"New Hymn"



Source of all we hope or dread, sheepdog, jackal, rattler, swan.
We hunt your face and long to trust that your hid mouth will say again
let there be light, a clear new day.
But when we thirst in this dry night,
we drink from hot wells poisoned with the blood of children.
And when we strain to hear a steady homing beam,
our ears are balked by stifled moans
and howls of desolation from the throats of sisters, brother, wild men,
clawing at the gates for bread.

Even our own feeble hands aim to seize the crown you wear
and work our private havoc through the known and unknown lands of space.

Absolute in flame beyond us, seed and source of Dark and Day,
maker whom we beg to be our mother father comrade mate.

Till our few atoms blow to dust or form again in wiser lives
or find your face and hear our name in your calm voice the end of night if dark may end.
Wellspring gold of dark and day, be here, be now.

"New Tune"



It's written in the surface of her skin, there's been a baby there, given away in love.
I see it in the little lines around her eyes, across her brow.
She'll be drifting away from me now.
She'll shape all the feeling that's not quite there inside my soul.
Love has gone away now, leaving behind an empty hole.
And who am I to try to compete with the din, as the silence so easily rushes in?
I will fly away.

It was something I only dreamed of, something that I'm not quite sure of,
something that I'll never tell you about.

"Night Owl"



A catfish, he tends to groove on the water, it's just where he's bound to be.
And a monkey kinds of flashes on fruits and bananas, so he lives in the top of a tree.
But my eyes are made for darkness and so the nighttime is right for me,
Said I'm a night owl, honey, sleep all day long.

Now most folks they like the good day time, they like to see the shining sun.
They're up in the morning off and running till they're too tired for having fun.
But when the sun goes down and them bright lights shine, my daytime has just begun.
I'm a night owl, honey, sleep all day long.

Said turn off that bright light, baby, you're just about to drive me blind.
Draw them curtains for me, mama, you watch and you'll see how my love light shines.

Now, there's two sides to this great big world, and one of them is always night.
Hey, if you can take care of business in the sunshine, baby, I guess you're gonna be all right.
But don't come looking for string bean to lend you a hand,
because my eyes they can't stand the light,
No, I'm a night owl, honey, sleep all day long. I said sleep all day long, I'm a night owl, honey.

"Nobody But You"



Everybody knows that I'm just a Joe that likes to hang around,
talking about my problems, bringing other people down.
Well this may be so, but not long ago, I was sitting on the top of the world.
Sure is strange how things can turn themselves around.

When I'm in need of a little bit of consultation, used to call on my Uncle John.
Took a trip down to West Virginia, found him dead and gone.
And as some sort of silly little consolation, they gave me a ticket back.
What you gonna do with folks like that?

You can talk about bands of angels,
and they think you come with your soul in your hands to set their children free.
But you talk about little bit of understanding, things that happen day to day.
Some of you folks sure enough have been good to me.

You come on talking about angel bands,
and they think you come with your soul in your hands just to set their children free.
But you talk about little bit of understanding, things that happen day to day.
Someone has been good to me.

Nobody but you, nobody but you, nobody but you, nobody but you.
Nobody but you, nobody but you, nobody but you, nobody but you.
Nobody but you, say nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody but you.

"Not Fade Away"



I'm a-gonna tell you how it's gonna be
You're gonna give your love to me
I wanna love you night and day
You know my love a-not fade away
A-well, you know my love a-not fade away

My love a-bigger than a cadillac
I try to show it and you drive a-me back
Your love for me a-got to be real
For you to know just how I feel
A love for real not fade away

I'm a-gonna tell you how it's gonna be
You're gonna give your love to me
A love to last a-more than one day
A love that's love - not fade away
A well, a-love that's love - not fade away

"Nothing Like A Hundred Miles"



I have tried to forget about you and all the plans that we had planned.
Yes, and I'm bound to leave this town, I don't care where I may land.

If what they're telling me is true, you have found somebody new to love you.
There ain't but one thing I can do, baby,
to save my heart from being broken in two by you, baby, I'm moving through.

There's nothing like a hundred miles between me and trouble in my mind.
There's nothing like a hundred miles, show me the yellow line.
There's nothing like a hundred miles when I'm only passing through.
There's nothing like a hundred miles to make me forget about you, forget about you.

Now don't we like our found farewells.
And don't we like to keep our good-byes nice and clean.
You may wish I'd go to hell while you tell me what a pleasure it's been,
so long, baby, I'm moving on.

