|
1. |
|
|
|
|
My friend I wonder so many things
What brings a smile to your face
And when it’s raining what do you think of
Or do you hide out someplace
Do you remember what the first joke you heard was
How many bones have you broken
Which sock and shoe do you start with in the morning
And have you been to the ocean
So in a moment I’ll ask a question
To you and you alone, never fear
No one can hear us this conversation
Is safe and sound, secret and sincere
QUESTION 1: Are you happy where you are?
(now let me give you a couple moments to respond)
QUESTION 2: Do you realize you are loved?
(there’s no wrong answer, go ahead, carry on)
You’re doing great, and we’re still just warming up,
So settle in for a few more queries yet
The next one’s important so you’ll get a little extra
Silence to reset your epithets
QUESTION 3: What are you wearing?
OMG - I’m kidding - that would be a case of song abuse
For real the question is, and take your time here,
What would you do next if you knew you couldn’t lose?
I like your answer, and I like your courage
To say it all out loud here and now
After all it’s only you and me
Sharing what we’re working for and how
Here comes the final I hope you studied
Your answers will determine where you land
So QUESTION 4 is: All things considered,
Did you know you’re holding heaven in your hands?
|
|
2. |
|
|
|
|
Some men’s souls are shallow pools
Tepid and translucent
Others onyx overrules
And mine cannot diffuse it
Iron oars in circles tore
The surface and belabored
A capillary tension of
Our antihero savior
Rusted razor busted brain
Collapse perhaps beholden
Spinning out without a doubt
Exactly like we told ‘em
All the horses know the road
Toward the city center
Lucky break the bills were fake
Unspent illegal tender
Consequently now I call
For immediate recall
Of interference
Disrespect
And fallacy
So my hat is in the ring
No campaign just songs to sing
Dump the trouble
Overthrow
And vote for me
Left then right then left again
One thousand miles ‘til morning
Guns and God and grand pianos
Blazing blessing burning
Ticking tocking talking to
A second hand revolving
Underdressed and overwhelmed
Defenses all dissolving
A war on peace is underway
Democracy has spoken
Forget the flood we’re out for blood
The armory is open
By sword a man may live and die
And yet the pen is stronger
What then of words which open fire
On wounds which linger longer
|
|
3. |
|
|
|
|
A couple slabs of concrete
Outside the kitchen window
Four cinder blocks and cardboard
Just below
A beat up old domestic
With a rusted rear view mirror
Couple white walls and a spare
She’s good to go
So next door they stop and stare
Unspoken words saturate the air
They say there goes the neighborhood
Lucky me the only part that’s any good
Is underneath the hood
Got a whole new set of bearings
From a chop shop outside Austin
And a salvage yard exhaust
Up in the Bronx
But the body need not figure
In the measure of a motor
Only proper care that keeps it
Going strong
So next door they stop and stare
Unspoken words saturate the air
They say there goes the neighborhood
Lucky me the only part that’s any good
Is underneath the hood
If the wheels I put in motion
Were shiny fast and new
You bet I’d get the notion
Of racing up and down the avenue
So it’s fortunate and fitting
My wallet won’t allow
A car in which I’m sitting
To stand out too much from the crowd
|
|
4. |
|
|
|
|
Like the moon on the ocean
Like the shimmer of the waves
Unexplained and still unbroken
Unaware of who she saves
Everyone wants to marry Maria
She is the one but she has no idea
When she calls your name
And your heart exclaims
You will never be the same
Everyone wants to marry Maria
She would wait at the station
Miss every train just for you
No demands or expectations
Ready for the rendezvous
Everyone wants to marry Maria
She is the one but she has no idea
When she calls your name
And your heart exclaims
You will never be the same
Everyone wants to marry Maria
To be present and to notice how
She treasures every moment now
And the pleasure somehow never slips away
So before you know what happened you
Adore her and imagine too
How it feels to see her first thing every day
|
|
5. |
|
|
|
|
Borrow your umbrella and think of you when we’re apart
Borrow your umbrella so I can think of you when we’re apart
Now there’s a quarter inch of rain at the bottom of my heart
Used to have a habit twenty dollars every night
Used to have a habit cost me twenty every night
Fixed it with a ticket but that don’t change my appetite
Cinnamon and whiskey took me halfway down the line
Cinnamon and whiskey knocked me out halfway down the line
Once upon a time you were ripe now you’re rotten on the vine
|
|
6. |
|
|
|
|
Thorns in our sides we’re open wide
Out there in the prairie
Born without eyes our lives rely
Just like missionaries
Among the tall grass and the tumbleweed
We dodge the rattlesnakes and wolverines
Temperature rising uncompromising
And lift our voice up the the skies
Calling on the one who will always shine
Waiting for the moment when the stars align
Searching for the sound as the lights go down
Bursting like a fault line and falling all around
Calling on the one
Can i pretend my only friend
Has not led me safely
Through every storm i am transformed
Reanimate me
If trial by fire is what’s in front of me
My master does not fear my enemies
The gallows beckon but for a second
Before our voices testify
Calling on the one who will always shine
Waiting for the moment when the stars align
Searching for the sound as the lights go down
Bursting like a fault line and falling all around
Calling on the one
This isn’t easy baby
Where will this highway take me
Under the influence of love
What if the only reason
Is that our only freedom
Now and forever lies above
|
|
7. |
|
|
|
|
Check the caps lock better check it twice
It’s case sensitive please be advised
Wipe out the history delete the cache
Fill that recycle bin then empty the trash
Well I’m password protected everywhere that I go
Gotta’ dial a dozen digits just to answer my phone
So extreme is the protection to keep all my data safe
If I ever lose the password my whole life might be erased
How can a person keep up today
With our security against foul play
It’s so confusing that it’s a crime
So many passwords so little time
So I’m password protected every morning noon and night
Can’t get in my apartment if the combo isn’t right
Need my fingerprint & blood type my mothers maiden name
Are the secret codes to help me or to make me go insane
Did you know that I have more codes and combinations to remember
Than there are brightly colored leaves in Central Park each November
It’s an uphill battle between e-mails, g-mails, she-males, and such
And it’s only getting worse, I don’t wanna’ know how much
