Rodney Crowell

[fox69]

"Ashes By Now"

"Ashes By Now"


This morning is Monday, where are you now?
Teasin' my memory, teaching me how
To lay low when I don't want to

Your love is elusive this I know now
It's making me crazy leaving me out
In the open when I don't want to
I don't know why you do that to me

The moments of pleasures never do last
Are gone like a suitcase full of your past
Long gone, and in a hurry

Baby, I can't go through this again
I don't need to go down
More then I've already been
Just like a wild fire
You're running all over town
As much as you burn me, baby
I should be ashes by now

The second street beggars alone in their life
Drunk on a sidewalk to hide from the night
Like I am they're just like I am

Baby, I can't go through this again
I don't need to go down
More then I've already been
Just like a wild fire
You're running all over town
As much as you burn me, baby
I should be ashes by now

Just like a wild fire
You're running all over town
And as much as you burn me, baby
I should be ashes by now

Should be ashes by now

 

[fox69]

"Baby, Better Start Turnin' 'em Down"

"Baby, Better Start Turnin' 'em Down"


In this modern world we're livin' in
The rules ain't like they've ever been
Speakin' of spreading it thin
That's what you do, flashing your soul
That ain't no way to treat your lover
It ain't no way to act with feelings baby
You better start turnin' em down

'Cause it's a brave new wave we're roarin' in
Hanging out, out on the rock 'n roll fringe
Speaking of running around all over town
Lettin' it show
That ain't no way to treat your lover
It ain't no way to act in public baby
You better start turnin' em down

Sure is clear ain't nothin' easy any more
Sure gets cloudy when I look in all directions
Sure is rainin' like this feeling in my heart
Sure is crazy how you're acting

In this latest craze or current trend
Burnin' money every way that you can
Speakin' of goin' for broke
That's how it is and you're lettin' it roll
That ain't no way to treat your lover
Ain't no way to act with strangers baby
You better start turnin' em down

I said baby you better start turnin' em
Baby, you better start turnin' em
Baby, you better start turnin' 'em down

 

[fox69]

"Back When We Were Beautiful"
(with Rodney Crowell)

"Back When We Were Beautiful"
(with Rodney Crowell)



I guess you had to be there, she said,
You had to be
She handed me a yellowed photograph
And then said, see
This was my greatest love, my one and only love
And this is me
Back when we were beautiful, see

I don't feel very different, she said,
I know it's strange
I guess I've gotten used to these little aches and pains
But I still love to dance, you know we used to dance
The night away
Back when we were beautiful, beautiful, yes

I hate it when they say
I'm aging gracefully
I fight it every day
I guess they never see
I don't like this at all
What's happening to me

But I really love my grandkids, she said,
They're sweet to hold
They would have loved their grandpa
Those awful jokes he told
You know sometimes for a laugh, the two of us would act
Like we were old
Back when we were beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, yes

But I guess you had to be there...

 

[fox69]

"Banks Of The Old Bandera"

"Banks Of The Old Bandera"


On the banks of the old Bandera where roams the barefoot child
On Sunday go to meetin' shortcuts out along the high wire lines down a dusty road
The hills there were bluebonnets like a printed cotton gown
And summer rain falls down like honey sweet magnolia blossoms grow and old men dance
Once we ran barefooted through a clover full of dew
Once we learned to play like lone Comanches running loose
What it made you feel like is a song
But what it feels like now is gone

I can hear the screen door slamming
Run a foot race to the creek
You can see clean to the bottom and deeper just depends on how you look, maybe where you stand
Monkey vines and swimmin' holes lay just around the bend
The rope we used to swing on now hangs tattered in the wind
What it made you feel like is a song
And what it feels like now is gone
What it made you feel like is a song

 

[fox69]

"Beautiful Despair (For James)"

"Beautiful Despair (For James)"


Beautiful despair is hearing Dylan
When you're drunk at 3 a.m.
Knowing that the chances are
No matter what you'll never write like him

Oh, brother

Beautiful despair is why you lean
Into this world without restraint
'Cause somewhere out before you
Lies the masterpiece you'd sell your soul to paint

Oh, brother
What do we laugh or cry

Beautiful despair
Beautiful despair

Beautiful despair is slouching forward
Toward a past you might regret
All to suck the marrow out
Of every magic moment that you get

Beautiful despair is playing safe
When you were once a rebel child
Knowing that tomorrow comes
And all you've done is last another mile

Oh, brother
Oh, dear brother
Oh, my brother
What shall we drink or dry?

