Ring them bells ye heathen from the city that dreams
Ring them bell from the sanctuaries, 'cross the valleys and streams
For they're deep and they're wide, and the world's on its side
And time is a-runnin' backwards and so is the bride
Ring them bells St. Peter where the four winds blow
Ring them bells with an iron hand so the people will know
Oh it's rush hour now. on the wheel of the plow
And the sun is a-goin' down upon the sacred cow
Ring them bells sweet Martha for the poor man's son
Ring them bells so the world will know that God is one
For the shepherd is asleep where the willow weep
And the mountain is filled with lost sheep
Ring them bells - for the blind and the deaf
Ring them bells - all those who are left
Ring them bells - for the chosen few
Who'll judge the many when the game is through
Ring them bells - for the time that flies
For the child who cries when innocence dies
Ring them bells St. Catherine from the top of the roof
Ring the bells from the fortress for the lilies that bloom
For the lines are long and the fighting is strong
And they're breakin' down the distance between right and wrong
Does the light of passion still burn bright
Only love would know, my imagination
Tells me I'm a pent-up fool
In the deep end of the pool
Is the light of passion burnin' bright
Only love would know, only love would know
She lives on the other side, you wanna know the reason why
She arrives at promises and you believe in what she says
Everywhere you go
Is the light of passion burnin' bright
Everywhere you go, only love would know
You think you've been wronged again
Oh what a way to treat a friend
She belongs to other eyes and surely you must realize
She ain't the kind who would soon step aside
Pay any dues at the expense of her pride
Everywhere she goes, only love would know
In the days gone by I came to believe
Everything is trust, all the rest is dust
Mother nature, mother dear, listen to us over here
Are the sounds of laughter ringing true
Only love would know, only love would do
She lives on another plane away from the drivin' rain
She says no, you say yes, and that's how it should be I guess
Only love would know
May the light of love surround you tonight
Everywhere you go, only love would know
You think you were wrong until
You learned once and for all it's still
Once more lesson on the way
Or that is what it seemed to say
She's not the kind who would soon step down
Not the kind you would try to walk around
When only a thought would go very well
You can tell by the touch
Ah but only love would know
Passion burnin' bright
Tears of passion late at night
Is the light of passion burning bright
Everywhereyou go, only love would know
Any way the wind may blow
Any way the creek may flow
Any way the crow may fly
Within the confines of the sky
I will prove my love to you
In everything I say and in all I do
Anywhere the song is king
Anywhere the robin sings
Anywhere the lake is cold
Anywhere the bell is tolled
I will prove my love to you
In everything I say and in all I do
Anytime our paths don't cross
And the losin' dice are tossed
Anytime you know what's best
Anytime I can't care less
I'll make it up to you
In everything I say and in all I do
Any way the wind may blow
Any way I stub my toe
Any way the tree might bend
Any way the day might end
I will prove my love to you
In everything I say and in all I do
I will make it up to you
Is it my imagination or is it my iron pride
I wonder if it matters much if time is on my side
I'd rather press on, I don't wanta rest easy
Anywhere I stray, I will make it a brand new day
Anyway, that is all I've gotta say
I'd rather be by the seaside
Than be playing a one night stand
I've been too wrapped up in my own dreams
I will change things if I can
I gotta press on, don't wanta rest easy
Wouldn't it feel fine to return to the women and the wine
And all of the sunshine that we knew
You will never know what blue is
Until you have played the game
Till you live life in solitaire where
No one knows your name
I'd rather press on, I don't want to rest easy
Have it anyway you will
I will be with you right up until
The spell is broken and all is well
If you'd rather be by the seashore
Well, I sure can understand
Are you too wrapped up in your own scene
I would change things if I can
I'd rather press on, don't want to rest easy
Wouldn't it feel fine
But remembering the rhythm and the rhymes
And all of the good times makes me blue
Wouldn't it feel fine to return to the women and the wine
I was at the breakwall, I was lookin' at the sea
In back of the eight ball in some misery
There on the horizon stood a mighty ship of fools
They were headin' into the harbor with all their broken rules
Whenever I'm feelin' lonely I can just pick up the phone
Or I can go to the movies or just stay at home alone
They're better off to be someplace that's a good long way from home
Any way I can lose myself
Dawn is breakin', I'm hesitatin', I'm
Fading away, fading away
They sailed right to meet me, I said what's it all about
Please try to excuse me, we can work things out
If you've ever wondered if that mighty ship is real
Let me tell ya 'bout it brother, it was somethin' you could feel
Whenever I'm feelin' lonely I let twilight set the tone
Or I can go to the movies or just stay at home alone
They're better off to be someplace that's a good long way to roam
Ain't livin' high on the hog right now
Time is wastin', I'm hesitatin', I'm
Fading away, fading away
One more day on the calendar on my mind
I am down around the breakwall puttin' in some time
The whole ship of fools has gotten safely under way
And I was proud to be a part of what it was they had to say
Whenever I'm feelin' lonely I can just pick up the phone
Or I can go to the movies or just stay at home alone
They're better off to be someplace that's a good long piece from home
Any way I can lose myself
Dawn is breakin', I'm hesitatin', I'm
Fading away, fading away
Fading away, fading away
The way I feel is like a robin
Whose babes have flown to come no more
A tall oak tree alone and cryin'
When her birds have flown and the nest is bare
Now a woman lord is like a young bird
And the tall oak tree is like a young man's heart
Among his boughs you will find her nesting
When the nights are cool she's warm and dry
Your coat of green will protect her
Her wings will grow your love will too
But all too soon your mighty branches
Will cease to hold her she'll fly from you
If I'd wings to fly
I'd follow you
If you'd wait for me
I'd fly away
I'd fly away
Softly she comes
Whispers the breeze with her passing
In secret love she is laughing
Softly she comes in the night
Softly she sighs
Sweetly she lies never sleeping
Her fragrance all in my keeping
Softly she comes in the night
Down the darkened hall
I hear her footsteps on my stair
And she is in my arms once more
Softly she goes
Her shining lips in the shadows
Whisper goodbye at my window
Softly she goes in the dawn
I'll be alright, I'll be alright if I don't have to smile
If I don't to face the morning sunrise for a while
I'll get along you know I'll take tomorrow with a grin
If I never have to think about her love again
And I won't mind if words are spoken
In empty love songs as long as I don't have to hear
I'll be alright if I don't have to face the world again
And if I never love again, I'll be alright
Last night she gave the final word, she said her last goodbye
And disappeared forever in the world outside
One kiss and then she took her leave to go, I know not where
Into the misty shadows of the midnight air
But I won't mind if words are spoken
In empty love songs as long as I don't have to hear
I'll be alright if I don't have to face the world again
And if I never love again, I'll be alright
Alone upon the sidewalks of despair
'Twas there she wandered
With her suitcase in her hand
Her fate she pondered
Only a go-go girl in love with someone who didn't care
She met him on a night so rare when her friends were there
And the band was groovin'
When he gave a glance that said how much he would like to meet her
How was she to know at the time
He would mistreat her
In her case she danced for him although a hundred eyes were turned her way
And before the set was through he knew
She would be his loved one
Only a go-go girl in love with someone who didn't care
Only twenty-one, she was a young girl just in from somewhere
He's playin' up in Michigan with a group they call The Intended
With a kiss, and a promise, he was gone
The song was ended
But as she walks, she waits for him the pavement is a shoulder for her tears
But in her heart she knows there is no way
She can hope to change him
Only a go-go girl in love with someone who didn't care
Only twenty-one, she was a young girl just in from somewhere
Only a go-go girl in love with someone who didn't care
A go-go girl in love
Beyond the wild misty mountain
Within the valley so free
There dwells a maid with a heart so mellow
Soft as the wind and wild as the sea
When will you love me
As I love thee
I have no gold to give her
Nor gowns of soft crimson hue
Nor poems of love no rhymes to bring her
Into my heart so strong so true
When will you love me
As I love you
Beyond the wild misty mountain
Within the valley so free
There dwells a maid with a heart so mellow
Soft as the wind and wild as the sea
When will you love me
It was only yesterday
When I heard the teacher say
Patiently, one and two make three
We were children, you and me
Let us pray for the ones they call
The children of today
Nothin' left but promises
Nothin' much is certain
All we see is want and need across the board, why thank you lord
We're livin' in the glory of your care
Skies of blue have all turned brown
To the sound of cryin
Lord abide, let us stem the tide
Of broken dreams
Sometimes you seem to tell us
It's too late for prayin'
See the ocean wild and blue
Think of all that's in her
She will not surrender to the likes of us, but then she must
They tell us, wise men tell us, it's too late
For each child with eyes that smile
There'll be ten more cryin'
Lord abide, let us stem the time
Of helplessness
But then I guess we're livin'
Is it too late for prayin'
Nothin' here but grains of sand
Nothin' much worth savin'
Guess we've all got problems of our own to bear, and still we share
Tomorrow could get better than today
To the ones who've loved in vain
Will ya be beholden
Lord abide, let us stem the tide
Of broken dreams
Sometimes ya seem to tell us
Is there anyone home in this house made of stone?
Anyone inside know my name
I've been around for a half of a hundred days.
Never saw a door shut so tight
Turn around, don't look down
There's a man behind you with a gun
Like any wandering child in the wilderness,
Wild and uncaged are your ways
I think I heard
Someone stirred
I think I heard
Someone stirred
There's a light around you
I've come to switch it on
It will brighten every room
Don't be ashamed if you feel a whole lot warmer in you heart.
You got that feelin' in your soul
Is there anyone home in this house made of stone?
Anyone in there who might care
I've grown weary and wise and I feel much amazed.
Got a few good tales to unwind
Turn around, don't look down
There's a man behind you with a gun.
Like any wandering minstrel I've dawned in the house of a thousand delights.
