Nanci Griffith

[fox69]

"Party Girl"

"Party Girl"


She was a party girl, now the party's over
She was a beauty and that's changing too
Now she's barefoot and having babies
She was a party girl, now the party's over

Now her husband watches TV
After working hard all day
And she's crying into her pillow
'Cause it's night time and she wants to play

She was a party girl, now the party's over
She was a beauty and that's changing too
Now she's barefoot and having babies
She was a party girl but the party's over

Oh, she can't cry to mamma
She can't go home to daddy anymore
Oh, they both tried to warn her
She was throwing away her sweet young life
When she walked out that door

She was a party girl, now the party's over
She was a beauty and that's changing too
Now she's barefoot and having babies
She was a party girl, now the party's over
She was a party girl, now the party's over
Oh, it's over, party's over, the party's over

 

[fox69]

"Pearl's Eye View (The Life Of Dickey Chapelle)"

"Pearl's Eye View (The Life Of Dickey Chapelle)"


Oh she was high up there in the air
Caught still by a soldier's stare
Whenever it was men amongst men
Down upon the land
And she followed those mother's sons
She felt the thunder of their guns
From a pearl's eye view, just a camera in her hand
She was born Georgette but the name
Didn't suit her well
So, she blew out of Wisconsin as Dickey Chapelle

Oh, she flew with a pilot's pride
The first witness to either side
She carried relief to the lost ones
Between the bombs
And we saw it all through her lens
She knew she'd go back again
When the call rang out once more from Vietnam
She's been through this before
She'll tell ya war is hell
Her pearl earrings caught the light
On Dickey Chapelle

Oh, that's the way it was
She was the only one to tell
In 1962,
She blew the whistle loud and clear
Now we trace her wings
In her footsteps without fear
To the front lines where she fell
Where she lies still
But she's still there

It was 1965,
Over Chu Lai in a free fall dive
In a dawn patrol to cover the dead zone ground
She tiptoed through the land mines
All along the enemy lines
But she never saw the one that took her down
She captured the bloody pearls of war so well
That war was bound to steal the end of Dickey Chapelle

Dickey Chapelle (from a pearl's eye view)
Dickey Chapelle (from a pearl's eye view)
Dickey Chapelle (from a pearl's eye view)
Dickey Chapelle....

 

[fox69]

"Please Call Me, Baby"

"Please Call Me, Baby"


The evening fell just like a star
Left a trail behind
You spit as you slammed out the door
If this is love we're crazy
As we fight like cats and dogs
I just know there's got to be more

So please call me, baby, wherever you are
It's too cold to be out walking in the streets
We do crazy things when we're wounded
Everyone's a bit insane
I don't want you catching your death of cold
Out walking in the rain

I admit that I ain't no angel
I admit that I ain't no saint
I'm selfish and I'm cruel but you're blind
If I exorcise my devils
Well my angels may leave too
When they leave they're so hard to find

So please call me, baby, wherever you are
It's too cold to be out walking in the streets
We do crazy things when we're wounded
Everyone's a bit insane
I don't want you catching your death of cold
Out walking in the rain

And we're always at each other's throats
You know it drives me up the wall
Most of the time I'm just blowing off steam
And I wish to God you'd leave me, baby
I wish to God you'd stay
Life's so different than it is in your dreams

So please call me, baby, wherever you are
It's too cold to be out walking in the streets
We do crazy things when we're wounded
Everyone's a bit insane
And I don't want you catching your death of cold
Out walking in the rain

 

[fox69]

"Poet In My Window"

"Poet In My Window"


Goodbye gray sky
I see my heart comin' round the bend
The sun's comin' up on the Poet In My Window
Her saving grace is my old friend

I'll never lose if my heart goes flyin'
If I sail it true and set it free
It'll come flyin' home
Be waitin' in my window
Callin' for the poet in me

I wish you well for your old lines
I've watched you change within the new
You've got a pocket full of gold dust
Waitin' just around the corner
To free that poet in your moon

You'll never lose if your heart goes flyin'
If you set it free and you sail it true
It'll come flyin' home
Be waitin' in your window
Callin' for the poet in you

I never lose if my heart goes flyin'
If I sail it true and I set it free
It comes flyin' home
It's waitin' in my window
Callin' for the poet in me

Fly your poet's wings with a freed heart
Love'll find you strong and young again

 

[fox69]

"Pour Me A Drink"

"Pour Me A Drink"


Pour me a drink, light me a cigarette
Help me forget the things that I've done
Pour me a drink then pour me another one
To keep out this cold wind that blows through my soul

Look at my life here in these photographs
Look at these faces, what a story they tell
There was a time when I knew how to laugh
I'd drink to forget but I remember it well

Pour me a drink, light me a cigarette
Help me forget the things that I've done
Pour me a drink then pour me another one
To keep out this cold wind that blows through my soul

So many promises, so many daydreams and plans
So many chances that I let slip through my hands

Pour me a drink, light me a cigarette
Help me forget the things that I've done
Pour me a drink then pour me another one
Keep out this cold wind that blows through my soul

 

[fox69]

"Radio Fragile"

"Radio Fragile"


We all said you'd never make it
Cuz you had that fragile heart
And you were odd within the ways of the social
You through a caution to us all
And now when the late night drinkers
Gather for their falls
Someone says they've seen you out there
Laughing at us all

You mourned the cause of discontent
With those who couldn't loose the dark
From the broad of daylight to half spent stars...
Just waiting dusk to fall
Tell me, what the hell were you saying?
Was there a point to it all?
Oh, and did they really see you out there...

