1. |
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Where went Old Elijah, Elijah who is gone?
Please come back poor Elijah
We should never have left him alone
We should never have left him alone
When first I met Elijah he was older than the stones
Alone lived old Elijah
Just stories, skin and bones
Just stories, skin and bones
It made sense in my memory when first I saw Its face
That never would I forget it
Nor would it be replaced
Nor would it ever be replaced
I’d have lived a good and true life just to know Its name
I’d fly it from the parapets
I’d shout it without shame
I’d shout it without shame
Nothing gets you nothing and nothing’s left he was told
Moved on to drier country
You’ll grow when you can grow
You’ll grow when you can grow
The desert night blows cold, the wind whips a devil’s storm
The day screams please forgive me
I’ve bleached the Earth to bone
I’ve bleached the Earth to bone
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2. |
Ballad of Pretty June
04:54
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A child’s fancy is a curious thing
When the days last longer than the black water breeze
In my thirteenth year my father fell
And I was all that was left for my mother to sell
And I’m oh –oh, I’m over due
Mr. Ames owned the tannery
My mother said a fine husband he’d be
An older man to hold my little hand
Dance me across to some promised land
William Wythe was an honest child
An easy manner and an open smile
Lived up the hollow on a poor man’s farm
And in a ‘manner of speech’ I fell to his charms
Tell my sisters, tell my brothers I’m gone
Say I’m sorry to my mother-in-law
It’s only money, only money that’s all
And I’m oh –oh, I’m over due
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3. |
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Well they say that Santa Fe
Is less than ninety miles away
And I’ve got time to roll a number and rent a car
Oh, Albuquerque
I was flying down the road
I was starving to be alone
Independent from the scene that I know
Oh, Albuquerque
So I’ll stop when I can
Get some fried eggs and country ham
I found somewhere where they don’t care who I am
Oh, Albuquerque
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4. |
Staring
04:58
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Sometimes i make the mistake of just waking up
Fall out into my day like there’s no way to stop
The barroom is heavy and I know I’m supposed to forget
And you are, and you are
Starin at me, starin at you
Looking at me, looking at you
I ride the number 11 through our old streets
Sometimes i lose my way following my own feet
In the corner the smoke dangles from your lit cigarette
And you are, and you are
Oh to speak to you
Oh just to speak to you
Takes everything, takes everything and more
I cant be near to you I can’t be near to you
Feels like I’m choking on air
i’m changing the subject the music is playing too loud
and you are you are
Starin at me, starin at you
Looking at me, looking at you
Circling me, circling you
Guessing on me, guessing on you
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5. |
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My father says I musn’t see you
That somethin’s gone twisted in this world
That the policeman might come and take me
For talking to a pretty blonde girl
We’d meet ‘neath the darkness of the river
And my mother she cried behind her curls
How I could bring such ruin to my family
Just by talking to a pretty blonde girl
Well, I knew it when we was just children
I knew it by the way her Sunday dress would twirl
That someday I’d lose everyone that I knowed
For talking to a pretty blonde girl
Now the train tracks don’t get wider by the mile
No, they diminish to a point beyond this world
And I can smell the fires of their furnace
All this for talking to a pretty blonde girl
There’s a part of me that goes on living
It’s as small and shiny as a river pearl
It glows so brightly in their fires
Glowing with the love for a pretty blonde girl
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6. |
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When I’m driving late at night
Sometimes I switch off my headlights
Sometimes I switch off my headlights
Maybe my mind moves too slow
I can feel the wheel letting go
I feel the wheel letting go
‘Cause you don’t love me
No, you don’t love me
No, you don’t love me the way I love you
The platform calls me to the edge
Strangers grab me as I take a step
Strangers have to grab me as I take a step
Just to hang there in space
My mind fixed upon your face
My mind fixed upon your face
I have known enough
And I have felt too much
I’ve never been a greedy man
I’ve lived all the life I can stand
I’ve lived all the life I can stand
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7. |
Zero Sum
05:51
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My car ain’t built for these roads
My heart ain’t made for this load
I thought that you were much older
Shouldn’t listen what a little girl says
I should’ve treated you colder
Don’t worry your pretty little head
I’m a zero sum I’m a zero sum
Go ask anyone
My car ain’t built for these roads
My heart ain’t made for these loads
Can’t seem to keep from shakin’
Used to have such surgical hands
We spend our whole lives breaking
A little girl wouldn’t understand
My car ain’t built for these roads
My heart ain’t made for these loads
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8. |
Poor Poor Me
07:43
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I 'bout run out of patience waiting for poor, poor me
And all the expectations that I started to believe
Well, there was never any doubt that I’d figure it all out
I’m all out of patience waiting for poor, poor me
I’m all out of patience waiting for poor, poor me
I checked-out before ever checking-in
I thought I knew every ending before it’d even begin
But they pay arrogance in full and, man, I got my fill
When I checked-out on poor, poor me
When I checked-out on poor, poor me
When I was in high school I hated my own face
And you knew I loved you and I was useful that way
But if anything has changed I wish you would explain
Why next to my name it still reads poor, poor me
Why next to my name it still reads poor, poor me
It was like a promise that what I wanted would be mine
And I went to college, my head heavy from these lines
But if a promise is a joke then every truth I ever thought I spoke
Was just a promise on poor, poor me
Was just a promise on poor, poor me
When I last saw you, I knew you right away
And the look that you threw me said everything you didn’t have to say
Just who do I think I am with all my little plans?
Oh, but when I saw you, poor, poor me
Oh, but when I saw you, poor, poor me
I got into the habit of poor, poor me
And I kind of like it below the surface of the sea
Where everything is cool and I can dwell on you
I got into the habit of poor, poor me
I got into the habit of poor, poor me
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9. |
Hold Me Close, Marlena
04:52
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Don’t let me go underground
Don’t let me go underground
Hold me close, Marlena
Don’t let me go underground
They called the men to leave their fields
They called the men to leave their fields
Hold me close, Marlena
The called the men to leave their fields
Don’t let me march in the lines
Don’t let me march in the lines
Hold me close, Marlena
Don’t me march in the lines
They say the boys will leave this night
They say the boys will leave this night
Hold me close, Marlena
They say the boys will leave this night
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Our Wild America Los Angeles, California
Songs to spark conversation by a singer with a guitar and harmonica then some other lovely things
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