JANDEK: Lyrics

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Corrections and alternate hearings are welcome; send them to seth@tisue.net.

• 0739: Ready for the House (1978)
• 0740: Six and Six (1981)
• 0741: Later On (1981)
• 0742: Chair Beside a Window (1982)
• 0743: Living in a Moon So Blue (1982)
• 0744: Staring at the Cellophane (1982)
• 0745: Your Turn to Fall (1983)
• 0746: The Rocks Crumble (1983)
• 0747: Interstellar Discussion (1984)
• 0748: Nine-Thirty (1985)
• 0749: Foreign Keys (1985)
• 0750: Telegraph Melts (1986)
• 0751: Follow Your Footsteps (1986)
• 0752: Modern Dances (1987)
• 0753: Blue Corpse (1987)
• 0754: You Walk Alone (1988)
• 0755: On the Way (1988)
• 0756: The Living End (1989)
• 0757: Somebody in the Snow (1990)
• 0758: One Foot in the North (1991)
• 0759: Lost Cause (1992)
• 0760: Twelfth Apostle (1993)
• 0761: Graven Image (1994)
• 0762: Glad to Get Away (1994)
• 0763: White Box Requiem (1996)
• 0764: I Woke Up (1997)
• 0765: New Town (1998)
• 0766: The Beginning (1999)
• 0767: Put My Dream on This Planet (2000)
• 0768: This Narrow Road (2001)
• 0769: Worthless Recluse (2001)
• 0770: I Threw You Away (2002)
• 0771: The Humility of Pain (2002)
• 0772: The Place (2003)
• 0773: The Gone Wait (2003)
• 0774: Shadow of Leaves (2004)
• 0775: The End of It All (2004)
• 0776: The Door Behind (2004)
• 0777: A Kingdom He Likes (2004)
• 0778: When I Took That Train (2005)
• 0779: Glasgow Sunday (2005)
• 0780: Raining Down Diamonds (2005)
• 0781: Khartoum (2005)
• 0782: Khartoum Variations (2006)
• 0783: Newcastle Sunday (2006)
• 0784: What Else Does the Time Mean (2006)
• 0785: Glasgow Monday (2006)
• 0786: Austin Sunday (2006)
• 0787: The Ruins of Adventure (2006)
• 0788: Manhattan Tuesday (2007)
• 0789: Brooklyn Wednesday (2007)
• 0790: The Myth of Blue Icicles (2008)
• 0791: Glasgow Friday (2008)
• 0792: Glasgow Sunday 2005 (2008)
• 0793: London Tuesday (2008)
• 0794: Skirting the Edge (2008)
• 0795: Hasselt Saturday (2009)
• 0797: Not Hunting for Meaning (2009)

READY FOR THE HOUSE

(Corwood 0739)

Naked in the Afternoon (1/1)
I got a vision, a teenage daughter
Who’s growing up naked in the afternoon
I know a brother close to his mother
Who stays out late in the evening time
I keep repeating, it takes a beating
To grow up naked in the afternoon
You are a cowboy if you wear those boots
You are a cowboy when you wear those boots [3x]
Big time in the city [4x]
I got a letter
I read in the paper
It said a man was shot to death
It said a cow gave poison milk
Big time in the city when you wear those boots
I keep repeating, it takes a beating
To wear those boots in the afternoon
You call it a question
You call it a color
I got a letter
I think it’s a vision
Big time in the city
I got a vision
I know a brother close to his mother
After the morning
You’ve had your rest
Well I got a letter
You are a cowboy
Big time in the city
Time to go naked in the afternoon
Take off your hat, take off your coat
Big time in the city
You’ve had your rest
I got a letter
You are a cowboy
Read in the paper
Big time in the city
It’s time to go naked in the afternoon

First You Think Your Fortune’s Lovely (1/2)
Everything’s so restless
The wind has come again
Blowing me so far
I think I see a star
First you think your fortune’s lovely
And you fly out through the door
Grandmama I feel so lonely
My rapture’s painted on the floor
The roads lead all to Jacob’s kitchen
I’m sitting moon eyed at the table
Sitting blank-eyed by the door
Oh Lord, do you really think I’m able
Well I chose this love completely
When you took away the charm
Set your mind on breaking burdens
Said you done no one no harm
I feel a bit like floating water
Headed for the rocks at bay
Crash upon some ocean liner
Comes upon my lonesome way
Thought I see your eyes a-flashing
Thunder in your hair
I burnt a match for your complexion
The lights went out and you weren’t there
Seated by the ranch I’m owning
Staring at the cellophane
Somebody came in for a question
I poured a glass out in the rain
The reason I have been accepted
Is that I failed to come on strong
Found a chair beside a window
Found a place where I belong
Inside myself there is no question
Just the jangle of our brain
Three times four is twenty-seven
Only fragments still remain
I curse the day I found my freedom
You took the mirror from the wall
Placed it in a single suitcase
Pointed down a hollow hall
You said you see your true direction
I’ll be there behind the sun
And I’ll go with you in the springtime
When all your travels have been done

What Can I Say What Can I Sing (1/3)
What can I say what can I sing
You always knew about everything
What can I show what can I do
Is it all for me, is it all for you
Well I don’t know, we’ll have to see
Everyone needs, ’cept you and me
And then sometime I’m not so sure
There’ll never be another cure
The early morning sun shines through
And all my thoughts are shades of blue
Oh I don’t know, I’ll have to go
Oh I don’t know the reason for
I already left
It’s no surprise
I saw it in your raining eyes
Adrift a dream
A time we spent
Much more than that
Forever was all that we meant

Show Me the Way, O Lord (1/4)
Would you show me the way, O Lord
Show me the way
I got an ace to tell the time
I got my face all red with wine
I got my eyes above all men
I don’t even listen to them
Would you show me the way, O Lord
Show me the way
I’m walking on a planet
I take everything for granted
The stars are falling
Emptiness, and I am calling
For your caress
Would you show me the way, O Lord
Show me the way

Know Thy Self (2/1)
You think I got time for you?
You’re just somebody in the snow
I don’t even know why I think about you
Somehow I just keep seeing you around
Everybody’s coming and going
I thought I’d stay for a while
It had to be you threw me out
I didn’t know you were so cruel
But thanks for all the gifts
Hang on silver branches
And now we’re all out here
And your eyes find me in the glass

They Told Me About You (2/2)
They told me about you [2x]
Sneaking up on me
I’m crazy about you [2x]
Forever to time (?)
Forever do mine
Take it up and lock it
Arrange a new day
Placate a new way
Gangrene in two legs
Drunken I’m up on pegs
Leaning, a month or so
Wrestle with a wandering
See the lights up in the sky
Vagrant in your cripple eye
Wandering’s been creeping by

Cave In on You (2/3)
A stick would do the trick
A dog would jump all over you
A mine cave in on you
Jump out the window
Hit the floor
Tap tap tapping at your door
In the moonlight behind the sun
The blind man’s coming
He’s the one to read about you
To see your name
My blind man
I’m glad you came
Blind man blind man
Be the one behind the moonlight
In the sun
You tell my fortune
Wait, you are my fate
My hands are bleeding
Am I too late
You walk outside
A moon is low
Round the corner
An Eskimo
Gently tapping
Whispers your name
Says hi how are you
From the blind man I came
To read you a message

They Told Me I Was a Fool (2/4)
You got real fancy instincts
But your mouth is so large
I think I see a hundred people in it
I guess you like it that way
Because you’re a flop
And there ain’t no more wringer washers
To roll your fingers through
I see your insides aren’t the same since 1951
You’re dying inside a window
I saw your face all cut with glass
And underneath the window
The hands you dug your grave with
You could have built an empire
He would have helped you now you know
You’re going to fetch the wind
On a unicorn
Feet all dangling down
Wish them well at the marketplace
I fear a fiery face
Is staring from the future
It’s not the way
They told me I was a fool
Well it’s your friend and mine
And ???
The sky is black in a blue night
The winter is true or so it may seem
Carnival tricks in the corners
The floor is made of tracks
That follow your footsteps

European Jewel (2/5)
You sure are cool, a European jewel
I dig you most
A letter came, it’s not the same
The ink was blue
A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey
A walkin’ down a lonesome town
Some time ago
He said you had a mouth so bad
The lips were rotting off
You dropped a tear to end his fear
You seem quite well
It’s a long time spell
I’m wondering where you got that infection
There’s bugs in my brain
I can’t feel any pain
Just a shaking sha—
[song ends abruptly]

SIX AND SIX

(Corwood 0740)

Feathered Drums (1/1)
Thanks for all the thoughts
Came rolling in on feathered drums
I’ve been in jail before
Been let out too
Oh I am sure of where I am
Clouds came floating by
Have to hide something away
It’s what I’ve done
Print (?) you this, what comes I feel
Oh universe, oh beyond everything to never end
Oh back, oh wheel and tumble
Morning sights and streets of wheat
Oh fanciful and teeming waves
Oh universe and all the days

Point Judith (1/2)
Crestfallen and broken breast
I feel a full shadow
I see a spur digging
Snails on the rocks and it’s low tide and
There’s diamonds in the ocean
But if there’s a moth winging out over the waves
In the sunlight there’s
Two spiders meet on a rock but
They’re the same anyhow so...
It’s all so still here I...
Little waves spill over little rocks
You can peel off mica from the rocks
As it shines like smooth silver
But you know there’s more than this
’Cause you can see the boats sailing
And the gulls fly by fishing
And there’s a lighthouse in the distance, but...
It’s all so quiet that..
Why disturb the silence so
Go away in the moonlight and
Bring back a starfish
Settle back easy
Make up your mind to stay
I’ve earned a fortune and
There’s not much more to say
I’m livin’ easy
As smooth as silk these days
I see that you’re fearful
Haven’t changed your ways
Settle back easy and
Make up your mind to stay
[bangs microphone]
The country’s cleaner and
I’ve earned a fortune and
You don’t have to pay
Just settle back easy and
Make up your mind to stay

I Knew You Would Leave (1/3)
The rocks crumble
Unto dust they die
Once hard stuff of mountains
Now soft powder among the sand
Who dares crush a rock
Oh rock, no rock
Reduced to the winds
Scatter your parts
You are not one but many
To those shall you succumb
Beast of time, you hurl your heavens sporadic
Falling in the great parade
March unto your death
And into what arms will you go
Surely not your own
Oh God, oh God, be you my hope
And all else ruffles in the winds
Magic carpets fly to your planets
You have no place on earth
Who is it creates sand soliloquy
Is it everyone
Nay, you are a heathen
Erupting words of pretense
Oh Lord let my hand be guided
Sometimes I know it not
As the air, no air is still
And the weary sounds refrain
Now the hyena cackles
His clutch has found my heart bleeding
And now you are gone
Where you hear it all
Wide awake from a long sleep
Myself on my hands
Tomorrow in the gallows
Trees in skies
Empty alliterations replenished
By the hand of one who would fall down
And make a light to shine somewhere
What is this
The cavalcade of misery
What depths
How could we think of distances
Ah, it is the gift of man
To live, the days long
The nights longer
Journey to the stars
They worship the sun
Come down treasures
And I like to see a smile
On your lips as we meet
On a journey to the stars

Can I See Your Clock (1/4)
Now this one from the morning came to me
The piper in his high cloud sang to me
Listen, oh my brother, it’s time to rise
Thunder in the heavens of the sky
Free free, what I do is me
What you do is you, what you do is you
Have I, I have not (?)
It’s playin’ on a phonograph
Now listen gently to the call
Riding on the waves that fall
And rise to reach the sun and you
You’re living in a moon so blue

Wild Strawberries (2/1)
Beachcombers in dozens
On raging walls (?)
Sun, salt, and sea
Walkin’ down the halls
I’m wondering where
The murdering town
I’m beating a hundred
From way down below
There’s a place you could call me
Out in Ohio
You’re down in the numbers
You’re listed forty-five
You heard and you answered
“I’m not dead, I’m alive”
You’ll walk on a tightrope
Wear the suit of a clown
You rear back in anger
Don’t forget there’s no answer
Watch your feet and where they’re goin’
Don’t forget you’re a dancer

Forgive Me (2/2)
You know evil, know it well
The tree gave up its fruit at once
Ah! My hand it burns
Scarred with these prints
They will live when I die, that is a fact
The blood will drain
Infection will mix with the blue corpse
But you have it here
You see how it is like the wind
At your back and at your face
Leaves drop or aching branches creak
You walk alone down boulevards
I take you to the sky
Take you to the sky [3x]

Hilltop Serenade Part 2 (2/4)
Well your brain is weary and your manner rough
Well OK but that’s enough
Crazy lights, crazy fights
Cotton’s on the way hey
Walk along sing a song and pray
Mr. Genry on the label
Paint a picture of a fable
On a label a fable Mr. Genry
(repeat)

You’re The Best One (2/5)
You’re the best one that I came to see
You’re the last one that I want to see
You’re one in a million, Lord I think I forgot to come
You’re the top of the mountain, the rest is on the way down
You know I think I could tell you
I think you ought to know
There was somebody new before you
With you I learned to know them all
And all that came before them
And all that go here from now
You go with them gently
With love on your mind

Delinquent Words (2/6)
I always had a bloody lip, always
Those Cadillacs just float over the road
They don’t even know the road is there
How is it they know me well in the wine store
There is no question of it
It’s the blank eyed and boxed face that don’t understand
Age makes no difference
Shape makes no difference
I observe that all collects dust here as everywhere
The most whited things fade and emerge to no color
Dust enters into all being
And man who came from dust, to dust shall he return

LATER ON

(Corwood 0741)

Your Condition (1/1)
Well...
Well that’s your condition
Well that’s your condition, that’s your condition
That’s your condition your condition your condition
That’s your condition
Condition your condition
That’s your condition
Your condition your condition your condition
That’s your condition
Your condition your condition
Well that’s your condition

What Did I Hear (1/2)
You didn’t tell me mister that you were fooling me
You lead me on, I took your word
And now I’m wonderin’ what it is I heard
Was it the words of an angel or a devil in disguise
I’m not sure what it was I saw in your eyes
You deceived me mister it sure seems that way
You said you were gonna do away with today
I guess you knew that wasn’t possible
I guess there’s no such thing as today or any day
There’s only what you are and what you’re doing
And if you’re...
And if you’re staying back behind
You must wanna be the one that’s blind
To some people that could use you to help them get along
Get along, get along, get along

Just Whisper (1/3)
I was walkin’ down a road
I was movin’ down a road
Walkin’ down a road, movin’ down a road
And saw you comin’ by
I was walkin’ down a road
I was movin’ down a road
Walkin’ down a road, movin’ down a road
And saw you comin’ by
Walkin’ down a road, movin’ down a road
And saw you comin’ by
I was walkin’ down a road
Movin’ down a road
You were comin’ down a road
I saw you comin’ down a road
I turned around you turned around
And now we’re walkin’ down a road
Now we’re movin’ down a road
I see you movin’ down a road
I see you walkin’ down a road
You see me walkin’ down a road
You see me movin’ down a road

Oh Jenny (1/4)
Oh Jenny, didn’t mean to do you so bad
Oh Jenny, I’d like to give you everything I have
Jenny, didn’t mean to do you so bad
Oh Jenny, I love you with all my heart
I’m just knowin’ it now
Oh Jenny

Until Then (1/5)
She came, she left, she’ll stay one day
She came and she left, she’ll stay one day
She won’t have any choice

So Fly, Max (2/1)
You don’t even know where you wanna go and
Who you wanna see and what you wanna be and
So you go ’round the corner, you just walk along, sing a song
All you know tomorrow’s gone
Oh you don’t know where you wanna go and
Who you wanna see or what you wanna be
And so you walk along, you sing a song
You know tomorrow’s gone
Tomorrow’s gone

The Janitor (2/2)
You got quite a lotta habits for a janitor
See you wash clothes three times a day
See you think about dirt quite a lot
That’s a disgrace the way you keep your backyard
You should take more care the way you fix your hair
It’s enough to make me sick
Why don’t you live life more naturally

Don’t Know If I Care (2/3)
Oh Lord help me to understand what’s goin’ on in this world
All people doing different things different ways
Some don’t seem to care, I don’t know if I care
I don’t know what’s happening
Oh Lord help me to understand

John Came (2/4)
Well I’ve been atop the mountain I’ve been down below
Been in the sky, down the valley

Jessica (2/5)
Go gently to your chambers Jessica
Take your ruffled skirt by your dainty hand
Understand, then go gently to your chambers Jessica
Go gently to your chambers Jessica
Open a window, greet the skies
Hello nature in your knowing eyes
Go gently to your chambers Jessica

Jackson’s Gone Down the Mississippi (2/6)
Well Jackson flowed on down the Mississippi
Now Jackson, you’re in the Atlantic ocean
You know Jackson sailed to some land
To the sea what you have not seen
Now Jackson take hold of a hand
Now Jackson sail to some other land
Now Jackson look to the skies
There’s a reason for your eyes

The Second End (2/7)
Joy to the world
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah

CHAIR BESIDE A WINDOW

(Corwood 0742)

Down in a Mirror (1/1)
We can’t deny there are spirits in this house
You shut the door, the wind closes two more
I laugh a dark laugh, you smile and think about it
You’ll come again I’m sure you can’t refuse
Your spirit’s here laying on a white (wide?) table
I can see it gleam it is sparkling in the sun
I wish I could leave this room and lock the key
Someday I would take hold your hand and let it be
In the skyway a shining path for you and me
Come back oh please come back
I don’t know what to do
Come back oh please come back
Come back oh please come back
Come back please come back

European Jewel (1/2)
There’s bugs in my brain, I can’t feel any pain
Just a shaking shake
Just a breaking break broke me today in the afternoon
No matter who you fool, it’s a European jewel all in the sky

Unconditional Authority (1/3)
I ain’t gonna fool no more
I ain’t gonna fool no more
I ain’t gonna fool no more
I ain’t gonna fool no more
All I am is a fool but I ain’t gonna fool no more
I ain’t gonna fool no more
Wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah
You know I ain’t gonna fool no more, let me tell ya
I ain’t gonna fool no more

Poor Boy (1/4)
Well it’s a poor boy, a poor boy
It’s a poor boy who lost his mama
It’s a poor boy who lost his father
It’s a poor boy who lost all his friends
And it’s a poor boy who lost his woman
It’s a poor boy
It’s a poor boy who lost everything he ever had

You Think You Know How To Score (1/5)
You think you know
You think you know how to score

Nancy Sings (1/6)
A dozen drops fall from your face
Shaking the rain in a quiet place
Shining clean a fresh new day
Wakes up the world in a fragrant bouquet
Listen to the sound of a constant fall
Skies give water for life of all
If you reach into the air
Rain will come to kiss your hair
Listen to the sound of a constant fall
Skies give water for life of all
If you reach into the air
Rain will come to kiss your hair

No Break (2/1)
Get loud, get it loud, loud
(woman mumbling)
Get up and go to work
You’re a jerk, go to work
I ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t got nothin’
I ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t got nothin’
You’re a jerk, go to work
You’re nuts, you’re nuts!

Mostly All From You (2/2)
Rain on my head and it’s mostly all from you
Rain on my head and it’s mostly all from you
Layin’ in bed and it’s mostly all from you
Rain on my head and it’s mostly all from you
Rain on my head and it’s mostly all from you
Layin’ in bed and it’s mostly all from you
Layin’ in bed and it’s mostly all from you

Blue Blister (2/3)
I was lightin’ on fire one night
Smokin’ cigarettes
I was lightin’ on fire one night
Smokin’ cigarettes

The Times (2/4)
It took about a month or so for you to know what you are after
Oh yes, we can speak of time
’Cause all I remember are the times
You’re livin’ free and livin’ high
You’re like some angel in the sky
You’re like some angel in the sky
You’re like some angel in the sky high high high

Love, Love (2/5)
Love love is the only way
Love love is the only way
The only way
Love everybody, love yourself
Make yourself the best person you can
To give to everybody some way or another
Love love is the only way
Love love is the only way
Make the most of your talents
Don’t bury them in the ground
Decide for yourself just what is God
And love love is the only way
Love love is the only way

The First End (2/6)
(“Your Condition” from Later On is heard backwards at a very low volume throughout the first half of this song)
A fragrant mist shine over you
Until the sun rises in the dawn of a new day
May a fragrant mist shine over you
Until the sun rises in the dawn of a new day

LIVING IN A MOON SO BLUE

(Corwood 0743)

Gretchen (1/1)
Gretchen, Gretchen
I’ve been fetchin’
Some shiny fish
From the sea
The sea
Down in Galilee

Supression (1/3)
Walk out shut the door
It’s the same it was before
Walk out shut the door
Now it’s the same it was before

Strange Phenomenon (1/4)
Yesterday a strange phenomenon
And now today
You think it’s changed
You tell me that you
Think it’s a change
And now today
Yesterday
Today, today

You Can Stop Now (1/5)
You can stop now
Cause I don’t want none of that gibberish
Yes, you can stop now
I don’t want your playing around
Well you can stop now
I don’t want your morality
Stop

Comedy (1/6)
Here’s looking at you kid
You got the German measles
It’s a comedy
Ha ha ha etc.

