that I'm lovin' But she don't mean a thing [Verse 3] They tried to take my life, all my money, too I said to you, babe, what you tryin' to do? I said, please, hey, let us be friends You hear me howlin' in your passway Baby, please, let me in [Verse 4] Well, I got three legs to walk on Baby, please, don't block my road Yes, I got three legs to walk on Baby, please, don't block my road All of my friends have betrayed me And I'm booked and I've got to go -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- Teardrops Will Fall -------- [Verse 1] I read your letter, darlin', tears filled my eyes All of the promises you made were nothing but lies So I turned your photograph around, face to the wall And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Chorus] Teardrops will fall tonight, tears I can't hide Tears that I'd rather keep deep down inside Tears fall, and love is gone beyond these walls And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Verse 2] I'm gonna pray tonight, babe, hopin' you will hear And maybe you'll write all those wrongs and dry each tear I sit alone tonight, hopin' you will call And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Chorus] Teardrops will fall tonight, tears I can't hide Tears that I'd rather keep deep down inside Tears fall, and love is gone beyond these walls And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Chorus] Teardrops will fall tonight, tears I can't hide Tears that I'd rather keep deep down inside Tears fall, and love is gone beyond these walls And when I dim the lights in my room tonight When I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- The End Of The World -------- Why does the sun go on shining Why does the sea rush to shore Don't they know it's the end of the world 'Cause you don't love me any more Why do the birds go on singing Why do the stars glow above Don't they know it's the end of the world It ended when I lost your love I wake up in the morning and I wonder Why everything's the same as it was I can't understand, no, I can't understand How life goes on the way it does Why does my heart go on beating Why do these eyes of mine cry Don't they know it's the end of the world It ended when you said goodbye Why does my heart go on beating Why do these eyes of mine cry Don't they know it's the end of the world It ended when you said goodbye -------- 2003 Trouble No More -------- -------- To Washington -------- Eight years of peace and prosperity Scandal in the White House An election is what we need From coast-to-coast to Washington So America voted on a president No one kept count On how the election went From Florida to Washington Goddamn, said one side And the other said the same Both looked pretty guilty But no one took the blame From coast-to-coast to Washington So a new man in the White House With a familiar name Said he had some fresh ideas But it's worse now since he came From Texas to Washington And he wants to fight with many And he says it's not for oil He sent out the National Guard To police the world From Baghdad to Washington What is the thought process To take a humans life What would be the reason To think that this is right From heaven to Washington From Jesus Christ to Washington -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Forgiveness -------- When I think of all the wrong I've done I can't believe it's me that I'm talking about I bet the same goes for you There is plenty of goodness in this world I hope some day to find it all I hope the same goes for you I hope the same goes for you Thank God for forgiveness I don't know how else we could get along Without forgiveness Without forgiveness I'd like to say I'm sorry now I hope this message is not too late I bet the same goes for you I hope the same goes for you Thank God for forgiveness I don't know how else we could get along Without forgiveness Without forgiveness If there is peace of mind at all I'd like to know it someday I bet the same goes for you I hope the same goes for you I hope the same goes for you Thank God for forgiveness I don't know how else we could get along Without forgiveness Without forgiveness -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Freedom's Road -------- I'm navigating my way down Freedom's Road Trying to make my way back home I got my foot to the floor But she must need bleeding This car just don't want to roll Freedom's Road must be under construction Sometimes you wonder what kind of freedom they're talking If you're here looking for the devil You'll find him on Freedom's Road Freedom's Road, Freedom's Road If you want to take a ride Well you've got to pay the toll Freedom's Road, Freedom's Road If you're looking for the devil He's out there on Freedom's Road Sometimes there's rape sometimes there'll be murder Sometimes just darkness everywhere No passing signs and barbed wire fences Misinformation but no one cares Freedom's Road can get narrow No one wants to know you If there's no pork in your barrel If you're here looking for the devil He's out there on Freedom's Road Freedom's Road, Freedom's Road If you want to take a ride Well you've got to pay the toll Freedom's Road, Freedom's Road If you're looking for the devil He's out there on Freedom's Road You can drop your bombs You can beat the people senseless But that won't get you anywhere Hide your agendas behind public consensus And say that this world just ain't fair Freedom's Road is a promise to the people You'll never fool us now With all your lying and cheating If you're here wanting a crown in heaven It's out there on Freedom's Road Freedom's Road, Freedom's Road If you want to take a ride Well you've got to pay the toll Freedom's Road, Freedom's Road If you're looking for the devil He's out there on Freedom's Road -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Ghost Towns Along The Highway -------- Ghost towns along the highway Guess no one wants to live around here any more Ghost towns along the highway Listen to the wind blow through the Cracks on the boarded-up doors But our love keeps on moving To the nearest faraway place I guess no one believes in Ghost towns along the highway Ghost towns along the main highway Perhaps it's the crossroads of another time Maybe it's too lonely out here But I can hear the voices of misery cryin' Some day these highways will all disappear But our love keeps on moving And the wind keeps blowin' us around I guess no one believes in Ghost towns along the highway Ghost towns along the main highway Ghost towns along the highway So many people used to call this place home Ghost towns along the highway I guess folks they're just bound to roam But our love keeps on moving To the nearest faraway place I guess no one believes in Ghost towns along the highway Ghost towns along the main highway -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Jim Crow -------- Look what Jim Crow's done and gone Went and changed his name Don't know what he's going by these days But he's still actin' the same You can call it what you want to But it's still a minstrel show You can call it what you want to But it's still Jim Crow Jim's probably laying in this morning Hummin' as he sleeps Feeling the glow of another man's woman As she lies beneath his feet Enjoyin' the cool morning breeze Smellin' flowers as he goes Looks like he's changed his ways Ah, but he's still Jim Crow Jim will spend the rest of the day Playin' in some big hotel It's an old song with very bad rhymes But he does it so well He'll make some new acquaintances When he's out on his evening stroll It's amazing that after all this time So many love Big Jim Crow -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- My Aeroplane -------- Wish I had an aeroplane I'd fly away up yonder 'Til I could write me the perfect song It'd be a song for the people It'd be a song that everybody could sing along If you needed a ride You'd have one If you needed a friend I'd be your best one If you got afraid I'd take away all your pain And I'd let you fly In my aeroplane If this song could spread happiness I'd sing it long and loud All over this land I'd teach this song to the troubled And we'd sing it for anybody Who needed a helping hand If you needed a ride You'd have one If you needed a friend I'd be your best one If you got afraid I'd take away all your pain And I'd let you fly In my aeroplane If you had a wish Well I wonder what in the world Your wish might be Would it be a wish of freedom And a joyous noise That could ring out from all eternity If you needed a ride You'd have one If you needed a friend I'd be your best one If you got afraid I'd take away all your pain And I'd let you fly - high In my aeroplane -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Our Country -------- Well I can stand beside Ideals I think are right And I can stand beside The idea to stand and fight I do believe There's a dream for everyone This is our country There's room enough here For science to live And there's room enough here For religion to forgive And try to understand All the people of this land This is our country From the east coast To the west coast Down the Dixie Highway Back home This is our country That poverty could be Just another ugly thing And bigotry would be Seen only as obscene And the ones that run this land Help the poor and common man This is our country From the east coast To the west coast Down the Dixie Highway Back home This is our country The dream is still alive Some day it will come true And this country it belongs To folks like me and you So let the voice of freedom Sing out through this land This is our country From the east coast To the west coast Down the Dixie Highway Back home This is our country From the east coast To the west coast Down the Dixie Highway Back home This is our country -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Rodeo Clown -------- Well there's blood on the hands of the rich politicians Red is the color of the sand and the sea Blood on the hands of an arrogant nation Who start all the bleeding over their policies So she blamed it all on whispering secrets She blamed it on the moon and the sky She thought she broke the back of the city She thought she thought she knew she had lied She changed direction with the gas fires burning Racing for protection what could she possibly find Children with no legs out on the highways crawling Looking for an angel but they ran out of time She had blood on her face so she had to get even She hemorrhaged and bled all over the land There's blood on the hands of those that keep silent Who won't count the bodies dead in the sand She changed direction with the gas fires burning Racing for protection what could she possibly find Children with no legs out on the highways crawling Looking for an angel but they ran out of time So you can feast on your stories but it won't stop the bleeding When the truth is found the houses surely fall down There's blood on their mouths of all lies and liars The bloody red eyes The bloody red eyes The bloody red eyes The bloody red eyes The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown She changed direction with the gas fires burning Racing for protection what could she possibly find Children with no legs out on the