Indigo Girls

[fox69]

"Become You"

"Become You"


I heard you sing a rebel song,
sung it loud and all alone.
We can't afford the things you save,
we can't afford the warranty.
I see you walking in the glare
down the county road we share.
Our southern blood, my heresy,
damn that ol' confederacy.
It took a long time to
become the thing I am to you.
And you won't tear it apart
without a fight, without a heart.
I'm sorry for what you have learned,
when you feel the tables turn.
To run so hard in your race,
now you find who set the pace.
The landed aristocracy
exploiting all your enmity.
All your daddies fought in vain,
leave you with the mark of Cain.
It took a long time to
become the thing I am to you.
And you won't tear it apart
without a fight, without a heart.
It took a long time to
become you, become you.
The center holds, so they say.
It never held too well for me.
I won't stop short for common ground
that vilifies the trodden down.
The center held the bonded slave
for the sake of industry.
The center held the bloody hand
of the executioner man.
It took a long time to
become the thing I am to you.
And you won't tear it apart
without a fight, without a heart.
It took a long time to
become you, become you.

 

[fox69]

"Birthday Song"

"Birthday Song"


I couldn't think of a thing to write
On your birthday card
Considered the poets
But they didn't know what
Lay quite inside my heart
I thought of Atlanta
I thought of Toronoto
And all of the places we've been
I filled up my tea and looked into the trees
And still came up empty again
So I guess the next time you see me
In a world of partial truths
You will fully believe me
I have nothing to give except but to live
Like the person you know me to be
I can clean up the kitchen
And fold up your clothes
Neatley as I am able
Wrap a box up with ties for a surprise
And order you flowers for the table
I could book us a trip
On a plane or ship
I know how much you love the sun
You could gamble on me
Like the lottery
And I'll make you feel like you've won
And I'll bet the next time you see me
In a world of partial truths
You will fully believe me
I have nothing to give except but to live
Like the person you know me to be
Life is short and so on
I'd like to give you something to go on
Grow on
They recently paved the walk on our street
We looked at the shiny cement
We stopped the car ready to carve
Our names into permanence
For a moment we're kids
Intent on a whim
There is no shadowy past
But even so the urge is to go
And put something down
That will last
So here goes
The next time I show up for you
You will know
And believe
I am ready to give
Ready to live
Like the person you know me to be.

 

[fox69]

"Bitterroot"

"Bitterroot"


Tonight I'll be sleeping on the mountain top,
I got a billion stars for my witness.
In the morning I'll go down and the sun comes up,
I'll take a drink from the Bitter Root River.
Have you been lonely?
Yes I've been lonely.
I've been lonely too.
Tonight I'll be sleeping on the mountain top,
I got a billion stars for my witness.
In the morning I'll go down and the sun comes up,
I'll take a drink from the Bitter Root River.
Have you been travelin?
Yes I've been travelin.
I've been travelin too.
Tonight I'll be sleeping on the mountain top,
I got a billion stars for my witness.
In the morning I'll go down and the sun comes up,
I'll take a drink from the Bitter Root River.

 

[fox69]

"Blood And Fire"

"Blood And Fire"


I have spent nights with matches and knives,
Leaning over ledges, only two flights up.
Cutting my heart, burning my soul.
Nothing left to hold,
Nothing left but, blood and fire.
You have spent nights, thinking of me,
Missing my arms, but you needed to leave.
Leaving my cuts, leaving my burns,
Hoping I'd learn.
Blood and fire
Are too much for these restless arms to hold.
And my nights of desire are calling me,
Back to your fold.
And I am calling you, calling you from 10,000 miles away
Won't you wet my fire with your love, babe?
I am looking for someone, who can take as much as I give,
Give back as much as I need,
And still have the will to live.
I am intense, I am in need,
I am in pain, I am in love.
I feel forsaken, like the things I gave away.
Blood and fire
Are too much for these restless arms to hold.
And my nights of desire are calling me,
Back to your fold.
And I am calling you, calling you from 10,000 miles away
Won't you wet my fire with your love, babe?
I am intense, I am in need, I am in pain, I am in love.
I am intense, I am in need, I am in pain, I am in love.
I am intense, I am in need, I am in pain, I am in love.
Blood and fire
Are too much for these restless arms to hold.
And my nights of desire are calling me,
Back to your fold.
And I am calling you, calling you from 10,000 miles away
Won't you wet my fire with your love, babe?