But I came up with a plan and let me tell you it just might
Let me ditch the alphanumeric can of worms I have to cite
First thing tomorrow I’ll go broke and hit the road with my guitar
Cuz they can’t steal what I ain’t got! Damn I should teach a seminar
Now I’m password protected in a hundred different ways
There’s a hundred magic numbers just to make it through the day
It’s a wonder I don’t crumble underneath the iron gates
Of the cyber cypher circus we can barely operate
|
|
8. |
|
|
|
|
Take a ride find a station unoccupied
Open wide and continue to slide
Never mind how it feels to fall apart
Every time you reveal your heavy heart
How do you know if you’re the lucky one
If your dreams came true or your eyes are closed
And the truth will shine
To illuminate the lines
Underneath bittersweet
Somewhere better now
Neither side offers us to simplify
Only time will the dust reorganize
To defy expectations and clarify
Edify the occasion and emphasize
|
|
9. |
|
|
|
|
Join me on the edge
Staring out above the clouds
How can anyone find in a single lifetime
Anything before the clock runs out
Holding all the cards
Watching all the shooting stars
Drop below the surface causing a disturbance
After all the tricks
You might think about the long game
It can’t hurt to work the odds
Gotta’ focus on the time frame
And remove the whole facade
On the better half of fortune
Lies a trophy in disguise
Just enough of what’s important
For the patient mastermind
Put away the pull tabs
Basket full of eggs reflects
People on the sidelines watching for the high sign
Bet you don’t forget that aftertaste
Careful as a bullfrog
Watching all the flies meet their demise
Here’s a new assignment find a new alignment
Leap into the deep
Start thinking of the long game
It can’t hurt to work the odds
Gotta’ focus on the time frame
And remove the whole facade
On the better half of fortune
Lies a trophy in disguise
Just enough of what’s important
For the patient mastermind
Liquid in the sunlight rapids on the rocks
Ripping up the shoreline wrecking all the shocks
In your dirty socks
Landing on the launch pad banking on a comeback
Reach below the seat and read between the lines
You’ll be just fine
|
|
10. |
|
|
|
|
I got a crazy tale to tell you that’ll blow you away
About a woman from the ’30s who’s destroying cliches
She’s got a streak of what the lawyer called a curious case
Just ask the people lining up for her perplexing parade
Even the Mormons ringing doorbells and the nuns are afraid
They never saw a sweet old lady be such a renegade
Grandma’s gone rogue in her power chair
She cranked the music to eleven and she cut off her hair
You better call up all the neighbors say they gotta’ beware
This hasn’t happened since the ’80s and nobody’s prepared
Oh all the doctors and the nurses they remember her name
Cuz’ she’s a rebel with the pedal to the metal in flames
And she’ll be burning up the rubber ‘til we all go insane
Good gravy grandma’s gone rogue and she’ll never be the same
I used to know her as the woman at the end of the road
Who read the paper in the morning sipped her tea nice and slow
And every afternoon her TV aired a new episode
Her favorite dramas the soap operas and the comedy shows
It was the same for several decades at her humble abode
But not today ‘cuz something snapped and she’s about to explode
|
|
11. |
|
|
|
|
Reattach the lid to the vessel
Trace the shape of a glass with your hand
White and brittle the flowers are waiting
For the kitchen to refill with air
So if you’re asking that was the moment
If it will move you beyond where you are
Pull the trigger make space for magic
Count to thirty and open your eyes
From day zero something was broken
Skin and bone sicker than sweet
All aboard the linoleum boxcar
Eager knees buckle beneath
If you’re asking that was the reason
Nothing is working and nobody cares
Cut the cord and make space for magic
Drop the rock and pick up the reins
On a window ledge there is a ball point pen
Lift it toward the light Chelsea is waiting
Scribble like children do Hollywood fantasy
Be where you are now fleeting and strange
If you’re asking that was the answer
Medication for the suffering soul
Ditch the deadweight make space for magic
Or remain here forever in stone
|
|
12. |
|
|
|
|
Once when I was young these eyes believed no single sight
More stunning than a sail swaying in the blue
Bless my younger heart which knew not what it didn’t know
And clear to all the world I never met you
Let nobody claim a flower is not beautiful
May none debate the worth of petals catching dew
Yet should somebody say its merit is unparalleled
At once it would be plain they never met you
Never saw the sunlight shining in your hair
Heard the sound of laughter from your lips
Tasted all the ways you flavor every day
Surrendered to your touch upon their skin
Sweet the falling rain refreshing on a summer night
August and July on this rely it’s true
But any who proclaim the lightning is the brightest part
Can’t be held to blame they just never met you
Never saw the sunlight shining in your hair
Heard the sound of laughter from your lips
Tasted all the ways you flavor every day
Surrendered to your touch upon their skin
Yes I surrender there is nothing else I know
Will bring such revelation out of me
And I remember now everywhere I go
That anyone who meets you can agree
Until they saw the sunlight shining in your hair
Heard the sound of laughter from your lips
They never knew the ways you flavor every day
Or dared to want your touch upon their skin
|
|
13. |
|
|
|
|
Charlie used to work the thresher seven days a week
Work boots ripped denim and a flannel shirt
No one ever did it better in the summer heat
Gettin’ pure gold from the soil ‘til his fingers hurt
He may have been a little bit simple
But damn that ain’t no crime
The heart, well it sure is fickle sometimes
Out in all kinds of weather seven bucks a day
Saving every greenback dollar a coffee can
By now he would have been retired real far away
Didn’t even see it coming just like quicksand
Take it from a man who knows you’re never too far from danger
Remember these words and you need not be afraid
Never cross a friend for money and don’t fall for a stranger
With deep dark eyes, a voice like an angel and no middle name
Well she was eighteen and reckless had a heart of stone
Aftertaste like his moonshine sour mash
Called out the very devil buried in his bones
Played him like a puppet and burned up all his cash
Just how much she took
The numbers ain’t the point
It ain’t right she’s the crook and he’s in the joint
|
|
14. |
|
|
|
|
After school me and Maria
Would always meet by the monkey bars
Trade tall tales and watch the sun set
Forget our stress beneath the stars
If either of us saw the other
