Get all 29 James Tristan Redding releases available on Bandcamp and save 75%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Leap Songs, Part 5, Leap Songs, Part 4, Song A Week, Vol. 8, Leap Songs, Part 2, Leap Songs, Part 1, The Nashville 24, Vol. 3, Look Out World, Song A Week, Volume 7, and 21 more.
1. |
Jeffrey Joslin - Leavin'
03:40
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Keep my leavin' in the soles of my shoes
In case I got a little leavin' to do, a little leavin’ to do
I leave my boots by the foot of the stairs
In case my leavin' wants to go somewhere, wants to go somewhere
North to south east and west
I keep on leavin' 'til there's nothin' left
Close behind no matter where I go
Seems the leavin' won't leave me alone
Well I got me a job twenty dollars a day
But my leavin' told me I gotta' walk away, gotta’ walk away
The boss man asked me said what's the rush
I was long gone in a cloud of dust, in a cloud of dust
North to south east and west
I keep on leavin' 'til there's nothin' left
Follows me around no matter where I go
Seems like this leavin' won't leave me alone
I try to stay long as I can
But the leavin' always seems to have other plans, have other plans
Ask me where I'm goin' well I don't know
Just a chasin' that leavin' on down the road, on down the road
North to south east and west
I keep on leavin' 'til there's nothin' left
Close behind no matter where I go
Seems like the leavin'
Seems like the leavin’
Seems like the leavin' won't leave me alone
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2. |
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I’ve avoided my family all year
But then I came up with an idea
When I pulled out my holiday decor
And I found my escape door
My world’s been shaken up
Turned upside down
But I could be with a snowman
In his plastic town
If I could live in a snow globe this Christmas
It’d be the only thing on my wish list
I can’t hear you through this glass dome if you knock
This year I’m making my new home a snow globe
Nothing gets in or out
And I can turn up my music loud
Nobody’s snoring or crying or yelling
An over-cooked turkey won’t be what I’m smelling
The snow would fall down
The perfect amount
It’s just me and Santa
In this plastic town
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3. |
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Sometimes we were lovers
The nights would never end
Other times we wondered
Where the magic went
So close to going under
Closer than I’ll ever be again
Thought I must be dreamin’
And I wondered what it meant
I woke up south of Eden
Lost without a friend
Between true love and freedom
Closer than I’ll ever be again
If you’ll hold me tight
And turn out all the lights
Then maybe we could just pretend
We didn’t fall apart
God bless our broken hearts
Hallelujah and amen
You’re the best there’s ever been
Closer than I’ll ever be again
Drew you in a picture
In yellows blues and reds
Prayed you’ll reconsider
Or that I could just forget
Gentle as a whisper
Closer than I’ll ever be again
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4. |
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Didn’t want to meet you at the movies
There was nothing I wanted to see
Spend all my money on you baby
But love got the better of me
Didn’t want to wrap my coat around you
But I couldn’t let you freeze
Wasn’t sure, should I try to steal a kiss?
Then love got the better of me
Just like a light switch when I need to see
A spoon of sugar in my cup of tea
You made it easy when you whispered please
Your love got the better of me
Don’t want you to see me crying
The tears they taste so sweet
Used to worry I’d be waiting here forever
But love got the better of me
Don’t ever want to lose this moment
Feel so good it’s hard to breathe
Wasn’t sure, should I give my hand to you?
Then love got the better of me
Just like a vision when I need to believe
A silver ribbon round the apple tree
You made it easy when you got down on one knee
Your love got the better of me
Wonder where we’ll be in 50 years
I’ll go anywhere you are
Watching all our worries disappear
Safe inside my arms
Like a pair of glasses when I’m 93
The stitches holding my heart to my sleeve
You made it easy when you swept me off my feet
And love got the better of me
Don’t mean every day will be just perfect
We’ll try our best to trust
As the years pass I hope through thick and thin
Love gets the better of us
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5. |
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Do you know how it feels goin’ nowhere fast?