Sailors (1/7)
Sailors sail the seas on end
They leave someplace
They’ll come again
And if you’re there
You might see them
Carefree as the summer wind
Way up high
Up in that cloud
The seaway of the sky

Bludgeon (1/8)
Please do not push any buttons
On this machine
On what machine
Wet paint
Keep Out

All In An Apple Orchard (1/9)
In the middle of an apple orchard
There’s a small boy
Watching bees in the blossoms
In the middle of an apple orchard
There’s two boys
Climbing trees
In the middle of an apple orchard
There’s six boys
Making underground tunnels
In the middle of an apple orchard
There’s ten boys
Throwing apples at each other

She Fell Down (2/1)
He was a cruel young boy
A cruel young boy
Used to set traps
For some retarded friends he had
But one day
When all the snow was melting
Their mother, Mrs. Potter
Was on my bus
Going home
It stopped at her stop
She got off first
Stepped off the bus
Slipped on the curbing
Fell into the gutter
With all the slush and mud
All over her clothes

Professional (2/2)
You sure are a professional
Just like in the books I read
??? particular ???
You sure are a professional
Living the life you do
Professional

Anticipation (2/3)
Please, oh please
It’s just that
I got some kinda anticipation

Alexandria Knows (2/4)
Why don’t you sell me two rhymes
I want to tell you two times

Quite Nonchalant (2/5)
You’re pretty nonchalant
With your four (fore?) arms
And your bleeding teeth
I think you’re pretty nonchalant
I’d have to say you’re quite nonchalant

Relief Of The Night (2/6)
Why a picture
Is it all too false
The shepherd gathers in
Voices from the darkness
Bleeding from lonely mountains
They are more quiet at day
Sight in the sun
Live and survive
The tale is not weary
Relief of the night
You will never wake up
The mind must die
Sleep to me now
I’m pounding
Release this beat
This nerve
Anesthetize this being
You will never awaken
Tomorrow is on the other side
Of a sight that is night
Shelter me
O mother of miracles
I am entangled in swamps

Crime Pays (2/7)
Well I do believe that crime pays
And I do believe there’s...
I do believe that there’s countless ways
And crime pays
Crime pays

STARING AT THE CELLOPHANE

(Corwood 0744)

Michael (1/1)
Michael, Michael
Where are you now?
[repeat]

Riddles Riddling Me (1/3)
You keep me in riddles
Riddles all the time
It’s the only way to be
So just keep riddlin’ me
By your honesty
You’re a riddle to me
I see the beauty of the world
It’s a riddle to me
And at this time I don’t have to resolve
Just keep being a riddle to me

I See Lights (1/5)
I see red lights
I see green lights

Rather Be Blind (1/6)
You call me out
From this cave
And now I fall out
Into my grave
You lead the way
I’ll walk behind
I’d rather not try
I’d rather be blind

Away (1/7)
And then he’s gone
He’s s gone away
Oh far away
And now he’s there
Some other place
Far from your face
In a foreign land
He is no way, away

Don’t Get Too Upset (1/8)
You lost this time
It was a minor theft
So don’t get upset
There’s a lot more to come
You know you’re the one
That’s been makin’ all those telephone calls
It’s your turn to fall
It was a minor theft
A small offense
So don’t get excited
Just settle down

A Letter (2/1)
Got to move
Into a cellar
Just to feel
A little bit loose
Got to slip
From the sky
My hands are nervous
I’ll keep a place
Up in the sky
For you to live
Until you die
Until you die
Until you die
On the main floor
A level head
In the basement

Nevermore (2/2)
Been goin’ too tight
You’re rotten, you know
Got iron buzz around your neck
Oh no your body can’t get out
Oh no nobody can get in
Sealed off in a chamber
Of your choosing
I’m on the outside
Watching you
I’m on the outside
Watching me
What do I see?
To inside from the outside
Come together, not a chance
Pure devotion, from a distance
In between

Sand I (2/3)
You’re stuck in the sand
Go home

Nepoleon in Russia (2/4)
It was a crushing victory
Napoleon and his army
Marched across some other soil
Took the farmers from their toil
Waged a war that could never be won
Dream of masters, fanatics
Great men, of course they were
They had to be
Fall out a window, Napoleon
On your white horse
And with your sword
And your big hat
And half a right hand

Split to the East (2/5)
Come down out of a corner
Split to the east
One foot in the north
Split the east
Only place left to go is south

Number 14 (2/6)
It’s time to close the door
I don’t want it anymore
Whatever comes, then I’ll take that
I’m sick of getting fat
I know the things I thought I needed
Things come inside me, naturally
But I don’t have to be the one
That puts them there
Just let ’em come and
Let ’em go and
Close the door cause
I don’t want ’em anymore

Blood and Bone (2/7)
His skin is stretched tight across his bones
Blood running down his cheeks
Children gazing at his feet
Ladies he’d like to meet
Lonely in that ancient street
Hanging for somebody else
Or everybody else

YOUR TURN TO FALL

(Corwood 0745)

Liquids Flow to the Sea (1/1)
You come and say you’re my friend
Whoa and then you tell me it’s the end
You walk by, close your eyes
And then you tell me goodbye
You come and say you’re my friend
Whoa and then you tell me it’s the end
You go, I just don’t know

Elementary Talk (1/2)
That’s elementary talk
The way you were before
That’s elementary talk
That’s elementary talk
The way you were before
That’s elementary talk

John Plays Drums (1/3)
A dozen drops fall from your face
Shaking the rain in a quiet place
Shining clean a fresh new day
Wakes up the world in a fragrant bouquet
Listen to the sound of a constant fall
Skies give water for life of all
If you reach into the air
Rain will come to kiss your hair
Listen to the sound of a constant fall
Skies give water for life of all
If you reach into the air
Rain will come to kiss your hair

No Time (1/4)
Going down a road
Go on down the street
Say hello to every stranger
That you meet

You Don’t Have to Entertain Me (1/5)
You don’t have to entertain me
You don’t have to entertain me

Echo (1/8)
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along
Won’t you get along

Centaur Train (2/1)
Bitter tears in shades of blue
I go to the Everglades for you
Ride a horse into the rain
Looking for a pony trail
Oh got up on some kind of rail
Some kind of rail
I took a train tonight
I took a seat down in a chair
And death around me everywhere

Dance of Death (2/2)
Dance
The dance of death
For it is there that you will live
Dance
Dance
Dance the dance of death
For it is there that you will live
Dance
Dance
Dance the dance of death
For it is there that you will live
Dance
Dance

If Your Fortune Fails You (2/3)
Say if your fortune fails you
You can say I was no good
Say I led you to destruction
Bye bye
I was outside of you
When you were all around me
Curtains (?) ???
I felt I was a hero
But it wasn’t me
It was your lady
Hers
Now I got too many closing (?)
Too many mornings just aren’t the same
Maniac visions of a world beyond my eyes
In the skies of our dreams mama
Heaven lead (leave?) you

I’ll Come Back (2/4)
If you’re ever sad and lonely
I’ll come back and be your only
If you’re ever sad and lonely
I’ll come back and be your only

About Today (2/5)
Just a month ago
It was a rainy day
About today
It’s a sunny day
The plants begin to grow

Such a Thrill (2/6)
Please thrill me two times
I never thrilled like this before
By two times I mean just one other time
Please thrill me two times
I never thrilled like this before

Didn’t Have to Cry (2/7)
You didn’t have to cry
I never know why
It is that you cry
You didn’t have to cry
Aw, why you saying goodbye

They Knew My Game (2/8)
This is my last game
I don’t have any money
They don’t treat you the same
I lost all my money in a poker game
Came home empty handed
I had to lie
Said I had no money
I couldn’t even get a job
They love me all the same
They might have even known my game
They probably even knew my game
But they love me all the same
They let me go my way
It was always the same
They love me anyway
They even knew my game

THE ROCKS CRUMBLE

(Corwood 0746)

Faceless (1/1)
He wouldn’t even look into my eyes
He wouldn’t even know my name
I seen him several hundred times
He wouldn’t even look into my eyes
He must be blind
He wouldn’t even look into my eyes
He wouldn’t know my name
I seen him several hundred times

Birthday (1/2)
A dozen drops fall from your face
Shaking the rain in a quiet place
Shining clean a fresh new day
Wakes up the world in a fragrant bouquet
Listen to the sound of a constant fall
Skies give water for life of all
If you reach into the air
Rain will come to kiss your hair

European Jewel 613 (1/3)
You sure are cool, a European jewel
I dig you most
A letter came, it’s not the same
The ink was blue
A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey
A walkin’ down a lonesome town
Some time ago
He said you had a mouth so bad
The lips were rotting off
You dropped a tear to end his fear
You seem quite well
It’s a long time spell
I’m wonderin’ well
You got an infection
There’s bugs in my brain, I can’t feel any pain
Just a shaking shake
Just a breaking break
Broke me today in the afternoon
No matter who you fool
It’s a European Jewel, aw, in disguise

European Jewel II (1/4)
You sure are cool, a European jewel
I dig you most
A letter came, it’s not the same
The ink was blue
A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey
A walkin’ down a lonesome town
Some time ago
He said you had a mouth so bad
The lips were rotting off
You dropped a tear into his ear
You’ll sing quite well

European Jewel 501 (1/2)
You sure are cool, a European jewel
I dig you most
A letter came, it’s not the same
The ink was blue
A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey
A walkin’ down a lonesome town
Some time ago
He said you had a mouth so bad
The lips were rotting off
You dropped a tear to end his fear
You seem quite well
It’s a long time spell
I’m wonderin’ well
You got an infection
There’s bugs in my brain, I can’t feel any pain
Just a shaking shake
Just a breaking break
Broke me today in the afternoon
No matter who you fool
It’s a European Jewel, aw, in disguise

Message to the Clerk (Part 1) (2/1)
First I came to see the doctor, told him I was unemployed
Asked me what I did for money, told him I was overjoyed
To reach into the basket, and take a bunch of dimes
Drop them for the paper riddled with my rhymes
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
Then I came to see the priest, said I knew God was alive
He looked at me quite solemn, said “Son don’t give me that jive”
I reached into my pocket, pulled out .45
Said “Priest I got your number, and this here ain’t no jive”
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work

Message to the Clerk (Part 2) (2/2)
Then I came to see the man at the center of the town
Said hey there Mister Leader, you’re looking at a clown
I don’t engage in nothin’ except hangin’ around
I’m living high, I’m living low, I just scream the sound
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
Then I came to see myself, I got a nervous quirk
He looks to me berserk
He pushes (?) out his time, he’s running down a line
Face all dripping down, carryin’ the sound
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
And now you’re independent, brush your teeth three times a day
Remember how I told you, remember how I say
That you’ve seen the hundredth person, and you’ve called him down today
Just to hear how lovely it sounds to hear me say
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work

Branded on a Telephone (2/3)
Branded on a telephone
Germans came, I wasn’t home
Nickel for your fortune true
Dime when you reach forty-two
Vertebrae all scrambled ’round
Lately I have found a sound
Mention this to him above
Take care of the one I love
He told me not to be afraid
I kissed his feet and dug my grave
Walkin’ down a line again
Hey mister, have you got a friend
Branded on a telephone
Junk man come, I wasn’t home
Peace (?) escaped from me today
Fortune lady was a liar

Breathtaker (2/4)
Breathtaker, he took his toll
Microphone and rock and roll
Beat me up and take my time
Run up and down my scrambled spine
Early mornin’, he comes up
Rock’n’rollin’, he goes down
Down to see her, he says where
How’d ya feel
It sets a fire in you
Think you’re made of steel
Go ’round the corner
Hot tail fever, it’s the cold
Breathtaker, he took his toll
Mighty cold, rock and roll
A thousand jets fly to your door
He nailed you to the floor
A tale a sparrow told
Once to the mighty bold

Lonesome Company (2/5)
I ain’t got no home
When I leave some place, I’m gone
Come back another time
To read the wanted sign
You left me here alone
Now I have to look around
Try to find you in a friend
Someone here alone
I need, uh, someone near
Just to talk to or look at
And as the words
Ring ’round my ear
And the faces that you left
To keep a lonesome company

Same Road (2/6)
Walk on the same road
Walk down the same road every day
But don’t let me fall prey
To the tired things all around
And when you don’t know whether to fight or
Just then it happens
All these things that happen every day
Turn around and mix them up
Walkin’ down the same road
Walkin’ down the same road
Walk down the same road everyday [2x]
Every day
Walk down the same road [2x]
Walk down the same road everyday

INTERSTELLAR DISCUSSION

(Corwood 0747)

Starless (1/1)
I must say what I say
Listen — what I say

Hey (1/2)
Hey
I’m gonna chase your blues away
Hey
A-won’t you come along?
Hey hey hey...

Waltz in Two-Fourths Time (1/4)
We ain’t gonna let you wash your car
Said we ain’t gonna let you wash your car
It’s so damn dirty you can’t see too far
Take me back
Take me bones
And take my blood
And dash it all (?)
Let’s go! Ohhhh...

Call You the Sun (1/5)
You come around at (morning?)
They call you the sun
Gonna ???
??? and get you baby
You come at night
They call you darkness
You come in the morning
They call you the sun

I Ain’t Got None (1/6)
Just because you’re lonely
Just because your mother took your daughter from her only
Da da da da da da...
Just because you’re lonely
Just because your mother took your daughter from you, oh no
Think you — come around — here
Asking for my son
I just have to tell you I ain’t got none
I have to tell you that I ain’t got none

The Spirit (1/7)
Sitting in your morning sun
Old black night has all been done
Once again your picture’s new
Seems it’s quiet just like you
Looking at a miracle
Living in a natural way
Lord, I know that you’re the one
With me the morning sun

Rifle in the Closet (2/1)
Hey John
Stopped by this afternoon
To see you in the purple moon
Best I say what’s on my mind
Best I say what’s on my mind
Hey John, John, John, John...
Hey John I’m walking on pins
My life is a lie and I’m telling you the truth
There’s nothing else I can do
Except live another day
And find a way to tell you
I’ve been doing what a good man should
Hey John
My eyes have been crying
And we’ve been making (?)
Coffee’s no good in the morn’
Beer ain’t no good at night
Ah, hey John
The theater’s been dripping
The movie’s 3-D
There’s two rides to Texas
547-3668
Ah, hey John
The rifle in the closet is just the name of the song
The rifle in the closet is just the name of my song
Hey John

Sung (2/2)
I’m looking at a blank page
Looking at a blank page
I’m just singing a song
That I didn’t write
I just sung

Ha Ha (2/3)
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
And now you want a fortune too
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
You think you’ll ever be untrue?
Ha ha ha...
You think you’ll ever be untrue?
Ha ha ha...
You think you’ll ever get that bread?
Ha ha...

Customary (2/4)
As a matter of fact
It’s the way that you act
It’s a matter of (ways?)
It’s customary
It was the real (pie?)
I got it all in my eye
She told me she wanted to hold me
I laughed to my self
It’s all on the shelf
It burns and
It eats the ones and I choke it
???
I won’t be altered

May 7, 9:15 A.M. (2/5)
I take three baths a day
Wash out all my mind
Each time I get so gay
It takes me out of my mind
To get a clean mind
To wash out my mind
For a fresh new time
And a real time
So it’s three times a day
I go to the cleaners
I seldom do anything
Just ’cause it’s my birthday
The time will come
You’ll find you some new way to have a clean day
In the merry, merry month of May

Situations (2/6)
I don’t know, I really don’t
They come to the door asking for someone I never knew
Get into situations
I’m way far away from
Did you really think you could teach me something?
I already learned all I know
And I know enough to pick my own friends

Couldn’t be a Reader (2/7)
I couldn’t be a reader
I had to write the words
I couldn’t be a dancer
I had to pull the string
Hey, I wouldn’t treat you nice
Hey, you’d have to pay the price
Now I’m lost forever
I couldn’t play a part
Knowing that a fever is written in my blood
Hey, I wouldn’t treat you nice
Hey, you’d have to pay the price
Best that you forget me
Best that you forget me

Kick (2/8)
Out there crying in the noonday sun
Gentleman come but she didn’t get none
A year ago she was a friend of mine
Didn’t need a fix, just a little wine
Wish I didn’t have to see her this way
Cast a dark shadow over my day
I’m not crazy about the way things go
Seen it all before at a movie show
There’ll be another man in a little while
Walking down the road just another mile
She’s a thief
She’s a harlot
You can take your pick
Gotta make the payment on another kick

NINE-THIRTY

(Corwood 0748)

Tell Me When (1/1)
I don’t know what it was and
I just forgot it
It was really symbolic
I guess I left it
In a dresser
With a hat down
And two ties
It’s all right
That’s just what I did I
I’ll do it again
Just tell me when

Left the Beach Last Sunday (1/2)
I left the beach on last Sunday
I came a long way
From South Carolina to Ohi-a
Wasn’t fussy about the way I came
To me it was all the same
I left the beach on last Sunday

Bells and Voices (1/3)
The bells sound early in the morning
They sound late in the night
When the skin comes tied to your phone
There’s no stopping the bells
You said the people are on the phone asking if you want to go here or there
Hey would you come along
And then they either come or don’t
And that’s what you do — you either come or go
That’s what I do — I either come or go
Come along
I left a long time ago and I guess you didn’t notice
Yeah you are catching up
Boy you don’t know what you’re doing

Faye (1/4)
Don’t you know that I love you
Stop making me sad
You’re the meanest little woman
That I ever had
Please say that you love me
Stop making me blue
You’re the cutest little woman
That I ever knew
Well, by golly, she loves me
She’s making me smile
A little wine will do her (?)
All the live long while
I’m taking it to you
In a foreign way
You bring me the sunshine
Oh, my darlin’ Faye

Wrong Time (1/5)
It’s not the right time
Something’s wrong, but I’m gonna do it anyway
You can put your bloody mind in a paper bag and eat it for lunch
What is God?
What are you doing here? Or there?
I am a fool
Forgive me
If a door is open
I should be back soon

Voices in the Dark (1/6)
There’s voices here in the dark
I have to beat them before it gets dark
I hear them now it’s true
They’re coming even out of you
I just have to pretend that they’re not there
But I’m never gonna go anywhere
I even know they’re there
I don’t care ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
I can’t say as I never heard them before

Green Dreams (1/7)
Green dreams in the springtime
April dreams that bloom in May
Green dream’s better than gray
Come all the colors that bloom in May
The earth wakes up
But you’re not here
Gone driving on home
Green dreams
You’re not here

Blind Cat (1/8)
They come around
Take your thing
And put it in another place
I smile and say it’s OK
I didn’t care anyway
I listen for a while
They’re no good
They were just stupid
Couldn’t show a blind cat not even one thing
But we can have some words
I’ll hear your story
It’s not so bad

Georgia East (2/1)
I shouldn’t feel so sad
It was all I had
I should be glad
Coming into Atlanta
Big wheels turning
Talk about negroes
Talk about the fruit
Georgia peaches
Scuttlin’s
Pecans shaking from the trees
You people sure are strange to a city boy from up north

May 3 (2/2)
If you want a friend in South Carolina look up Charleston (?)
Wish I never have to leave Charleston
May 3rd
We go back very much the same as how we came
Goodbye palm trees
Brown water seas
Savannah
Goodbye pretty town
Three hundred years old
Charleston

Nine-Thirty (2/3)
Oh Texaco and seven south
Montague avenue
Red and green and yellow
Two thousand ???
All those white lines
And bumping time
Keep off the median
There’s an air force base
And a whole human race
Moving until tomorrow

This is a Death Dream (2/4)
This is a death dream
In the daytime
I go to the cemetery buildings
In search of books
And never do I find the right one
I just browse through death books
When it seems the ones I want are out
In the night time I go with friends to the cemetery
And the entire time concerns
Carousings and adventures within the cemetery
But all others are insincere and even silly
Some figures predominate and I compromise my
Especial meeting to go with them
I always attempt to get some of these friends to go with me
But they are afraid
It seems I do not want to go alone
And leave each successive night with hopes for
Tomorrow’s daytime excursion to the cemetery
Last time I was particularly upset
Despair that the right books will never be there
Because people will not bring them back and
My reliance is weak
I should find a way to require that which I want
Of special interest in the dream is the night time attraction
Of particular growing things
Which previously were cultivated in horror with another
In the night wanderings I attempt to get back to these to encounter horror
But they — others are afraid or silly
And one or two are not
But show me replicas which are not the same
This I know and am disappointed
Earlier for interest I had a wine bottle
Weird death monsters approached and I admitted them
As they filed past into my house
Not the bedroom where others were
They danced in the living room
Extremely macabre and death-like moves
Others saw them and sometime later expressed horror as they left
Or escaped

You Didn’t Lie (2/6)
You didn’t lie
You only told the truth
I got some place that was very hard to get out of
Didn’t get too close
Wouldn’t get too close

Oh Jenny (2/7)
Oh Jenny
Didn’t mean to do you so bad
Oh Jenny
I’ll give you everything I have
Oh Jenny
Didn’t mean to do you so bad
Oh Jenny
I didn’t mean to do you so bad
Oh Jenny
I’ll give you everything I have
Oh Jenny
Didn’t mean to do you so bad
Oh Jenny

FOREIGN KEYS

(Corwood 0749)

Spanish In Me (1/1)
Well that’s the Spanish in me
You broke my neck until three
Stop wonderin’ why
Keep lookin’ at the sky
You took a vacation whoah
Water thunderin’ blow oh
You blew me back from the sky
Broke my neck until fall
You took a vacation whoah
Stayed away from that boat
Somewhere floating down a river to Madrid
’Cause that’s the Spanish in me
Broke my neck until three
You broke my neck until four
You broke my neck until five
I was out there floating down a river to Madrid
Lookin’ at the sky high high high high
The Spanish in me that...Spanish in me that’s the... Spanish in me
Down that river to Madrid

Lost Cause (1/2)
Listen to me baby it’s a lost cause
Pretty Patty baby it’s a lost cause
And all of your friends are a lost cause
Everyone’s gone to the lost cause
Take off my shoes to the lost cause
Quit eatin’ food for the lost cause
Take it all back to the lost cause
Forget your life to the lost cause
Take off your shoes to the lost cause
Quit eatin’ food to the lost cause
Take it all back to the lost cause
Come on ??? baby it’s a lost cause lost cause lost cause
Everyone has gone to the lost cause
To the lost cause to the lost cause
To the lost cause to the lost cause
To the lost cause to the lost cause
To the lost cause
Now die brother

Caper (1/3)
Caper, a caper
God is one big caper
Life is one big caper
Life is one big caper
Life one big caper
Life one big caper
Caper
You fool with it and it fools with you
Well life is one big caper
You reach a finger ???
??? a finger to a fork (?)
’Cause I...
Caper
She came to you with words so true
Talked herself right into you
Now life is one big caper it’s a
Caper caper

