Rodney Crowell

[fox69]

"I Wouldn't Be Me Without You"

"I Wouldn't Be Me Without You"


Sometimes I think about leaving
And if I had someplace to go
I might even crank up the engine
And roll down a street just for show
Nobody said it was easy
But that doesn't mean it ain't right
I don't want nobody else with me
When it comes time to call it a night

So far I've kept every promise and this I'll continue to do
I'll love you like nobody's business
I wouldn't be me without you

I don't need the rain to remind me how good it feels to come clean
The worst of the past put behind me are spoken words I didn't mean
If I have to tell you I'm sorry for something I shouldn't have done
It won't be for some other woman who smiles like she thinks I'm someone

So far I've kept every promise and this I'll continue to do
I'll love you come hell or high water
I wouldn't be me without you
Oh, I wouldn't be me without you

 

[fox69]

"I'm A Mess"

"I'm A Mess"


Once in a while I can feel the whole world spinning
My hair twist in the wind, I can't find the brake
The clock on the dashboard is coiled like a snake

There's years flying by me aAnd a wide open cliff
On wheels made of lightning, just barely a blip
If there's room at the top for a loser, look out
The radio's blasting a mean twist and shout

I'm a mess, at times like these
A man should take a blind-fold and smoke

Take a walk, take a drive
Take a kneel, take a dive
Take a month, take a year
Take a hike, disappear

Take it on faith, whatever you get
You just close your eyes, it won't hurt a bit
The firing squad's gathered , the Captain grins
All the change in my pocket won't pay for my sins

I'm a mess, when I woke up
They'd strapped me in an MRI

Black dye in my veins, head Velcro-ed down
Foam happy slippers and a blue paper grown
The banging went on for an hour or more
Then they slipped me out like a boat onto shore

The technician with coffee was sporting a smile
That said, "God gave me wisdom but the devil's got style"

I'm a mess, nothing less
I confess I'm a mess
Now I live in NY
The Babylon of neon fire

The rats on the third rail is smoking like char
The thunder storm hits and I flag down a car

On the screen in Times Square, I look like a wreck
And we lunge out of traffic tricking down through the spec
The hooded girl turns and says, "Look at who's alive"
I say, "Boy you can't scare me, just shut up and drive"

I'm a mess, oh god, yes
I confess, I'm a mess, I'm a mess

 

[fox69]

"I'm Tied To Ya"

"I'm Tied To Ya"


With faith beyond religion, we search the great unknown
Free fall into darkness, someplace we've never gone
I'm tied to ya'
I'm tied to ya'

Let's push it to the limit, as far as we can see
Till there are no walls still standing and there's only you and me
I'm tied to ya'
I'm tied to ya'

I can't deny that I believe these things you say are true
I've seen the way you gauge each distant star
As long as I can be myself and still be there with you
I'll go anywhere you ask me, near or far

Tomorrow don't mean much to me, look what we have today
Right here in this minute babe is where I want to stay
Tied to ya'
Tied to ya'

I've heard it said, beware the fist behind your lover's kiss
And stand up guys have knocked me down before
But to rise with you above the petty politics of bliss
I'll gladly make my heart an open door

I'm tied to ya'
I'm tied to ya'
I'm tied to ya'
I'm tied to ya'
Tied to ya'
Tied to ya'

 

[fox69]

"I've Done Everything I Can"

"I've Done Everything I Can"


I'd love to hear you laughing
Love so see you smile
Dance that little dance you danced
When you were just a child

The way the world came at you
Left you bitter and confused
The more I tried to guide your path
The more you just felt used

The sun comes up to my room
But there are no guarantees
It can rock you like a baby
It can knock you to your knees

The path that lies between us
Is a star crossed avenue
I've done everything I can
There's nothing I can do

So you loved that girl to death
And you're scared to take a breath
It's like everything you've dread
Swings are hammer in your head

So her heart's locked in a vault
And you think it's all your fault
It's a dream as old as dirt
And you can't stand to see her hurt

May the little voice that guides you
Send a message through for me
Reminding you you're beautiful
And will forever be

I wish that I could be there now
To tell you it's alright
It's a darkened, taunting raiser's edge
You're walking on the night

The sun comes up to my room
But there are no guarantees
It can rock you like a baby
It can knock you to your knees

The path that lies between us
Is a rough and rocky route
I've done everything I can
And there's nothing I can do

So you're learning to let go
And the process is so slow
While your baby plums the depths
You keep climbing up the stairs

She was daddy's little girl
You were ruler of the world
And now she's out there in the fray
I'll bet she'll be back someday

You heard me say a million times
My work is never done
For those who keep the wolves at bay
There is no setting sun

To see you standing here today
Pretty child, you've come so far
Which proves that you can find your way
No matter where you are

The sun comes up to my room
But there are no guarantees
It can rock you like a baby
It can knock you to your knees

The path that lies between us
It's the long way home, it's true
I've done everything I can
And there's nothing I can do
I've done everything I can and look at you

 

[fox69]

"If Looks Could Kill"

"If Looks Could Kill"


If today weren't just like any day, perhaps I'd try
To shed this worn out skin so thick and learn to fly
But I came home to face your ice and steel
If looks could kill I would be gone today

There's a fire that's burning in your eyes, not in your heart
And I can fan the flames but I can't make a spark
And I don't like the way I make you feel
If looks could kill I would be long since gone

And if looks could kill then I'd be pushing up your daisies
If looks could kill then I would not be going crazy

There's a stool that I've been glued to for so many nights
And a bar to pour my heart out on and make it right
And I don't have to tell myself it's real
If looks could kill my heart would beat no more

And if looks could kill then I'd be deep in peaceful slumber
If looks could kill then I would not be going under

There's a gun out in the hallway covered up in dust
That works well enough to turn this heartache into dust
So go on and let your lawyer make a deal
If looks could kill, if looks could kill I would be long since gone

 

[fox69]

"If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Now"

"If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Now"


I don't wonder where you are
I don't even care
Things have changed
They're not the same
You're not my cross to bear
I see you in a different light
The truth got through somehow
If you lived here, you'd be home now

If you lived here, you'd be on the phone
Talking to your momma
Saying you ain't gone and left here yet
But someday you was gonna
The day I pledged my love for you
Sure raised a few eyebrows
If you lived here, you'd be home now

You keep wanting me to be something that I'm not
What you see is what you get
And I'm the one you got
And I'm tired of breaking these rocks up in this field my heart won't plow
If you lived here you'd be home now

If you lived here, you'd be at my throat like every time before
Slinging them old hurting words and walking on out the door
Sometimes I think I might want you back
But there ain't no way, no how
If you lived here, you'd be home now

It's time I did the right thing and released you from your vow
If you lived here, you'd be home now
If you lived here, you'd be home now

 

[fox69]

"Ignorance Is The Enemy"

"Ignorance Is The Enemy"


Oh mother, oh father in our time of fear
Grant us the wisdom your message for to hear
Send down your angel band to fill our hearts with power
Oh mother, oh father in our darkest hour

Ignorance is the enemy and it fills your head with lies
It's the kind of bliss that can make you miss the very truth before your eyes
It's not who's right or wrong, weak or strong, black or white you see
Ignorance is the enemy and it's keeping you from me

Forgive me all my pettiness, forgive me all my greed
Forgive me for I know not how to live this life I lead

Ignorance is the enemy, let's set the record straight
If history must repeat itself, why worry why you wait
It's a perfect blue and beautiful world you treat with such disdain
Ignorance is the enemy and it can only bring you pain

Forgive me all my vanity, forgive me my conceit
Forgive me when I'm crawling like a beggar at your feet

Ignorance is the enemy and it wields a mighty sword
It can cut you down in a blaze of glory, it can nail you to a board
If mercy and compassion only had a chance
It could fill these holes we've dug
But ignorance is the enemy and it's working like a drug

Oh mother, oh father in our time of fear
Grant us the wisdom your message for to hear
Send down your angel band to fill our hearts with power
Oh mother, oh father in our darkest hour

 

