All The Way In

 

When the rain came you were standing on my shoulders

Knocked off my hat and let the crows fly out

Under street lights love

Nothing lasts forever

When everythings lost or has faded come back to my heart

 

I tried to shout

But my words turned to ashes

Shook off the rain when I heard the wreckin ball

Through a gate unhinged my heart just fell to pieces

The most beautiful form had me bleeding before the first shot

 

Was it the way you said you wanted me

Or the things you said we’d do

All the way in

You said

I’m with you

 

Mary Celeste

 

You and I

Burn the same

And we both wear dirty faces

And we fly to close to the ground

 

Its not enough to live

You’ve got to burn

My promises do you no good

If they take the place of thinking

 

We’re no strangers

To the world

To its troubles

You’re worn out and I’m a mess

 

You told me

You can’t prove its real unless it bleeds

Then you cut me into pieces and saw that I was real

 

On the grinding wheels of love

I’m going back to that someplace

And I love the way your name feels in my mouth

 

I’m a liar

You’re a thief

We’re in trouble

You’re fed up and I’m a mess

 

And It makes me think about the mary celeste, did the captain give the order to abandon ship or did the fumes of her cargo make em all go insane,

Does it make you think about those nine lost souls, breakfast on the table, coffee getting cold or did the hand of the Lord wipe em all away, and when I said that I’d take you as my wife I always knew we’d be together till the end of time, Now the devils in the details, devils in the room. Do you remember how they said that we wouldn’t last, that I didn’t know my head from my ass, well look whose still together, look who’s left the room.

 

We’re no strangers

To the world

To its troubles,

You’re worn out and I’m a mess.

 
Threadbare

 

I’m as ugly as you thing

And my heart

Of Chinese plastic

Isn’t long

For this world

Always in the wrong place

At the wrong time

 

She put me on my back foot

Twisted my own rope

She knocked a leg out

From my hope

 

Now I’m nothing

I was something

Now I’m nothing without her

And I’m so threadbare

Coming apart at the seams

 

And if you see her

Tell her I need her

That I’m broken and she’s needed right away

 

If she saw me

Do you think she’d know me

I’ve gotten older do you think she stayed the same

 

One of these days, I’m gonna figure it out

And start all over again

Tell her if you see her it was something to me

Now I’m broken, I’m coming apart at the seams

 

Now I’m nothing

I was something

Now I’m nothing but threadbare

Coming apart at the seams

 

She put me on my back foot

Twisted my own rope

She took the wind out

Of my world

 
The Man Who Howled Wolf

 

Misplaced

Under a moon

Forgot who I was

Every time I think about her

Make me break down and cry

 

Throw it

Back into the sun

Catch a good wind

Street light cicadas

Under a rind of a moon

 

Smoke in

Long steady pulls

Forgot who I was

Every time I think about her

Make me break down and cry.

 

Two Black Hearts

 

I spent all day

Reaching for my back

Picking at my wings

Till they were scabs

You left a hole

I filled it in

Opened a dark door

And the night stepped in

 

I spent all night

Digging at my chest

Looking for a heart

That wasn’t there

Scattered the crows

Over my head

Opened a dark door

And the devil stepped in

 

It was always you

I just lost my nerve

My heart broke in two

Must have lost my mind

It was always you

 

Picking

Memories off the ground

Been reckless with your heart

It was always you

 

Shooting

Years off the fence

Been reckless with your love

Two black hearts

It was always you.

 

You bring the dirt

I’ll bring the spade

You build the fire

I’ll find some shade

Wipe a away your tears

From their tracks

Open that dark door,

Let the rain come in.

 

 

Broke Down Engine

 

Just when you thought you had this thing licked

Life comes at you sideways

You’re riding the rims

Take a wide stance cause this fuckers got kick

The devil loves a broken heart

 

Flies wake up

Spin round the room

Bend down the branches

Pull It up from the roots

Singing

Lordy, Lordy and

My oh My

The devil loves a broken heart

 

I’ve got yours and you’ve got mine

The rivers over the willows

The stars fall in time

And what’s dead is dead and can never die

The devil loves a broken heart

 

You’re a broke down engine

In the shade of life

No need to lie to me I know where you’ve been

You can climb the highest mountain

And swing from the highest tree

But you can’t take it

 

You can’t take it

Where you’re goin

Wherever you’ve gone,

Where ever you’ve been

You can get fallin down drunk

And make yourself sick

Make yourself sick

Make yourself sick

 

 Star

 

Hey whats that star?