Uncle Steve (1/4)
Settle down and don’t think twice
Your uncle Steve was awful nice
Yeah he was very nice
Yeah Steve he was very nice
He was a HOO he was a HOO
Very nice
Yes

Don’t Be So Mean (1/5)
Oh please don’t be so mean
Oh please don’t be so mean
I admit I was wrong
I deserve anything that comes
But please don’t be so mean
Oh please don’t be so mean
Oh don’t you be so mean
Don’t be so mean

Needs No Sun (2/1)
Dance bright and ??? it seemed
Right onto the night’s star dream
Brings down the fortune black
Tore this body off the track (???)
Soon I see the day grow dim
I put you ??? this life ???
You are a bright star night my night
We need a person here bright (???)
On down the depths I spy a ???
??? that you had made
Of all the ???
To lay a body down to ends
A spirit from ???
To find a love for your ???
A bird flies home to you today
He needs no sun to see the way
He did his best in ???
???
??? truth I ???
Lay down there ???
??? with ???
Drive me under your ???
I found you ???
???
???
As I die in my ???
Take the ???
Take it your black disgrace

Oh No (2/2)
Ooh
Oh no, oh no

Some of Your Peace (2/3)
Well you gotta throw it over if you expect to live
Don’t pick it up if you don’t even want to get it
I’ve been livin’ this way too long
And I know what you are tryin’ to do
All I want is a little bit of your peace
All I want all I want
Peace!
Please give me just a little bit of your peace
Oh God I’ll be glad
Oh God, oh God I’ll be so glad

Put It Away (2/4)
I would personally like to say hello to you
Hello
Now you’re supposed to say hello to me please
Well when does it come
I’m so tired of waiting for your voice
God I’ve been waiting almost twenty years
And you don’t seem to have any ears
Well I quit, I quit
Because I’m too drunk to worry about your fears
So why don’t you stop your foolin’ around with
Everybody you see
’Cause nobody is worth anything not even me
All you can do is ride around
And you hope that someone calls you
Oh I’m through
I’m so through
Well I guess I would like to say goodbye
If I wanna waste my time

Ballad of Robert (2/5)
Robert Robert Robert
Down at the halfway house house
Robert down at the halfway house
He’s livin’ at the halfway house
The halfway house
You know the halfway house
It’s got a ???
They put a cross on your back and you get real mean
Down at the halfway house
Robert (ha ha) at the halfway house
He’s got a cross on your back
He’s got roller skates and the’re hitched up to his feet
He goes right down the street on the roller skates
They’re from the halfway house
Ya’ know this man Robert
He’s no man he ain’t no mouse
He’s from the halfway house
Tell him he’s from the halfway house
Now the doctor says good morning
And Robert looked up ’n he had blisters on his fingers
And the doctor said “Robert, Robert” he said “Robert”
“You are not the halfway house, the halfway house”
He’s Robert from the halfway house

River to Madrid (2/6)
Yes...let them start for a while, and then we’ll start...
[woman] Well that’s the Spanish in me
[Jandek & woman] Broke my neck ’till three
[woman] Started wonderin’ why
[Jandek] I kept seein’
[woman] the sky
[woman] Took a vacation whoah/ [Jandek] ...vacation whoah oh oh oh
[woman] Water thunderin’ blow oh
[Jandek] Pull my back on the sky. Broke my neck until four
[Jandek] Took a vacation / [woman] Whoah!
[woman] Sail away from that port
[Jandek] Somewhere floatin’ down a river to Madrid / [woman] Madrid
[Jandek] ’Cause that’s the Spanish in me
[woman] Broke my neck until three
[Jandek & woman] Broke my neck until four, broke my neck until five
[Jandek] I was out there floating
[woman] Down a river to Madrid / [Jandek] ...Madrid, lookin’ at the sky
[Jandek & woman] Spanish in me! That’s the Spanish in me!
[Jandek] I’d rather... / [woman] ...river to Madrid
[woman] Floatin down a river to Madrid
[Jandek & woman] Spanish in me! That’s the Spanish in me!
[woman] Floatin down a river to Madrid

TELEGRAPH MELTS

(Corwood 0750)

You (1/1)
You can feel the ???

One the Planes (1/2)
Now on the planes
Life ain’t the same
On the planes
You can’t see
Far beyond me
On the planes
Planes ain’t got nowhere to go
So close your eyes

Go to Bed (1/3)
They threw it down
To the other
You should be proud
You’ve been up so long
You’ll never be down
I saw you standing there
With a smile in your hair
We’re coming down (?)
Oh, just go to bed

Ace of Diamonds (1/4)
Well, king of diamonds
Queen of spades
You played your cards
Your hand’s been laid
Well ace of diamonds
King of spades
The prize is mine
You better pay money
You better pay (?) time
You can give it all away (?)
You’ll have your last dime (?)
You think you’re free
I went on a spree (?)
Well, ace of diamonds
King of spades
You’re going down, way down
And that ain’t all
’Cause don’t forget
The next time you call
Maybe be your last bet
’Cause ace of diamonds
King of spades
Your life is near (?)
Watch out fate
You’re getting old
You’re losing time
And I don’t mind taking
Your every last dime

Twenty-Four (1/5)
Just turn the page to twenty-three
Tomorrow be twenty-four
In the morning
A new day
Late at night
It’s not the same
It’s a mystery
A history
You’re gonna live until you die
It makes you shake
It knocks you out
A blinding light
Black as night
Being born
You got no choice
You’re gonna live until you die
Fifty-two years old today
Forty-four yesterday
It’s all mixed up
Don’t make no sense
Just turn the page to twenty-four
There may be a hundred
There been before
You might have been
Somebody else
Your world is shaking
It makes you shake
Might as well go on and shake
Just turn the page to twenty-three
You’re gonna live until you die

No Slow Ones (1/6)
I’ve been needing a rest
For a mighty long time
But you gave me your best
You threw me a line
Well, I’m shutting my door
From now until then
And if you wanna come back
I guess I’ll see you again
I’ve been sitting on top
For almost as long
As you would care to know
So I’m biding my time
I’m willing to wait
Been living down

Telegraph Melts (1/7)
woman:
When the telegraph melts
And it’s still ringing your name
When your shoes got holes in them
And the sidewalk’s not the same
And you’re falling down
Then you can think about your mother
You can think about your friends
But you can’t blame me for not being around
You know I told you long ago
Before you grew so old
That I wasn’t meant for claws falling on my face
I see you knew it was a jungle
I was a woman had a place to go
If you can’t come with me then I just don’t know
But I’m wondering about your humor
You know I didn’t mind
When you laughed in my face
You know I didn’t mind
When you stood on my head
And then I turned the tables around
Jandek:
I thought it just another day
I thought you saw it my way
But to my surprise
There’s a difference in your eyes
woman:
I find it hard to find you
Say you want an ashtray
Say you think you found a way
Well, you can joke about me baby
You can say my name in vain

Governor Rhodes (2/1)
(Jandek, with woman repeating after and occasionally before him)
We are here in earth, in life, in sky, in magic, in rain, in love, in fire, in celebration
We are here together, in love, in life, in magic, in celebration
We are here
Let us celebrate
Celebrate our love
Celebrate our magic
Celebrate
Celebrate our love
Celebrate our magic
Celebrate
Let us chant
Chant with love
Chant with magic
Chant with celebration
Chant
Chant with love
Chant
Chant with magic
Chant
Chant forever
Chant for always
Chant
Let us sing
Sing for love
Sing for magic
Sing for always
Sing
Sing for Janet
Sing for Paul
Sing
Sing in celebration
Sing
Sing with love
Sing with magic
Sing forever
Sing
Chant
Celebrate
Sing
Sing
Sing
We are here
In earth
In life
In sky
In magic
In rain
In love
In fire
In celebration
We are here
Together
In love
In life
In magic
In celebration
We are here
Let us celebrate
Let us celebrate
(repeat with variations)

Star Up in the Sky (2/2)
woman:
I love the rhythm
You’ll find him there (?)
Just a ???
Jandek:
Last night I saw the evening star
woman:
Oh good, I’m glad to hear it
You just made my day
Jandek:
I know I’m not diversified
Because I saw it in the sky
woman:
A very good place to see it, in the sky
Jandek:
Way up in the sky
Last night it was in the sky
Oh my, up in the sky
I saw a star up in the sky
I saw the star up in the sky

You Painted Your Teeth (2/3)
I got my knife [2x]
If you want to breathe, baby
Don’t paint your teeth [2x]
I’ve got my gun [2x]
If you want to laugh, baby
Don’t paint your teeth
Don’t paint ’em
You don’t paint your teeth
Your teeth are white
And they’ll stay that way
If you don’t paint ’em
Don’t paint your teeth
Don’t paint your teeth, mama
Don’t paint your teeth
I painted my teeth
I said I painted my teeth
You painted your teeth
And you think you’re fine
But you gotta die
You gotta die
Six black horses and a coal black hearse [2x]
There’s a black body
It’s got a big black shroud
But the only thing coming
It’s your teeth, mama
It’s your teeth
You’re going to go to heaven
Everything’s going to be white
White white white white white white, baby
But not your teeth
You painted your teeth [2x]

Mothers Day Card (2/4)
Making others happy is such a part of you
You’re always kind and thoughtful in everything you do
That’s why this special message comes with love to say
Thanks for being you, Mom, and happy Mother’s Day
(repeat)

The Fly (2/5)
I saw him winging around
He was a big buzzing fly
He took me to his home
It was a spider web
I said, no not this time
I looked around the corner
Saw a car light (?)
It was a ten gallon hat
And I could do without that
Mama, my mind’s jumping (?)
Cops are pumping
Buster, where you work
I said I work inside my cabinet
Filled with hundred dollars bills
Going to the graveyard
Going to dig up a dead man
Say buster, where’s your wife
???
Say I kissed a girl last Sunday

House Up On the Hill (2/6)
(Jandek and woman’s parts are simultaneous, not sequential)
Jandek:
You know
Up at the house
The house up on the hill
You can drink your fill
I’m going to the house
Up to the house
Up on the hill
I can drink my fill
La la la la la la...
The house up on the hill
I’m going up to the house
Up to the house
Up on the hill
Hill hill hill hill hill...
The house up on the hill
It’s getting mighty full [2x]
Has seen so many days
It’s seen a lot of days
And it ain’t making hay
The house up on the hill [5x]
It’s painted darkest black
The windows are all broken
And you can’t get in the back door
The back door
The house up on the hill
woman:
Let’s go to the water
To the water
Let’s go
Let’s leave for the moon
Come on
And we’re going
To the water
And we’re going
To the moon
Let’s go
I can’t wait
For the water
Can’t wait [2x]
For the moon
Oh, hurry up

FOLLOW YOUR FOOTSTEPS

(Corwood 0751)

What Do You Want To Sing (1/2)
[woman] What do you want to sing?
[Jandek] A song (?)

Jaws of Murmur (1/3)
Have us fly away
I will multiply (?)
Listen to the song I sing
Talking about a bird of wing (?)
Flies so peacefully in the dead of night
These things (?) cause a murmur in the dead of night
The students call (?) a great big phone (?)
I listen first and turn around
Bird that flies is the bird of night
He flies so high where there is no light
He calls in the morning
He calls from the devil below
By the dark lord
I had a flock (?)
He calls so
He calls so low
He calls in on a strut (?)
He calls a rumor (?)
He calls you in his sleep
He knows you and your kid (?)
He knows you are not home
And he knows you will die for him
He knows you will follow him
He knows you will
He knows you will die for him
He spoke (?) when you are dead you will fly so high
He flies so high in the night
He goes anyhow (?)
Listen to his father
Listen to his murmur
You gonna die

Preacher (1/4)
Are you goin’ down to the preacher?
Are you gonna think he’s your teacher?
(repeat)

Didn’t Ask Why (1/5)
You didn’t ask me why
You just watched me cry
Well, you were so sad
Oh, then you were so bad
Now back on the street
My own two feet
But you didn’t ask me why

Leave All You Have (1/6)
At the edge of reality
You’ll find the bird who’ll sing to thee
Leave all you have
Leave all you have
At the edge of rodeo row (?)
A vulture waits for you to look back

I Know You Well (2/1)
Can’t come around the way you do
Say that you’re somebody new
I knew you from before
That’s the way you are once more
Can’t come ’round here
Say you’re somebody new
’Cause I know you
I know you well
Well, well, well
I know you well
And it’s been tough
You’ve been around
I know you well
Time won’t tell
What you’ve been doing
Time won’t tell
I know you well
Well
I know you well

Bring On Fatima (2/4)
[the first line is missing on the CD reissue]
Caledonia, mahoganies, elbows
Bring on Fatima
How long does the rain fall?
How long?

For Today (2/5)
For today I’ll smoke a cigar
For today I’ll play your guitar
For today I’ll be real nice
For today I’ll cut you thrice
For today I’ll cup your eyes
For today make no disguise
There’s a blanket for ya, doctor
There’s a full-fledged man of war
There’s an ink spot on your jersey
And scuff marks on your floor
For today you smoked a cigar
For today you felt real cool
For today you wore a blue shirt
For today you wore some old brown shoes

Collection (2/6)
Well this here’s the date and year
Collection
Again, it’s the date and year
Collection
And well, to understand
You’ll have to leave your new (?) man
On the day of the year
Collection
It’ll last a year
So drink your beer
It’s a collection of a year
Oh my, that’s dandy
Keep your eye on Uncle Randy
Oh Randolph, you broke your collarbone
Gee well, here’s one more time
Record a line
On the back page
Of the date and year
Collection

We’re All Through (2/7)
All together now
One, two
All together now
One, two, we’re all through (repeat)

MODERN DANCES

(Corwood 0752)

Painted My Teeth (1/1)
[Jandek] Oh yeah yeah yeah whoa yeah
[Jandek] Come on, let’s go, ho
[Jandek] Now, now, right now, you painted your teeth
[Jandek] Teeth teeth teeth teeth teeth teeth teeth
[Jandek] Paint your teeth
[woman] That is absurd
[woman] Don’t paint your teeth
[Jandek] Karl Marx painted his teeth
[Jandek] Whoa whoa, go paint your teeth
[Jandek] Teeth teeth, aw, paint your teeth
[Jandek] Don’t paint your teeth, don’t paint your teeth
[woman] How long you been (morbid alive?)
[woman] Paintin’ your teeth
[Jandek] Hey, well you paint your dollar
[Jandek] Hey, so paint your teeth
[woman] Don’t paint your teeth
[Jandek] You ain’t gonna paint no teeth, no teeth
[woman] You just made my day
[Jandek] How did I make your day?
[woman] You didn’t paint your teeth
[Jandek] I tell you somethin’, I painted my teeth
[woman] Oh no, you didn’t paint your teeth
[Jandek] I painted my teeth
[woman] Oh no, you didn’t paint your teeth
[following parts are more or less simultaneous]
[Jandek] Behind your back
[woman] Oh please don’t say you painted your teeth
[Jandek] I painted my teeth [3x]
[Jandek] Teeth, I painted my teeth
[Jandek] Oh give me some paint
[Jandek] I wanna paint my teeth some more
[woman] Oh ???
[Jandek] Oh lots more
[woman] Don’t paint your teeth
[Jandek] I paint my teeth
[woman] Don’t paint your teeth
[Jandek] They’re my teeth and I’m gonna, ha ha
[Jandek] Paint my teeth
[Jandek] I’m gonna paint my teeth
[Jandek] You didn’t think I’d be back, baby
[Jandek] But I’ve made it
[Jandek] To paint my teeth

Twelve Minutes Since February 32’nd (1/2)
Hurried, ha ha
Aw, we’ve been waitin’ twelve seconds
Since February thirty-second
It’s been twelve minutes since February
Now the thirty-second
If your next last day of your life
Everybody dies
Get your knife, no leave it on
Get your knife, get your knife and leave it on
Get your knife and leave it on
It’s February thirty-second and we’re gonna get it now
Because the last day is February thirty-second
C’mon now, we’re gonna get ’em all
This time its over, we’re gonna get ’em
Aw c’mon, we have been ???
We’re gonna kill ’em all
We’re gonna kill ’em
Cause it’s the thirty-second day of February
Oh it’s raining on a dying man
C’mon now, there’s a couple over there, let’s get ’em
Eeeow okay, they’re all dead now

Hand For Harry Idle (1/3)
[woman] Let us have a hand for Harry Idle
[Jandek] A hand
[woman] He was peace and older days
[Jandek] A hand, a hand, a hand for Harry Idle
[Jandek] Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
[woman] Gonna have a hand, yeah, yeah [2x]
[woman] Gonna have a hand [2x]
[woman] Two hands for Harry Idle
[Jandek] And now let’s have a real hand for Harry Idle
[woman] He’s excited that he had a hand
[woman] For Harry or anyone passing through
[woman] Glad to have a hand for Harry and Tom
[3rd voice] Oh no
[woman] Oh no
[Jandek] Let’s have a hand
[woman] Tom doesn’t want a hand

Number 512 (1/4)
[woman] Okay, but what’s it gonna be?
[Jandek] Just talk yourself into it, it’ll be number 512
[woman] Talk yourself into number 512, okay
[Jandek] (Lamb are you, huh?)
[woman] I have found it’s very simple
[woman] To talk yourself into number five twenty-one
[Jandek] One
[woman] With a shot of Cadillac club
[Jandek] We’re almost there
[Jandek] Five two one
[woman] What we need very quickly is a change
[woman] A real change, okay?
[woman] And immediately we will change the pace
[woman] Because we’re tired of this one
[woman] Okay? Let us change the pace
[woman] Oh boy did you ride?
[woman] Don’t got a ride that night
[woman] All I heard about drummers must be true
[woman] To stand there lookin’ at you
[woman] Fast, somebody’s got to go fast with me
[woman] Because oh god, I get so bored
[Jandek] One

Nothing is Better Than God (1/5)
[Jandek] Nothin’s better than God
[woman] Nothing is better than God
[Jandek] God
[woman] I thank God, he’s a real good friend of mine
[Jandek] God
[Jandek] The lord on Sunday
[Jandek] The lord on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
[Jandek] Thursday, Friday, Saturday
[woman] Oh why don’t you let me be a little more like you
[woman] I enjoy being better
[woman] But I guess you hear that lots of times
[Jandek] Nothin’s better than God
[Jandek] God [13x]
[woman] It’s only a song here
[woman] Aw, it’s just a word
[woman] I would want to know you
[woman] If I really could
[woman] If I really could
[Jandek] God [3x]
[woman] Oh
[Jandek] Oh, no
[woman] I want to love you God
[woman] I want to know God
[woman] I want to love you God
[woman] I want to hear you
[woman] Is that wrong? Is that right?
[woman] I don’t think there’s anything, God

Spiritual Song (2/1)
Flying down slow
I don’t even want to go
But it’s so nice when you fly slow
I picked up a piece of the sky
I watched it, watched it under my eyes
And I noticed quite by accident
That it’s the same, it’s all the same
Why don’t you fly slowly down with me?
I enjoy my work, I enjoy being alive
There it goes again, here we are once more
We are right are on the edge of
Whatever you choose to be on the edge of
But it’s kind of nice
And it’s kind of calm
That you see these things
Without even having to die
Lucky us
Lucky you, lucky me, lucky one two three
Aren’t we happy?
Aren’t we glad that we’re here on the edge
We’re right here in the sky
We’re right ever you might choose to fly
You and I and the entire world can fly
Just you and I
Why not fly?

Spanish in Me 003 (2/2)
[Jandek] Well that’s the Spanish in me
[Jandek] That’s the Spanish in me
[Jandek] Broke my neck until three
[Jandek] Started wonderin’ why
[Jandek] I kept seein’ the sky
[Jandek] Took a vacation, whoa
[Jandek] What a thunderin’ blow
[Jandek] Blew me back from the sky
[Jandek] Broke my neck until four
[Jandek] Took a vacation, whoa
[Jandek] Sail away from the port
[Jandek] Somewhere floatin’ down a river to Madrid
[Jandek] Cause that’s the
[woman] The Spanish in me
[Jandek] Broke my neck until three
[woman] Broke my neck until four
[Jandek] Broke my neck until five
[woman] Somewhere out there floatin’ on
[Jandek] On a river to Madrid, lookin’ at the sky
[woman] Spanish in me [2x]
[Jandek] Spanish in me, that’s the Spanish in me
[woman] That river to Madrid
[woman] That’s the Spanish in me
[woman] That ??? Spanish in me

I Want to Know Why (2/3)
[Jandek] I want to know why
[Jandek] Tell me why, tell me why
[Jandek] I, tell me why
[Jandek] Why, he wants to know why
[Jandek] I’ll tell you why
[Jandek] Why?
[Jandek] I want to know why, why why
[Jandek] Why, come on now
[Jandek] Tell me why [4x]
[Jandek] Okay, let’s bring ’em out
[Jandek] She’s gonna tell me why
[Jandek] Now bring it down
[woman] Why, that’s all, just why
[Jandek] She wants to know why
[woman] Why? Why?
[Jandek] Why? Why? Ohio
[woman] Why-o why-o
[woman] Why did I ever leave Ohio
[Jandek] I’ll tell you why
[woman] Why?
[Jandek] I’ll tell you why
[woman] Why?
[Jandek] Oh this is why, this is why
[woman] Why
[Jandek] You want to know why?
[woman] Yeah, I want to
[Jandek] You want to know why?
[woman] Yeah why?
[Jandek] The cows came home [2x]
[Jandek] There’s only one reason why [2x]
[Jandek] One reason why [4x]
[woman] Eighteen (?)? Why?
[Jandek] One
[woman] Because, because that’s the only reason why

Simple as That (2/4)
You don’t realize
What it is I have to do
You don’t realize
What it is I’ve got to do
Simple as that
You don’t realize
What I have to do

Open E (2/5)
I know that the times we’ve spent together
Weren’t always meant to be
The voices outside we heard so clearly
Weren’t meant for us to hear
Though it’s true I was with you
An everlasting moment grew to be
Listen to the other side of life
Listen, don’t turn back the tide of life
If I should go and try to find alone
The thing inside my mind
Each and every day I dream a dream
In which I don’t return
But I can never feel the threat
Of threat of losing anything I get for free
Listen to the other side of life
Listen, don’t turn back the tide of life

Carnival Queen (2/6)
Carnival queen
All the ghosts lay by your side
Moaning, groaning songs of woe
Carnival queen
Your hair is on fire
Your arrows pierce my bones
Angel, madonna
Your eyes are on fire
Breathing quiet prayers
Angel, madonna
You breathe
Pumping life into my veins
Carnival queen
All the ghosts stay by your side
Moaning, groaning songs of woe
Carnival queen
Your hair is on fire
Your nails pierce my palms

BLUE CORPSE

(Corwood 0753)

I Passed by the Building (1/1)
I passed by the building you were working in
I wanted to step inside it
I wanted to lie in your arms again
I passed by the building that you live in
And I wanted to die
I just stood there and cried
For then the way I felt
For the way I was gonna cry
For loving you
I passed by the building where you sleep
And I wanted to sigh
At the sweet smell of your loving
But I just weep at the morning
I just weep

CF (1/2)
When we go
I’m falling down to the river
I’m gonna climb another mountain
I’m going down to the mountain
I’m coming up from below
I’m gonna climb as high as I can
I ain’t got no other place to go
Down to the river
I’m going down to the river
I’m going to spread myself around
I’m going down to the river
Spread myself around
How much time
How much time
How much time
Going down, I’m going down, I’m going down

Variant (1/3)
And so we go
Like times of old
To stay on one road
Or choose another
I just don’t know
Which way to go
When we were small
And not so tall
We didn’t know
Which road to go
I just don’t know which way to go
I think I’ll follow you ???