highways crawling Looking for an angel but they ran out of time Well, there's blood in the streets from the lies and liars The bloody red eyes of the rodeo clown -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Rural Route (acoustic) -------- Little girl disappeared and gone From the rural route Seven days missing something's wrong On the rural route Amber alert all over the nation From the rural route Two lane highway full of cops On the rural route Rural route Police dogs howl from wire cages On the rural route Last seen leavin' a trailer On the rural route Just walkin' home alone On the rural route Newspaper prints her fifth grade picture From the rural route Rural route Air stinks of crystal meth On the rural route Some one predicts a young girl's death On the rural route Father refuses to answer any questions From the rural route The man he runs around with comes up missing Off the rural route Rural route Twenty miles away by a lake On the rural route Girl's body's found, it's been raped By the rural route Twenty-eight year old friend of the father Arrested on the rural route Father traded his daughter for favors On the rural route Rural route Rural route Here's my prayer loud and clear From the rural route Forgive us Lord, get us out of here Off this rural route Oh merciful Father, show us the will Here on the rural route Give us the mercy for the drug-addicted And the mentally ill On the rural route -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Rural Route -------- Little girl disappeared and gone From the rural route Seven days missing something's wrong On the rural route Amber alert all over the nation From the rural route Two lane highway full of cops On the rural route Rural route Police dogs howl from wire cages On the rural route Last seen leavin' a trailer On the rural route Just walkin' home alone On the rural route Newspaper prints her fifth grade picture From the rural route Rural route Air stinks of crystal meth On the rural route Some one predicts a young girl's death On the rural route Father refuses to answer any questions From the rural route The man he runs around with comes up missing Off the rural route Rural route Twenty miles away by a lake On the rural route Girl's body's found, it's been raped By the rural route Twenty-eight year old friend of the father Arrested on the rural route Father traded his daughter for favors On the rural route Rural route Rural route Here's my prayer loud and clear From the rural route Forgive us Lord, get us out of here Off this rural route Oh merciful Father, show us the will Here on the rural route Give us the mercy for the drug-addicted And the mentally ill On the rural route -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Someday (acoustic) -------- Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Brother brother oh brother Why are you walking down this road here This is the road of madness and trouble And it's paved with intolerance, ignorance and fear Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Drinking our liquor from a paper cup Mean to each other Enough is enough I look at your face You look just like me Hey brother, I'm not your enemy Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when How many times can a spirit be broken For this is the kingdom of heaven we're given Good fortune will come to those who create peace For those are the ones that will walk in heaven Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- Someday -------- Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Brother brother oh brother Why are you walking down this road here This is the road of madness and trouble And it's paved with intolerance, ignorance and fear Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Drinking our liquor from a paper cup Mean to each other Enough is enough I look at your face You look just like me Hey brother, I'm not your enemy Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when How many times can a spirit be broken For this is the kingdom of heaven we're given Good fortune will come to those who create peace For those are the ones that will walk in heaven Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when Someday, someday But I don't know when -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- The Americans (Rough mix) -------- I like my heroes To be honest and strong I wear t-shirts And blue jeans I try to understand All the cultures of this world I'm an American from the Midwest When I speak I have a southern drawl I mind my manners most of the time When you come down here Stop and stay hello I'm an American from south of the Mason Dixon line I'm an American, I'm an American I respect you and your point of view I'm an American, I'm an American And I wish you good luck with whatever you do I start my day And I'm ready to work I'm responsible And I like to get things done If you ever need some help Come and look my way 'Cause I try to be here for everyone I'm an American, I'm an American I respect you and your point of view I'm an American, I'm an American And I wish you good luck with whatever you do They call me the land of opportunity With our agriculture And beautiful movie stars We can turn our dreams Into a way of life So be happy and be who you are I'm an American, I'm an American I respect you and your point of view I'm an American, I'm an American And I wish you good luck with whatever you do -------- 2007 Freedom's Road -------- -------- The Americans -------- I like my heroes To be honest and strong I wear t-shirts And blue jeans I try to understand All the cultures of this world I'm an American from the Midwest When I speak I have a southern drawl I mind my manners most of the time When you come down here Stop and stay hello I'm an American from south of the Mason Dixon line I'm an American, I'm an American I respect you and your point of view I'm an American, I'm an American And I wish you good luck with whatever you do I start my day And I'm ready to work I'm responsible And I like to get things done If you ever need some help Come and look my way 'Cause I try to be here for everyone I'm an American, I'm an American I respect you and your point of view I'm an American, I'm an American And I wish you good luck with whatever you do They call me the land of opportunity With our agriculture And beautiful movie stars We can turn our dreams Into a way of life So be happy and be who you are I'm an American, I'm an American I respect you and your point of view I'm an American, I'm an American And I wish you good luck with whatever you do -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- A Brand New Song -------- In the sweet belly of the moment When you realize you've changed And everything you're after Has gone down the drain You're nothing more than just a drifter As you walk down your road Not exactly the picture You thought you'd be sending home All these places mean nothing It's the people we count on Here without a purpose Gone without a song Yesterday seemed so sudden Today seems to have no end So you button up the buttons Say goodbye to what has been Those black and white pictures That file through your veins That's the trouble with the future It always stays the same And your pride's been shaken And those people you count on Here without a purpose And gone without a song Without a song In the uncertainty of a new day Opportunity may howl You hear the voice in a new way In the past you didn't know how You're old enough to know the difference Between and enemy and a friend With the eyes of knowledge upon you You're able to stand up again Life is always in motion And there's new people to count on Here you may find a purpose And sing a brand new song Life is always in motion New people to count on Here we find a purpose To sing a brand new song Brand new song Sing a brand new song -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- A Ride Back Home -------- Hey Jesus can you give me a ride back home I've been out here in this world too long on my own I won't bother you no more If you can just get me in the door Hey Jesus can you give me a ride back home When I started out I was so young and so strong I just let it roll off my back when things went wrong Now it's starting to get to me All of this inhumanity Hey Jesus can you give me a ride back home You wouldn't know it by looking at me now But I was showing some promise once upon a time But it's gone now And it ain't coming back My time's come and gone It's as simple as that Hey Jesus this world is just too troublesome for me I try to fight off all these devils but I'm just too weak When I'm out here walking all alone I feel like taking my life but I won't Too big a coward, can you give me a ride back home Hey Jesus can you give me a ride back home Hey Jesus can you give me a ride back home -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- County Fair -------- Well the County Fair left quite a mess In the county yard Kids with eyes as big as dollars Rode all the rides Strip artists and con artists Put on quite a show And made some money Then left town Where they went I don't know Hey all you suckers I heard a fat woman say Come on in for fifty cents You can stay in here all day So I took a chance I went inside Wasn't much there to see So I asked her for my money back And she just smiled at me Saw Princess Tonyika taken off all her clothes Rode some rides and played some games Saw the Wild Man from Barneo There was a black man playing the blues Talked to some friends I hadn't seen in a while Through a football through a hoop Well I saw them loading up their trucks Taking down the rides Folding up all the tents There's a full moon in the sky Some were laughing some were cussing As they worked Saw one of them making love To a local girl I was minding my own business It was quarter after two When a fella walked up and said Hey man I remember you And then he shoved me And pulled out his knife Stuck me three times in the chest And I died that night For the like of me I can't remember Who he was And why he'd put a knife in me In the dusty parking lot Everybody said What a shame it was But he knew better than staying out Past twelve o'clock Some people put no value On a human life And there are places we all go That just ain't safe at night If somebody would do this to me They just might do it to you So be careful where you go And what you say or do Well the County Fair left quite a mess In the county yard -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Don't Need This Body -------- This getting older Ain't for cowards This getting older Is a lot to go through Ain't a gonna need this body Much longer Ain't a gonna need this body Much more Well I can't see much Like I used to And I can't run like the wind I don't sleep more Than just a few hours I can't remember where I've been Ain't a gonna need this body much longer Ain't a gonna need this body much more I put in a ten million hours Washed up and worn out for sure Well all my friends are Sick or dying And I'm here all by myself All I got left Is a head full of memories And a thought of my upcoming death Ain't a gonna need this body much longer Ain't a gonna need this body much more I put in a ten million