1. |
All The Way Home
02:32
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All The Way Home
I suppose it's a tale you've often heard
Against all the odds, boy meets girl
It's an impossibly beautiful world
And I want you to know
Pretty baby
Don't want you to go
Pretty baby
I want you to follow me
All the way home
Thing about time is it don't exist
No need to define what it is
Promises are for breaking
So I'll just say this
And I want you to know
Pretty baby
Don't want you to go
Pretty baby
I want you to follow me
All the way home
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2. |
Alone Together
03:11
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Alone Together
Dimly it dawns south of no north
Flying above the weather
I’ve been through a storm I’m feeling reborn
I’m going hell for leather
Somehow I arrived
It’s the story of my life
And it’s only just begun
We come and go
Alone together
It’s all we know
This brief forever flickers in the gloom
But it sure feels good
To be alone together with you
Everything good I’ve ever done
Has been in spite of myself
They gave me the moon but I wanted the sun
And all the planets as well
Somehow I survived
It’s the story of my life
And it’s only just begun
We come and go
Alone together
It’s all we know
This brief forever oh so sweetly blooms
And it sure feels good
To be alone together with you
I said to my brother
Brother your God does not exist
Of course not, he said
How could he ever love us like he does if he did?
We come and go
Alone, together
It’s all we know
This brief forever fading in the blue
But it sure feels good
To be alone together with you
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3. |
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An Idea For A Country Song
In a big double bed she’s waking up
On the fancy side of town
Her tangled hair the colour
Of the sun going down
She grinds her own coffee beans
And pours herself a cup
Her sleep-kissed cheeks the colour
Of the sun coming up
As for me I roll out of bed
And light a cigarette
I’m fresh out of coffee
But there’s a drop of whisky left
I turn the dial on my radio
Until I land on the sound
Of Kris Kristofferson singing
Sunday Morning Coming Down
She’s left me she’s left me she’s gone
And when she left me she left me
With nothing but an idea for a country song
I met her on St. Catherine’s Day
When the carnival came to town
I knew right away she was the sun
My world would revolve around
She was paying for a ride on the Ferris wheel
When she dropped her change at her feet
She bent down to pick it up
I said please, allow me
Now the DJ says that was an old one
Sunday Morning Coming Down
And by the way, it’s St Catherine’s Day,
The carnivals back in town
And I’m still down on my hands and knees
Picking up change
To pay for a drop of whiskey
To get me through the day
She’s left me she’s left me she’s gone
And when she left me she left me
With nothing but an idea for a country song
(with Irakli Gaprindashvili)
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4. |
Another Day In Paradise
04:11
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Another Day In Paradise
Oh lord, oh lord, oh lord
Another day in paradise
Well I’m sitting in a pub called the Black Duck
Trying to drink away my bad luck
I had a steady girl but I went and blew it
Love is so easy anyone can do it
I guess it doesn’t pay to be sweet and kind
I guess it’s just another day in paradise
Now a guy walks in, about six foot three
There’re plenty empty seats but he sits next to me
Says don’t I know you from my dreams or one of them places?
I say I don’t think so my friend, I just have one of those faces
I guess I’m going to have to wear a cunning disguise
Just to get me undetected through another day in paradise
Oh lord, oh lord, oh lord
Another day in paradise
Now the bar maid says to him what will it be sir?
When she turns to fetch it he says my God I’d do anything to sleep with her
She’s got dirty blonde hair and a twinkle in her eye
And an expression that says you could anything right now and I wouldn’t be surprised
I say she looks like the kind who would eat you alive
And spit you out on the other side of another day in paradise
I wish him good luck and get up to leave
With nowhere to go I just follow my feet
For ten long years I lingered on these street corners
And the ghosts of old loves still cling to the bricks and mortar
Well ten long years is a mighty long time
But it aint nothing compared to another day in paradise
Oh lord, oh lord, oh lord
Another day in paradise
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5. |
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April Hearted Like Sinatra
I took a stroll down by the riverside
I felt autumn in my bones
And winter close behind
Oh, I know I'm not the only one who loves her
But that's alright
Because I'm watching the stars occupy the sky
Tears of joy begin to well up in my eyes
Just in case there's no great hereafter
No happy ever after
Tonight I'm April hearted like Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
I took a plane to the other side of the world
Where I almost went insane
Living in the mountains with a valley girl
Oh I know I'm not the only one who loves her
But that's ok
Because I'm sitting on this south bound train
Tears of joy begin a'rolling down my face
Just in case there's no great hereafter
No happy ever after
Tonight I'm April hearted like Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
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6. |
A Quiet Man
02:05
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A Quiet Man
In the morning when I open up my eyes I hear a new silence
Baby I’ve got no tears left to cry, no new ideas
Why don’t you listen to the rain today?
It’s more eloquent than me anyway
There’s so much happening in this passion play that I don’t understand
Lord, love a quiet man
In the evening when I walk under the sky I see a new distance
I was hoping for a peek through your disguise, but it was too convincing
I’m going to listen to the wind today
It’s more eloquent than you anyway
All that remains for me to say is here I am
Lord, love a quiet man
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7. |
Babe, We All Die Alone
02:54
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Babe, We All Die Alone
I was turning in
Musing on a country song
Sucking some sustenance from
The dry bones of separation
Babe, we all die alone
I've been tuning out
Drinking in the afternoon
Reading St. Augustine in my room
Even he couldn't work it out
Babe, we all die alone
We all die alone
This is all there is for all we know
Easy come, easy go
Babe, we all die alone
I've been walking around
Followed by your holy ghost
Haunting me from coast to coast
The whole world round
Babe, we all die alone
We all die alone
This is all there is for all we know
Easy come, easy go
Babe, we all die alone
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8. |
Blind Architect
03:47
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Blind Architect
It's that time of year
When the signs of life disappear
And the tide will be coming in soon
And we must harvest the pastures of the moon
It's that time of day
When you and I have nothing left to say
And we must find a new way to start
Oh, it was a blind architect who built the heart
It's that time of night
When the dead start coming back to life
And the stars turn bright and blue
And I am wreathed in these memories of you
It's that time again
We must ask the old question
How did we grow so far apart?
Ask the blind architect who built the heart
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9. |
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Do We Choose Who We Love?
