Townes Van Zandt

[fox69]

"Fraternity Blues"

"Fraternity Blues"


I decided to improve my social station
I joined a fraternity organization
Tucked in my shirt
Signed on the line
Right away they said about to improve my mind
The car I drove
The books I read
The food I ate
The booze I drank
The girls I took out
My breath
Said "kid, we don't much like the way you walk
And you gonna have to change the way you talk"
They said "your dress is kind of sludge
And your attitude is mighty grudge"
Said "you got to learn to bubble"
"you got to bubble with enthusiasm" I started bubble
"most important thing you can't forget
Is learning the entire greek alphabet"
I never did really understand
That that's gonna make me anymore a man
But I learned it
I can whip through that son-of-a-beta backwards in five seconds
Then they hit me with some pretty bad news
Concerning the payment of monthly dues
I never did know where that money went
I never was sure it was well spent
But I paid it
I'm no troublecauser and besides I figured that's life
If you want good friends it gonna cost you
Well, finally got to be party time
I got a great big old jug of wine
I went back to the house in about an hour
(when the boy's were) drinking whiskey sours
Brandy alexanders
Frozen (daquires)
Reciting the greek alphabet to one another
I could see I was gonna have to do my very best
To get myself out of that fraternity mess
I stood right there outside the door
And I chugged that wine like never before
Walked inside and bubbled
All over a couple of their dates
So now everything's back to normal again
But there is still lots of room for improvement my friend
'cause that fraternity stuff is too much for me
Next time I'm gonna join a sorority
Really get me something to bubble about

 

[fox69]

"Fraulein"

"Fraulein"


Far across the blue water lives an old German's daughter
By the banks of the old river Rhine
Where I loved her and left her but I can't forget her
I miss my pretty fraulein

Fraulein, fraulein, look up toward the heavens
Each night when the starts start to shine
By the same stars above you, I swear that I love you
You are my pretty fraulein

When my memories wander a-way over yonder
To the sweetheart that I left behind
In a moment of glory a face comes before me
The face of my pretty fraulein

Fraulein, fraulein, walk down by the river
Pretend that your hand's holdin' mine
By the same stars above you I swear that I love you
You are my pretty fraulein

 

[fox69]

"Goin' Down To Memphis"

"Goin' Down To Memphis"


Goin' down to Memphis
Maybe get my ashes hauled
I can drive me a car, man
But I don't need no car at all
I believe I'll ride that Memphis cannon ball

She runs so fast
You can't catch her from behind
Ah, she runs so fast
You can't catch her from behind
But I'll be there waitin'
For that little Memphis girl of mine

Why I left
Guess I'll never know
Why I left
Man I guess I'll never know
Sittin' here thinkin'
I'm one dumb-ass so and so

I'm headed back
That Memphis train
She leaves real soon
The Memphis train
Sound like she leaves real soon
Got nothin' to guide me
'Cept the color of the moon
Hangin' over Memphis

Headed down
Where the Mississippi runs
Boys I'm headed home
Back where the Mississippi runs
I hear there's some lovin' there
Try to get me some

Headed down to Memphis
Maybe get my ashes hauled
Just don't know
Why I ever left at all
I'm gettin' on that train, man,
I ain't even gonna call
Be there before the break of day

 

[fox69]

"Gone Too Long"

"Gone Too Long"


I been gone too long
Too long gone, too long
I been travelin' hard
I just can't get back home
Ah it's hard to believe I done all that much wrong
I wanna find me a seven
Sevens ain't so bad
Seven about the best friend
This poor boy ever had
Ah you get you a seven
One and six don't seem so sad
I ain't bein' alone
Bein' alone too long
I'm sick of singin' this same ol' lonesome song
I'm gonna find me a seven and darlin'
I'm comin' home
It's lonesome down along this ol' highway
Darlin' I ain't stayin' here
I don't intend to stay
You may not want me I'm comin' home anyway
When the sun comes creepin'
Over the mountain side
I at least lay down and tell myself I tried
I ain't like somebody gonna sit in no ditch and cry
I been gone too long
Too long gone, too long
Travelin' hard I just can't get back home
It's hard to believe I done all that much wrong
Too long gone
Too long gone, too long
Travelin' hard, I just can't get back home
It's hard to believe I done all that much wrong
Ah it's hard to believe I done all that much wrong

 

[fox69]

"Gone, Gone Blues"

"Gone, Gone Blues"


Well, little darling she ain't mean me no harm
You know, she loved me all night long
Now she's gone, gone
Well, little darling in a dress so red
Now she's gone, man
I'm stuck in Chicago, Illinois
Let me tell you, boys
She's gone, gone
I do believe she gone a mobil deal
I do believe she made a fool of me
She's gone now
Little darling, won't you stay friend
I want to do them things again
Ah, gone, gone
You know, she loved me all night long
You know, she didn't mean me no wrong
Now she's gone, gone