Running on empty, always finishing last
In a no horse town with nothing to lose
One road leading in but no way out
None of us knew what this life was about
Dazed and confused until I saw you
Just around the corner, right before my eyes
Fell in love with the girl next door, man was I surprised
Finally I see I’m exactly where I need to be
Nowhere is somewhere, when you’re there with me
My heart was dead to the world buried six feet deep
Locked away in a vault ‘til you gave me the keys
I was walkin’ in circles wearin’ holes in my shoes
But you gave me a chance like a break in the rain
Opened up my eyes and everything changed
Now I know where I’m goin’, any place with you
Just around the corner, right before my eyes
Fell in love with the girl next door, man was I surprised
Finally I see I’m exactly where I need to be
Nowhere is somewhere, when you’re there with me
Like a fortune teller you know everything I need
The answer to my prayers the reason I believe
You’re my shield and shelter in a raging hurricane
Like a shooting star I can’t even explain
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6. |
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I’m gonna’ move to a town where nobody knows my name
Spread my wings and start all over again
Yeah lovers love and losers lose, and haters gonna’ hate
I’m gonna’ move to a town where nobody knows my name
Ooh, got my sights on Santa Fe
Ooh, margaritas in the shade
Forget about the he said she said same old gossip game
I’m gonna’ move to a town where nobody knows my name
I’ll cut my hair and buy some brand new shoes
Bet it all on red, yeah what have I got to lose
Wanna’ watch these lights disappear as I drive miles and miles away
I’m gonna’ move to a town where nobody knows my name
Ooh, maybe south to the Florida Keys
Ooh, a little sunshine’s all I need
Forget about the he said she said same old gossip game
I’m gonna’ move to a town where nobody knows my name
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7. |
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Engine runnin’ strange need the oil changed
Go see Billy at the fillin’ station
He’ll top up the tank and it won’t break the bank
And he’s always good for makin’ conversation
Diner on the left lady’s name is Tess
Makes the county’s finest apple pie
Summer through to winter breakfast lunch and dinner
Gotta’ have a piece before you die
But if you’re feelin’ lost like you can’t see no way out
Lookin’ for some answers when all you got is doubt
If you’re out on the edge with nothin’ left to lose
I know who to send you to
There’s some things in this world only God can do
When you’re feelin’ low there’s a place just up the road
Keystone Karaoke’s goin’ down
If you can’t sing a lick they won’t mind a bit
Cheapest kind of therapy in town
If you need a little peace to get you through the night
A candle in the darkness to shine a little light
If your heart is broken and you’re feelin’ like a fool
I know who to send you to
There’s some things in this world only God can do
I ain’t tryin’ to say that God won’t find a way
Of showin’ up through someone else
The people that you meet might be His hands and feet
I’m sure he don’t mind the help
Well if you need the grace that’ll quench your thirsty soul
And a cup that will not empty further down the road
If you’re lookin’ for redemption for something tried and true
I know who to send you to
There’s some things in this world only God can do
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8. |
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Painted every corner
Really thought I knew this house of mine
This room I’ve never noticed
Wonder how it’d feel to walk inside
Would there be darkness in that moment
Or could sunlight fill the space and make it golden
Behind a door I never opened
Halfway down the hallway
Right between the kitchen and the stairs
No one here to tell me
What fills the room I didn’t know was there
Is it promises I’ve broken
Or is it all the things I left unspoken
Behind a door I never opened
Even if I wanted
Can’t pretend that something hasn’t changed
Heads I swing it open
Tails I turn around and walk away
With every breath I know it
Once I step inside I’ll never close it
The door I never opened
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9. |
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When I don’t buy you flowers
You forgive me
When you wait up for hours
You forgive me
I know I don’t deserve
What you give me
You’re so full of grace
I just feel so guilty
When the curtain closes the show is over
The lights go up and the people leave
Do me one more favor
As I’m walking out the door
Please forgive me
When the clock stops ticking
It’s too late
The last leaf falls
And the seasons change
We did our best
At the end of the day
Nothing last forever
Let’s call a spade a spade
When the curtain closes the show is over
The lights go up and the people leave
Do me one more favor
As I’m walking out the door
Please forgive me
You might forgive the words I said
But forgive don’t mean forget
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10. |
Troy Petty - Sera Says
02:59
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Sera says she was pretty yesterday but why she can’t explain
Sera says she woke the morning after and it was gone again
Sera says it’s a little strange, she can’t describe the change
Sera says she leaves this afternoon on the road to Illinois
Sera says she’s got no plans to marry any other boys
Sera says she thinks of me, I’ll always keep that memory
Sera says for awhile she didn’t want to live and all she did was cry
I can’t find the words for what it means to me she never said goodbye
Sera says this morning someone died and everyone’s quiet today
Sera says the grace of God will save us
And wash our sins away
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11. |
Niki Shepherd - HWC
03:11
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How can you make a noise
When you don’t have a voice
Can anybody hear my thoughts
How will my love be loud
When I can’t make a sound
Can you speak for me if I cannot
How do I trust that I
Will fully heal in time
Can you promise this shall pass
However long it takes
We’ll trust and we will wait
Can absolutely promise you that
