John Mellencamp

[fox69]

"Each Day Of Sorrow"

"Each Day Of Sorrow"


Well I ain't been baptized
I ain't got no church
No friend in Jesus
And what makes matters worse
I've lost myself
Into the dark
Scared and alone
With no love in my heart

Each day of sorrow
Brings me closer to goodbye
If I weren't so afraid
I'd lay down and die

I guard it so closely
What I feel in my soul
And when I received love
I just let it go
And I called out for help
I found myself alone
Did I believe anything?
I don't know

Each day of sorrow
Brings me closer to goodbye
If I weren't so afraid
I'd lay down and die

So all of you angels
Don't waste your words
Dog-gone my soul
I aint' no good

This life is too much trouble
For a fellow like me
If I had something to give you
I'd give it to you for free

Each day of sorrow
Brings you closer to goodbye
If I weren't so afraid
I'd lay down and die

Well I ain't been baptized
I ain't got no church

 

[fox69]

"Early Bird Cafe"

"Early Bird Cafe"


Everybody's laughin' at the Early Bird Café
I've been hidden there since yesterday, and I believe I've lost my way
Charlotte's there in organdy, and Billy's there in suede
There’s money in their pockets, and all the dues are paid
There's wine on every table, and food on every plate
Well I hope I get there pretty soon, before it gets too late

Someone asked me what time it was – and I, told him it was now
He asked me just what that might mean, but time would not allow
So I gave away my watch to a passing businessman
Well I hope he understands it now – cause I've done the best I can
It was getting early, so I rushed away from there
With that ancient earth beneath my feet
And new dust in my hair

Well I ran on down the road a while, to the other side of town
My clothes were gettin' wrinkled, and my socks were fallin' down
But I could not stop to pull them up, for fear that I'd be late
So I kept on runnin' down the road until I saw the gate –
Of the Early Bird Cafe, glowin' golden like the sun
Everybody kept on singing, saying:
"Come on in, we've just begun!"

So I went right in, and I set right down, and I ordered up some wine
The talk was fast & clever, and the women all were fine
Charlotte asked me where I'd been with her jade and ivory eyes
I told her I'd been hung up, with some begger in disguise
Well she laughed like temple bells,
Kissed me on the cheek and said:
"You know it's hard to be alive sometimes...
But it's easy...
To be dead!"

 

[fox69]

"Easter Eve"

"Easter Eve"


Well me and my son of only fourteen
A finer young gentleman you've never seen
We went out walking on Easter Eve
Just to pass some time together

Well he asked me some questions of things that I'd done
But I kept it good natured, we were just having fun
And we talked about everything under the sun
And the Easter bells were chiming

So we walked for a while into a cafe we went
For we were hungry from the time we'd spent
We carried no malice or any contempt
And both our hearts were shining

Well we weren't there long before my kid said hey
There's a man over there and he's looking our way
Pay no attention I said to the lad
Let's just mind our own business this evening

Well the man approached said what are you staring at
And that if we didn't stop gawking he'd take us out back
And teach us some manners, it was simple as that
Keep your eyes to yourselves, you bastards

So I looked up and said why don't you just sit down
You're walking here, sir, on very thin ground
There's nobody gawking or looking around
And you're alarming all of the patrons

Well I guess that I shouldn't have said that
'Cause he raised his voice said get ready to scrap
And with that he gave my kid's head a snap
And said come and get what you've got coming

Well my son stood up and hit him a lick
And I tried to stop him but it happened so quick
Then he smashed the man's head down in the deck
He was giving that fella a beating

But the man reached down pulled out a small gun
And he pointed it straight at the head of my son
But with a longneck bottle the kid slashed at his jaw
And the pistol fell down on the table

Well thank God the cops came and broke up the brawl
There was blood on the ceiling and blood on the wall
I said to my son you know you don't win 'em all
This has sure been one hell of an evening