Between the halls that afternoon
One smile would say it all and then some
Same time same place I’ll see you soon
It wasn’t long ‘til graduation
Was just a distant memory
Taxes day jobs and apartments
Stood where the swing set used to be
One day I surprised us both and
Popped the question like balloons
Never will forget that feeling
Bound for the church I’ll see you soon
From the moment that we met until this strange hospital bed
If we tried we couldn’t plan a better life
So as she lifted up our baby I said I love you both like crazy
To this child and to her everything my wife
I know I won’t live forever
Nor will Maria I suppose
Maybe future generations
Will find a way you never know
But when it’s time to meet my maker
You know I’ll sing a little tune
To sweet Maria as I’m fading
Goodnight my dear I’ll see you soon
|
|
15. |
|
|
|
|
They got this woman at the county fair
With a beard that hangs down below her thighs
She rides the unicorn around and around
And the audience can’t believe their eyes
I caught a matinee and far be it from me
To complain but she looked a little bored
What she was chasing that few will ever find
Does not elude me anymore
Fire all the movie stars they don’t move me like you do
Silence all the singers put away the dancing shoes
They can’t hit the target of this heart it’s only you
Sometimes all you need is 3 chords a cup of coffee and the truth
Tomorrow morning with a briefcase and a plan
And my hair smooth as asphalt in the sun
Up to the castle of the king of everything
I could march right in and meet him one on one
Our minds would meld and make more money than there is
Then I would IPO my fears
His crown is shiny but it’s heavy and it’s cold
And I got something more sincere
Fire all the movie stars they don’t move me like you do
Silence all the singers put away the dancing shoes
They can’t hit the target of this heart it’s only you
Sometimes all you need is 3 chords a slice of pizza and the truth
Are you thinking what I’m thinking
Maybe what’s her name with such a furry face
Can share some brightness a little more excitement
That his Highness might appreciate
She’ll dance the cha cha with her tigers bears and lions
And he’ll keep her circus dreams alive
Me I’ll go and see them the next time I’m in town
Just one more kaiser in disguise
|
|
16. |
|
|
|
|
On an otherwise wonderful day
I was paralyzed to hear myself say
Let’s both take a seat my dear let us play
And make memories the old fashioned way
So the little piece that one’s a pawn
Can we both agree upon en passant
Take it easy now it’s only for fun
But without a sound the race had begun
Tell me how I bruised that heart of yours
How the words I used made you close the door
Whoever won the war I miss the days before
Our passion parted ways and started keeping score
Like a hurricane she took the queen
And I soon became caught in between
Where we started out with laughter and here
In uncharted doubt the game disappeared
Tell me how I bruised that heart of yours
How the words I used made you close the door
Whoever won the war I miss the days before
Our passion parted ways and started keeping score
Everyone needs a partner someone on their side
Us against the whole wide world like Bonnie and Clyde
I never want to break this it took so long to make this
Let me in again and we’ll begin again gimme’ a kiss
|
|
17. |
|
|
|
|
Liberate me
Inundate me
Venerate me
Won’t you please
Automate me
Detonate me
Until such time as the
morning comes for me
Liquidate me
Isolate me
Validate me
Take the lead
Cultivate me
Punctuate me
Until such time as the morning comes for me
Hold me hostage without ransom
So exhausted that I won’t run
It might surprise you or may decline to
That in my eyes you’re the only one
Operate me
Motivate me
Dominate me
Nice and sweet
Formulate me
Permeate me
Until such time as the morning comes for me
|
|
18. |
|
|
|
|
Other me is concerned that he won’t have time to learn
The way to turn a frown into a smile
Among his other thoughts he knows love cannot be bought
But perhaps it can be borrowed for awhile
Other me is out the door even when he’s not too sure
That his goals will ever turn into his gains
He will pedal oh so fast ‘til his dreams outrun his past
And his longing finds a way to break the chains
But other me ain’t real
So I better take the wheel
Other me will love you like the open sky above you
Until the stars all flicker and go dark
And just when you’re afraid that the night will never fade
Suddenly he’ll catch you with a spark
Other me is crazy about you in every way
With a rapture almost too good to be true
You can be your deepest self leave your burden on the shelf
He will carry all your dreams to timbuktu
But other me ain’t true
It’s only me and you
Other me has been known to use the telephone
To talk about the many things he feels
A couple pretty words anybody would prefer
So pay no mind to what he may conceal
Other me is a face that I keep in my suitcase
Just in case the moment should arise
In looking for the truth when we got no more excuse
And it’s tough to tease the beauty from the lies
But other me ain’t here
He ain’t nowhere near
|
|
19. |
|
|
|
|
Spill your coffee before you even leave the house
Guess it’s gonna’ be that kind of day
One lane traffic and your A/C unit’s toast
And the Sunday drivers are in your way
Packed yourself lunch and then you left it in the fridge
So it’s peanut butter jelly for dinner tonight
Perfect time to notice you wore a mismatched pair of socks
Sing it loud and clear don’t be polite
Welcome to the mixed up world it’s a trip to be alive
Some days ain’t easy in this place
Never mind the speed bumps just hit the gas and drive
Buckle up in case there ain’t no brakes
Welcome to the human race
So it’s nine more hours of endless conference calls
And the office bathroom’s locked again
Boss is on vacation and the intern broke the phone
Now or never belt out the refrain
Welcome to the mixed up world it’s a trip to be alive
Some days ain’t easy in this place
Never mind the speed bumps just hit the gas and drive
Buckle up in case there ain’t no brakes
Welcome to the human race
Days are long sometimes and the nights go by too fast
If we’re not careful life can kick us in the ass
But a sense of humor and the guts to push on through
Are the best directions when we don’t know what else to do
|
|
20. |
|
|
|
|
There’s a million singers with a billion catchy tunes
From Sunset and Vine to the China Wall
In a trillion years spent on 16th Avenue
Not one pair of ears could hear ‘em all
I got a busted compass it only points to what I want
Couldn’t find true north to save its hyde
Not the best as a GPS but that’s never been the point
Turn around now let me clarify
This is not a refusal to give credit where it’s due