There's nothing like a hundred miles between me and trouble in mind.
There's nothing like a hundred miles, show me the yellow line.
There's nothing like a hundred miles when I'm only passing through.
There's nothing like a hundred miles to make me forget about you, forget about you.

I have tried to forget about you. And baby, I have failed.
But just as long as I stay in Houston, I will.

"October Road"



Well I'm-a going back down maybe one more time, deep down home, October road.
And I might like to see that little friend of mine that I left behind once upon a time.
Oh, promised land and me still standing, it's a test of time, it's a real good sign.

Let the sun run down right behind the hill,
I know how to stand there still till the moon rise up
right behind the pine, oh, Lord, October road.

Let the sun run down right behind the hill,
I know how to stand there still till the moon rise up
right behind the pine, oh, Lord, October road.

It's the big-time life that I can't abide, raise my rent, tan my hide.
Sweet call of the countryside, go down slow, open wide..
I did my time and it changed my mind, I'm satisfied, oh.
I got so low down, fed up, my God, I could hardly move.
Won't you come on, my brother, get on up and help me find my groove.

Keep me walking, October road. Keep me walking in the sunshine, yeah
A little friend of mine, October road.
Keep me walking, October road. Keep me walking in the sunshine, yeah.
A little friend of mine, October road, help me now.

"Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip On Me"



Oh, baby, don't you loose your lip on me.
Lord, have mercy, baby, now, don't you loose your lip on poor old loving man JT, wooo.
Now, I've tried so hard to be your good boy, good God almighty, don't you know, mama,
tell me what more, what more in this world in this whole wide world can one good boy,
just one by himself man be, no, woooo.

"Oh Brother"



I'm not much for making little wishes, but I'd like a little wish to come true for you.
I'm not talking about loaves and fishes but I wish that there was something I could do for you.
Here's a little bit of cheap advice to be taken in an hour of need,
don't assume that the life you left is the life you have to lead.

When you come home, what you gonna do oh brother, oh brother.
Don't you try to deny what you know to be true,
the same mess of misery that you done been through,
standing in line and it's waiting for you.
One kiss leads to another, brother, when you come back home.

I'd like to know who's knocking on door, I'd like to know what they come here for.
You'd like to say no but the words won't come,
come in and sit down, seem to roll off your tongue.
You forget to remember, to never die young, one kiss leads to another.
Brother when you come back home, standing in line, all of your friends,
standing in line, party never ends, standing in line, the river flows, the river bends,
standing in line, all of your friends.

When you come home, what you gonna do oh brother, oh brother.
Don't you try to deny what you know to be true,
the same mess of misery that you done been through,
standing in line and it's waiting for you.
One kiss leads to another, brother, when you come back home.

And that moon will be shining in the trees all night long, something bound to happen for sure.
Soon you'll be stopping by talking to a friend again, swear you ain't never tasted nothing so pure.

When you come home, what you gonna do oh brother, oh brother.
Don't you try to deny what you know to be true,
the same mess of misery that you done been through,
standing in line and it's waiting for you.
One kiss leads to another, brother, when you come back home.

When you come home, your friends are dropping by,
when you come home, the moon is gonna shine.
When you come home, I tell you no lie, when you come home, they're gonna offer you a line.
Standing in line, all of your friends, standing in line, party never ends now.
Standing in line, the river flows, the river bends, standing in line, all your so called friends.
Standing in line, when you come home, standing in line, oh brother, oh brother now.
Standing in line, when you come home, standing in line, what you're gonna do now?

"Oh, Susannah"



Well I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee,
and I'm bound for Louisiana, my own true love for to see.
It did rain all night the day I left, the weather was bone dry.
The sun was so hot I froze myself, Suzanne, don't you go on and cry.
I said, oh, Susannah, now, don't you cry for me,
as I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee.

Well I had myself a dream the other night when everything was still,
I dreamed that I saw my girl Suzanne, she was coming around the hill.
Now, the buckwheat cake was in her mouth, a tear was in her eye.
I said, that I come from Dixie land, Suzanne, don't you break down and cry.
I said, oh, Susannah, now, don't you cry for me,
as I come from Alabama with this banjo on my knee.