I think I heard
Someone stirred
I think I heard
Someone stirred
I think I heard
Someone stirred
I think I heard
Someone stirred
I think I heard
Someone stirred
I think I heard
Someone stirred
With a lady-like devotion
She sails the bitter ocean
If it wasn't for lovesick sailors
There'd be nothin' left but flotsam
Singin' why me oh my
Is there a better man than I
I hope you find your way back home
Before you're lyin' high and dry
I hope you find your way back home
Before you die
Her sails blow like bubbles
While ya sip yer daily doubles
If she wasn't so fond of the weather
She might give the deckhands trouble
Singin' why me oh my
Is there a better man than I
I hope you find your way back home
Before you're lyin' high and dry
I hope you find your way back home
Before you die
One day when I grew older
And I found I could not hold her
She took on a fine young skipper
Who soon run her up on a boulder
Singin' why me oh my
Is there a better man than I
I hope you find your way back home
Before you're lyin' high and dry
I hope you find your way back home
Before you die
Now the pleasures of the harbor
Don't include a lady barber
If it wasn't for Long John Silver
All of us pirates would've been martyrs
Singin' why me oh my
Is there a better man than I
I hope you find your way back home
Before you're lyin' high and dry
I hope you find your way back home
Before you're lyin' high and dry
I hope you find your way back home
Before you die
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Rainbows in the woodland, water to my knees
Shivering, quivering, the warm breath of spring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Catbirds and cornfields, daydreams together
Riding on the roadside the dust gets in your eyes
Reveling, disheveling, the summer nights can bring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Slanted rays and colored days, stark blue horizons
Naked limbs and wheatbins, hazy afternoons
Voicing, rejoicing, the wine cups do bring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Harsh nights and candlelights, woodfires a-blazin'
Soft lips and fingertips resting in my soul
Treasuring, remembering, the promise of spring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
I looked into a windowpane
Last evening in a city far away
I was feelin' sad and blue
I wondered then if I should really stay
Wanting someone to be with me in the light of this uncertain time
Waiting by the window for the man inside
To please make up his mind
Will you be one who passed through but never saw
Never knowing never feeling anything
Will you live your whole life through never knowing what to do
Will you be one who passed through but never saw
I walked along the roadway to a fountain
Where lovers come to meet
A hobo walked up to me, I could tell
He didn't have enough to eat
He said, ";Good sir you look so kind
And though the years have stripped me to the bone
It seems I am the better man
For in this place I've never walked alone
Will you be one who passed through but never saw
Never knowing never feeling anything
Will you live your whole life through never knowing what to do
Will you be one who passed through but never saw
";Where will you be, my friendly, when your
Telephone ain't givin' out no calls
And when the seasons come to haunt you
Will you still find springtime in the fall
And when you're on your island
Will you wave at every ship that passes by
And will you feed a hungry man
I thank you, sir,
Now I'll just say goodbye";
Don't you be one who passed through but never saw
Never knowing never feeling anything
Will you live your whole life through never knowing what to do
Will you be one who passed through but never saw
Will you live your whole life through never knowing what to do
Will you be one who passed through but never saw
I'm not sayin' that I love you
I'm not sayin' that I'll care if you love me
I'm not sayin' that I'll care
I'm not sayin' I'll be there when you want me
I can't give my heart to you
Or tell you that I'll sing your name up to the sky
I can't lay the promise down
That I'll always be around when you need me
Now I may not be alone each time you see me
Along the street or in a small cafe
But still I won't deny you or mistreat you
Baby if you let me have my way
I'm not sayin' I'll be sorry
For all the things that I might say that make you cry
I can't say I'll always do
The things you want me to
I'm not sayin' I'll be true but I'll try
Ribbon of darkness over me
Since my true love walked out the door
Tears I never had before
Ribbon of darkness over me
Clouds are gatherin' o'er my head
That chill the day and hide the sun
That shroud the night when day is done
Ribbon of darkness over me
Rain is falling on the meadow
Where once my love and I did lie
Now she is gone from the meadow
My love goodbye
Oh how I wish your heart could see
How mine just aches and breaks all day
Come on home and take away
This ribbon of darkness over me
Yes come on home and take away
Ribbon of darkness over me
Well, it's four o'clock in the afternoon
And the anchors have been weighed
From Miami to Nassau
She's bound across the waves
She'll be headin' south through Biscayne Bay
Into the open sea
Yarmouth Castle, she's a-dyin' and don't know it
Now the many years she's been to sea
She's seen the better times
She gives a groan of protest
As they cast away her lines
And the grumble of her engines
And the rust along her spine
Tells the Castle she's too old to be sailin'
But the sands run out within her heart
A tiny spark glows red
It smolders through the evening
There's laughter overhead
Now the dinner's served and the cards are dealt
And the drinks are passed around
Deep within the fire starts a-burnin'
Now it's midnight on the open sea
And the moon is shinin' bright
Some people join the party
And others say goodnight
There's many who are sleepin' now
It's been a busy day
And a tiny wisp of smoke is a-risin'
"Oh Lord," she groans, "I'm burning
Let someone understand"
But her silent plea is wasted
In the playin' of the band
Everybody's dancin' on her deck
And they're havin' such a time
And a voice says, "Shut up and deal, I'm losin'"
Deep within the Yarmouth Castle
The fire begins to glow
It leaps into the hallways
And climbs and twists and grows
And the paint she wore to keep her young
Oh Lord, how well it burns
And soon that old fire is a-ragin'
Up beneath the bridge it's climbin' fast
The captain stands aloft
He calls up to the boatswain, says
"Boatswain, we are lost"
For the ragged hoses in the racks
No pressure do they hold
And the people down below will soon be dyin'
All amidships, oh she's blazin' now
It's spreadin' fore and aft
The people are a-scramblin'
As the fire blocks their path
The evil smoke surrounds them
And they're fallin' in their tracks
And the captain in his lifeboat is a-leavin'
Oh then the ship, Bahama Star
Comes steamin' through the night
She sees the Castle blazin'
And 'tis a terrible sight
"Jump down, jump down", the captain cries
"We'll save you if we can"
Then the paint on his funnels is a-fryin'
"God help the ones who sleep below
And cannot find the way
Thank God for those we rescue
Upon this awful day"
Now the heroes, they are many
But the times are growin' slim
And now from stern to bow, she's a-blazin'
Oh the Yarmouth Castle's moanin'
She's cryin' like a child
You can hear her if you listen
Above the roar so wild
Is she cryin' for the ones who lie
Within her molten sides?
Or cryin' for herself, I'm a-wonderin'
But the livin' soon were rescued
The ones who lived to tell
From the Star they watched her
As she died there in the swells
Like a toy ship on a mill pond
She burned all through the night
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee'
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty.
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early.
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship's bell rang
Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the captain did too,
T'was the witch of November come stealin'.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the Gales of November came slashin'.
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind.
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin'.
Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya.
At Seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in, he said
Fellas, it's been good t'know ya
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
And the good ship and crew was in peril.
And later that night when his lights went outta sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Does any one know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searches all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
May have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams;
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her,
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the Gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral.
The church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call 'Gitche Gumee'.
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early!
Go first in the world, go forth with your fears
Remember a price must be paid
Be always too soon, be never too fast
At the time when all bets must be laid
Beware of the darkness, be kind to your children
Remember the woman who waits
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate
When you're caught by the gale and you're full under sail
Beware of the dangers below
And the song that you sing should not be too sad
And be sure not to sing it too slow
Be calm in the face of all common disgraces
And know what they're doin' it for
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your door
When you're out on the road and feelin' quite lost
Consider the burden of fame
And he who is wise will not criticize
When other men fail at the game
Beware of strange faces and dark dingy places
Be careful while bending the law
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your door
When you're down in the dumps and not ready to deal
Decide what it is that you need
Is it money or love, is it learnin' to live
Or is it the mouth you must feed
Be known as a man who will always be candid
On questions that do not relate
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate
Love and maple syrup goes together
Like the sticky winds of winter when they meet
When lonely lovers come to rest
Beneath the trees they do their best
But still they can't be free
Looking for the world to be
Anything but what they see
Longing to be understood
By the heart that shapes the wood
If you go into the forest, gaze up through the leaves
And see the sky that's almost wild
You must learn to understand
What makes the forest greet the man
Like a mother's only child
In the north when when winter's claw
Relaxes now to keep the laws of nature in control
People come and stand in line
To rob the forest of her wine
But they don't feel the cold
Looking for the world to be
Anything but what they see
Longing to be understood
By the heart that shapes the wood
Love and maple syrup goes together
Like the sticky winds of winter when they meet
When lonely lovers come to rest
Beneath the trees they do their best
But still they can't be free
Love and maple syrup shine like
Embers warm, like thoughts divine
They tell us it is spring
Love and maple syrup stir
The thoughts of people into words
Of songs that they can sing
Looking for the world to be
Anything but what they see
Longing to be understood
By the heart that shapes the wood
He was standin' by the highway
With a sign that just said ";Mother";
When he heard a driver comin'
'Bout a half a mile away
Then he held the sign up higher
Where no decent soul could miss it
It was ten degrees or colder
Down by bolder dam that day
He was raised up in Milwaukee
Though he never was that famous
He was just a road musician
To the taverns he would go
Singin' songs about the ramblin'
The lovin' girls and gamblin'
How the world fell on his shoulders
Back in Boulder I don't know
It was out in Arizona
That he heard the lady listenin'
To each word that he was sayin'
To each line that he would write
So he sat down by her table and
They talked about the weather
Ninety-eight point six and risin'
Down by Boulder dam that day
And she told him she would take him
For a ride in the mornin' sun
Back in Boulder he had told her
";I don't know when I had a better friend";
Now he's traded off his Martin
But his troubles are not over
For his feet are almost frozen
And the sun is sinkin' low
Won't you listen to me brother
If you ever loved your mother
Please pull off on the shoulder
If you're goin' Milwaukee way
It's ten degrees and getting colder
Down by Boulder dam today
Thank you for the promises we make
I know I can't complain
I think I did all right
No failures are in sight
Only now and then
I'd like to reminisce
Do you remember when
Even if we're angels we can't ask
To wander through the past
The future is our goal
The night is black as coal
If I could pay the price
I'd like to love you once
I'd love to love you twice
Thanks
We cannot say enough
The road is sometimes rough
But we can get along
The going will get tough
But we won't be afraid
Of the promises we made
Thank you for the promises you keep
When I am fast asleep
To be where we belong
Is all that I can ask
We can do it in the shade
As long as I have you
And the promises we made
Thank you for the promises we break
If you made a clean mistake
Well that's what love's about
No need to stand and shout
The truth is in your eyes
The answer lies within
No need to criticize
Thanks
For the promises at hand
The abuse that we must stand
Is often heaven sent
They may not pay the rent
You never can be sure
When promises get bent
Thank you for the promises that live
This is all that I can give
Forever in my mind
To leave the past behind
And seal it with a kiss
Forever in my soul
I will remember this
In my fashion I have been a good man
I have loved and I have lost
Ever after I will be remembered
In my fashion, in my way
There have been times, I have seen the reaper
In the bad times, and in the good
I have bent down, I have touched the ground
Saying prayers and touching wood
In my fashion, I have been a father
I have loved and been loved in return
From the ashes, I have kept the homefires
Burning after all was said and done
Now take a look at me
Do I look like the kind of guy
The kinda fool who went to school
And had to stand on a stool,
Because he couldn't come t' terms with a slide rule
Take a look around again
Is it any different now than it was then
In my fashion I have been a good man
I have loved and I have lost
And ever after I will be remembered
In my fashion, in my way
If I can last through another sunrise
In the past I knew what to do
But this was such a grim surprise
If I wait for the sun to shine
How can I pass the time
Without you, without you
If I can break the spell that is in me
Any fool would no where to go
i huess I'd better send a mayday
If I find me a rainbow's end
how will I find it then
Without you, without you
Without you
Wait 'til I see you next time
Maybe I'll lose my mind
