Townes Van Zandt

[fox69]

"When She Don't Need Me"

"When She Don't Need Me"


When she don't need me
It makes me crazy
She say rest easy
And it makes me lazy
But when she please me
She please me all night long
My friends are leavin'
She say don't worry
They're only leavin'
There is no parting
You will be lonely
I will be here with you
On the winds of darkness
The light is soring
And chains are bonded
Freedom is singing
Cling to the darkness
Until you've turned to song
The blues shall wash me
And sun shall dry me
The world will hide me
But she will find me
And when she find me
She will take me home
When she don't need me
It makes me crazy
She say rest easy
And it makes me lazy
But when she please me
She please me all night long

 

[fox69]

"When Your Dream Lovers Die"

"When Your Dream Lovers Die"


When your sky starts to tumble and your rhymes starts to lose
The meaning so tenderly given
When all your dreams lie down and die at your shoes
You can turn to me for livin'
When your sweet words begin to turn black on the vines
And they bear their fruit no longer
Then lay down your love songs and leave them behind
I'll show you something stronger
The shadow you're chasing will fade in the sun
Don't let disbelief deceive you
As you hide from your sorrow remember there's one
That only seeks to please you
And now you must follow your dreams as they fly
Leaving trails of empty feeling
Perhaps when you watch all your dream lovers die
You'll decide that you need a real one

 

[fox69]

"Where I Lead Me"

"Where I Lead Me"


Where I lead me I will travel
Where I need me I will call me
I'm no fool, I'll be ready
God knows I will be
And in the meantime make a little money
And buy a little mercy
Met this morning, now he loves me
Say's he loves me
It must be easy, look around you
All around you
But you see the motion, you're not movin'
You don't know how to hold on
Just keep it loose
Don't get excited, it'll pass before long
Now one is goin' one is stayin'
One is silent one is saying'
Here's your coat, take care of yourself
Sorry you're leavin'
A little sad you're all I had
Will you be returnin'
The boys upstairs are gettin' hungry
You can shout in the wind about how it will be
Or you can clench your fist, shake your head
And head to the country
I got no doubt about it my friend
That's where they'll find me
That's where they're gonna find me
Ask the boys down in the gutter
Now they won't lie cause you don't matter
The street's just fine if you're good and blind
But it ain't where you belong
Roll down your sleeves, pick up your money
And carry yourself home
Roll down your sleeves, pick up your money
And carry yourself home

 

[fox69]

"White Freight Liner Blues"

"White Freight Liner Blues"


I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine

White freight liner
Won't you steal away my mind
Ah, new Mexico ain't bad, lord
And the people there they treat you kind
And the people there they treat you kind

Well, it's bad news from Houston

Half my friends are dying
Well, it's bad news from Houston
Half my friends are dying

Ah, lord, I'm gonna ramble
Till I get back to where I came
Ah, lord, I'm gonna ramble
Till I get back to where I came

I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine

 

[fox69]

"Who Do You Love?"

"Who Do You Love?"


I walk 47 miles of barbed wire,
I use a cobra-snake for a necktie,
I got a brand new house by the roadside,
Made outta rattlesnake hide.
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of a human skull,
Come on take a little walk with me, baby,
And tell me, who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Got a tombstone hand and a graveyard mine,
Just 22 and I don't mind dying.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Goin' round this town, take a rattlesnake whip,
Come on baby, don't give me no lip,
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Night was black, sky was blue,
Round the corner, ice-wagon flew,
Heard a bump, heard a scream,
You should have seen just what I seen.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
My baby took me by the hand,
And said come on baby, I understand.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
That's very nice!
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

 

[fox69]

"Why She's Acting This Way"

"Why She's Acting This Way"


Like silent she stands
Like laughter she falls
From a castle of sand
Like a memory she calls
And the mockingbirds grieve
'cause they can't make her cry
And they'll soon start to believe
That the lady has died
Oh what it all goes to show
It ain't my job to say
For who am I to know
Why she's actin' this way

Oh once again turn away
If you're sure that it's done
Tell your prophets to pray
Tell your bandits to run
Take your eyelids of stone
They won't do you no harm
And take your cross made of bones
Take your your fly-paper arms
And when everything's placed
In your coffin of gold
Throw a scarf 'round your face
'cause the subway gets cold

Pack up your sunflower smile
And your bandana blues
Take your worthless denials
They're all you've got left to lose
Take your tinkerbell lies
And your weary desires
Take the tears in your eyes
Take your cup full of fire
Ah give your lover a call
If your legs start to fail
And he'll come break your fall
With a bed full of nails

No need to glance back again
There ain't nothin' to see
Just this drunken old man
And this woman and me
And you've made it quite plain
That we're just wastin' time
And you say it seems strange
That I'm staying behind
But don't you worry 'bout me
I can make it alone
'cause I got no place to be
And I ain't far from home

 

[fox69]

"Willie Boy"

"Willie Boy"


Hey Willy boy what you gonna do
When the wind blows cold
The moon turns blue
Build me a fire
Gonna dance and sing
A little bit of winter don't mean a thing
A little bit of winter don't mean a thing
Hey Willy when the birds arrive
The flowers bloom
While the clouds float by
Tell my puppies
And my turtles and things
All God's children need a little spring
All God's children need a little spring
Hey Willy boy where you gonna go
When the grass gets sticky
And the wind blows slow
Down to the river
Gonna jump right in
A little bit of summer can't be no sin
A little bit of summer can't be no sin
Hey Willy how you gonna feel
When the leaves turn gold
Beneath your heels
Twirl and spin never gonna fall
Falling just won't do at all
No that wouldn't do at all
Hey Willy boy how you gonna feel
Hey Willy boy where you gonna go
Hey Willy boy what you gonna do
It's time to go to sleep right now
It's time to go to sleep right now

 

[fox69]

"Wreck On The Highway"

"Wreck On The Highway"


Last night I was out driving
Coming home at the end of the working day
I was riding alone through the drizzling rain
On a deserted stretch of a county two-lane
When I came upon a wreck on the highway

There was blood and glass all over
And there was nobody there but me
As the rain tumbled down hard and cold
I seen a young man lying by the side of the road
He cried Mister, won't you help me please

An ambulance finally came and took him to Riverside
I watched as they drove him away
And I thought of a girlfriend or a young wife
And a state trooper knocking in the middle of the night
To say your baby died in a wreck on the highway

Sometimes I sit up in the darkness
And I watch my baby as she sleeps
Then I climb in bed and I hold her tight
I just lay there awake in the middle of the night
Thinking 'bout the wreck on the highway

 

[fox69]

"You Are Not Needed Now"

"You Are Not Needed Now"


Well, the birds were talking all at once
and the old man mowing down his lawn
he didn't look like much too bad a guy
And I was thinkin' Hang on, man, something's wrong
your blues seems to be gone
heaven ain't bad but you don't get nothing done.

Lay down your head a while
you are not needed now
you are not needed now

Well, Allison laid a hex on me
and every time I turn around
it's swimming through the air above my bed
I told Miss Higgs and she said fine
as long as you're back in your room on time
I keep you clean and the girls will keep you fed

Lay down your head with mine
you are not needed now
and we got things to do

Between the blankets made of wool
the trains roll by every half an hour
and the body can get no restin' done, that's true
so I do my best, as best I can
thinkin' big and making plans
and wondering where them trains are rolling to

Lay down your head poor boy
and feel how the ground does move
and hear how them drivers sing

Well, goodbye friends, it's time to close
everybody knows that's the way it goes
where was it you lived in case I'm ever there
Well, three doors down and two behind
and it gets a little bit out of hand sometimes
don't let it fool you into thinkin' you down care

Lay down your head and fly
I'll quietly pass you by
you won't even see me go

If I thought about it long enough
I just might make some kind of move
watchful lies are too hard on the soul
With the smoke house just across the way
and it's fog upon the light of day
that would be hard comin' up with where to go

Lay down your head poor boy
feel how the ground does move
hear how them drivers sing
What now, my darling one
go find a little fun
you are not needed now

 

[fox69]

"You Win Again"

"You Win Again"


The news is out all over town
That you've been seen a runnin' round
I know that I should leave but then
I just can't go, you win again.

This heart of mine could never see
What everybody knew but me
Just trusting you was my great sin
What can I do, you win again.

I'm sorry for your victim now
'Cause soon his head like mine will bow
He'll give his heart but all in vain
And someday say you win again.

You have no heart, you have no shame
You take true love and give the blame
I guess that I should not complain
I love you still, you won again...