hours Washed up and worn out for sure Well I know one thing I'll die easy And I know my life Is not in vain Because I loved And I fought with many And the people they loved me just the same Ain't a gonna need this body much longer Ain't a gonna need this body much more I put in a ten million hours Washed up and worn out Washed up and worn out for sure This getting older Well it ain't for cowards This getting older Is a lot to go through -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- For The Children -------- I wish I could give you an answer As to when life really begins I wish I could tell you where we went When our days here come to an end Wish I could see the future The same way I see the past Wish I could draw a conclusion Why nothing here seems to last I can't even make a guess Or an uneducated thought All I can do here is my best And be thankful for what we've got Why do so many suffer Oppressed to the end of time Why does freedom move so slowly Unable to speak its mind Some say it's a circle Others think we live on the wing Why are promises broken And some think life don't mean a thing I can't even make a guess Or an uneducated thought All I can do here is my best And be thankful for what we've got I hope you can be a child of life With big dreams for everyone And know that dying's as natural as birth And our troubles here they don't last long I have worried about many things Most of which did not come to pass Hope you find someone to give you love And that your love will last I can't even make a guess Or an uneducated thought All I can do here is my best And be thankful for what we've got We've got... -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- If I Die Sudden -------- If I die sudden Please don't tell anyone There ain't nobody that needs to know That I'm gone Just put me in a pine box Six feet underground Don't be calling no minister I don't need one around Well my grandma she told me She'd be waiting at the gate She said that the fix was in And that she's already prayed And the rest of my family Will be waiting there for me too They'd already taken care of my sins And there's was nothing for me to do So If I die sudden Please don't tell anyone There ain't nobody that needs to know That I'm gone Just put me in a pine box Six feet underground Don't be calling no minister I don't need one around I don't need no preacher around I got a little bit of money Some papers you might want to see I got a house down in Georgia But let's keep this brief I'm not afraid of dying This life's been right to me I got a whole bunch more than I deserve And now I will be free Yeah now I will be free So If I die sudden Don't tell anyone There ain't nobody that needs to know That I'm gone Just put me in a pine box Six feet underground And don't be calling no minister I don't need one around I don't need no preacher around -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Jena -------- An all white jury hides the executioner's face See how we are, me and you? Everyone here needs to know their place Let's keep this blackbird hidden in the flue Oh oh oh Jena Oh oh oh Jena Oh oh oh Jena Take your nooses down So what becomes of boys that cannot think straight Particularly those with paper bag skin Yes sir, no sir, we'll wipe that smile right off your face We've got our rules here and you must fit in Oh oh oh Jena Oh oh oh Jena Oh oh oh Jena Take your nooses down Some day some way sanity will prevail But who knows when that day might come A shot in the dark, well it just might find its way To the hearts of those that hold the keys to kingdom come Oh oh oh Jena Oh oh oh Jena Oh oh oh Jena Take those nooses down Oh oh hey Jena Oh oh Jena Oh oh Jena Take your nooses down Take those nooses all down -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- John Cockers -------- I don't accommodate nobody I just take care of myself Gotta house down on a dusty road I don't need nobody else I gotta wife and some kids I don't know where they're at I know many many people But I ain't got no friends Well I used to have some values Now they just make me laugh I used to think things would work out fine But they never did do that All these bosses and the rules It's hard for me to fit in Must be ten million people But I ain't got no friends Well I'm a little isolated I live most days in my head And when I go to sleep at night I got no sheets on my bed I'm a little hard headed I can't wait for this to end I see people coming and going But I ain't a got no friends Well I look out of my window Into the darkness of night My head gets to spinning So I shut out the light I don't care if I see tomorrow If I had a reason I'd pretend I know one thing for certain I ain't a got no friends Well one of these days my anger Get the best of my soul In one desperate moment I'm gonna dig me a hole I'm gonna lie down in it And let be what will be When the morning sun rises There'll be no one to mourn for me When the morning sun rises There'll be no one to mourn for me I don't accommodate nobody I just take care of myself Gotta little house on a dusty road And I don't need nobody else I gotta wife and some kids I don't know where they're at I know many many people But I ain't got no friends -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Longest Days -------- It seems like once upon a time ago I was where I was supposed to be My vision was true and my heart was too There was no end to what I could dream I walked like a hero into the setting sun And everyone called out my name Death to me was just a mystery Cause I was too busy raisin up Abel and Cain But nothing lasts forever Your best efforts don't always pay Sometimes you get sick And you won't get better That's when life is short Even in its longest days So you pretend not to notice That everything has changed The way that you look And the friends you once had So you just keep on acting the same But deep down in your soul You got no flame And who knows then which way to go Life is short even in its longest days But nothing lasts forever Your best efforts don't always pay Sometimes you get sick And you won't get better That's when life is short Even in its longest days All I got here Is the rear view mirror The reflections of where I've been So you tell yourself I'll be back up on top some day But you know there's nothing waiting up there for you anyway But nothing lasts forever Your best efforts don't always pay Sometimes you get sick And you won't get better That's when life is short Even in its longest days -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Mean -------- I'm not following your frame of mind Complaining about this life all the time Surely something good here as the world spins by Could you please stop being so mean This will never work out that's what you say It's the end of the world again yesterday When I see you coming at me I'm gonna walk away You need to stop being so mean Your outlook is haunting us all Like the ghost of our love down at the dark end of the hall If you can't say nothing good then don't say nothing at all And you need to stop being so mean Your road seems so narrow to me You're a big boat up the river blowing off steam My head is spinning from your company Could you please stop being so mean I'm not following your frame of mind Complaining about this life all the time Surely something good here as the world spins by Could you please just stop being so mean -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- My Sweet Love -------- You say that you need me You'll always believe me Oh my sweet love That our love is forever We'll always be together Oh my sweet love You say you'll always come through And there's nothing you won't do Oh my sweet love But I've heard all this before And I can't beg anymore Oh my sweet love You're the woman who knows exactly what she's doing You're the girl who ate the apple off the tree When you're good it's just crazy, when you're bad it's too much Oh my sweet love You say you never can hurt me And never desert me Oh my sweet love That your words are true I can depend on you Oh my sweet love Then when you get in the wind And all the storms begin Oh my sweet love When you're sad and dismantled And all your senses are rattled That's when the rodeo begins You're the woman who knows exactly what she's doing You're the girl who ate the apple off the tree When you're good it's just crazy, when you're bad it's too much Oh my sweet love Sweet love standing at my gate Oh my sweet love It sure would feel good to feel good again Oh my sweet love -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Troubled Land -------- Well there's a pain in my side But I keep traveling on Bring peace to this troubled land It's dark out here I can't read those signs Bring peace to the troubled land Hurricane on the horizon Judgment getting closer all the time I can't find tomorrow Bring peace to this troubled land Well there's two men a walking Down the same dirty road Bring peace to this troubled land They stand shoulder to shoulder Carrying the same heavy load Bring peace to this troubled land One man's eyes are full of sorrow The other man's belly full of unbearable pain They keep getting closer Bring peace to this troubled land I've got many screaming children Ten million rows to hoe Bring peace to this troubled land Deader than an hammer But I can't let go Bring peace to this troubled land The eyes of heaven are upon you But so is the soul from down below They'll cut off your fingers To bring peace to this troubled land Well you can stand up and holler You can lay down and die Bring peace to this troubled land We can turn up our collars And never even try To bring peace to this troubled land Beware of those who want to harm you And drag you down to a lower game Just know the truth is coming To bring peace to this troubled land I got a pain in my side But I keep traveling on -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Without A Shot -------- Put your guns out on the table Throw your bullets on the floor This weary old house can't take it anymore From the ovens in the kitchen To the chains out in the dirt Rope hanging in the bedroom That's some of our dirty work The distant sleeping shadows That lie out in the yard The wind that distorts the meanings Of who we really are Saluting of ourselves As we pass by our mirrors This show of phony adulation Just masquerades all our fears So we open up our eyes at midnight See the setting of the sun Foundation is crumbling The inner structure's gone Used up by corruption And the passage of time We hope we've got some fight left Cause our children Our children are dying So we think that forgiveness Is a God given right And equality for all Is just a waste of our time With our nickel plated Jesus Chained around are necks Handing out verses of scripture Like we wrote it down ourselves Respect that we once had Went up the water spout Tried to keep it secret But the secret was found out Got to thinking high and mighty Like everything was a lock Some now say this house Can be taken without a shot So the hole gets dug deeper With every wedding bell And we sell each other down the road Until there's nothing left to sell And slowly but surely