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12. |
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The sun is slowly rising as I roll the window down
Eyes are in the distance but the wheels are on the ground
Mother Mary’s in the window but I haven’t got a prayer
I don’t know where I’m going but I’m halfway there
My wallet’s almost empty just a folded black and white
The hardest part to swallow is I think she may be right
She knew that I was lying when I said I didn’t care
I don’t know where I’m going but I’m halfway there
Clearly I was blind to the brunt of the plan
Nearly drove me out of my mind
Aces on the table but a joker in my hand
Beats what I’m leaving behind
Ditching all the dead weight and blowing through the lights
Cloud of dust behind me and the future in my sights
And if they ever catch me they won’t catch me unaware
I don’t know where I’m going but I’m halfway there
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13. |
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Wooden stools flipped over on the tables
Ain't no shadows on the ground
Quarter mile of neon by the river
Somehow it's the heartbeat of this town
8 x 10s fill these walls with mystery
Autographed by tip jar bands and stars
I hear Dixieland Delight like it was yesterday
Standing here outside an empty bar
The voices that I love they never left me
No they ring out after all the doors are closed
You can't hardly see 'em 'til after closing time
But there's angels on broadway tonight
They've walked up and down these streets for decades
Some chased a dream that took a higher stage
However long they played here two months or twenty years
Either way their spirit still remains
The voices that I love they never left me
No they ring out after all the doors are closed
You can't hardly see 'em 'til after closing time
But there's angels on broadway tonight
It's a different kind of country I'm seeing these days
But we won't forget the ones who built this place
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14. |
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Same old movie in my head every summer me and her
Talkin’ names like James if it’s a boy or Lisa for a girl
Holdin’ onto the memory of a barefoot porch on a Saturday
And the face in a faded photograph seven thousand miles away
Dog tags and a wedding ring, how’d it come to this
Hard to do the right thing when you don’t know what that is
Heart is halfway ‘round the world but my boots are on the ground
Countin’ down the days here ain’t too much longer now
Tunin’ out the choppers and squintin’ through the dust
Thinkin’ of the one I love and the place I wish I was
Did my best couldn’t fix the rest but I pray she understands
Either way I’m learnin’ what it means to be a man
Dog tags and a wedding ring, how’d it come to this
Hard to do the right thing when you don’t know what that is
Heart is halfway ‘round the world but my boots are on the ground
Countin’ down the days here ain’t too much longer now
Open up that envelope and a tear rolls down my face
Loves me and she’s proud as hell P.S. little Lisa’s on the way
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15. |
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Little house on Maple Street built with these two hands
Forty years ago almost to the day
Didn’t do the best job of following the plan
Split some boards and bent some nails along the way
Thank God our mistakes can be forgiven
And livin’ perfect ain’t the point of livin’
Tear it down and build it up again
Let it fall apart now and then
Learn to surrender and make room for something better
Tear it down and build it up again
The first night in this house we slept right on the floor
Because the moving truck broke down two miles away
Shared my jacket as a pillow and we kept each other warm
Man, I tear up when I think about those days
Patchin’ up our jeans and cuttin’ coupons
Testin’ out the hammock with our boots on
Tear it down and build it up again
Let it fall apart now and then
Learn to surrender and make room for something better
Tear it down and build it up again
These walls were always more than just nails and 2x4s
Our years right here meant so much to me
Rest my hand in yours as we’re walkin’ out the door
Time to say goodbye to Maple Street
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16. |
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Daughters need their mamas so I guess you ain’t surprised
You were right somethings wrong so here’s the truth
Been talkin’ to this man with the deepest green blue eyes
Now I don’t know what to do
They got me workin’ doubles closin’ out the second shift
I serve him almost every night
I first took off my ring just to wash a couple dishes
Wish that I could turn back time
Heart’s been drivin’ me crazy
And Tom’s at home with the baby
Promised he would be my last first kiss
Meant my vows on our wedding day
Slept pretty good in the bed we made
But it never felt like this
No it never felt like this
Ever since we bought the house we’re barely breakin’ even
Never thought it would be this tough
Hardly get to see him with the hours we been keepin’
I can’t remember the last time we made love
So when a handsome stranger ordered up a Jack and coke
And asked if I could use a friend
Somethin’ ‘bout those words went like whiskey down my throat
And I felt beautiful again
Heart’s been drivin’ me crazy
And Tom’s at home with the baby
Promised he would be my last first kiss
Meant my vows on our wedding day
Slept pretty good in the bed we made
But it never felt like this
No it never felt like this
Go ahead remind me not to leave it all behind
That ain’t the way I feel right now
God I know you’re right and I should go back home tonight
That’s a little harder than it sounds
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17. |
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I remember the first time I felt your embrace
My fingers went numb and the blood left my face
The whole city stopped just to watch you arrive
As I fell deep into love with a chill down my spine
For many years after I’d wait for your call
The first day of winter, the last day of fall
Short were the days and long were the nights
Cozy and warm hiding safely inside
On again. Off again.
Three months at a time
On again. Off again.
I was yours and you were mine.
Time has a way of breaking things down
Your love buried me like the snow on the ground
We once built a fortress, an angel, a dream
But icicles melt if you know what I mean
Kept trying to leave you in so many ways
As the spring water ran like the tears down my face
What seemed so refreshing, so open and free
Stole the light from my eyes, brought me right to my knees
On again. Off again.
Three months at a time
On again. Off again.
I was yours and you were mine.
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18. |
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And there she was, could she see me
Did I smile too much
Would she ever let a stranger hold her hand
What’s wrong with me, is it normal
To live half asleep
And I wonder if I’ll ever smile again
Just a pair of strangers on a crowded train
Unexpected glances not enough to stay
As the day is dying when I’m all alone
Every night I ask myself will I find love
Maybe this time could be different
I have heard before
If you love it then you have to let it go
These walls I’ve built to protect me
Haven’t served me, no
When did I become this lonely wounded soul
Just a pair of strangers on a crowded train
Unexpected glances not enough to stay
As the day is dying when I’m all alone
Every night I ask myself will I find love
Let my heart be weightless
Open up my eyes
It isn’t always easy
But I have to try
As the day is dying when I’m all alone
Every night I ask myself will I find love
Beneath the stars above doesn’t everyone deserve
A chance at love
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19. |
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It’s all I ever think about
Can’t believe I’m gonna’ say it out loud
Avoiding your gaze and I cant take the sound of the silence
Doesn’t matter who was wrong
What’s important is I’m almost gone
And this time around you ain’t gonna’ see me cryin’
You’re probably gonna’ ask me to stay
Save your breath there ain’t nothin’ to say
Now I’m drinkin’ that bottle of red you were saving
Thinkin’ ‘bout the way I always hated
Those little white lies it’s time to face the truth
Sick and tired of waitin’ on you to call
Tonight I’m sayin’ to hell with it all
Been a long time comin’ but I finally know what to do
I’m lookin’ forward to missin’ you
Used to be easy, used to be sweet
Now we’re headin’ down a one way street
Wrapped up in a moment but it disappeared
We knew that it was comin’ to this
Never mind that goodbye kiss
Only sayin’ this once gonna’ make it clear
Spent so long circling the drain
We had it all but we threw it away
Now I’m drinkin’ that bottle of red you were saving
Thinkin’ ‘bout the way I always hated
Those little white lies it’s time to face the truth
Sick and tired of waitin’ on you to call
Tonight I’m sayin’ to hell with it all
Been a long time comin’ but I finally know what to do
I’m lookin’ forward to missin’ you
And if it makes you feel any better
There was a time it felt like forever
We had some good times but forget about them
It’ll never be like that again
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20. |
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Streets are lined with neon signs
It’s like there’s no way out
Sure is hard to catch a break
In this beat up broken town
With ghosts on every corner
Always trying to fix the past
With spoons and flames and the kinda games
That ache like shattered glass
If you’re lucky you can hitch a ride to anywhere but here
Some things ain’t so clear until you’re gone
The distance it will show you, show you who you are
What it is you’ve needed all along
A piece of us will always dream
Until the curtain call
We’ll run until it hurts to run
Or never run at all
Like askin’ may I have this dance
Before you leave alone
That voice inside you screamin’
If you don’t you’ll never know
If you’re lucky you can hitch a ride to anywhere but here
Some things ain’t so clear until you’re gone
The distance it will show you, show you who you are
What it is you’ve needed all along
And you won’t get out
And you can’t be free
If you don’t let go
And dance with me
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21. |
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If you're fixed on takin' off that ring
Guess I'll take mine off too
The moving truck took everything
Everything except the truth
Things are gonna' change for us
Kids will have to learn my new address
Every other weekend ain't enough
But I'll take what I can get
There's a lesson in the losin' and a grace in each goodbye
Bittersweet like all things human we can't know until we try
Sometimes I don't see it comin' other times it's outta' reach
Ain't we all in search of something between what is and what could be
After all the wishing and the waiting
Then the walking out
Somehow I quit the chasing
Grabbed a hold of here and now
There's no island I can run to
No place to get away
But the sun will rise tomorrow
If I make it through today
There's a lesson in the losin' and a grace in each goodbye
Bittersweet like all things human we can't know until we try