Part II (1/4)
Ahh — you wouldn’t believe it tastes like candy
You see something that wasn’t there
I’ll be the one
I’ll be the one
Don’t you know I’ll be the one

Your Other Man (1/5)
Well, I guess your mind’s made up
Well, I guess there’s not much left to do
Go on, see your other man
Walk up the stairs
That’s where the stars are
Go and see your other man
Other man
Your man
Well, you wouldn’t believe it tastes like candy
Gimme a fork, yeah gimme a fork
Eat some potato
Shades are falling
Shades are falling

Long Way (1/6)
Long way to the back of the bus
It’s a long way, a long way
To the back of the... long way
Not as long as all that, but it’s a long way [laughs]

Down at the Ball Park (1/7)
Oblique
Oblique
Mystique
We was creamin’ ’em down at the ball park
And we pitched a little down at the ball park
Aw, with Jerry and Lucas and oh yeah
Down at the ball park
And you know there’s that song
???
He’s a sitting in a corner down by the ???
Oh, it’s all down at the ball park
Ohhh down at the ball park
Take it, take it Eddie
Take it down to the ball park
God, they is askin’ me if they can borrow some bats
Down at the ball park
Ohh motorcycle
Down at the ball park

House of the Rising Sun (2/2)
My mother was a tailor
She sewed these new blue jeans
My father was a gambler
Down in New Orleans
The only thing a gambler needs
His suitcase and a trunk
The only pleasure he gets out of life
When he’s all drunk
I know the song I sing when
I spend my time in
Down at the Rising Sun
So mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend my life in — sitting in misery
Down at the Rising Sun

Only Lover (2/3)
You never smoke a cigarette when you are doing something
Only when you are half doing it
You are a teenage runt with a lot of cream, Sparky
Gone floating down a river to Madrid
And a car pull in softly
Waiting for the footsteps
How has she followed me here
The tent I went to wasn’t mine
It was a cantaloupe’s
Cantaloupes are so good to eat
When you dream of your Johnny in a shower
Gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
I love you my lady
I love you like I do
Why you make me so blue
A-kill me, kill me, kill me
Kill me, kill me
I think I’m a goner
When I see one of your shoes
Gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
You’re the reason I live
You’re the cause of my death
I love what I can’t help
You took my success
Will you take my failure
After Arnie took a pill from the bottom
He wasn’t ne’er the same
You ought to be gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
I hear you bought a new dress
A red the color of your kiss
Darlin’ are you with me now
A-kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, kiss me
Ohhh it’s my time to die
When I think of your black lips
Gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
Found a painted pony in your breast
Can I tell you the rest
I love you goddess
Listen mister can you be my monkey
Feel my pulse take a stab at my arm
I wasn’t meant to have a garden
Gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
Jezebel, you’re my favorite
In your country I roam
Listen to me now, lady
Worst I had to tell you was I followed you here
First you made me promise that I wouldn’t leave
Then I found my freedom
Gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
Lost some lovely people on the way
You gave them back I heard you say
You’re my only lover
Like a kangaroo I’m only half doing what I do
Jesus stares at me from the wall
And I think I like your bosom
Aw gone floatin’ down a river to Madrid
Ahh, you hear my music
Oh lord I think it’s hard to tell
How she followed me here

Quinn Boys (2/4)
Don’t ever go down to see the Quinn boys
When I walked down there I went ???
Meet you in the Bowery
Goodbye Beacon Hill
Hello misfortune, I’ve got time to kill
Time to kill, I’ve got time to kill
Spend all of my days roaming all of the ways
Deliver me and see the sun, see the moon in dark June
Kiss the sand and ocean salt
Take my brother by the hand
It’s you, and I demand

One Minute (2/5)
Looks like one minute to me
Knock the walls down there for a couple of minutes [pre-music talking]
Just relax folks, just relax
That’s right, settle back in your chair
Listen to the music
Close your eyes and watch the pretty colors dancing around in your hair
Follow the music

YOU WALK ALONE

(Corwood 0754)

Time and Space (1/2)
He said show up wearing black or white
I looked at my clothes and it seemed
Ahhh, they were all black
They carried my clothes in coffins
You said yeah, put them in the closet
Oooh, time, oh, space
He wound a silver thread around my neck
I looked around but ahhh
Land sakes!
They bought all their oranges from Florida
You said just put them in the closet
Oooh, time, oh, space
He brought a lot of phony eyebrow pencils
I hid behind an electric fence
Oh they brought all the jellyfish from Ireland
Ireland
You said ah, just put ’em you know where
In the closet, that’s where
In the closet
Oooh, time, oh, space
He said show up beat up
Wearing black or white
I looked at my clothes, they were all, all black
They carried in my clothes on coffins
Ahh, you just said put ’em in the closet
Oooh, time, oh, space

The Cat That Walked From Shelbyville (1/3)
For today I’ll smoke a cigar
For today I’ll play your guitar
For today I’ll be real nice
For today I’ll cut you thrice
For today I’ll cup your eyes
For today make no disguise
There’s a blanket for your doctor
There’s a full-fledged man o’ war
There’s an ink spot on your jersey
And scuff marks on your floor
For today you smoked a cigar
For today you felt real cool
For today you wore a blue shirt
For today you wore some old brown shoes

Quinn Boys II (1/4)
Did you ever go down to see the Quinn boys?
When I walked outta there I went awwwww!
Meet you in the Bowery
Goodbye Beacon Hill
Hello misfortune, I’ve got time to kill
Time to kill, I’ve got time to kill
Spend all of my days roaming all the ways
Deliver me and see the sun
See the moon in dark June
Kiss the sand and ocean salt
Take my brother by the hand
It’s you, and I demand

The Way That You Act (2/1)
As a matter of fact
It’s the way that you act
As a matter of well (where?)
It’s customary
It was a real pie
I got it all in the eye
My friend Dusty she told me
She wanted to hold me
I laughed to myself
It’s all on a shelf
It burns and I smoke it
These words (?) that I choke it
Finally he cried louder
I wanna be out-ah [repeat]

I Know The Times (2/2)
I know that the time
We spent together
Weren’t always meant to be
Oh the voices outside that we heard so clearly
Weren’t meant for us to hear
So it’s true I was with you
With you an everlasting moment
Grew to be
Listen to the other side of life
Listen, don’t turn back the tide of life
If I should go and try to find
The only thing that’s on my mind
Each and every day I dream a dream
In which I don’t return
But I can never feel the threat
No never feel a threat of losing
Anything I get for free
So listen to the other side of life
Listen, don’t turn back the tide of life

When the Telephone Melts (2/3)
When the telephone melts
And it’s still ringing your name
When your shoes got holes
And the sidewalk’s not the same
And you’re falling down
Then you can think about your mother
Yes, and you can think about your friends
But you can’t blame me for not being around
You know I told you long ago
Before you grew so old
That I wasn’t made for claws falling on my face
I say you knew it was a jungle
And I was a man, had a place to go
If you can’t go with me
Then I just don’t know
But I’ve thought about your humor
When you laughed in my face
You know I didn’t mind
When you stood on my hand
And then I turned the tables around
I thought it just another day
I thought you saw it my way
But oh, to my surprise
There’s a difference in your eyes
And I thought it hard to find you
Say you wandered astray
Say you think you’ll find a way
But you can joke about me baby
Yeah, you can say my name in vain
Say my name in vain

War Dance (2/4)
It’s all goin’ to the war path
I swear I must be part Indian
Ridin’ to a war path
Move up the warpath
Dance of death
Run around the red fire
Thump thump thump thump
War dance all night long
War dance all night long
War dance all night long
Sun give us the strength to live
Wind bring our path back home
Oh moon, give us stealth
Oh moon, flow like their blood
Oh rain, flow like their blood
At the pierce of our spear
At the pierce of our spear

ON THE WAY

(Corwood 0755)

Wrap It Up (1/1)
Wrap it up in ragweed
Take it to the doctor
Great man above the clouds
Wrap it up in ragweed
Oh no, she’s come again
Take me to another friend
Make this the end of it
I just wanna die
Oh, I’m living again
Isn’t this the very end
But I’m living again
Yes it’s the very end
It comes every century
Wrap it up in ragweed

Bring It Back To Seventy-Five (1/2)
Well it doesn’t matter ’cause
This is going all the way out
If you think there’s a future anywhere
All the way out
Whoops, I spilled the beans
All the way out
Listen bub, it’s on the wall
Oh don’t you fall
All the way out
Just keep looking
Just follow with your hands and eyes
All the way out

Message to the Clerk (1/3)
First I came to see the doctor, told him I was unemployed
Asked me what I did for money, told him I was overjoyed
To reach into the basket, take a bunch of dimes
Drop them near the paper riddled with my rhymes
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
Then I came to the priest, said I knew God was alive
He looked at me quite solemn, said “Son don’t give me that jive”
I reached into my pocket, pulled out a .45
Said “Priest I got your number, and this here ain’t no jive”
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
Then I came to see the man at the center of the town
Said “Hey there Mister Leader, you’re looking at a clown
I don’t engage in nothing except hangin’ around
I’m living high, I’m living low, I’m just screaming the sound”
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
Then I came to see myself, I got a nervous quirk
Behind a gun I lurk, he looks to me berserk
He pushes (?) at his time, he’s running down a line
Face all dripping down, carrying a sign
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work
And now you’re independent, brush your teeth three times a day
Remember how I told you, remember how I say
That you’ve seen a hundred persons, and you’ve called me down today
Just to hear how lovely it sounds to hear me say
Take a message to the clerk, tell him not to work

Give It the Name (1/4)
Well my hands are tired
Oh my hands are tired
And I, as I need to see, I can’t find
???
You want something, dear, I can’t provide
?????
Find me on the corner, ????
????
???
So come on down
???
I’m bein’ pushed along wherever I go
?????
Don’t you know I wanted to
I can’t stand to be pushin’ on
Can’t you hear my call
Can’t you hear it
Can you hear my, can you hear my call

Sadie (1/6)
You ought’ve seen Sadie
She was my special gal
Yeah we were pals one night ago
We had a
We had a spat
And you should’ve seen us
We was fighting like alley cats
Oh me and Sadie, we was not hearing (?) no parties tonight
We was gettin’ loaded
Oh and now me and Sadie are alone
Nowhere to go, oh yeah
I’m gonna tell you ’bout the way it’s been
The last few months or so
Well it’s been here to go to
And here to show up
And it’s nowhere to go, really
So me and Sadie
Lady I know, we
Got hold of uh, little surreptitious dough
And we spent it all on
Spent it all on booze
Yeah we got so loco every night
That’s when we ran out
We had a terrible fight
Me and Sadie
Wearing a feather boa
Kimonos and Sears rubies
Why did she do it to me, oh Sadie
Sweet gal, why did we fall out so
I wanna know
Oh Sadie, my gal

I’ll Sit Alone and Think a Lot About You (2/1)
Sometimes I sit and think of...
Wonder if goodbye was worth it
I sit alone, and all I do is think of you
You
Sometimes it get’s so very boring without you
I like to think of all our memories
I’ve got a lot about you
And at the time I sit alone
All I do is think of you
All you
I sit alone, and I think a lot
Sometimes when I am looking out my front window
I see the people there
They all breathe the air
The same as you and I do
But yet when I have said goodbyes
There’s only one thing I can do
Is think of you
Sometimes I sit and think alone
I have daydreams and memories
Right here with me at home
I sit alone and think a lot about you
You
Long nights last winter you kept me company
I know the coming summer will be long for me
I’ll sit alone and think a lot about you
You, you, you will be thinking
I’ll sit alone and think a lot about you
I think I’ll go down to the ocean
I’ll speak there with the gods below
I’ll talk of you
I’ll sit alone and ask the waves
Just where I might go to find you

The Only Way You Can Go (2/2)
Gallivantin’ round the universe
Somebody slipped me a gold purse
The lectures are next Friday
Meet you there with a bridegroom
Fortunately you don’t have to inform nobody
We don’t need any audience
You seen me now
At least 15 times as I can count em
Don’t you think that’s some kind of seniority
The future not very great but
Yeah, oh
It’s the only way you can go

I’m Ready (2/3)
If you want to know why you’re a woman
It’s ’cause you don’t want to be a man
Yeah, just wanna have one
You know I have fantasies about you
Laying down, saying
Just come on
You can’t be that unkind
Playing tricks on my mind
I just steal away
??? by the bleachers
Watch the door slam on in my face
I think a brick is cracking
I think a window’s broken
I see your face in every feature
Your hand in every glove
Girls don’t wanna be a man, just want to have one
You know I’m captured in your theater
And I still don’t know what goes on below
But if you got to be with him
I’ll say goodbye
You wonder why I’m a man
Oh, ’cause I don’t want to be a woman
I just wanna have one

THE LIVING END

(Corwood 0756)

Niagra Blues (1/1)
Sometimes go to Niagra
Sometimes go to the grave
Crazy ’bout your dreamer
Crazy ’bout your dark night
You think you’re crippled too
Cripple me a cripple, oh
I think an old black one’s got you now
Think it’s out of sight
Guess a moving picture’s nice
Sitting here I saw it thrice
Ooh, all around you shaking night
You got me in a living fright
Oh, don’t wanna touch it just now
Don’t wanna talk a man now
Just give me a little place here
The night is coming now I fear
Come out in a minute then
Been saying that since don’t know when
???
I have you forever now

Janitor’s Dead (1/2)
Think you want another punch
Think you want a bunch of grass
Do you like the early night
Or is that the sun I sight?
Is your female here tonight?
Has she gone to Lincoln Street?
She fell prey to me today
Stabbed a tumor in her heart
Been away the live long night
Ahh, gone and seen another fright
You keep the people on the stage
Eat a diamond in this age
Fascinate the next step
But — a but — a but do fine
Drink a drink a drink today
Radio, I heard it say
Can you-a see me?
Would you like a master key?
Window’s broken over head
They told me janitor’s dead

Slinky Parade (1/3)
Jesus Christ, Randolph Scott
Bob Dylan and his mother, Dusty Springfield
Came on the road one day
Marched a slinky parade into my eye
Faster picture lit a match
You’re mine forever
Great a bird flew home today
You took him in your wings and said
Little fly on silver dollar
Silver hills and rocket ships
Clean I tied my shoes and ran
Into a forest silver span
A needle dropped in the hay
I pulled a fathom from the sea
Rolled away so fortune free
Punched a finger in the slot
Gimme mine, I’ll take it now
Free to be a Christian ram
Flee past the foggy sand
Oh, free to be a Christian ram
Fleeing past the foggy sand

The Living End (1/4)
All right, bet you don’t know
What you been working for
Maybe I got a clue
I been working for you
You’ve got big blue eyes
And your face’s white
I kept you by my side
Baby, where’d you go
All right
Bet you don’t know
What you been working for

License to Kill (1/5)
Who’s got a license to kill
Tell me who’s got a license to kill
Tell you, I got a license to kill
I got a license to kill myself
Wanna die, wanna die die die
Wanted, wanted someone there
Oh baby, you can’t make me live
Listen, you can’t make me die
I wanna live

Talk That Talk (1/6)
When you talk that talk: ha!
When you say we’re through
I know all I gotta do
Is not listen to you
In another day
You’ll be loving my way
So when you talk that talk
I know all that I gotta do
Is not listen to you
And in another day
You’ll be loving my way
Bringing all that sweet love yeah
All that sweet love
???
Cause you’re my only lover
And I’m your only man
???
Darling, I told you a hundred ????
I give you what you want
And knowing you
Who else is gonna get all that?
Surrender to other (?) thoughts
I know all I gotta do
Is not listen to you

Girl From America (2/2)
[indecipherable]

Embrace the World Outside (2/3)
Embrace the world outside
Go on and chase the fears you hide
A tree is not afraid
???
To see a ??? horizon
Once again, once again the light has come
The light has come
In a hush

Take Me Away With You (2/5)
I’m breakin’ my life in two
I’m breakin’ my life for you
Dancin’ in circles I’m calling ??? through
Fly away, fly away
Take me, take me away with you
Fallin’ the clouds are misty blue
Come on downstairs I’m fallin’ nowhere
Please help me through
There are circles of mystery fallin’ all around me
Fallin’ all around me
I can feel them, I can touch them, I can see
I can see the mystery
And if you see me walkin’ down the street
Don’t sigh at me, don’t sigh, don’t sigh at me
Just let me be
Inside of you
Tired of playin all those dark games
Playin’, playin’, playin
Sayin’ what’s not meant to be for me
Flesh, flesh and bone
???
???
Oh the mystery

Crazy (2/6)
[woman:]
Give me just what you have
Give me just what you have to offer
I’m comin’ on through
I’m tasting the blue
I’m tasting the green
I’m tasting ???
???
Standing on the ???, standing on the ???
???
Talk to the person ???
???
???
???
[Jandek:]
You’re my, you’re my, you’re...

SOMEBODY IN THE SNOW

(Corwood 0757)

Tell Me Who You Are (1/1)
[Jandek] All right all right all right all right
It’s all right
I had a dream
Came to me twice
I had a dream
I had a dream
Came to me twice
[woman] I had a nightmare
[Jandek] Oh, your voice came in the night
[woman] Show me what is there
[Jandek] It was oh so nice
In the night
[woman] Was it a plastic dream?
[Jandek] Tickle myself in your arms
Just once, just once, one night
[woman] Fallin’ into corners
I’m Fallin’ in the street
[Jandek] Just come and tell me
Who you, who you are
Just tell me tonight
[woman] Tell me about your fantasy
Give me your doorway
[Jandek] I had a dream
Came to me twice
[woman] I grasp it lightly
Then I grasp it hard
[Jandek] When you first came to me
I lost it, in the night
Won’t you return?
[woman] Tell me that it’s orange, tell —

Come Through With a Smile (1/2)
Fear Jesus Christ
Ah, don’t fear what you have to do
He didn’t fear what he had to do
I’ll give it back tomorrow
I’ll give it back, all your sorrow
For what it’s worth to you
Come on through with a smile
Come on though and dance awhile
I want the sky with me
Oh, I wanna feel flat (?) color
And the light in the morn’
???
One more time with one more dime
Just one more smile, just one more child
Just one more for me
Just come out to the land of sand and blue-green birds
And we’ll fly all the time
All the night
We’ve got our own style
We’ve got our own mind
We’ve got our own heart
We’ve got our own time
And it’s not the same as for you
It’s not the same as for you
Changes are comin’, changes are comin’
Changes come, changes are comin’
You’ll never be inside
You’ll never be the one
Like ??? streets in brown instead of blue
Instead of blue
Forest turns green, forest turns blue
Forest turns black, and I’m with you
Forest turns brown
Comes runnin’, comes rainin’, comes lightnin’
Comes thunderin’ [3x]
A flash of blue
Never comin’ back [7x]
I’m goin’

I May Not Be Around (1/3)
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Fire in the hole (?)
???
???
Count me once
Count me twice
You better not count me three times
You better just wait and see
I may not be around for long
I’m takin’ the next train or plane
To right
To wrong
To right
To wrong
I’m gonna ??? to ??? be a ???
??? while you’re missing me ??? with me
You’re gonna miss me oh lord
I know you’re missing me
But I’m, I’m nowhere at all
???
Switching ???
Switching ???
???
???