We disappear without a trace We point our fingers at each other And say what the hell happened to this place Without a shot Without a shot Without a shot -------- 2008 Life, Death, Love and Freedom -------- -------- Young Without Lovers -------- Better take a look At my circle Better take a look around Tell all my friends Better take a look At the colors of the people Young without lovers Old without friends Better say a prayer For the poor and unhealthy Better sing a song For those who don't care Let the people have the right To be different Young without lovers Old without friends Life is an abstraction And it tries to fool us all And it's working so far it seems Brother against brother This world is such a mess Behind the drawn curtains So our thoughts can not be seen Better shake the hand Of the hated Better hear the words That don't seem clear Better take a look around At what we're doing Young without lovers Old without friends Better take a look At my circle Better take a look around Tell all of my friends Let the people have the right To be different Young without lovers Old without friends Young without lovers Old without friends Young without lovers Old without friends -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- A Graceful Fall -------- It's not a graceful fall From dreams to the truth There's not a lotta hope here If you got nothing to lose When your vision's no good When you're flat on the ground Yeah the future's not bright When you're falling down 'Cause I'm sick of life Yeah it's easy to do When everything so hard Has been handed to you Yeah I'm sick of life 'Cause it's lost its fun I'll see you in the next world If there is really one Well I'm not falling up the ladder I'm just putting in my days My pockets are empty And my aces won't play Yeah I'm movin' down the street And I'm going nowhere It's not a graceful fall When you don't care 'Cause I'm sick of life And it's easy to do When everything so hard Has been handed to you 'Cause I'm sick of life And it's lost its fun I'll see you in the next world If there is really one Yeah, I'm sick of life 'Cause I'm falling down I'll see you in the next world If you're still around -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Clumsy Ol' World -------- She spends all our money And then she tells me I'm too tight She calls me Sunny Cause she thinks that I'm so bright She likes her love in the morning I like it at night Gee it's a clumsy ol' world Gee it's a clumsy ol' world She don't eat meat But she smokes cigarettes She remembers things That I'm trying to forget We both can hold a grudge But she always forgives Gee it's a clumsy ol' world Gee it's a clumsy ol' world Sometimes she'll meet me half way But then she'll steal my half We're always in each other's way And that just makes us laugh She says she can't quit me But she doesn't know why She gets mean and hateful But she's the apple of my eye We heart each other With a love that'll never die Gee it's a clumsy ol' world Gee it's a clumsy ol' world -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Coming Down the Road -------- Well I heard the bells of freedom once As I was coming down the road Coming down the road And I followed that echo wherever it would go As I was coming down the road But there always seemed to be trouble in my path I found my hands tied behind my back As I was coming down the road Coming down the road Well I heard the truth call my name As I was coming down the road Coming down the road And I followed that voice to the valley below As I was coming down the road And it took me down a path where I was lost all the time I found some truth but it could never be mine As I was coming down the road Coming down the road And I saw myself for a second as I really am As I was coming down the road And I had to look away in disbelief I suppose As I was coming down the road I caught a glimpse of myself as others see me And I wasn't the fella that I thought I'd be As I was coming down the road Coming down the road I saw you out my window As you was walking alone Coming down the road And I raised my hand as if to say hello As I was coming down the road But you didn't wave back You just walked on by Alone by yourself Till the day you die And I guess the truth and freedom before us all are lies Somewhere down the road Somewhere down the road -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Don't Forget About Me -------- Don't forget about me When you're holding someone else's hand Remember we had dreams and plans Don't forget about me Don't forget about me Please don't make me a used-to-be Someone lost in your history Don't forget about me I know the thrill of love is waning You can't see the pictures I'm painting Of me and you together From life to death to heaven Don't forget about me When you break your promises and lose our name I'm still gonna love you just the same Don't forget about me I know the thrill of love is waning You can't see the pictures I'm painting Of me and you together From life to death to heaven Don't forget about me When you're holding someone else's hand Remember we had dreams and plans Don't forget about me -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Each Day of Sorrow -------- Well I ain't been baptized I ain't got no church No friend in Jesus And what makes matters worse I've lost myself Into the dark Scared and alone With no love in my heart Each day of sorrow Brings me closer to goodbye If I weren't so afraid I'd lay down and die I guard it so closely What I feel in my soul And when I received love I just let it go And I called out for help I found myself alone Did I believe anything? I don't know Each day of sorrow Brings me closer to goodbye If I weren't so afraid I'd lay down and die So all of you angels Don't waste your words Dog-gone my soul I ain't' no good This life is too much trouble For a fellow like me If I had something to give you I'd give it to you for free Each day of sorrow Brings you closer to goodbye If I weren't so afraid I'd lay down and die Well I ain't been baptized I ain't got no church -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Easter Eve -------- Well me and my son of only fourteen A finer young gentleman you've never seen We went out walking on Easter Eve Just to pass some time together Well he asked me some questions of things that I'd done But I kept it good natured, we were just having fun And we talked about everything under the sun And the Easter bells were chiming So we walked for a while into a cafe we went For we were hungry from the time we'd spent We carried no malice or any contempt And both our hearts were shining Well we weren't there long before my kid said hey There's a man over there and he's looking our way Pay no attention I said to the lad Let's just mind our own business this evening Well the man approached said what are you staring at And that if we didn't stop gawking he'd take us out back And teach us some manners, it was simple as that Keep your eyes to yourselves, you bastards So I looked up and said why don't you just sit down You're walking here, sir, on very thin ground There's nobody gawking or looking around And you're alarming all of the patrons Well I guess that I shouldn't have said that 'Cause he raised his voice said get ready to scrap And with that he gave my kid's head a snap And said come and get what you've got coming Well my son stood up and hit him a lick And I tried to stop him but it happened so quick Then he smashed the man's head down in the deck He was giving that fella a beating But the man reached down pulled out a small gun And he pointed it straight at the head of my son But with a longneck bottle the kid slashed at his jaw And the pistol fell down on the table Well thank God the cops came and broke up the brawl There was blood on the ceiling and blood on the wall I said to my son you know you don't win 'em all This has sure been one hell of an evening He said you know Dad I never even saw that gal But I wasn't going to stand for him threatening us now And I hope you forgive me for being so wild Here on Easter Evening Well they arrested us all and took us to jail But ten minutes later we were all out on bail And the wife of the man came up to my son And said thank you young man for what you have done You know my husband is jealous and very cruel And whenever we're out he always acts like a fool And I'm gonna quit him now that they got him locked up And I hope to hell that he will rot Well me and my son of only fourteen A finer young gentleman you've never seen We went out walking one Easter Eve And left with that man's wife that evening -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Love at First Sight -------- Let's suppose you lived over here Let's suppose I lived right over there Let's suppose we shared a kiss On a night like this Let's suppose we went too far In the back seat of your car Let's suppose we fell in love Like two turtle doves And let's suppose we got engaged Underneath that ol' Milky Way And let's suppose we were complete Wouldn't that be sweet And let's suppose we found happiness And built ourselves a nest Let's supposed we had five kids Like our grandparents did And let's suppose our dreams came true Just like they're supposed to do And let's suppose we spent the rest of our lives together But let's suppose sometimes we'd fight When things weren't going right Let's suppose you got tired of me And our family And let's suppose that we went broke And we both just gave up hope And let's suppose you left in a huff Because you didn't love me enough And let's supposed you found another man And hit me in the head with a frying pan And let's suppose I wound up dead Underneath the bed And what would happen to the kids After all that we did Let's suppose we both better just think it over So I suppose it's just hello And that it's time for us to go We got a little ahead of ourselves Like everybody else Maybe some other time I suppose that'd be just fine So until we meet again I suppose we're just friends But remember what they say 'Cause it happens every day I believe in love at first sight So there, I said it Good night -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- No Better Than This -------- Give me twenty-five dollars And drive me around downtown Solve all my problems Don't let me lose what I've found Give me good lovin' And seal it with a kiss Then drop me off where the music's loud But it won't get no better than this Take me to a party Where I'm the only man With fifty women waitin' on me Who say they understand Feed me milk and honey Give me a story that I'll never miss Let me get one good night's sleep But it won't get no better than this Give me clear vision And don't let me miss anything I'll take the bird that whistles And the world on a string Fill my fist full of money In these troubled times And let me share the water With all, all of mankind Give me back my youth And don't let me waste it this time Stand me up at the golden gates At the front of the line Let me lie in the sunshine Covered in the morning mist Then show me something I ain't never seen But it won't get no better than this -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- No One Cares