Sometimes I don't see it comin' other times it's outta' reach
Ain't we all in search of something between what is and what could be
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22. |
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Dirt so dry can’t feel my eyes
Sun as hot as a supermodel
Every part of this heavy heart
Dark brown like an empty bottle
Shattered that the shine we had
When everything was young
The magic dust is all but lost
Dissolved and come undone
Guess you crossed some kind of line seven years ago
Left it all behind you on the shoulder of the road
I was walkin’ west into the sunset when it hit me
Twenty miles outside Olive Branch Mississippi
All four wheels are spinnin’ still
Soul is outta’ gas
Filled her up like diesel but
Couldn’t make it last
Maybe they’s as many ways
To fall as there is footprints
Only got a single shot
For freedom and I took it
Guess you crossed some kind of line seven years ago
Left it all behind you on the shoulder of the road
I was walkin’ west into the sunset when it hit me
Twenty miles outside Olive Branch Mississippi
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23. |
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Take a left on Cherry Lane
Neighborhood doesn’t look the same
See that white picket fence
Where I played with Jack my oldest friend
He don’t live there anymore
Since the factory closed its doors
Let me show you how it used to be
On that little dead end street
That’s where Johnny broke his arm, where I learned to drive a car
Choked on a cigarette had a 4th grade broken heart
Love to show you ‘round but there’s no going back
Because the town where I grew up ain’t on the map
About a quarter mile of broken dreams
Just a stretch of old Route 33
There used to be a diner open late
Silenced by the interstate
Let me show you how it used to be
On that little dead end street
That’s where Johnny broke his arm, where I learned to drive a car
Choked on a cigarette had a 4th grade broken heart
Love to show you ‘round but there’s no going back
Because the town where I grew up ain’t on the map
All the pictures I remember
Only shadows of the past
Wish I could see them clearer
They seemed to disappear so fast
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24. |
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I'm looking for a place to put these chances I won't take
There's no more space the closet's full door's about to break
Gotta' clear some room by throwin' out these broken things
Collectin' dust from dawn to dusk beneath this old box spring
The halo that I used to wear, my broken magic wand
The shoes I never walked a mile in, should have tried those on
If I want better days I better figure out
What's always held me back I'm better off without
If I need sweeter dreams and peace that lasts forever
This bed I'm sleepin in I need to make it better
My rosy tinted glasses they've been down there for awhile
Next to all the hours I spent wishin' like a child
A clover with 3 leaves it never seemed to grow a fourth
The pedestal that leveled all my lovers to the floor
The first stone that I couldn't cast, the tears that didn't help
Fallin' on the pages full of words I told myself
If I want better days I better figure out
What's always held me back I'm better off without
If I need sweeter dreams and peace that lasts forever
This bed I'm sleepin in I need to make it better
Pictures from the past like a movie in my mind
I can change my story when I leave them all behind
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25. |
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Look out world I’m gonna’ try
See this new determination in my eyes
I know my steps have wandered far
But here and now I’ve gotta’ make a brand new start
Look out world I’m gonna’ jump
And find out all the things I can become
No giving up now no turning back
Just these two soles that make their way along the tracks
Look out world I’m fallin’ down
I did my best but I can’t handle it right now
The lights are blinding there’s all this noise
Nobody’s listenin’ to this little tiny voice
Look out world I’m standin’ up
I got these boot straps that I’m pullin’ from the mud
There’s no more weakness or things to prove
And there ain’t nothin’ in this world that I can’t do
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26. |
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I was born a pauper
With a monkey on my back
The greatest trick I ever learned
Was how to switch a pack
Played with presidents and prostitutes
Working stiffs like me and royalty
I burned a hole in every pocket
From London Town to Tennessee
People ask me how’d you do it
I’ve been watching you all night
I know that you you’ve been cheating
But I can’t figure it out right
Some come to me with handshakes
Others come at me with knives
Some are waiting in the alley
Some are waiting with their wives
Well I should have seen it coming
Should have known my time was up
You can’t stay in play a game like this so long
And still have beginners luck
She was a red headed woman
With breasts so soft and round
The kind who’ll cause a house of cards
To come a tumbling down
And she held onto all the aces
She knew how to play a heart
You have to sleep with one eye open
If you’re swimming with the sharks
Well it all went south one evening
I guess she learned a trick or two
Its not how you play the cards
But the man in front of you
This whole world is full of hobos
Trying to win back what they lost
Patch the holes up in their pockets
They don’t care what it costs
There’s no escaping from the hustle
No-one’s ever far from ruin
It’s either you who’s getting screwed
Else you’re the one doing the screwing
It’s not about the dealer it’s not about the king
It’s not about the joker or any of these things
It’s all about the bounty and getting out clean
So put your hands on the silver and your eyes on the queen
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27. |
Eli Alger - Ann Marie
02:38
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In my four years here at the boys’ lunch table
A gal never came around
So the day you did I couldn’t stop myself
From walkin up and sittin’ down
Didn’t know it at the time but when your eyes met mine
It was the start of something beautiful and new
The world stopped (right) on cue when you said – hey how’re you
Something changed inside of me
Ann Marie
A couple years later according to the haters
We were goin’ way too fast
Take a good look now we're thinkin’ ‘bout a house
And four words I want to ask
Surprised me at the time but when your eyes met mine
It was the start of something beautiful and new
I fall a little deeper and it sounds a little sweeter
Every time you say I love you
To me
Ann Marie
I may never walk the streets of Rome
Or sail the seven seas
But if I do I want you TO BE there too
So Ann Marie will you marry me
Well it happened right on time and when your eyes met mine
It was the start of something beautiful and new
Now I know that it’s the truth when you say the words “I do”
Here’s to forever you and me
Ann Marie
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28. |
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My lucky number’s 90210
Sure be nice to shop on Rodeo
House in the hills Mercedes Benz
Fake tans and Botox my best friend
We all dream of a little more
Wanna’ unlock a better door
Ain’t no law no higher math
If we don’t love the place where we’re at
It’s a combination of changing
One part luck one part location
If we don’t like the digits we’ve been dealt
We don’t have to stay standing still
We can get to anywhere we wanna’ go
All we gotta’ do is crack the code
I heard about the 21217
5 mpgs in a rundown station wagon
But they make 90220
Look as shiny as 02554
We all dream of a little more
Than a cheap air mattress on the floor
So if you wanna’ move a little ways up the road
Break that C-O-D-E code
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29. |
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30. |
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Bricks are just as strong as the weathered hand that lays them
And the plan for where they're gonna' go
Hammer and a level some work gloves and a pencil
And brand new double A's in your radio
I can build a house or I can tear it down
I can work a forklift or a crane
But thirty years of workin' only one thing's certain
That I never want to build again
Funny thing about time it changes your intentions
Turns your blueprints upside down
Built so many walls and it shifted my perspective
Wanna' turn 'em into bridges now
Jericho to China I'm not the only one
Puttin' borders round their heart
Golden Gate to Brooklyn thats the places i'm now looking
Bring together all i used to keep apart
Funny thing about time it changes your intentions
Turns your blueprints upside down
Built so many walls and it shifted my perspective
Wanna' turn 'em into bridges now
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31. |
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Boxes in the attic been there for years
Filled up with t-shirts and memories and tears
Stack of papers and a couple busted chairs
I could cry anywhere so why not there
Don't matter who's wrong don't matter who's right
All that matters is this dust in a beam of light
Noise out in the world is deafening
Try to listen but I can't hear a thing
Were there words I coulda' said to make you stay
Anything so you'd still be here today
Well the door is locked and the only thing inside
Is me and some dust in a beam of light
Someday I'll make my way far away from here
Try to make all these ghosts disappear
No more strands of blonde when I vaccuum the floor
No more holdin' on if that's what I'm holdin' on for
Tax returns and phone bills we never paid
Books I didn't read but couldn't throw away
Dreams about a life that I'll never have
Wanna' see the future just look at the past
Focus on the one thing shining bright
A cloud of dust in a beam of light
Only thing that's real right before my eyes
Is just some dust in a beam of light
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32. |
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Write me a love song in the key of C
Sing it through a telephone wire quietly
I been gettin' closer closer to the edge
Remember how the clock stood still when you looked at me and said
Maybe we can love again maybe we should try
Maybe we can trust again with eyes open wide
Maybe we can climb these walls or maybe break them down
Maybe it’s just you and me and that's all for now
Fear can be an anchor or a stepping stone
We could let it bind us or learn to let it go
After the rain falls the silence in between
Finally start to hear each other you know what I mean
Maybe we can love again maybe we should try
Maybe we can trust again with eyes open wide
Maybe we can climb these walls or maybe break them down
Maybe it’s just you and me and that all for now
All we need is to breathe again
All we need is to let it in
All we have is you and me
And maybe that's all we need
Maybe we can love again maybe we should try
Maybe we can trust again with eyes open wide
Maybe we can climb these walls or maybe break them down
Maybe it’s just you and me and we can work it out
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33. |
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34. |
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There’s a dry desert breeze in the air here tonight
But we’re only halfway thru November
And this year has been so hard and such a long fight
O lets finish the year well together
And remember the days that were lonely and long
When we stayed in for what seemed forever
But we got to hang out here and write and few songs
Yes I think we are all pretty clever
As springs singing out with its bloom and its grow
The music still reaches wherever
From north, east, south, or westward we go
All of these changes, we weather
What lies ahead, we haven’t a clue
But even for worse or for better
I’ll make it through right here next to you
O let’s make it a time to remember
There’s a bite in the air in the north of the earth
With its darkened nights and cold weather
But there’s warmth in connection, and we feel our worth
With our words that bind us together
We’ll remember these songs and where they came from
In a world upside down in a jumble
As we start to heal, I know we’ll become
Grateful for friends and more humble
In the air there’s a chill that could reach to your bones
If the sun wasn’t shining above you
When it’s all you can do just to find your way home
Remember there’s someone who loves you
So the compass keeps turning the home fires burn
And the hands on the clock lead us onward
Through a season of change like the trees in the rain
When the storm makes our hearts even stronger
Rode down to the city and there on the street
The drummer plays on in his sweater
He sets up the beat, and then our eyes meet
But there's no address to send him a letter
If only he knew of the people I do
They’d invite him inside home for dinner
Then we’d share all the songs
He’d be drumming along
Through the night we would stay there and linger
There’s nothing like music to soothe the soul
And everyone loves to be known
So when the times are taking their toll
Our songs feel like coming back home
Lyrics and melodies rise and fall
Harmonies reach high and low
Each voice like a memory sweet to recall
Oh my friends, onward we go
When the nights are long and the days grow short
We know it won’t last forever
We’ve made it this far we can do it again
I’ll be by your side whatever
Even though we've been through so many hard times
At least we've been through them together
So let's close out the year with some goodwill and cheer
The sunlight still breaks through whatever
There’s an echo tonight, of what might have been,
As the stars light the sky with such splendour
But no matter the time, or the distance between,
We all lie beneath the same heaven
Oh whatever the road, or the path we might take,
As we all are just seeking some shelter
Just batten it down, and let the storm ride,
Cos baby this won't last forever
May sorrows turn to joy this day
As change comes
Dancing along
Warming our hearts by our fireplace
With every song that we play
We gathered around our virtual space
With time marching on, we grew
A smile as we greeted each face
Of those both founding and new
We march arm in arm, stand up for them all
And we'll live to remember December
Like the lion and the lamb, answer the call
Find a way to make peace together
Cause we’re not meant to walk out this life on our own
Not to hide in the darkness or sorrow
When we join in a song and our friends sing along
We find hope and new strength for tomorrow
Could've locked all our doors and hide deep inside
Tucked away until all this was over
But we reached out instead with arms open wide
And drew the world in a lot closer
When December comes along we celebrate with song
And dance through the best days of winter
We know we belong and our love will grow strong
Through the year and back ‘round to November
Breaking the day northern hemisphere sun
We’re staying in under cover
While there’s frost on my breath and air in my lungs
We’re gonna’ sing to each other
And just as the world was beginning to end
With the days getting darker forever
We picked up guitars to sing with our friends
A song and we’ll sing it together
We go oh...
