Devil in the Yard
There’s a devil in the yard
And he’s looking pretty hard
For a way to make you cold
He might pass this way
But he won’t want to stay
If you let your heart take hold
It’s a desperate thing we seek
To be silent and not speak
And to crave only silver and gold
When this could be the day
That the ice will melt away
And you let your heart take hold
Let your heart take hold
Like a wild stretch of road
Like something that can’t be sold
Let it catch the wind
And let it all begin
And let your heart take hold
Now would you come to me
If you needed to be free
Would you want me still to hold
When all the tracks been laid
And all the debts have all been paid
Would you let your heart take hold
Big Old Careless Heart
well i hurt you once or twice i know
when all i ever wanted was just to breath
and i spin around and lose my ground
with everything that’s tugging at my sleeve
you’re like a dancer in my arms
every light and shadow i can see
you got a great big careless heart you said
but don’t you ever go away and leave
you got a big old heart
a great big careless heart
like the sun and the moon and rising tide
a splash of color on the break of day
something magic in the air
like when i just close my eyes and play
yeah but mostly i’m all tied in knots
not the guy who knows just what to say
you got a great big careless heart you said
but i wouldn’t know you any other way
—
like a fighter on the floor
learning how to take some
and get up when there’s nothing left to say
we never had too much before
didn’t need to know what for
falling down and living anyway
—
like the sun and the moon and the rising tide
a flash of color when you turn your eyes
you got a great big careless heart you said
and it didn’t come as any big surprise
—-
now you’re like a dancer in my heart
really only trying to be free
and i spin around and lose my ground
when all i ever wanted was just to see
the sun and the moon and the rising tide
and the crashing of your love into me
you got a great big careless heart you said
but don’t you ever go away and leave
Shining Through
When the waves
Keep on rolling in
And all the birds that were singing
Fly back home again
And it’s true
Between the horizon and the clouds
I see the Sun
Come shining through.
Drift on your lonely rowboat
Out into the sea and disappear
Keep on the straight and narrow
Destination seems unclear
And it’s true
On the shore I see a light
Piercing the fog
Come shining through.
And now the Sun is setting
Twilight bids farewell upon the day
Whispers on the wind
Of all the things you meant to say
And it’s true
Luke the morning Sun will rise
I feel your love
Come shining through.
When love comes shining through
Black Sara
Cast out upon the seven seas
She follows the gypsy wind
With only a song Black Sara keeps
To anyone willing to sing
A necklace of golden coins, coal black hair
And eyes as deep as night
You wait like a watchman till the light
Soon comes in to sight
When Black Sara comes
You’ll follow the tracks in the sand
When Black Sara comes
For the touch of her hand
Dancing alone in a leopard skin dress
In some French café
While the sound of guitars, haunted and strange
Slowly start to play
When Black Sara comes
You’ll follow the tracks in the sand
When Black Sara comes
For the touch of her hand
The sun and the moon are drifting in blood red skies
You reach but you fail to grasp what is in her eyes
This fear of the wind is all that we’ll ever know
If you long for the sea but never go
Good Gal
Walking down the street
With a dollar in my hand
Gonna spend it on my woman
‘Cause I’m her man
She’s a good gal to me
She hold the sunshine
In the palm of her hand
I never met a woman
Who understands
She’s a good gal to me
She’s got more lovin’
Than any man has ever seen
She brings me whiskey
She brings me wine
When things get dim
She lets it shine
She’s a good gal to me
Takes a whole lot of lovin’
To keep me satisfied
She fills up my cup
It’s running over the sides
She’s a good gal to me
She’s got more lovin’
Than any man has ever seen
I Was Feelin’ Alright
Walking down the street
The Sun was high
Black sunglasses over my eyes
Strolling through the city
Wishing I was in the woods
I was feelin’ alright.
Didn’t have any certain place to go
I eased my pace to a mellow slow
Saw a mama on the corner
Who just had to know
I was feelin’ alright.
Didn’t want to let nothing
Get me down
I decided to head on out of town
I’m going to the river
I’m waterside bound
I was feelin’ alright.
Leaning on a tree
Looking up at the sky
To all my worries I said goodbye
It was at that moment that I realized
I was feelin’ alright.
So this is all I’ve got to say
Pass the wine, toast the day
Then I turn around and walk away.
Billy the Mouse
Billy the mouse was an outlaw kid
grew up making whiskey like his Daddy did
slept by the river just to hear the cold wind blow
Billy shot a man in a desert
for jumpin claims and braggin out loud
but the wind won’t be tied to a gallows pole
—
Billy said preacher can you free my soul
I want to know where the river flows
The old man always said it would come to this
Preacher said son I know how you feel
Cause the only ones winning are the ones who can steal
and oh lord, love is a thorny kiss
—
so let it take
let it take you home
let it carry you back where the river flows
—
Like an empty car on a midnight train
you are the space between the rain
and where you’ll go now only the river knows
But when that old laughing moon is big and bright
you’ll let the music play all night
and follow the river just to see where the water flows
—
so let it take…
—
and like Lazarus is mending
no one’s standing here pretending to believe
So Mama don’t worry don’t cry for me
if you hear of good fortune that’s where I’ll be
it’s the same promised land that we used to know
the same old troubles wherever you go
Billy the Mouse was a hero to some
he ain’t waiting around for Jesus to come
but he would help you up as sure as you’re down
and dance with the moon all night long
Titi Road
Yonder come a man with a pack on his back
He’s been walkin’ by the railroad track
Lookin’ for food he’s gonna find the poor
Down on the TiTi Road
Seen a lot of people in this world before
Goin’ hungry, goin’ door to door
Eat a little possum or a squirrel or two
Down on the Titi Road
Down on the TiTi Road we’re livin’
Down on the TiTi Road
Down on the TiTi Road we’re strugglin’
Down on the TiTi Road
Livin is hard in a tar paper shack
The wind blows through the front, it blows through the back
Rain drippin’ through the roof and soakin’ my clothes
Down on the Titi road
—-
Got bee boxes down in the TiTi swamp
Sweet honey, gonna get me some
Fish are jumping in the Summer sun
Down on the Titi Road
Suddenly
Suddenly you fall
And you don’t feel a thing
And you’re sittin’ on a cloud like a child
And angels start to sing
Suddenly you see
The ground rushing up
So drink all you can, take it in
Before you leave this cup
It’s getting to me
It’s getting to you
It’s getting to wearing you down
But it’s not what you see
It’s just what you do with it
That’s what will bring you around
—
suddenly you’ll know
you’ll give everything
like the howling of a wolf in the night
looking for your wings
and suddenly you’ll be
sunlight in the trees
when you’re standing in your cage but you know
you know you’re really free
Along The Way
The mountains stand tall
But for how long?
Cut like a knife
By the old river song.
Like waves to a cliff
Just a-washing them away.
I’m sorry, babe.
I just can’t stay.
I ain’t talking about love
I ain’t talking in vain.
I’m just looking for a rainbow
After the rain.
I’m hungry and I’m tired,
I’ve been scratched and I’m bruised
I’ve got a mixed up mind
And these highway blues.
Blue is showing up as green
Lately it seems I’ve been
Living in dreams
Baby, if I fall
Won’t you please lend a hand
After all I’m just a common man.
Medusa is turning
This town into stone
And when no one’s left
And she’s all alone
She will weep for she’s Lonesome
Has guilt for the crime
She once was a reef
But now she’s just lime.
And the gypsy woman is giving advice
Saying serenity comes at a high price
All of your burdens
Are just stones on the trail
And you need some wind
If you’re gonna sail
I’m walking a line that has no end
This trend tends to be my friend
Most of the time
I don’t know what to say
I’ll just figure it out along the way.
Sweet ‘Bye and ‘Bye
Sweet ‘Bye & ‘Bye
Hello, my friends
It’s good to see you again.
The winter’s come and gone
I’m just blowing in the wind.
It’s strange ’cause it seems
I’ve been here in my dreams.
I have walked along this road
Except for then I was alone.
If you want to
Walk a mile in my shoes
You can have yourself a time
And kick them Blues.
The days are rolling by
We can make it if we try.
Good times they are a-plenty
In the sweet ‘bye and ‘bye
The sweet ‘bye and ”bye.
No Diamonds In A Coal Mine
there’s no diamonds in a coal mine
can’t make a circle with a straight line
so take it easy if you get the time
there’s no diamonds in a coal mine
get the message that you’re trying to send
tie your laces and tell a friend
shake your bones and learn to bend
and get the message that you’re trying to send
there’s no diamonds in a coal mine…
you say you’re certain but you can’t be sure
you row in circles if you got one oar
walking backwards through the exit door
you say you’re certain but you can’t be sure
there’s no diamonds in a coal mine…
and it’s all for one and one for all
and that’s what they’ll say until you fall
so tie the horse to the cart and make a start
(2nd x…so hitch an engine to the train and make a change)
and hey…
there’s no diamonds in a coal mine…
Ain’t no telling what the future holds
don’t count your guineas till the cow is sold
in the rocks you’re gonna find the gold
ain’t no telling what the future holds
take the road that goes beyond the pale
through the curtain and the misty veil
swing the hammer and hit the nail
and take the road that goes beyond the pale
and it’s all for one and one for all
and that’s what they’ll say until you fall
so hitch an engine to the train and make a change
and hey…
there’s no diamonds in a coal mine…
Let It Ride
I could lay down my burden in the cold rain and snow
I could lay down my body by the side of the road
or I could lay down here with my sweet love, I’ve only to decide
If a good time is what you’re looking for
it’s a good time to let it ride
let it ride
let it ride, let it ride
if a good time is what you want
let it ride
I could lay down here with my sweet love, I’ve only to decide
if a good time is what you’re looking for
it’s a good time to let it ride
I could lose my direction and not know the way back home
I could starve my good intention and muddy up my soul
or I could howl at the moon and sing to the sky
if a good time is what you’re looking for
it’s a good time to let it ride
And for all the different hands that I could lay down
and all the different cards that I could hide
the sun will come again tomorrow morning
so we might as well get up again
and go out and let it ride