|
House Of Lights
House Of Lights
In the summer we’d go out drivin’, my Mother, Father, my Sister and me.
In the twilight we’d let the car idle and watch their windows fill with all I dreamed of.
Lookin’ in on this house of lights
Waitin’ for the dark of night
Lookin’ in on this house of lights
Welcome to the rest of your life.
There’s a lighthouse across the water; in the gloaming it shines like balefire.
The smell of your body, the wet on your skin; all that we needed was buried within.
Repeat chorus
I dreamed I was young, runnin’ Malkus hill
Don’t look back; the happiness will blind you
Can we call it a draw? Between the old and new?
Don’t look back; It’s only time we lose.
Last night I stood outside my own house and watched my children playing in the light.
How great my luck is, how good my fortune; The hand that feeds me is free from my bite.
Out on the street, a car slowed down; I saw them watch their light shine hard on the lawn.
How long the road is, how deep the ditches; we never know just how long good times last.
Repeat chorus
Little Miss America
Is it the moonlight?
Is it the music in the air?
Is it the way her hardware shines or how her hand runs through her hair?
She don’t know real love; she’s barely free from her daddy’s knee
She drives a Tracker and listens to Cracker
She’s never heard of John Wayne
Here She Comes..Little Miss America
I don’t belong here; but it’s where I long to be
She’s wearin’ clothes I left for dead in 1973.
We drive down to the water’s edge
she says a prayer to her angel
She says, “I’m 30 days on Dexedrine and I’ve never made it with a stranger.”
Here she comes...Little Miss America
Turn Out the lights, you know the party’s over
Here’s your last rites, you know the party’s over
She don’t know real love; she’s barely free from her daddy’s knee
She drives a Tracker and listens to Cracker
She’s never heard of Man Ray
Here she comes..Little Miss America
Between The Ground And God
I hear you talk of how you’ve been around
If you’re the queen darlin’ where’s your crown?
They call your name just outside of town
Then you lay down with that bitter crowd
There is a place where I come from
There is a faith in what we’ve done
I want to live between the ground and god.
The night is dark and the streets are cold
Those party boys know you’re far too old
But the lights still flash and the cameras roll
All that glitters is seldom gold.
There is a place where I come from
There is a faith in what we’ve done
I want to live between the ground and god.
When the Lights go out and the house is dark
and you feel alone; you will find a spark.
There is a place where I come from
There is a faith in what we’ve done
I want to live between the ground and god.
Upon Seeing Simone
Another new year at the bottom of the Body Shop
we were waitin’ to toast our dull little lives
when the wind blew her in from the corner of the parking lot
I knew there’d be trouble when I glanced at the wives.
She had a tube top, double stop and switchblade eyes
her hair cut like a man and adolescent thighs
She said, “It’s a long way from New York City, but I found the fare for a Greyhound Bus. So don’t say that you missed me or tell me I’m pretty. There ain’t a man here who hasn’t known my sweet touch.”
And we said Hey na na Hey Na Na
Upon seeing Simone all the girls got up
Upon Seeing Simone all the boys got hard
Upon Seeing Simone everybody’s worried...Upon Seeing Simone.
Satisfied with my alibi, safely keeping my back to the door
The love of my life, my virtue, my wife--
I swear I’ve never seen Simone here before.
Now all hell’s breakin’ loose all over the place--even the minister’s gettin’ slapped in the face.
It’s a long way from New York City, but she found the fare for a Greyhound Bus. So don’t say that you missed her or tell her she’s pretty. There ain’t a man here who hasn’t known her sweet touch.
And we said Hey na na Hey Na Na
Upon seeing Simone all the girls got up
Upon Seeing Simone all the boys got hard
Upon Seeing Simone everybody’s worried...Upon Seeing Simone.
Now Simone’s comin’ right for me; here comes one leg, two leg and I’m waitin’ on three
I never have the words, don’t know what to say... I’ve got a wife and two kids and an IRA.
But It’s a long way from New York City, I see you found the fare for a Greyhound Bus. It’s so good to see you again--Let’s drink to something, hell let’s drink to us.
And everybody said Hey na na Hey Na Na Na Na Na Na Na
Upon seeing Simone all the girls got up
Upon Seeing Simone all the boys got hard
Upon Seeing Simone everybody’s worried...Upon Seeing Simone.
You Better get To Know Your Broken Heart
Up all night long, ear on the telephone she cries
Where’s love begin, where does it end my friend?
“How can I feel so alone and unnatural?
How can he dream all these dreams and look right past me?”