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35. |
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36. |
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Good old Jesus where you been
I don't know where to begin
Human race could use a friend
Good old Jesus
Good old Jesus hates the war
Wonder who he voted for
Picks a tune on his front porch
Good old Jesus
Good old Jesus five feet tall
Climbed the cross and took the fall
Found his name in the bathroom stall
Good old Jesus
Two thousand years of waitin' here for you
So what the hell's another one or two
Good old Jesus ain't much left to lose
World says just give up but I refuse
Good old Jesus built to fight
Smells like hooch and Lucky Strikes
Help me make it through the night
Good old Jesus
Good old Jesus heart is broke
All my dreams went up in smoke
Sometimes life's a dirty joke
Good old Jesus
Good old Jesus skin and bone
He only rolled away the stone
So we could walk each other home
Good old Jesus
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37. |
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38. |
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|
I’m sick of my Ford
Lord gimme’ a Cadillac
I always want more
Ain’t that a fact
Look in the mirror and ask myself
What I’d say to someone else
What more do you want
What more do you need
When we already have it all
Anything more is greed
My bathtub’s too little
Give me a pool
A fountain in the middle
That would be cool
Look in the mirror and ask myself
What I’d say to someone else
What more do you want
What more do you need
When we already have it all
Anything more is greed
Could use more money
How about my own bank
And a good lookin’ honey
Please and thanks
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39. |
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40. |
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|
Looking at reflections of myself
And all the loss and happiness I felt
Who I am where I’ve been
Writes the story that I live
And all the years are long
And all the days are short
And when the moment’s gone
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
Tarnished broken pieces of my life
Trying to find a way to make it right
Eyes open wide but I couldn’t see
How do you wake up
When you don’t know you’re asleep
And all the years are long
And all the days are short
And when the moment’s gone
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
Holding on
Holding on
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41. |
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If I was a Costco man I could do what no one else can
I've got the goods I've got the plan, Costco man
I buy in bulk at a big box store
Mom and pop I don't need any more
When I buy at the Costco store
More is more
I'm buying tuna fish in a ten pound can
I've got more tuna than Japan
I buy shit that I'll never use
But at a price like that I can't refuse
If I was a Costco man I could do what no one else can
I've got the goods I've got the plan, Costco man
Yes I am
Dish washer soap in a giant pale
If they were selling weed I could buy it by the bale
A giant jar of olives just went on sale
Oh what the hell
Made in China Sri Lanka and Vietnam
Costco man
And my credit card maxed out at a hundred grand
Costco man, yes I am
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42. |
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We’re all a little different
That’s no surprise
But we have so much in common
You can see it in our eyes
Every sister every brother
Each one has a name
A father and a mother
We all hurt the same
Let’s stand together
And join hands in troubled times
Let’s stand together
Reach across the border lines
The night may feel so long
But nothing lasts forever
So here and now
Let’s stand together
We need food on the table
And somewhere warm to sleep
Clean air and water
We pray for unity
We won’t be divided
We won’t be torn apart
We’re tethered by the here and now
And the rhythm of our hearts
Stand up and as we stand up
We’ll stand together
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43. |
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|
When it's all about to crumble
When I stumble and I fall
Breathe in deep and thank the stars above
You listen when I talk
Funny how it's easier to reach you
When I'm on my knees
I could really use your help right now
Won't you take a walk with me
I love the way you listen to me
You gimme' grace to speak my heart
Somehow when I tell you what I'm thinkin' about
The night don't seem so dark
When I'm afraid there's something I can't do
You show me that I can
I'm hopin' that someday I'm gonna' be
The man you think I am
Knowing that I'll never be alone
Makes my life worth living
I feel your gentle touch beside me
And know that I'm forgiven
I love the way you listen to me
You gimme' grace to speak my heart
Somehow when I tell you what I'm thinkin' about
The night don't seem so dark
When I'm afraid there's something I can't do
You show me that I can
I'm hopin' that someday I'm gonna' be
The man you think I am
When you smile I know I'll never fail
Every time you wag your tail
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James Tristan Redding Nashville, Tennessee
British-American songwriter, singer, audiobook narrator, studio player, Godin Guitars official
artist.
Founded global collective www.SongAWeek.org, performance art experience The Under Over: tinyurl.com/uoxuo (song circle underneath a highway) and writing retreat www.TheNashville24.com (annual challenge: write 24 songs in 24 hours).
Cuts by Sarah Harralson, Eli Alger, Emma Gale, David Easterling
... more
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