"On Broadway"



They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway
They say there's always magic in the air
But when you're walkin' down that street
And you ain't had enough to eat
The glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere

They say the girls are something else on Broadway
But looking at them just gives me the blues
'Cause how ya gonna make some time
When all you got is one thin dime?
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes

Ha! They say that I won't last too long on Broadway
I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home, they all say
But oh! They're dead wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this here guitar
And I won't quit till I'm a star on Broadway

Oh, they're dead wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this here guitar
And I won't quit till I'm a star on Broadway (on Broadway)
On Broadway (on Broadway)

"On The 4th Of July"



Shall I tell it again how we started as friends
who would run into one another now and again.
At the Yippee Cai O or the Mesa Dupree, or a dozen different everyday places to be.
I was living alone, we were ever so brave on the telephone.
Would you care to come down for fireworks time,
we could each just reach, we step out of line.

And the smell of the smoke and the lay of the land
and the feeling of finding one's heart in one's hand
and the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing "love must stand,"
love forever and ever must stand.

Unbelievable you, impossible me, the fool who fell out of the family tree,
the fellow that found the philosopher's stone, deep underground like a dinosaur bone.
Who fell into you at a quarter to two with a tear in your eye for the Fourth of July
for the patriots and the minutemen and the things you believe they believed in then

Such as freedom, and freedom's land and the kingdom of God and the rights of man
with the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing "love must stand,"
love forever and ever must stand and forever must stand.

Oh, the smell of the smoke as we lay on the land
and the feeling of finding my heart in my hand
with the tiny tin voice of the radio band singing "love must stand,"
love forever and ever must stand and forever must stand.

All on the Fourth of July, on the Fourth of July.

"One Man Parade"



Do believe I'm gonna clap my hands, think I might tap my feet.
Put together a one-man band, take a walk on down the street.
Have a one-man parade, nobody needs to know.
Cause I'm right good of holding on to secrets and don't believe they show.

All I want is a little dog to be walking at my right hand.
Taking a breeze just as free as you please, maybe checking out occasional garbage cans.
Talking bout a one dog, y'all, nobody's friend but mine.
Hey now, you can say he's looking kind of funky, but I do believe he suits me just fine.

We were on the road again, I was wondering what to do,
but Honalei, it was pouring down rain, baby she had the low down blues.

Hey now, I was looking for my walking cane tying on my highway shoes.
Thinking 'bout a one man parade, y'all, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, hey.
I'm right good at holding on, holding on, holding on.

Honalei, it's raining. Honalei, sure nough, it's raining, listen here.
Honalei, it's raining, Honalei, it's raining muddy waters.

Thinking 'bout a one man parade, y'all, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, hey.
I'm right good at holding on, holding on, holding on.
La la la la la...

"One More Go Round"



Workin' on a thing, workin' on a thing, funny little thing I know, sure got to like it.
Only thing I got to show you, running around the room
in my Fruit O' The Loom, a cup of coffee from King Tut's tomb. Save me, Lumalammalu
Sure enough I must have been mokus and so out of focus to miss the first half of the show.
Oh, It gets to the end, we get to run it again just like before, one more go round.

Drank myself some wine back in '69, I was fooling around with my friends in my spare time.
Life along the river, knobby little knees in the Summer breeze,
hammock and a couple of trees, swing low, if you please.
Oh, I must have been mokus and so out of focus, I missed the whole half of the show.
Come to the end and they run it again, same as before, one more go round.

After all this time of fooling around it and never having nothing to show,
yeah, I'm happy to say that I finally found it right underneath my own nose.
Oh, I must have been mokus and so out of focus, I missed the first half of the show.
Please don't let it end, I want it again just like before, one more go round.

"One Morning In May"



One morning, one morning, one morning in May,
I spied a young couple, they were making their way.
One was a maiden so bright and so fair and the other was a soldier and a brave volunteer.

Good morning, good morning, good morning said he,
and where are you going my pretty lady?
I'm going out a-walking on the banks of the sea
just to see the water's glide and hear the nightingale sing.

Now they had not been standing but a minute or two
when out of his knapsack a fiddle he drew
and the tune that he played made the valleys all ring,
oh hark, cried the maiden, hear the nightingale sing.

Oh maiden, fair maiden, 'tis time to give o'er.
Oh no, kind soldier, please play one tune more
for I'd rather hear your fiddle at the touch of one string
than to see the waters glide and hear the nightingale sing.

Oh soldier, kind soldier, will you marry me? Oh no, pretty maiden, that never shall be.
I've a wife down in London and children twice three,
two wives and the army's too many for me.

Well, I'll go back to London and I'll stay there for a year,
it's often that I'll think of you, my little dear.
And if ever I return it will be in the spring
just to see the waters glide and hear the nightingale sing.
To see the waters glide and hear the nightingale sing.