Livin' without you
If I can last, wait until the wind dies
I've been all up and down like a clown
And this is such a thin disguise
If I wait for the sun to shine
How will I pass the time
Without you, without you
Without you
Wait 'til I see you next time
Maybe I'll lose my mind
Livin' without you
Without you, without you
Without you, without you
Now it looks to me like the same old place
In the sky it looks like rain
The same old town with the same old streets
The address has not changed
You can find me there, with the door shut tight
And the one wish that remains
Baby, step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Now you know I don't write no bad checks
I have no wish to repent
I have seen a few but whatever I do
I don't cause no accidents
A whiskey and wine help me pass the time
I don't leave no evidence
Baby step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Baby step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Still I don't kneel down, I was born to fight
So you'd best leave me alone
Maybe I'll get much more than I need
Or much less than I should own
The last of all let me say it again
Either step up or step on
Baby, step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Baby, step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Baby, step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Baby, walk back, baby walk back
Either walk on or walk back
Baby, step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Baby, step back, baby step back
Either step up or step back
Born in the country and I like that country smile
Of the little girls and boys, they remind me of a child
That I knew and a big harvest moon
That shone by supper time in the dusty afternoon
And I need to be there when the autumn wind goes
Singing through the trestle we would climb
Like brave mountaineers
We never were much bothered by time
Born in the country and I like that country song
We played for just a nickel every time we got to town
And I bought you a dime diamond ring
In the hayloft we would play, we were princesses and kings
And I need to be there when the world
Gets too heavy and the shadows cross my mind
Like brave mountaineers
We never were much bothered by time
Born in the country and I like that country way
Of the uncles aunts and cousins, and the card games they would play
While the young ones slept overhead
Beneath the quilts that mother made, when all the prayers were said
And I need to be there when the autumn wind
Goes singing through the trestle we would climb
Like brave mountaineers
We never were much bothered by time
And I need to be there when the world
Gets too heavy and the shadows cross my mind
Like brave mountaineers
I'd like to be in Biscuit City
With my banjo in my hand
I don't need no long vacation
In some foreign land
Cause the sound of my own breathing
Has been turning to a sigh
I wish that I could make the time
To be in Biscuit City by and by
Oh the water is of emerald
And the beach is white as snow
And everyone's got money
And no place to go
In a land of milk and honey
It can really make you smile
And if I had a ticket
I would stay in Biscuit City for a while
All the girls are in bikinis
All the boys are in the buff
With the baby in between and
That makes three of us
And the streets are all so quiet
And the walls are squeaky clean
I think you ain't been nowhere 'til
The town of Biscuit City you have seen
I'd rather be in Biscuit City
With my banjo in my hand
Than take a big vacation
In some foreign land
Cause the sound of my own breathing
has been turning to a sigh
If it were not for misfortune
I would be in Biscuit City by and by
If it were not for misfortune
I would stay in Biscuit City 'til I die
She is my flower
And she blooms for the one who loves her best
The miners stop to watch as she walks
They know her love is not for sale
She will never fail me 'cause I know
I watch her grow
And the mother of a miner's child
Waits for me beside the kitchen door
She is my light
In this place where the darkness never ends
She'll guide me where the tunnels twist and bend
She's the only one who listens when I tell her
I got less than I can spend
She knows the pace
Oh mother of a miner's child
Was away the coal dust from my face
When the night shift's done
She'll be waiting by the table when I come
Searchin' for another dream to chase
Oh mother of a miner's child
I know that you still think about the day
When we'll be movin' on
Remember dear old Daddy and
The promise that I made to carry on
Sometimes I smile
In the cage where the cables softly hum
I'd curse that old straw boss to the bone
But the mother of a miner's child
Is waiting for her paycheck to come home
Come Saturday
And he is just a miner's boy
I hope that he will find a better way
She is my flower
And she blooms for the one who loves her best
The miners stop to watch as she walks
They know her love is not for sale
She will never fail me 'cause I know
I watch her grow
And the mother of a miner's child
Waits for me beside the kitchen door
Gonna but me a long white robe
Yes Lord to help me home
I'm gonna buy me a long white robe
Yes Lord to get me home
And when I get my heavenly gown
And I lay my burden down
I'm gonna get me a long white robe to get me home
I'm gonna buy me two golden slippers
Yes Lord to walk me home
I'm gonna buy me two golden slippers
Yes Lord to walk me home
And when I get my slippers of gold
Then the Lord will have my soul
I'm gonna get me two golden slippers to get me home
I'm gonna buy me two wings of silver
Yes Lord to fly me home
I'm gonna buy me two wings of silver
Yes Lord to fly me home
And when I get my silvery wings
Then an angel choir will sing
I'm gonna get me two wings of silver to get me home
I'm gonna buy me a poor man's trouble
Yes Lord to help me home
I'm gonna buy me a poor man's trouble
Yes Lord to help me home
And when I get my trouble and woe
Then homeward I will go
I'm gonna get a little trouble and woe to get me home
I'm gonna find me a smilin' angel
Yes Lord to lead me home
I'm gonna get me a smilin' angel
Yes Lord to lead me home
And when he takes me by the hand
I know the Lord will understand
I'm gonna get me a smilin' angel to lead me home
Busted flat in Baton Rouge
Headin' for the train
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down
Just before it rained
Took us all away to New Orleans
I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin' sad while Bobby sang the blues
With those windshield wipers slappin' time
And Bobby clappin' hands we finally
Sung up every song that driver knew
Freedom's just another word
For nothin' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin
But it's free
Feelin' good was easy Lord
When Bobby sang the blues
Feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
From the coalmines of Kentucky
To the California sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Standin' right beside me Lord
Through every thing I done
Every night she kept me from the cold
Then somewhere near Salinas Lord
I let her slip away
Searchin' for the home
I hope she'll find
And I'd give all my tomorrows
For a single yesterday
Holdin' Bobby's body close to mine
Freedom's just another word
For nothin' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin
But it's free
Feelin' good was easy Lord
When Bobby sang the blues
Feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
When it's mid-night on the meadow
and the cats are in the shed,
And the river tells a story
at the window by my bed,
If you listen very closely
be as quiet as you can,
In the yard you'll hear him,
you'll hear the pony man
He always comes to see us
when he tumbles into town,
He leads a string of ponies,
Some are white & some are brown.
And they never seem to kick or bite,
they always want to play,
And they live on candy apples
instead of oats and hay
And when we are assembled
and he gives us our command,
We climb aboard our ponies,
as in a row they stand
And down the road we gallop
and across the fields we glide,
And soon we all go sailing off
into the mid-night sky
And as we gaily rock along
beside a rippling stream,
There's Tom & Dick & Sally,
and Mary Jo & me
And the pony man is leading
cause he's traveled here before,
And he gives a hoop & a holler,
at Mr. Moon's front door
And when the hold is filled with gold
and the sails begin to strain,
And the deck's piled high with apple pie
we head for port again
So down a swirling star case
Those swift, dark ponies fly
And we're safely in our beds again
When the sunbeams kiss the sky
When it's mid-night on the meadow
and the cats are in the shed,
And the river tells a story
at the window by my bed
If you listen very closely
be as quiet as you can,
In the yard you'll hear him,
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Rainbows in the woodland, water to my knees
Shivering, quivering, the warm breath of spring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Catbirds and cornfields, daydreams together
Riding on the roadside the dust gets in your eyes
Reveling, disheveling the summer nights can bring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Slanted rays and colored days, stark blue horizons
Naked limbs and wheatbins, hazy afternoons
Voicing, rejoicing the wine cups do bring
Pussywillows, cat-tails, soft winds and roses
Harsh nights and candlelights, woodfires a blazin'
Soft lips and fingertips resting in my soul
Treasuring, remembering, the promise of spring
Boss Man Boss Man what do ya say
I gotta get you alone in the mine some day
Boss Man Boss Man turn it around
If you don't look away how can I sit down
Look at this load upon my back
Gotta get this wheel back on the track
I can't hold on but I can't let go
And I can't say yes I can't say 'no'
Holes in my pockets and holes in my shoes
If you're ready for me I'm ready for you
The company plan takes all my pay
Got a child in July and another last May
Boss Man Boss Man what do ya say
Gonna get you alone in the mine some day
Push your face down in the coal
'Cause you got no heart you got no soul
Country life's the life for me
In ten more years I'll a pensioner be
The younger lad knows when the girls are out
But you might say he's a rural sprout
Boss Man Boss Man what do ya say
Gonna get you alone in the mine some day
Boss Man Boss Man clear the track
You're gonna tear the skin right offa my back
Boss Man, Boss Man what do ya say
If you can't lend a hand then get outta my way
It'll be murder in the first degree
If you ever lay your hands on me
Boss Man Boss Man pay my rent
A dollar I've earned is a dollar I've spent
The company plan takes all my check
For breakin' my back and riskin' my neck
Boss Man Boss Man what do ya say
I gotta get you alone in the mine some day
I can't hold on but I can't let go
And I can't say yes I can't say 'no'
That long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
I've seen the hills of Frisco and the streets of Montreal
In every town I've been to I've had someone to call
From Winnipeg to Edmonton, Vancouver to St. Paul
I've had so many good friends I couldn't miss them all
And that long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
Last night I came to Denver beneath the snow-capped ridge
I thought about my darlin' as I stood beneath the bridge
And there were times I made her cry but I guess by now she's learned
That any time I've wandered I always have returned
And that long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
Right now I'm on a highway just east of Omaha
Riding shotgun on the biggest rig you ever saw
With forty tons of pig iron and a trucker known as Bill
All the way to Windsor, we've got some miles to kill
And that long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
While climbin' up a hillside, Bill drops 'er down a gear
And the engine sings so sweetly 'tis music to my ear
I tell him how I long to be just like him if I can
Drivin' like the restless wind across this precious land
Says Bill ";the air is clean tonight"; as he puffs a big cigar
";And if this rig keeps rollin', my boy you'll travel far
But when you are a trucker you'll come to realize
The only thing a man can do is watch the world go by";
And that long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
That long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee'
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty.
That big ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early.
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship's bell rang
Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the captain did too,
T'was the witch of November come stealin'.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the Gales of November came slashin'.
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind.
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin'.
Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya.
At Seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in, he said (2010 lyric
change by Gordon Lightfoot: At Seven P.M., it grew dark, it was
then he said,)
Fellas, it's been good t'know ya
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
And the good ship and crew was in peril.
And later that night when his lights went outta sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Does any one know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
May have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams;
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her,
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the Gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral.
The church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call 'Gitche Gumee'.
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
If I had a dollar, if I had a cent
I would play most anywhere if it would pay my rent
I'd be livin' on the downside in my old apartment
For the rest of my days
People always ask, why the world is on the run?
People like you and like me
Is it really true you can really never win?
Movin' to the upside, tell me when does the fun begin
Deep as the sea and as wild as the weather
We will go just you and me to pick wild strawberries together
Or be livin' on our own, in a cabin in a meadow
Or meanderin' alone, we can face the world forever or we'll
Hit the bounding main or be on a railroad train
Hit the boundless tide or be on a steamboat ride
Hit the bounding main or be on a midnight plane
Hit the pounding tide or be on a rainbow ride
People often ask me just the way it must feel
To be standing up here with you down there
Let it now be known that throughout all of these years
I have been wearing polka dot underwear
Deep as the sea and as wild as the weather
We will go just you and me to gather crabapples together
And be wandering along toward a cabin in the meadow
Or meandering alone, we can face the world together or we'll
Hit the bounding main or be on a railroad train
Hit the boundless tide or be on a steamboat ride
Hit the bounding main or be on a midnight plane
Hit the pounding tide or be on a rainbow ride
People always ask why the world is on the slide?
People like you and like me
Is it really true there will be no peace left to hide?