Jimi, Joni, and Johnny are tried and true
Four generations of humans have a right to feel their feelings
Bless the ones who care, I could give two shits about Bob Dylan
Lennon’s overrated may he always rest in peace
Plant is grand but Page is Sloppy Joe
Even Elvis Presley feels a little incomplete
As I tune my shortwave radio
Give me facts and figures, give me faces names and dates
Disengage my heart and bring it on
The challenge becomes bigger to celebrate the greats
Could the very best be yet unknown
Let me hear the singer with a brand new song to sing
Open up my ears and clear the air
Time to shine the spotlight on a younger set of strings
May the message catch me unaware
|
|
21. |
|
|
|
|
Didn’t you listen didn’t you hear
Didn’t you notice wasn’t it clear
Didn’t you wonder didn’t you try
Didn’t you question neither deny
Didn’t you open didn’t you speak
Didn’t you comfort don’t you agree
Didn’t you brighten didn’t you rise
Didn’t you find it such a surprise
Didn’t you buckle didn’t you bend
Didn’t you offer just to pretend
Didn’t you flicker didn’t you glow
Didn’t you never ever say no
Didn’t you pleasure didn’t you please
Didn’t you soften weak in the knees
Didn’t you glimmer didn’t you gleam
Didn’t you wake up out of a dream
|
|
22. |
|
|
|
|
Let me ask you a question
Give you some food for thought
About the state of the nation
What’s in the melting pot
The so-called leader of freedom
Is offering no excuse
So while we’re watching in horror
Let’s all look for the truth
Does he disrespect women
Does he lie when it counts
Does he insult other cultures
Does he push us around
Does he make fun of the handicapped
Does he treat humans like shit
Does he deserve to be removed from office
Does he define hypocrite
It’s not an attack, this is not my president
No it’s just a fact this is not my president
A little soundtrack this is not my president
To sending him back this is not my president
|
|
23. |
|
|
|
|
I see pieces of your heart all over the floor
You been gone for days but there’s always one more
Got half a mind to pick up my life and follow you out that door
But something tells me to say what I never said before
I’m sorry baby forever you don’t deserve to be blue
But if you ever forgive me don’t be surprised if I do
Exactly what I have always done I don’t know no other way
I’m sorry baby forever what do you want me to say
The day you left I shed a single tear of bittersweet regret
And said a prayer you would someday find a way to forget
How our bodies fit so perfectly like a skeleton duet
Maybe time will erase all but my silhouette
I’m sorry baby forever you don’t deserve to be blue
But if you ever forgive me don’t be surprised if I do
Exactly what I have always done I don’t know no other way
I’m sorry baby forever what do you want me to say
Now don’t you worry I’m getting everything I’m due
The tasty payback I deserve for the things I can’t undo
What goes around well it comes right back to you
Sooner or later you know it’s true
|
|
24. |
|
|
|
|
Oh God I must confess
Against the driving rain
My eyes are seeing red
I need your help again
I’m falling on my knees
To beg to be reborn
Reach out and take my hand
And save me from the storm
There are no easy answers
The image is unclear
The dash has no directions
To where we go from here
No matter what I’ve done
I cannot stray too far
This human heart is stunned
By just how weak we are
And still we find our way
By grace toward the light
With eyes as wide as day
To reach the other side
There are no easy answers
No places left to hide
It’s us against the question
Of how we feel inside
So I’m raising up my voice
Yeah I’m ready to be saved
May the truth cut through the noise
And the people be amazed
There are no easy answers
No magic crystal ball
It’s trial and tribulation
Until the curtain call
|
|
25. |
|
|
|
|
Beauty lies in the eyes of another
Open wide and let it in
Every day there’s a way to uncover
The deeper drive down within
Love is easy love is hard
Well I never knew
Not a clue
So I count my lucky stars
And I guess there’s 2
God and you
Holding on to the one thing you wanted
Many more passing by
Could you see how to be only honest
Did the light hit your eyes
Half way across the hemisphere
Is a midnight pirate station
Sending out the short wave signal
For a brand new constellation
|
|
26. |
|
|
|
|
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
Make a circle in the sand
Use the shadows that surround me
To help me understand
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
Like a human satellite
Find the key to all my questions
If I make it out alive
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
360°
Lift the curtain to uncover
What I have never seen
I’m gonna walk the perimeter
Counter clockwise I suppose
Maybe bring a roll of film
And see what I expose
Walk the perimeter
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
Use my ego as a guide
Approach the edge and dare the darkness
To look me in the eye
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
With a bible and a gun
Finish everything I started
Embrace what I’ve become
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
Split the riddles at the seams
Take my secrets to the garden
Plant them in a dream
I’m gonna’ walk the perimeter
Tie my trouble to the tracks
Hook my heart up to the engine
Get this monkey off my back
Walk the perimeter
Way out beyond the border
On the other side
There is a lighthouse with a beacon
Saving sailors every night
But I am nowhere near those waters
And long ago I sank the sails
Ever after will I wander
Riding on the rails
|
|
27. |
|
|
|
|
Poco a poco despertamos
Y escuchamos al sonida
En la calle resonante
Llamando dulce a la gente
Nunca puedo olvidar
No lo quiero renunciar
Cada vista cada gusto
Como sentimos el domingo en Xalapa
Todos juntos a la Iglesia
Dos cientos corazones
Caminando por el cerro
Donde encontramos la cruz
Nunca puedo olvidar
No lo quiero renunciar
Cada vista cada gusto
Como sentimos el domingo en Xalapa
Agua fresca cafe crema
Chilaquiles en el sol
Ahorita digo con finura
Cuantas días al proximo
|
|
28. |
|
|
|
|
They say that all roads lead to Rome, I wonder if they do
And is the road the hell made of intentions pure and true
Like borrowing your parents car, or neighbor’s for that matter
May seem like fun until they lock the driver in the slammer
Saying “I love you” when you don’t, not sayin’ it when you do
Tellin’ him that shirt looks great when you know that isn’t true
So many ways to go astray but as I said before
One stands alone by far the worst, of that you can be sure
Beyond the other burning flames the devil surely keeps
A special place in hell reserved for those who pee on toilet seats
Lying under oath is bad, I do not recommend it
Driving drunk is awful too, or with your plates suspended