He's looking for love
But he'll settle for less
So take him home
And get undressed
Make believe
He's the man of your dreams
Treat him nice
He'll try his best
Do we choose who we love?
Is it up to us?
Does anyone know?
Does anyone know?
Now I can see how a man
Might reach a place
Where he's tempted to seek
His savior's face
First place he looks
Is between your thighs
When he don't see it there
He'll look in your eyes
Do we choose who we love?
Is it up to us?
Does anyone know?
Does anyone know?
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10. |
Don't Fall In Love
02:56
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Don’t Fall In Love
I’m becoming well acquainted with the regulars at the grave
I know them by their faces I’m terrible with names
I’m leaving in the morning on a mystery train
Don’t fall in love ‘till I’m back in town
I went down to New York City where I met a pretty girl
She said that she would kiss me all I had to do was save the world
I guess I took her literally I’ve always been gullible
Don’t fall in love ‘till I’m back in town
I’m learning the roads for you baby
I’m turning over every stone
Because one of these days pretty baby
I’m going to need to know my way back home
When my daddy told me about the birds and the bees
He said love is best considered from a distance of centuries
I thought we were making out but we were making history
Don’t fall in love ‘till I’m back in town
Well now I’ve seen the sun rising over the Michigan Lake
I’ve seen Aurora Borealis, I’ve seen Polar bears mate
But I’ve never seen you naked don’t tell me I’m too late
Don’t fall in love ‘till I’m back in town
I’m learning the roads for you baby
I’m turning over every stone
Because one of these days pretty baby
I’m going to need to know my way back home
Don’t fall in love ‘till I’m back in town
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11. |
Dying To Turn You On
03:22
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I Am Dying To Turn You On
I’m in some kind of boutique clothing store
Nothing makes sense to me no more
I’m heading for the door
Everything is more than I can afford
What’s that, the cat got your tongue?
When Venus crosses the face of the sun
I’m gonna come for you
And you aint gonna be lonely no more
And I am dying to turn you on
I’d like to lodge an official complaint
How much longer must I wait?
I prefer the sweet company of saints
But I’ll make an exception
I’ve got a tiger’s tooth and a rabbit’s paw
God only knows what they are for
Salvation is free
But you’re expected to donate to the collection
And I am dying to turn you on
The woman in this place look so fine
The wine is older than them all combined
You’ll find no trace of the sublime
In this kind of suffering
Would you care to dance with me sister?
I’ve heard that one before mister
Something in your eyes reminds me
Of the ultimate fragility of everything
And I am dying to turn you on
OK, lets get serious
Loving you is a near death experience
I tried to run and hide
But I can never get enough of it
I don’t care if I look like a fool
It’s just so unbelievably cruel
That what ties us to this world
Seems to simultaneously sever us from it
And I am dying to turn you on
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12. |
Ever Be My Girl
02:32
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Ever Be My Girl
There’s a place I know where the snowdrops grow
Sheltered from the wind and the rain
Down by the weir when shadows appear
I stand by the edge of the lake
It’s a beautiful place and in a state of grace
The veneer disappears from the world
I’d lead you down and show you around
If I thought you would ever be my girl
There’s a space in the wood where a house once stood
Now all that remains is stone
Years back in time before you and I
Someone once called it their home
Now there’s a place I go where the river flows
And willows unburden their curls
I’d make you a bed for to lay your head
If I thought you would ever be my girl
There’s a space in my mind bigger than the sky
Where some nights I fly in my dreams
With a song to sing and dreaming with wings
Anything is possible it seems
But I wake up sad because I’ve lost what I had
And it’s nowhere to be found in this world
But I’d call off the search and fall back to earth
If I thought you would ever be my girl
I’d call off the search and fall back to earth
If I thought you would ever be my girl
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13. |
First Snow
02:10
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First Snow NYC
The phone is so holy when it never rings
When I feel lonely I need a song to sing
They don’t let you in on the other side
Till you’ve got nothing left to leave behind
All this as more was flowing through my mind
As I became aware slowly of something falling from the sky
It was cold and it was grey but it was good enough for me
First snow NYC
No one knows me I’m a stranger here
Drunk on loneliness and American beer
But I can’t help thinking that my luck will change
I can’t help dreaming of better days
All this and more was flowing through my brain
As I saw the heavens open and it was more than rain
And a beautiful stranger danced with me
In the first snow NYC
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14. |
Early Days
03:33
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Early Days
It's early days in the hunt for life
And the numbers of the dead are rising
I've got an ocean view
And these memories of you
And tonight I'll kiss the lips of the horizon
It's early days in the crying game
And the rules are made to be broken
I've got some empty shells and other echoes here to sell
And tonight I'll be staying open
Well I'm haunted by the ghosts of my future
And I'm living in the past
Everything will change
I fell in love and I thought that it would last
But there's no forever
These are early days
It's early days for those ancient saints
Who are doomed to live forever
I've send a silent prayer out into the air
I hope somewhere it finds her
Well I'm haunted by the ghosts of my future
And I'm living in the past
Everything will change
I fell in love and I thought that it would last
But there's no forever
These are early days
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15. |
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Everybody Here Is From Somewhere Else
I was present at the execution
The crowd was baying for blood
Behind the eyes of my fellow survivors
I saw rivers of fear
Rush into oceans of love
I went to see the executioner
I went to pay him my respects
He said it's either the bottle or God
Don't matter which one
Either of them will get you in the end
And time waits for no man
So carpe diem
Say nothing at all, make a fist
Hold forever in your hand
I feel like I'm walking through an airport
Without a ticket home
Everybody here is from somewhere else
Everybody's going
Going, going, gone
And time waits for no man
So carpe diem
Say nothing at all, make a fist
Hold forever in your hand
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16. |
Get The Girl
04:42
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Get The Girl
You can listen to the hymns of the heretics
You can stare into the face of the abyss
You can fall for all the false promises
Of everlasting bliss
You can fly on the wings of angels
To all four corners of the world
But oh boy you gotta get the girl
You can study a map of the heavens
You can dissect a seedling star
You can follow the best directions
And still not know where you are
You can peel away the layers of the onion
Until love itself unfurls
But oh boy you gotta get the girl
You can trade in your horse for a saddle
You can fall off the face of the earth
You can throw down your arms mid battle
You can drink the ocean and never quench your thirst
This flame just don’t negotiate
And there aint nothing that it doesn’t burn
Oh boy you gotta get the girl
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17. |
Close To The Wind
03:46
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Close To The Wind
They say the city aint as it used to be back in the seventies
They've kicked out the geniuses and the junkies
Now it's teenage millionaires and and yuppies
Well I came in from the North, left my cabin in the hills
And the leaves lay on the sidewalks like million dollar bills
I went to see the apothecary but he wouldn't let me in
Now Juliet is playing with the gypsy choir and Romeo is heartbroken
And I am sailing close to the wind
Sometimes it's hard to stand the loneliness and you wanna go insane
With so much fear and so much love flowing through your veins
Every heart is a cathedral where the angels go to pray
Even woman is my lover, they don't all see it that way
There's a darkness in the sky I think a storm is coming in
Everybody back inside something is happening
We are sailing close to the wind
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18. |
Happy Hour
03:26
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Happy Hour
I mix my metaphors with whiskey
I get up when the sun goes down
I don't believe anybody will miss me
When I leave this town
Mat I pay for my sins in installments?