Turning to the upside, when does the fun begin
Deep as the sea and as wild as the weather
We might go just you and me to pick wild strawberries together
Or be livin' on our own in a cabin in a meadow
And the cows will come home they can face the world forever and we'll
Hit the bounding main or be on a railroad train
Hit the boundless tide or be on a steamboat ride
Hit the bounding main or be on a midnight plane
Hit the pounding tide or be on a rainbow ride
Finders, keepers, losers, weepers
Ring around the rosy and I'll catch you if I can
But if you don't say, "May I", then you'll have to start again
But first you must indulge me and count from one to ten
Let the game begin
I adore you when you touch me
Pin the tail upon the donkey, you will surely win
And if you don't say, "May I", then I'll pass the cake around
And I won't give you any, but you won't make a sound
You don't eat soap, anyhow
Red light, green light, blue light, yellow light
You can take three giant steps or a baby step will do
But if you don't say, "May I", then I'll march you out the door
Where you'll be contemplating the numbers one to four
I hope you're keeping score
'Cause if you don't say, "May I", then I'll get you with the hose
And spoil your Sunday clothes
Will it please you if I tease you
While you're at the spin dry, I'll pass the pie around
But you won't make a sound, you don't eat blackbirds anyhow
There's four and twenty reasons why it can't be wrong
How long have you been gone
Finders, keepers, losers, weepers
Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater
Come to the door, my pretty one
Put on your rings and precious things
Hide all your tears as best you can
Try to recall what used to be
Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Bells in the steeple are ringing, singing
Listen to them talkin' about your love's return
Let me come in, my pretty one
And try to undo what I have done
For I must be forgiven now
I cannot leave your love alone
Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Leaves in the garden are falling, calling
Listen to them talkin' about your love's return
Let me come in, my precious one
Wake from your sleep and take me home
Open your eyes and look my way
I will not lose what I have won
Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Bells in steeple are ringing, singing
If I satisfy you, if you satisfy me
Once the course has been set
Gonna need all the help I can get but
You just gotta be you, 'n I just gotta be me
I can't classify you, you can't pacify me
We can't make it at all
You won't even take my calls
I just want ta be loved
'N you just gotta be free
I'll smile and tell it to the world
You just gotta be
Pardon me for sayin'
What a price you've been payin'
What more can I say
You might feel different some day
If it matter to you, it still matters to me
You'll find me by the bayou
Thinkin' wicked thoughts of you
I just want ta be strong, you just gotta be wrong
I can't clarify you, you can't verify me
I can't make it by stealth
You won't even share the wealth so
You just gotta be you
And I just gotta be me
And I will tell that to the world
You just gotta be
With a gratified mind, I'll be on the highway
Just as soon as I can
Where there's a will there's a way so until then
I just want ta be me, and you just gotta be
Whispers of the north
Soon I will go forth
To that wild and barren land
Where nature takes its course
Whispers of the wind
Soon I will be there again
Bound with a wild and restless drive
That pulls me from within
And we can ride away
We can glide all day
And we can fly away
Whispers of the north
Soon I will return again
To those endless afternoons
In sunshine and in rain
Whispers of my love
Days and weeks on end
I will share my thoughts of her
In prayers that I will send
And we can ride away
We can glide all day
And we can fly away
Whispers of the north
The river and the shore
In the land that tested Eskimos
Ten thousand years before
Whispers of my heart
In the tracks of animals
I will leave my footprints there
To lie beneath the snow
And we can ride away
We can glide all day
And we can fly away
Whispers of the wind
I will feel it sting
I will see it rise and fall
I will hear it sing
The sound is like a song to me
It takes away the pain
The river is the melody
And sky is the refrain
And we can ride away
We can glide all day
And we can fly away
And we can ride away
We can glide all day
And we can fly away
Whispers of the north
Soon I will go forth
Whispers of the north
Soon I will go forth
Travel with me if you choose
Into a land of notions
Through the ruins of yesteryear
Set yer mind in motion
Be beside me win or lose
I will no forsake thee
I must do, so must you
Now will you go with me
I will build a home for you
To keep you warm each winter
Lemon lilies at your door
To give you in September
I will take you as you stand
I promise to defend thee
I must do, so must you
Now will you go with me
Whisper my name as you pass through my life
Whisper my name when you fall
I'm just a dusty old mem'ry ya trust
I'll be close by when you call
Give and take ain't always so
Seeing is believing
Down and out don't stop the show
Staying is not leaving
What we say ain't always so
But I won't deceive thee
I must do, so must you
Now will you go with me
Talk to me, run to me, whisper my name
Don't waste your love makin' friends
We've both had enough of that wonderful stuff
It's too easy to sin
Travel with me if you choose
Into a land of notions
Through the ruins of yesteryear
Set yer mind in motion
Be beside me win or lose
I will no forsake thee
I must do, so must you
Now will you go with me
Travel with me if you choose
I promise to protect thee
I must do, so must you
Now will you go with me
Now will you go with me
When I woke this mornin', something inside of me told me this would be my day
I heard the morning train, I felt the wind change, too many times I'm on my way
Come on sunshine, what can you show me
Where can you take me to make me understand
The wind can shake me, brothers forsake me
The rain can touch me, but can I touch the rain
And then I saw the sunrise above the cotton sky like a candycane delight
I saw the milkman, I saw the business man, I saw the only road in sight
Then I got to thinkin' what makes you want to go, to know the wherefore and the why
So many times now, oh Lord I can't remember if it's September or July
Then all at once it came to me, I saw the wherefore, and you can see it if you try
It's in the sun above, it's in the one you love, you'll never know the reason why
Come on sunshine, what can you show me
Where can you take me to make me understand
The wind can shake me, brothers forsake me
The rain can touch me, but can I touch the rain
So much to lose, so much to gain
Forgive me my unsettled ways
Don't linger in time or finger what's mine
Don't make me do what you wouldn't do yourself
Forgive me the bad things I do
Don't ask me to change or exchange what I am
For something else you know that wouldn't do
If time gets to heavy and you can no longer bear it
And you need someone to share it
Tell me girl, I'll try to make amends
Forgive me the ways of my heart
Don't try to pretend or lend me your love
Don't ask of me what you wouldn't ask yourself
If time gets to heavy and you can no longer bear it
And you need someone to share it
Tell me girl, I'll try to make amends
Forgive me my unsettled ways
Don't linger in time or finger what's mine
Don't make me do what you wouldn't do yourself
Oh the gist of it all is the first day of fall is the day when my ship will set sail
The best of all friends will say good-bye again there's still time for one last glass of ale
We'll sail away proudly, our backs to the wall on a southwind and lots of good cheer
And when we've looked over the white cliffs of Dover, We'll be in Bahama next year
From Bermuda on down the Triangle around us will teach us a lesson or two
There's many a mate who unevenyly stated the course he had charted was true
";Don't worry 'bout me,"; he said ";Go down below, give a certified sailor a turn,
Just sip on your rum or I'll give you my thumb and say, son you got something t' learn!";
It's a mighty hard way to come down
And a mighty fine way to be found
So hand me my grip from an old sailing ship
Put the kiss of the dawn on my lips
With some luck tonight I might have her at my fingertips
Oh the best of all things is the first day of spring when when the water runs heavy and fast
The mermaids have all gone to Davy Jones' Ball
And it seems their first trip was their last
They had so much fun
They don't wish to return
to the beach where they lay all day long
They'd rather stay under
And boy it's no wonder
When all the rock lobsters roll on
It's a mighty fine way to be found
Triangle Triangle
Oh see my ship dangle
We're bound for Bahama my friend
Like lovers like danger
Like babies like mangers
But that's where my storybook ends
Like soldiers of fortune, believers in God
And all kings without crosses to bear
All sweepers and cleaners
with no misdemeanors
Should try the triangle out there
It's a mighty hard way to come down
And a mighty fine way to be found
So hand me my grip
From an old sailing ship
Put the kiss of dawn on my lips
With some luck tonight
I might have her at my fingertips
When she took her last tumble
The sea bottom rumbled
There was no confusion or blame
The captain said ";Men we must answer again to the sea so ye may not complain";
And as they lay sleeping down there in the deep
With their faces turned up to the stars
A tuna fish turned
To a mermaid in bed and said
";There goes another sandbar";
It's a mighty hard way to come down
And a mighty fine way to be found
So hand me my grip
From an old sailing ship
Put the kiss of the dawn on my lips
With some luck tonight
I might have her at my fingertips
The space shuttle ends where the subway begins
There's a tear on the face of the moon
Fromdusk until dawn they have searched all day long
But there's too many clues in this room
At best it is said we've been locked deep inside
Of an old sea man's chest full of charts
Where maps are contained and what's left of his brains
When his crew threw his balls to the sharks
All around the looking glass
Dancing to a tune
Sweeping out the house with a fine tooth comb
Which history's shown
Leads to ruin
In a word it is said that at times we must fall
But the worst of it all was the lies
We died for the cause just like regular outlaws
In the dust of an old lawman's eyes
In times best forgot there was peace there was not
In her pains mother earth came to bloom
Her children were born in the eye of the storm
And there's too many clues in this room
The power that is stored in the no man's land of chance
Is the someone who knows what they're doin'
The old soldiers say in they're own crusty way
We've got too many troops in this room
All around the looking glass
Dancing to a tune
Sweeping out the house with a fine tooth comb
Which history's shown
Leads to ruin
The space shuttle ends where the subway begins
Praise the lord there's a train leavin' soon
From dusk until dawn they have searched all day long
But there's too many clues in this room
The way I feel is like a robin
Whose babes have flown to come no more
A tall oak tree alone and cryin'
When the birds have flown and the nest is bare
Now a woman Lord is like a young bird
And the tall oak tree is a young man's heart
Among its boughs you'll find her nesting
When the nights are cool she's warm and dry
Your coat of green will protect her
Her wings will grow your love will too
But all too soon your mighty branches
Will cease to hold her she'll fly from you
Now the way I feel is like a robin
Whose babes have flown to come no more
A tall oak tree alone and cryin'
When the birds have flown and the nest is bare
When the birds have flown and the nest is bare
The songs of the wars are as old as the hills
They cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills
They tell of the boys who went down to the tracks
In a patriotic manner with the cold steel on their backs
The patriot's dream is as old as the sky
It lives in the lust of a cold callous lie
Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill
Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills
The train pulled away on that glorious night
The drummer got drunk and the bugler got tight
While the boys in the back sang a song of good cheer
While riding off to glory in the spring of their years
The patriot's dream still lives on today
It makes mothers weep and it makes lovers pray
Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill
Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills
Well there was a sad, sad lady
Weeping all night long
She received a sad, sad message
From a voice on the telephone
Her children were all sleeping
As she waited out the dawn
How could she tell those children
That their father was shot down
So she took them to her side that day
And she told them one by one
Your father was a good man ten thousand miles from home
He tried to do his duty and it took him straight to hell
He might be in some prison, I hope he's treated well
Well there was a young girl watching in the early afternoon
When she heard the name of someone who said he'd be home soon
And she wondered how they got him, but the papers did not tell
There would be no sweet reunion, there would be no wedding bells
So she took herself into her room and she turned the bed sheets down
And she cried into the silken folds of her new wedding gown
He tried to do his duty and it took him straight to hell
He might be in some prison, I hope he's treated well
Well there was an old man sitting in his mansion on the hill
And he thought of his good fortune and the time he'd yet o kill
Well he called to his wife one day, ";Come sit with me awhile";
Then turning toward the sunset, he smiled a wicked smile
";Well I'd like to say I'm sorry for the sinful deeds I've done
But let me first remind you, I'm a patriotic son";
They tried to do their duty and it took 'em straight to hell
They might be in some prison, I hope they're treated well
The songs of the wars are as old as the hills
They cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills
They tell of the boys who went down to the tracks
In a patriotic manner with the cold steel on their backs
The train pulled away on that glorious night
The drummer got drunk and the bugler got tight
While the boys in the back sang a song of good cheer
While riding off to glory in the spring of their years
The patriot's dream still lives on today
It makes mothers weep and it makes lovers pray
Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill
Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills
The soul is the rock and the rock will not be moved
Nothing is disputed, yet nothing is disproved
And the seeds of the earth that were planted long ago
Still yield a better harvest than the rock was prone to grow
Say what you like to, do what you do
Everyone's sleeping now two by two
Bats in the roof, cats in the hall
Dust on the stairway, gnats on the wall
Big rain comin'
Big rain comin' this way
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
The sea is the space which the rock has displaced
The mind is some stranger that some soul has embraced
And somewhere between, in a no-man's land of dreams
The heart becomes the soldier yet the rock is not redeemed
Say what you like to, do what you can
Live like a sheep, die like a lamb
Bats in the roof, cats in the hall
Dust on the stairway, gnats on the wall
Big rain comin'
Big rain comin' this way
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
The soul is the rock and the rock will always roll
In circles 'round the sun doing rings around the pole
When the mind is not sure what the heart will do next
The rock becomes the master and the road becomes what's left
Late one night when the moon shone down
We went to the mill on the edge of the town
She wore white, I wore black
The town was sleeping when we got back
Big rain comin'
Big rain comin' this way
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
The soul is the rock and the rock will not be harmed
Though man must be cheated just as women must be charmed
And the mind is the light for the heart which cannot see
The soul becomes the stranger but the rock will always be
Say what you like to, do what you do
Everyone's sleeping now two by two
Bats in the roof, cats in the hall
Dust on the stairway, gnats on the wall
Oh.. Big rain comin'
Big rain comin' this way
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
Rain on the rock
The soul is the rock and the rock will not be moved
Nothing is disputed yet nothing is disproved
And the seeds of the earth that were planted long ago
Still yield a better harvest than the rock was prone to grow
And the seeds of the earth that were planted long ago
Still yield a better harvest than the rock was prone to grow
Step inside my tent, said she, "I'd like to read you palm"
Leave the dollar in the jar, this won't take very long
Leave the circus noise behind, close your eyes, relax your mind
I'll tell you, if you should quit now or if you should go on
Then I said, "Now what do ya see?"