About Me -------- Well my wife she took off to Memphis With some fella from our little town My mother's at home up in Baltimore And my daddy is down in the ground It gets awfully cold here in the winter Hot and humid in the summer time I got laid off on account there's no work for me Now I'm in the unemployment line No one cares about me No one cares about me No one cares about me at all If I had to guess It's because I'm spotty at best No one cares about me at all Well my kids they've all scattered Went lookin' for a better life Lost one of my boys to the drug man It's the only time I've cried in my life And I knew an old guy once He was kind of my friend But he smoked himself to death And they buried him out at Riverview Now I'm all that I've got left No one cares about me No one cares about me No one cares about me at all If I had to guess It's because I'm spotty at best No one cares about me at all Some day I'll go look up my brother He lives a few miles from here Haven't talked to him in quite some time I guess it's been six or seven years Well he works out there at the cannery And I think he makes a pretty good pay His wife she never thought too much of me So I just stayed away No one cares about me No one cares about me No one cares about me at all If I had to guess It's because I'm spotty at best No one cares about me at all Well it's hard to say what kind of fella I am But most the time nothing goes my way I must have done something pretty wrong But I still think it will work out okay There surely must be some angels around the bend And they're trying to get to me I'll catch up with them pretty soon But for now no one cares about me No one cares about me No one cares about me No one cares about me at all If I had to guess It's because I'm spotty at best No one cares about me at all -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Right Behind Me -------- This time I'm leavin' And I ain't-a kiddin' Walkin out the door For evermore You see the devil He's right behind me Whistling in my ear It's time to go You know the devil He thinks he's got me But he ain't got me No Goin' to get my baby She in Chicago Wrapped up with some stranger Every afternoon She says I don't care Nothin' about her But I gotsta tell her I still do You know the devil He thinks he's got her But he ain't got her No I know Jesus And I know the devil They're both inside of me All the time This ain't no picnic That I'm livin' Just a resting place Before it's time to go You see the devil He thinks he's got me But he ain't got me No You see the devil He thinks he's got me But he ain't got me No No, no, no, no, no This time I'm leavin' I ain't a-kiddin' -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Save Some Time to Dream -------- Save some time to dream Save some time for yourself Don't let your time slip away Or be stolen by somebody else Save some time for those you love For they'll remember what you gave Save some time for the songs you sing And the music that you've made Could it be that this is all there is? Could it be there's nothing more at all? Save some time to dream 'Cause your dream could save us all Save some time for sorrow Cause it will surely come your way Prepare yourself for failure It will give you strength some day Try to keep your mind open And accept your mistakes Save some time for living And always question your faith Could it be that this is all there is? Could it be there's nothing more at all? Save some time to dream 'Cause your dream might save us all Cast your eyes up to heaven Oh what does that mean to you Try not to be too judgmental So others will not judge you Save some time to think Oh before you speak your mind Many will not understand And to them you must to be kind Could it be that this is all there is? Could it be there's nothing more at all? Save some time to dream 'Cause your dream might save us all Oh yeah Your dream might save us all -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- The West End -------- Well the West End now The West End then Went by the other day Just to see my friend His house was dark His socks were thin I told him let's get out the West End For my whole life I've lived down in the West End But it sure has changed here Since I was a kid It's worse now Look what progress did Someone lined their pockets I don't know who that is Well my old man slaved Down here in the West End He thought the future was bright Way back then But it beat him down Till he had nothing to give It broke his back Took away his will to live Now me I don't think much of the West End Ain't gonna end up Like the old man did 'Cause I got dreams and they're bigger than this As far as I'm concerned You can keep the West End Well I guess down here In the West End Broken promises Now and then It's not even fair To think that they would 'Cause the West End now Ain't no damn good Out there somewhere You know there's gotta be a place Where a man can live With a smile on his face And every day something new begins But it ain't down here At the West End Some day down here In the West End No one will remember How the whole place began -------- 2010 No Better Than This -------- -------- Thinking About You -------- It's not my nature To be nostalgic at all I sat by the phone last night Waiting for you to call It's been decades since I spoke to you I just wanted to say I've been thinking about you Did you get my message I left the other afternoon Your young girl's voice said I'll call you back real soon I bet that's your daughter She sounded like you used to I just wanted to say I've been thinking about you So long ago Those summer afternoons I bet they've torn that playground down Where I first met you Don't mean no trouble Don't want to bother you none Ain't looking for nothing Just wondering about you some If you ain't got time To return this call I understand That you're busy and all But thanks for the memories When the world didn't seem so small I just wanted to say I've been thinking about you About you Thinking about you -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- Blue Charlotte -------- Exhausted by too many tears Trouble is everywhere Hold you in my arms Blue Charlotte While your eyes gaze up at me I'm not the man I used to be You still own my heart Blue Charlotte Look away, look away They're so precious, these last few days Look away, look away We watch as it comes to an end Blue Charlotte And if you pass tonight in your sleep You will still have me to weep I'm all that remains here Blue Charlotte Yellow letters from your youth All of them seeking truth The poems written from me to you Blue Charlotte Look away, look away They're so precious, these last few days Look away, please look away We watch all that screams Blue Charlotte Look away, look away We watch as autumn comes to an end Blue Charlotte It's a long, long way from here Our reflection in the mirror Now you've closed your eyes Blue Charlotte It's a slow walk to the grave Here we are together today You've been my whole life Blue Charlotte Look away, look away They're so precious, these last few days Look away, look away We watch as something new begins Blue Charlotte Blue Charlotte -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- Freedom of Speech -------- Freedom of speech Freedom to say Freedom to think This is my lucky day Freedom of thought Freedom of dreams Freedom to believe That we all can be kings Freedom is yours Freedom is mine Freedom of speech So I can write down these lines If you and I agree Hold out your hand to me We will share our freedoms With our friends and family Freedom of speech Freedom to say Freedom to think This is my lucky day Freedom of thought Freedom of dreams Freedom to believe That we all can be kings We can take our thoughts So many ways If your thoughts are different Well, I think that's okay We should all try To keep the Golden Rule And cherish our freedom At home and in our schools Freedom of speech Freedom to say Freedom to think This is my lucky day Freedom of thought Freedom of dreams Freedom to believe That we all can be kings All can be kings -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- Lawless Times -------- Well, you can't trust your neighbor Husband or wife Can't trust the police With their guns or their nights Look out for the creepers Tappin' on your cell phone You'd better lock your door Even when you're at home My, my, my These are lawless times My, my, my These are lawless times You can't trust the banks The way that you used to do I hope that Wall Street Has been good to you You can't trust the priest You'd better watch your behind Don't look too close at the government Hard tellin' what you'll find My, my, my These are lawless times My, my, my These are lawless times Well, I don't trust myself I don't trust you Don't get too sick It'll be the end of you Don't expect a helping hand If you fall down And if you want to steal this song It can be easily loaded down My, my, my These are lawless times My, my, my These are lawless times So you might ask yourself Hey, what can I do? I can't trust the future What's been promised to you Learn the rules hard and fast Take care of yourself And keep your eyes open On everybody else My, my, my These are lawless times My, my, my These are lawless times My, my, my These are lawless times My, my, my These are lawless times -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- Sometimes There's God -------- Sometimes there's God in someone else's eyes Sometimes there's God when you see the sun rise Sometimes your work, only in vain Sometimes there's very little heartbreak and pain Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not Sometimes there's God and sometimes there's just not A little redemption would help us a lot Sometimes there's God in the palm of your hand Somedays hard times will cover your land Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God And sometimes there's just not Sometimes you pray for witness you can rise above There's judgment and destruction in the name of God Can we find truth in all that we feel Sometimes there's God when sickness is healed Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not We all need God when people don't care What we do to each other when there's nobody else there In the dark we promise God I'll never do this again Let the choices we've made be forgiven Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's God Sometimes there's not And sometimes there's God -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- Tears in Vain -------- Snow falling on a cane break Please stop howling at the moon I got stones in my bed Stones left there by you Tears in vain I'm crying Tears in vain over you I guess I should know better than To cry these tears in vain I guess I could ask myself why now As if there's some answer known I'll just sit here by myself As you meet your friend down the road Tears in vain I'm crying Tears in vain over you I guess I should know better than To cry these tears in vain I might write you a poem And put it up there on the wall I'll rewrite it 'til you return to me Sha la la la la la la Tears in vain I'm crying Tears in vain over you I guess I should know better than To cry these tears in