Sell the keys but save the ring
In the end everything comes to depend
On a few inessential things
May I address you informally?
Lay guarded speech aside
I see an emptiness before me
And a tangled mess behind
And I'm glad you don't recognize me
From the night I saved the day
May all we say be washed away
In tomorrow morning's rain
Now it's happy hour
There's no future there's no past
It's happy hour
It'll never last
Now I'm trying to put in writing
What's pressing on my heart
You may experience a brief silence
Before the music starts
'Twas there I was forgiven
I closed my eyes and I could see
'Twas there I swear the sky became
A skylarks dream
And I found this song on the sidewalk
It was written in the street
By some guy you've never heard of
From the Nineteen-Seventies
And time is stripped of its ornaments
And the puppets lie limp on their strings
In the end everything comes to depend
On a few inessential things
Now it's happy hour
There's no future there's no past
It's happy hour
It'll never last
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19. |
I Cried When I Was Born
04:26
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I Cried When I Was Born
I hear she came from a distant star
In a vintage dress and a stolen car
With a second hand copy of Planet Of The Apes
I was living at the time with a Mrs. Swift
It was a rent-free situation if you catch my drift
There’s always more than several ways to pay
She cast her spell she silenced the place
With her full moon eyes in her night sky face
“It’s hard being human in a world like this”
She purred in my ear and her hand brushed my wrist
And I cried when I was born
Life seemed so uninviting
To ride the storm dodging bolts of lightening
After darkness comes the dawn
And since I found you darling
I cried when I was born
But I’ll die laughing
She left a trail of bobby pins
And other mysterious female things
And it led me to my ladies chamber door
I knocked once and I knocked twice
“Come in” she said, “and don’t be shy
Hang up your clothes but leave your hang ups on the floor”
I did exactly as she said
And lay beside her on the bed
It’s hard being human but the alternative is worse
Our curse is our beauty and our beauty is our curse
And I cried when I was born
Life seemed so uninviting
To ride the storm dodging bolts of lightening
After darkness comes the dawn
And since I found you darling
I cried when I was born
But I’ll die laughing
Our love affair could be everlasting
Love vanishes when you try to grasp it
And if you’re looking
For something to hold on to
Then I guess its change
It’s change that’s calling the tune we dance to
I cried when I was born
Life seemed so uninviting
To ride the storm dodging bolts of lightening
After darkness comes the dawn
And since I found you darling
I cried when I was born
But I’ll die laughing
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20. |
I Don't Wanna Come Down
01:50
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I Don't Wanna Come Down
I climbed to the top
Of a fifty floor apartment block last night
I closed my eyes
And I drifted up and away into the empty sky
I’m as high as a kite ever since you’ve been around
And I don’t wanna come down
No I don’t wanna come down
I’m a pussycat and I’m stuck up your tree
I’m a full moon and I’m floating over your sea
I’m a big bouquet of blue balloons
I’m a trapeze artist and I’m swinging just for you
So take my hand and let me lift you up off of the ground
Because I don’t wanna come down
No I don’t wanna come down
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21. |
I'm Coming To Get You
04:03
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I'm Coming To Get You
In the shadow of a mountain I pitched my tent
Weary from traveling I lay down my head
Invisible fingers caress my cheek
She speaks in whispers from the depths of sleep
I'm coming to get you I'm coming to get you
Wait and see I'm coming to get you
Baby you can count on me
I wake in the morning and lay very still
A strange bird calling echoes through the hills
I drink from the river I gather up my tent
I have a message to deliver I don't have much time left
I'm coming to get you I'm coming to get you
Wait and see I'm coming to get you
Baby you can count on me
I reach the palace as the suns going down
A crowd has gathered from miles around
Told the gatekeeper to let me in
I have a message to deliver a message for the king
I'm coming to get you I'm coming to get you
Wait and see I'm coming to get you
Baby you can count on me
I spent the night in a king size bed
Pillows soft as light underneath my head
But I couldn't sleep the silence was deafening
She never speaks when I'm listening
I'm coming to get you I'm coming to get you
Wait and see I'm coming to get you
Baby you can count on me
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22. |
I'm Unsatisfied
02:35
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I'm Unsatisfied
There’s a full moon riding over the trees
There’s a very pretty woman looking down at me
She’s hitching her skirt up above her knees
But the situation is leaving me cold
So cold so cold I can see my breath
Walking through the valley of the shadow of death
So cold so cold one day to the next
Condensation on the windowpane
Lord, I’m unsatisfied
Way down in my soul
There once was a kingdom in need of a king
They took an ordinary man and put a crown on him
When he woke up in the morning
Nothing had changed
No change no change one day to the next
Walking through the valley of the shadow of death
No change no change until there’s nothing left
Condensation on the windowpane
Lord, I’m unsatisfied
Way down in my soul
I’m gonna get up in the morning walk outside
Climb up the hill and watch the sunrise
Spread my wings and close my eyes
And lift up my voice in praise
I’ll praise I’ll praise until there’s nothing left
Walking through the valley of the shadow of death
I’ll praise I’ll praise until I see my breath
Condensation on the windowpane
Lord, I’m unsatisfied
Way down in my soul
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23. |
||||
If An Alien Astronomer Could See Us From Afar
In different times when things were simpler
I'd sit for ages and watch the river flow by
And by and by everything shifted
Time has a way of moving faster than life
In crowded places I stick to corners
And watch the faces of my fellow mourners
Like changing skies, clouded and raining
Then suddenly bathed in unbelievable light
And I lost my way
But I found my eyes
Fixed on a disappearing point on the horizon
A breaking heart
A dying star
The things we do to one another
If an alien astronomer could see us from afar
By dancing firelight under cozy bedclothes
We stoke the embers, no, don't let your love grow cold
We all live our lives in reverse
Just look behind you, there's a whole universe
And I lost my way
But I found my eyes
Fixed on a disappearing point on the horizon
A breaking heart
A dying star
The things we do to one another
If an alien astronomer could see us from afar
|
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24. |
If You Want Me
02:44
|
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If You Want Me
The evening left her fingerprints
On the mornings tired, heavy eyelids
And the blackmailed trees keep quiet under a threatening sky
And the moon has lost her way it seems
Illuminating all the brisk daydreams
Escaping from a thousand frantic lives
But the clocks would stop and the boss would say
Go home there's nothing to do today
If you want me
There's a plague of strangers on the underground
There's violence in this restless crowd
Three hundred hearts beating out of time
And in the shadow of some imaginary bird
Six hundred eyes are skyward turned
Frightened of what they might or might not find
But the trains on time and it's all aboard
To the promised-land, to a better world
If you want me
I would disappear
I would know pain no I would know no fear
I would die a thousand times only to rise again
If you want me
|
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25. |
In This World
02:38
|
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In This World
I've been eavesdropping on conversations
Sitting on trains
Standing in line in the museums
Everybody's saying
I just don't know how to live in this world
I flew to Rome for a holiday
I was on Easy Jet
A voice came over the tannoy
And the captain said
I just don't know how to live in this world
I was halfway up the mountain
When I came across a grave
With my name, my date of birth
And an empty space
I just don't know how to live in this world
|
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26. |
Jesus Was A Hobo
04:12
|
|||
Jesus Was A Hobo
Everything seems so mysterious to me
I’m walking down a bad stretch of road
My love lies in the arms of my enemy
And I’m afraid to face the future alone
I hold up my hand in front of my face
My skin is so thin I can see the bone
I’m afraid of dying in this unfamiliar place
A million miles from home
They say the grace of God will never lead you
Where the grace of God will not protect you
I’m trying my best to believe you
But I just don’t know
Jesus was a hobo
But he never walked alone
Failure is a most compassionate teacher
I’m a scarecrow but I’m scared of the crows
I crawled across barbed wire just to reach her
She said next time call ahead you better go
Now my days are grey with boredom nights are red with pain
The woman walk their gargoyles in the park
Do me a favour if you ever fall in love again
Give it everything you’ve got
They say the grace of God will never lead you
Where the grace of God will not protect you
I’m trying my best to forget you
But I can’t let go
Jesus was a hobo
But he never walked alone
I tell myself there’s no such thing as the future
In my present I recreate my past
I guess I could pretend I never knew you
But that’s a dirty trick to play on my own heart
Now the sky is black with ravens coming home to roost
On my face I feel the first drops of rain
Any last words before we tighten the noose?
Yes, given half a chance I’d do it all again
They say the grace of God will never lead you
Where the grace of God will not protect you
I’m trying my best to leave you
But you’re buried in my soul
Jesus was a hobo
But he never walked alone
|
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27. |
Keep Breaking My Heart
03:27
|
|||
Keep Breaking My Heart
Oh babe I tried to touch the sun
I got my fingers burned
Oh babe I thought you were the one
But that’s my lesson learned
Now I’m right back at the start
Singing this lonely hallelujah
Baby, please keep breaking my heart
Oh babe I tried to touch a star
But it’s so hard to do
Oh baby I reached out too far
Now I’m floating in the blue
You got me right back at the start
Singing this lonely hallelujah
Baby, please keep breaking my heart
When you’re far away from me
Sleeping peacefully in the dark
I lie awake restlessly
Oh how I hate to be in love
Oh babe I tried to touch the moon
But it’s so far away
Oh babe I wish that it weren’t true
But I’ll be yours someday
You got me right back at the start
Singing this lonely hallelujah
Baby, please keep breaking my heart
|
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28. |
Keep It In Your Soul
02:48
|
|||
Keep It In Your Soul
When there are no arms to hold you
At the setting of the sun
When the shadows crowd around you
And you’re not having any fun
Remember what I told you
My love will never get old
Babe, keep it in your soul
When there is no place to keep my love
In the clutter of your life
When your shelves are full jewels and dust
And your parlour is full of mice
You can’t keep it in the kitchen
With the cutlery and the bowls
Babe, keep it in your soul
Keep it in your soul when you’re riding down the highway
Keep it in your soul when you’re sailing on the sea
Keep it in your soul when you’re flying in an airplane
Keep it in your soul and bring it on home to me
When there is no light to guide you
And you’re stumbling through the dark
When no one walks beside you
And everything falls apart
I’ll light a fire inside you
Fan the flames and feel the glow
Babe, keep it in your soul
Keep it in your soul when you’re riding down the highway
Keep it in your soul when you’re sailing on the sea
Keep it in your soul when you’re flying in an airplane
Keep it in your soul and bring it on home to me
|
||||
29. |
Keep Moving East
03:06
|
|||
Keep Moving East
If I keep moving east that ol' sun aint gonna set on me
If I keep moving east that ol' sun aint gonna set on me
I'm gonna jump over that mountain
Leap over the deep blue sea
On the day I met my first wife my second wife was born
On the day I met my first wife my second wife was born
When I reach that horizon
I'll just carry on
She got fire in her eyes and white hibiscus in her hair
She got fire in her eyes and white hibiscus in her hair
I spent the night between her thighs
Even though I had no business there
Pink snow fell in Italy and the harvest failed in France
Pink snow fell in Italy and the harvest failed in France
I'll spend all your money
But I'll save you the last dance
(with Irakli Gaprindashvili)
|
||||
30. |
Learning Your Name
03:42
|
|||
Learning Your Name
In a boat on the blackest of oceans
By the light of a high crescent moon
I float with on the sea’s gentle motion
Sleeping and dreaming of you
If I were more of a sailor
The stars would show me the way
You left a kiss on my hand
As I stepped off dry land
But I am still learning your name
A letter arrived this morning
The postman was covered in snow
It lit my soul up like lightening
It told me nothing I don’t already know
If I were more of a soldier
I would leap right into the fray
Spend the rest of my life
Fighting by your side
But I am still learning your name
Oh my love gives me grace in singing
The grace that I lack in living
Oh my love gives me grace in living
The grace that I lack in dying
Oh my love gives me grace in dying
The grace that I lack in being born again
I know every inch of your face my love
But I am still learning your name
At the bottom of a bottle of whiskey
Lives a woman with long flowing hair
She says, “Come here, my lover, and kiss me”
But you can’t because she’s not really there
If I were more of a dreamer
I would stay with her all night and day
But there’s no home for love
Outside flesh and blood
And I am still learning your name
Oh my love gives me grace in singing
The grace that I lack in living
Oh my love gives me grace in living
The grace that I lack in dying
Oh my love gives me grace in dying
The grace that I lack in being born again
I know every inch of your face my love
But I am still learning your name
|
||||
31. |
Like Something Beautiful
03:34
|
|||
Like Something Beautiful
I couldn't sleep last night
So I got up and I went outside into the city streets
Occupied by the moonlight
Amongst other things
I've tried crying out my eyes
I've tried drinking whiskey till I see the sun rise
But nothing I do can rid me of these memories
I feel like I'm losing my mind
But I'm really losing you
You flew through my life
Like something beautiful
I look up at the sky
At the planets and the moon
I see love, framed in time,
Like something beautiful
Something beautiful like you
I hope you're sitting comfortably
We're drifting in an endless sea
My heart's a tiny thumping thing
And my life's a waking dream
Friends and lovers come and go
That's one thing I know
The best that I can hope for are those moments in between
When time forgets itself and love floods in
I feel like I'm losing my mind
But I'm really losing you
You flew through my life
Like something beautiful
I look up at the sky
At the planets and the moon
I see love, framed in time,
Like something beautiful
Something beautiful like you
|
||||
32. |
Love & Hunger
02:50
|
|||
33. |
||||
Love Has Made A Fool Of Me Again
I met her on the road to love
Just at the darkest part
She was wearing velvet elbow length gloves
And was carrying a bleeding heart
Come here and shelter under my wings
Lay aside your fear
We’ll watch the evening star
Ascend in our rear view mirror
It’s true, I said, I am alone
And I’m longing for your touch
I’d give you everything I own
But it would never be enough
I plucked a feather from her wing
A tear fell from her eye
I saw the evening star
Ascending in the sky
The devil is a handsome man
With many handsome friends
Thanks to you
Love has made a fool of me again
I put the feather in my cap
And walked on down the road
I came across a crooked man
Carrying a heavy load
Please, he said, can you lend a hand
And take this weight from me?
You’re a young and handsome man
And I am old, as you can see
I’m strong, I said, I’ll take your weight
Your journey’s almost done
But take this feather in exchange
It’s heavier than the sun
And so I took his weight from him
And he took mine from me
He walked towards the mountains
And I walked towards the sea
The devil is a handsome man
With lots of gold to spend
Thanks to you
Love has made a fool of me again
I walked that road all night long
Until I came to an empty beach
The ocean shone in the light of dawn
And the seagulls whirled and screeched
Here’s a place I can call my home
I’ll never have to leave
I’ll build a house and live alone
By the golden empty sea
Years went by and nothing changed
I lived quite happily
Until one uneventful day
I saw a feather on the breeze
I plucked the feather from the wind
And held it in my hand
I saw the old man and the angel
Lying naked in the sand
The devil is a handsome man
From the beginning to the end
Thanks to you
Love has made a fool of me again
|
||||
34. |
MoMA
01:29
|
|||
MoMA
'Even clean hands can damage the surfaces of works of art'
In museums I wander
Alive to the great romantic rush that never comes
Just brush after brush stroke
Hope against hope
That whatever this becomes
Resembles a love song
Even bright eyes can omit the obvious
Over analyze, strip the flesh from the bone
Where do you go when you're gone?
Brush after brush stroke
Hope against hope
That whatever this becomes
Resembles a love song
|
||||
35. |
||||
Never Look An Angel In The Eye
"If life is the meal then death is the restaurant"
I heard you say as we past the Angel of the North
People getting out of their cars and taking photographs
As if they'd never seen an angel before
Maybe I should have taken your advice
And never looked that angel in the eyes, boys
Never look an angel in the eye
Six jet planes in strict formation
Fly over this sad suburb of the heart
"Life is a series of humiliations"
I heard you say as the car refused to start
Maybe I should have taken your advice
And never looked that angel in the eyes, boys
Never look an angel in the eye
|
||||
36. |
O Woman
01:52
|
|||
It’s time, my love, to say goodbye
I don’t belong here by your side
Although I want no more to roam
Your heart will never be my home
O Woman
I’m buried ‘neath the weight of years
And several oceanfulls of tears
And though I want no more to roam
Your heart will never be my home
O Woman
So come my darling don’t you cry
You’ll find another bye and bye
And though you want no more to roam
My heart will never be your home
O Woman
|
||||
37. |
||||
38. |
||||
Our Troubles Won't End Tonight
I woke up to the sound of thunder
Next to a woman who wasn't my wife
I only wanted her telephone number
But she showed me the meaning of life
Now we can run, we can hide
Love each other until we die
But our troubles won't end tonight
I found her on the darkest day of December
She was dancing to an imaginary band
It took me a moment to befriend her
And an eternity to reach out and touch her hand
Now there's a light in our eyes
Burning brighter than the stars in the sky
But out troubles won't end tonight
Oh baby, all you've gotta do is hold me
A cruel wind whips in from the sea
I've a feeling you've got something to show me
I just don't know what in the world it could be
Now I'm walking through the inebriating evening
And I'm talking to the people on the street
We're all looking for something to believe in
Even if it's the very definition of a mystery
I took I left, I look a right
I found you in time, I found you in life
But our troubles won't end tonight
|
||||
39. |
Poster Boy
02:20
|
|||
Poster Boy
Harley-Davidson's don't make much sense in December
But then, nor does holding the hand of a stranger
And asking if they'll make you happy
I'm a poster boy sitting on the fence
Currently unemployed by the present tense
Counting sheep in the field like the chances I have left
The last time the Thames froze we skived off school
Skating on the ice, skating on the moon
That was 1814, this is now, goodbye, I've got work to do
Because I'm a poster boy just laying in bed
Currently unemployed by the generation in my head
Counting clouds in the sky like the chances I have let
Drift by
|
||||
40. |
Roads Lead Nowhere
02:18
|
|||
Roads Lead Nowhere
When skies hang low over Los Angeles
It seems to me all roads lead nowhere
Just away from here, away from there
And I'd be lying if I said my thoughts never turn to dying
Twenty seven years go by and I finally find myself praying
Out loud
Oh, can you hear me calling?
Before I hit the ground
Oh, let me know I'm falling
In my dreams I've been visiting the other room
I've been talking in my sleep
Trying to get through to you
I've been through Los Angeles
I've been through Heaven, I've been through Hell
I know for certain now
If this is here there must be somewhere else
Out there
Oh, can you hear me calling?
Before I hit the ground
Oh, let me know I'm falling
|
||||
41. |
Room To Room
04:28
|
|||
Room To Room
No longer thinking I plunge reeling into empty days
Tired of sleeping I slip into evenings watching revealing documentaries
Like 'Weed It And Reap' and how Hitler's dog Blondie contributed to the Nazi leaders decline and eventual defeat
And I sip the very cheapest wine they'll stoop to deem to sell me in Sainsbury's
Sniffing in that peculiar scent of misery so particular to February
Now blind to the symmetry of this being thatness and that being thisness
We complied with the moon and let her undress us
And now live alone in our separate hearts
Divided by oceans and vast arteries of cars
And that airplane loneliness where the closer you get
The further away you realize you actually are from the stars
Keeping up appearances for the air stewardess
Because despair can lead to terrorism
Room to room
From room to room in pre-dusk, post afternoon gloom
I walk among things, my worldly belongings
My coke bottle alarm clock that dances and sings
My books, my guitar with all those songs in the strings
All those possible connections of vibratings
All that you can create out of absolutely nothing
And I'll still sometimes do that childish thing
Of staring at something for so long it looses its meaning
And I'll float for a while in timeless bliss
Until the sound of my own breathing brings me back to this explicitness
And all this confusion it just keeps me moving
From room to room
|
||||
42. |
Searchin' The Heavens
03:22
|
|||
Searchin' The Heavens
Contrary to popular belief everything is gonna be alright
I’ve cleaned the dirty dishes I’ve made love with the farmer’s wife
I was the king’s official astronomer in one of my previous lives
And I’m still searching the heavens for signs of life
One day I’m gonna find my way out of this crazy town
I never knew I loved you until the words fell out of my mouth
Officer please arrest this man he doesn’t know what he’s talking about
And I’m still searching the heavens for an easy way out
I’ve been down to the bottom now I’ve been down to the very dregs
I’m going to start at the tip of your toes and work my way up your legs
By the time I get to your lips baby we’ll both be dead
So I’ll quit searching the heavens and look at you instead
|
||||
43. |
||||
She's Gonna Break My Heart
I know that the wind blows I can see the leaves move
The trees reach up to the sun and she moves among them
Suddenly here and suddenly gone
I know how the song goes I can hear the melody
Rise and fall and float like a football
Right over the wall of my imagination
I know one day I’m gonna die
And I know in the end I’m gonna be alright
And I know that girl is gonna break my heart
One of these days she’s gonna break my heart
I know that the earth moves around the sun
Because I’ve been here all day waiting for someone
And now evening’s come and my shadow’s my only companion
I know that heaven is a bright idea
Because at night the devil whispers in my ear
And leads me through the garden of temptation
I know that summertime follows the spring
And I know in the end I don’t know anything
And I know that girl is gonna break my heart
One of these days she’s gonna break my heart
And if she don’t break mine first
Why, then I’ll break hers
|
||||
44. |
So Many People
03:28
|
|||
So Many People
In the morning when she rise
When she opens up her eyes
She sees the sun come up over Baghdad on the Hudson
She climbs up on a chair
Runs a comb through her long brown hair
In the full-length mirror she studies her reflection
She’s blowing off the dust
From her mothers jewellery box
Picks out her favourite necklace
And kisses it for luck
So many people in this town
There are so many people
But there’s no one around
Now she walks down to the street
Sees the frozen smiles, the insistent feet
The secret lives where strangers hide their heartbreaks
Now she’s waiting for the train
A busker sings a sad refrain
Their eyes lock as she drops a coin into his guitar case
Somewhere a song is sung
Beyond the stars, beyond the sun
Where the planets hum in unison
For you and me and everyone
So many people in this town
There are so many people
But there’s no one around
(with Irakli Gaprindashvili)
|
||||
45. |
Spare Me
01:57
|
|||
Spare Me
I know you’ll take the mountains
I know you’ll take the lakes
I know you’ll take the sinners
I know you’ll take the saints
I know you’ll take the king
I know you’ll take the queen
I know you’ll take the dreamer
I know you’ll take the dream
But please spare me
Spare me
Please spare me
Spare me
I know you’ll take Chicago
I know you’ll take Bombay
You’ll take the Grecian urn
You’ll take the light of day
I know you’ll take the caterpillar
And the chief of police
I know you’ll take the sky
The rain, the river and the sea
But please spare me
Spare me
Please spare me
Spare me
|
||||
46. |
Speak Of The Devil
03:38
|
|||
Speak Of The Devil
Speak of the devil and he shall appear
But whisper his name softly my dear
You never know who’s listening walls have ears
And there’s a long way to go before morning
The road is empty for this hour don’t you think it’s weird
Don’t look at me I don’t know how the hell to get out of here
Take over the wheel babe I don’t have the strength to steer
I’m bored if you wonder why I’m yawning
Its just ocean for miles around
So you better be a mermaid babe, I wouldn’t want to see you drown
Be quiet for a second and listen to the sound
Of everything colliding
Outside my window there’s a ruckus in the street