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
Where'll I go, what'll I be?
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
She threw some sawdust in the air and her hands began to shake
She told me, the town where I was born, she almost knew the date
She lit a candle with her eyes and then she made the table rise
She took the dollar from the jar and then she guessed my weight
Then I said, "Now what do ya see?"
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
You are so old, you are so wise
Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dy
Give me a sign, tell it to me
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
Then she spoke most quietly
Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee
When you we a child at school they taught you quite a lot
You were told when you should speak and when you should not
You were taught to read and write, to take your lessons home at night
A little knowledge serves you well but the golden rule does not
Then I said, "Now what do ya see?"
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
Where'll I go, what'll I be?
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
Then when I came home that night to lie in bed awake
I thought of that old gypsy and the words that she had said
And now I see with due respect, the more we learn the worse we get
So if you feel you've no regrets, go have your fortune read
Then I said, "Now what do ya see?"
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
You are so old, you are so wise
Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dy
Give me a sign, tell it to me
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
Then she spoke most quietly
Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee
Where'll I go, what'll I be
She said, "Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dee"
You are so old, you are so wise
Deedlee-dum, deedlee-dy
Give me a sign, tell it to me
The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gift you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love
To the dark and the empty skies
The first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth turn in my hand
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command
The first time ever I lay with you
And felt your heart beat close to mine
I thought our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time, my love
And last till the end of time
The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love
Whatever you think of me
I'm still your friend
So other than nothin' what's new
The water 's still flowin'
Through the rose on my skin
This here tattoo is for you
The boys at the parlor downtown
Didn't waste anytime puttin' it down
Time has been wastin' away I can see it
Go sailin' on by as it slips through my fingers
The bow and the wave never wait for tomorrow
They just keep on rollin' as straight as an arrow
Good night
Girl of my dreams
You get better each day
I wish I could see you somehow
Girls that I love is there no other way
This here tattoo is for now
I'd been out drinkin' all day
I got carried away at the parlor last night
This summer rose is for you it's no wonder
I bothered to wander back into the parlor
It's red and in bloom and it's more than one color
It lives on forever for just a few dollars
Good night
Whatever you think of me
I'm still your friend
So baby whatever you do
Now that it's taken its permanent home
This here tattoo is for you
The boys at the parlor downtown
Didn't waste any time puttin' it down
Time has been wastin' away, you know time doesn't
Wait for nobody to find what they're after
It just keeps on rolling on down the deep canyons
And through the green meadows into the broad ocean
Good night
Whatever you think of me
I'm still your friend
So other than nothin' what's new
The water's still flowing
Through the rose on my skin
This here tattoo is for you
The water's still flowin
Through the rose on my skin
This here tattoo is for you
He came down through fields of green
On the summer side of life
His love was ripe
There was no illusions
On the summer side of life
Only tenderness
And if you saw him now
You'd wonder why he would cry
A whole day long
There was young girls everywhere
On the summer side of life
They talked all night
To the young men that they knew
On the summer side of life
Goin' off to fight
And if you saw them now
You'd wonder why they would cry
A whole day long
He came down through field of green
On the summer side of life
He prayed all night
Then he walked into a house
Where love had been misplaced
His chance to waste
And if you saw him now
You'd wonder why he would cry
A whole day long
And if you saw him now
You'd wonder why
And if you saw him now
You'd wonder why
And if you saw him now
If you've got a heartache
Of the kind that will not pass by
Even if you don't see the end
Of what lies around the bend
Don't stay that way
It's all in a day believe me
Even the best of dreams must end
Even so it grieves me
Stay loose, don't fight it
Let it take you all the way and
If it's wrong, you will right it
Do not waste these hours away
How many times have I told you
These are the tears I've shed
Could it be that I need help
Is it maybe I've come undone
And one thing more
You know it don't come easy
Even the best of friends must part
Even so it grieves me
Stay loose, don't fight it
Let love take a holiday
If it's wrong, you're gonna right it
Do not waste these hours away
Soon the storm will be over
And the clouds will all pass by
To be insane beyond belief
Is sometimes the best relief
And one thing sure
Love never did come easy
Even the best of dreams must end
Even so it grieves me
Stay loose, don't fight it
Let it take you all the way and
If it's wrong, you will right it
Do not waste these hours away
Stay loose, don't fight it
Let love take a holiday
If it's wrong, you're gonna right it
Out on the road like a low-down Joe
And the bar where we are is so cool I'd like to stay
Misunderstood like I knew I would be
The one I care for don't mind, she's built that way
I would gladly offer you my love
In this hotel in Somewhere U.S.A.
This rental car never went so far
But with each passing mile on more dream has turned to clay
Now that we've met and your eyes are all wet
Let me fetch my guitar, there's a song I'd like to play
I would gladly offer you my song
In this hotel in Somewhere U.S.A.
One never knows where the good times
If you got some to spend,we'll do anything you say
I'd never lie, well you know I've tried
Though you think it's the drink that has made me behave this way
I would gladly offer you my love
In this hotel in Somewhere U.S.A.
Let go darlin'
I can feel the night wind call
Guess I'd better go
I like you more than half as much
As I love your Spanish moss
Spanish moss hangin' down
Lofty as the southern love we've found
Spanish moss
Keeps on followin' my thoughts around
Georgia pine and Ripple wine
Memories of Savannah summertime
Spanish moss
Wish you knew what I was sayin'
So I'm rollin' north thinkin'
Of the way things might have been
If she and I could have changed it all somehow
Spanish moss hangin' down
Lofty as the sycamore you've found
Spanish moss
Keeps on followin' my thoughts around
Georgia pine and Ripple wine
Kisses mixed with moonshine and red clay
Spanish moss
Wish you knew what I was sayin'
So I'm rollin' north thinkin'
Of the way things might have been
If she and I could have changed it all somehow
Let go darlin'
I can feel the night wind call
The devil take the cost
I like the way your kisses flow and I love your Spanish moss
Sometimes I don't mind the sunshine
Sometimes I need the rain
Sometimes I don't mind the fun times
Sometimes they're all the same
When I'm thinking of you
There's a fever around I don't know what to do
When I'm drinking to you
I get down in my shoes in a waltz with the blues
Sometimes I don't mind the sunshine
Sometimes I need the rest
Sometimes I don't mind a good time
Sometimes I do what's best
When I'm thinking of you
There's a feeling inside which is long overdue
When I'm drinking to you
I get down in the mouth tell me what can I do
Sometimes I don't mind the sunshine
Sometimes I need the change
Sometimes I don't mind a fun time
To me it's all the same
When I'm thinking of you
There's a fever around I don't know what to do
When I'm drinking to you
I get down in my shoes in a waltz with the blues
Early in the morning when the dew is on
Each and every rose bud you will find me gone
So knock me down and pick me up, and knock me down again
Break my heart, steal my gold and slander my good name
Seven lonely hours on the morning train
Takes me to a place where I won't come back again
Seven lonely Pullmans speedin' down the line
Takin' me away from an old love of mine
Sixteen miles to seven lakes way up among the pines
In some hidden valley where the twirlin' river twines
Where the fish swim up and down and the sparklin' waterfalls
Where the thunder rolls and the lonely puma calls
Somewhere on the mountain, I'll take another name
Rid my mind of memories and start my life again
Somewhere in the wilderness, I'll build a cabin small
I feel a little blue 'cause I can't sew
There's still a lot of things that I should know
Anyone can guess
I don't know how to press
My Saturday clothes
And everyone's goin' home
I feel a little sad to watch them leave
But I'll be cool because I don't believe
The happy times are gone
I can still put on
My Saturday clothes
Every warm body knows
I've got to tell you that was a swell time
Now I'll take the butts away
And put the glasses on the tray
I'll see you all next Saturday
I feel a little off because they're gone
And if my gal were here I'd still be on
But in a week or two
There's lots of things to do
In my Saturday clothes
And everyone's gone home
I've got to tell you that was a swell time
So now I'll take the butts away
And put the glasses on the tray
Momma's got her long dress on
See how that little girl walks
Now we got it rollin', how're we gonna get it stopped
Momma's got something
Daddy needs more than a lot
Now we got it rolling, how're we gonna get it stopped
Momma put your long dress on
I'd like to take that little girl to town
Now that we have rolled it, how're we gonna hold it down
Gonna slide on over to that pretty little love that I've found
Now we've got it rolling, how're we gonna hold it down
Now momma's got her long dress on
Listen to that little girl talk
Now we got it rolling, how're we gonna get it stopped
Gonna slide on over to that funny little love that I've got
Now we got it rolling, how're we gonna get it stopped
Cause my momma's got something, daddy needs more than a lot
Now we got it rolling, how we gonna get it stopped
I live in the light of the bright silver moon
I'll take you off sailing from midnight till noon
I'll show the Sea of Tranquility
You can have any flavor you happen see
I live in the shade of a forest of green
In the wildest of woodlands that you've ever seen
There's rabbits and quail and tender young snails
As brown as the seaweed on old rusty nails
There's fireflies dancing in the cool evening breeze
There's love and romancin' as nice as you please
There's otters and frogs and spotted ground hogs
And wily old weasels in rotted out logs
There's rivers of rainbow and gray mountain trout
And little dark holes where the varmints hang out
There's foxes and hares in traps and in snares
And lots of bald eagles so you'd better take care
So if you've got the time and you'd like to pass by
Come down around midnight and give us a try
We'll show you the Sea of Tranquility
I'm not some long lost someone
Just dropped in to say hello
It's that same old lover man
Baby you lost so long ago
'Cause I was born to believe
I never could deceive, believe me
I hear no children's voices
Have they gone back to school
And that same old lover man
Is still acting like a fool
I guess I was born to bring you grief
Though I never was a thief, believe me
It's cold outside your window
Please let me in, the night is wild
It's that same old lover man
Not some lonesome winsome child
An' I was born to believe
Let me reach out love and touch you
Let me hold you for awhile
I've been all around the world
Oh how I long to see you smile
There's a shadow on the moon
And the waters here below
Do not shine the way they should
And I love you just in case you didn't know
Let it go,
