"Freedom To Stay"



I tied my bandana took my pack from the floor
You were still sleeping as I stood at the door
Once more I was headin' to God only knows where
That's when it hit me I was already there.

I could ramble a thousand miles or more
Never find the light I've seen in your eyes before
You gave me the freedom to go on my way
But you gave me much more you gave me the freedom to stay.

Why keep on runnin' just to wish on a star
Searching for Heaven when I know where you are
Life is just empty when you're walking alone
So wherever we're going girl Lord it's good to be at home.

I could ramble a thousand miles or more
Never find the light I've seen in your eyes before
You gave me the freedom to go on my way
But you gave me much more you gave me the freedom to stay...

"Friends In California"



I've got friends in California
Who really care about me
And right now a friend is what I need the most
Somewhere out in California
Is where I ought to be
So I'll pack up my trouble
And take 'em to the coast

This old town is gettin' colder
With winter comin' on
But it was just as cold back in Juli
There ain't nothin' here to hold me
With storm clouds movin' in
Lord knows I need a friend and sunny skies
I've got some cousins up near Frisco
They've been on my mind
And my best friend's got a place in Malibu
I've got an old flame in the desert
Livin' on the Falkland
I'd be better off with her then here with you

I've got friends in California
Who really care about me
Right now a friend is what I need the most
Somewhere out in California
Is where I ought to be
So I'll pack up my trouble
And take 'em to the coast

"Frisco Depot (San Francisco Depot)"
(originally by Mickey Newbury)



Frisco's a mile long away
You can afford to fly
But it might as well be the moon,
Lord, when you're as broke as I.
Here I sit with my head in my hands
Watching the trains roll by
Lord, the Helping Hand Mission man warned me
That the nights here got cold.
When you're cold there's nothing as welcome as sunshine
When you're dry there's nothing as welcome as rain
When you're alone there's nothing as slow as passin' time
When you're afoot Lord there's nothing as fast as a train.

Old Frisco's a mighty rich city
Now that ain't no lie
Well, they have some buildings
That reach nearly a mile in the sky.
Everyone's so busy they can't tell me the reason why
Here's a world full of people so damn many people alone
When you're alone life just don't seem worth living
While you're alive gotta learn to live with the pain.
You've been grown for so long
There's no one left who'll forgive
You find yourself searching your mind
For the links to the chain.
When you're cold there's nothing as welcome as sunshine
When you're dry there's nothing as welcome as rain
When you're alone there's nothing as slow as passin' time
When you're afoot Lord there's nothing as fast as a train...

"G.I. Joe"



Well he smoked those Camel cigarettes about three packs a day
Nicotine stains on his fingers when he'd stretch them out to play
That old "Midnight special" is one he loved to do
Then he'd sing "I'm walking the floor over you

TV preachers and welfare checks for him just had no place
But he'd take his time to tune real good when he sang "Amazing Grace"
He'd say boys I'm old and crazy but I still give a damn
And I still think the boys got screwed over in Vietnam

He'd drag out that old uniform
And say "they used to call me slim"
He never could get it buttoned up
But the pride looked good on him
He still feels the way he felt
Over forty years ago
Here's to the old man
Here's to G.I. Joe

He only sang the old songs, he's standing still in time
"My Phillipino baby", right there on his mind
Then he'd talk about the big one, the war we didn't lose
He'd pick a little bit like Travis "Re-Enlistment blues"

He'd drag out that old uniform
And say "they used to call me slim"
He never could get it buttoned up
But the pride looked good on him
He still feels the way he felt
Over forty years ago
Here's to the old man
Here's to G.I. Joe

Here's to my old man
And all the G.I. Joe's

"Games People Play"



Oh, the games people now
Every night and every day now
Never meanin' what they say now
Never sayin' what they mean, oh no.

Well, they wile away the hours
In their ivory towers
Till they're covered up with flowers
In the back of a black limousine, oh yeah.

Lotten da la da da da
Lotten da la a dee de dee
Talkin' bout you and me
And the games people play, oh now.

Well, we make one another cry
Break a heart then we say goodbye
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
That the other one's to blame.

But neither one will ever give in
So we gaze at an eight by ten
Thinkin' bout the things that might have been
And it's a dirty rotten shame, yes it does.

People walkin' up to ya
Shouting glory hallelujah
Well, they wanna sock it to ya
In the name of the Lord.