Bring It In a Manger (1/6)
You questioned her legs, spread on the table
Vultures that prey in her bosom, cursed her questions
Said she was dead anyway
A virgin mild scream
She wasn’t dead, just wasted
Said I’ll find a true eagle some day
Give him my genitals in a paper cup
Give him my soul and rainbow
Lie (?), sing this song
Take a god from his list
Push a baby from these legs
Bring it to him in a manger

Walking Around (2/1)
I wasn’t making sense, ???
Some of us are making ???
Some of us ???
Caught between the lies
???
??? deeper blue, a lighter hue
I wish I could learn
I wish I would burn my ???
I’m walking away
Into a new day
I’m walking around
’Cause the towers of Babylon
Have fallen down
???
Fallen down
???
I can feel dust
I can feel its ugly touch
I’m going away
I’m going away
Going away
To the day
You can’t call it Monday
You can’t call it Friday
You can’t call it anything at all

Sense of Reason (2/2)
Did you ever think about me?
Did you ever say my name?
Did you ever want to be me?
Aw, did you ever, did you ever
Oh, baby, now that I’m without you
I can’t help but think about you
You took away my sense of motion
You took away my sense of time
I lost my very reason

Remind You (2/3)
[right channel] I got fifteen jokers hot as lead
[right channel] I got a Kodak camera in my head
[left channel] I been on the Bowery
[left channel] Been on Beacon Hill
[left channel] I ain’t got no money
[left channel] Oh Jesus, I never will
[right channel] I got the right of way down a one way street
[right channel] I click a finger to the beat
[left channel] You got all money
[left channel] Why you want me too
[right channel] From before and what’s more
[left channel] I ain’t got no money
[left channel] What you want me to do
[right channel] I got you
[left channel] Where you put your laundry
[left channel] I ain’t never been
[left channel] All I got‘s my shoes
[left channel] They took me where I been
[right channel] You’re the dream I been dreamin’
[left channel] And are you serious when you say my name
[left channel] Saw you something (?)
[left channel] I know I ain’t playin’
[left channel] So I’ll say goodbye
[left channel] Hope you knew I came
[left channel] Just to remind you [2x]
[right channel] You’re the cast of my eye
[right channel] Yes, you’re the catch of the season

Corner of the Street (2/4)
Well I read about your bargain basement
At the corner of the street
And about the strangers fawning
At the sidewalk and your feet
While running, try to meet me
At the edge of the dawn
Where you saw the sun come rollin’
Across the meadow lawn
You saw the sun come rollin’
Across the meadow lawn
You were runnin’
Tried to meet me
At the edge of the dawn
And about the strangers fawning
At the sidewalk and your feet
Well I read about your bargain basement
At the corner of the street

Stick With Me (2/5)
Steven, don’t you know that I be breathin’
Steven, I wish you weren’t leavin’
Steven, you got me believin’
Steven, aw I wished you were deceivin’
Steve, don’t leave
Steve, don’t make me grieve
Steven, I’ll fall in love with my friend
And when you wanna bargain
You’ll have to forgive my (???)
Please Steve
Think it over, give me another chance
Steve, don’t leave
Don’t leave me Stevie
Come on, stick with me

What You Give Me (2/6)
You give what you give me
And I get a lot
You give what you give me
Christ told Moses
On a merry old day
You got work to do
I can’t chase no one person
Mess me up, and I ain’t no good
There’s lots of people and lots of ???
You give what you give me
I got to tell you
I take what I want
I don’t take nothin’
You can take what you want
You give what you give me

You Sing a Song (2/7)
I paint a picture, you got a gallery
I got ??? time, you got a motion
I look at the wall, you say a prayer
I look for a number, you got them all hidden
I got the door, you got the mirror
I sing a song, you got the mouth
I got a mirror, I got a gallery
I got a motion, I got a mouth
I keep them all hidden, I say a prayer
You look at the wall, you paint a picture
You messin’ with time, you look for a number
You got a door, you sing a song

Walking Home (2/8)
Hey sit back, it’s easy
Well sit back, it’s easy
Well sit back, and it’s easy
Well sit back, and it’s easy, easy, easy
Yes, once again
A-hah, sit back, and it’s easy
Sit back and it’s easy
Sit back, whoo
???, it’s easy

ONE FOOT IN THE NORTH

(Corwood 0758)

Yellow Pages (1/1)
You’ve got to help me dear
Because there’s no release
From this tangled (?) beast (?)
You got to be my guide
Ride by my side
I got a sickness now
When I’m gone it seems
You got my very dreams
I took a chance now
Chance for romance now
Don’t let me lose
You’ve got to help me dear
Because there’s no release
From this tangled (?) beast (?)
Beast got me walking straight
Straight to the stockyard gate
I ain’t about to die
But you can have your way
Don’t ever go away
’Cause you know everything
Hangs from a golden chain
Around your white neck
I’m spendin’ time now
With the great ones
That hang from your ceiling
You got to help me dear
Because there’s no release
From this tangled (?) beast (?)

Angel (1/2)
With your reckless wisdom
And your arms baking
With your eyes a-glitter
And your heart of stone
Well I think I see a weasel
Come climbin’ off the floor
Since the day my baby left the door
With your key all broken
And your face a-flutter
With your spare ribs groaning
And you’re panic-stricken
What’s that you’re wearing
I feel you in my soul
Since the day I turned around
Day I turned around [2x]
With your fingers missing
And your paper dreams

Show the Man Your Picture (1/3)
You show the man your picture
And you walk on through the door
You click your card in the box
And then you empty your stride
’Cause you know where you are
Gather your orange oil cloths
And place them ’round your place
It’s all clean and the bell rings
And you can watch ’em comin’ down the line
They’re comin’ down a line
Pick them up and drop them in
Press two green buttons and watch
Spin rods move
Gears spinnin’ like a top

Think About Your Lady (1/4)
Well, you can think about your lady
You can think about your car
Never forget who you are
And they’re your thoughts, mister
They ain’t no company
And baby won’t this evenin’ be lovely
Smell the clean air
Oh honey, let’s make it nice tomorrow
I’m thinkin’ it out
Oh and when that day comes
It&squo;s in my wallet
I wanna bring it home to you
You’re my tomorrow
You’re my today
Drivin’ a car, it’s a Cadillac
When you got some place to go
Oh darling you know you like it

Real Fine Movement (1/5)
It’s a nice painting
When your standing up close
You can watch it
It’s a crazy melody
But you can sing it
There’s a nice Jamaican twist
To turn your arm
I went to get some gas
Around the corner
A pretty lady made me stop
To sing a song
For you [4x]

Alehouse Blues (1/6)
I got the alehouse blues
I heard the jailhouse news
Little Randy just died
He was a red-haired punk
Packed a lot of spunk
They say he never cried
He was a pal of mine
Paid my hundred dollar fine
We got drunk all night
Somebody called me a liar
At the two-bit bar
It was Randy won that fight
And then the cops pulled round
We didn’t want to be found
We just said goodbye

Upon the Grandeur (2/1)
Let’s burst upon the grandeur
Second to see the same
And when it’s time
To find a flame
To ??? to burn your picture
I ???
You build a place for me
I cry upon a cornerstone
You there to find a phone
You turn around today
You burn a land away
You smile, say it’s OK
I fail to see the day
And if you go away
I will wait here and miss you
Join hands and love the way
Be born again today
I feel quizzical
That’s the reason
And there’s no question
I see the nylon (?)
And when this time’s over
There’ll be another one
To be in front of this one
Moving on to the next one
And if the drug hurts
It’s cold and your neck hurts
The ink don’t spill no more
On letters read before
I leave at dawn today
To find another way
’Til I dream I see the light
That brings my fortune here tonight

Phoenix (2/2)
Said goodbye, San Francisco
Got to go, Arizona
Said why’d you leave me, Denver
I don’t even have a chance
Guess Ohio’s got my number
Rhode Island’s got my name
Snap, the wood makes you dance
The music’s in its chamber
The door is locked and sealed
The weight is on your shoulders
The past is at your heel
Guess the plight is in your fancy
When you rip out though the door
The rest is how you feel
We’re not gonna take it out to the farm, lest you leave
The rest is how you make it
Gentle as the sun come up in the mornin’
As the moon goes out this evenin’
Open the shade
The night time’s gone away
You’ll have my love if you say
I dreamed a fellow took your arm
Led you to his ???
I woke up shattered in the night
Frozen feelings up on their way
A shaking hand in me today
I left the San Francisco Bay
I dreamed a dream that wasn’t right

Dreaming Man (2/3)
And we’ll all wake up in the morning
Ink spots on your feet
You know you been walking down the pages
Of a mysterious dream
But though you did not understand
That this was a different land
And I was your dreaming man
See that rainbow you’re steppin’ on
Oh no it wasn’t there before
It’s from your eyes they must be open
Crying for a dream once more
Oh no you didn’t understand
That this was a different land
And I was your dreaming man
Yeah when you wake up in the morning
Shakin’ for a hand
You know you had a whole body
Lovin’ at your command
Oh when you see the sunrise of the day
You know it’s far away
Since the night you left your baby
Since the night you heard him say
You did not understand
That this was a different land
And I was your dreamin’ man
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Breast in a Moonbeam (2/4)
With your breast in a moonbeam
Foot on a stair
You weep on my shoulder
I feel full shackled
I think you’re lonely (?)
I been here cause I think there’s been a change
You’re not in my pocket
You’re not on the phone
With your ear to listen
And you’re not on the phone
I’m a liar (?)
But I could write you a letter, now
But I don’t know where I am
Never pure but I’m (show you?)
You’re lost in the jungles
With your prints on the fingers
And your painted footsteps
I give you my life

Honey (2/5)
Honey, I tried to be your friend
And now I wonder if I’ll see you again

LOST CAUSE

(Corwood 0759)

Green and Yellow (1/1)
It’s only that I forget how to look at things
In green and yellow of the world outside
The faces of the people in the shadows
It’s not only that I could not practice art
And you know a man without his work’s no good
I sail the seven seas to sing about it
This one’s dark and dangerous as you know
I sing about it as the ones before
But the next one oh my lover will be lonely
I’ll scream your name in a tunnel
In the alley
I’ll look for you each and every night
I’ll be a desperate man, what a man
Who longs to love and hold and yes provide for
And takes his lovely lady by the hand
And leads her home for a promised land
Who gets up in the morning mmmm
And goes to work

Babe I Love You (1/2)
Babe I love you
Babe I love you
Sun is green
Moon is white
Baby I love you
Look outside
Genitals
Baby I love you
’Cause I’m fast
???
Baby I love you
Christ is near if you fear
He knows you
Baby I love you
Time is right, dynamite
Baby I love you
Go to bed, shut my head
Baby I love you
Black is white
Moon is bright
Baby I love you
Feast my eyes
On paradise
Baby I love you

Cellar (1/3)
I ran around the corner, I stepped into a cellar
Now I’ve tears in my eyes, I’ve got the ale house blues
I’ve heard the jailhouse lose
Little Randy just died
Thought he’d be all right
But soon after that night
The paper doesn’t mind that little Randy died

How Many Places (1/4)
How many places have you called your home
How many faces look the same as your own
How did you do it when they stripped you of your pride
Would you say it’s time, oh won’t you say it’s time
You go write on the wall, I will not talk in class
Fifty times, go write on the wall
When they sent you back here
Did they make a mistake
Was it them that lost their reason
When you were begging for a friend

Crack a Smile (1/5)
Make (?) me with it (?)
It’s all a game of Sunday fortune
In your eye
Crack a smile
Fortune frowns on your bad heart
Can you bless them, will you
With a curse of a doubt
Crack a smile
Don’t let your fortune fail you
I can be your heart
To be the weight on
A word from the
Report to your bone
Crack a face made of ice
Crack a black body
Don’t let your fortune fail you
Crack a smile

God Came Between Us (1/6)
God came between us
He brought a huge sun
He brought the black night
We know no other way
God came between us
The line made us all blind, made us blind
Who do you think that we could see
Earth Mars Venus or Mercury
God came between us, God came between us
And he lit our hearts on fire and put it out with oceans
Nobody’d ever see us, nobody’d ever know
But God came between us, God came between us

I Love You Now It’s True (1/7)
You saw what happened at the Tower of Babel
They couldn’t even talk to each other
Shake my hand tightly
Hold me dear
I love you it’s true
Oh Jesus, this is your day
You come to us in every way
Jesus, in the morning, late at night
Smiling, oh, thank you lord
I love you it’s true

TWELFTH APOSTLE

(Corwood 0760)

Walking (1/1)
My my it’s your ironside
Mmmmmm that’s you
Oh oh you’ve got a lot to give
Yes yes you’re true
Well, don’t need a horse to hold me
Don’t need no automobile
When you are what you are
Then there ain’t no dream they could steal (that could)
I’m walking up to you
You’ve got me holding your hand
I’m not a foreigner no no no
I’m just a man you made (memory)
Carpenters are all around
Making shoes to walk the ground

You’re Not Even Alive (1/2)
Draw me a wise thin as blood
And I watch it dance on a ballroom floor
Send me peaches from afternoon
I know horses that lie to be damned
Baby I’m blessed with a putty knife
Trying to find a window in the painted sand, oh
It’s my duty to find you happy today
Just as I’m tearing your life away
Caught around an avalanche
Look at the snow discolored blanch
I tried to lift you underneath an elm tree
But you wanted to go back
Painting all your treasures black

Native Land (1/3)
When it comes and you get the very shudder
And maybe you were not so much being like the other
So get in line you’re losing time
Don’t burn golden eagles just to feel sublime
It’s like a liquor store I don’t live here anymore
Just flying a kite that’s out of sight
Except you see I’m innocent
It’s not my fault I live in a vault
I lost my glasses and it’s time to run
Into summer setting sun
The native land is revolution
It’s got my Mississippi attention
When you’re all white are you all black
I’m all green and she’s all purple

Rooftop Sunset (1/4)
Well I guess it’s time
Well I guess it’s time
Put it down again mmmmm
I guess it’s time
Kept awake (away?) for a while
Hide behind a smile
Travel many miles
I guess it’s time
By the floating bird
Hey bird have you heard
That the sun is low in the country I go
I guess it’s time
Well I guess it’s time

Bedside (1/5)
Going off the deep end
Oh honey won’t you be my friend
Liberty’s a friend of mine
Beats me to it all the time
Yeah all
Going off at the deep end
See the mercury with you go in
Missed the days of miracle (mister)
Hanging from a windowsill
You better believe yourself
Crying in the Everglades
Red yellow orange green
Chump won’t you go before you’re seen
What did you give
What do you need

Solid Stone (1/6)
Looking at the map again
Hey boy
Looking at the map again
Where am I now, let’s see
Hey boy
It’s not where I want to be
On the inside now it’s all drawn
Hey boy
Maladjusted infantry
Hey boy, hey hey boy
Where you want to be
San Francisco
Did it once, did it twice
Hey boy, I’m back in town
Laughing like a jolly clown
Hey boy
It’s solid stone

Out in the Rain (2/1)
Landed in jail, couldn’t pay my bail
Yes sirree, I guess I’m free
On a blacktop roof with a pine cone
Virtuosity, that’s jealousy
If I can be free, you won’t see me
In a million years with a bag of tears
Liver in my cup
Sliver in my veins
And a flowerpot out in the rain
Kind of mean
Just fourteen
And a high brochure, you can be sure
Of a foreign land out in the sand
Down by the way of a sunshine ray
Yes you can live but you can’t tell
The fortune of our blinding love
It’s in the skies you know
Where you must go

The Gone Wait (2/2)
Now I got time to wait awhile
Before I walk that faithful mile
And so I sit beside a window
So I can see which way the winds blow
It’s a promised land you hold in your hand
It’s a fine line that you do see
And the certain friend who set you free
There’s talk of leaving that I hear
In the wind so very clear
It’s gone you know where you must go
Hey can’t you find a better way
Let your fortune find you gone away
Become today there’s no better way

Could Be Anyone (2/3)
You took out my eye
And I wonder why
Are you the same birth
You’re not me
I can’t see the sun
Moving July, the babies on the floor
I’m not saying anymore
For you to hear now
??? house
The way to get around you
Now that I have found you
The sight of you everywhere
Just like some monster in the air
In the house that has no locks
Locks her baby in her box

Twelfth Apostle (2/4)
They say ???
???
They say you died before
And you’re living now
Well I would like to know you
If I can be your friend
They say its not easy to talk to you
I think I’ll try
Please don’t pass me by
Come and see me
You’re welcome here
I would like to know you
Can I go your way
They say you’re the one to rely on all the days
They say you died before
And you’re smiling now
Well I would like to know you
If I can, I’ll be your friend
They say it’s not easy to be with you for very long
But please don’t pass me by
I think I’d like to try
Oh must I go down
Where are you going
Come back again

White Knob (2/5)
Well I can see that drawer sitting over there
Moving the same kind of ???
And I see magic in your hair
Your sides are so clear
I look at the buildings and I hear
You on my mind in no particular time of year
Light flowing down breaking in the day
For you to find me in just one of the ways
To make it look like ???
Don’t you know that the sun shines alone
Didn’t you that I’d be moving along
Oh blessed trees why did you come
Filling times and bothering none
Oh creaming gas you bled the day

Whiskers (2/6)
Whiskers, whiskers, whiskers, whiskers
I see whiskers on your face
The way you look is a disgrace
I guess nothing could take the place of your whiskers, your whiskers
Ha ha, have to laugh you see
’Cause this is where I’d like to be
This and that would seem quite strange
And you couldn’t even want to die
If the problem was like that
You can say that to the cutter
Oh no no I think you better
You see we were thinking of leaving too

Four by Four (2/7)
Just drifting down
A morning town
With stacks (slats?) of wood
And chicken wire
Took poaching egg
A wedding cake
Passed by the way
I heard it say
That you were mine
And I was yours
In that way
We’ll feel okay
Then come with me
And come and see, we’ll go
Another town come
Dripping down
And I’ll get you
A house so blue
You’ll wish you were
With me some place
Way far away again
Into the mountains and valleys
Of the night
???
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You won’t go buying maple wood
???
You tell me that you are free
Well let’s see
What the season

GRAVEN IMAGE

(Corwood 0761)

Remain the Same (1)
I drive, I don’t know where I’m driving
I am, I don’t know what it is to be
You could just find me floating sometimes
Down rivers of tears
I’m sorry
The years leave me different
If only you
Remain the same

Helena (2)
I see it says Pitchstone Plateau
Before I had a chance to shut the door
Helena you held no lies
Stolen from my youthful eyes
Captured in your fleeting past
Time is lost and I’m gassed
Air is thin you’re very light
I saw young girls there
In your arms and in a dream
And when I woke I heard you scream
You said: “Where’s this? What kind of place
Is dying in the human race?”
I fell down on the sidewalk then
Got up to drive away again

Ghost Town By the Sea (3)
By the sea by the sea
In a Point Judith diary I
Found many rocks all pretty colors
I found waves that split the sound
Of a silent summer’s day
And oh the smell it is so clean
And all of this so constantly old, old, old
The firewood for the fire
Has drifted from the sea
Names and colors decorate the flames
??? up in smoke
Some sailing vessel’s history
Rowing boats are out there now
Fishing for their game
Rocking in the water contemplatively
Shiny little houses
Faded by the sea
Are watching through their windows
In this ghost town by the sea
This ghost town by the sea

Be Going Down (5)
He’ll be going down
After that one piece
Over there

Nothing You Lack (6)
Best that you forget me
Cause I talk too much
And all the like of such
All the time
Got a merciful mind
Is a streaking giraffe
Costing four cents a pound
If you lay on the ground
A monkey jumps on your back
Hey, there’s nothing you lack
Except a big red sack
To put your head in
And leave it there
For centuries to spit on
They scream from the mountains
I can’t hear your ear
There’s all in the way
Those movies are ugly

Chilocothe (7)
Been eating too much
Oh baby, something’s wrong
Been nervous enough
Been thinking out loud
Baby why is there a crowd
Stick it over again
Oh why are we here
It’s not that clear
But now it’s all worth it
Now that it’s your birthday
Chilocothe feeds me bread
It’s the only way to get ahead
Come back again I beg you please

For You and I (8)
I know I don’t have much to say
Mmmmmm I don’t have much to show
But I’m waiting
I’m waiting
I don’t have much to show
But I know, I know you
You’re waiting too
Oh I’m waiting, I am waiting
And I know there’s an answer
That is waiting
For you and I when we die
Oh I know there’s an answer
That is waiting
Waiting for you and I when we die

Janky (9)
Sure is clanky that hobnail Janky
Cleaning my boots in the pebbles and the sun
Along come Janky he sure is clanky
That Janky is clanky all the time
Clanky Janky, clanky Janky
Butter me up some bread right now
Don’t wanna be clanky but here comes Janky
Janky is clanky I’ll have you know
That Janky is clanky all the time
Clanky Janky
Clanky Janky

Lake Lagoon (10)
Shirley ran with the big fat man
All over town with a nervous frown
If you behave then you can save
A license for your liquor store
Shoot a hen, run down again
To the marsh you saw in a field of straw
That’s Lake Lagoon in the evening time
Just before the sun goes down
Betcha moon won’t catch you tonight
Betcha got you running all right (should it be all right?)
Let the redwoods keep you awake
Shining in the lake for sake
Out in a boat on Lake Lagoon
There isn’t no time not even in June

Phillip Was Mentioned (11)
Phillip was mentioned
In a corner where I was
Phillip was mentioned
Oh don’t you sit on glass
It breaks into an aquarium
Bernie’s in the middle of chocolate and baseball love
Middle earth and houses rare
Spanish skyline in the air
You’ve been there before it’s true
Heavenly and sacred ???
You can’t play out here too long
There was a shot sent everybody running
Another made them stop a while
They’re killing him without a trial

Closing (12)
There’s a secret in your hair
And it’s wishing to be where
And so it seems
I’ll have my dreams to give you
And now I think I’ll close my eyes
To be the one you sleep with
And I’m not there
I’m in the air
You will wait for me
You’ll be the one til winter’s come
And we freeze in the snow
Blood runs warm and it runs cold
History is remarkable
And I’ll say what I have said
It’s nothing as you know

Fishing Blues (13)
Sometimes I wonder if I’ve even got a song
But you can always sing the fishing blues
And all that time there ain’t no news
Just see how long that you can’t wait
When you don’t have no living bait
You’re washed ashore the sun is hot
Row back again to another spot
Throw your dead bait again
Ain’t caught no fish since don’t know when
Oh my God I got those fishing blues
Oh this ain’t no pleasure cruise
Row back again to sit and wait
And on the hook is my death bait