Let it happen like it happened once before
It's a wicked wind
And it chills me to the bone
And if you do not believe me
Come and gaze upon the shadow at your door
Won't you lie down by me baby
Run your fingers through my hands
I've been all around the town
And still I do not understand
Is it me or is it you
Or the shadow of a dream
Is it wrong to be in love
Could it be the finest love I've ever seen
Set it free,
Let it happen like it happened once before
It's a wicked wind
And it chills me to the bone
And if you do not believe me
Come and gaze upon the shadow at your door
Please kiss me gently darlin'
Where the river runs away
From the mountains in the springtime
On a blue and windy day
When there's beauty all around
As the shades of night grow deep
As the morning stars grow dim
They will find us in the shadows fast asleep
Let it go,
Let it happen like it happened once before
It's a wicked wind
And it chills me to the bone
And if you do not believe me
Come and gaze upon the shadow at your door
Where did ya go when the snow lay on the ground
What did ya do when the rain began to fall
How did it feel when I looked through your soul
When was the last time you wanted my love
How many nights did you cry your dreams to sleep
Why did you hide what you knew would not stay hidden
How could you put yourself through like you did
I'm not the kind that would hold you that way
Drop me a line if ya wake up feelin' bad
I'm still a friend and I'd like to hear from you
Where does it say love should last forever
When was the last time I told that to you
Farewell to Annabel, farewell
Farewell to Annabel, farewell
Farewell to Annabel, fare thee well
Farewell to Annabel, farewell
Hear the call of the ringneck loon
Hear the sound, he will be home soon
Hear the cry in the afternoon
Ringneck Loon, he knows best
He's a loon and he don't care less
Ringneck loon, away off shore
How could anybody ask for more
Hear the call of the ringneck loon
Hear the sound, he will be home soon
Hear the cry in the afternoon
Ringneck loon, he can't rest
He's a loon and he don't care less
Ringneck loon around the bend
Been a loon since he don't know when
Hear the call of the ringneck loon
City life is what I see
City life is the life for me
Ringneck loon, he knows best
He's a loon and he don't care less
Hear the cry of the ringneck loon
Hear the sound he will be home soon
Hear the cry in the afternoon
Ringneck loon, you can't rest
You're a loonie and you don't care less
Ringneck loon, my old friend
Been a loon since he don't know when
Hear the cry of the ringneck loon
Hear the sound, he will be home soon
I climbed the Redwood Hill
'Twas on a rainy day
To rise above the throng
And talk with Mother Nature for a while
She told me of her love
For the children in her trust
And of her grave concern
For the likes of you and me and us
Crying though she was
She did speak these tender words
The things that I am
I could not change for any man
I tried to comfort her
Ah, but she would not be still
And how the rain did fall
As I found my way back down the Redwood Hill
Crying though she was
She did speak these tender words
The things that I am
I would not change for any man
I tried to comfort her
Ah, but she would not be still
I'll not forget that day
When Mother Nature cried on Redwood Hill
I'll not forget that day
Four months ago in April
On a day coach she came down
And the dusty autumn winds begin to blow
I should have known I couldn't hold her
Livin' out so far from town
And the nights to come are long and slow to go
Well, now she's up and left me
And went walking down the line
And the dusty autumn winds begin to blow
All dressed up in red velvet
And her high heeled shoe?s so fine
And the nights to come are long and slow to go
And if I'd only known before we kissed
You can't keep red velvet
On a poor dirt farm like this
Oh, now she's gone and left me
And went walking down the line
And the dusty autumn winds begin to blow
Well, I'll sit and count the evening stars
As they walk around
And the dusty autumn winds begin to blow
And I'll call my dog and I'll take the truck
And I'll drive on into town
'Cause the nights to come are long and slow to go
And I'll sit and count the evening stars
As they walk around
And the dusty autumn winds begin to blow
And I'll call my dog and I'll take the truck
And I'll drive on into town
And the nights to come are long and slow to go
In the name of love she came
This foolish winsome girl
She was all decked out like a rainbow trout
Swimmin' up stream in the world
And she said, "Please, please, I've lost my way
The current is too strong
In the name of love, kind sir I pray
In the name of love"
So I took her by the hand
She took me by the will
She was all dolled up like a blue eyed pup
Looking for something to spill
And she said, "Please, please, I've lost my way
The current is too strong
In the name of love, kind sir I pray
In the name of love"
In the name of love she came
This foolish winsome girl
She was all decked out like a rainbow trout
Swimmin' upstream in the world
And she said, "Please, please, I've lost my way
The current is too strong"
And she gave one flip of the rainbow tip of her tail
And she swam back down
And she said, "Please, please, I've lost my way
The current is too strong
In the name of love, kind sir I pray
In the name of love"
And she said, "Please, please, I've lost my way
The current is too strong
In the name of love, kind sir I pray
In the name of love"
And she said, "Please, please, I've lost my way
The current is too strong
In the name of love, kind sir I pray
Who are these ones who would lead us now
To the sound of a thousand guns
Storm the gates of hell itself
To the tune of a single drum
Where are the girls of the neighborhood bars
Whose love's were lost at sea
In the hills of France and on German soil
From Saigon to wounded knee
Who come from long lines of soldiers
Whose duty was fulfilled
In the words of a warriors will
And protocol
Where are the boys in their coats of blue
Who flew when their eyes were blind
Was God in town for the Roman games
Was He there when the deals were signed
Who are the kings in their coats of mail
Who rode by the cross to die
Did they all go down into worthiness
Is it wrong for a king to cry
And who are these ones who would have us now
Whose presence in concealed
Whose nature is revealed
In a time bomb
And last of all you old sea dogs
Who travel after whale
You'd storm the gates of hell itself
For the taste of a mermaids tail
Who come from long lines of skippers
Whose duty was fulfilled
In the words of a warriors will
Get out old Dan's records
Get out old Dan's records
We will Dance the whole night long
It's fun to play the old time songs
If old Dan could see us now
I know he'd be so proud
Bring out old Dan's records
Bring out old Dan's records
I remember my aunt Bea
She'd dance with Dan till two or three
If old Dan could see he now
I know he'd shout out loud
Dig out old Dan's records
Bring out old Dan's records
We're all here, we've all got dates
We'll dance all night to the seventy-eights
If old Dan could see us now
I know he'd be so proud
If old Dan were with us still
I know he'd come around
Get out old Dan's records
Dig out old Dan's records
Back to nineteen thirty-five
The foxtrot, jitterbug 'n' jive
If old Dan could see us now
I know he'd be so proud
Get out old Dan's records
Bring out old Dan's records
High above the fireplace
There's a smile on old Dan's face
If old Dan could see us now
I know he'd be so proud
If old Dan were with us still
Oh Linda, you done me wrong
I'm gonna sing you a goodbye song
Sing the song that's most unkind
I ain't even gonna try to change your mind
Oh Linda, you made me grieve
I feel like I could die
Look out babe, the moon is falling down from your sky
Oh gal, don't you say goodbye
Now that I need you by my side
Love me now or be on your way
If you go be gone to stay
I saw Linda late last night
Dressed for town she looked alright
Painted eyes and lips like wine
Walkin' on down with a friend of mine
Oh gal, don't you say so long
I feel like I could die
Look out baby the moon is falling down from your sky
Oh gal, don't you be unkind
I ain't even gonna try to change your mind
Love me now or be on your way
If you go be gone to stay
Oh Linda, you made me grieve
I feel like I could die
Look out baby the moon is falling down from your sky
Oh gal, don't you say goodbye
Now that I need you by my side
You can have everything I own
Take everything but a-come on home
Oh gal, don't you say so long
I feel like I could die
Look out baby the moon is falling down from your sky
Oh gal, don't you do me wrong
I'm gonna sing you a goodbye song
Sing the song that's most unkind
Poor little Allison standing in the night wind
Laughing out loud turning her face to the summer rain
Poor little Allison never had much going
Hard to forget, always in step with the world she's in
Never knowing, never feeling, showing so much pride
Never saying what she's thinking or feeling deep inside
Poor little Allison, dreaming of the right one
Laughing out loud, lost in a crowd of fair weather friends
Never knowing, never feeling, showing so much pride
Never saying what she's thinking or feeling deep inside
Poor little Allison, standing in the night wind
Wishing out loud, turning her face to the summer rain
Was it someone she met that's so hard to forget
Was it some kind of an ocean of changes
I don't remember where she said she would be
And since I don't know, let me guess
Was it somewhere in Michigan or the Lake of the Woods
Up in old Montreal or Toronto the good
Somewhere in Reno or somewhere in Rome
And when all is said and done
Will she leave me alone
I don't want to get so low
And as for my sadness, it comes and it goes
I don't remember where she said she would be
Back in the city or on the high seas
Was it up in Hornpayne where the trains run on time
Was she drinking champagne when she made up her mind
North of the border or down in South Bend
And when all is said and done
Is there no rainbow's end
I don't want to own the key
To some ghostly mansion where souls are set free
I don't remember where she said she would go
Straight for the highway or down the low road
I don't remember where she said she would be
Back in the city or on the high seas
I remember when best friends were jealous lovers
Lyin' warm asleep beneath the covers
Dreaming of belonging to each other
And so we tried, never too close
Never too near, dyin' in time
And so we cried but that is alright
We meant no one no harm
I remember when best friends were not mistaken
Long before that freedom was forsaken
Learnin' 'bout all the good things
In the world worth believin'
And so we tried, never too close
Never too near, dyin' in time
And so we cried but that is alright
We meant no one no harm
I remember when jealous lovers would stick together
When the days were warm and the nights more tender
When the bonds of truth were not made to measure
And so we tried, never too close
Never too near, dyin' in time
And so we cried but that is alright
We meant no one no harm
Try, try as you will
Following dreams never fulfilled
And so we cried but that is alright
We meant no one no harm
We've got to stay together
We've got to find each other now
That is how we can learn all about the other man's song
On the plains of Abraham
When they sent the lamb to die
You and I were asleep in the Rock of Ages
Remember the unborn children still to come
If you need me and I need you
There's nothin' else needs sayin'
Understand it
I'm not too deaf to hear the song you're playin'
Nous vivons ensemble
Nous nous connaissons maintenant
Voici comment nous pouvons decouvrir une autre humanite
Sur les plaines D'Abraham
Lors du dernier sacrifice
Toi et moi nous dormions tres loin dans le temp
Souviens toi des enfants qui attendent encore
Si tu me veux je serai la c'est tout ce que j'ai a dire
Car comprend moi
Je ne suis pas sourd a la musique que tu joues
Gotta make your mind up
Every single day
(I) hate to see you lonely
Losin' me this way
Lookin' for the man
Who stole my love from me
Gotta know the reason
Why my baby's leavin'
My pony won't go
Where I want him to go no more
Gotta make your mind up
If you're gonna stay
I don't see no sense in
Anything you say
Since you met the guy
Who told you I was wrong
You do all the livin'
While I do all the givin'