vain Tears in vain I'm crying Tears in vain over you I guess I should know better than To cry these tears in vain To cry these tears in vain -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- The Brass Ring -------- The saddest girl in the whole wide world I met her on the Quarter With no regards for vagrancy, no respect for civil order How young are you, I asked her How old are you, young lady? I'm much older than you think, 'cause I have seven babies Where are those who keep these kids While you're out on the party? I leave them where they are safe At the church of 12th and Harding The people there they know me well They ask me very few questions And if a child should pass before they wake, they'll pray them into heaven No love and no lover A murder of crows did sing We soon will discover The coffin will wear our brass ring So where's the father of these kids? Does he, does he help you ever? I have no idea where he is He don't show his face, he knows better Can I help you go tonight? It would be my pleasure And make sure that you arrive all right Now we could leave together She said, no, I don't need your company And I don't want your pity You'd be wise just to go away And leave me here where I'm sitting Is there nothing I can do for you? Now it's time to scatter Why do you think there's something wrong with me There's nothing really the matter? No love and no lover A murder of crows did sing We soon will discover A coffin will wear our brass ring I find myself where life could go I find myself each morning All the duties of this world Fell on my shoulders without warning I make no plans, nor do I care For the future called tomorrow This world I've seen here's never fair So just leave me here with my sorrows No love and no lover A murder of crows did sing We soon will discover The coffin will wear our brass ring No love and no lover A murder of crows did sing We soon will discover A coffin will wear our brass ring Wear our brass ring -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- The Company of Cowards -------- I'm in the company of cowards I'm in the company store Bullet holes through the window We can't keep this company up anymore A bucket of beer, a bucket of fools A bucket of dark and broken rules There's a lot more to this than I ever thought A bucket of trouble that's what we've bought The man in the moon this afternoon Told secrets on you I believe to be true I'm in the company of cowards I'm in the company of me and you I saw you with Mr. Struggle Must Go On In a bar down in the Keys He was old and slow and couldn't throw a punch And you looked so musical last night in the breeze You were showering him with your tender protection With no regard for me I was dining alone on the bread of sorrow While you were making fat the old man and the sea The man in the moon this afternoon Told secrets on you I believe to be true I'm in the company of cowards I'm in the company of me and you The Bible speaks of Heaven and Hell And many frightening things Politicians say "One more war And the bells of freedom will start to ring" Those stories you told by the waggin' of your chin Time's not so precious til it comes to an end And silence is truth between me and you With our demur well hidden, like two birds we flew So cover your eyes old man in the moon Unless you care to see what really is not true You're in the company of cowards It's hard telling what they will do You're in the company of cowards You're in the company of me and you -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- The Courtesy of Kings -------- I knew this colorful woman once She drank and had a roving eye In the morning she was always mournful She'd cry and apologize But she'd always repeat herself Find comfort with a stranger and sing She never took much notice In the courtesy of kings She had pictures of Cuban artists And paintings from Rotterdam Promises that she made She never could stay true to them She said she loved me so deeply Then she'd spit in my face and scream And she never took much notice In the courtesy of kings She had the face of an angel And a smile no one could deny But the heart of a devil Beat deep down in her inside She spoke of judgment and forgiveness Her other lovers didn't mean a thing She never took much notice In the courtesy of kings We parted in the middle of nowhere I haven't seen her since then She always kept my mind busy She made her lies seem like a hymn Sometimes I wonder if I'd see her If I would still recognize Or just remember her as a dream And respect her for the love she used to bring If I could show her The courtesy of kings -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- The Isolation of Mister -------- Never looked forward to the future Never enjoyed where I've been Couldn't keep my mind in the moment Never really cared if I had a friend I always felt like there was something better Even when I had it made Never respected the job I was doing Never cared about money but I felt underpaid Saw so many people Walking out the door Never cared about being lonely Because I couldn't use you no more I said, go away I'm quittin' on you today I always felt like sorrow was a lesson I always felt I needed to feel the pain I thought happiness was a transgression And I just took it as it came I never wanted to say too much To other people I did not understand Never made love with my heart in it Never wanted to make any plans Saw so many lovers Walk out that door Never cared about being lonely Because you didn't love me no more I said, go away, go away I'm quittin' on you today Love 'em, leave 'em, then forget 'em Don't worry about 'em when they're gone That's the way I always played it Now maybe I played it all wrong Been so indifferent about so many things About my time and my rage Thought I was livin' a life of freedom But I was living in a cage And that cage bred with my lower self So many knots I did not untie They came undone by my faults And here's the reason why Saw so many lovers Walk out that door Never cared about being lonely Because I didn't love you no more I said, go away, go away, go away I'm quittin' on you today -------- 2014 Plain Spoken -------- -------- Troubled Man -------- It's the wake of all evil A universal mess I've always found trouble Even at my best No hopes to get better 'Til they put me down to rest I am a troubled man Anxiety and sorrow Underneath my skin Self-destruction and failure Have beat my head in I laughed out loud once I won't do that again Always traveled the hell fire road To chase the sweet smell of sin I am a troubled man I am a troubled man I am a troubled man I am a troubled man So many things Have fallen through my hands I am a troubled man People up on the east side People on the gravel road People of many colors Whose stories will never be told Too late came too early for me to face myself I am a troubled man I am a troubled man I am a troubled man, oh Lord I won't do anything but hurt you if I can I am a troubled man -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- All Night Talk Radio -------- [Verse] I see the rain fall past the tower I'm the late night call-in show I'm 50, 000 watts of power All night talk radio They call from Maine to California Broken hearts that fought so long And through this night will share a lover All night talk radio How could so many be so lonely Hands pressed cold against the phone Beyond the stars does someone hear them On the all night talk radio They speak of homes betrayed and broken Part-time jobs and unpaid loans Join the cry beyond the voices All night talk radio What are a thousand points of light now (Where are the thousand points of light now) To warm a hundred thousand million souls The truth cries out across the darkness All night talk radio How could so many be so lonely Hands pressed cold against the phone Beyond the stars does someone hear them On the all night talk radio I see the rain fall past the tower I'm the late night call-in show I'm 50, 000 watts of power All night talk radio How could so many be so lonely Hands pressed cold against the phone Beyond the stars does someone hear them On the all night talk radio On the all night talk radio -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Battle Of Angels -------- [Verse] In the battle of angels On a street that we call home And the way that we treat each other We'll walk down that street alone Take a lover and a stranger As we lie in each other's arms And our word is good for nothing Brought our world only harm Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, in the battle of angels Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, in the battle of angels You know our lives are full of shadows With one foot out the door Trying to satisfy our hungers And devouring our souls Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels Here in the battle of angels Out on this horizon line With our romantic notions And our tongues that tell lies We keep the barbwire between us We're just kidding ourselves Our pistoleros well hidden Soaring away from everything else Battle of Angels Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels In the battle of Angels Oooooh, Ooh Ooooooh, battle of angels -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Damascus Road -------- [Verse] I had a come to Jesus revelation In a blinding light I met my soul's salvation My feet don't falter my limbs don't ache Through the waterless land of the thorns and the snake I could taste the freedom in the back a my throat My burdens too heavy for me to tote So I Fell to my knees I dug a hole down deep Dropped 'em in a bottomless pit for the Devil to keep No angels heard what I said I got an urgent message from a voice inside my head I can suddenly see the good and bad of both sides of me Down the road to Damascus Road The righteous and evil are God's creation Humanity's filled with this combination But my faith won't waiver my spirit wide awake I'm Glory bound now with every step I take I've been changed forever when I came to believe Grace in forgiveness given to me Like a force of nature cross this wide n wicked land Won't cha hear the message and decide on which side you stand No angels heard what I said I got an urgent message from a voice inside my head I can suddenly see the good and bad of both sides of me Down the road to Damascus Road No angels heard what I said I got an urgent message from a voice inside my head I can suddenly see the good and bad of both sides of me Down the road to Damascus Road -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Early Bird Cafe -------- [Verse] Everybody's laughin' at the Early Bird Cafe I've been hidden there since yesterday, and I believe I've lost my way Charlotte's there in organdy, and Billy's there in suede There's money in their pockets, and all the dues are paid There's wine on every table, and food on every plate Well I hope I get there pretty soon, before it gets too late Someone asked me what time it was - and I, told him it was now He asked me just what that might mean, but time would not allow So I gave away my watch to a passing businessman Well I hope he understands it now - cause I've done the best I can It was getting early, so I