Steve Earle

[fox69]

"Transcendental Blues"

"Transcendental Blues"



In the darkest hour of the longest night
If it was in my power I'd step into the light
Candles on the alter, penny in your shoe
Walk upon the water - transcendental blues

Happy ever after 'til the day you die
Careful what you ask for, you don't know 'til you try
Hands are in your pockets, starin' at your shoes
Wishin' you could stop it - transcendental blues

If I had it my way, everything would change
Out here on this highway the rules are still the same
Back roads never carry you where you want 'em to
They leave you standin' there with them ol' transcendental blues

 

[fox69]

"Two Girls"

"Two Girls"



The clouds didn't look like cotton
They didn't even look like clouds
I was underneath the weather
All my friends look like a crowd
The swimmin' hole was full of rum
And I tried to find out why
All I learned was this, my friend
You got to swim before you fly
I got two girls
One's in heaven, one's below
One I love with all my heart
And one I do not know

Two lonesome dudes on a ugly horse
Passed by not long ago
They asked me where the action was
I said that I did not know
As they disappeared into the brush
I heard the driver say
He's a little slow between the ears
He's always been that way
I got two girls
One's in heaven, one's below
One I love with all my heart
And one I do not know

Jolly Jane just lays around
And listens with her mouth
She's had about a dozen husbands
But the last one just pulled out
Now who's gonna bring her dinner
Through the weary years ahead
All she'll get from me is sympathy
Ain't got time to see she's fed
I got two girls
One's in heaven, one's below
One I love with all my heart
And one I do not know

Cold down on the bayou
They say it's in your mind
But the moccasins are treadin' lee
And leavin' strange designs
The Cajun say the last time
This happened they weren't here
Beaumont's full of penguins
And I'm playin' it by ear
I got two girls
One's in heaven, one's below
One I love with all my heart
And one I do not know

 

[fox69]

"Until The Day I Die"

"Until The Day I Die"



Back in the hills when we were only kids
Love shined like a diamond in your eyes
I swore I'd never hurt you - then I did
Now I'm all alone with all my lies
I promised that I'd never be untrue
I'd never make you cry
The only promise that I didn't break
Was to love you until the day I die

I wish I'd never seen those city lights
A sight for a country boy to see
For every one that you see shinin' bright
Another is burnin' out like me
I wouldn't listen though you told me dear
I couldn't see the lie
But all the same I still love you tonight
And I'll love you until the day I die

They built this prison just for fools like me
Who don't know a treasure from a stone
I killed a man now I won't ever see
The green rollin' hills where I was born
No I won't ever see your face again
But if I close my eyes
I can almost hear you call me back to then
And I'll love you until the day I die

 

[fox69]

"Valentine's Day"

"Valentine's Day"



I come to you with empty hands
I guess I just forgot again
I only got my love to send
On Valentine's Day
I ain't got a card to sign
Roses have been hard to find
I only hope that you'll be mine
On Valentine's Day
I know that I swore that I wouldn't forget
I wrote it all down: I lost it I guess
There's so much I want to say
But all the words just slip away

The way you love me every day
Is Valentine's Day

If I could I would deliver to you
Diamonds and gold; it's the least I can do
So if you'll take my IOU
I could make it up to you
Until then I hope my heart will do
For Valentine's Day

 

[fox69]

"Waitin' On The Sky"

"Waitin' On The Sky"



I grew up in a military town
Waitin’ on the sky to fall
Everybody I knew hanqin' around wonderin’
What they’d do when the Draft Board called
Lookin’ back it musta been a miracle
How I ever grew up at all
To sing about livin' in a military town
Waitin' on the sky to fall
Waitin' on the sky to fall, boys
Waitin' on the sky to fall
Chicken Little wasn't makin' nothin' but noise
Waitin' on the sky to fall

Spent a lonely lifetime rollin’ down the line
Searchin’ for the Holy Grail
Never once crossed my solitary mind
That any such consecrated quest’d fail
Came upon an ocean and much to my chagrin
They told me that ship had sailed
Walkin’ on the water cause I never learned
To swin searchin’ for the Holy Grail
Searchin’ for the Holy Grail, friends
Searchin’ for the Holy Grail
Been across the oceans and now I’m back again
Searchin’ for the Holy Grail

Been around enough to know a little bit now
And I’m sitting on tip of the world
Wangin’ on a guitar while the sun goes down
And singin a song about a redheaded girl
Was a time I would have said those days were gone
But I’m givin’ it another whirl
Didn’t know that I was gonna live this long
Now I’m sitting’ on top of the world
Sittin’ on top of the world, y’all
Sittin’ on top of the world
Eyes wide open until the Messenger calls
Sittin’ on top of the world

 

[fox69]

"Waiting On You"

"Waiting On You"