Guys that cheat on lovely girls, women cheating men
Bribery with currency that isn’t yours to spend
Neglecting spouses, kids, or pets, ignoring traffic signs
Robbing banks, hot-wiring cars, rich white collar crime
Nonetheless, within the range of all the dirty deeds
There’s one that puts the rest to shame, I’m sure you will agree
Beyond the other burning flames the devil surely keeps
A special place in hell reserved for those who pee on toilet seats
Gossip, arson, drugs and guns, forgery and theft
False pretenses, felonies, extortion of the press
Kidnapping for ransom, selling shares that don’t exist
Battery and perjury, assault and politics
Stealing, lying, cheating, killing, blackmail, prostitution
Tax fraud, money laundering, mafia collusion
We humans do so many things immoral or illegal
Yet one offense is worse by far than all the other evils
Beyond the other burning flames the devil surely keeps
A special place in hell reserved for those who pee on toilet seats
|
|
29. |
|
|
|
|
Every summer she was rising
Just beyond the garden gate
Standing taller every morning
At least it seemed that way
Building something like a village
To support her as she climbed
Making sure what grew around her
Was not brighter than her shine
When the sunlight hits the surface
It can change a man for sure
Paint a picture close to perfect
So it’s easy to ignore
That the heart is born to wander
And the eyes known to deceive
Yellow petals on the outside
Black as midnight underneath
Long before there was a chapel
High and holy to the west
She was spreading out her roots
Along the Tiber riverbed
Cross the ocean like a dreadnought
Pure temptation all the way
To the distant shore of Havilah
Only water in her veins
|
|
30. |
|
|
|
|
Love is a hurricane, it’s a rose
And a snowflake on your nose
It’s a parachute jump from a plane
Coming back to earth again
Love is singing along even though
It’s a song that you don’t know
And the second you begin
To let something lovely in
But now explain to me if you can
‘Cause I sure don’t understand
Why for years we sit and wait
And when it comes we walk away
From everything love is
Love is laughing when you fall
We are human after all
And it’s the will to get back up
On your feet with a little luck
Love is a French press cup of ‘jo
With a cranberry orange scone
And the crossword puzzle clue
That a beautiful stranger gives to you
So why on earth do we refuse
What do we think we stand to lose
No in the end we can’t ignore
That love is everything and more
Yeah that’s what love is
Nobody knows what it takes
A simple spark starts to resonate
I made a promise today
The next time I won’t hesitate
Love is a waterslide at the fair
And your favorite rocking chair
It’s a picnic at the beach
With the perfect summer breeze
Love is a brand new pair of shoes
A dare to go swimming in the nude
Or it’s the feeling in your toes
When you crank the stereo
Now tell me why do we forget
To let it happen and instead
We fill our hearts with question marks
And harm the hope that’s in our heads
Of everything love is
|
|
31. |
|
|
|
|
Oh the price of admission is that now you know the score
Gotta’ honor the difference from the way it was before
And the price of admission is the choice to make a change
One by one move the pieces ‘til it don’t all look so strange
Now the price of admission is finally letting go
Of the what made you so angry and you didn’t even know
That the price of admission is the time to face the facts
Solve the simple equation that always held you back
Well the price of admission is forgiveness in even when
You’re in pain and don’t wanna’ take the time to be a friend
So the price of admission it ain’t based on how you feel
More like if you can focus on accepting what is real
No the price of admission doesn’t increase or decline
There is no way around it over under or behind
Yes the price of admission will be waiting for the day
There’s a break in the weather and the fears all fall away
We always cross our wires
You’re preaching to the choir
So wait ‘til you’re inspired
And jump into the fire
Hey the price of admission might be less than you expect
Just imagine the freedom from that cross around your neck
Pay the price of admission and you’ll be grateful that you did
Or forever your heart will wonder how much peace it could have had
|
|
32. |
|
|
|
|
On a Tuesday night on an empty train
There was a distant look on a young man’s face
I took a real deep breath let the moment last
When I reached his side I just had to ask,
“Can you tell me, son - have you seen a ghost?”
He took a long hard pause with both eyes closed
For a moment there I could almost feel his pain
Then he raised his voice and began to say
There’s so many ways to break a heart
Make your knees both hit the ground
Get the tears all falling down
But every stranger on a train is a second start
For a love that doesn’t bust
To finally find its way to us
Well I made my way to the window seat
And my newfound friend opened up to me
He said, “my daddy died a couple years ago,
Moved my mama in to a nursing home;
“Then a pink slip came, that was real bad news
But the worst by far if you want the truth
Is when we both gave up and she returned the ring”
And then he cleared his throat and began to sing
There’s so many ways to break a heart
Make your knees both hit the ground
Get the tears all falling down
But every stranger on a train is a second start
For a love that doesn’t bust
To finally find its way to us
My days are filled with sadness
And my nights are lonelier
Than the studio apartment
Where I used to live with her
Yeah my mama’s fading slowly
And I sure miss my old man
But I’m grateful for the stranger
Who asked me how I am, because
|
|
33. |
|
|
|
|
When the day is long and the night is deep
And it gets so hot that you just can’t sleep
I know it’s the darkest just before the dawn
Don’t you know what keeps me hanging on
Pick my blues to the beat
Put these shoes on my feet
To my surprise with a new sunrise
What was bitter seems almost sweet
When I see Fiona walking down the street
If the going’s tough and the road is rough
And if lady luck leaves me in the dust
When the wheels fall off halfway down the hill
Don’t you worry I’ll hurry on until
Pick my blues to the beat
Put these shoes on my feet
To my surprise with a new sunrise
What was bitter seems almost sweet
When I see Fiona walking down the street
So it’s not too late to let the sunshine in
No we got today no matter where we’ve been
Meet me at the top we’ll share a soda pop
And we don’t have to stop never ever again
|
|
34. |
|
|
|
|
He walks with a broken step
To a silent song
Lonesome and as full of doubt
As the day is long
He turns to the fifth again
Slowly slips away
Reaches out with an empty hand
