Johnny Cash

[fox69]

"Before My Time"

"Before My Time"



I know that hearts were loving
Long before I was here
And I'm not the first to ever cry
In my bed or in my beer
There were songs before there was radio
Of love that stays and love that goes
They were writing meloncholy tunes
And tearful words that rhyme
Before my time
Before my time

There were songs in old dusty books
Of love thats always been
Sweet lovers in their glory
Who are now gone with the wind
Old fashion love words spoken then
Keep coming back around again
Nothings changed except the names
Their love burns just like mine
Before my time
Before my time

And in the dim of yesterday
I can clearly see
That flesh and blood cried out to someone
As it does in me
And there was some old song that said
I love you 'til I die
Before my time
Before my time

But what the old time masters had
Is what I feel for you
Love is love and doesn't change
In a century or two
If someway they had seen and knew
How it would be for me and you
They'd wish for love like yours
And they would wish for love like mine
Before my time
Before my time

 

[fox69]

"Begin West Movement"

"Begin West Movement"



1776 the thirteen colonies
Broke away from British rule and took a stand
"We're on our own", they said
And they looked across the land
With a defiant challenge
They looked across the land

"We will conquer you", the colonists said
"We see your mighty mountains
We know of your lush green valleys
We're comin' to claim you, to tame you"
And the 'Movement Westward' started

 

[fox69]

"Belshazzar"

"Belshazzar"



Well the Bible tells about a man
Who ruled Babylon and all it's land
Around the city he built a wall
And declared that Babylon would never fall

He had concubines and wives
He called his Babylon "Paradise"
Upon his throne he drank and ate
But for Belshazzer it was getting late

For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His houses were built upon the sand

Well the people feast and drank their wine
And praised the false gods of his time
All holy things were scorned and mocked
Suddenly all their mocking stopped

On the wall there appeared a hand
Nothing else, there was no man
In blood the hand began to write
And Belshazzar couldn't hide his fright

For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His houses were built upon the sand

Well no one around could understand
What was written by the mystic hand
Belshazzar tried but couldn't find
A man who could give him piece of mind

Daniel the prophet, a man of God
He saw the writing on the wall in blood
Belshazzar asked him what it said
And Daniel turned to the wall and read

"My friend you're weighed in the balance and found wanting
Your kingdom is divided, it can't stand
You are weighed in the balance and found wanting
Your houses are built upon the sand"

 

[fox69]

"Best Friend"

"Best Friend"



Hmm an old man on his deathbed once said to me
You are the master of your destiny
A diamond is a diamond and a stone is a stone
But a man's not all good nor all bad
When the chips're all down and your back's at the wall
You're the best friend that you've ever had
You're the best friend that you've ever had

So you laugh when it's time to laugh and you cry when it's time to cry
Live while it's time to live cause you'll die when it's time to die hmm

Then he closed his eyes and he left me alone
This old man's wisdom brought his meaning home

A diamond is a diamond

Well now that I'm older I found this is true
The thing that remains is the good that you do
A diamond is a diamond and a stone is a stone
But a man's not all good nor all bad
When the chips are all down and your back's at the wall
God is the best friend that you've ever had
God is the best friend that you've ever had

So you laugh when it's time

 

[fox69]

"Big Foot"

"Big Foot"



But the land was already claimed by a people when the cowboy came and when the soldiers came.
The story of the American Indian is in a lot of ways a story of tragedy,
like that day at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

Big Foot was an Indian chief
Of the Minneconjou band,
A band of Minneconjou Sioux
From South Dakota land.

Big Foot said to Custer,
"Stay away from Crazy Horse."
But Custer crossed into Sioux land,
And he never came back across.

Then Big Foot led his people
To a place called Wounded Knee,
And they found themselves surrounded
By the 7th Cavalry.

Big chief Big Foot,
Rise up from your bed,
Minneconjou babies cry
For their mothers lying dead.

Big Foot was down with a fever
When he reached Wounded Knee;
And his people all were prisoners
Of the 7th Cavalry.