Make your mind up a little bit slower
Take your time as you grow a little older
When this world seems to get a little colder...
You better get to know your broken heart.
Hangs up the line and she dreams of a day gone by
Watches her husband sleep and she starts to cry
“Why do I feel so much more from a stranger?
How can I feel young at all with this anger?”
Make your mind up a little bit slower
Take your time as you grow a little older
When this world seems to get a little colder...
You better get to know your broken heart.
Pain feels like thunder; It cuts like lightning
You’re left to wonder...
Don’t wonder why
You’d better get to know your broken heart
Farewell, I’m Bound To Leave You
There’s a lonely road through town; I drive it late with the radio down
Near the church real close to dawn, the Blackbirds gather like a cloud
I went to my window tonight and watched for the blackbirds in flight.
Farewell, I’m bound To Leave you, leave you in the morning light.
Farewell, I’m bound to leave you, leave you in the bye and bye.
I’ve a woman that’s my one true friend, she said she’ll stay with me ‘til the end
And I’ve a child that calls my name from the reaches of her bed.
I went to my window tonight and watched for the blackbirds in flight.
Farewell, I’m Bound To Leave you, leave you in the morning light.
Farewell, I’m bound to leave you, leave you in the bye and bye.
Famous Times
In the houses of our youth we would walk the floors for proof of our Father’s fragile truth, just to find
That the buildings that we shared, all the glass and brick and air, were forever in repair from within.
Yea now I’m drivin’ down this old road, my kids bangin’ in the back seat
Yea now I’m droppin’ off this old load
They may not last for long, but honey these are famous times.
I’ll close my eyes tonight, dream of houses filled with light
while the bells of Holy Christ ring across town
Baby help me hear all the music in the air, keep it loud and clear, so very near.
Yea now I’m drivin’ down this old road, my kids bangin’ in the back seat
Yea now I’m droppin’ off this old load
They may not last for long, but honey these are famous times.
We live, we laugh, we love, we lie awake
and every night the promise we remake
Tonight I’ll walk the hall, walk down to my daughter’s door
watch my small and good reward float through time.
Yea now I’m drivin’ down this old road, my kids bangin’ in the back seat
Yea now I’m droppin’ off this old load
They may not last for long, but honey these are famous times.
Big Bed (Give The Girl What She Wants)
She employs the immutable laws of nature
she keeps her dreams beneath her bed
She writes ransom notes on Dixie cups
She will stay inside your head
Give the girl what she wants
Give the girl what she needs
Pull her down to your big bed, down to your big bed
At twilight she’s bound to blossom
So I gather her petals at my feet
I’ll take her dancing after hours
‘Til the barmaid rolls up the street
Give the girl what she wants
Give the girl what she needs
Pull her down to your big bed, down to your big bed
Don’t be afraid of the look in her eye; It’s just a disguise
El Dorado
There’s a field quite near your Mother’s house
Where we once made love
The wind inside each other’s mouth, the sky above
Now there’s a winter’s worth of washing piled at the top of the stairs
Each night I lie right next to you and can’t recall your hair
They say a love grown old is like silver and gold
Baby take my hand and we’ll walk the streets of El Dorado
Do you recall that bar on Knight’s Mill Road?
And that strange jukebox
We’d dance all night to old Hank Snow
Then we’d drive home drunk.
Now a baby’s cryin’ in the dark and the house is cold
The air is thick with some harsh remark ‘bout a love grown cold.
They say a love grown old is like silver and gold
Baby take my hand and we’ll walk the streets of El Dorado
We wanted it wild; we wanted it rough
We wanted to force God’s hand, then call His bluff.
I said, “Let ‘em all talk.” You said, “This town’ll talk.”
But we walked like we walked and we bought what we bought
and we paid for it all.
They say a love grown old is like silver and gold
Baby take my hand and we’ll walk the streets of El Dorado
Rebecca
Rebecca wears her daughter’s perfume
as she drives toward Watertown
In the tombstone shade of autumn
She meets her lover and goes down.
Go ahead darlin,’ go ahead pretty girl
Tie your hair back tight tonight
You’ll be waitin’ on strangers ‘til the end of the line
It’s a lonely, lonely life.
Rebecca sits up in her motel room
sheets bunched up around her waist
Through a cracked blind crosstown window
the light shines on her daughter’s face.
Go ahead darlin,’ go ahead pretty girl
Tie your hair back tight tonight
You’ll be waitin’ on strangers ‘til the end of the line
It’s a lonely, lonely life.
In a three room house in the shadow of the mill
Her husband wakes up
Does he shudder with hate, to his knees in grease,
every afternoon? Rebecca never knows.