 

[fox69]

"Burn All The Letters"

"Burn All The Letters"


I am sorry that I set my sights on the things I read
Something meant for your husband maybe you left under the bed
Once upon a love those words blew free and secret but the pages lay around
Drifted to the hands of the publisher and the greedy generations on down
Burn all the letters (someone is always watching)
The government's on the phone (whether openly or secretly)
Burn all the letters (breathe life into your story)
Send them on to a safer home (burn it to secrecy)
Burn all the letters brand them in before you go
Soldiers are coming to plunder but there are some things they will never know
We made our love out of dignity, we dug our nails in the dirt
Hung out towel soaked souls out on the line we loved so hard that it hurt
To ease my pain I took a pen and paper, incarnate came the bleeding
Send it back before the public eye perverts it in the reading
Burn all the letters (someone is always watching)
The government's on the phone (whether openly or secretly)
Burn all the letters (breathe life into your story)
Send them on to a safer home (burn it into secrecy)
Burn all the letters from you to me
They're coming to take what they can but they cannot read
What they cannot see

 

[fox69]

"Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee"

"Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee"


Indian legislation's on the desk of a do right congressman
And he don't know much about the issues so he picks up the phone
And asks the advice of the senator out in Indian country
A darling of the energy companies ripping off
What's left of the reservation

I learned the safety rule
I don't know who to thank
Don't stand between the reservation
And the corporate bank
They're sending federal tanks
It isn't nice but it's reality

Bury my heart at wounded knee
I said deep in the earth
Won't you cover me with pretty lies
Bury my heart at wounded knee

We got these energy companies
Who want to take the land
And we got churches by the dozens
Trying to guide our hands
And turn our mother earth
Over to pollution war and greed
No no

Bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee
I said deep in the earth
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Won't you cover me with pretty lies
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee

We got the federal marshalls
We got the covert spies
We got the liars by fire and the FBI
They lie in court and get nailed
And still Leonard Peltier goes off to jail
(The bullets don't match the gun)

Bury my heart at wounded knee
An eighth of the reservation
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Was transferred in secret
Bury my heart at wounded knee
We got your murder and intimidation
Bury my heart at wounded knee

My girlfriend Anna May
Talked about uranium
Her head was full of bullets
And her body dumped
The FBI cut off her hands
And told us she died of exposure

To bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee
I said deep in the earth
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Won't you cover me with your pretty lies
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Talk about a revolution
They stole my land
They won't steal my soul

We had the gold rush wars
Why didn't we learn to crawl?
And now our history gets written in a liar's scrawl
They tell me, don't be so uptight
I mean honey you can still be an Indian
Down at the y on Saturday night

Bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee
I said deep in the earth
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Won't you cover me with your pretty lies
Bury my heart at wounded knee
Bury my heart at wounded knee

Bury my heart
It was an eighth of the reservation
Bury my heart
Yeah was transferred in secret
Bury my heart
Got your murder, murder, murder and intimidation
Bury me
Bury me
Bury me
Bury my heart
Bury my heart
Bury my heart
Bury my heart

 

[fox69]

"Caramia"

"Caramia"