Going Away My Darling (14)
I’m going away my darling
I’ll send you my address
A black cat crossed my path
And I’m nervous at the sound
Sun will greet me in the morning
Wind will meet me in the cold
Cause I’m going away my darling
Can’t take you along with me
Be myself in the country
I’ll come back as best I can
And if I make (?) the man I’m thinking
You’ll be the guest at his parade
Catch a leaf that blooms in April
Step out of the winter snow
And if by then you still love me
The country air is fresh and clean
And by the time it’s time to ride
Into the city for the stage
I’ll ride on in to bring life
That I been living all this time
For those to see
Who have not heard about the love
You gave to me
About the love I wrote about
Inside myself in a quiet time
And if by then you come and tell me
That you must find a truer love
For yourself and that’s for certain
A truer love I hope you find
I took the light shines from your forehead
I took the darkness of your breast
I give them to the lonely world
I give to you
You gave to me

Going Away (15)
Oh jeez
You got me hollering please
Where does it all come from anyway
Do I really want this to stay
It must have been right
I’m a fool
Are you gonna be here when I die
Does it make a difference
If I lie
And ??? is just something that
You gotta do
Is something that you do and (?)
Is this really gonna stay
I can feel it going away

GLAD TO GET AWAY

(Corwood 0762)

Bitter Tale (1)
It’s a cold and bitter tale
About a man whose spent his time in jail

Hey Mister Can You Tell Me (2)
Hey mister can you tell me
Is there a knife stuck in your face
Have matchbook covers been your mirrors
Do you feel your hand in your own pocket
Hey mister do you count the shadows that fall before you
Hey mister can you tell me
Is there a knife stuck in your face
Do you have the shivers underneath your skin
Hey mister can you tell me
Where it is you’re going
Hey mister you got the blues written over your face
Looks like you’re never going to be in your place
The way you’ve been carrying on is a disgrace
But you know it’s the only way to be, yeah
Now you can go and look in any corner
And you can buy a ticket to a movie
And you can walk out at night
And you can buy your own groceries
Hey mister can you tell me
Is there a knife stuck in your face

Ezekiel (3)
Ezekiel
I don’t know your name
But I’m going to find a way
Ezekiel
I heard you say
That you are with me anyway
Take my time Ezekiel
I don’t know your name
But I heard about your fame
All the way out here
You can take my time, Ezekiel
I’m going to find a way
I heard about you long ago
All this time I said no
Float on your waters, Ezekiel
I’m coming (huh) to find a way

Moon Dance (4)
I got life and death stains on my pants
It’s coming and going out of my clothes
This here my soul, I’m dead
I never knew what living was
For God’s sake I’m alive
Burning in my eyes and mind
Do they call this a living hell
Rockets soaring through me well
Thank god it’s a picture of three weeks
Bloody mountain chasing desert running freaks
Oh no, what do I say
I didn’t mean it anyway
It came down through a falling star
To dance around the moon for you

Flowers On My Shirt (5)
Gotta go quick ending absurd
Who says the vision is nearly blurred
Fingers fingers fingers fingers
It’s the end this time I know
Blow breeze, the air is heavy
Hangs down where you walked before
Telling lies and using spoons
To find the rebels in the rooms
Where Jesus was all the time
Caring for the tender children
Looking at the rooms once more
I find a line drawn on the wall
It spells your name my lord and yes
I accept, I think we should go

Morning Drum (6)
It’s only that I’m waiting
Waiting
And I can’t see the end
Or where it all begins
Only that this waiting
Has me here again
Waiting
Oh and I can’t see the end
So won’t you come
Waiting in the evening sun
Beating like a morning drum
Strings and fire
Oh can’t you run
Waiting in the summer moon
Where it all begins
Waiting ’til the never end

Down Clown (7)
Who you kidding, ain’t yourself
You’ve been lying on the second shelf
Burning a tire, how fortunate
Can’t you mix it up better than that
Lazy crazy, living a lie
Honest as chalk
Crushing victims, oh so sly
Born in a rainbow over the sky
You’ve lost your eyes you know
Fell from the skies, land how (?)
Now those feet are planted so firm
Oil slick grease slide now your down
Just like a clown your face so sad
Never quite thought it would be so bad

Rain in Madison (8)
Rain’s pouring down in the window
And I’m sitting here in Madison
Trying to figure out where you are
Yes, I’m sitting here in my car
Drove a long long way
But I didn’t have no rain until today
I was way out far where it didn’t rain much
I could see pretty clearly
But now today there’s all this rain
I guess it’s the end
I guess I just really didn’t know
And now we’ve got to stay here
Or else get all wet
You know you can’t bring no
Electric devices out into the rain

Van Ness Mission (9)
If you think that you’re the one
Let me into summer sun
Well you’re right, I’ve been surmised
By the appearance of the sky
By the look that’s in your eyes
I see how the summer flies
Way up high without its wings
Fortunate for everything
I want you to speak aloud
Tell me of a sparkling crowd
Why they tremble at the sound
Of a lazy eerie round
Shotgun shells are on the ground
Of the forest and the town

Anticipation (10)
She’s a rebel in the country
She’s the black girl that stole my mind (heart?)
She wears red lipstick and
Her legs are thin as the moon
She’s got a look in her eye
Takes you for a diamond (?) cruise
She’s got a full breast eagle (ego?)
She’s the dark woman of my heart
Her skin is pure ivory
She wears red patent leather shoes
Just looking at her you know you can never lose
She’s a beast in the city
And she gave me a trembling heart
She’s a singer on Sunday
She prays to the lord above
She’s a waitress in the kitchen
She’s the woman in my dreams
She had a look on her face
When I gave her a golden ring

Take My Will (12)
Jesus take my will
Jesus take my will
Take mine and give me yours
Take mine and give me yours
In six minutes I’m gone
Gone to ride the next train
Pack on my back
And the two dollar bill
Jesus take my will
Take mine and give me yours
So I’ll be placing my call
Just to let you know
I won’t be here no more
Jesus take my will
Take mine and make it yours
Jesus take my will
Take it and make it yours

Plenty (13)
You must you must keep listening
I don’t know why but I must keep listening
You must you must keep listening
I don’t know why but I must I must keep listening

What (14)
At the end of the Macabees’
The Jones’ find their fault
At the end of the day
Don’t turn around you’ll have to pay
At the end of the rivers
Go find your way through every day
At the end of the rivers
At the end of the Macabees’
The Jones’ find their fault
At the end of the day
Don’t turn around you’ll have to pay
What did you do today
I brought you this way

WHITE BOX REQUIEM

(Corwood 0763)

White Box (2)
Well I did it now
Oh I did it now
The box said do not open under pain of death
It had my initials there where
I signed my initials there on it
On that white box
I saw initials there
Do not open under pain of death
But I opened it anyway
I died anyway
I died anyway
So I come back to stay (and say?)
Come back to stay
Lord knows I love you anyway
I love you anyway

Second Thoughts (3)
I been havin’ a bad case of the second thoughts
You know what (how?) the second thoughts is
You think first and then you think about it
Bad case of the second thoughts
Second thoughts
But (’bout? by?) so much of first thoughts

Thinking (6)
If you’re thinking in your head
If you will hear what I have said
I can’t say it

Part Yesterday (7)
Yesterday I could say it
I know I could
I just know
Cause I’m part yesterday
Makes me all today
But it’s so hard to tell you
I quit describing things
That’s what I did
Now you got to go searching inside of your strings (this drink?)
You better, you better not tell
You won’t be able to
You won’t be able to
And this I know
Cause I’m not able to
Have any second thoughts
Oh, I opened the box
I opened the box anyway

Evening Sun (9)
When I live I will die
When I die I will live
Oh when I live I will live
When I die I will die

Must Have Been A Miracle (10)
It must have been a miracle
Sent you down to me
Reminded me of me
And then I needed, I wanted
You made me come alive
You made me (live?), you made me die

Wondering (11)
I thank you for your light
You’re so hard to believe
I hardly believe you
That you could be there — so hard to believe
You got me wondering
Cause I can’t believe you hardly
But I can, I can believe you hardly

What Should I Do (12)
Well I, but (?) I try
Work something out
I found out
Something different
So what should I do

Didn’t Really Die (14)
And now I don’t know if what I did
Was wrong or right
I believe you and I don’t
But I believe you
One of those other men he said
It was very good
So I got second thoughts
I wanna die this way
So I can live another day
With you
So I didn’t really die
I just killed myself anyway
You can see
So you see this is my second thoughts
I’m sending away
Best way I can
It’s the best way I can
You know why, do you know why

I WOKE UP

(Corwood 0764)

First Awake Moment (1)
First awake moment
Joy, sorrow
Pain, lifeline
Slam
Second sight
Sixth image
God fear
Third light
Marriage sight
Key
And they were
??? beauty
On what I have held my heart
So long is you
Against the call
Of an outstretched hand
Of a drowning figure
So long ???

Alone On That Mountain (2)
Alone, alone on that mountain
Dear frozen heart
Sinks as stone
Beneath all waters
Alone on that mountain
Dear frozen heart
Sinks as stone
Beneath all waters(2)

I Can Not (3)
I can not
You can yet
Such is love is
Such love is
As I see it [2x]
Continuously
After being rescued
Sit helpless [3x]
Outside of you
I guess I can not
Do without you

Long Long (5)
Looking out at the heads of the people
Looking out from a window so high
Lost the shape and time of things
It’s all a river just floating by
I guess I earned a raft that couldn’t sink
Guess I learned about the missing link
??? would forget to think
You are alone there’s nobody to see
Swinging the blues is what ought to be
You are all alone there’s nobody to see
Singing the blues is what ought to be
Walking the streets
And kicking your heels
Loving the way the sidewalk feels
There’s a man in his forties passing you by
There’s a lady in lace catches my eye
There’s a melody in 3/4ths time
There’s a rhythm here and it’s all mine
Walking the streets
Kicking heels
Loving the way the sidewalk feels
Holding your hand, lord
I think I know
Feeling my way in the river of flow

Equaled In Life (7)
It’s equal
Equaled in life
Giving and receiving [2x]
How could
How could it not be
The beginning (?)
Of limitless joy

Star Of Zenith (8)
O Star of Zenith, hear my plea(?)
??? from me beneath the ???
All I ask of you
??? the entity (?)
For what you do ???
Fall apart etc.
???
???
No other
Sun has set [2x]
And will rise
If you let it
This day(?) rise
If you get it
Mistake(?)
If you rise
Let it
If you
Let it etc.
Space [2x]
Space to rise

Take It Easy (9)
Easy [4x]
Take it easy [3x]
Easy [4x]
Take it easy [2x]
You better take it easy

Just Die (10)
Death comes knocking at your door
You don’t have to go
Asking for
You don’t have to go asking what for
It’s not a question
Of yes or no
You just go, oh no
Yes
It’s no, it’s no use
It’s no use asking them why
Just die
Regulation passing by
Frequently I have to sigh
Gonna go [2x]
Be a square
Rhombozoid or trapezoid
I don’t care [4x]
Here it comes
It’s already there
Sit down and die
In your favorite chair

Pending Doom (11)
Doom
Pending doom [6x]
New York, you (?)
Pacific sea
Pending doom
Two travelers approach
Unconscious thread
In shield of friendship
On parallel course
Master ???
Master navigator plotted
Unknown
Master navigator plotted
Unknown
Unknown to will of man

Sleepless Night (12)
???

Today (13)
Good night [3x]
???
???
McCain
McCain was my name
God is now alive in the world today
God it’s so hard
God is still alive
God is now alive in the world today

NEW TOWN

(Corwood 0765)

New Town (1)
I thought I would send you
The last song I wrote
I thought I’d recommend you
With six words that I wrote
The last time I saw you
Was I don’t know when
That’s when I knew you
In all places I’d been
Just look around
You’re living in the new town
All the faces seem like they’re underground
Hey listen can you hear me
Just because you’re near me
Let’s pretend there’s a good chance
Yes and then we’ll try romance
It’s not the same as it was before
But that don’t change it anymore

Steal Away Home (2)
Steal away, steal away
Steal away, steal away home
I ain’t got a-long to stay here
Steal away, steal away
Steal away, steal away home
My Lord he calls me
He calls me by the thunder
The trumpet sounds within my soul
I ain’t got long to stay here
Steal away, steal away
Steal away, steal away home
I ain’t got long to stay here
Steal away, steal away
Steal away, steal away home
I ain’t got long to stay here
Steal away, steal away
Steal away, steal away home
Green trees are bendin’
Poles in the sand are tremblin’
The trumpet sounds within my soul
I ain’t got long to stay here
Oh Lord I ain’t got long to stay here

You Standing There (4)
When the sinner wakes
The priests are piling in the hay
A little song sung away
Guess who’s been after you
Guess who’s before you
Season turning, looks like when
We’ll be coming back again
We’ll be coming back again
Light has come remembering
You standing there in that thing
Busted out again until the dawn
Comes creeping across the meadow lawn
And time and space around you are gone
You’re looking into blackest night
Your fortune, love, has not gone away
It’s here to stay

Desert Voice (5)
Well if the moon don’t getcha tonight
If the graveyard’s still in sight
If you’re moving a little too fast
Just slow down, put a stop on your nerves
Use a blotter for your energy
And you’ll see that it’s been 110 degrees
And the sunspots you’re knowing
Carrying the dreams away
You can take a louder voice
In the desert
Is crying out your name
And you ain’t getting younger
And you ain’t getting older
Your shoes just freeze the same
And it looks like
You just like that name
You just like that name

Let Me Hear the Words You Say (6)
Your foot’s a-getting colder
Look over your shoulder
The one you are seeing
That’s what you never knew
Hey, please Mom, I’m aching
My feet and my legs are
Beginning to groan
And a-look what I’m after
Some God way away
I scream out your name, God
I scream out your name
Let me hear the words you say
I’m just a poor boy anyway
Hey girl can you see him
Hey you do you know
I’m sending it to you
The gift I never gave
And shiny it was — brook trout
Oh that’s what you never knew

The Real You (7)
When I was nine
I wanted a real gun
They gave me an air gun
When I was 25
I wanted you
You gave me a stone
Who are they — and who are you?
Oh, when I was nine
I wanted a real gun
They gave me an air gun
Then I wanted the real you
And you are hiding again

It Would Only Be Action (8)
Oh please don’t ask me
Not again — it wouldn’t work
It would be a paragraph or somethin’
It would only be action
I know things
I must get out
Oh but I’m weak — doin’ fine
Getting better all the time
Waste away, look at that
I’ll bet you thought
I’ll bet you thought
Okay, you want some real action
Well you can’t have it
“Oh yes,” you say, “I know but...”
You don’t know what I say
You’re too busy reeling around
I couldn’t even end at this
Cause everything is such a fuss

Look At It (9)
I just want to be real
And if this life ends soon
I’m done
Crush crush crush crush
I don’t hurt you now — I don’t
Oh now, you don’t a-have to wait
Just look around the open gate
She always looks at me so strange
Oh she looked at me so strange
But how did she get there
I don’t know I just saw her stare

Time Will Come (10)
Blinka blinka blinka blinka
Do do do it
Do do do it
Do do do it fine
Do it fine
Do it fine
Then you’ll agree
That later you’ll be here
I’m hoping it’s true
I’m so sad
We’re so bad
Not even real
Time will come
If a-you hope
All will be fine
Because you
Must go too
Now goodbye

What You Are (11)
Sittin’ here thinkin’ about
What I got to do
Sittin’ here tryin’ to think
Where do my talents lie
Yes I’m sittin’ here thinkin’
What am I supposed to be
What does it mean that I’m livin’
What will it mean when I die
And how about you there
Do you know what you are
No matter who you are there
You must get the point
I came to ask you
Just who you think you are

THE BEGINNING

(Corwood 0766)

It’s February (1)
Hello
It’s February
Ohhhhhhhh
I hope the lord is with me today
Its February
Hello
Hello

You Standing There (2)
I went nuts anyway
The priests are pining in the hay
Your little song is sung away
Guess who’s been after you
Guess who’s before you
Seasons turning, looks like wind
Will be coming back again [2x]
Light has come, remembering
You standing there in that thing
Busted out again until the dawn
Comes creeping across the meadow lawn
And time and space around you gone
You’re looking into blackest night
Your fortune love has gone away
Aww....
It’s here to stay

I Never Left You Anyway (3)
Come back to me babe
I never left you anyway
You had your way
Now I say
Come back to me babe [3x]
Never be so silly you
Want me to take hold of you
Tell you of your mysteries
At your leisure if you please
Come back to me babe [3x]
Now that you are here I see
That you’ve been coming back to me
Just like a living, dying tree
I’ll drink a cup of love tea

Moving Slow (4)
You say that your turkey is rising in your blood now
Take a load of juicy juice
Just turn your self loose
Button up your directions
Let loose as a goose
Turn around to the other set now
Take it home in a Corvette now
Oh won’t you be a melody maker
Pushing tape and bending fingers
Somebody turned a juror loose
Oh loose mother, its a loose goose
Running up the track now
Fast oh how it’s smooth and slow
Seems like it’s the end, yes
Play it over again, you’re a melody maker

Falling Down Deep (5)
This is the time
When I can’t drink it right
This is the time
When I’m not feeling fine
The journey is over, I’m falling down deep
I have no more promises to keep
This the feeling that won’t go away
This is the last time of the day
Excitement is canceled
Passion is far from here
And nothing is written in beer
My very last chance is... gone today
And flutters and bobs like a bird shot... dead
It’s remarkable and yet I
Still place it all on that last bit

Lonesome Bridge (6)
I heard this from the management
Don’t think twice just pay the rent
There’s a lot of days that you’ve just spent
Living in a long gone wilderness tent
Wilderness tent
Just about a mile over the ridge
You’ll have to cross a lonesome bridge
Looking out yonder over the trees
Sun comes shining ever you please
Blow me [2x]
Mister soft breeze
Before this apt gives me the freeze
Gives me the freeze
Waiting for March to come along
Carrying good luck for this song
Its a lucky charm and means no harm
Oh good gracious its a false alarm
It’s a false alarm)

A Dozen Drops (7)
A dozen drops fall from your face
She came in rain and my fireplace
I tried to reach you
But ??? an elm tree
God came between us
And he lit our hearts on fire

PUT MY DREAM ON THIS PLANET

(Corwood 0767)

I Need Your Life (1)
I been through your nursery rhyme
I been through your nursery rhyme
I took all your nickels and dimes
But you left me cold
You wouldn’t let me hold
On longer than it took to go
I don’t care if I die
I don’t even care if I’m in a wheelchair
Or in a bed
Unable to move
For all I know
It’s better than what I did today
You lead me on
You bring me up
And then you take away my floor
I’m standing
I’m trying to stand
Somehow you push me down
You let me up and have me on a shoulder
Tell me go on go ahead on
And then you push me down
Down
But I know, I know you want to let me up
Another time
And I don’t know why
Sometimes I think maybe
You let me up just to push me down
You let me feel good
Just to let me feel bad
And it was OK
It was so OK
But now I’m slippin’
You gave me one thing
You took away two
I don’t know
Oh, what you’re trying to do
Am I going down the wrong road
Am I doing the wrong thing
Please let me know
Please tell me loud
I want to know
I’m asking please
Let me know
Let me know the right way
Oh, is there a right way
And I know
Yes I know
That there’s a wrong way
I saw today
But you showed me before
That I can lose
All the faith I had
That I can be
So small
That I can lose
All I got
All my faith
All my hope
Where does it go
And you can’t tell me any little thing
Because I feel
I feel
So bad
You can be happy
You can laugh laugh laugh
But I take a look
I see the Chinese
I see the Japanese
They’re laughing and joking
Having a good time
I see people in the paper
I see the models
Oh what a person
I see them walking down the street
They look so good
But I can’t have it
I’m locked up
I’m inside this thing
And I can’t
Oh no I cant
I can’t get out
I can’t take what I want
I can see it
Oh I can see it
But it’s not mine
You build me up
You show me these things
You push me down
You say forget it
You can’t have anything
You just stay down
I say let me up
Please let me up
You gotta let me up
You pushed me down
Down on the ground
I can’t be here
I can’t be here
Please make a change
Help me live
I want to give
I want to do
I want to have your life
I want to have your life
Give me your life
Let me up
I know you can let me up
You don’t have to keep me down
You don’t have to
You don’t have to
You don’t have to keep me down
Keep these things
Away from me
These bad things
Away from me
I wanna be right
I’m willing to live a routine
I’m willing to exercise my day
I’m willing to give up
Hah, I’m willing
Oh I’m willing
You’ve got to let me up
You know I’ll do anything but
Don’t push me down
Don’t push me down
You make me wonder
What should I do
Should I come out
Yeah, should I leave this thing
I can do it
I can do it
Is that what you want
I don’t think so
But you can change my mind
You can change my mind
You can have me
Have all of me
All but, let me up
Let me up
Give me a chance
Don’t push me down
Don’t push me down
And you know I
I know, I can’t ever
Push you down
I can’t ever
Let you up
You got it all
You got it all
Give me some
Give me some of your life
I want your life
I want your life
I’m willing to pay
Pay the price
Out of my life
Take what it costs
You got it all
You always had it all
So take it all
You know you got it
Yeah I’ll live on
I’ll live on
And I see the Chinese
I see the beautiful people
I want them
But I don’t need them
I don’t need them
You know what I need
I need you
Give me your life
Give me your life
Take mine
Take my life
You got it
It’s always been yours
Always been yours
You got my life
You got it
Give me yours
Give me your life
Give me your life
Give me your life
I need your life
I need your life
I need your life
So what do I do
Just what do I do
You’d better show me
Show me
Don’t push me down
Don’t push me down
Yeah, yeah I know
You can push me down
You can push me down
You can crush me
You can snuff me out
I don’t care
I don’t care if I die
I don’t care if I’m in a wheelchair
I don’t care if I’m in a bed
And I can’t even move
Hey, would it be worse than today
You can pick me up
Please pick me up
Oh please
Pick me up
Please
Oh please
Pick me up
You can pick me up
Don’t push me down
Don’t push me down
I feel bad
I feel bad
I been here before
I’ve had your nursery rhymes
I’ve had your nickels and dimes
I had your good times
I had your lovely people
All over me
I liked it
Now they’re all gone
Now I’m alone
But you got me still
Yeah you got me still
You let me move around
But you got me still
And you know it
And you let me up
But then you go and push me down
And you hurt me
And times you hurt me bad
And I’ve got one fear
In my life
And that fear is that I’m slippin’
I’m slipping
And I see it
And I feel it
And I know it
And I know, it doesn’t have to be this way
Tell me what I’m doing wrong
Tell me
Tell me what I’m doing wrong
Because I want to be right
I want to be good
I don’t want to be bad
I know some people like to be bad
And they sing about being bad
And they say “I’m bad”
You know, I want to be good
I want to be right
I want to be good and right
I don’t want to have to fight and lose
Please let me win
Let me win this war
I’m on your side
I’m on your side
What else I gonna do
You push me down
You let me up
I don’t want to be down
I don’t want to be down
Please
Please
Let me up
Let me win
Let me get this war taken care of
I’ll be on your side
Where else am I gonna be
Uhh, I love you
I surely do
If you want me down
I’ll be on the ground
But let me feel
Like I’m not losing ground
Let me win
Let me be on top somehow some way
I don’t need to be conventional
Let me up
Let me up
Oh please let me up
You know it’s been so long
It’s been so long
I’m trying to remember
It’s not easy
I see myself slipping
I don’t want to slip
Let me up
Let me up
I need to be up
I need to be right
I’m willing to work
Ah, work, work
I’m willing to work
I love you
I love you
Ahh, I love you
I love you
Please let me win
Let me win
Somehow let me win
I need to win
Let’s not have any misunderstanding
I need to win
I’m asking, please don’t push me down
I need to win your love
And I’ll do anything
I don’t know if I’m hurting myself
I surely hope not
But I feel like I may be slipping
I want some help
So I don’t have to go down
’Cause I see the Chinese and the Japanese
Laughing, talking, acting just like animals
Why can’t I be like an animal
Take care of myself the right way
Sure would be good nice
Sure
Let me ask you
Another time
Treating me right
Treating me right
I got some kind of feeling I’m not being treated right
I don’t know if I’m not treating myself right
Or you’re not treating me right
But I’m slipping
And I don’t want to be slipping
I want to move on
I want to create
I want to be ahead
I want to win
I want to love
I want to feel like I’m moving and doing things right
But oh I don’t feel too good about it
Why not
Why don’t I feel good
Hey I don’t know about other people
I don’t know what they do
I don’t know if they feel right
Sometimes they look like they feel just fine and I don’t know