Open and afraid
He looks like death but feels like faith
The disco dance floor shattered glass
Sparks the concrete and his eyes light up
Maybe God is in the change
He writes on a paper bag
Which he gives to me
A word I have heard before
But will not repeat
He raises his eyes toward
What I cannot see
And then on his face appears
Something suddenly
|
|
35. |
|
|
|
|
Todo lo que quiero son los sonidos del mar
Y todo lo que quiero es un dia sin dolor
Si, todo lo que quiero son zapatos en mis pies
Bueno todo lo que quiero es que todo cambie
Pero lo que necesito, lo que siempre siente bien
Es el momento en que empiezo me encanta alguien
Hoy todo lo que quiero es la gracia del perdon
Pues todo lo que quiero es sanar mi corazon
Mira todo lo que quiero es el camino vacio
Oh todo lo que quiero es orar en serio
Pero lo que necesito, lo que siempre siente bien
Es el momento en que empiezo me encanta alguien
Estoy buscando un lugar que quizas viste una vez
Hay voy con dios y mucha suerte a donde yo no se
Espero verte en un momento, así que por favor
Por tu ventana oscilando con esperanza, mi amor
|
|
36. |
|
|
|
|
It seemed too good to be true after the 9 o’clock news
This TV lawyer in a leisure suit
He said that he could get me paid and I should hire him today
And he would figure out the folks that I should sue
You bet I scrambled for the phone and when I heard the dial tone
Called that number man I didn’t miss a beat
Now I guess I should have known he might take everything I own
Some lessons are a bit too bittersweet
So tell my troubles goodbye there ain’t a cloud in the sky
I don’t need nothing but the sun and the sand
Got the radio tuned and I got all afternoon
To feel the ocean washing over my hands
Life ain’t exactly what I thought and I’m sure I never got
Most of what I asked for to be frank
But it don’t cost a dime just to have a good time
Can’t buy that with all the money in the bank
Now maybe it’s true that for everything we do
Someone’s watching from above and there’s a plan
On the day I went broke when it went up in smoke
I’d be lying if I’d said I understand
With my tail between my legs I was ready to beg
And I asked for what I needed every day
I didn’t get rich but I learned something which
Means more to me than how much I get paid
So tell my troubles goodbye there ain’t a cloud in the sky
I don’t need nothing but the sun and the sand
Got the radio tuned and I got all afternoon
To feel the ocean washing over my hands
Life ain’t exactly what I thought and I’m sure I never got
Most of what I asked for to be frank
But it don’t cost a dime just to have a good time
Can’t buy that with all the money in the bank
Since the day I lost it all and I relearned how to crawl
Fortune found its way to me at last
On a single scratch of game all four pictures were the same
I’ve never made so many friends so fast
And we talk about the days when we couldn’t get away
From fear of financial failure in a flash
The biggest difference now is that I see clearly how
It’s completely unrelated to the cash
|
|
37. |
|
|
|
|
No one in this big dumb world knows anything
Half as much as I know I want you
Mathematical or grammatical never mind the books
All I need to know is where you wanna’ go
Nothing in this big dumb world means anything
Anything like to everything you do
So unusual weird and beautiful anytime at all
Put me in your pocket I’ll take a walk with you
Honestly it’s too much for me
A parade with no chauffeur
But somehow you make me light up too
So in love with this big dumb world
Nowhere in this big dumb world could anything
Ever make a moment look so new
I’m astounded by how you magnify everything that shines
This is just to say you always make my day
Honestly it’s too much for me
A parade with no chauffeur
But somehow you make me light up too
So in love with this big dumb world
When the day is long and the night is loud
Try to play along blend into the crowd
Sooner than you think everything will change
Faster than you blink wonderful and strange
|
|
38. |
|
|
|
|
Who would have guessed just a half a mile
Stuck in traffic like molasses for awhile
On a city bus taking both of us
Down a road we never saw before
A leather jacket on my back
Your cotton dress baby blue to be exact
Some first impressions seem like a lesson
Like how it felt when I was yours
What I wouldn’t do just to be with you
Just to walk beside you every day
But we both got burned so it’s time to learn
Maybe someone needs to walk away
There’s a lengthy list that I’m sure I’ll miss
Of what I wouldn’t do to be with you
I wouldn’t drive all night because I miss you
I wouldn’t bring a single rose with me
I wouldn’t write a love song at a truck stop in Virginia
I wouldn’t sing the whole thing on my knees
I wouldn’t need someone to wipe away the teardrops
I wouldn’t keep drowning all the pain
I wouldn’t wish any one heart to feel this heavy
I wouldn’t ever hurt this deep again
What I wouldn’t do just to be with you
Just to walk beside you every day
But we both got burned so it’s time to learn
Maybe someone needs to walk away
There’s a lengthy list that I’m sure I’ll miss
Of what I wouldn’t do to be with you
All the endless nights two kids against the odds
Made the winter feel like spring
For a moment there I could almost swear
We could take on anything
|
|
39. |
|
|
|
|
Someday when my breath has left my bones
And in my eyes a light no longer shines
Make a movie write a book carve my face in stone
Or simply plant me deep below the pines
Abe was almost six foot four an expert with an axe
Legend says he could not tell a lie
The memories of victory sustain us that’s a fact
Until of course we reach the other side
Someday when my breath has left my bones
And in my eyes a light no longer shines
Make a movie write a book carve my face in stone
Or simply plant me deep below the pines
Tom who came before him in earnest did announce
A legacy of liberty restored
Now few are those who’ll ever know a fortune so profound
But none can take a penny through the door
Do what you can with what you have anywhere you are
Surely George would echo Teddy’s creed
Keep both feet planted on the ground but focus on the stars
That’s fair advice as far as I can see
|
|
40. |
|
|
|
|
It started out the way you might expect
How any two young lovers have begun
A single night of laughter on the second story stairs
The aches and pains of adolescent fun
And everything was spinning at all once
When morning came around it was a blur
She didn’t miss a beat as she was walking out the door
Looked back to say let’s stay the way we were
If you’re innocent take heart because the names have all been changed
We’re safe and sound anonymous and free
But none of us escape without a lesson here or there
Oh nobody was more surprised than me