Here comes the night, day brings no light
For wrong or right I'm here waiting on you
Words cut too deep, old ghosts won't sleep
But they'll never keep me from waiting on you
Breathing out, breathing in
Holding out, giving in
Doing with or without
For a lifetime, just a lifetime

I can't let go, I wait for you
Till hell goes cold, I'll wait for you
You're all I know and I wait for you

Breathing out, breathing in
Holding out, giving in
Doing with or without waiting on you

Don't show it all, walk on, walk tall
Behind this wall I'm still waiting on you

 

[fox69]

"Walking Down Death Row"

"Walking Down Death Row"



Walking down death row
I sang for three men destined for the chair
Walking down death row
I sang of lives and loves in other years
Walking down death row
I sang of hopes that used to be
Through the bars
Into each separate cell
I sang for one and two and three
"If you'd only only stuck together
You'd not be here
If you could've loved each other's lives
You'd not be sitting here
And if only this you could believe
You still might, you might still be reprieved"

Walking down death row
I turned the corner and found to my surprise
There were women there as well
With babies in their arms before my eyes
Walking down death row
I tried once more to sing of hopes that used to be
But the thought of that contraption down the hall
Waiting for whole families
One dozen, two, or three
"If you'd only stuck together
You'd not be here
If you could've loved another's child as well as yours
You'd not be sitting here
And if only this you could believe
You still might, you might still be reprieved"

Walking down death row
I concentrated, singing to the young
I sang of hopes that flickered still
I tried to mouth their many separate tongues
Walking down death row
I sang of life and love that still might be
Singing, singing down death row
To each separate human cell
One billion, two, or three
"If we'd only stick together
We'd not be here
If we could learn to love each other's lives
We'd not be sitting here
And if only this you would believe
We still might, we might still be reprieved"

 

[fox69]

"Warren Hellman's Banjo"

"Warren Hellman's Banjo"



I’m standin’ on Jordan’s shore
Standin’ on Jordan’s shore
And I ain’t gonna worry anymore
‘Cause I’m standin’ on Jordan’s shore
Gonna lay my purse aside
Lay my purse aside
‘Cause my money’s no good on the other side
Gonna lay my purse aside
Gonna carry my ol’ banjo
Carry my ol’ banjo
‘Cause the devil won’t follow wherever I go
If I carry my ol’ banjo

Gonna play that shady grove
Play that shady grove
Make my pallet down soft and low
Gonna play that shady grove
Gonna play that soldier’s joy
Play that soldier’s joy
Flop-eared mule and the red-haired boy
Gonna play that soldier’s joy
Gonna bile them cabbage down
Bile them cabbage down
‘Cause the devil surely cannot stand that sound
When I bile them cabbage down

Gonna carry my ol’ banjo
Carry my ol’ banjo
From the mountain high to the valley low
Gonna carry my ol’ banjo
Gonna carry my ol’ banjo
Carry my ol’ banjo
‘Cause the devil won’t follow wherever I go
If I carry my ol’ banjo

 

[fox69]

"Warrior"

"Warrior"



This is the best time of the day-the dawn
The final cleansing breath unsullied yet
By acrid fume or death's cacophony
The rank refuse of unchained ambition
And pray, deny me not but know me now,
Your faithful retainer stands resolute
To serve his liege lord without recompense
Perchance to fall and perish namelessly
No flag-draped bier or muffled drum to set
The cadence for a final dress parade
But it was not always thus-remember?
Once you worshipped me and named me a god
In many tongues and made offering lest
I exact too terrible a tribute

Take heed for I am weary, ancient
And decrepit now and my time grows short
There are no honorable frays to join

Only mean death dealt out in dibs and dabs
Or horror unleashed from across oceans
Assail me not with noble policy
For I care not at all for platitude
And surrender such tedious detail
To greater minds than mine and nimbler tongues
Singular in their purpose and resolve
And presuming to speak for everyman

Oh, for another time, a distant field
And there a mortal warrior's lonely grave
But duty charges me remain until
The end the last battle of the last war
Until that 'morrow render unto me
That which is mine my stipend well deserved
The fairest flower of your progeny
Your sons, your daughters your hopes and your dreams
The cruel consequence of your conceit

 

[fox69]

"Way Down In The Hole"

"Way Down In The Hole"



When you walk through the garden
You gotta watch your back
Well I beg your pardon
Walk the straight and narrow track
If you walk with Jesus
He's gonna save your soul
You gotta keep the devil
Way down in the hole

He's got the fire and the fury
At his command
Well you don't have to worry
If you hold on to Jesus' hand
We'll all be safe from Satan
When the thunder rolls
Just gotta help me keep the devil
Way down in the hole

All the angels sing
'Bout Jesus' mighty sword
And they'll shield you with their wings
And keep you close to the Lord
Don't pay heed to temptation
For his hands are so cold
You gotta help me keep the devil
Way down in the hole

Way down in the hole
Way down in the hole
Way down in the hole
Way down in the hole

(In the bottom of a hole)