1. |
The Mosquito
04:06
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the mosquito
last night something came around to scare me
left me turning in my bed
I heard the sound of a mosquito
back and forth it came and went
she must have come in from the garden
found an opening in the screen
looking for the sound a heart makes
looking to calm some inner need
no this is not another metaphor
meant to adorn some romantic tale
like you, I'd kill the mosquito
but it makes me stop to think
how much we want to hear the music
to hear the world's incessant song
even if it was never meant for us
it may not even really be song
and oh how much we love to love it
and with what sadness and what pain
knowing that we have to turn away
and enter darkness once again
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2. |
Don't Want Much
02:53
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I don’t want much
I don’t want much
I just want a little bit
A little bit before I quit
Before I’m through
You spin me off like a plate
I’m dizzy and my knees get weak
I stumble when I try to speak
When I’m with you
I want…
I want to be with you
Delight me. Conspire with me.
Devour me politely
I’m only fourteen shakes down
Collide with me on your way down
I don’t want much
I just want a little bit
A little bit before I quit
Before I’m through
I want…
I want to be with you
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3. |
Broken Cup
03:56
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the broken cup
batten down the hatches, boys
a storm is blowin’ through
come on down to the broken cup
we will all wait there with you
in the morning there’ll be signal flags
chrome yellow, red and blue
all hail the valiant engineer
all hail this ragged crew
tell everybody in this fleet
tell everybody… tell everybody…
tell everybody we will meet
the old crow rattles from a hollow chest
with his peg leg and his chain
see that the captain doesn’t fall
when he bends in to speak again
I hear tell, it’s just as well
if a storm cloud follows you
you go on down to the broken cup
they will all be there for you
down at the far end of this street
tell everybody… tell everybody…
tell everybody we will meet
look for the girl with the sawtooth smile
and a voice like glowin’ coal
she sings that song about goin’ home
where the rippling waters flow
petals fall down from her lips
velvet petals on a pinewood floor
let me see your face again
and I won’t ask anymore
tell everybody on your street
tell everybody… tell everybody…
tell everybody we will meet
batten down the hatches, boys
a storm is blowin’ through
all hail the valiant engineer
all hail this ragged crew
in the morning there’ll be signal flags
chrome yellow, red and blue
but tonight we’re down at the broken cup
and we’re waiting here for you
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4. |
The Monkey and The Ass
04:25
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The Monkey and the Ass
There’s so much to forget, misplace / between the monkey and the ass
The nights we slept on sheets of glass / until you called it over
But I’ll remember the perfume
The ceremony in your room
When we were young as lovers
And I know
It will never be the same / it will never wash away
Like the button on your coat
I’ll think of you
When the working day is through
When the noise turns into night / I will be alright
I’ll think of you
And if they ask me / how does the story go?
I wouldn’t know / I read the book but all I heard was music
Everybody knows this face / will not be used to launch the ship
But I’ll be here if you should slip / and I will catch you
So don’t forget your trail of crumbs / at least until the morning comes
So that I can find you
Don’t look back
Bring your flashlight and your drum / play it ‘til your hands are numb
Your twisted cane, your cardboard wings
All those things
That light you up and keep you young / the righteous heart, the open kiss
All the things that I will miss
Will follow you
And if they ask me / how does the story go?
I wouldn’t know / I read the book but all I heard was music
And I know
It will never be the same / it will never wash away
Like the button on your coat
I’ll think of you
When the working day is through
When the noise turns into night / I will be alright
I’ll think of you
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5. |
Darla
05:26
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darla
dance for me. dance for me. dance for me…. dance for me, darla
dance for me. dance for me. dance for me…. dance for me, now
we may not be here too long
we may not be here too long
the ticket taker’s smile is as wide as the aisle
but I can’t say for sure that he’s breathing
now you’ve come all this way / to perform in this play
and the curtains are tattered and bleeding
trade your heart for a song
take this heart for a song
the trombone comes in late / he leans hard on the eight
while he’s draining the spit from his horn
the lights have come down on the pig and the clown
and the air smells like livestock and popcorn
trade your heart for a song
trade your heart for a song
la… la… la… la…
it was under duress that the usher confessed
to leaving his station unguarded
but you captured the room when you brought out that spoon
and decorum and taste soon departed
take this heart for a song
take this heart for a song
I can see by your face / that you’re bored with this place
and you’re bored with your tiny companion
but you stand there so cute in your powder blue suit
who could blame you for putting the tease on
take this heart for a song
take this heart for a stone
dance for me. dance for me. dance for me... dance for me, darla
dance for me. dance for me. dance for me... dance for me, now
we may not be here too long
we may not be here too long
la… la… la… la…
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6. |
1000 Miles
05:35
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1000 Miles
It smells like Sherman’s ghost down here / someone’s poisoned the squirrels
The fire has reached the birdhouse now / all smoke and silver curls
If you aint got nothin’ good to say / don’t say anything
That’s what our public servants say / when they read the news
And I feel like I’m a thousand miles from you.