The letters we were writing every week
From south of San Diego to Spokane
Between our distant doorsteps all the envelopes and stamps
We kept the postal service in demand
Her shopping list from Sunday afternoon
My uncle’s favorite book on watching birds
A turkey drawn in Sharpie on a xerox of her hand
Nothing we could share was too absurd
If you’re innocent take heart because
the names have all been changed
We’re safe and sound anonymous and free
But none of us escape without
a lesson here or there
Oh nobody was more surprised than me
I can’t remember which of us or when
Eventually one letter was the last
My memory is hazy of those days so long ago
And she feels like a postcard from my past
But every year as autumn falls around
I open up my shoebox from Spokane
Thanksgiving Day is best when the dinner table’s dressed
With a turkey and a xerox of her hand
|
|
41. |
|
|
|
|
But not when I’m looking in
From all the way out in the stratosphere
Everything seems fine
Yes just like they said it would
Before all the steam started rising up
Ashes in the air
Of course you can stay right here
Perfect is not what I thought it was
Brittle and filled with hope
|
|
42. |
|
|
|
|
Let’s say that you believe me
That I know how to stop the world
Unless my eyes deceive me
It stopped the day I met you girl
Forever I’ll be in this moment
As sure as night will follow day
Maybe time is just a canvas
For painting what we need to say
There’s a certain smile that only you can see
A clear reflection of the light you shine on me
Like a rainbow overhead it’s a sight I can’t forget
Without your love well there’s no telling where I’d be
Come and find me in a daydream
On the late October wind
Bring a notebook and a blanket
Let the levity begin
There’s something in the sunset
When we’re laying cheek to cheek
You seem to know just what I’m thinking
Long before I even speak
There’s a certain smile that only you can see
A clear reflection of the light you shine on me
Like a rainbow overhead it’s a sight I can’t forget
Without your love well there’s no telling where I’d be
Give me one more chance to show you
How it feels to sit beside
Your eyes as they sparkle in the moonlight
The color changing with the tide
Later when the world is sleeping
And all I need is your embrace
Even when the words escape me
You can see it on my face
|
|
43. |
|
|
|
|
There I was 8 years old
Scared to death to find my stocking full of coal
I turned the lights off got on my knees
And said if anyone can hear me won’t you please
Tell the big man all dressed in red
While I’m fast asleep and dreaming in my bed
Find our chimney and come on down
We got the finest milk and cookies in this town
Give him step by step directions
And when you get his full attention
Let him know how good I’ve been
This year, then mention
My X-Ray Vision! It’s the only thing I need
Tomorrow morning when I look beneath the tree
Yes forget the GI Joes, the BB Guns and big TVs
X-Ray Vision, that’s the only gift for me
An alarm clock ain’t been designed
That’ll get me out the door to school on time
But when December is in the air
Good luck waking up before I run downstairs
Like a hero without a cape
I did battle with the ribbon and the tape
Beating boxes one by one
Until the last one hit the floor and I was stunned
When I was out of ammunition
And mom and dad were kissing
I couldn’t help but notice
One thing missing
My X-Ray Vision! Nothing else was on my list
I can’t believe it, how did Christmas end like this
You can keep the GI Joes, the BB Guns and big TVs
X-Ray Vision, that’s the only gift for me
Later on around the table when my daddy smiled at me
I could tell that he missed grandpa and he thought I couldn’t see
So I left my chair and wrapped my little arms around him tight
And I told him “Daddy, don’t be sad tonight”
He wiped a tear from his cheek
Took his glasses off and cleared his throat to speak
“Can’t believe it you saw right through,
When I tried to hide my heart you saw the truth”
“But grandpa watches our every move
And if we hide our feelings he can see right through
Which reminds me son, you were wrong
Because you’ve had the gift you asked for all along”
Your X-Ray Vision! You can see right through your dad
And make this Christmas be the best he ever had
We don’t need the GI Joes, the BB Guns and big TVs
X-Ray Vision, that’s the only gift you need
|
|
44. |
|
|
|
|
It might been the combo for a classic Master lock
Could have been the number of marbles in a jar
Or the winning ticket for a million dollar jackpot
Maybe just the address of a bar
I don’t have to tell you those numbers in your hand
Scribbled on a faded old receipt
Didn’t get you into heaven no if anything at all
They only brought you bittersweet defeat
So you can’t stop crying cursing at the moon
But you just keep trying to keep pushing through
Well it’s a long road back again from the other side
And you can’t remember when you last slept through the night
Tell me how did all this happen because I swear I can’t imagine
How did seven digits get the best of you
First of all you noticed her machine was always full
That was just the first of many signs
Second when your eyes met like a magnet you were pulled
And suddenly your heart had crossed a line
When you tried to make her happy tried to buy a bigger smile
It was working every day until the end
So she left you for another just like you he’ll last awhile
Oh but soon enough you’ll be his only friend
And he won’t stop crying cursing at the moon
No he’ll just keep trying to keep pushing through
Well it’s a long road back again from the other side
And he can’t remember when he last slept through the night
Tell me how did all this happen because I swear I can’t imagine
How did seven digits get the best of you
It’s enough to make you wonder will there ever be a man
Who can stop himself from falling at her feet
But for those who learned the hard way at least someone understands
How we loved that faded old receipt
|
|
45. |
|
|
|
|
It’s been a hard day out on the road
Hubcaps and asphalt and talk radio
But life on the freeway is all that I know
And hard work is good for the soul I suppose
We grow where we’re planted well that’s what they say
Good times and bad times day after day
The years just keep passing and my hair’s turning gray
So what keeps me going well it sure ain’t the pay
It’s the traces of you like the ring that I wear
A sign on the dash with the Saint Francis prayer
The paperback book on the passenger seat
I borrowed last year and keep meaning to read
A blue flannel shirt that I meant to give back
But it sure keeps me warm when the night fades to black
Well it’s cold and it’s lonely if you want the truth
So it must be worth knowing that what keeps me going
Are these traces of you
Do you still remember first night we met?