But every morning he comes home as quiet as the ground.
Rebecca drives home to her children
past the lights and sounds of the St. Mark’s Parish Fair
A soul fallen to temptation
forever shall that soul repair.
Repeat chorus
Fire In Gagetown
Jody Love is her daddy’s girl
She’s the princess of her smalltown world
She goes skatin’ with her girlfriends every Friday night
Holds hands with little Tino when they’re out of sight.
Little Tino is his mama’s boy
They’re up from Texas to work the okra and soy
They weed in the spring and they harvest in fall
Little Tino waits in line just to give her a call.
Fire in Gagetown, Burnin’ Across the fields
There’s a fire in Gagetown, Burnin’ hearts out.
Sheriff Love, he’s been hearing things:
“That greasy boy gave your daughter a ring”
At a meeting of the Michigan 5th Brigade
Sheriff Love whispers that his daughter was raped.
Fire in Gagetown, Burnin’ Across the fields
There’s a fire in Gagetown, Burnin’ hearts out.
Don’t worry ‘bout a thing; Daddy’s right here
Don’t worry ‘bout a thing; Daddy’s watching
The other morning out near Hunter’s Ridge
They found Tino in a drainage ditch
Sheriff Love says “This case is closed.”
While his pretty little Jody falls out her window
Fire in Gagetown, Burnin’ Across the fields
There’s a fire in Gagetown, Burnin’ hearts out.
Livin’ With The Law
My hometown lights are in my rearview mirror
The storm’s outside; thunder’s sounding near
The churches, the factories, my father’s old town is all gone now.
The red lights of the radio tower are guiding me home in this lonely hour
I miss my child, I miss my home.
I’m movin’ in time to meter and rhyme, I’m keepin’ the faith and I’m toein’ the line
I was lost and now I’m found...I’m livin’ with the law.
The dark grain towers line the riverside
The cold rain showers help my mind decide
The dreaming of heroes, the memory of love is all gone now.
The red lights of the radio tower are guiding me home in this lonely hour
I miss my child, I miss my home
I’m movin’ in time to meter and rhyme, I’m keepin the faith and I’m toein’ the line
I was lost and now I’m found...I’m livin’ with the law.
Too late we realize the storm’s on the horizon
Always fixing the holes in the coats we wear.
The red lights of the radio tower are guiding me home in this lonely hour
I miss my child, I miss my home
I’m movin’ in time to meter and rhyme, I’m keepin’ the faith and I’m toein’ the line
I was lost and now I’m found...I’m livin with the law.
The Opponent
Could you please direct me to the Grange Street Gym?
I'm on a four fight card at half past ten.
They said they'd wire the money if I'd just fight this kid
He's comin' up and they say he needs a win.
They told me not to take him past four rounds
and find a new way of goin' down
But man I'm 35 and nothin's new
I'll be on my back in two
I never win, I never lose
I can't recall much of this life I choose.
When I hear the bell, I rise to fight
When it’s done, I walk out into the night.
I fought welterweight in 1979
The best right hand since West Coast Charley Shines.
But one summer night I killed a man outside Ewald's Bar
I never once hit someone so damn hard.
Before the medics came his girlfriend hid his gun
and I got twelve hard years at Milan Four-Two-One.
I left two young sons and a teenage wife
Man ain't this been some life?
I never win, I never lose
I can't recall much of this life I choose.
When I hear the bell, I rise to fight
And when it’s done, I walk out into the night.
I'm sorry sir for takin' up your time
You say turn left before the Burdick Feed Store sign?
Oh and here's a pass for your boy and you
I might just knock that kid right out in one or two.
I never win, I never lose
I can't recall much of this life I choose.
When I hear the bell, I rise to fight
and when it's done I walk out into the night...
I'm the opponent.
Fraudulent angel
The Late March snow is falling
Lord what a fool I’ve been
I’ve a chance to make it right, tonight.
Your Mother and I will dress you from head to toe in white
So when God looks down he’ll pass you by,
believing you’re only an angel.
Some say that it’s wrong to place a lie before God’s eye
But in my mind I know it’s right to hold on to all you’ve got...
Fraudulent angel.
Your sister says she’s hungry
But I can’t tear my eyes away
I’ve a boy that shares my name, and my Father’s name
Your Mother and I will dress you from head to toe in white
So when God looks down he’ll pass you by,
believing you’re only an angel.
Some say that it’s wrong to place a lie before God’s eye
But in my mind I know it’s right to hold on to all you’ve got...
Fraudulent angel.
|