My pony won't go
He can't find no oats to eat
Gotta make your mind up
Every single day
(I) hate to see you lonely
Losin' me this way
Lookin' for the man
Whole stole my love from me
Gotta know the reason
Why my baby's leavin'
My pony won't go
Where I want him to go no more
I think this time you've said enough to make me want to leave this place
Still I keep coming back for more of the same to fan the dying flame
Here inside these walls that seem to move a little closer every day
There must be a way out of this crazy game we play out to the end
Let us just pretend a while
Think about the good things now and then
I think this time that was the best time that we two had ever known
We tried the handle of the house upon the shore and found the open door
Once inside we found a curious moonbeam doing dances on the floor
We were only playing like two children who had stayed away from school
Two of us could not be wrong
Heaven knows who keeps the golden rule
I think this time we've learned enough to know that nothing is the same
But still the pounding of my heart hasn't changed and leavin's so strange
Here among my thoughts of you I find a gentle longing to be free
There must be a way out of this crazy game we play out to the end
Take away the in-between
Think about the good things now and then
We will see the day when you or I will stay or face up to the end
Let us just pretend a while
And think about the good things now and then
All is well
I've made my peace where highways never end
Yesterday's a memory today is just a friend
For the mountains and Maryann are calling me again
And the red pines will bow their heads
The rivers and the watersheds will swallow up my tears
All is well
I left the cold midwestern towns behind
There's a semi up the road ahead I'll take him in my time
For the hot-blooded mountain love is calling me again
And the vagabond within me cries
The wind and rain might burn my eyes but I won't feel the pain
For the mountains and Maryann will greet me there as only she can do
All is well
As I swing up to the border bent for hell
And the service station man agreed I didn't look too well
But the mountains and Maryann are calling out to me
And I got my bedroll on my back
And everything that I could pack to see me on my way
All is well
I've made my peace and man, I'm feelin' fine
And the losers that I left behind I'll think about some other time
For the border men were all my friends they couldn't find a dime
And the prairie towns go sailing by
Saskatchewan there's mud in your eye I'm leavin' you behind
There'll be hot-blooded mountain love to satisfy my soul
And the red pines will bow their heads
The rivers and the watersheds will carry us along
And the mountains and Maryann will greet me there as only she can do
All is well
The foothills are coming into sight
Today is just a memory the future is tonight
And the red pines will bow their heads
The rivers and the watersheds will carry us along
And the mountains and Maryann will greet me there as only she can do
The minstrel of the dawn is here
To make you laugh and bend your ear
Up the steps you'll hear him climb
All full of thoughts, all full of rhymes
Listen to the pictures flow
Across the room into your mind they go
Listen to the strings
They jangle and dangle while the old guitar rings
The minstrel of the dawn is here
Not too wise but oh so free
He'll talk of life out on the street
He'll play it sad and say it sweet
Look into his shining face
Of loneliness, you'll always find a trace
Just like me and you
He's tryin' to get into things more happy than blue
A minstrel of the changin' tide
He'll ask for nothing but his pride
Just sit him down upon that chair
Go fetch some wine and set it there
Listen to the pictures flow
And follow the fingers where they go
Listen to the strings
They jangle and dangle while the old guitar rings
A minstrel of the dawn is near
Just like a step 'n fetchit here
He's like an old time troubadour
Just wanting life and nothing more
Look into his shining eyes
And if you see a ghost, don't be surprised
Like me and you
He's tryin' to get into things more happy than blue
The minstrel boy will understand
He holds a promise in his hand
He talks of better days ahead
And by his words your fortune's read
Listen to the pictures flow
Across the room into your mind they go
Listen to the strings
They jangle and dangle while the old guitar rings
The minstrel of the dawn is gone
I hope he'll call before too long
And if you meet him you must be
The victim of his minstrelsy
He'll sing for you a song
Now have you seen the lighthouse shining from the rock
For the ship Marie Christine and all her gallant lot
Now have you seen the lighthouse, oh we are close to land
Cried the brave young captain to his wretched band
Now have you seen the harbor cried Marie Christine
Have you seen the jagged rocks in the waters in between
Now have you seen the lighthouse, oh save me if you can
For if you do I promise you I'll never sail again
Now have you seen the lighthouse shining from the rock
Cried the brave young captain to his wretched lot
Now gather all your photographs and don your coats of blue
If anyone can save us now, Marie Christine it is you
When at first I saw Marie Christine the woman that she was
I signed aboard to man her sails and honor well her cause
I christened her with old champagne and I drove her to the west
Of all the men who sailed on her, in truth I sailed her best
Now have you seen the lighthouse shining from the rock
For the ship Marie Christine and all her gallant lot
Now have you seen the lighthouse, oh we are close to land
Cried the brave young captain to his wretched band
Now come all you would be sailors
All you would be sailors, oh, all you would be sailors
If anyone can save us now, Marie Christine it is you
Down in the warm dark part of my heart you stay
I've been on my own for so long as I stand here today
I'd never leave you
I'll do anything that you say
I've been around some walking on the down street
Feeling as low as the soles on the shoes of my feet
Taking dead aim on fortune and fame you might say
Playing guitar doesn't make you a star anyway
Many's the time I've wished that I were free
But my love for you was too deep for my eyes to see
I'd never leave you
I'll do anything that you say
Whenever the thought seems better off left alone
I think of you then in a way that is ten times as strong
Taking dead aim on fortune and fame you might say
Playing guitar doesn't make you a star anyway
I'd never leave you, I'll do anything that you say
Try to believe me, I'll do anything that you say
Though it might never grieve me, I'll do anything that you say
Please understand me, I'll do anything that you say
It is said that all the good things
Must come to him who can pretend
He doesn't have to wait
For as surely as the light of day
Must come to drive the night away
The needles and the pins
That's where the line begins
With your magnificent outpouring
Of that old familiar story
That's been used a million times
To ease a million minds
There are times when I have told you
That there must be two of us
To try to work things out
But if I can't see you everyday
Then I must hide my thoughts away
And see you when I can and try to understand
With your magnificent outpouring
Of that old familiar story
That's been used a million times
To ease a million minds
So then let us treat our love like any game
To fan the flames would really be a sin
For as surely as the snow must fall
I shall be waiting for your call
Pretending it is spring and you'll be mine again
With your magnificent outpouring
Of that old familiar story
That's been used a million times
To ease a million minds
With your magnificent outpouring
Of that old familiar story
That's been used a million times
Where the long river flows it flows by my window
Where the tall timber grows, it grows 'round my door
Where the mountain meets the sky and the white clouds fly
Where the long river flows by my window
There's a tiny bird that calls and he calls 'round my window
There's a lonely tear that falls, and it falls 'round my door
But when the sun is high there's no time to cry
Where the long river flows by my window
Now if only you could see the closin' of the day
If only you could be where the dawn breaks away
By the white cascade, oh down in the glade
Where the long river flows by my window
Well when this land was made, it was made full of wonders
But one woman's love I can't understand
And I'd give it all to you if her love were true
Where the long river flows by my window
Looking at the rain
Feeling the pain
Of love lost running though
My brain
Looking at the wind
Watching it spin
The leaves along the street
You win
Waiting for a line to fall
Telling you it's all a big mistake
Looking at a face
So out of place
Inside that picture frame
Of lace
Looking at the wall
Wishing you'd call
And tell me you're OK
That's all
Wishing this was all a dream
And I'd find you sleeping when I wake
Looking at the trees
So ill at ease
From sleep that will not come
That's me
Looking at the dawn
Knowing it's wrong
Still thinking of your love
That's gone
Wishing this was all a dream
And I'd find you sleeping when I wake
Looking at the rain
Feeling the pain
Of love lost running though
My brain
Looking at the wind
Watching it spin
The leaves along the street
You win
Waiting for a line to fall
Telling you it's all a big mistake
But the words won't come
I know I'd feel the same
Looking at the rain
She's my knotty pine
She leans with the wind
She cries turpentine
Sometimes she nettles me
But I don't mind
Only now and then
When her branches lean beneath the snow
She's knotty but nice
Reaching for the sky
She don't like snow 'n ice
To leave things as they stand
Is my advice
She's been good to me
So I tend to go there when I can
She's my knotty pine
Such a pretty scene
She tries to be kind
She gives birds a home
And shelters them
In her coat of green
She's as green as evergreen can be
She's a real delight
When little breezes call
To ruffle up her skin
All her sap runs free
And sticks to me
Hidden deep within
I will be her slave eternally
She's my knotty pine
She leans with the wind
She crys turpentine
Sometimes she nettles me
But I don't mind
Only now and then
When her branches lean beneath the snow
Another lazy mornin', no need to get down on anyone
My son, coffee's in the kitchen, woman on the run
No need to get bothered, I'll think about Monday
When Monday comes, it's two for one
Mister Hoot 'n Holler, gotta make a dollar
Another lazy mornin', I took time to make town 'n stock a pint or two
The most delicious brew
Keepin' up with the joneses, I hope no one telephones us
I'd take a place in the country, but for now the old back yard
Looks to me like fifty acres of the roundest ground in town
Another lazy mornin', come supper time I'm gonna light my barbecue
Nothin' new, only that she loves me
And nothin' I know can change me, no need to get bothered
I do more livin' than it might seem
Some dream, livin' like a pauper, bless my darlin' daughter
I'd like to know what makes a man go, over land and sea
I guess it must get kinda lonesome, that's the way I used to be
Another lazy mornin', no need to get down on anyone
There's a warm wind tonight
And the moon turns the tide
When the stars take their ride
She'll be leavin'
Where she goes, I don't know
She won't tell me what it is
Makes her act like this
But I've got a funny feelin' that it's me
It's worth believin'
Should I ask
"Do you like to go walking on the shore
And listen to the sea?"
Or could it be someone kind?
Could it be that I'm the fool?
There's somethin' wrong with you
I've got a funny feelin' that it's me
It's worth believin'
There's a breeze from the shore
And the waves overlap
When I've called in the cat
She'll go walkin'
And she cries to herself
In the night when I'm asleep
She lies awake and weeps
Could it be something new
Some one old who has returned?
Or is it just a game?
But I've got a funny feelin' that it's me
It's worth believin'
There's a warm wind tonight
And the moon turns the tide
When the stars take their ride
She'll be leavin'
Where she goes, I don't know
She won't tell me what it is
That makes her act like this
Should I ask
"Do you like to go walking on the shore
And listen to the sea?"
Or could it be someone kind?
Could it be that I'm the fool?