"Only A Dream In Rio"



More than a distant land over a shining sea.
More than the steaming green. More than the shining eyes.
Well they tell me it's only a dream in Rio.
Nothing could be as sweet as it seems on this very first day down.
They remind me, "Son, have you so soon forgotten?"
Often as not it's rotten inside and the mask soon slips away.
Strange taste of a tropical fruit, romantic language of the Portuguese.
Melody on a wooden flute, samba floating in the summer breeze.

It's all right, you can stay asleep, you can close your eyes,
you can trust the people of paradise to call your keeper and tender your good-byes.

Oh, what a night, wonderful one in a million frozen fire Brazilian stars.
Oh, holy southern cross, later on take me way downtown in a tin can.
Can't come down from the bandstand, I'm never thrown for such a loss when they say:
Quando a nossa mae acordar, andareimoz au sol.
Quando a nossa mae acordar, cantara' pelos sertao.
Quando a nossa mea acordar, todos os filios saberao.
Todos os filios saberao, e regozilarao.

Caught in the rays of the rising sun on the run from the soldier's gun.
Shouting out loud from the angry crowd, the mild the wild and the hungry child.
I'll tell you there's more than a dream in Rio.
I was there on the very day and my heart came back alive.
There was more, more than the singing voices,
more than the upturned faces and more than the shining eyes.

But it's more than the shining eye, more than the steaming green,
more than the hidden hills, more than the concrete Christ,
more than a distant land over a shining sea,
more than a hungry child, more like another time.
Born of a million years, more than a million years.

"Only For Me"



Down the end of this barroom, out of sight of the light in the window.
His mind in his whiskey and his body in a folding chair, far beyond repair.
I enter his vision, he watches me look for my seat.
He makes his decision and he stands to his feet, Lord, it's a long way down.

It happened to me, wonderful sight. Only for me, only for you.
It happened to be a light shining through
from one who was lost and found just like me and you.

Old man says, "Young man, my you're looking pretty green,
like a stranger to this kind of place.
Come sit at my table, come and look into my face, I've got a story to tell.
There was a father and son, but that was a long time ago.
And when the time came to run, I just couldn't say no so I left them behind."

It happened to me, wonderful sight. Only for me, only for you.
It happened to be a light shining through
from one who was lost and found just like me and you.

We have seen it before in times of great sorrow
that human compassion will flow from a well that has long run dry.

It happened to me, wonderful sight. Only for me, only for you.
It happened to be a light shining through
from one who was lost and found just like me and you.

"Only One"



You are my only one, you are my only one. Well I'm telling you now, you're my only one.

I've got two long legs like to carry me, two sharp eyes to look for the fight.
Two strong arms to hold on tight, two good friends on my left and right, but only one only one.
You are my only one, you are my only one. Don't be leaving me now, you're my only one.

There's only one road before me, too many turns in the way, thousands of things to do today.
Millions of moments, I must admit, but only one, only one.
You are my only one, you are my only one. Don't be leaving me now, you're my only one.

Taken for granted and pushed aside, all that it wanted was a place to run and hide.
Missing message in a hollow tree, hidden deep inside a memory
and the memory seems like dreams.
Hundreds of hopes in the past, nevertheless it was never the last.
Hold on strong or you fade out fast and only one only one.
You are my only one, you are my only one. Don't be leaving me now, you're my only one.

"Our Town"



Long ago, but not so very long ago
The world was different, oh yes, it was
You settled down and you built a town and made it live

And you watched it grow, it was your town
Time goes by, time brings changes, you changed too
Nothing comes that you can't handle, so on you go
You never see it coming when the world caves in on you
On your town, nothing you can do

Main street isn't main street anymore
Lights don't shine as brightly as they shone before
To tell the truth, lights don't shine at all
In our town

Sun comes up each morning, just like it's always done
Get up, go to work, start a new day
You open up for business that's never gonna come
As the world rolls by a million miles away

Main street isn't main street anymore
No one seems to need us like they did before
It's hard to find a reason left to stay
But it's our town, love it anyway
Come what may, it's our town

"Places In My Past"



There are ladies in my life, lovely ladies in these lazy days.
And though I never took a wife, may I say that I have loved me one or two.
Of the people in my past, fading faces in a waking dream,
and though they never seemed to last very long,
there are faces I remember from the places in my past.

I said all the dead head miles and the insincere smiles.
Sometimes I can laugh and cry and I can't remember why.
But I still love those good times gone by, hold on to them close or let them go, oh no.
I don't know, I just seem to sing these songs
and say I'm sorry for the friends I used to know.