Steve Earle

[fox69]

"Lungs"

"Lungs"



Well, won't you lend your lungs to me?
Mine are collapsing
Plant my feet and bitterly breathe
Up the time that's passing.
Breath I'll take and breath I'll give
Pray the day ain't poison
Stand among the ones that live
In lonely indecision.

Fingers walk the darkness down
Mind is on the midnight
Gather up the gold you've found
You fool, it's only moonlight.
If you try to take it home
Your hands will turn to butter
You better leave this dream alone
Try to find another.

Salvation sat and crossed herself
Called the devil partner
Wisdom burned upon a shelf
Who'll kill the raging cancer
Seal the river at its mouth
Take the water prisoner
Fill the sky with screams and cries
Bathe in fiery answers

Jesus was an only son
And love his only concept
Strangers cry in foreign tongues
And dirty up the doorstep
And I for one, and you for two
Ain't got the time for outside
Just keep your injured looks to you
We'll tell the world we tried

 

[fox69]

"Marie"

"Marie"



I stood in line and left my name
Took about six hours or so
Well, the man just grinned like it was all a game
Said they'd let me know

I put in my time till the Pocono line
Shut down two years ago
I was staying at the mission till I met Marie
Now I can't stay there no more

Fella 'cross town said he's lookin' for a man
To move some old cars around
Maybe me and Marie could find a burned-out
Van and do a little settlin' down

But I'm just dreamin', I ain't got no ride
And the junkyard's a pretty good ways
That job's about a half week old besides
It'd be gone now anyway

Unemployment said I got no more checks
And they showed me to the hall
My brother died in Georgia some time ago
I got no one left to call

Summer wasn't bad below the bridge
A little short on food that's all
Now I gotta get Marie some kind of coat
We're headed down into fall

I used to play the mouth harp pretty good
Hustled up a little dough
But I got drunk and I woke up rolled
A couple of months ago

They got my harp and they got my dollar
Them low life so and so's
Harps cost money and I ain't got it
It's my own fault, I suppose

The Pocono's down but the Chesapeak's runnin'
Two freights everyday
If it was just me, I'd be headed south
But Marie can't catch no train

She's got some pain and she thinks it's a baby
Says we gotta wait and see
In my heart I know it's a little boy
Hope he don't end up like me

Well, the man's still grinnin' says he lost my file
I gotta stand in line again
I want to kill him but I just say no
I had enough of that line my friend

I head back to the bridge, its getting kinda cold
I'm feelin' too low down to lie
I guess I'll just tell Marie the truth
Hope she don't break down and cry

Marie she didn't wake up this morning
She didn't even try
She just rolled over and went to Heaven
My little boy safe inside

I laid them in the sun where somebody'd find them
Caught a Chesapeak on the fly
Marie will know I'm headed south
So's to meet me by and by

Marie will know I'm headed south
So to meet me by and by

 

[fox69]

"Me And The Eagle"

"Me And The Eagle"


The eagle looked down on the river below
And he wrapped his wings round him and he fell like a stone
And the big salmon fought but the talons held true
And he shuddered as the world turned from silver to blue
I stood there in awe though I'd seen it before
I was born in these mountains and I'll die here for sure

I've traveled around I've seen city lights
But nothin' that shined like the big sky at night

[Chorus:]
Some mornings will find me up above the timberline
Lonesome don't seem like much once you're this high
When it's all said and done I usually find
Me and the eagle are of the same mind

Now when I was young I took me a wife
But she never took to the high country life
So now I'm alone I don't really mind
But her name echoes down from the canyon sometimes

[Chorus]

In my dreams there's a horse, he stands eighteen hands high
He's as white as the snow and there's fire in his eyes
And he'll bare only me though others have tried
And together we'll travel up across the divide

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"Meet Me In The Alleyway"

"Meet Me In The Alleyway"



I had a melancholy malady
Went to see the doctor and the doctor say
Too bad, nothin' he could do
He knew a man in Louisiana if I’m willin' to pay
Laid my money on the barrelhead

Man behind the bar began to shimmy and shake
Can't lie, I reckoned I was dead
When he picked my money up and I heard him say
Meet me in the alleyway minute to midnight
Don't be late meet me in the alleyway
Better come runnin' the spirits won't wait
Thirteen tiger teeth in my talisman
St. John the Conqueror and a black cat bone
Been seen walkin' with the guardians
Now I’m in the alley and I’m all alone
Can't run, can't hide from destiny
Knew this day was callin' nearly all of my life
Been done ain't the only boy from Tennessee
To carve his name in cypress with a jawbone knife

So you wanna be the king of America
Say you wanna know the oracle's mind
Say you wanna see the Marquesses of Mardi Gras
dancin' with the devil at the end of the line

 

[fox69]

"Mercenary Song"

"Mercenary Song"



Me and Bill there we both come from Georgia
Met Hank out in New Mexico
We're bound for Duranqo to join Pancho Villa
We hear that he's payin' in gold

I guess a man's got to do what he's best at
Ain't found nothin' better so far
Been called mercenaries and men with no country
Just soldiers in search of a war

And we're bound for the border
We're soldiers of fortune
And we'll fight for no country but we'll die for good pay
Under the flag of of the greenback dollar
Or the peso down Mexico way

When this war is over might go back to Georgia
And settle down quiet some where
I'll most likely pack up and head south for Chile
Heard tell there's some trouble down there

 

[fox69]

"Molly-O"

"Molly-O"



In the shadow of a chestnut tree I hide
sword and a pistol by my side
long come a traveler - lay him low
all for the love of my Molly-O
I left my family left my home
out in the wicked world to roam
no road so low I won't go down
for the love of my Molly-O