 

[fox69]

"Big Heart"

"Big Heart"


She's got a big heart and her own mind
A deep love it's the strong kind
She's got them long legs and that soft skin
She's got a big heart

The way she moves through this old world is the way she moves my soul
Every room that she walks into comes alive
With her head held high she digs down deep and struggles like we all will
But she makes it look so easy I could die

She's got a big heart and her own mind
A deep love it's the strong kind
She's got them long legs and that soft skin
She's got a big heart

Big old tears fall down when she's unhappy
Big old moon comes rising when she smiles
With her hair of gold and eyes so blue they haunt you when you're sleeping
Sometimes I wake up laughin' right out loud

She's got a big heart and her own mind sweet soul
Man she's so fine
She'll live a long time she comes from a long line
She's got a big heart
Big heart, she's got a big heart

 

[fox69]

"Black Caffeine"
(with Rodney Crowell)

"Black Caffeine"
(with Rodney Crowell)



I like it black, just black as night
It keeps me up, it keeps me tight
It don't matter the size of the cup
Just as long as you fill it up

With black caffeine
Keeps me lean
You can hear me scream
Give me black caffeine

Oh I've got a monkey sittin' on my back
Now, wouldn't you know, he likes it black
Don't need no cream, no nicotine
All that monkey need is the black caffeine

More black caffeine
It keeps me lean
You can hear him scream
Give me black caffeine
Give me black caffeine

I'm sound in body, I'm sound in mind
Until it comes to my coffee time
Don't stand in my way, don't hold me back
Just keep it hot and keep it black

Good black caffeine
It keeps me lean
You can hear me scream
Give me black caffeine

The devil said, I want your soul
I want your silver, I need your gold
Well you can have it, anything I've got
But don't let him near my coffee pot

Full of black caffeine
It keeps me lean
Can you hear me scream?
Give me black caffeine
More black caffeine
It keeps me lean
Can you hear me scream?
More black caffeine
More black caffeine
Yeah, black caffeine

 

[fox69]

"Blonde Ambition"

"Blonde Ambition"


Well she went to the store and she bought herself a bottle and she poured it all over her head
It said wait twenty but she gave it thirty minutes 'cause she wanted it as blonde as it would get
Folks at the diner said she never looked finer, they never have seen her since

She's got a blonde ambition
A blue-eyed vision
With a look that'll get you
Make you wonder what just hit you
She's a woman with a mission
She's got a blonde ambition

From a travellin' salesman to a club musician to the owner of the joint she flew
She started at the bottom worked her way to the middle now she's on her way from me to you
All I've got to say is don't get in her way she's only passing through

She's got a blonde ambition
A blue-eyed vision
With a look that'll get you
Make you wonder what just hit you
She's a woman with a mission
She's got a blonde ambition

She's got a blonde ambition
A blue-eyed vision
With a look that'll get you
Make you wonder what just hit you
She's a woman with a mission
She's got a blonde ambition

She's got a blonde ambition
A blue-eyed vision
With a look that'll get you
Make you wonder what just hit you
She's a woman with a mission
She's got a blonde ambition

She's got a blonde ambition
She's got a blonde ambition
She's got a blonde ambition, yeah

 

[fox69]

"Bluebird Wine"
(with Rodney Crowell)

"Bluebird Wine"
(with Rodney Crowell)



Baby brought me in out off the highway
Poured my right good liquor down the sink
Straightened out my crooked ways of thinking
Made it purely pleasure when I drank

And it's all right now
I've just hit my stride
Right off the bat
I'm drunk on Bluebird Wine

Baby's up and running in the morning
Says she's got a million things to do
While I'm gone, says, you go get your guitar
Write some pretty song about me and you

And it's all right now
I've just hit my stride
Right off the bat
I'm drunk on Bluebird Wine

Baby says she'd really love a party
We'll get some friends together feelin' fine
Any friend of mine is worth his habit
A belly full of baby's Bluebird Wine

And it's all right now
I've just hit my stride
Right off the bat
I'm drunk on Bluebird Wine

Yes it's all right now
I've just hit my stride
Fun it just started and
I'm drunk on Bluebird Wine

 

[fox69]

"Brand New Rag"

"Brand New Rag"


Oh, darlin', you say that I blew your life away
But I can tell you, you're gonna get it back someday
I've got a brand new rag, it ain't the same old rag
I've got it in the bag, I'll bring it home to you

Sugar, I wanna make it nice for you
Yeah darlin', I'll bring it overnight to you
I've got a brand new rag, it ain't the same old rag
I've got it in the bag, I'll bring it home to you

Honey, I wanna give it all I can
Yeah woman, I'm gonna be a better man
I've got a brand new rag, it ain't the same old rag
I've got it in the bag, I'll bring it home to you

Lord I know you've got your own world
And you look good, I done you wrong, girl
But I want you to love me like you did before

And Lord I know you've got your own dream
Don't I know I've done a wrong thing
But I want you to love me like you did before

I can tell you I'm gonna give it all I can
Woh, now woman, I'm gonna be a better man
I've got a brand new rag, it ain't the same old rag
I've got it the the bag, I'll bring it home to you

It ain't the same old me, you've gonna have to see
I'll bring it home to you, I'll bring it home to you
I'll bring it home to you, I'm comin' home to you