Townes Van Zandt

[fox69]

"My Starter Won't Start This Morning"

"My Starter Won't Start This Morning"


My starter won't start this mornin'
And I'm about to lose my mind
My starter won't start this mornin'
And I'm about to lose my mind
I wanna go and see my little baby
But my machine is all outa time

I got water in my gas tank
and my battery's all run down
I got water in my gas tank
and my battery's all run down
If I don't see my little baby
I'm gonn' leave this lonesome town

Well blow your harmonica son...

My starter won't start this mornin'
And my car won't do a thing
My starter won't start this mornin'
No my car won't do a thing
I must begot some kind of bad disconnection
Somewhere in my piston ring

 

[fox69]

"Niles River Blues"

"Niles River Blues"


On the banks of the Niles I courted my love
I walked with her soft as a mournin' dove
I loved her true I swear I still do
And now she's gone without me
I walk by the banks and give the Lord thanks
That I had the chance to court her
I don't know why he flew her away
I don't know why I'm left here
The Niles runs cold and clear
As cold and clear as my tears
I'll never forget, I'll never regret
Those days on the beautiful Niles
Her name was Diane her beautiful hands
Were soft as the pearls in the water
I looked in her eyes they were blue as the skies
And now I've gone and left her
I'll follow her down the way to the river
Follow her now, now and forever
She's my one and only smile
On the beautiful banks of the Niles
Someday soon 'neath the light of the moon
When the sun and the rain shine together
I'll meet her down where the waters flow
And continue to flow forever
Down on the banks of the beautiful Niles
I wonder what can I be thinking
Down on the banks of that beautiful river
I'll wander, look for her forever
I'll wander, look for her forever

 

[fox69]

"Nine Pound Hammer"

"Nine Pound Hammer"


This nine pound hammer, it's a little too heavy
For my size, honey, for my size
I'm goin on the mountain, gonna see my baby
But I ain't comin' back, no, I ain't comin' back

[Chorus:]
Roll on buddy, don't you roll too slow
How can I roll, when the wheels won't go
Roll on buddy, pull a load of coal
How can I pull, when the wheels won't roll

Well, it's a long way to harlan, it's a long way to hazard
Just to get a little brew, just to get a little brew
Well, when I'm long gone you can make my tombstone
Outta number nine coal, outta number nine coal

[Chorus]

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"No Deal"

"No Deal"


Now this man down at the used car lot
Tried to sell me four wheels and a trunk.
I said, "man, there is no engine!",
He said, "the engine's just a bunch of junk.
You don't need no engine to go downhill
And I could plainly see, that that's the direction
You're headed in", and he handed me the keys.
(I said) no deal; you can't sell this stuff to me
No deal, I'm going back to Tennessee
Well, I went to a doctor of the highest order,
He said I couldn't have a drink for a year.
One glass of wine on my birthday
If my birthday wasn't too very near.
Lord, he must have put me in a state of shock
'cause I made it for about two weeks;
Then he sent me a bill
That knocked me flat off the wagon
And back down on my feet.
When true love knocked upon my door
She'd just barely turned fifteen
And I was a little bit nervous
If you know just what I mean.
But I've heard somewhere
That true love conquers all
And I figured that was that
Then I started having dreams 'bout
Being chased out of town
Wearing nothing but my cowboy hat.
Well, I come through this life a stumbler, my friends
I expect to die that way
It could be twenty years from now
It could be most any day.
But if there is no whiskey and women, lord,
Behind them heavenly doors
I'm gonna take my chances down below,
And of that you can be sure.

 

[fox69]

"No Lonesome Tune"

"No Lonesome Tune"


I ain't gonna sing no lonesome tune
Ah, babe, I'm a-commin' soon
I cannot believe I stayed so long away
But a man must look around
And you're the sweetest thing I've found
Your lost high roller's rollin' home today

My daddy said to me
son, it's hard as you will see
To find someone upon whom to rely
In the kitchen mama sneezed
And he grinned big as you please
Said bless you and a tear come to his eye

I did decide that very day
That I would like to live that way
And now I know I just been wastin' time
It's with you that I should be
If you feel the same 'bout me
I'm headed home along the straightest line

 

[fox69]

"No Place To Fall"

"No Place To Fall"


If I had no place to fall
And I needed to
Could I count on you
To lay me down?