[fox69]

"Invitation To The Blues"
(with Rodney Crowell)

"Invitation To The Blues"
(with Rodney Crowell)



I couldn't sleep last night, just walked the floor
Don't know how I'll stand this anymore
Lonely all the time since I lost you
I received your invitation to the blues

I don't know why you cause me such pain
I just hope I'll never go through this much again
Thanks for sending something I can't use
I received your invitation to the blues

You took the laughter from this world of mine
Thanks to you the sun will never shine
Walked the floor so much, wore out my shoes
I received your invitation to the blues

I don't know why you cause me such pain
I just hope I'll never go through this much again
Lonely me, I don't know what to do
I received your invitation to the blues
Thanks for sending something I can't use
I received your invitation to the blues

 

[fox69]

"It Ain't Over Yet"
(feat. Rosanne Cash, John Paul White & Mickey Raphael)

"It Ain't Over Yet"
(feat. Rosanne Cash, John Paul White & Mickey Raphael)



It's like I'm sitting at a bus stop waiting for a train
Exactly how I got here is hard to explain
My heart's in the right place, what's left of it I guess
My heart ain't the problem, it's my mind that's a total mess
With these rickety old legs and watery eyes
It's hard to believe that I could pass for anybody's prize
Here's what I know about the gifts that God gave
You can't take 'em with you when you go to the grave

It ain't over yet, ask someone who ought to know
Not so very long ago we were both hung out to dry
It ain't over yet, you can mark my word
I don't care what you think you heard, we're still learning how to fly
It ain't over yet

For fools like me who were built for the chase
Takes the right kind of woman to help you put it all in place
It only happened once in my life, but man you should have seen
Her hair two shades of foxtail red, her eyes some far out sea blue green
I got caught up making a name for myself, you know what that's about
One day your ship comes rolling in and the next day it rolls right back out
You can't take for granted none of this shit
The higher up you fly boys, the harder you get hit

It ain't over yet, I'll say this about that
You can get up off the mat or you can lay there till you die
It ain't over yet, here's the truth my friend
You can't pack it in and we both know why
It ain't over yet

Silly boys blind to get there first
Think of second chances as some kind of curse
I've known you forever and ever it's true
If you came by it easy, you wouldn't be you
Make me laugh, you make me cry, you make me forget myself

Back when down on my luck kept me up for days
You were there with the right word to help me crawl out of the maze
And when I almost convinced myself I was hipper than thou
You stepped up with a warning shot fired sweet and low across the bow
No you don't walk on water and your sarcasm stings
But the way you move through this old world sure makes a case for angel wings
I was halfway to the bottom when you threw me that line
I quote you now verbatim, "Get your head out of your own behind"

It ain't over yet, what you wanna bet
One more cigarette ain't gonna send you to the grave
It ain't over yet, I've seen your new girlfriend
Thinks you're the living end, great big old sparkle in her eye
It ain't over yet

 

[fox69]

"It Don't Get Better Than This"

"It Don't Get Better Than This"


I met a beautiful temptress, ah, she was living in Memphis, Tennessee
It was my very first day in town and I was looking around
She started talking to me, ah, just as sweet as can be, yeah
And then she hit me with a dynamite kiss, it don't get better than this

We've been together since that very first day
It's kind of crazy indeed
I wouldn’t want to have it any other way cause I've got all I'll ever need

Now it's a beautiful world and she's a beautiful girl, yeah
She's a trouble that I don't want to miss, it don't get better than this
She likes to ride in my car, she wants to play my guitar real loud
She's an angel with a dynamite kiss, it don't get better than this

We've been together since that very first day
It's kind of crazy indeed
I wouldn’t want to have it any other way cause I've got all I'll ever need

Now it's a beautiful world and she's a beautiful girl, yeah
She's a trouble that I don't want to miss, it don't get better than this
She likes to ride in my car, she wants to play my guitar real loud
She's an angel with a dynamite kiss, it don't get better than this

Everything about her is one of a kind
Hey, I can live without her but I'd rather go blind
So tell me if you're talking about just it don't get better than this