It’s Your House (2)
The next time you talk
Talk to me
Got eyes for you
Got ears for you
And I’m watching
And I’m listening
What do I see?
What do I hear?
The next time you walk
Walk my way
The next time you talk
Speak to me, take me
Another day on the road
Carrying my load
Heavy, now
So so much weight
Did I wait too long?
Keep me strong
Let me build my house
For you to come in
Take away this thing
Let me build my house
I’m ready for the house
I’m ready for the house
Do you hear?
Yeah, you hear
You’re one big ear
You’re one big eye
You see me, small as I am
You hear me, through all this noise
You know, I’m ready for the house
Let me build my house
I got a dream
Of granite rocks
And iron bars
Let me build my house of rock and steel
Let me build my house
Let me build my house
I got this dream
Of iron and steel
Of rock and granite
Black flecks in the gray stone it’s granite
It’s heavy rock
It’s heavy rock
It’s cast iron
Cast iron and heavy rock
Don’t got no glass
Don’t got no wood
Don’t got no synthetic fiber
No foil products
Don’t got no glass
Don’t got no plastic
Don’t got no wood
Don’t got to brick
Don’t got no shingles
Don’t got no aluminum siding
I want my house
I want my granite iron house
Don’t you know, I’m ready for the house
I got this dream of my house
The one you gave me in my mind
I’m ready for the house
Let me build my house
I got this dream
Oh, you know that enough to have my dream
My dream come true
You could do it
There is no doubt
There is no doubt
And another thing, I’m ready for the house
I’m ready for the house
Just put me there
You’ll see I’m ready for the house
You make me come
You make me go
Here and there and everywhere
And I don’t complain
Even though it hurts
You know I tell you all about it but
I don’t mind livin in my dream
I don’t mind livin in my dream
But let me tell you, you know, I know you know
I’m ready for the house
You gave me my dream
You know I’m workin’
I’m working, I’m trying
I’m not sloughin’ off, I’m givin’ it all I got
And you know, I’m ready for the house
I’m ready for the house
I’m ready for the house
The house is mine
It’s in my mind
They say mind over matter
Well let that be
Let it be my mind
That creates the matter
That builds my house
Out of granite
And cast iron
I love my house
Like I love my mind
I’ll take it over anybody else’s house
I’ll take it over anybody else’s mind
You couldn’t sell my anybody else’s being
I’m not interested
You know I’m a loner
I don’t like anything but my dreams
And doin’ right by you
And you set my example
Let me build my house
Let me build my house
Let me build my house
Then step my foot inside my dream
Put my dream on this planet
Put my dream on this earth
Then see if I can have some fun
Let’s give it a try
Let me build my house
Let me build my house
You know I’m ready for the house
Let me live my dream
I’ll give up all my time
I’ll give up my whole life
Forget all the money
Forget all the time
Forget my whole life
For right now, let me build my house
I want my house
I want a granite house
With steel bars on the windows and doors
And a fence all around it
And maybe on the ceiling too
But ha ha ha ha
You can drive all those other materials they mess with when they make houses
Like wood, plastic and brick and glass
Just give me granite and cast iron
I’ll build a house
I’ll build a house you can be proud of
I’ll live in it, I’ll die in it
I’ll worship in it
And I’ll be good
’Cause I wanna be good
You can have all your bad
I’ve seen it, and I don’t want it
I love good, I love righteous
And I need to be that way
And I know you want that
And I tell you, you got it from me
Let me build my house
Granite and iron
I’m ready for the house
Ain’t no way I can lose
Gimme that house
Aw, just gimme that house
And you got it, as if you didn’t have it already
You got it, you got me, you got my love
That won’t ever change
No matter where you put me through
Ain’t nobody else left around
You got me by myself
You want me by myself, you got me
I can’t see anybody else
Unless I go where there’s people
Which I do
Just to keep tryin’ to build my house
If I wasn’t tryin’ to build my house I’d be in the woods
Walkin’ around lookin’ at trees or sand or rock or what or skies
Maybe I’d see an animal
Maybe I’d see a bird
I tell you what, thought
I wouldn’t mind
Can you take me to that place you know
Back where’d I be
Well I tell you one thing
At this point I’m ready for the house
I’m ready for the house
Sounds good enough to me
I’m ready for your house
For you house, it’s not my house
It’s your house
You done went and put it in my mind
I mean, where do my thoughts and dreams come from, huh?
I’m sure you contribute to it
You put it in my mind
My house, hey, I’m ready for it
And that ain’t all
I’m ready to live in it
I’m ready to die in it
I’m ready to be there
Aha I’m ready for the house
Ready for the house
Granite, cast iron
It’s my dream
I been ready a long time
I think now I’m really ready
I’m ready for the house
Hey, put me there
Hey, let me put myself there
Hey, huh huh huh huh huh huh I’m ready for the house
And if you don’t put me there, guess what?
I’ll be there anyway, in my mind
Where’s it at anyway?
It’s in my mind, lest I put it on the ground
Ain’t no two ways about it
I’m ready for the house

Since I Went Outside (3)
Cold dark and lonely I look round for my shoes [4x]
I put them on
I went for a walk
In the snow and ice
So cold

THIS NARROW ROAD

(Corwood 0768)

One Last Chance (1)
I need another chance
I need one last chance
I’ve looked at myself
I don’t like what I see
I need another chance
To try to do it right
I can do it right
If I have the strength
If I keep my will
If I direct my body
I can do it right
I need another chance
Because I looked at myself
And I’m goin wrong
But I can do it right
You can show me how
Like you did before
When I really needed to do it right
I was in a fix before
I was really in trouble
It was sharp and quick
It took me by surprise
And you helped me then
It was a matter of time
But this time it’s different
It’s been a growing thing
It wasn’t sharp and quick
No no no no
It didn’t take me by surprise
It came along slow and soft
It crept and I saw it all along the way
It came on bit by bit
And I knew it all along
The only difference is now
It’s gone too far
It’s gone too far
It almost seems irreversible
I need another chance
I wanna do it right
Cause when I looked at myself
It was going all wrong
I’ve got to change my style
I’ve got to do something different
I’ve got to be in my world
I’ve got to see what I see
I’ve got to hear what I hear
I’ve got to move through time
With me on my mind
You can forget the rest
Because if I think about it I’m gonna lose myself
And it’ll be too late
Don’t let it be too late now
Don’t let it be too late now
I need another chance
Cause it’s gone too far
I hope it’s not irreversible
Let me stem the tide
Let me reverse this thing
Let me put my hand up and say “Stop”
Even “Turn around, go back where you came”
Give me another chance
Because I can do it right
I can do it right
I’ve got to do it right
Because if I don’t I’m gone
I’m real gone
And I don’t want to lose
All of my control
I wanna be the driver
The one ridin’ in the trunk
With the rope around my feet and my hand
And a gag in my mouth
Don’t wanna be kidnapped by
What? Who? Where?
I wanna move through time
With me on my mind
I wanna be the driver
I wanna say to my selves
“Move like you should, assemble yourselves
And do right for this body, this mind
This soul, this spirit, this being”
I wanna live right
I wanna live so right
I don’t wanna go wrong
And I see myself goin wrong
So I’ve got to stop
I’ve got to summon my powers
I’ve got to drop off all the dead and dying
I got to cauterize my wounds
I got to stem the tide of the bad
I got to say
“Stop, turn around
Go back to from where you came”
I wanna be right, you bad go back
Go back to from where you came
Bad bad, go back, bad bad, go back
I wanna be right
I wanna be right
I wanna control my body my soul my mind my spirit
I wanna be in charge
I wanna say it’s like this
I wanna say it’s like that
I don’t wanna be told
Don’t wanna be told
“You gotta be like that
You gotta be like this”
Cause it don’t help none
I know why I know where I know how
I know when I wanna be
I know what I wanna be
I know how I wanna be
I know when I wanna be
I know where I wanna be
I wanna be right in my own mind
If I can’t be right
I’m gonna be gone
I don’t wanna be gone
I just wanna be, me, here, now
Give me another chance
Give one more chance
And let me do right
Once and for all
All time eternally
I wanna be right eternally
I don’t have to be alone
I can be alone
I don’t have to be alone
But I can be alone
But I don’t have to be alone
It doesn’t matter
Right is right
It comes from outside, not from the outside
I wanna be right from the inside out
I want you to see
I want them to see
I want to be right for everyone to see
I wanna be right
For me, for you, for them, for the elements
For space, for time
Please give me another chance
Don’t let it be gone
Don’t it be the end of being right
I saw myself right
I let it go, give it back
Give me another chance, give it back
I let it go, give it back
Give me another chance
I wanna live right
I wanna live right
I wanna be in charge of my life
My death, my eternity
I wanna be right
And I’ll do anything
I gotta summon my powers
I gotta be myself
I gotta have my will
I gotta be myself
I gotta get my strength
I gotta conquer these foes
I gotta beat up on bad
I gotta elevate the good
It’s so easy to see
Bad and good, I can see
I can see what’s bad and good
I can look I can tell I can judge
I can point my finger
And say “That’s bad, that’s good”
And deep inside I know
I can’t be wrong
If I’m right, give me another chance
I wanna be right
I wanna be right
I wanna be right
Give me another chance
Give me another chance
Give me another chance
Cause I looked at myself
And I saw bad
I looked at myself and I said
“Oh, is it too late?”
Is it too late?
Oh, please don’t let it be too late
Don’t let it be too late
Help me reverse this trend
Help me stem this tide
Help me put my hand down and say
“Stop, turn around
Go back to from where you came”
Let me take the good
Let me put it in myself
Let me digest the good
Let me emanate the good
Let me be in control
Don’t let this sickness take me over
Don’t let these things get me down
Don’t let these things take effect
Don’t let em change me
And I don’t mind if I change
But let it be good
Let me change to the good
Every time I change
Every second I move
Every time
I turn around
Kill the bad, kill em
Kill the bad
Kill the bad
Generate the good in me
Kill the bad things I got inside me
Let them die
They don’t deserve, let em die
Just kill em
It ain’t like killin’ no
It’s annihilation, extermination
Elimination elimination
Eliminate the bad
Cast the bad
Eliminate the bad
I want to be good
I wanna be right
There’s only one judge of that
I know I wanna be right
I gotta see myself right
I got to see myself
If I’m not right, why not?
Cause I did bad
Yeah, I did bad
And I’ll tell you this
Bad is different for everyone that is different
And that’s everyone and everything
So your bad’s not my bad
But I got bad and you bad
Unless I don’t know you like I know me
But I know me, and I got bad, and I got wrong
And I don’t like it
And I want to eliminate it
I want it gone before I’m gone
I want bad to be gone before I’m gone
I don’t want to be gone
I want bad to be gone so I can be
I don’t be right
I wanna be right
Give me another chance
Give me another chance
I won’t let you down, not this time
Three strikes and you’re out
And I had one
And I hit a home run
But I stopped after first base
And hey, they
They pushed me, they
They pushed and pulled
But they couldn’t pull me any farther than that
Must of been fear
I think it was fear
Cause I had it made
I had the whole home run
But I missed it
Second time up
I hardly even swung
I didn’t even try
I quit trying
I knew what I should be doin
Every once in a while
I’d touch my little toe in the water
But I never did jump in
I never did dive in to that water
And that’s what I know I gotta do now
Cause if I don’t do it now I’m gone
Because wrong is at the point
It’s at the point of smothering me
Smoldering me, drowning me
Putting me out
And I need to burn my flame
I need to ignite
I need to spark
I need to beam
I need to shine my light
Give me another chance to shine my light
I don’t want to go down
I don’t have to go down
Not if I got some will
And I got some power
And I got some strength
And I got some control
And I’m the driver
And I’m in charge
I can do it
I can do it
Hey, I got to do it
If I don’t do it, I’m done
It’s either do or be done
I’m not over yet
I’m not over
I’m never gonna be over
I’m never gonna end
I shall not end
I’m not gonna be gone
I’m gonna be forever
Eternally I shall be
And I’m not saying
That I always was
I’m saying I shall always be
And I make this decision now
I shall be
I want to do right
And there is no eye in this universe
That can tell me
What right is, because I know what right is
And I know what wrong is
By this time I know
Give me another chance
Give me another chance
I surely need your help
I surely need your help
To conquer death
To conquer evil
To conquer bad
I wanna be in charge
I wanna control my destiny
I wanna live up to my standards
I know it can be done
It came sharp and quick
And you helped me
And I conquered all
Now it’s come slow and soft
And I need your help
For the last time
Cause if it’s not this time
I believe it’s never
And I can’t face that
I don’t have to face that
I demand your assistance
It only takes one word
And that word is yes
Give me your yes
And I’ll give you mine
I gave you mine
I forgot it, and I’m sorry
But you hit me hard

Killer Cats in the Caribbean (2)
Killer cats in the Caribbean
Careless cod slithering in the nets
Green blue yellow red
And the rain and the oil slicks
In the watery parts of the street
And the ice breaking as I walk
Really just testing the strength
Of an ice cold frosty morning
Just goin on a long walk
Nothing new
And the crusty cars need shoveling out
Oh mosquitoes on the big leaves
Waiting for you arm to appear
Hungry for your blood
Walking up the mountain in a swarm
I’ve got to be doing something wrong
But where do I turn to be right?
It doesn’t seem anywhere is right for very long
Am I right? Or am I missing something?
Tell me all you got
I still don’t think it could be enough
I’m not asking for anything special
I was on my knees screaming
Where could I go from there?
It’s only what you do, that’s all
Take the pain and the joy
Eat it up for breakfast
It’s all there is my friend
If you got a pocket full of something special
It’s nothing new to me

Yes You Are (3)
Go ahead and take it on down
It’s only up you know
Go ahead take it off, all your clothes
Stand in front of me and show me
What you are
Oh I’m not that really but
Yes you are
Don’t kid yourself
You made it good
You made it bad
And all the time you knew
Just what you were doing
And why
I don’t have to show you where
The worst and the best choices were made
But oh before you go and make any mistakes
Let me give you my only heart
In a manner of speaking
I think you’re really something
I’ve got no time to spend
Talking all around the subject
But let my body tell you
Just what I think about you
What else do I have?
Not much
I made it grow and helped it along
And helped take it down some too
I’d love to lift you up
Show the world to see
Before anything gets hold of you
Ripping and tearing
You really did need that
But if you do I know how it done

The Name I Had (4)
Countless days in times of woe
Heady haze and bits of splendor
Conscious maybe yet half asleep
Wondering when the nice times leave
They were always at my side
Bearing time and place as well
And inability like a plague
Covers my constant grave
Useless is the name I had
How do I write that epitaph
Standing over granite stones
Laid in a row in the grass near the pond
Flowers floating in the breeze
You told me “Hey come along now”
But I was a boy yet hardly growing
So times have changed and so have I
I’m all of him and plenty more
I could tell you where your lips should be
And when your fingertips lightly on me
And would I know on a purple rug
Such dreams of moving you away
And your happiness and you were content
But this money tree
Needs to roots to hoe
And I’ve got so many baskets to make
And so much metal to pour
And these decisions to snatch and throw
Can I snare you along the way
Can we ride in the black car
To the granite house with an iron fence

I Need To Be (5)
Oh she looks so good
I’ve got her real good in my mind
I’ve told her a thousand times
God knows she understands
Every day she marches into my eyes
Roam around my brain
I’ve got his journey I’m thinking of
Where she’ll help me all the way
I need to walk this narrow road
The time is almost overdue
One last stab at inspiration
While one last thread holds the bridge
Another fair and I’m really for the woods
Do I have a house to live in?
Am I to be a people’s person?
Do I walk away with an aimless shrug
Eyes always looking over the next meadow?
Or do I win your heart?
Make you see me as a real friend
Where’s the place I need to be?
What’s that power I know I got?
Lord God I’m looking for it

Pieces of Place (6)
What is this battle I must fight every night?
What is this force eating up the air?
While the day takes me and whirls me about
Carries me on its shoulders
And drags me on the ground
Where’s the ethereal enigma?
Bliss and starry night
Looking at me I only see
The ceiling floor walls and the drive
That keeps on through the doors and windows
How can we leave this place and still live on?
Come away, go hither
See the molecules
And the great big air all around
Step in the water and your foot goes through
Pick it up, and throw it around
Might as well, it’s got you surrounded
I just keep walking through time
One foot after the other
Stepping on space
One thought after another
Made up of new things
And things I knew before
Or combinations of these
And I know the ages
Break a different shell
And the new comes forth from the old
And vice versa
And I love and I live
And I take and I give
But mainly
I just keep walking through time
Stepping on pieces of place
With my body and my mind
Oh God they say they know where they’re going
I’m trying to be honest
And I know it all leads to attempted perfection
Am I falling short and knowing it?
Or on the only track and going long?
I wish I could say that I know more than I do

Never Never Never (7)
Kill all that kind
Kiss the bad disease
Smother in the sulfur heat
Freeze it, kill the pain
Breed in sin eat you out
Festering sores of crime
You took several times
What you gave I couldn’t use
Except in this lonesome way
Which has to suit me now
Listen never never never never
And why I don’t know
But great yeah, really great

Just Like The Floor (8)
Snowing Russian obelisks
Horses wild in the meadows
Just try and tame the wolves and bears
Walk alone, you fickle fool
It thought you loved me
Only goes to show
Weakness makes me sick
But I love it
Regal rooms in the creamy plat
Crusty, busting holes agape
Animals, yeah
Sense some teeth
Walking to touch you skin
With the love of necessary death
Thankful for your soul
Seething and fog like
Like in the dust
Loud music and the black night
Stars in the frozen hanging wall
Just like the floor, only harder to feel
But now, in the ghostly marble
Flecked in color streams
Grand in the scale untold
Where? Why? Who? When?
Call and the shadows sway
Beckon you to the times
But going in the wistful move
In plaintive wiry steps
Back and forth so sly
Sleuth on tricks
For the tormented toys

Ten O’clock Shadows (9)
Last page for the voice
I request, in the half light
Even now the ten o’clock shadows
Lead you to the country side
And the big rocks, and the pasture
With the stars winking a smile
Love in the clear wafting cool
With your jacket flapping in the breeze
And the evening is a good place to lie down
And let the music play
Again roaming through the hills
In the market place, some where behind
And the tools, all on the shelf
And the wheels turning some other time
While your only thrill is the night
Stars winking hello
I know you and you’re welcome to my realm
Granite rocks and green tufts of pasture land
Rolling hills hide the day
In their night time splendor
And went, in article of faith and time
And place
One after the other
Go to the granite halls
And the iron spikes
Crying “Who dares keep my steps here or there?”
I’ve gone through the ages, spent
And recommend in the almighty name
And rolling in the starry night
In the green blades and black speckles

Come Over Here (10)
Take off all your leather and steel
Come over here and let me feel
All the good things you do for me
I’m lost without you
I’m so lost without you
I come upon you day after day
I expect that you’ll lead the way
I’m already surrounded
But given up all my time
I didn’t have to tell anybody
You knew that all along
And I’m thanking you for bringing me home
You knew I didn’t really know the way

Frosted Field (11)
The days were all the same, whirling
The nights were off shades
Standing picturesque
She stood and sat, moving her body
Clothed, dangling
It was all there was
And it lasted through time
Like a frosted field
As gray surrounds you in a mist
He walked among the granite rocks
And the lusty, velvet pasture
All my life I have dreamed of these steps
As he thought he could
Push rocks together all around for shelter
But he laid down when the sun was far away
And stared at the stars
In the frozen night

