Paul Kelly

[fox69]

"Brighter"

"Brighter"



Where is your husband?
I've seen him digging snow
Blowing on his blue hands
With yards and yards to go

You're wild, you're wild, you're wild
He's just a child

It's getting brighter all the time
It's getting brighter all the time

Where is your lover boy?
I heard him on the radio
Singing a lover's story
Then the music turned to snow

You're wild, you're wild, you're wild
He's just a child

It's getting brighter all the time
It's getting brighter all the time

Here comes your law man
He's coming through fields of snow
With his pistol in his pants
And only yards to go

You're wild, you're wild, you're wild
He ain't no child

It's getting brighter all the time
It's getting brighter all the time

 

[fox69]

"Buffalo Ballet"
(originally by John Cale)

"Buffalo Ballet"
(originally by John Cale)



When Abilene was young and gay
And thunder storms filled up the day
The cattle roamed outside the town

Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun

Then tracks were lain across the plain
By broken old men in torrid rains
The towns grew up and the people were still

Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun

We all joined in and all joined hands
All joined in to help run this land
Then soldiers came, long long ago
Rode through the town and rode down those who were

Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun

Gold came and went, quickly spent
And the people broke down and often drowned
In the wealth and pain of old Abilene

Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun
Sleeping in the midday sun

 

[fox69]

"California"

"California"



California - I can taste you even now
California - I'll get back to you somehow
I still see you in my dreams
I hear your name on every tongue
It's been so long

California - You whispered to me all last night
California - With your beauty like a knife
I can hear your siren song
Calling me back to your shore
To die once more, California

California - I took my story to the well
California - You're still eating at my soul
How I miss your greedy eyes
Our golden days, our purple nights

I'll pay the price, oooh California

 

[fox69]

"Can't Fake It"

"Can't Fake It"



Put on a happy face, put on that smile
Put on a happy face, put on that smile
In the first degree, good as gold
In the first degree, good as gold
I just can’t fake it anymore
Lick the hand and love it
Don’t think nothing of it
Lick the hand and love it
Don’t think nothing of it

Is that a punch or a kiss? It’s getting hard to tell
Is that a punch or a kiss? It’s getting hard to tell
Same old melody, same old groove
Same old melody, same old groove
I just can’t fake it anymore
Kiss that ass and say it’s dandy
Kiss that ass and call it candy
Kiss that ass and say it’s dandy
Kiss that ass and call it candy

In the first degree
In the first degree
Same old melody
Good as gold
I just can’t fake it anymore
Everything is music
And I sure could use it
Everything is music
And I just can’t lose it
And I sure could use it
Yeah, I sure could use it

 

[fox69]

"Can't Help You Now"

"Can't Help You Now"



So you're back in town with your ball and chain
And your best laid plans-funny how they all went bust again
I do declare it's a crying shame
And everybody else is always to blame

All your old-time friends they've gone to ground
The theatre's closed-they've torn all the posters down
Once you had a face that could launch a thousand masts
But what's a star without a cast?

It's getting hard looking in your eyes
Even your young child is getting wise

I can't help you now, darling, and that's the truth
Can't help you now, darling, I'm all out of juice
I can't help you now, darling, that's for sure
Can't help you now darling no more

I remember when I walked the streets all night long
Pounding a poem to my brain and in the morning I laid you down a song
I gave you all the sweetest meat, I was happy just to lick the bone
Now I don't even pick up the phone

Pardon me if I seem cruel
But how long can I be your fool?

I can't help you now, darling, and that's no lie
Can't help you now, darling, don't even ask why
I can't help you now, darling, got to close the door
I can't help you now darling no more

 

[fox69]

"Careless"

"Careless"



How many cabs in New York City, how many angels on a pin?
How many notes in a saxophone, how many tears in a bottle of gin?
How many times did you call my name, knock at the door but you couldn't get in?

I know I've been careless

I've been wrapped up in a shell, nothing could get through to me
Acted like I didn't know I had friends and family
I saw worry in their eyes, it didn't look like fear to me

I know I've been careless
I lost my tenderness
I've been careless
I took bad care of this

Like a mixture in a bottle, like a frozen over lake
Like a long-time, painted smile I got so hard I had to crack
You were there, you held the line, you're the one that brought me back

I know I've been careless
I lost my tenderness
I've been careless
I took bad care of this

How many cabs in New York City, how many angels on a pin?
How many notes in a saxophone, how many tears in a bottle of gin?
How many times did you call my name, knock at the door but you couldn't get in?
How many stars in the milky way, how many ways can you lose a friend?

 

[fox69]

"Change Your Mind"

"Change Your Mind"



Staring at the river
Watching the water flow
I can't stop the river
Never, no

If I could make the mountains
Fall into the sea
Maybe I could make you
Fall for me

(Would you) change your mind
Change your mind, change your mind

All the stars keep turning
Wheeling all night long
I wish you'd turn
And hear my song

If I could make wild horses
Come and get their hay
Maybe I could make you
Sway my way

(Would you) change your mind
Change your mind, change your mind

Maybe when you're sleeping
I can make a spell
And when you wake up
I won't tell

(Would you) change your mind
Change your mind, change your mind

 

[fox69]

"Charlie Owen's Slide Guitar"

"Charlie Owen's Slide Guitar"



I was crawling, in need of inspiration
So disgusted, aching for a cure
Right there in my neighbourhood
A spell from the old, dark wood
Charlie Owen's slide guitar

The usual murmurs, the clinking of the glasses
The usual rumours drifting round the bar
He made the same mistake twice
My tears took me by surprise
Charlie Owen's slide guitar

Charlie, I can't see your face
Your good friends are in disgrace
And at the crossroads I am told
The devil's waiting for your soul

If I ever find my way to heaven
I promise I'll throw a party there
The band will be from Brazil
I know he'll be sitting in as well
Charlie Owen with his slide guitar

 

[fox69]

"Cherry"

"Cherry"



Cherry
In the middle of the back seat
as we're cruising on down the street
to set the night on fire

Cherry
She gives him some of her precious time
but she knows just where to draw the line
She's a mistress of desire

Slow night
Slow night
Slow night on fire

He is young
but old enough to know better
She says it doesn't matter
as she takes him high

The dream gets bad
begins to split at the seams
Oh - he spills her beans
they start to spread like fire

Slow night
Slow night
Slow night on fire

Cherry
you know there ain't no second tries
yeah you gotta have a thousand eyes
to keep from going under

Cherry
everybody wants to deal with you
everybody comes to kneel to you
they're trying to steal your thunder

Slow night
Slow night
Slow night on fire

 

[fox69]

"Cities Of Texas"

"Cities Of Texas"



I am the wind without a name
I have been blowing long before you came
I am the wind no one calls
I see your towers rise and fall
Cities of Texas, my lovely ones
Cities of Texas, shining in the sun

I am the wind no one knows
Out from your deserts, down from your melting snows
Over the ocean right across your land
I turn your high glass back to shifting sand
Cities of Texas, my lovely ones
Cities of Texas, shining in the sun

I am the wind no on sees
I’m gonna cover you by degrees
Cities of Texas, my lovely ones
Cities of Texas, shining in the sun