 

[fox69]

"Greensboro Woman"

"Greensboro Woman"


Greensboro woman don't you smile on me
I do not feel like being comforted
And anyway I'll be home soon
For once is someone waitin' there
And if you don't mind
I just think on her instead

Your face, she's a picture, babe
Pictures ain't what I crave
I don't feel this way most generally
I just put a thousand miles 'tween me
And where my thoughts do lie
And I thank you kindly baby to kindly let me be

Your car, she's smooth and fast
Babe, your bourbon's fine
But I ain't feelin' free and clear today
Texas loving laying on my mind
I couldn't do you right babe spinnin' round this way

Greensboro woman don't you smile on me
I do not feel like being comforted
And anyway I'll be home soon
For once is someone waitin' there
And if you don't mind
I just think on her instead

 

[fox69]

"Gypsy Friday"

"Gypsy Friday"


If a dream's enough to ease your hungry sorrow
And a song's enough to blow your tears away
And all you need's a rhyme
To help you pass your time
Well, meet me down the line on gypsy Friday
If all you need's a rhyme,
To help you pass your time
Meet me down the line on gypsy Friday
If your mind's alive and free and flyin' easy
Then I'd like to take you with me if I may
Listen to me friend
You better best begin
Throwing secrets to the winds of gypsy Friday
If you want to call me friend
Then friend, you best begin
Throwing secrets to the winds of gypsy Friday
You can lay aside your bucket full of teardrops
Believe me, friend it ain't a game I play
When you can give your soul
And come in from the cold
Well, there's stories to be told of gypsy Friday
When you can give you soul
And come in from the cold
Well, there's stories to be told of gypsy Friday
So if you're feelin' scared and just a little lonesome
You can dry your eyes and put you fears away
And when all the tears are gone
And you wanna come along
Well, I'll sing for you a song of gyspy Friday
When all the tears are gone
And you wanna come along
Well, I'll sing for you a song of gypsy Friday

 

[fox69]

"Heavenly Houseboat Blues"

"Heavenly Houseboat Blues"


I'm building a houseboat in heaven
To sail those deep and holy seas
I'm building a houseboat in heaven
And it's welcome aboard you sweet peace

The bow she is made of solid silver
And the hall she is made of solid gold
She ain't much long the line's a-floating
But she's yours, babe, to have and to hold

I rode my old guitar to heaven
But heaven didn't feel too much like home
So I'm headed out on to them lonesome oceans
In my rubystudded houseboat to roam

 

[fox69]

"Hey Willie Boy"

"Hey Willie Boy"


Hey Willy boy what you gonna do
When the wind blows cold
The moon turns blue
Build me a fire
Gonna dance and sing
A little bit of winter don't mean a thing
A little bit of winter don't mean a thing

Hey Willy when the birds arrive
The flowers bloom
While the clouds float by
Tell my puppies
And my turtles and things
All God's children need a little spring
All God's children need a little spring

Hey Willy boy where you gonna go
When the grass gets sticky
And the wind blows slow
Down to the river
Gonna jump right in
A little bit of summer can't be no sin
A little bit of summer can't be no sin

Hey Willy how you gonna feel
When the leaves turn gold
Beneath your heels
Twirl and spin never gonna fall
Fallin' just won't do at all
No that wouldn't do at all

Hey Willy boy how you gonna feel
Hey Willy boy where you gonna go
Hey Willy boy what you gonna do
It's time to go to sleep right now
It's time to go to sleep right now

 

[fox69]

"High, Low And In Between"

"High, Low And In Between"


I come from a long line
Of high and low and in between
Same as you
Hills of golden
Piles of poison
Time's thrown me through
And I believe I've come to learn
That turnin' round
Is to become confusion
And the gold's no good for spending
And the poison's hungry waiting
What can you leave behind
When you're flyin' lightning fast
And all alone?
Only a trace, my friend,
Spirit of motion born
And direction grown.
And a trace it will not fade
In frozen skies
And your journey will be
And if a shadow don't seem much company
Well who said it would be?
There is the highway
And the homemade lovin' kind
And the highway's mine
And us ramblers are getting the travelling down
You fathers build with stones
That stand and shine
Heaven's where you find it
And you can't
Take too much with you
Aw but daddy, don't you listen
It's just this highway talkin'
All things are alive
Are brothers in the soil
And in the sky
And I believe it
With my blood
If not my eyes
I don't know why we can't
Be brothers here
I know we should be
Answers don't seem easy
And I'm wonderin'
If they could be