Pass me the telephone I’m calling the police
I can’t stand the silence that’s why I’m shuffling my feet
No one seems to be answering
I’m invoking a thunderstorm I’m dying in this heat
There are such things as unicorns and the moon is made of cheese
Just close the door quietly behind you when you leave
Somewhere children are sleeping
A crowd is gathering round
I’m naked except for this sceptre and this crown
Remind me the next time I see you around
To pinch myself in case I’m dreaming
There’s a flower in your hand and there is sand between your toes
There’s a woman and a man taking off their clothes
There’s a lost little lamb separated from the fold
And it’s all always constantly changing
Don’t let the bed bugs bite don’t let your heart get cold
There’s been nothing but the truth in every lie I’ve told
Just because I’m kneeling and my eyes are closed
Doesn’t mean I’m praying
So speak of the devil babe and he shall appear
But before you do consider whether you really want him here
He’s cruel and he’s mean and he knows no fear
And there’s a long way to go before morning
|
||||
47. |
Ten Times A Day
03:44
|
|||
Ten Times A Day
You walked into my life without knocking
And you turned my lonely world around
I put a ladder in your stockings
I climbed up but I couldn’t climb down
You introduced yourself to me as April
But in April you were calling yourself May
Then in May you were June and in June you were July
And in July you were going by some other name
I love you New York City
But you’re driving me insane
I’m falling in love
Ten times a day
I took the subway down to Brooklyn
I had to see a man about a dog
That man turned out to be a woman
Needless to say, I fell in love
I’ll miss you New York City
But I gotta get away
I’m falling in love
Ten times a day
Ten times a day
Ten times you materialize
Ten times you fly away
Ten times my heart skips a beat
Ten times it breaks
Ten times is too many
Once is all it takes
I think I’ll head on down the highway
I still have so many dues to pay
Gotta keep my eyes on the horizon
Gotta keep my fingers in the clay
No matter where I’m heading
Inverness or East LA
I’m falling in love
Ten times a day
|
||||
48. |
The City Is King
03:48
|
|||
The City Is King
Leaning up against a lamppost feeling lonesome
I look out into the city night
Headlights making rainbows in the raindrops
And the occasional slice of jail brake moonlight
I was born on the border of England and Wales
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails
But I’ve learned something
The city is king
10 million people are living in this place
What are the chances you'll find her?
The city is a symphony baby, and I’m a lonely sonata
Yearning to escape all the hullabaloo
I was whispering the vespers in a public restroom
When it came to me
The city is king
And I’m trying to find my way back home
But the city is king
Leaning towards enlightenment after a couple double whiskeys
I was wandering the streets
Met a man dressed like a hippy from the sixties
He wore a sign saying ‘A dime for an epiphany’
I gave him the money and he took me aside
And I must confess that I wasn’t surprised
When he said to me
The city is king
And I’m trying to find my way back home
But the city is king
|
||||
49. |
The Horse's Grave
03:45
|
|||
The Horses Grave
I went out one morning just after dawn
As has been my custom ever since you've been gone
A magpie was wheeling in the carnival sky
Hello Mr. Magpie, how is your wife?
Well, said the Magpie, life's moving fast
But you learn to appreciate things while they last
I'm counting my blessings, I'm reading the signs,
Each day is a lesson in taking a day at a time
I went down to where the river grows bold in the sun
And where the willows huddle in conversation
Like a child in a playground I try to join in
But the secrets they whisper float away on the wind
With a heart full of worry I hurried on home
But something was following me, I was not alone
A beautiful black horse, all dressed up to ride,
His saddle was empty, there was a wound in his side
We stared at each other, he was standing so close
I could have reached out my hand and touched his nose
I stared into his eye, so empty and black
The next thing I knew, I was up on his back
We flew through the morning at a terrible pace
The wind stung my eyes and twigs whipped my face
I said to the magpie how long will this last?
I don't know, said the magpie, but this too shall pass
Just as I was beginning to lose all hope
The animal slowed to an elegant lope
Then he just disappeared into empty space
And left me flat on my face at the foot of his grave
|
||||
50. |
The Moon's Reply
02:40
|
|||
The Moon's Reply
I said to a bird, hey, what’s the sky?
Said just me when I’ve nowhere to hide
I said to the sky, hey, what’s a bird?
Said just me when I’m ready to fly
I said to the sea, hey what’s the moon?
My teacher, my master, my guide
I said to the moon, where is my love tonight?
I’m still waiting for the moon's reply
I said to a tree, hey, what’s the wind?
Said just me when I’m naked is all
I said to the wind, hey, what’s a tree?
Said just me when I’m dressed for the ball
I said to the sun, hey, what’s the moon?
My sister, my mother, my bride
I said to the moon, where is my love tonight?
I’m still waiting for the moon's reply
|
||||
51. |
||||
The Widow Of The Fallen Soldier
I tracked the path of an atom, I heard the whisper of the stars
I felt my heart grow bolder and bolder
I had a strange conversation in an airport bar
With the widow of a fallen soldier
“I waited for him until the swallows returned
I waited for him by the water
There’s a fire in my heart where my love for him burns”
Said the widow of the fallen soldier
I sat there so quietly, so undisturbed
As the night grew colder and colder
“Have you looked, have you listened, have you seen, have you heard?”