Oh Molly
Oh Molly
Oh Molly
All for the love of my Molly-O

I love Molly, God only knows
Molly love diamonds, pearls and gold
Bangles, Beads and Bells I bring
But Molly won’t wear no wedding ring

Men have died for lesser things
Vengeance, Country, God and King
Someday I’ll swing from the gallows pole
A final dance for my Molly-O

 

[fox69]

"More Than I Can Do"

"More Than I Can Do"



I'm trying hard to let you go
But it's more than I can do
And every day or two
I wind up right back where I started
I'm trying not to let you know
That I'm still in love with you
I can't just sit home blue
'Cause there ain't no rest for the brokenhearted

Just because you won't unlock your door
That don't mean you don't love me anymore
No matter what you do
Because you know it's more than I can do

You told me that I got to stop
But it's more than I can do
And that ain't nothing new
'Cause we both know that I'm crazy about you

You said you're gonna call the cops
But I ain't gonna run
Because you're the only one
There ain't no way I could live without you

You left me just when I needed you
So l ain't even close to through with you

 

[fox69]

"Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold"

"Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold"



The wicked king of clubs awoke
It was to his queen he turned
His lips were laughing as they spoke
His eyes like bullets burned
The sun's upon a gambling day
His queen smiled low and blissfully
Let's make some wretched fool to pay
Plain it was she did agree
He sent his deuce down into diamond
His four to heart and his trey to spade
Three kinds with their legions come
And preparations soon were made
They voted club the day's commander
Give him army face and number
All but the outlaw jack of diamonds
And the aces in the sky

He give his sevens first instruction
Spirit me a game of stud
Stakes unscarred by limitation
'Tween a man named Gold and a man named Mudd
Club filled gold with greedy vapors
'Till his long green eyes did glow
Mudd was left with the sighs and trembles
Watching his hard earned money go
Flushes fell on Gold like water
Tens they paired and paired again
But the aces only flew through heaven
And the diamond jack called no man friend
The diamond queen saw Mudd's ordeal
Began to think of her long lost son
Fell to her knees with a mother's mercy
And prayed to the angels, every one

The diamond queen, she prayed and prayed
And the diamond angel filled Mudd's hole
The wicked king of clubs himself
Fell face down in front of Gold
Three kings come to club's command
But the angels from the sky did ride
Three kings up on the streets of Gold
Three fireballs on the Muddy side
The club queen heard her husband call
But Lord, that queen of diamond's joy
When the outlaw in the heavenly hall
Turned out to be her wandering boy

Mudd, he checked and Gold bet all
And Mudd, he raised and Gold did call
The smile just melted on his face
When Mudd turned over that diamond ace
Here is what this story's told
You feel like Mudd, you'll end up Gold
You feel like lost, you'll end up found
So amigos, lay those raises down

 

[fox69]

"Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold"

"Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold"



Well the wicked king of clubs awoke
And it was to his queen turned
His lips were laughing as they spoke
His eyes like bullets burned

The sun's upon a gambling day
His queen smiled low and blissfully
Let's make some wretched fool to play
Plain it was she did agree

He send his deuce down into diamond
His four to hart, and his trey to spade
Three kings with their legions come
Preparations soon where made

They voted club the days commander
Gave him an army face and number
All but the outlaw jack of diamonds
And the aces in the sky

Well, he gave his sevens first instructions
Spirit me a game of stud
Stakes unscarred by limitation
Between a man named Gold and man named Mud

Club filled Gold with greedy vapors
Till his long, green eyes did glow
And Mudd was left with the sighs and trembles
Watching his hard earned money go

Flushes fell on Gold like water
Tens they paired and paired again
But the aces only flew through heaven
And the diamond jack called no man friend

Now, the Diamond Queen saw Muds ordeal
Began to think of her long lost son
Fell to her knees with a mother's mercy
And prayed to the angels every one

Now, the Diamond Queen, she prayed and prayed
And the Diamond Angel filled Muds hole
The wicked King of Clubs himself
Fell in face down in front of Gold

Now, three kings come to Clubs command
But the angels from the sky did ride
Three kings up on the streets of Gold
Three fireballs on the muddy side

The club queen heard her husband's call
But Lord, that Queen of Diamond's joy
When the outlaw in the heavenly hall
Turned out to be a wandering boy

Now, Mudd he checked and Gold bet all
And Mudd he raised and Gold did call
And the smile just melted on his face
When Mudd turned over that diamond ace

Now, here's what this story's told
If you feel like Mudd you'll end up Gold
If you feel like lost, you'll end up found
So amigo, lay them raises down

 

[fox69]

"Mustang Wine"

"Mustang Wine"



My friend Bill lives down in the projects
Stays drunk all the time
He makes Mustang Wine
He makes Mustang Wine
He makes Mustang Wine and he stays drunk all the time
Well, Mustang grapes, they ain't too sweet
But that Mustang wine just can't be beat

He drinks Mustang Wine
He drinks Mustang Wine
He drinks Mustang Wine and stays drunk all the time

Well, I was changin' the screen when telephone rings
It was Bill on the line and I said "come on by"
And bring your Mustang Wine
He brought his Mustang Wine
He drinks Mustang Wine and stays drunk all the time

I said my friend Bill lives down in the projects
Stays drunk all the time
He drinks Mustang Wine
He drinks Mustang Wine
He drinks Mustang Wine and stays drunk all the time

He makes Mustang Wine
He makes Mustang Wine
He makes Mustang Wine and stays drunk all the time