Ever Since St. Louis

Ever since St. Louis nothing is the same
all the roads and buildings seem to have new names.
Clouds that whisper, trees that fall
grass dirt, short and tall,
everything has changed.

Looking back on Boston it’s hard to miss the clues.
Broken strings and speakers, a blackened two amp fuse.
Signs that shout, lights and flags,
eyes and hair, needled rags,
everything has changed

Just how diid the air go blue
fire turned an icy hue
crackling down in pieces.
When did gravity hit the ground
lost its footing and fell down
now there ain’t no up there’s just around.

Ever since I met you water makes like wine
Winter breathes the sunlight, no one’s keeping time.
Shovels digging, piles of words
whispered prayers, grass and dirt
everything has changed.

Ever since St. Louis nothing is the same
all the simple pleasures seem to have new names.
Even children even hope,
even numbers, even dope
everything has changed.

 

Lost My Wallet

Well I might’ve lost my dog, but that was not my fate.
I could’ve lost my mind, but I was thinking straight.
Well I lost my girlfriend’s number, and now I’m missing, not just late.

Sitting with the smuggler I was thinking on the telephone.
I set my wallet on the table, when I thought I was alone.
Now I lost my girlfriend’s number and I can’t find my way home.

Well it might’ve been that gypsy girl asking for a light.
I could’ve been the waitress, but that just don’t seem right.
Whoever took that wallet, gonna call my girl tonight.

You can take all my money, you can use my credit cards.
Go and spend my money, and don’t forget my organ donor card.
Cause if you call my honey well you might as well steal my heart.

 

Under The Laurel

Silver wire rolled like a ribbon, cuts like a razor, top of the wall.
Hampshire prison, sun on the stones, snow in the yard, standing alone.

Big top pine tree bends in a north breeze, from your direction out past town.
Helps me remember, oh and I will. Under the laurel side of the hill.

All this wire, it’s hard to see through. Makes it seem like there’s nothing more,
but I remember, oh and I will. Under the laurel side of the hill.

I’ve seen great light in small candles, and it seemed right in your arms.
My mind goes there, goes there still. Under the laurel side of the hill.

So I stay here in Hampshire prison and there’s no one knows I go,
over the wire, oh and I will. Under the laurel side of the hill.

 

Sunday Stew

You’re taking down the kettle, gonna put it on the heat.
Rummaging through the freezer for a half a pound of meat.
A quarter cup of oil and a tablespoon of flour,
a few small sips of sherry for the dinner hour.

Oh mama, what am I gonna do?
I don’t know how I’ll ever learn
to cook your Sunday Stew.

Papa’s done filling in the crossword and there’s news on the radio.
Somebody somewhere lost someone or has no place to go.
Joey’s talking on the telephone, he’s got the wire all in your way.
I see you smile when the spoon comes down, to make him pay.

Oh mama, what am I gonna do?
I don’t know how I’ll ever learn
to cook your Sunday Stew.

Were you ever a young girl,
with the world outside your door?
You make it all look easy.

When did you learn how to measure by the color of the flame?
Could you set the table you say, followed by my name.
Cutting through the onion brings a flavor to my eyes.
I could say it’s nothing, but you told me not to lie.

Oh mama, what am I gonna do?
I don’t know how I’ll ever learn
to cook your Sunday Stew.

 

Johnny Rock

Come all you old men and listen, cause here is the way it went down.
Here lies the body of Johnny Rock, come pull up a chair and sit down.

The funeral march will be festive.
Ear buds will keep down the noise.
The eulogy texted to all the sad women
who’ll text it along to their boys.

Everything’s planned to the letter.
None of these flowers can go dry,
all of the seating is by design;
even the ushers will cry.

Come all you old men and listen, cause here is the way it went down.
There’s a great big new city, full of big lights, sitting on top of my town.

Johnny was playing The Nightlife,
when they brought down the place with a ball.
A push button game on the big planning board,
but Johnny had stayed for last call.

Well he played one more song for the waitress,
and he played one more song for the walls.
And he played the last one, just for the hell of it.
And that’s how he took his great fall.