Said the widow of the fallen soldier
“I waited for him ‘till his wounds were all healed
I waited for him by the water
Everyone is beautiful on the battlefield”
Said the widow of the fallen soldier
It was then that I finally broke down and cried
I buried my face in her shoulder
“Every dead bird leaves a hole in the sky”
Said the widow of the fallen soldier
“I waited for him since the world was new
I waited for him by the water
It’s sure been a pleasure talking to you”
Said the widow of the fallen soldier
|
||||
52. |
||||
There were footsteps on the stair
But there’s no one there
The hounds were growling in their sleep
I put aside my book
And went outside to take a look
And stood in the middle of the street
The stars were hissing in the silence
And the moon shone as bright as day
And something in my soul
Whispered soft and low
The wind will blow it all away
My friend and my foe
My joy and my woe
My dreams half buried in the sand
Somewhere beyond the fields
Something hidden is revealed
Too simple to even understand
My heart may always be broken
And my tears may fall with the rain
My wounds never heal
My truth stay concealed
And the wind will blow it all away
I stood that way
Until the wind changed
And a melody drifted toward me on the breeze
My heart was pounding in my chest
I knew I couldn’t rest
I went in search of company
I followed the sound of the music
And came to a lighted doorway
They’re singing and they’re dancing
They’re drinking and they’re laughing
And the wind will blow them all away
I was turning around
When I saw her in the crowd
Looking so graceful and so calm
I would have gone inside
But I saw the way she smiled
When he came and took her in his arms
I lingered a while in the shadows
A strange peace flooding my veins
Then I went on my way
Only love remained
All the rest the wind will blow away
The wind will blow it all away
|
||||
53. |
To A Woman In Winter
04:48
|
|||
To A Woman In Winter
I saw you on the street in a foreign city
Just beyond the border of a dream
You were going somewhere in a hurry
I knew somehow you were coming to see me
I waited in the square by the frozen fountain
A pair of sparrows were pecking at the ice
Their tiny beaks were carving out your mouth and your eyes
They flew away you melted into life
The street raises a sleepy smile to greet you
Snow falls like confetti on your hair
Every passer by salutes you
But you don’t seem to notice or to care
In the square I hear the church bells chiming midnight
Let me take your freezing hand in mine
Let’s walk around awhile in the moonlight
Forget that we’re running out of time
Some people say that seeing is believing
But I just don’t believe that to be true
I believe we dream things into being
Why else would I still believe in you?
Why else would I dream away my lonely nights?
Without dreams we’d have no reason to wake up
I live my life in shadow cast by sparks of light
Any moment the whole thing could blow up
Today my hair is several winters whiter
And I’m still building castles in the air
I still have only questions and no answers
I’m still waiting by the fountain in the square
Sometimes you seem so far away
Other times you’re close enough to touch
I have only come to pass the time of day
I hope that’s not asking too much
|
||||
54. |
Tomorrow Doesn't Care
02:30
|
|||
Tomorrow Doesn't Care
I’m a failed atheist but I ain’t religious
I’m just hungry and I’m fishing for the moon
Spitting cherry pips in Chinatown and thinking about that waitress
Who I almost mistook for my muse
She said sadness doesn’t suit you why don’t we fall in love
Get a dog and braid each other’s hair
I took her by the mitten boys I held her little glove
And I said yesterday’s forgiven us baby and tomorrow doesn’t care
Yesterday’s forgiven us and tomorrow doesn’t care
I loved her with the fury of a thousand burning stars
I didn’t eat or sleep for a thousand years
Now Santa Clause is back selling second hand cars
And the devil mixes cocktails with your tears
I woke up with a stranger in the virgin snow
She was naked and I was trying not to stare
She said maybe God created us to give him something to be jealous of
I said yesterday’s forgiven us baby and tomorrow doesn’t care
Yesterday’s forgiven us and tomorrow doesn’t care
I first met Lesko in a bar on Second Avenue
We spoke of the generosity of existence
He’d come from Wyoming through Utah and Idaho
Following the path of least resistance
O call back yesterday bid time return
He cried as he fell off his chair
When will we realize will we ever learn
That yesterday’s forgive us baby and tomorrow doesn’t care
Yesterday’s forgiven us and tomorrow doesn’t care
|
||||
55. |
When I'm Not In Love
02:19
|
|||
When I'm Not In Love
Listen up everybody, I’ve got something to say
Me, myself and I are going our separate ways
I read all night and I sleep all day
When I’m not in love
I play the clarinet till my cheeks turn blue
I smoke cigarettes and I sniff glue
I sit in church and look at the view
When I’m not in love
Don’t you ever catch a glimpse of yourself
Reaching up for something on the shelf
And think this aint my life?
No, this aint my life
I walk by the river hanging bells on the wind
I drink grapefruit juice and bring the kindling in
I’m going where I’m going and I’ve been where I’ve been
When I’m not in love
The sky in the evening’s turning cherry red
There’s blood in the wine and there’s flesh in the bread
But there’s a chill in my soul and a hole in my bed
When I’m not in love
Don’t you ever say goodbye to a friend
And the moment you’re alone again
Think this aint my life?
No, this aint my life
Don’t you ever get that look in your eye
Thinking how did the stakes get so high?
And this aint my life
No this aint my life
Listen up everybody, I’ve got something to say
Me, myself and I are going our separate ways
I know it’s only a passing phase
When I’m not in love
|
||||
56. |
When She Was Mine
01:26
|
|||
When She Was Mine
It's been raining
And out of the mist
Comes a face I can't resist
She's so fine
And there was a time
When she was mine
I've got a feeling
That some other guy
Will be holding her tonight
But that's alright
'Cause there was a time
When she was mine
In the darkest hour of the longest night
Just follow your heart
You'll be alright
And just remember
Whoever you end up being
Whatever life you end up leading
You're so fine
And there was a time
When you were mine
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57. |
Where The Wolves Fuck
02:30
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Where The Wolves Fuck
I was walking down St. Christopher Street
Orientating myself
If I turn right I'll find the world at my feet
If I turn left I'll go straight to Hell
You know the dream where you're standing by the river
Trying to find a way across?
I guess I thought the grass would be greener
Now I know that it's not
And I'm wounded and lost
And I'm fresh out of luck
And I'm stranded where the wolves fuck
I was walking around on St. Bartholomew's Eve
Hardly believing my eyes
You were clapping your hands and stamping your feet
Fighting for the other side
You know the dream where you're standing by the river
Trying to find a way across?
I guess I thought that life would be simpler
Now I know that it's not
And I'm wounded and lost
And I'm fresh out of luck
And I'm stranded where the wolves fuck
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58. |
Wyoming
02:20
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Wyoming
When I looked in my baby's eyes
I knew that something wasn't right
I've heard it said that love is blind
And it is until you switch on the light
Something in that ancient sky
Made we want to sing
I'm finding my way back
I think I left something
In Wyoming
When I looked for a place to hide
I found that I was not alone
There is a voice inside
Giving me the strength to carry on
Something in that ancient sky
Made we want to sing
I'm finding my way back
I think I left something
In Wyoming
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Freddie Stevenson Glasgow, UK
Albums 'Body on the Line', 'All My Strange Companions', '50 Songs', 'The City Is King', 'The Brightening/The Darkening'. A Dirty Urchin of NYC. Co-writing and touring with the Waterboys. Lives in Scotland.
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