rushed away from there With that ancient earth beneath my feet And new dust in my hair Well I ran on down the road a while, to the other side of town My clothes were gettin' wrinkled, and my socks were fallin' down But I could not stop to pull them up, for fear that I'd be late So I kept on runnin' down the road until I saw the gate - Of the Early Bird Cafe, glowin' golden like the sun Everybody kept on singing, saying: "Come on in, we've just begun!" So I went right in, and I set right down, and I ordered up some wine The talk was fast & clever, and the women all were fine Charlotte asked me where I'd been with her jade and ivory eyes I told her I'd been hung up, with some begger in disguise Well she laughed like temple bells Kissed me on the cheek and said: "You know it's hard to be alive sometimes... But it's easy... To be dead!" -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Easy Target -------- [Verse] Here's an easy target With just one quiet pop Shot to hell anyway No reason to stop In the streets and the gutters The cotton fields in this land Here's an easy target With a trigger, in your hand So, Black lives matter Who we trying to kid Here's an easy target Don't matter, never did Crosses burning Such a long time ago 400 years and we still don't, let it go Well let the poor be damned And the easy targets too All are created equal Equally beneath me and you Children crying Under the time-keeping sun The war on the easy targets We won't ever, get this done Easy targets All along the avenue Living here in Sucker Town Baby me and you Behind the bars To keep each other apart Easy targets Our Country's broken heart Our Country's broken heart -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Grandview -------- [Verse] Just an old country boy, wearing my Osh-Kosh boots Walked by the trailer factory, every day on my way to school Early on in life, the only thing I wanted to do Was buy me a trailer and move it down to Grandview Got out of high school, got on at Whirpool Bought me a car, two guitars and everything Me and Patty were falling in love before the summer was through I started thinking about trailers and high lots in Grandview It was a scorching summer night, we just left the dairy bar We was sitting out on Ridgeland Road in the front seat of my car I said "Patty, if you marry me babe, I'll take good care of you I'll buy a brand new trailer and move it down to Grandview" She said "Ah your wedding song, it sounds real nice And I could sure get off on sleeping with you at night But I tell ya what baby, you want me, here's what to do I want a brick home like my mother's, ain't movin' down to Grandview" That's what she told me There's been a lot of years, a lot of debt, a lot of pain Our youngest baby's movin' out when she gets married next spring When the bash is over, I'll tell you what I'm going to do I got my trailer picked out, gonna move it down to Grandview I got this 28 by 70 double-wide We could slide it on in there, honey We can chock those wheels real good I want it settin' nice and level Back it on in there boys And don't get no mud on my front porch Cause the son of a btch is brand spankin' new, baby Stick it into Grandview Stick it into Grandview Slide it on in there, honey Stick it into Grandview -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Indigo Sunset -------- [Verse 1] I close my eyes and think of you Your smiling face and that heart so true I could close my eyes and see the sun setting on you [Verse 2] Spirit takes me back in time A sweeter place was yours and mine I just close my eyes, see the sun setting on you [Chorus] You'll always be the one I'd choose A million kisses and I love yous Oh and I, I just close my eyes and see the sun setting on you [Verse 3] Leaves piled on the ground, winter's coming on cold and long Miss you so much babe, hey but you're still gone I just close my eyes, see the sun setting on you [Chorus] My fingers combing thru your hair You took my hand and swore you'd always be there Oh and I, I just close my eyes and see the sun setting on you [Outro] Baby I, I just close my eyes and see the sun setting on you -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Mobile Blue -------- [Verse 1] Headed south to work the pipeline Make some cash while in the meantime Baby jumped a bird and flew away Lordy, Lordy, my mind's achin' Drunk and down and out and makin' time With anything that comes my way [Chorus] Staggered to the Greyhound station L.A. man's my destination Put me on the dog, take me away Mobile blues, baby, I can't make it Got me down, Lord, I can't take it Here in Alabama for one more day [Verse 2] I called a friend in Frisco, he said, "Baby's in L.A" Here I am in Alabama two thousand miles away Lord, I got these Mobile blues today [Verse 3] Well, I left her back in Frisco, and she begged me not to go I know somebody must have told her that I travel and I lie That they saw me drunk in Mobile With some wired up chick from Jacksonville And, brother, did it look like we could fly [Chorus] Staggered to the Greyhound station L.A. man's my destination Put me on the dog, take me away Lord, I got these Mobile blues today Lord, I got the Mobile blues today -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- My Soul's Got Wings -------- [Verse] Well I've got a house, way up in the sky Yes, I got a house, way up in the sky Life may be dreary, but I can still sing Fly up to heaven On my soul wings Well my soul Lord My soul's got wings My load is heavy But I can still sing Climb up my mountain Walk on my sea Fly up to heaven On my soul's wings Well I've got a house, way up in the sky Yes, I got a house, way up in the sky Life may be dreary, but I can still sing Fly up to heaven On my soul wings So full of joy now, don't know what to say Kneel at my bedside, each night to pray Sleep on my pillow, all night I dream Gonna fly up to heaven On my soul's wings Wake up in the morning, way up in the sun Work for my Lord, 'til my work's done Night time I stop, to count my good deeds Fly up to heaven On my soul's wings Well I've got a house, way up in the sky Yes, I got a house, way up in the sky Life may be dreary, but I can still sing Fly up to heaven On my soul wings Fly up to heaven On my soul wings Fly up to heaven On my soul wings -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Sad Clowns -------- Well I don't wait on women I don't open doors I'm not much of a gentleman And by the way, I keep score So if you are thinking You're sitting on top of the world with me Baby, you'd better think again I don't care for girls Who give compliments to themselves How glamorous they are And how they're really something else I've been taken in By women like that before So baby, you'd better think again I could be more accommodating But somehow it's lost on me And all this useless talking About how it's going to be I'll come along for the ride And this sad clown company Hey baby, you'd better think again Well I'm about as dependable As a drunkard who needs a drink Have no real interest In what you might say or think But I got the ice cubes To pour you a drink Baby, you'd better think again I could be more accommodating But somehow it's lost on me And all this useless talking About how it's going to be I'll come along for the ride And your sad clowncompany But baby, you'd better think again I'd like to apologize For all my shortcomings now And sure, I get lonely But I get over it somehow I'm not exactly a young girl's dream Cause you figured that out by now So baby, you'd better think again Hey baby, you'd better think again -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- Sugar Hill Mountain -------- [Chorus] Sugar Hill, Sugar Hill Mountain Where there's bubblegum and cigarette trees Sugar Hill, Sugar Hill Mountain Feel the spring breeze And do what you please To see the world From Sugar Hill Mountain Most beautiful sight You ever did see And there's no clocks On Sugar Hill Mountain Only time for you and me If there's something that you need Of course it's gratis Money don't mean a thing And if you fall in love That's easy to do Cause every day is spring (And that's just for starters) You couldn't find a better place in this world No matter how hard you tried The cops are always friendly And you can sleep as late as you want And there's always an extra piece of pie (While you're lazin' on a rainbow) Sugar Hill, Sugar Hill Mountain Where there's bubblegum and cigarette trees Sugar Hill, Sugar Hill Mountain Feel the spring breeze And do what you please -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- What Kind Of Man Am I -------- [Verse 1] My words don't know the truth They flutter as I speak The sickness I feel under my belt Is the disdain I have for me I've asked you to stand tall But it's me who's fallen down A better man I'd like to be But I can't find my way home now [Chorus] So what kind of man am I? Who never looked up to see the sky And every word I say Has come back to haunt me every day So here I stand alone Crippled on my cane The coward I've become The loser in the game [Verse 2] These eyes you see are masked By a thin veneer of tears And who would have known that such a small task Would have compromised all these years 'Cause a liar's guilt is a liar's fate And man, that's just the facts For those too weak to tell the truth Into darkness you'll be cast [Chorus] So what kind of man am I? Who never looked up to see the sky And every word I say Has come back to haunt me every day And here I stand alone Crippled on my cane The coward I've become [Verse 3] So dig deep, you little bastard Let the truth be known Angels are flying with you tonight You'd better not let them go 'Cause if you do I'd hate to think Of what your fate could be Speak your mind, tell what you know And set your soul free [Chorus] So what kind of man am I? Who never looked up to see the sky And every word I say Has come back to haunt me everyday (speak your heart) So here I stand alone Crippled on my cane The coward I've become (Set us free) The loser in the game -------- 2017 Sad Clowns & Hillbillies -------- -------- You Are Blind -------- [Verse] She's colorful and crazy And you think she's broken-hearted The sadness of the world Is where the conversation started But you want to be with her 'Cause you think that you can save her But she likes the way she is And says that's the way God made her But you know that you can't love her With a love that lasts forever So you hold her so closely 'Cause you know that you are blind She takes you many places So you go there together The ride's always stormy But you're sure it will get better And she touches you so softly Sometimes you can barely feel her Then she tells you she's your lover But your mind, it knows better And just when you want to leave her She brings you into her body And your head goes to spinnin' And you know that you are blind So maybe tomorrow She'll be gone forever It's always her favor If you'll be together And it's hard to imagine That she is only human But she's really no different Than any other woman But you'd carry her forever No matter what the distance Because you believe her And you know that you are blind -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Dark