And those words around your neck?

Is someone waiting up for you?

What’s that say on your arm?

Still keep that pebble in your shoe?

Have the saints, jumped the track?

Come and get your moneys worth

The monkeys on his stool again

Just because they like it doesn’t mean its any good

You don’t like barking dogs? Go get yourself some cats

Shake your death rattle say your prayers and earn your break

 

And if you hold me up to the light

You will see I’m never alone

You didn’t tell me that it could die here

With me passed out on the floor

Only time can tell if love is bigger than us

 

Hey where you all from?

And who did all your work?

Been thinking about one too

Getting drunk off the night

There’s a thorn in my kiss

And the crows

Are all lonely

All eyes on the devils hand, God folds and leaves again

Living of off scraps and ends, goin out hunting cat

One of these days I’m gonna capsize the room

Looking for the sun again

Drunk off the moon.

 
Buick

 

Gonna fix up the Buick

Get it back out on the street

Leave the wages on the table

Shake the beetles from the trees

Fumbling through my pockets

For half smoked cigarettes

Probably ought to quit my drinking

But I don’t believe I will

Gonna make my own summer

With the devils coals

With my redwood spirit

Ramshackle and bones

Under a rind of a moon

Cocked high in the sky

Tumbling down the street, crooked as a loaded die

 

It this as good as it gets

Take what you got

Leave all the rest

Get yourself lost

Fly with the crows? You’ll likely be shot

I’d rather make a good run

Than make a bad stand

Run with the wolves or bet a bad hand

Fix up the buick and get myself lost

 

 

The wind took my hat

With it my mind

I was misplaced, I was loveless

Lean like a desert stick

Split down the middle

Like an old hambone

Came for the steak,

Stayed for the pictures on the walls

Got four on the floor

And some corridor speed

She love the way he fuck on that methamphetamine

Collecting scabs in

The pelvis of the world

Probably ought to quit my drinking

But I’ll never be that bold

 

 

You Took it All

 

You took it all

And left me with nothing

You said it all

With that look you gave me last night

I kicked up some dust

You just waved it away with your hand

Stepped out of line

Built a wall right where I stood

 

And you look right through me

Don’t you

For what you think is on the other side

And what you might be missing

You beautiful fool

 

You were my prime

In this world of numbers and sins

I spoke out of turn

Slapped the right

Out of my mouth

You think I’m trite

Never be as smart as you are

One moment kind

The other

You just wave me away with your hand

 

And you look right through me

Don’t you

For what you think is on the other side

And what you might be missing

You beautiful fool

 

Tell me who are you this time

And all your lies I believed so well

That all the stars land at your feet

And you light up the moon with your smile

 

And you look right through me

Don’t you

For what you think is on the other side

And what you might be missing

You beautiful fool

And I’d be nothing without you

Fumes 


Well its true...
I'm living off the fumes of better days...
and all good men have had their trials
I'm not complaining, I'm just saying

Well I'm fine
knowing life can turn on a dime
and having to depend on you
It's complicated love is underrated 

With the lights out i seem to find it easier
to make new friends
smile at acqaintances. 
with the lights out
i can be myself
the drinks flow
the wheels getting greasier
lights out i can be myself

like a fool
i scattered all me dreams into the wind
they fill the night like fireflies
I'm not complaining
Im just saying. 


Same Old Blues

Mike had a bad day
Cindy’s on a blind date
Bens showing off his new tattoo
Lindas in the conrner
Planning her next murder
Barkeep is watching the news

Samanthas got a new guy
looks like the last guy
Holly’s got a lost look to her eye
We’re all fallin all over each other
And Fallin out of life

This one’s for all the lonely hearts
All the resident fools
This one goes out to the ones weve lost
And the ones we will loose

This one’s for all the clumsy lovers
Boiling into the night
This one goes out to the ones weve lost
And the ones we will loose

Mose Allison on the juke box
The crack of a cue ball
Some ghost yells pour me another
burnt down to the husk

Liz brought some new friends
She lost all her old friends
Its always someone elses fault
Wer’re all looking out for each other
Unraveled by life