Gonna teach you how to meditate
Read your horoscope and cheat your fate
Furthermore to hell with hate
Come on and get on board.

Lotten da la da da da
Lotten da la a dee de dee
Talkin' bout you and me
And the games people play, oh now.

Look around and tell me what you see
What's happened to you and me
God give me the serenity
To remember who I am.

'Cause you've given up your sanity
For your pride and your vanity
Turn your back on humanity
'Cause you don't give a do de dee.

Lotten da la da da da
Lotten da la a dee de dee
Talkin' bout you and me
And the games people play, oh now...

"Gemini Song"



I could tell you a story from another day in time
How a high falootin' woman tried to make me walk the line
She was into changin' too damn hard to please
And the last time I saw her she was down on her knees.

Born under the sign of the Gemini twins
There's two sides to me and they ain't even friends
All sides are rising and there ain't no in between
When I'm bad I'm bad when I'm good I'm the best you ever seen.

Sometimes I'm out a prowlin' and carryin' on
Too high to know when it's time to take it home
When I'm like that it's hard to leave the women alone
It ain't easy thinkin' right with a good looking wrong.

For another sign of the Gemini twins
This two sides to me and me ain't even friends
All sides are rising in the rainbow in between
When I'm good I'm good when I'm bad I'm the worst you ever seen.

There's a good hearted woman waitin' when I come in
She don't wasting time and asking me about where I've been
She keeps it all together and to wish that you could see
Know she goes about bring it out the best side of me.

Born under the sign of the Gemini twins
There's two sides to me and they ain't even friends
All signs are rising, and there ain't no in between
When I'm bad I'm bad when I'm good I'm the best you ever seen...

"Gentle On My Mind"



It's knowing that your door is always open and your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch
And it's knowing I'm not shacked by forgotten words and bons
And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my mem'ry
Keeps you ever gentle on my mind
It's not clinging to the rocks and I'd be planted on their columns now that binds me
Or something that somebody said because they thought we fit together walkin'
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursin' or forgivin'
When I walk along some railroad track and find
That you're movin' on the back roads by the rivers of my mem'ry
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind
Though the wheet fields and the clothes lines
And the junk yards and the highways come between us
And some other woman 's cryin' to her mother cause she turned and I was gone
I still might run in silence tears of joy might stain my face
And the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind
But not to where I cannot see you walking on the back roads
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind
I dipped my cup of soap back from a gurglin' cracklin' caltron in some train yard
My beard a roughen coal pile and a dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands round a tin can I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
That you're waving from the back roads by the rivers of my mem'ry
Ever you're just gentle on my mind

"Get Naked With Me"


I bring it up
You're quick to cover it all up again
Thought we were friends
What are friends for?
The old bones in your closet
Must really embarrass you
And so to save face
It's a locked place

[Chorus:]
I don't see why you don't get naked with me
Get all the little secrets out in the open air
'Cause we won't ever be
All that we could be

As long as you won't get naked with me
The future's gettin' shaky
From all this holdin' back
There's something in your past

That seems to haunt you
For better or for worse, I said
I meant it through and through
No one has ever loved you
More than I do

[Repeat Chorus]

"Girl I Can Tell (You're Trying To Work It Out)"



Girl I can tell you're trying to work it out
Tryin' to get a handle on what life is all about
Between womenhood and nursery rhymes
Tryin' to find the truth in lovers lies
Girl I can tell you're trying to work it out.

Girl I can see you're wantin' to give it a try
Taking all the good and the bad the truth and the lies
Feelings inside you, you can't talk about
Feelings have a way of not comin' out
Girl I can see you're trying to work it out.

Between womenhood and nursery rhymes
Looking for the truth in lovers lies
And the ties that bind the things that last through time
Girl I can tell you're trying to work it out...