as a Dungeon -------- [Verse 1] Come all you young fellers, so young and so fine And seek not your fortune in a dark dreary mine It'll form like a habit and seep to your soul 'Til the stream of your blood flows black as the coal [Chorus] It's dark as the dungeons and damp as the dew Where the dangers are double and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls, and the sun never shines It's dark as the dungeons way down in the mines [Verse 2] There's many a man I have seen in my day Who live just to labor his whole life away Like a fiend with his dope and a drunkard his wine A man will have lust for the lure of the mine [Chorus] It's dark as the dungeon and damp as the dew Where the dangers are double and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls, and the sun never shines It's dark as the dungeons way down in the mines [Verse 3] Come midnight or morning, or middle of day It's the same to the miner who labors away For the demons of death often come by surprise One fall of the slate, and you're buried alive [Chorus] For it's dark as the dungeon and damp as the dew Where the dangers are double and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls the sun never shines It's dark as the dungeons way down in the mines [Verse 4] I hope when I'm dead and the ages shall roll My body will blacken and turn into coal I'll look from the door of my heavenly home And pity the miners who're digging my bones [Chorus] It's dark as the dungeons and damp as the dew Where the dangers are double and the pleasures are few And the rain never falls, and the sun never shines As dark as the dungeons way down in the mines -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Eyes on the Prize -------- [Verse 1] Paul and Silas bound in jail Had no money to go their bail Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on Hold on, hold on Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on [Verse 2] Paul and Silas began to shout Doors popped open and they walked out Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on Hold on, hold on Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on [Verse 3] Only chains that we can stand Are the chains of hand and hand Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on Got my hand on freedom's plow Won't do nothing for it now Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on Hold on, hold on Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on [Verse 4] Look what we've become And the crosses we hang on Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on Hold on, yeah, hold on Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on Hold on, yeah, hold on Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Gambling Bar Room Blues -------- [Verse 1] I went down to the corner just to meet my gal I found her standin' on the sidewalk, she was talkin' to my pal I strolled back to the bar room to get another drink of gin But the first thing I knew, I was reelin', rockin' and drunk again Well, I kept on drinkin' gin and liquor way up into the night When my pal walked into the bar room Man, we had a terrible fight I reached down for my razor, and then I knocked around But when I pulled my pistol, I quickly smoked him down [Verse 2] I went down to see my baby, and met her on the way I told her I had to leave her, I told her I could not stay I started down to the station and stopped in at the bar And there I met a policeman He was cruisin' down in his car My baby came in to join us, and then it began to rain Then I was in a hurry, had to catch that midnight train I laid my head on the bar room door I'll never get drunk no more I pawn my watch and my golden chain I pawn my baby's diamond ring [Outro] I said, hey hey hey, hey hey hey hey hey Hey hey hey, hey hey hey hey hey -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- I Don't Know Why I Love You -------- [Chorus] I don't know why I love you I don't know why, but I love you I don't know why I love you, but I love you [Verse] Always treat me like a fool Hit me when I'm down, that's your rule I don't know why I love you But I love you, oh yeah Never stop with those cheatin' ways With another guy, you laugh in my face Lord, how much can I be disgraced? 'Cause I love you, oh, baby, yeah [Chorus] I don't know why I love you I don't know why, but I love you I don't know why I love you, baby But I love you, baby, oh yeah [Outro] You throw my heart down in the dirt Oh, you made me crawl, oh On this cold, black earth, yeah No, I never knew how much love could hurt 'Til I loved you, baby, oh yeah I can't stop, I can't stop crying, can't you see? Oh, I'm pleading with you, baby, now I'm on my knees, I'm on my knees Won't you help me? Oh, help me, please 'Cause I love you, baby Oh, I love you, baby I don't know, I don't know, we don't know Oh, don't know nothin' about it Can't do nothin' about it I don't know why I love you Oh yeah, baby, oh I can't stop, I can't stop crying, oh I'm on my knees, baby Won't you help me, please? I don't know why I love you But I love you, baby Oh, oh, oh, yeah -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- In My Time of Dying -------- [Verse 1] In my time of dyin' I want nobody to mourn All I want for you to do is Take my body home [Chorus] Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed [Verse 2] Well meet me, Jesus, meet me Meet me in the air If these wings should fail me Meet me with another pair [Chorus] Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed [Verse 3] Well in my time of dyin' Don't want nobody to cry All I want for you to do Is take me home when I die [Chorus] Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Well, well, well, so I can die easy Jesus gon' make up, Jesus gon' make up Jesus gon' make up my dyin' bed -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Mobile Blue -------- [Verse 1] Headed south to work the pipeline Make some cash while in the meantime Baby jumped a bird and flew away Lordy, Lordy, my mind's achin' Drunk and down and out and makin' time With anything that comes my way [Chorus] Staggered to the Greyhound station L.A. man's my destination Put me on the dog, take me away Mobile blues, baby, I can't make it Got me down, Lord, I can't take it Here in Alabama for one more day [Verse 2] I called a friend in Frisco, he said, "Baby's in L.A" Here I am in Alabama two thousand miles away Lord, I got these Mobile blues today [Verse 3] Well, I left her back in Frisco, and she begged me not to go I know somebody must have told her that I travel and I lie That they saw me drunk in Mobile With some wired up chick from Jacksonville And, brother, did it look like we could fly [Chorus] Staggered to the Greyhound station L.A. man's my destination Put me on the dog, take me away Lord, I got these Mobile blues today Lord, I got the Mobile blues today -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Stones In My Passway -------- [Verse 1] Well, I got stones in my passway And my road, it's black as night Yeah, I got stones in my passway And my road is black as night I got some pains in my hearts And they steal my appetite [Verse 2] Well, I got a bird to whistle I got a bird to sing Yes, I got a bird to whistle I got a bird to sing I got a woman that I'm lovin' But she don't mean a thing [Verse 3] They tried to take my life, all my money, too I said to you, babe, what you tryin' to do? I said, please, hey, let us be friends You hear me howlin' in your passway Baby, please, let me in [Verse 4] Well, I got three legs to walk on Baby, please, don't block my road Yes, I got three legs to walk on Baby, please, don't block my road All of my friends have betrayed me And I'm booked and I've got to go -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Teardrops Will Fall -------- [Verse 1] I read your letter, darlin', tears filled my eyes All of the promises you made were nothing but lies So I turned your photograph around, face to the wall And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Chorus] Teardrops will fall tonight, tears I can't hide Tears that I'd rather keep deep down inside Tears fall, and love is gone beyond these walls And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Verse 2] I'm gonna pray tonight, babe, hopin' you will hear And maybe you'll write all those wrongs and dry each tear I sit alone tonight, hopin' you will call And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Chorus] Teardrops will fall tonight, tears I can't hide Tears that I'd rather keep deep down inside Tears fall, and love is gone beyond these walls And when I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall [Chorus] Teardrops will fall tonight, tears I can't hide Tears that I'd rather keep deep down inside Tears fall, and love is gone beyond these walls And when I dim the lights in my room tonight When I dim the lights in my room tonight Teardrops will fall -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- To The River -------- [Verse 1] They are master and slave We are sunlight and shadow All roads to the river I am lost, I am saved I'm beloved and betrayed All roads to the river [Chorus] And the river runs wide And the river runs deep And I spit in the eye of safe company When I dive right down to the undertow Well, the deeper I drown Lord, the higher I'll go [Verse 2] I am whispering dreams I am howling revolutions All roads to the river I am valentine sweet And I live in this nightmare All roads to the river [Chorus] And the river runs wide And the river runs deep (Runs Deep) And I spit in the eye of safe company When I dive right down (Right down) To the undertow (Undertow) Well, the deeper I drown Lord, the higher I'll go [Verse 3] This is nothing like we planned That's the way it's always been All roads to the river I have hated and I have loved I have prayed and I have sinned All roads to the river [Chorus] And the river runs wide And the river runs deep (And the river runs Deep) And I spit in the eye of safe company When I dive right down (Right down) To the undertow (Undertow) Well, the deeper I drown Lord, the higher I will go -------- 2018 Other People's Stuff -------- -------- Wreck of the Old 97 -------- [Verse 1] Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia Saying, "Steve, you're way behind the times" This is not 38, this is old 97 So get her into Spencer on time Well, he turned around and said to his old greasy fireman "Shovel on a little more coal When we cross that big, white mountain You'll be watchin' old 97 start to roll" [Verse 2] Well, it's a mighty long road from Lynchburg down to Danville On a line of three-mile grade It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes Shoulda seen the jump he had to make They were going down the grade at 90 miles an hour When the whistle broke into a scream He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle Scalded to death by the steam [Verse 3] Well, a telegram came from Washington city And this is how the telegram read That the brave engineer in the old 97 Is layin' out in Danville, and he's dead [Verse 4] Now all of you ladies, take heed, and take warning And try to learn Never speak harsh words against your lovin' husband 'Cause he may never return No, he may never return