New Love

New love
You got me falling to pieces
You cut me down to the quick
And l’m an a.m radio child
Randy as a shit house rat
And my egos just skin and bones
New love when you around make me want to do terrible things
New love
Love that brown Cordoba
Bailing water, mending sails
I’m your Tough skin corduroy star
sewn up with carpet thread
cause my hearts spilled out to the floor
New love when you around make me want
to do terrible things
New love
You got me back on my haunches
Tussled hair awkward stare
City lights
you were my very first kiss
Feeling twisted and faded
Slipping through keyholes at night


Changing Back


Judging by the writing on the wall
The backspin of the eight ball
The misfortune of a pig in a stall
I don’t know what to believe in
Oh I can’t give you. All the lovin in my dirty heart

Beneath this pandemonium there is silence
And at the speed of sound there is no difference
Woman will you please take this dance with me
All I want to do is treat you right


I;ve been shredded like a buck skin
Been weavin like a tail fin
Make me a pallet at the looney bin
Cause I need something to hold on to

And sing me the love song
That been gleaming in your eyes

You aonly have to die to be born they say
You know you got to leave to go home again
Where I will be waiting for you and your fat juicy lips

People say ive changed for the better. So I am changing back



Whiskey Hurricane


Take off your dress, hang it on the nail
Gonna love you baby like I just got out of jail
We gonna dance all night

Tell me what you want
Make the sweetest sound
Hang on to my neck baby
We going to town
We gonna dance all night

Little to the left
Got to rattle them bone
A little to the right baby gonna hollar out for more
We gonna dance all night.


Love Song

Forget the image I have a heart
Through night and throb knock,
I loved her with all my heart

One more drink I’ll take you all
All you tunneler assholes
In my one horse tap room

Skipping with the angels
Swinging from star to star
Baby take my hand and follow me now
Before the devil knows we are dead

She was a crazy bit of sun dried trade
On the empty streets of Sunday
We’d walk hand in hand

We were strung together like an old vertebrae
A mooncalf by night
Smelled of
mousebones and siphoned gas

we’ll keep to the shallows
Like the first germs of life
Baby take my hand and follow me now
Before the devil knows we are dead

An odd constellation
Under cover of the night
Keep to the shadows and follow me now
Before the devil knows we’re dead

Our days are hours
Our Eyes bound by night
Baby take my hand and follow me now
Before the devil knows we are dead

Skipping with the angels
Swinging from star to star
Baby take my hand and follow me now
Before the devil knows we are dead
An odd constellation
Under cover of the night


Bowbrow

Well the world is crazy ain’t nobody to blame
You tried to hang a crooked picture in a crooked frame
Got no time for that I got a job to do
Gonna dig my grave with a rusty spoon

You got to meet me at the edge of the county line
Goin right back through the woods to the dead end sign
Goin strollin throught the grave yard hand in hand
Singing
The lord don’t want what the devil don’t have

Just listen to the tone of the old church bell
I got a pocket full of nickels for the wishing well
I found a dusty old bottle buried under the tree
Singin


FOOL HEART

Well the streets are full of liars
Two timers and desires
And my heart is full of hope
And nothing more
And I think you will find
You give me reason, to keep this fool heart believing
That the streets won’t open up and swallow me whole

The the road to hell is littered
With half wits and sinners
And the road to love is full of regrets and the stranded hearts of beginners
I’ve seen them both just a little too close
And my eyes are gauged from their sockets and yet you reveal a sight to behold


Well my hearts been set in motion, like a ship out on the ocean
Without a mast or a sail or a crew to guide her way
I’m still in need of a place to rest my bones
And I’ve managed to master the fine art of stumbling backward into your arms



My First Lover


She was my first lover and soon became my only friend
Taught me how to drink, how to smoke, how to F### and how to roll a cigerette

I had this feeling lord and I couldnt get it out of my head
That the ramparts were falling, the trenches filled with water

We used to run all night through dead years, some say darker days
Across fencerails and weedlots, the flatland toward the cumberlands

My lover was half addled with a soul as worn as someone three times her age
And I went down, down, down lord when that devil had her way

Through teeth grouted in blood, and drunken sleepshot eyes I loved her blind
That the ramparts were falling, the trenches filled with water

We’d sing:

The devils in town, the devils in your town, the devils in your town tonight.