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1. |
A Little Like The Devil
03:55
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three in the morning, dropped on my head
the last train won't run and the radio's dead
come look out the window on a city of stone
there's a son of a bitch with his boots on the ditch
walking home on his own
out making time, out spoiling angels
sneaking back into hell early on Sunday
i left a prayer on her pillow and wine on her breath
now if if wasn't for headlights, i'd be freezing to death
when you're starving and lonesome it's a wonder to find
a willing companion of the heavenly kind
it's a busted arrangement, even sunrise is cold
nothing left i can lose but a year of the blues
and the last of my soul
(out making time...)
don't ask for more chances, enough is enough
losing won't break you, not as badly as love
feeling easy and free now, almost forgiven
a little like the devil on a whole new level
hitching home out of heaven
(out making time...)
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2. |
Legend Of The West
03:25
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in the dead of night or high noon on all saints day
everybody heard the shooting start, or so they say
it was a dime novel gunfight
it was the fashion of the time
no one took it for a crime
like a summer storm the old folks felt it coming in
death came driving seven horses, one for every sin
they wrote a blood-soaked ballad
it made a killing so they say
at the sunday matinee
ride on amigo, i know you're bound to leave me
but i wish you better fortune all the same
i may not own what they write upon my stone
i just hope they don't forget my name
no one doubted that the heroes made a brave attack
but that don't explain how they wound up shot in the back
did they ride into the sunsent
did they tumble in the street
no two witnesses agree
now we looked on their destruction and we called it good
all for whiskey and a six-gun and a hand of stud
it was the end of the outlaw
it was a legend of the west
and the poets tell it best
ride on amigo, i know our sun is setting
but i wish you better fortune all the same
i may not own what they write upon my stone
i just hope they know how to spell my name
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3. |
This Damn Ol' Life
03:56
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hand to God, it's been raining from a blue sky
our hearts already broken before they told us why
it's not every day we stand and watch a legend fell
but after you are there any legends left at all
it's hard finding ways to push that pain along
haunted by so much that just don't feel gone
i can hear you telling jokes and lies, laughing just outside
that's the hardest part most days, the best part sometimes
this damn ol' life surely was the death of you
and all be damned if it don't believe it's coming for me too
if you can't live clean at least be kind, we'll stay by you at the end
travel light, adios old friend
good life comes from hard living, that's the asking price
folks who take the bad roads give the best advice
don't trust the man who tells you life is easy, neat or fine
just because he never took a step across the line
now the Lord is mighty good to bless the ones who mourn
for we're bound to bury many more than we ever will see born
let love live on in the songs we leave behind
only folks who get forgotten ever truly die
(this damn ol' life surely was the death of you...)
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4. |
Bang Bang Bar
04:00
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dark clouds on the horizon, the band's due on at ten
barely cleared the sound check as the storm came crashing in
the air filled up with sulfur as lightning broke the sky
they took the stage not knowing armageddon was just outside
in a dusty Texas honky-tonk souls were sheltered from the rage
outside the world was ending but they could not turn from the stage
the game for the souls of men would be done before the dawn
the devil played God at bones and the band came rocking on
bang bang baby, the end's beyond these walls
burn burn baby, the sky burns before it falls
bang bang baby, lock the doors made of pearl
dance dance baby, right off the edge of the world
guitar strung with rattlesnakes sung low on his hips
the singer gargled broken glass as the bluffer licked his lips
just a few more hours as the players took their turn
crank the amps, let 'em dance, and watch this whole thing burn
(bang bang baby)
death sat down for a breather as God played the devil's hand
the undertaker said strike me dead, i'm digging this here band
the drummer shook the room with the kicking of the drum
God called down the devil's bluff, we knew that he had won
(bang bang baby)
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5. |
Friday Night On Tuesday
02:53
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the traveling shows are all packed up and gone
it's early but the river's turning cold
there's nothing like september for an old soul feeling old
summer's gone in this old town again
they used to run the picture show at night
the coffee wasn't hot but it was free
nobody felt like sleeping, it was 95 degrees
summer's gone in this old town again
honey will you wait, would you like to stay up late
let's tie one on and shake the willow tree
the sky is looking gray, a little more than yesterday
and i reckon you could say the same of me
oh won't you stay and keep me company
we never asked for life in paradise
to tell our story is the most that we demand
living east of eden is a thing we understand
summer's gone in this old town again
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6. |
Apostle John
07:10
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flatboat john was a good disciple
(whoa devil, tremble now)
sat on a stump for to write his bible
(satan get behind me)
God made liquor from the jordan stream
took one sip and it burned me clean
God rose up and hollered my name
fished my soul out the ponchartrain
holy holy, blood and wine
split this rock i'm standing on
i've got more blood than i've got time
won't you take my hand, apostle john
lift me up, apostle john
way back yonder by the coal boat stack
i burnt my wings and bust my back
but God made a place for to hide my soul
a broke-neck bottle on the glory road
(holy holy, blood and wine)
i've seen the end of you and me
inside a mile from the burning tree
flatboat john was a good disciple
sang so fine while he cleaned his rifle
(holy holy, blood and wine)
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7. |
Arms Around The Storm
04:20
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i put my arms around the storm
as she tries to take on the world
maybe too much to believe
too many locks and too many keys
evening falls on florence below
the stars a mirror in the cosmos
tripped on every single word
for one more moment with her
cut my ties and let the storm take me away
let the winds put us down where they may
destination is unknown
green grass peppered with white stones
desert skies of purple and gold
the king's jewel that i stole
autumn brings a chill to the air
our windows down, the wind in our hair
throw a dart at the map on the wall
we'll learn to fly before we crawl
cut my tether, let the storm take me away
cut my ties and let it carry me away
let the winds put us down where they may
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8. |
The Rains
02:07
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the rains came, the rains came
and after that wasn't nothing the same
the clouds they gathered as thick as the night
the thunder roared with every lightning strike
it fell in sheets no man could see through
uncovered the rocks til they shined like new
Lord temper the wind to a shorn lamb
let the creek rise up and bust the dam
what if the sheep have all gone unshorn
it hadn't rained like that since Jesus was born
the rains came, the rains came
and after that wasn't nothing the same
it furrowed the ground more than a plow could do
swept over the land and it spared but few
it flooded the valley, it covered the hill
wasn't nothing to do but give it its will
the rains came, the rains came
and after that wasn't nothing the same
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9. |
Forward In The Saddle
04:58
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sun and stone from here to nowhere
nothing for you but these miles to ride
flood before you, fire behind you
granite walls on either side
mourning dove, sing out for sunlight
stars are fading, it's too dark to fly
lamps are burning beyond the valley
don't be taken by surprise
in your mind are you somewhere in the middle
has your love been lost in time
you may find leaning forward in the saddle
might not be a waste of time
one road out, no road returning
let your fellow man alone awhile
keep your health and pray for silence
struggle never was your style
(in your mind are you somewhere in the middle)
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10. |
Texas (Long Distance)
06:21
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i had a friend call me long distance
more surviving than on a roll
the barbecue out here tastes different
that sauce don't seep down in your soul
california left me a message
she left about twenty years ago
out here they are killing innocence
there are things they shouldn't know
i don't know why you had to go
spent a little time outside of Texas
that's just a little time too long
when the sun sets down in Texas
i hope that sun's sitting right on your home
new orleans, they can let the good times roll
las vegas is all plated in gold
bellies full and purses empty
but only good friends can fill your soul
you can get real high in colorado
the mountaintops and valleys below
but i like smiles that are warm as july
and only love helps the lowest low
those mountaintops can be awful cold
(spent a little time outside of Texas)
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