[Chorus:]
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Oh, were you really out there...
Laughing at us all?

The midnight boy from Minnesota
Shut you down and stole the show
They say that you were bitter in your anguish
Cuz it was you they ought to hold
You wore your causes on your sleeve
Like a beacon wears the dark
It's only right you should be out there
Laughing at us all

Now you are only dust for art
You're a shadow to recall
For all of those late night drinkers
In their ragged lonely bars
And we all said you'd never make it
Cuz you had that fragile heart
Now, all our hearts you held are wasted
You're out there laughing at us all...

[Chorus 2x]

 

[fox69]

"Rise To The Occasion"

"Rise To The Occasion"


I'll never fall in love again
It's such a contradiction
To lose all control and common sense
And even intuition

You came along, with a strange new song
And the sweetest innovation
And you said, "One should never fall in love
But rise to the occasion"

To have loved and lost, I know the cost
I fell and almost drowned
If not for you, I'd have missed this view
From higher ground

Now we can touch the sky above
At the Angel's invitation
And we don't even have to fall in love
Just rise to the occasion

Love should be pure and free
A smiling inspiration
And one should never fall in love
But rise to the occasion

 

[fox69]

"Roses On The 4th Of July"

"Roses On The 4th Of July"


He still sends her roses on The 4th of July
They're alway white roses and she never asks why
She still doesn't know where he goes Thursday nights
But his wedding band rests on their bedside that night

He was a soldier in the Vietnam war
He lost half his right leg whilst daydreaming of her
She lit a candle each holy hour he was gone
"You Were On My Mind" was their favorite song

[Chorus:]
Love is a mystery
From birth 'till we die
It's cross words of a morning
By evening entwined
It's all that we dream of, sometimes it's not right
Love is white roses, and you never ask why

He's the hands of a draftsman, he's built a good life
She works for a season during IRS time
Two children they've had though their boy has now died
When they wake of each morning, he's still on their minds

Their friends would all tell you they're like day and night
Their daughter's an actress, she is strong and she's bright
He meets with his pals from the war Thursday nights
She still treasures those roses every 4th of July

[Chorus]

Love is white roses every 4th of July

 

[fox69]

"Roseville Fair"

"Roseville Fair"


Oh, the night was clear and the stars were shinin'
And the moon came up,... so quiet in the sky
And all the people gathered round while the band was a-tunin'
I can hear them now... playin' 'Comin' Through the Rye'

She was dressed in blue and she looked so lovely
Just a gentle flower of a small town girl
Then he took her hand and they danced to the music
With a single smile... she became his world

[Chorus:]
And they danced all night... to the fiddle and the banjo
Their driftin' tunes, seemed to fill the air
So long ago, but they still remember...
When they fell in love, at the Roseville Fair

Now, they courted well, and they courted dearly
They'd rock for hours in the front porch chair
Then a year went by... from the time that he met her
And he made her his, at the Roseville Fair

[Chorus]

So here's a song for all of the lovers
And here's a tune... that you can share
May you dance all night... to the fiddle and the banjo
Oh, the way they did at the Roseville Fair
Oh, the way they did... at the Roseville Fair

 

[fox69]

"Ruby's Arms"

"Ruby's Arms"


He will leave behind all of his clothes
He wore when he was with her
All he need's are his railroad boots
And his leather jacket
As he say goodbye to Ruby's arms
Although his heart is breaking
He will steal away out through her blinds
For soon she will be waking

Morning light has washed her face
And everything is turning blue now
She holds onto her pillow case
There's nothing he can do now
As he says goodbye to Ruby's arms
He says she'll find another soldier
And he swears to God by Christmas time
There'll be someone else to hold you

The only thing he's taking is
The scarf off of her clothesline
He'll hurry past her chest of drawers
And her broken wind chimes
As he says goodbye
He says goodbye
Goodbye to Ruby's arms

He will feel his way down her darkened hall
And out into the morning
The hobos in the freight yards
Have kept their fires burning
And Jesus Christ this cold hard rain
Won't someone put him on his train
He'll never kiss her lips again
Or break her heart
As he says goodbye
He says goodbye
Say goodbye to Ruby's arms