I'd never tell you no lies
I don't believe it's wise
You got pretty eyes
Won't you spin me 'round

I ain't much of a lover it's true
I'm here then I'm gone
And I'm forever blue
But I'm sure wanting you

Skies full of silver and gold

Try to hide the sun
But it can't be done
Least not for long

And if we help each other grow
While the light of day
Smiles down our way
Then we can't go wrong

Time, she's a fast old train
She's here then she's gone
And she won't come again
Won't you take my hand

If I had no place to fall
And I needed to
Could I count on you
To lay me down?

 

[fox69]

"None But The Rain"

"None But The Rain"


We had our day but now it's over
We had our song but now it's sung
We had our stroll through summers clover
But summer's gone now, our walkin's done
So tell me gently who be your lover
Who be your lover after I'm gone
Will it be the moon that hears your sighin'
Will it be the willow that hears your lonesome song
Will it be the rain that clings to your bosom
Will it be the sunshine that dries your golden hair
Will it be the wind that warns of my returning
Will a rose be in your arms when I find you waitin' there
None but the rain should cling to my bosom
None but the moon should hear my lonesome sigh
None but the wind should warn of your returning
Fare thee well, my love, good-bye

 

[fox69]

"Nothin'"

"Nothin'"


Hey mama, when you leave
Don't leave a thing behind
I don't want nothin'
I can't use nothin'
Take care into the hall
And if you see my friends
Tell them I'm fine
Not using nothin'
Almost burned out my eyes
Threw my ears down to the floor
I didn't see nothin'
I didn't hear nothin'
I stood there like a block of stone
Knowin' all I had to know
And nothin' more
Man, that's nothin'
As brothers our troubles are
Locked in each others arms
And you better pray
They never find you
Your back ain't strong enough
For burdens doublefold
They'd crush you down
Down into nothin'
Being born is going blind
And buying down a thousand times
To echoes strung
On pure temptation
Sorrow and solitude
These are the precious things
And the only words
That are worth rememberin'

 

[fox69]

"Only Him Or Me"

"Only Him Or Me"


Don't go saying I'm leaving you
Thinking I never got close enough to stay
Time runs in, and then runs out
Starts again and it's always been that way
You're gonna drown tomorrow
If you cry to many tears for yesterday
Tomorrow's half of all you've got
So treat him good, 'cause when I'm gone, he'll stay
I won't be forgetting you
You won't be forgetting me, I know
If memory comes a summer cloud
Rains her sweetness down to me below
I see you like you look right now
Maybe wonder why I had to go
But heaven is the way she is
Rain falls and rivers flow
So here's to feelin' good
Here's to feelin' bad
Here's to bein' thankful
Sorry for the pleasures that we had
And autumn days and window panes
God, forgive us if you feel decieved
The clock don't know you like I do
And it's only him or me you got to believe

 

[fox69]

"Our Mother The Mountain"

"Our Mother The Mountain"


My lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom
The moon's dancin' purple
All through her black hair
And a ladies-in-waiting she stands 'neath my window
And the sun will rise soon
On the false and the fair
Sing a-too a-loor-a-lie-o
She tells me she comes from my mother the mountain
Her skin fits her tightly
And her lips do not lie
She silently slips from her throat a medallion
Slowly she twirls it
In front of my eyes
Sing a-too a-loor-a-lie-o
I watch her, I love her, I long for to touch her
The satin she's wearin'
Is shimmering blue
Outside my window her ladies are sleeping
My dogs a gone hunting
The howling is through
Sing a-too a-loor-a-lie-o
So I reach for her hand and her eyes turn to poison
And her hair turns to splinters,
And her flesh turns to brine
She leaps across the room, she stands in the window
And screams that my first-born
Will surely be blind
Sing a-too a-loor-a-lie-o
Then she throws herself out to the black of the nightfall
She's parted her lips
But she makes not a sound
I fly down the stairway, and I run to the garden
No trace of my true love
Is there to be found
Sing a-too a-loor-a-lie-o
So walk these hills lightly, and watch who you're lovin'
By mother the mountain
I swear that it's true
And love not a woman with hair black as midnight
And a dress made of satin
All shimmering blue
Sing a-too a-loor-a-lie-o
Oh my lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom
The moon's dancing purple all through her black hair
And a lady's in waiting, she'll stand 'neath my window
And the sun will rise soon on the false and the fair