He said you know Dad I never even saw that gal
But I wasn't going to stand for him threatening us now
And I hope you forgive me for being so wild
Here on Easter Evening

Well they arrested us all and took us to jail
But ten minutes later we were all out on bail
And the wife of the man came up to my son
And said thank you young man for what you have done

You know my husband is jealous and very cruel
And whenever we're out he always acts like a fool
And I'm gonna quit him now that they got him locked up
And I hope to hell that he will rot

Well me and my son of only fourteen
A finer young gentleman you've never seen
We went out walking one Easter Eve
And left with that man's wife that evening

 

[fox69]

"Easy Target"

"Easy Target"


Here's an easy target
With just one quiet pop
Shot to hell anyway
No reason to stop
In the streets and the gutters
The cotton fields in this land
Here's an easy target
With a trigger, in your hand

So, Black lives matter
Who we trying to kid
Here's an easy target
Don't matter, never did
Crosses burning
Such a long time ago
400 years and we still don't, let it go

Well let the poor be damned
And the easy targets too
All are created equal
Equally beneath me and you
Children crying
Under the time-keeping sun
The war on the easy targets
We won't ever, get this done

Easy targets
All along the avenue
Living here in Sucker Town
Baby me and you
Behind the bars
To keep each other apart
Easy targets
Our Country's broken heart
Our Country's broken heart

 

[fox69]

"Eden Is Burning"

"Eden Is Burning"


Diane and Jack went to the movies
They went to see Richard Pryor
Screamin' on his knees for his lover
How could have I been wrong about you?
How could I have been so wrong about you?

Eden is burning
I can see it from my window
Better take it to the water
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Thinking of Havana
Eating cream and bananas
You and me in the sunshine
How could have I been wrong about you?
How could I have been so wrong about you?

Eden is burning
I can see it from my window
Better take it to the water
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

How could have I been wrong about you?
How could I have been so wrong about you?
With love on our side
With love on our side

Here's the masquerade of our living
Well, I hope it makes you feel better
It's for our own protection
I thought we were forever, me and you
But nothin's forever, I guess it's true

Eden is burning
I can see it from my window
Better take it to the water
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Eden is burning
I can see it from my window
Better take it to the water
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Eden is burning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

 

[fox69]

"Emotional Love"

"Emotional Love"


(Sally in the roses)
I woke up today
Everything's on my shoulders
I never told her
Such emotional love

I hear what you say
Yes I owe ya
But I don't know ya
And I smash soldiers with love

I'll come there today
To your station
It's recreation
This passing notion of love

I hear what you say
It's demonstration
Crossing oceans above
Crossing oceans above

Hand on my shoulder
Like I told her
I control ya
Crossing oceans above
Sally in the roses
What she knows is
Such emotional love [6x]

Not for beginners
or Sunday sinners
Court disasters
A.J just killed his love

Who's on the left and right
lonely days and nights
Who's your master
When gods pass motions above
I hear what you play
On your station
Smashing Soldiers with love
Crossing oceans above
Such emotional love [4x]

I woke up today
Everything's on my shoulders
I never told her
Such emotional love
I hear what you say
Yes I know ya
But I don't owe ya
And I smash soldiers with love
I'll come there today
To your station
It's recreation
This passing notion of love
is crossing oceans above
Such emotional love [7x]

 

[fox69]

"Empty Hands"

"Empty Hands"


In the shadows of the smokestacks
Through the black snow that lay on the land
Walked home one winter morning
With my life's savings in my hand
Maryanne, she's fixin' up some breakfast
Got the lights on, on the Christmas tree
Sittin' there lookin' up at an angel
With something dyin' inside of me

Grew up with great expectations
Heard the promise and I knew the plan
They say people get what they deserve
But Lord, sometimes it's much worse than that
Maryanne she's takin' in some laundry
I got a part-time job at a drive-in stand
Oh Lord, what did I do
To deserve these empty hands