A soft rain was falling I’ll never forget
My shirt smelled like diesel we were both soaking wet
Then a song started playin’ on a worn out cassette
My heart started racing when you asked me to dance
After I gave up chasing any sign of romance
Then you gave me a look that said just take a chance
On someone who listens and might understand
It’s the traces of you like the ring that I wear
A sign on the dash with the Saint Francis prayer
The paperback book on the passenger seat
I borrowed last year and keep meaning to read
A blue flannel shirt that I meant to give back
But it sure keeps me warm when the night fades to black
Well it’s cold and it’s lonely if you want the truth
So it must be worth knowing that what keeps me going
Are these traces of you
Now I may not have many more years at the wheel
Every journey must come to an end
When the tires stop spinning I know just how I’ll feel
As I’m tracing my tracks home again
|
|
46. |
|
|
|
|
Query theory thus the quantity opaque
Climbing closer ever clever never quit
Kinesthetic kleptomania kaleidoscopic kites
Quintessential quarter century acquit
Call it colder clamor clearly counterfeit
Kinder blinder kick the killer hypocrite
Quicksand quiet quite a diet quantum quadraphonic quake
Catch a comedown clock a countdown concentrate
Keep it kosher kryptonite and kerosene
Queue the questions acquiescence quash the queen
Co-creating culminating custom criminal command
Kamikaze karaoke kilogram
|
|
47. |
|
|
|
|
No
No you
No you did
No you did not
No you did not leave
No you did not leave me
No you did not leave me with
No you did not leave me with out
No you did not leave me with out hope
No you did not leave me with out hope here
Yes
Yes sir
Yes sir ask
Yes sir ask her
Yes sir ask her how
Yes sir ask her how to
Yes sir ask her how to let
Yes sir ask her how to let it
Yes sir ask her how to let it all
Yes sir ask her how to let it all go
Say
Say it
Say it soft
Say it softly
Say it softly will
Say it softly will you
Say it softly will you please
Say it softly will you please be
Say it softly will you please be sweet
Say it softly will you please be sweet now
|
|
48. |
|
|
|
|
Ring out the bells up in the tower
Let the cathedral light up the sky
Kneel in the garden listen for laughter
Dusk is approaching so is the rain
Faint is the fog fresh are the flowers
Wondering waiting watching the tide
All we are asking is for an answer
City of water open your gates
Pleasure lies in the moonlight
Holy hands silently
Overwhelm us in Venice
After dark you and me
Smoother than silk swift as a swallow
Gravel and foxglove green on the vine
Open our egos lift out the echoes
Render us ready for what we’ll receive
Thirty five years now I tried to follow
Slow moving shadows cast on the blinds
Follow the footsteps learn how to let go
Best not to bluff now I barely believe
|
|
49. |
|
|
|
|
My oh my life is good
But that wasn’t always true
Take a beat have a seat
Maybe this one’s meant for you
To the boys who lost hope
And the girls who wonder why
When it goes up in smoke
Douse the flames and dry your eyes
I want to live
Live before I die
Cause I got a lot to give
But I’ve wasted so much time
I want to know
Know my soul is free
Through all the highs and lows
Every part of me
I want to live
Is your luck almost gone
Did my fortune fade to black
Flip this script just hold on
Watch it all come flooding back
Do we find something more
Can I trust I’ll find my way
Just before I slammed the door
Heard a voice inside me say
No guarantees
No promises tonight
Get ready baby
Won’t leave without a fight
Both of us made a mess
And thought the game was through
Thank God we made such
Great mistakes before we knew
|
|
50. |
|
|
|
|
We had a deal
Did you forget
Or did you think that I would blink
I haven’t yet
Be silent now
Where is your pride
Call out my name there ain’t no shame
In taking sides
So grab the cash
And try to run
Without a doubt there’s no way out
From what you’ve done
Be like a stone
Ten stories high
Five hundred pounds straight to the ground
Let me see you try
If you fix the motor
Before the wheels break loose
The road may lead to freedom
So be careful what you do
Don’t ever doubt the power
Of a dollar or a knife
Remember how you got here
To the last night of your life
We knew the score
Beyond a doubt
You know from here it’s pretty clear
There’s no way out
Be where you are
And wait for me
Stand or kneel knees or heels
It’s all the same to me
So stop the clock
And start to run
Go anywhere I’ll find you there
Before I’m done
Beware the words
You never heard
We’ll see it all written on the wall
Only afterward
If you get to Reno
Before I gun you down
You might just have a fighting change
To make it in that town
You need to learn to gamble
If you’re planning to survive
Watch your back you might just
Make it out alive
|
|
51. |
|
|
|
|
Dear Jerry it’s December once again
Fifth Avenue is lit up like a tree
This city shines just like precious gems
But I can’t pretend it’s everything I need
Each morning to what’s his name above
I hit me knees and say a prayer
Hail Mary protect the ones I love
And how I wish that I was there
I tried to write a love song
With a plain old ball point pen
But the words that hit the paper
Said I’m missing you my friend
Like a favorite pair of sneakers
Or the road that leads you home
Never mind the miles between us
I just had to say hello
Dear Jerry I been looking at the time
Aren’t you’re almost overdue
From midnight to eleven fifty nine
It’s a whole new year for you
Hope someone gives you something good
Full of chocolate booze or cash
Take comfort knowing if I could I would
Be beside you in a flash
I tried to write a love song
With a plain old ball point pen
But the words that hit the paper
Said I’m missing you my friend
Like a favorite pair of sneakers
Or the road that leads you home
Never mind the miles between us
I just had to say hello
Now in case you miss my voice or you wonder where I am
Well I’m always just a quick phone call away
And no matter where you go if it’s sunny or it snows
You can bet that you’ll be in my thoughts today
|
|
52. |
|
|
|
|
Pretend it’s morning for a moment
And all the birds are swapping songs
Bring back the beauty you remember
When you were certain you belong
So should the sky be dark above you
And home is nowhere to be found
Trust where the road ahead is leading
Keep both feet planted on the ground
Here in the spaces the hiding places
Between your dreams and where you are
A look of wonder two strangers under
The magic neon of the bar
In all the searches our banks and churches
Fall somewhere short of tried and true
But here’s to hoping your ears are open
To something sweet from me to you
So hesitation in our hearts
And no idea what’s up ahead
What may seem foolish when we start
The days may demonstrate instead
Beyond the pictures on the wall
Above the ghosts of yesterday
Forget the many desperate calls
Let all the questions fade away
|
Entire collection of original songs written and recorded week by week for Song A Week 2017, an international songwriting group.
released February 12, 2018
Written, performed, engineered and mixed by James Tristan Redding. Words and music copyright 2017 by James Tristan Redding. Registered with BMI. All rights reserved.