"Goin' Down Rockin'"



One foot on the mountain, the other one in the stream
All kinds of trouble and I'm caught in between
I can't change my way of doin'; it's gonna lay like it falls
If I can't go down rockin', I ain't gonna go down at all
She was a child of acquired money, had that silver spoon
I knew she had a little wild streak and needed breathing room
If I can't be your sugar daddy, I won't be your Neanderthal
If I can't go down rockin', I ain't gonna go down at all

Spent a little time in the congregation, that's how I was raised
Spent a little time in trouble, but I do have my ways

Won't be your Neanderthal.
Tonight I had good intentions of crawling into bed
Resting my body and clearing my head
But, just about midnight, I got that telephone call
If I can't go down rockin', I ain't gonna go down at all

Spent a little time in the congregation, that's how I was raised
Spent a little time in trouble, but I do have my ways
If I can't go down rockin', I ain't gonna go down at all
If I can't go down rockin', I ain't gonna go down at

"Gold Dust Woman"



Rock on gold dust woman,
Take your silver spoon and dig your grave
Heartless challenge,
Pick your path and I'll pray.

Wake up in the morning
See your sunrise lovers do go down
Lousy lovers pick their pray
But they'll never cry out loud.

Well, did he make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now do you know how
To pick up the pieces and go home?

Rock on ancient queen
Follow those who pale in your shadow
Rulers make bad lovers
You better put your knigdom up for sale.

Well, did he make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now do you know how
To pick up the pieces and go home?

Did he make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now do you know how
To pick up the pieces and go home?...

"Gone To Denver"



I've thought I'd take a trip to Denver
And spend a little time
I thought maybe out in Denver
I might get you off my mind.

No want, no want go with me
Just want to be alone
I might find someone in Denver
That can help me carry on.

Gone to Denver, gone to Denver
Gone to mend a broken heart
Now I was goin' and if I'm goin'
I'd better be gone, gone to Denver.

Well, I've known a quiet wild
Now I've been losing you
And I'd rather might stay here
And find out who I lost into.

Maybe I won't even miss you
Like I always thought I would
I've heard Denver's quite a city
And a change may do me good.

Gone to Denver. gone to Denver
Gone to mend a broken heart
Now I was goin' and if I'm goin'
I'd better be gone, gone to Denver.

Gone to Denver, gone to Denver
Gone to mend a broken heart
Now I was goin' and if I'm goin'
I'd better be gone, gone to Denver.

"Gonna Write A Letter"



I'm gonna write a letter, gonna mail it today
Just as soon as I think of the words to say
I've been needing to send it for nearly a year
There's a woman back home who's waiting to hear
I meant to tell you, dear Susannah
I'm a long way from Louisiana and you
And I know I promised to be returning
Just as soon as I've saved the money I'm earning for you
But I'm married to twins and I'm living in Peru
Well, I'm gonna write a letter
Get it off my mind
But you know the words
Are so hard to find
Sitting, thinking with my pen in my hand
How can I make her understand?
I meant to tell you, dear Julia
I'm a long way from the States, mosquitoes and you
I'll send some money to help with the kids
I'd like to thank you for all that you did
It's true Louisiana, and I'm with Susannah, too
Got me a letter, it arrived today
The words I read just blew me away
I don't believe I've ever felt so low
How could Susannah treat me so?
She said, I meant to tell you, my sweet honey
I'm a long way from your love, your money and you
Please don't think me under
And I do believe you'll understand me too
I got a bar and grill with Phil in Kalamazoo

"Good Hearted Woman"



She's a good-hearted woman in love with a good-timin' man
She loves him in spite of his wicked ways
She don't understand
Through teardrops and laughter,
They'll pass through this world hand in hand,
She's a good-hearted woman loving a good-timin' man.

Well, a long time forgotten
Dreams have just fell by the way
And the good life he promised
Ain't what she's living today
But she never complains of the bad times
Or bad things he's done
She just talks about the good times they've had
And all the good times to come.

She's a good-hearted woman in love with a good-timin' man
She loves him in spite of his wicked ways
She don't understand
Through teardrops and laughter,
They'll pass through this world hand in hand,
She's a good-hearted woman loving a good-timin' man.

He likes the bright light, the nite life
And good-timin' friends
When the party's all over
She'll welcome him back home again
She don't understand him,
But she does the best that she can
This good-hearted woman
Lovin' a good-timin' man.

She's a good-hearted woman in love with a good-timin' man
She loves me in spite of my wicked ways
She don't understand
Through teardrops and laughter,
They'll pass through this world hand in hand,
She's a good-hearted woman loving a good-timin' man.
She's a good-hearted woman loving a good-timin' man.