I Knew About Them (12)
I decided to live for man instead of God
I don’t know how it happened
I learned when you live for man, you die for man
I didn’t have to die
It takes a lot longer to die than to live
I was wondering if you wear out
Many clothes these days
If you lose, or need to change, or outgrow
And is it easy to let your old clothes go
And bring them
To the place for the other unknown segment
Who somehow wants them
I decide this way is the best
But the time is so hard to corral
And pull out little intrigants (?)
Which I can’t read no more
I surely can’t keep the light on
It’s too dark to see
Let me tell you somethin’
I sure can hear
I sure can hear
They didn’t know that
They knew I couldn’t see
But they forgot
That I could still hear
And hearing is knowing
I knew all about ’em, yes
I don’t know how they even got so close
For me to even hear them
But they know that I’m listening now
And I’ve got some plans
To stop anything negative dead in its tracks
Go away now
You’re too heavy on my mind
I need to lay back
Close my eyes
So go away now
Before you’re gone

WORTHLESS RECLUSE

(Corwood 0769)

The Clothes (1)
I want to thank you
For letting me know
The difference between
Wearing old clothes
And wearing new clothes
And just when
Each type of clothes
Needs to be worn
Now I remember about saving them
And then to never let you forget the difference

In the Cave (2)
All day long we knew we were playing with fire
We could tell by the burn marks
All day we was inside the cave
We was playing with fire
What else happened, we didn’t know
We paid
We surely did pay
I’m gonna get out of it
By going into it more
I’m gonna get out of it
Yes I am
And I’m gonna go into it more, too
What have I got to lose?
Not much
I’m gonna get out of it
By going into it more
But I got my stopwatch
I see time ticking
I see the numbers change
And then you get in the rhythm
You get to know a Monday
You get to know a Sunday
And the water
Yeah and the creaking grind
All that black water
Gets into your skin
Makes you want to forget
Some of those days
But I’ll meet you on a Sunday
I’ll meet you on a Tuesday
I’ll meet you any any any any any day
But who wants to go down fast?
I just want to stay alive
We were into the cave
Playin’ with fire all day
It cost a lot
They took it real fast
All of a sudden you turn around and say hey
I need to exercise
Hey, I need to stretch me

Out of the Cave (3)
When I thought of what the scorpions must have considered me
As I laid amongst them
In a desert night
But they let me alone that time
And uh, I saw the horses swish their tails
And moved on to the bear country and
Fish country and
Must have seen four people in three days
Had to protect your head at night from the mosquitoes
Other than that, I guess you could survive
There was a wooden house
I’m not sure if it had two floors or one floor
I knew I had arrived
On the outskirts of something
Then I hit a road
Slipped and parked, bus
It was a metal house
Not under the tree, near the water
I heard the cars roar
I saw the people in their uniforms
Playing a good game
Nobody shirking their part
Doing it well and good
Me, I busted out
It was never the same since then
It never has been the same
Because they irked me on
They took me from my place
I was in my place
And they took me back to Earth
Where what is this place
They call Earth?
I’d rather be in my place
I could walk up tall
Tall hills
I could siege a timber fort
It was well made and preserved
On a mountain top

Stopped (4)
It turned night time on me
All of a sudden it’s dark
I thought I was just layin down
But really I’d passed some time
Where did the time go?
Why did I shut out my lights?
I blew them out
Out out out out
Finally I have stopped
I really stopped
Hey, look around
What a spin I just came out of
Must have been years
What a spin I just came out of
Where am I now?
At least I’m stopped
I’m stopped
What did it take
To stop me?
I’m really stopped
The spin has all spun
Now I’m stopped

Interlude (5)
Last night I saw you again
I couldn’t believe my eyes
You were in a car, on the passenger’s side
I saw the corner of your eye from where you saw mine
It was an interlude
It lasted several parts of time
As I marched by the car where I could see you were
And I saw you before, you were very close to being the same
Just a little bit far away, from me, physically
So I hopped to my car
I packed the entire image into my mind
I took it for a lark
Another trick somebody played on me

The Dunes (6)
I just missed the boat
The one sailing through your heart
That unknown port
That mysterious sea
The wharf is long and lonely
The ship is out of sight
The sinking orange sun
On the whitecap waves
The rocks and sand and seaweed
The dunes and the tall grass
They say the ferry’s discontinued
And I can’t stay on the pier
I turn and turn
And I don’t see any way particularly significant

Aimless Breeze (7)
I know the sun will come and go again
The moon and stars will shine
Why should I not notice?
I don’t know
Time seems so capsulized
Drifting in an aimless breeze
Like the fallen leaves
Like wood out on the lake
Stop and conduct a symphony
Exercise some real control
Proving something every day
But I know how to dream
In the fleeting time
I stood alone as the ghost driver
Sped away with your heart
And there’s an empty space my arms enfold
And I say to myself
Gee, that’s right, there is nothing there
I try to try but even the voices are gone

You Wake Up Deadmen (8)
You wake up deadmen
With your loose sex
You shout at them, C’mon
And as they fumble in half-delirium
You smash them back down dead
With a thud
Or drain them dry and throw them aside like an empty bottle
Always keeping them as a collector
In a nearby trash barrel
Unless they completely break
And are fortunate enough to be swept away
And you, all knowing handler
You heartlessly say
You don’t know me, you don’t know
And we turn further to the grave
More lost than ever before
Unless some unknown force
And even then that island is an enigma (?)
And they long for the trash barrel
And your scathing rebuke
Ah you knew them well
Before you consulted the night
And their dreary ways
Your instinct is the truest thing
Your hate is the staunchest foe
Your queen bee love leaves a lot to be desired
Take it from a friend

Worthless Recluse (9)
Worthless recluse
Bang, pow, steel, muscle, k
What worse, I’m alone
Grown the bane of not being interested in the plate they passed to you
All the pleasure spots in the city
And if I walk in, my person screams
I’m obviously out of place
My shoes don’t kick one over the other
So much as they used to
I’m here, God knows it
But where are you
The object of my satisfaction?
But this solitude doesn’t agree with anyone
What’s my name?
Go, and be alone, and stop crying
Well it’s not any fun
And I look at myself being busy
And I know I’m putting something off
What is it?
I remember being alive
In the cold northern cities
I didn’t need to think if I were interested
Eight-thirty wasn’t too late
And I look at my lonely bed
Where once in my life I shared it regular
Oooooh, the years, and the time
These memories that keep me going
From one activity to another
Well I don’t know which is the real life
What I do actively
Or when my thoughts are lost in time
My new house, in elegant comfort, is one thing
But being huddled in red, blue, and orange
Cracks in the walls, wind whistling
I’ll not ever forget
And your face behind the flowers
Somehow branded to my half-life
Which may take over yet
Consciously I play the game of making money
Back in my brain, is the cold northern cities
And the cold that makes me jump up and down
I just can’t seem to kill this pain today
I can’t afford to do me in
And it makes me wonder whoever is happy in this world
I can’t see them, are they there?
The supermarkets are always jam packed, the acceptable way
I got a big frame, born with it, sure do need a side of beef
42 heads of lettuce, 888 potatoes
And all the apple pies my Mack truck can drive away with
Cure all, better than a bandage
Better than the blue
Better even than TV
Oh oh, here comes the pain
Break out a barrel of cheese
Yep, we got ours
Ooh, coming on years since I met you
Half the time I saw you
Half the time one of your eyes looked past my shoulder
What was there? Was it better than my eyes?
When you let me see you
Nothing looked better
Even, unfortunate or not, me
Maybe that’s why now, I view myself in the dream
And finding myself, and it hurts
And the dream is more fun
Anything beats the pain of being me and knowing I’m alone
And putting off doing something, whatever it is
I guess, something, like
Living in northern city doorways
Heading north, to the woods, to clean earth (?)
Back where the police invite you to
The back seat of their car, check you out
Why can’t I shave and do my part to build man’s home?
Where do you live, man? Do you really live here?
Why does my dream keep forgetting that?
Power, let’s build power
I guess it spreads the English language
Communication, no more tribes with shrunken heads
It’s inevitable, it’s my playground
But I have to be serious
Step into the car, mister. What are you?
I’m a little boy, I don’t wanna be big
I’ll act out my part, and lean on my half-life
In times of trouble, or when it’s just there
What else can I do?
Except be a man, and visit ice castle
And live on rocks even if it is cement
And anything’s better than all this dirt and grass
So far from the woods, give me cement and wall to wall people
Let me know where I am
Or show me the way to the woods
Wearing deerskin shoes, and carrying a club
Or walking naked on top the snow, light as the air
Black leather head to toe
With some place to go
I wanna be where no time is the wrong time
Where everything falls in place
Like fiber-optics, ultrasonic waves, and control systems
Control is the name of the game
Lord God, let me get it down
When I get it to a fine T, it’s gone
Let it build to perfection, and stay
Oh well, take off
Target eternal light, all systems go. Satisfaction
Maybe then this worthless recluse can carry a torch
Look, I’m a human
But I’m something supernatural
The dream gives light
Listen all you dead and dying
Don’t be afraid
If it hurts, let it die
The Easter lily blooms
Its smell surrounds the table
An unforgettable presence, an ominous sight
The purple foil covers the vase pot
Casting reflections through the diffused light
Such beauty and awesome fragrance
Who ever thought they could remove this sanctuary
I don’t like fighting, especially when I’m fighting me
I’m staying up late and I don’t really know why
I hope I can live till tomorrow and the next day without eating
I’m fed up with eating for a while
I know it, it’s only weakness
That binds me at the supermarket counter
Trading green paper for something to do
Blessed are the sociable, that say stupid things
And get close to their neighbors
It takes a worthless recluse to shrink from groups
It takes a half-hearted chicken recluse
To live among people
The best of them disappear
And that’s what it’s all about
That’s why I can’t make it
I’m not strong enough to disappear
It takes a supernatural being to disappear
I’m not that good
This human thing in me wants me to be a hero
I want people to think I’m great
I want people giving me so much money
That I have an airplane, a boat and car and house that’s everywhere
And the network to support all this
So where is it?
Stuck in the dream, because I don’t have the courage to disappear
I know it’s the only way to salvation, but
The old nag human me still wants to play with money, people and things
To make a name in the world
Disappearing to God’s eye
And away from the eye of the world
Is the big step
Weaklings like me have to hang around, and play, and fudge, and delay
For fear of the big step
I’m just lucky I even know about it
The only reason I do know
Is I begged god to tell me about it
On my knees, screaming with pain
On the sixth floor, in New York City
So I’m telling you about it
Everyone doesn’t have to live in northern doorways
To take the big step
Or go to the woods, or ice
We all have our way to go, but everyone knows
Now that I’m telling you
That there is something to do
A big step to take
Into the eye of God
Play human if you have to
But at least know
And don’t kid yourself
Behind that big piece of delicious poison
All you dead and dying
Disappear to your own eye
So that you don’t see yourself
Live the half-life
Step inside the dream

Lofty Rider (10)
Oh you lofty rider
All peppery and gawk
You make me feel like mercury
Out for a liquid walk
Do you think that I don’t have you
All wet from a fresh cocoon
All these nights I long lost waited
The dreams that I brushed aside
Now the fire and the ice are both as one
The distance is panoramic
And you can’t believe it’s me

The Stars Spell Your Name (11)
On every turn of the game
Through the best of life
Through the worst of life
And all the colors, the sparkling crystals
Through miles of ice
And disgusting ghastly cities
From green meadows filled with granite
On whitecaps crashing to the sand
Through thunder and lightning
Through the pouring rain
And the scintillating night
When all the stars spell your name
While in the brown and green forest
While in the blue and green room
When the exciting dream leaves me breathless
When the philosopher resounds eerily
Through the curtains and floral patterns
Through the blaze of spring time trees
In the labyrinth and scramble
In the smooth and flowing dust
When I find myself in another place, alone
Where the dance is something I can’t do
Through all these things it comes again
Some quiet thrill that
I love you

Your Turn (12)
I tried to get close to you
And you turned away
Now it’s your turn
To try to get close to me

You Won’t Get Up (13)
I’m gonna beat you down
I’m gonna knock you down
You won’t ever get up
I’m gonna knock you down
You won’t wanna get up
I’m gonna knock you out
I’m gonna knock you out
I’m gonna do it
I’m gonna knock you out
I’m gonna do it
I’m gonna beat you down
You won’t get up

I THREW YOU AWAY

(Corwood 0770)

Blues Turned Black (1)
Let me tell you about my blues
My blues have turned black
Black, black, black, black
And my rotting stinking flesh
Black, black, black, black
I couldn’t stay high
I’m in some cemetery
I don’t know where I am
It’s been so many years
I lost so many tears
I don’t know who I am
It was all a moment in the ocean of time
I thought I had to go
And then I really was gone
I was gone, gone, gone, gone
I lost the way
I went way on tears
It was all I could do
Keep on keeping on
I walked and I walked and I walked and I walked
I didn’t see nothing in the midnight blue
My blues turned black
Black, black, black, black
Inside I’m a zombie
Outside I’m unknown
Black, black, black, black
That rotten stinking flesh
Maybe you can’t see it
But I know it’s for real
My blues have turned black
I forgot how to feel
My blues have turned black
I’m gone, I can’t come back

It Seems Forever (2)
You see me walking
I go here and there
You hear me talking
I say this and that
But it’s the front side
You don’t know the back
I play the game
But I don’t keep score
I can’t win or lose
It’s just marking time
I told my maker
I’d live real good
Just take away the pain
I’ll start breathing again
And as I continue
I’ll try to do it right
I won’t hurt nobody
Not even myself
I’ll hold out a light
Let it shine for you
If nobody sees it
I still do what I do
I tried to be happy
What a foolish thing
The gems of the universe
Don’t care about that
You’ve got your position
Just play your part
You see me walking
You hear me talking
The sun and the moon keep rolling around
There’s nothing but a pathway
Follow your footsteps
Demonstrate your front side
Don’t even think about the back
You don’t want to be there
The pain is what you lack

I Threw You Away (3)
I threw you away
So I could play
I wanted the other side
What I didn’t know
I was walking so fast
Now walking slow
Around (I ran?) to the butcher
He cut me up
I took a lot of years
For the pieces to get back
Slow walking now
Got no place to go
And I don’t care
I feel like I’m there
I’m at the playground
But I’m watching the children
I can’t play nothing
I don’t know how
The spirit moves me
Along with the breeze
I alight on some sidewalk
It must be the park
I like the flowers
I like the statues
I threw you away
So I could play

Frozen Beauty (4)
I thought I told you
Not to be so nice
I thought I’d hold you
Just once or twice
But you stayed around
All this time
If I didn’t go
You’d probably have changed
But because I’m gone
I still see you the same
It’s like you’re frozen
Time doesn’t change you
You’re still around
And you’re the same
Sometimes I see you
You’re in a dream
Just like you were
A long time ago
I’ll take what you give me
This memory
I don’t need nothing else
I made you this way
I took your life
Put it in a box
I pray at your gravestone
Remembering when
You walked my path
You slept in my bed
It’s a long, long time
I’ve got a pain in my head
But you gave me an earthquake
Everything is rearranged
I take this new place
As the world is now
It’s just I remember
Your frozen image
You wild, wild thing
You gave me a jungle
To cut my way through
The beasts and the dangers
Made me what I am
So walk with me, frozen beauty
As I reclaim my life
I’m sure that you’re melting
Some other place I don’t know

The World Stops (5)
At the end of the trip
Blank and sudden (?) going back
Voyage terminated at long last
Waiting for the high-speed rocket
Take me back to where I know
 
The ride’s not easy, it’s not calm
But going back at long last
All the faces, all the voices
Somehow I stay at the back of it all
Watching my body go through the motions
In a slice of time and space
 
Guess I was there, I surely must have been
It’s a simple memory hangs near past (fast?)
But going back at long last
Somehow seems so much more important
 
Looking through all the events
Clear on out to single points
Where it’s quiet and still
At the end of the trip
The world stops
 
And I can stare at the wood and stone
And the objects of place take on their own life
Nothing’s really so different at the end of the voyage
It’s all an extension of my thought
All the differences disappear
And a quiet calm floats me in the air

THE HUMILITY OF PAIN

(Corwood 0771)

The Humility Of Pain (1)
I know you know the humility of pain
But I must tell you to understand
The personalities of your fellows
As long as you keep your life
You got to know where to go
And where to stay away from
And worry that people are too meek
For you don’t think you’re so smart
And they’re here to test you
It’s only a personality
That’s different than yours
Just stay out of trouble
That the wrong road or that you bring on yourself
So go to that place
I want to send you there
But I understand that my invitation
Will change your life
It’s late in the night
Without electricity day (?)
I’ve got another place
And soon I might remember
But it’s not like I didn’t exist
I want you to decide to take the chance
I know you know the humility of pain
Well I must tell you to understand
The personalities of your fellow man
And decide who not to be with

Work of Art (2)
The ain’t no doubt about that
It’s a work of art
My boy it’s a mystery
My ???
Turns all around
It moves like a cloudy day
There ain’t no doubt about that
It’s a work of art
It sorts itself out
It exists
Can wrap around the world
One could look at it
And in the world
It’s a mystery
It tries to look
Look at it too
There ain’t no doubt about it
It’s a work of art

I Stepped Out of It (3)
I stopped the world
And I stepped out of it
I cut a clean path
I stepped out of it
I’ve gone and stepped out of everything
Everyone in this room
Saw money coming to them
You can get your money
And sell a little differently
The more things you buy
The higher the cost of them
And why am I doing this?
Because you let me
There’s not a heart
That’s bigger in here
There is health in every pure thought
You got me thinking about too

I Want To Look In (4)
I want to look in
I don’t want to look out
Because if it’s out there
There’s the place to be
Think about the adjectives
Describe the way it is
It’s not uncommon
To have to go the other way
And move the moment
Like fire and ice
We’ll walk the spectrum
With lights on the walls
The floors are dead now
And that makes them alive
They love you so much
How could you turn away?
We’re not talking never
I want to look in

I Can’t Leave A Clue (5)
It’s about two things
Power and luck
And they come from the love and knowledge
Embrace your chances for a miracle
You got it at your doorstep
Just open the door
And when it’s open
There be so much more
Right now I have a quest
To destroy what I did
I wanna see the future
I’ll go through that door
And leave my belongings
You know how heavy they are
I can’t ever show that
I can’t ever leave
Oh, close (?)

Share My Life (6)
I want somebody to share my life
I’ll never leave you alone
I want to take somebody into my life
I’m searching for you
I know that you’re there
I’m done with before
I don’t see the past
Let’s make the clock disappear
There’s only one thing to say
You’re missing somebody
You’re missing me
There’s nothing to weigh you down
I don’t have a past
Let’s make the clock disappear
There’s only one thing to see
You’re missing somebody
You’re missing me
There’s nothing to weigh you down
I don’t have a past
Let’s make the jump into eternity
You’ll find you’re future
And we’ll forget about that

You Know You Need (7)
You’ve got to clean out the house
Take out all the things you don’t want
You know you know to go beyond everything
And not be barred (bored?) with your world
You’ve got to look around
You got to be yourself
Do you know your friend?
Well I’d die for him
Know that I’ll come back
And live again
But the promise is all you need
And you’ve got the promise
I don’t need to discuss my life
We’re talking about it now
I know that you’ll hear me
You didn’t bring me all this way for nothing
I know that you’re here
And we’re both together
What more could you want?
You’d be surprised at how simple your intake can be
You got to clean out the house
Take out all the things you don’t want
You know you need to go beyond everything
And not be barred (bored?) with your world
You thought you had energy before
You won’t know where you are
And the refrigerator is dead and gone

THE PLACE

(Corwood 0772)

The Picture (1)
I don’t know how I move
I tell my body to do things
I find myself someplace
Decisions and motions
All in a dream I woke up
And here I am
How did I get here
How did I make this world
I thought it out and made a plan
And the elements combined
Presto — here’s reality
There’s always a beginning and an end
Even in between those times
When motion moves me through the air
Or was it just a thought
How did I commandeer that event
We all appear and then dissolve
Like an image presentation
Smile and talk and make conclusions
Watch the world as we go by
Say hello and drop a thought
Verbalize and construct time
It takes good will and thankfulness
An annoying glancing piercing eye
And solitude that just won’t quit
The moving rolling landscape lies
All about the sides and front and back
In a picture frame that’s made for me

The Place (2)
There’s a key somewhere — where did I put it
Maybe it’s in the car
Maybe it’s in a cabinet
Is it in my pocket
Is it in my case
I keep thinkin’ about that key
I think about the key
More than what’s locked up
What’s locked up in that place
What’s so special about those things
That I don’t want them changed
I want it all like it was
I left it before
We all got to have something unchanged
I want it all like it was,I left it before
We all got to have something unchanged
That we can take for granted
Some place, some object, some constructed thing
We made a thing, and it needs perfection
Who want to be the one
Who makes a change
To this little place
This protected spot
So where’s the key
I want to turn the latch
Unlock that place
And see what’s there
How can I do what I need to do
In that place with those freed-up things
Laughing and joking and having fun
In an unlocked, freed-up, special place
Where did I put that key
I know it’s someplace
Where did I put it
Maybe it’s here
Maybe it’s there

The Highway (3)
I can’t believe I’m here
With all the deaths I almost died
And then woke up in another place
Disoriented, I shook my head
What, where, how
Who, when, how much
What an escapade that was
And here I’m shooting like a star
In the sky
What a thrill that death ride was
But I’m glad to be alive and well
Let me check my parts
And see if I’m all here
Let me collect my thoughts
And organize my mind
Let me remember myself
All over again
Yes I’ve got to go
And I’ve got to stay
And be careful about the chasm in the road
Don’t fall down there, you might not come back
If it hurts bad enough, you’ll get knocked out
And maybe wake up in another body, or a rock
Or a lake, or a tree, or a cloud
You might even not know what you are
You might not be anything at all
For millions of years
Or for all of the time
To be no thing is a dream I had
Do you come close, or is it far away
Are you a highway for a lot of souls
I can’t believe I’m here