There's somethin' wrong with you
I've got a funny feelin' that it's me
If you should need me deep in the night
My arms around you in shades of twilight
If there's a reason for livin' without me
Just let me know and I'll move on
Down to the station with the big wheels burnin'
Gonna get my ticket to play out that role which I've been given
Home is where the heart is
But at times a good home must be broken
The wine has grown bitter
From the harsh words we have spoken
If there's a chance for someone else
To make you feel life is worth livin'
Give it a try oh lady
Just let me know and I'll move on
Home is where the heart is
But at times a good home must be broken
The wine has grown bitter
From the harsh words we have spoken
If you should need me deep in the night
At shades of twilight
If there's a reason for livin' without me
Just let me know and I'll go on livin'
If you want to know the reasons for
The things I feel inside
You can run away and hide if you want to
But if you need me
Show me a way to get through
Cause I've not see anyone like you
Since I was a man
If you want to know for certain
What is written in my soul
Where my wildest dreams unfold
Like an endless stream
If you need me
Show me a way to walk tall
Cause I'd not seen anything at all
Until I met you
Sun lights up the seasons
Blue eyes light up the night
If you want to know the meaning of
These feelings that's alright
I could be with you tonight
That's where I'd like to stay
If you need me
Show me a love that is true
Cause I've not seen a woman like you
Since I was a man
If you want to know what magic lies
Beneath the willow blooms
In each corner of each room
Where my love has strayed
If you need me
Show me a way to walk tall
Cause I'd not seen anything at all
Until I met you
If you need me
Show me a way to get through
Cause I've not seen anything like you
Since I was a man
I think you have somebody waiting outside in the rain to take you away
You got places to go, you got people to see still I'm gonna miss you
but anyway
I wish you good spaces in the far away places you go
If it rains or it snows may you be safe and warm and never grow old
And if you need someone who loves you, you know I will always be there
I'll do it although I'm not supposed to care
I'll give you the keys to my flying machine if you'd like
I will show you the light and when you call I'm gonna come to you
And when you find someone who loves you, I'll know you would treat me the same
Just lie there, you're not supposed to care
I think you have somebody waiting outside in the rain to take you away.
That's some kind of a game still I'm glad it came down to the final round
but anyway
If you think you need someone who needs you, you know I will always be there
I'll do it although I'm not supposed to care
I'll do it although I'm not supposed to care
There's a love I hold dear and it shines through each year
And it makes things seem different somehow
It's for better or worse, it's for people who thirst
For a love that burns brighter right now
And it shines on and on till all sadness is gone
And if children had wings I would sing them this song
With a smile on my face and a tear in my eye
Everything will be fine by and by
There were things that were said, there were things that were done
And a wife cannot stand too much pain
And what I thought was best, couldn't please her much less
But my love still goes on, that don't change
And it shines on and on till all sadness is gone
And if children had wings I would sing them this song
With a smile on my lips and a tear in my eye
Everything will be fine by and by
And it shines on and on till all sadness is gone
And if children had wings I would sing them this song
With a smile on my face and a tear in my eye
You've got time enough for two of us
What is mine I will share
We've got things that we can do without
Most anytime anywhere
Every little daydream that appears in all we do
Gives us some problems of our own
If you turn back to that page again
And you can't win
If you ask me I'll tag along
Paper matches in the afternoon
Cups of tea and all of that Zen
I think it's time we took a walk outside
It seems there is no oxygen
This time tomorrow we might all be packed and gone
I believe it's best we carry on
Smoke rings rising til they disappear
In the sky above
If you ask me I'll tag along
Each and every bad dream will be hammered into dust
When we get back where we belong
If you ever turn that page again
And you need a friend
If you ask me I'll tag along
This time tomorrow we might all be packed and gone
I believe it's best we carry on
Smoke rings rising til they disappear
In the sky above
If you ask me I'll tag along
If I could sing like the poets and kings of this world
If I could rise like the wind or the tides of the sea
I would sing you to sleep my love with sweet melody
And let you dream away till the morning light returned again
To take you away from me
If I could speak with the tongues of the masters of old
If I could tame all the fleeting perceptions I hold
Would I stand in the marketplace before
To be shouted down without any warning at all, to be stood by the wall
And shot by the man in blue
If I could run with the grace of a sun-colored stallion
If I could fly like the great silver jets in the morning
If I caused the wind to change with one wave of my hand
And if I could play the final symphony and set it free
Would it mean anything to you
If I could stand like a rusty old man in his armor
If I could ride the steed that he rode in his time
I would turn his head away to the river
And let him wander through the meadow grass, wild and free
For everyone to see
If I could sing like the poets and kings of this world
If I could rise like the wind or the tides of the sea
I would sing you to sleep my love with sweet melody
And let you dream away till the morning light returned again
To take you away from me
A one man band on a one night stand
As a one man band should be
The cried for more, he replied why sure
And he played one just for free
The sounds he laid down. the songs he played
Made the ladies all come to call
He was born in the back of a seminole bus
On the road to Niagra Falls
I'd do it again, I'd do it again
I'd do it again
The one man band philosophical man
Didn't lie when he said to us
I seen the high rollers come and go
It's the holy rollers I trust
The man said then he was sixteen when
He retired from the county school
A wee bit thin with a will to begin
He was known to be know man's fool
I'd do it again, I'd do it again
I'd do it again
The one man band was a mighty good man
Cause he played 'til the break of dawn
He ups and downs about four more rounds
And he stayed 'til the crowd went home
It seemed to me like he never could be
Like anything I'd ever seen before
When he stepped from the stage with his ax in his hand
And he run through the backstage door
I'd do it again, I'd do it again
I'd do it again
A one man band on a one night stand
As a one man band should be
They cried for more, he replied why sure
And he played one just for free
In this land of chance do we know right from wrong
Even at a glance we know the road is long
We don't owe a single thing to anyone
Most of us do not believe in come what may
Everything we fought for was in vain they say
Even when called upon to throw our lives away
We have been captured by the thieves of the night
Held for ransom if you please
Heaven help the devil may he have a few unpleasnt memories
In these times of trial and uncertainty
I have thought what does this freedom mean to me
Is it just some long forgotten fantasy
Our love for each other may not be explained
We live in a world where tears must fall like rain
Most of us don't wish to cause each other pain
We have been captured by the thieves of the night
Held for ransom if you please
Heaven help the devil may he have a few unpleasnt memories
To every unsung hero in the universe
To those who roam the skies and those who roam the earth
To all good men of reason may they never thirst
We have wings to guide us through the timeless sea
And faith that will remain through all eternity
We try to be helpful to the ones in need
We have been captured by the thieves of the night
Held for ransom if you please
Heaven help the devil may he have a few unpleasnt memories
Go my way and I'll be good to you
Go my way and your dreams will all come true
In the sunset the wild waves are callin'
My shadow is followin' you
Go my way and I'll take you by the hand
Believe in me and I'll do the best I can
I can't be anything but just what I am
I can't help it if I'm in love with you
Why must I sail my ship alone without a friend
My thoughts are on you
I dare not ask again
Go my way it's the only way to go
If things aren't workin' out you'll be the first to know
Come on along and together we'll go
Please love me and say that you'll be mine
Why must I sail my ship alone without a friend
My thoughts are on you
I dare not ask again
Go my way it's the only way to go
If things aren't workin' out you'll be the first to know
Come on along and together we'll go
Please love me and say that you'll be mine
Hey you, upon this ship of fools
I have found you bending your own rules
Thank you, I don't mind if I do
Dream a while of the lovin' that we knew
There was such a flaming time
I never will forget
It was all so easy then
This is my one regret
Hey you, my angel in blue
Mother nature saved her best for you
Green grow the lilacs on the wall
Heaven help them, catch them as they fall
Hey you, angel in disguise
What is your angle, what is your surprise
Hey you, fever that is mine
What is your game plan, what is your design
Reality brings mystery
And ne'er the twain shall meet
And all of my wild horses
Cannot pull you off your feet
Hey you, angel on my mind
All around me ?til the end of time
Thank you, I don't mind if I do
Dream a while of the lovin' that we knew
There was such a flaming time
I never will forget
It was all so easy then
This is my one regret
Hey you, my angel in blue
I'm entangled, tell me what to do
Green grow the lilacs on the wall
I'm on my way, got no time to waste
Places to go, people to chase
Gonna grab my comb 'n my toothpaste
Gotta get away from here
Twenty-one years from the day I was born
I was workin' on the night shift tootin' my horn
Through sheets of rain, through sleet and storm
You come to me
You were the girls with the summer sunshine
In your eyes and in your smile
You were the one I thought I thought loved me
It was somethin' I never could quite believe
Gotta get away from here
I'm a real bad loser that's what I am
Gonna grab my hat and my hexagram
You can stick my money in an old tin can
I think I fell in love again
I was down by the bus stop bidin' my time
I was hitchin' a ride with a friend of mine
Iwas almost gone, I was over the line
I said what's come over me
You were the girl with the sound of springtime
In your songs and in your voice
You were the one I thought loved me
It was somethin' I never could quite believe
Gotta get away from here
Gotta get back to you
I'm gonna make it today, I'm gonna get on my toes
Been awake so long I'm getting ready to doze
Gonna grab my bag and a few old clothes
Gotta get away from here
Gotta get back to you
Gotta get away, gotta get away
Gotta get away, gotta get away
Gotta get away
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
Ev'ry thing you had is gone
As you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me
I ain't the kind to hang around
With any new love that I found
'Cause movin' is my stock in trade
I'm movin' on
I won't think of you when I'm gone.
So don't you shed a tear for me
B'cause I ain't the love you thought I'd be
I got a hundred more like you
So don't be blue
I'll have a thousand 'fore I'm through
Now there you go you're cryin' again
Now there you go you're cryin' again
But then someday when your poor heart
Is on the mend
Well I just might pass this way again
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
Everything you had is gone
As you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
I can always try to forget somehow
What's a part of the past
Have a little laughter if you please
I won't even mind if it takes awhile
I've got time on my hands
I feel another chapter in the breeze
And somebody touched my heart string
Somebody made my heart sing
And somebody stole my heart away
Nobody's sayin' their sorry
It's a mighty sweet music
You can dance all night
Put some wood on the fire right now
Ecstasy made easy
Ecstasy I ask you, are you a name
Or just another patron with a smile?
Let me analyze you, are you a flame
Or just the dying embers of a kiss run wild?
Somebody found my heart string
Somebody made my heart sing
And somebody touched my heart last night
Somebody set me in flight
It's a mighty sweet music
Take a chance they say
Put flame on the old iron stove
Ecstasy made easy
It's a mighty sweet music
Take a chance they say
Put some fire on the old iron stove
Ecstasy made easy, made easy
I hope I never lose what belongs to me
By the right of my birth
At midnight sailing out of Perth
Getting under way we turned westward bound
On that southern sea
Say what you will, I will miss you my friends
Let me move along for the road never ends
Vowing to live till the end of all time
All the way to the ends of the earth because I'm
Waiting for you to say you will be mine
Many long days, many long years
Many wrong plays, many wrong fears
I could be tossed in the arms of the sea
I could be caught between decks eternally
Waiting for you to ask what's keeping me
What would we do at the end of the day
When the hours are asleep and the time slips away
Children are all that the earth has to show
Children are all that the earth wants to know
Up here in the northland, up here in the snow
Up in the wilderness, land of our birth
Land of our toil, land of our worth
I could stay healthy and wealthy and wise
For I love the snow other snowbirds criticize
Tell that to a wife and you'll get a surprise
The skies of North America are covered in stars
Over factories and farms, over hamlets and bars
The breeze of North America is breathless at night
Out there in the distance some souls are in flight
Some soft-hearted lovers whose goals are in sight
Here in my on-again, off-again style
Here in my on-again, off-again smile
Here in my off-again, on-again grin
Here in my off-again, on-again skin
Waiting for you to say let us begin