The devil’s in the money seat, baby / he’s counting cards and making deals
I guess nothing ever changes for those people / they’ll sell a soldier for a buck
Just before the city turned / Tremaine took shelter in the hills
Out beyond the cane-break baby / where the sky is still blue
And I feel like I’m a thousand miles from you.
I’m sleeping with the crows tonight baby / black water at my shoes
Old henry’s old dog snaps at fireflies baby / cause none of us can sleep
knocked down by a wicked wind / the water rose up to his chin
That wasn’t what done him in / it was losing track of his old girlfriend
And I feel like I’m a thousand miles from you.
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7. |
Way Back (shoo-be-doo)
05:08
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Way Back (shoo-be-doo)
Take that road. take it way back
take it to the river with the world on your back
take it with a flower and a pinch of salt
take it with a hammer
stars shine down to our blue balloon
black night seems bigger than me and you
but we shall not be afraid
everything will be ok
my heaven goes...
my heaven goes... with me
you and I, we go way back
we fell out of a window and skinned it back
we sat to watch the day glow with your cedar heart
watch it fall apart...
no one can follow you down
no one can feel the way you feel
but we shall not be afraid
everything will be ok
my heaven goes... with me
my sister's laugh, my brother's grin
my mother's hands are good to me
my father weeps, I cup my hands for water.
stars shine down to our blue balloon
black night seems bigger than me and you
but we shall not be afraid
everything will be ok
my heaven goes...
my heaven goes... with me
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8. |
Gloryland Bus Driver
03:40
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Gloryland Bus Driver
Well you worry that guitar like it was a fish on a line
Bend it to the breaking point, then let it run
Well I been to East St. Louis. I been in a hundred delta towns
Never seen ‘em turn it like that, ‘til you come around
Go on a do it. There might be something to it
Might just be the ticket, I don’t know.
Go on and build that gospel tower
Turn my faith into a flower.
I don’t think I can make it on my own.
Well you come down from the mountain with the tablets on your hip
Blood on your fingertip, mud on your kicks.
A sonic circuit rider, a Gloryland bus driver.
Let him take his breakfast,
All aboard!
Go on a do it. There might be something to it
Might just be the ticket, I don’t know.
Go on and build that gospel tower
Turn my faith into a flower.
I don’t think I can make it on my own.
Come on, reach to the bottom and turn it out
Reach to the bottom and turn it out
Reach to the bottom and turn it out
Reach to the bottom, turn it out…
Well you worry that guitar like it was a fish on a line
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9. |
Something's Moving
04:09
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Something’s Moving
Little sister gets the news, runs right home with the rhythm and blues
Shadows rockin’ all around the room, someone’s dancin’ with a broom
I jump straight up, up from my bed, raise the roof and I cleared my head
Took a look, a slice of moon was making silver out of gloom
Blue leaves chatter, dew beads scatter moonlight bright night
The holy book is in the ground, scattered pages all around this town
Put that clay behind your ear, old world voices you will here
The bitter root, the lion’s roar, the king of slaves at the devil’s door
Would it come as such a surprise to find gold between your eyes
Blue leaves chatter, dew beads scatter moonlight bright night
Somethin’s movin’, really movin’, think it’s movin’, solid groovin’ yea!
Somethin’s shakin’, feel it quakin’, levitatin', celebratin’ yea!
Blue leaves chatter, dew beads scatter moonlight bright night
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10. |
All Night Long
03:13
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All night long
The lightning flashed and the thunder cracked
The wind did howl and the doors flew back
The fish almost drowned in a pool last night
It rained all night long
If you see Judah P in the mud and the brine
Don’t stand in his way
Don’t you trouble his mind
He’ll be filling his bucket on through supper time
It rained all night long
All night long
All night long
All night, all right
It rained all night long
Rain dripping down off the brim of my hat
I stepped to miss Mary’s back door
And went tap tap tap
I held out my cup and she filled it up
It rained all night long
Well the water rose up fast in that hole in the ground
Some got back
You know that some went down
They were too tired to swim but too far to turn around
It rained all night long
All night long
All night long
All night, all right
It rained all night long
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11. |
Let's Get Lost
07:32
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Let’s Get Lost
Taking the ferry while the fishermen sleep
Wind in your face
You are a candle
Night watchman asleep on his perch
You turn away
What was the question
I started to say
Let’s get lost
In a song
About nothing
Sung by no one
Can you hear?
Cause there’s nowhere
That I’d rather be
Shadows fall across the Washington bridge
You turn your head
I didn’t notice
It started to rain
Morning breaks and the seabirds cry
I’m drifting again
It’s never been easy
For me to explain
Let’s get lost
In a song
About nothing
Sung by no one
Can you hear?
Cause there’s nowhere
That I’d rather be
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Lee Barber Austin, Texas
Born in New Orleans, Lee has been writing songs since he was 16. When THIEF AND RESCUE was released in 2009, the album garnered feature stories in the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, & on KUT radio. It appeared on several Best of 2009 lists & topped the Austin Chronicle’s list of Best Austin Albums of that year. His songs have been recorded by The Resentments, Ana Egge & others. ... more
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