Come all you young men and listen, cause here is your way out of town.
Just stay where you are, fill up your glass, cuz whatever goes up must come down.
Pull up a chair, sit yourself down, and settle on into the ground.

 

Woodpile

Woodpile, woodpile got to move the woodpile.
Woodpile, woodpile got to move the woodpile.

One oak log for the left hand, one old birch for the right.
This one rests in the sunlight, keep me warm some night.

Woodpile, woodpile got to move the woodpile.
Woodpile, woodpile got to move the woodpile.

Maple is a smooth one, ash is so pearly white.
I can’t  handle pine or hemlock, sticky wood’s not right.

Woodpile, woodpile got to move the woodpile.
Woodpile, woodpile got to move the woodpile.

 

Hell To Pay

Send my clothes to the Good Will. Hang em on a rack.
Haul my car to the edge of town,
cause I ain’t comin’ back, comin’ back.

Bring me a magic marker. Blacken  in this day.
Then I’ll sen my heart to satan cause,
there’s gonna be Hell to pay, Hell to pay.

I get no receipt for this just a heart goin’ down in flames.
When you pay your debt to Hell, the devil keeps the change

Put a mark in the big book. Put a shovel in the clay.
Then I’ll send my heart to Satan cause,
there’s gonna be Hell to pay, Hell to pay.

Listen to my story, how I’m burning through this day.
Then I’ll send my heart to Satan cause,
there’s gonna be Hell to pay, Hell to pay.

 

16 Roses

16 roses on my table, sent from far away,
came for me today,
and the note read ‘just a little longer
and I’ll be there with you yes, wishes do come true’.

But if I had a wish for every rose I’ve watched go dry,
I’d wish for no more reasons to cry, and 16 roses never lie.

16 roses in my kitchen, tell me you’re not here,
just a table and these chairs.
An empty place for you in my heart.
Another wasted night of flickering candlelight.

If I had a wish for every flame that I’ve watched die,
I’d wish for no more reasons to cry, and 16 roses never lie.

Yes, if I had a wish for every rose that I’ve watched die
I’d wish for no more reasons to cry, and 16 roses never lie.

 

Johnny 18

From the runway I am watching you
fly away as far as you can go.
Don’t you disappear in the cool night air.
Come home again Johnny 18.

I’m afraid to look while you’re standing in,
in your eyes a thousand miles.
If you take a walk will you steal away?
Come home again Johnny 18.

Now you’re chasing me, taking me back
all the way back to the warning track
I should have known, now you’re gone.

On a blue sky day in the bandbox,
I am watching you swing away.
If you turn to me I will wave to you.
Come home again Johnny 18
Come home again Johnny 18.

 

Looking For Thomas

Where does a man go when he can’t find his way?
Where does he go, when a man can’t find his way?
They say that every dog, will have his day.

Some luck travels easy and some luck travels hard.
Some luck comes easy and some luck comes real hard.
Some folks go a thousand miles, and some don’t go so far.

The fox he is a trickster, he’ll knock you off your beat.
Fox is something clever you know he’ll trick you off the street.
A hellhound’s something different. He’ll run you off your feet.

I’ve been looking around for Thomas, I can’t find him anywhere.
I’m looking around for Thomas, but he’s not here nor there.
Maybe a hellhound’s got him treed, a way up in the air.

What is it takes a purpose and turns it to despair?
What is it makes a morning a burden to heavy to bear?
What is it makes a melody fade into the air.

 

Strange Wind

When the barn fell down at least it didn’t kill the chickens,
cause there wasn’t any chickens around.
And there wasn’t any cows
or tractors or plows,
and there wasn’t any people when the barn fell down.

When the bank went bust well they couldn’t find the money
cause Lenny turned it all into dust.
But they couldn’t lay the blame
and no one was ashamed,
cause they couldn’t get a witness when the bank went bust.

Strange winds are coming around,
strange winds are coming.

When the sign says stop you better think about the road
better think about looking around.
Old man on the corner
got a message in the morning
that there wasn’t any people when the barn fell down.

Strange winds are coming around,
strange winds are coming.

When the river went dry at least the fish survived
cause there wasn’t any down in the mud.
They must’ve gone away.
We can only pray.
Cause there wasn’t nothing living when the river went dry.