Caramia a blank notebook and a backpocket fade,
you used to mock me sometimes I would cry when I was home later You hurt my feelings,
why why why, send it down in your notebook my wannabe Harriet the spy
And some say your genius is in your madness will you get better then will you leave us?
How you mixed with the darkness at such a young age
until in your chemistry science and violence turned silence to rage
Why are you dreaming this, one shoe off and a bridge to cross over
And where is your taxi fare, are you left by yourself or left by your lover?
For three nights straight now I dream I keep both of my shoes but I've forgotten my lines and
I've misplace my cues, and there's a sea full of faces and a show to go on,
and I'm struck mute at entrance with nothing to draw from
There were the secrets the big bang and the bigger joke
You seem to know all of them and injustice makes you red with choke
You love like you're desperate you don't know what love is
I thought if there was one thing I could give you one thing I could give you, maybe it was this
With your head on the bed board the anguished repeat the sweat of our sadness the twist of the sheets
I don't want what's best for you, where will I be when you've found it?
I pray a lot about these bad feelings inside but I can't pray my way through or around it

 

[fox69]

"Cedar Tree"

"Cedar Tree"


You dug a well you dug it deep for every wife you buried you planted a cedar tree the best you ever had i stand where you stood i stand for the bad or good i am green you are wood the best he ever had i dig a well i dig it deep and for my only love i plant a cedar tree the best we ever had

 

[fox69]

"Center Stage"

"Center Stage"


Laughing in a crown of jewels,
Numbness from a scepter's wound.
Toss and Turn, I spin and learn,
"Catch yourself before you burn."
A joker's dance before the king,
Jangling beads, a silver ring.
Close your eyes and bare the sound,
Jumping up-falling down.

Falling, Falling, Falling, Falling down.
Look yourself in the eye before you drown.

Royal rebels discover you.
Trust? you turn there is no truth.
And circle, circle, why are you scared?
Why a smile instead of tears?
I'm gulping smoke to fade away.
Figures floating down to lay.
Meet the joker and the thief,
The king and queen but-no relief.

Falling, Falling, Falling, Falling down.
Look yourself in the eye before you drown.

"The king is in the counting house, counting out his money"
{Look yourself in the eye before you drown. Falling, Falling, Falling, Falling down.}

Falling, Falling, Falling, Falling down.
Look yourself in the eye before you drown.

"The queen is in her parlour, eating bread and honey"
{Look yourself in the eye before you drown. Falling, Falling, Falling, Falling down.}

Falling, Falling, Falling, Falling down.
Look yourself in the eye before you drown.

[instrumental]
"Mary had a little lamb"

I cross myself before I die
The leaping man, he asks me, "why?"
"Well your rhythm is off" I reply,
"Now you must dance the dance
That you imply!"
"Your actions will follow you full circle round,
Your actions will follow you full circle round,
Your actions will follow you full circle round,
Your actions will follow you full circle round,
The higher the leap, I said,
The harder the ground!"

 

[fox69]

"Chickenman"

"Chickenman"


I am an only child born of the wild riddled to spend my time defending my land you are my only one born in the sun riddled to spend your time defending my plan dead dog on the highway median cats are growling at me i turn my lights on brighter counting through the night ride one more life for the taker chickenman one more song for the maker chickenman on the road to Athens i saw a dead deer on the highway i slipped into a desert five prairie dogs and a rabbit i was running down on queen street i saw a woman on the sidewalk she was beaten by a stranger danger danger danger one more life for the taker chickenman chicken-man chickenman hold my hand one more life forthe maker hold my hand chickenman i was on the road to Austin i met a man on the highway he sold me junk and conversation he was wise and dirty from the wather i said darkness into darkness all the carnage of my journeys makes it hard to be living he said it's a long road to be forgiven one more life for the taker chickenman chickenman chickenman hold my hand one more song for the maker chickenman chickenman chickenman hold my hand i am an only child born of the wild riddled to spend my time defending my land you are my only one born in the sun riddled to spend you time defending my plan i went looking for a car found myself beneath the stars i went looking for a girl found a man and his world chickenman chickenman chickenman hold my hand i am an only child hold my hand chickenman chickenman chickenman hold my hand