Two hundred women and children
And another hundred men
Raised up a white flag of peace,
But peace did not begin.

An accidental gunshot
And Big Foot was first to die;
And over the noise of the rifles
You could hear the babies cry.

Big chief Big Foot,
It's good that you can't see
Revenge is being wrought
By Custer's 7th Cavalry.

Then smoke hung over the canyon
On that cold December day.
All was death and dying
Around where Big Foot lay.

Farther on up the canyon
Some had tried to run and hide;
But death showed no favorites,
Women, men, and children died.

One side called it a "massacre,"
The other a "victory,"
But the white flag is still waving
Today at Wounded Knee.

Big chief Big Foot,
Your Minneconjou band
Is more than remembered here
In South Dakota land.

 

[fox69]

"Big River"

"Big River"



Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry,
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota).
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl.
Then I heard my dream was back Downstream cavortin' in Davenport,
And I followed you, Big River, when you called.

Then you took me to St. Louis later on (down the river).
A freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone.
I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block.
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.

Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Go on, I've had enough; dump my blues down in the gulf.
She loves you, Big River, more than me.

Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

 

[fox69]

"Bird On A Wire"

"Bird On A Wire"



Like a bird on a wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Like a fish on a hook
Like a knight from an old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons with thee

And if I have been unkind
I hope that you will just let it go by
And if I have been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you

Like a baby stillborn
Like a beast with his horn
I have torn everyone who reached out for me

But I swear by this song
By all I have done wrong
I'll make it all up to you

I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch
He called out to me "Don't ask for so much"
And a young man leaning on his darkened door
He cried out to me "Hey, why not ask for more"

Like a bird on a wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free

 

[fox69]

"Blistered"

"Blistered"



I've got great big blisters on my bloodshot
Eyes from looking at that long legged woman up ahead
What she does simply walking down the sidewalk of the city
Makes me think about a stray cat getting fed

He's got a whole lotta motion in her sole, I know
But her sole ain't the place she lets it show

She got a body, oh yeah, she got a motion, oh yeah
Lord I'm blistered, oh, oh yeah
She done tore my sole apart, put big blisters on my heart
What a mighty crazy cooking way to go

I've got great big blisters on my fingertips
From reaching in my pocket book and picking out the bills
And I got tiny white blisters in my throat
From trying to ease my nervous tension taking all them pat and pills

And ever since she started running around from bar to bar
I just can't eat a bite or keep my stomach settled down

She got a body, oh yeah, she got a motion, oh yeah
She done got me, oh yeah
She done tore my soul apart, put big blisters on my heart
What a mighty crazy cooking way to go

She got a body, oh yeah, she got a motion, oh yeah
Oh I'm blistered, oh, oh yeah
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh yeah
Blistered, blistered...

 

[fox69]

"Blue Christmas"

"Blue Christmas"



I'll have a blue blue Christmas

I'll have a blue blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue thinking about you
Decorations of red, on a green Christmas tree
Won't mean a thing if you're not here with me

I'll have a blue Christmas, that's certain
And when those blue blue heartaches start hurtin'
You'll be doing alright with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue blue Christmas

I'll have a blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue thinking about you
Decorations of red, on a green Christmas tree
Won't mean a thing if you're not here with me

I'll have a blue Christmas, that's certain
And when those blue heartaches start hurtin'
You'll be doing alright with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue blue Christmas

A blue blue Christmas without you

 

[fox69]

"Blue Suede Shoes"

"Blue Suede Shoes"



Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready now go babe go

But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

You can knock me down, step on my face
Slander my name all over the place
Do anything that you going to do
But uh, uh, honey lay off of my shoes

Now don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

You can burn my house, Steal my car
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
Do anything that you wanna do
But uh uh honey lay off of my shoes

Now don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

You can knock me down, step on my face
Slander my name all over the place
Do anything that you wanna do
But uh, uh, honey lay off of my shoes

Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue
You can do anything but lay off of my blue
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes