1. |
Nashville Line
05:15
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I hop the Nashville line, I’m headed for the music city now,
with a head full of steam and an eye for any but this town,
put my ear to the track and hope my savior comes,
to deliver me from a blood-red, setting sun.
And slowly I will tip my cap to the future I almost had,
and I wonder, will I dream of home, and a girl I used to know?
I hear the whistle blowin’ terse, it begs for home,
not the voice of a friend, but a voice I’ve yet to know.
And as she rattles close, the ground shakes like a kid with a fever high,
put my back to the sun and the day that’s about to die.
And slowly my fingers unfurl, take the hand of that railyard girl,
and I wonder, will I dream of home, and a girl I used to know?
Handed her my guitar and she helped me in,
swung my feet into the car, that sweetest apple sin,
and she knows her way to Nashville, oh she knows it good,
and in the darkness holds me close like only darkness could.
And slowly the heartbeat next to mine keeps a downbeat and I’m feelin’ fine
and I wonder, will I dream of home, and a girl I used to know?
and I wonder, will I dream of home, and a girl I used to know?
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2. |
Moltin'
05:52
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I’m moltin’, like the snake who spun her tale,
and I am dreamin’ newly naked in the
garden, with her sweet song on my forked tongue
and on my lips the taste of blood I think it’s
a callin’, from an albatross or siren’s song
and either way I’m lost in thoughts of
strong winds, and cinnamon.
I’m molten, thrown forth from inside
I got my first taste of the night above the
mountain, she held me so tight and so long
I never dreamed or sang a song of bein’
a diamond, with faces predefined,
if I could settle then I’d shine in time,
but I’ve got no form, I’m only fire,
and I’m settin’ to the sky tonight.
And everything processes in spirals it seems,
like the moon ‘round the earth ‘round the sun ‘round this time
brings spring.
And I am settlin’ down
into the deepest shade of old oak, coffee table brown.
And I will breathe that sound,
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3. |
Piano Strings
04:50
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My buddy was down in the basement,
my best friend was down in the basement,
and now he’s up in the sky above,
my best friend’s up in the sky above.
I know, my god, I know, my god,
I know, my god, Oh my god, I know.
My buddy was down so far away,
my best friend was down so far away,
and now he’s right by my side every day,
my best friend’s right by my side every day.
I know, my god, I know, my god,
I know, my god, Oh my god, I know.
Wrap my heart in piano string,
I will sing you a song of sorrow,
but I know he’s making sweet music for me.
My buddy is down behind the wheel,
my best friend is down,
and I don’t know how to change how he feels,
but I gotta keep him around.
I know, my god, I know, my god,
I know, my god, I know, my god,
I know, my god, I know, my god,
I know, my god, Oh my god, I know.
Wrap my heart in piano strings,
I will sing you a song of sorrow
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4. |
Relativity
03:36
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With our hearts so massive and our bodies so close why don’t you stay?
I whispered in her ear the night before she shot the Milky Way,
She smiled once and kissed me twice and tracin’ constellations cross my cheeks,
she said the gravity between our heart would always swing her back to me.
We slept that night curled up inside her rocket ship was set to go,
The warm smell of her long red hair like rocket fuel was set to blow,
when morning came she kissed my lips said, “Baby it’s about that time.”
I said, “Maybe in your reference frame but surely honey not in mine.”
Oh my baby’s fadin’ outta sight, she’s flyin from me damn near the speed of light
she said she’ll be home by tomorrow night but I know, that’s not how it goes
My baby never let me know how long for her I’d have to wait,
yeah every time I asked her said she’d only be gone a day,
but in a drawer I found mission plans that detailed her velocity,
my baby’s gone at point 9999999992 C.
oh my baby’s clocks are tickin slow she’s flyin from me to taste the sweet cosmos
she said she’ll be home before I even know she’s gone, but that don’t take long
I waited round for fifty years my beard was brushin’ ‘gainst my knees,
pickin’ on the back porch when the wind clear knocked me off my feet,
there walkin’ with her long red hair my baby beamin’ back at me,
she took me up into her arms kissed constellations cross my cheeks.
oh my baby girl is lookin’ fine, I’m 73 she’s in her college prime,
but I don’t feel old and she don’t seem to mind, “without you,” she said, “my day
has been so blue.”
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5. |
Can I Come Home?
05:07
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She asked me how I take my liquor,
“Well I take it down”
She told me to take it easy
I smiled and said, “that’s just not my style.”
When I was young I would wander so far from my home I couldn’t hear the dinnerbell,
and at fifteen I took the truck and hit the road just like a bat straight out of hell.
My papa always used to tell me, “Don’t you be like me.”
“Better get yourself a job in the mine ‘cause they did lie when they told us that love is
free.”
I always stared up at the milky moon when I could smell that whiskey on his teeth.
Now siftin’ through the bourbon smoke I see my papa knew that moon weren’t made for
me.
When my brothers both got older they took to the mine,
saved up a couple of coins and bought into the same old paradigms,
I never wanted my life to become a lunch box, hardhat, time card, and a black lung,
Yeah I thought a lot of things, back when I was young.
she said "Well I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout that, but I can tell you this,
with you takin’ shots like that, when you find love and raise your gun you’ll surely miss
I used to love with all my heart a boy with those bourbon tastin’ lips
but I knew I couldn’t stay with him, every time we kissed."
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6. |
Edge of the Hour
05:54
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Heart like the pen in my hand, it is quivering
Every letter I wrote to the sea was a line
Invisible to the eye, of strong test I hope
Never could stand the thought of anyone catching me
carrying rope
Head in the crest of a wave I am bound for to cave
Slipping out of the cloak in the donning of day
and Swaddled in skin I am cowering, galloping home
and I won’t sing it loud but by whispers you know I’m
succumbing to cold.
Fingers like roots in the sky hanging there to dry
just waiting for soil to rain down from high and I’m
naked I’m drenched and I’m cold and I’m burying bones
surrender my plow in your touch you exhume and you
build them a home.
Hold the cuff of the sleeve
and Pull the cuff off of me
I’m a clock on the edge of the hour
and I tremble
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7. |
Belle
05:26
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Quit the belle to glide along the river
and the barge to float upon her gown
you have held me as the current calls me down
I was born with teeth and bones of limestone
weathered down through storm and through the stream
you have held me as the ocean swallows me
the ocean swallows me
and in the belly of the sea
a kiss you wove for me
oh so lovingly
we bear unknowing
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