Across the cities, across this land
Through the valleys, and across the sand
To many people standin' in line
Too many people with nothin' planned
There's too many people with empty hands

Now Maryanne's been cryin'
Lord knows I love her the best I can
When my pride is bruised and broken
She slips her hand into my empty hands
Without hope, without love, you've got nothing but pain
Just makes a man not give a damn
That's no way for us to live
We've got to fill these empty hands

 

[fox69]

"Factory"

"Factory"


Be yourself, boys
Let's get this show on the road

Well I'm up every morning by 6:08
Take the Voltswagon bus up the interstate
Feel Charlie Manson just like ...
I'm diggin' real hard for some money to spend
Well it ain't that bad if the summer's free
I got my evenings ... to cruise the scene oh yeah

I got a pretty old lady
Who rolls back in the morning
She don't pressure me about my over time
Got a kickin' black chick
Who meets me in the alley
Sayin' unsnap your jeans, baby
I'll take what I find
I got non-stop shootem up, on a layaway plan
I've got a workman's compensation, I'm a union man

[Chorus:]
Working at the factoy
Gonna get me some of them luxuries
Well now me and the boys
Machines are making noise
Working at the factory (moola)

It works like this

I got one eye on the time clock
I got my other eye on, the girl in the hall
I got this ... rocket, hum, stuck right here in my pocket
Waitin' for the five o'clock whistle to call
I'm the whistle dancer of the production line
I got an encour tomarrow at the very same time

[Chorus 2x]

 

[fox69]

"Farewell Angelina"

"Farewell Angelina"


Farewell Angelina, the bells of the crown
Are being stolen by bandits, I must follow the sound
The triangle tingles, the music plays slow
But farewell Angelina, the night is on fire, and I must go

There is no use in talking and there's no need for blame
There is nothing to prove, everything still is the same
The table stands empty by the edge of the stream
But farewell Angelina, the sky's changing colors, and I must leave

The jacks and the queens they have forsake the courtyard
Fifty-two gypsies now file past the guard
In the space where the deuce and the ace once ran wild
Farewell Angelina, the sky is folding, I'll see you after a while

See the cross-eyed pirate sit perched in the sun
Shooting tin cans with a sawed-off shotgun
And the corporals and the neighbors clap and cheer with each blast
But farewell Angelina, the sky is trembling, and I must leave fast

King Kong little elves in the rooftops they dance
Valentino-type tangos while the hero's clean hands
Shut the eyes of the dead not to embarrass anyone
Farewell Angelina, the sky is flooding over, and I must be gone

The camouflaged parrot, he flutters from fear
When something he doesn't know about suddenly appears
What can not be imitated perfect must die
Farewell Angelina, the sky's flooding over, and I must go where it is dry

Machine guns are roaring, puppets heave rocks
At misunderstood visions and at the faces of clocks
Call me any name you like, I will never deny it
But farewell Angelina, the sky is erupting, and I must go where it's quiet

 

[fox69]

"For The Children"

"For The Children"


I wish I could give you an answer
As to when life really begins
I wish I could tell you where we went
When our days here come to an end
Wish I could see the future
The same way I see the past
Wish I could draw a conclusion
Why nothing here seems to last

I can't even make a guess
Or an uneducated thought
All I can do here is my best
And be thankful for what we've got

Why do so many suffer
Oppressed to the end of time
Why does freedom move so slowly
Unable to speak its mind
Some say it's a circle
Others think we live on the wing
Why are promises broken
And some think life don't mean a thing

I can't even make a guess
Or an uneducated thought
All I can do here is my best
And be thankful for what we've got

I hope you can be a child of life
With big dreams for everyone
And know that dying's as natural as birth
And our troubles here they don't last long
I have worried about many things
Most of which did not come to pass
Hope you find someone to give you love
And that your love will last

I can't even make a guess
Or an uneducated thought
All I can do here is my best
And be thankful for what we've got
We've got...