"Good Morning John"



Good morning, John:
Ain't it great to see your future shining brighter,
Than the naked light of day?
You made it, John:
But I confess there was a time we two have thought,
That you might let it slip away.
I love you, John:
In the cold and holy darkness,
You were always shining brighter than a star.
God bless you, John:
For the love and joy you've given,
As the living inspiration that you are.

You scared me, John:
'Cos you've crossed so many borders into danger,
With the price upon your head.
They got you, John:
And it hurts to see so many friends who ran,
Along beside you laying dead.
I know you, John:
There ain't nothing you can't handle now,
'Cause there ain't nothing bigger than your heart.
Keep shining, John:
For you owe it to the others as the dark,
And holy wonder that you are.

Hang in there, John:
It's a rocky road to glory,
But the straightest and the strongest will survive.
Keep smiling, John:
We won't make it there tomorrow,
But today let's say we're lucky we're alive.
I see you, John:
For the best of good intentions,
Have a way of getting scattered by the wind.
I mean it, John:
You might lose your mind or memory,
But you ain't gonna lose me as your friend.

"Good Ol' Nights"



People sit around and they talk and talk
How their dreams all ended too soon
Guess they never hung out under the stars
Howling at the moon
I guess we're as different as nine and eight
I see it in a different light
I don't think much about the good ol' days
Just about the good ol' nights

Talk about the good times
Talk about the times when the times were right
You can keep the good ol' days I'll take the good ol' nights

They wanna go back to when a Cadillac
Didn't look like a Chevrolet
It mean't a lot to them but not a thing to me
I never owned one anyway
But a good looking woman and an old guitar
With both of them tuned just right
Well I don't think much about the good ol' days
Just about the good ol' nights

Talk about the good times...
You can keep the good ol' days I'll take the good ol' nights

"Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues"



Everybody's gone away
Said they're movin' to LA
There's not a soul I know around
Everybody's leavin' town.

Some caught a freight
Some caught a plane
Find the sunshine
Leave the rain.

They say this town'll waste your mind.
Must be right cause it's wastin' mine
Some got to win some got to lose
Good time Charlie's got the blues.

My heart keeps telling me
There ain't no kid at thirty-three
Play around you lose your wife
You play too long you lose your life.

I got my pills to ease the pain
Can't find a thing to ease the rain
Sometimes I'd like to try and settle down
But everybody's leavin' town.

Some got to win, some got to lose
Good time Charlie's got the blues.

"Grapes On The Vine"



There are songs that birds don't sing to people
There are secrets that keep right through to the end
There are heroes who hide until forever
And I'm singing this song for one of them

He's the man that you passed on the road there
The one with his life on the loose
Going either somewhere or nowhere
Going without me, without you

For he is this world's constant orphan
Traveling out his lone time
Living on apples from orchards
Dying from grapes on the vine

You can find him in big city winters
Down where the mission bell cries
And sorrow echoes through summer
As he tries to close all his eyes

You can find him in Pittsburgh in Christmas
You can find him in Buffalo in June
And he knows all the backroads between them
Like the gypsy knows the moon

And it's route 22 all over again
Stick your thumb out and try to look like somebody's friend
Look strong at the man, gentle at the girl
And puzzled at the rest of the world

Living on apples from orchards
Dying from grapes on the vine

"Green River"


Green River, I've come back to you do you remember me
Do you remember Molly with the soft blue eyes
I left here with a lot of dreams none of them came true
What I wanted was here waiting all the time.

Green River, did she come here every evening
Like the neighbors say she did so faithfully
Green River, has she's gone away forever
She just disappeared one day as she gave upon me.

Green River, if you see her won't you tell her I'll return
All I've brought her is myself and this little dream
Please tell her that I love her and my lesson I have learned
Green River, tell her please come back to me...

"Grey Eyes You Know"



That cold north wind is blowing grey eyes you know
The years are quickly going grey eyes you know
And the good life I promised you so long ago
Is dead but for a dreaming grey eyes you know.

We never had much money grey eyes you know
More rainy days than sunny grey eyes you know
And life has been a long hard road to hoe
But you stuck right by me smiling grey eyes you know.

Hard times took the blue from your eyes
Leaving them grey as the winter's skies
We've had our talk now I must walk away
Leave you here beneath this mound of clay.

And I feel so empty as I turn to go
For my heart lies there beside you
Grey eyes you know
My heart lies there beside you
Grey eyes you know...