Townes Van Zandt

[fox69]

"Pancho And Lefty"

"Pancho And Lefty"


Living on the road my friend
Is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
And your breath as hard as kerosene
You weren't your mama's only boy
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams

Pancho was a bandit boys
His horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico
And nobody heard his dying words
Ah, but that's the way it goes

And all the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him hang around
Out of kindness, I suppose

Lefty, he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south
Ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go
There ain't nobody knows

And all the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I suppose

Well the poets tell how Pancho fell
And Lefty's living in a cheap hotel
The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold
And so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true
But save a few for Lefty too
He just did what he had to do
And now he's growing old

And a few grey Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let go so wrong
Out of kindness, I suppose

A few gray Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him so wrong
Out of kindness, I suppose

 

[fox69]

"Pueblo Waltz"

"Pueblo Waltz"


Sunrise comes and I don't know why
Living loves and the day does fly
Soon the moon and baby and I
Will be lyin' side by side
How many of your skies are blue?
How much of your love is true?
Where to get them eyes of green?
I'm knowin' you know just what I mean
If I have to go I won't be long
Maybe we'll move to Tennessee
Leave these Texas blues behind
See Susanna and guy
Well, I'm in this cold room all alone
I guess I'll try the telephone
It'll be busy or she won't be home
Tomorrow is another day
Sunrise comes and I don't know why
Living loves and the day does fly
Soon the moon and baby and I
Will be lyin' side by side

 

[fox69]

"Rake"

"Rake"


I used to wake and run with the moon
I lived like a rake and a young man
I covered my lovers with flowers and wounds
My laughter the devil would frighten
The sun she would come and beat me back down
But every cruel day had it's nightfall
I'd welcome the stars with wine and guitars
Full of fire and forgetful
My body was sharp the dark air clean
And outrage my joyful companion
Whisperin' women how sweet did they seem
Kneelin' for me to command them
And time was like water but I was the sea
I'd have never noticed it passin'
Except for the turnin' of night into day
And the turnin' of day into cursin'
You look at me now, and don't think I don't know
What all your eyes are a sayin'
Does he want us to believe these ravings and lies
They're just tricks that his brains been a playin'?
A lover of women he can't hardly stand
He trembles he's bent and he's broken
I've fallen it's true but I say unto you
Hold your tongues until after I've spoken
I was takin' my pride in the pleasures I'd known
I laughed and thought I'd be forgiven
But my laughter turned 'round eyes blazing and
Said my friend, we're holdin' a wedding
I buried my face but it spoke once again
The night to the day we're a bindin'
And now the dark air is like fire on my skin
And even the moonlight is blinding

 

[fox69]

"Rex's Blues"

"Rex's Blues"


Ride the blue wind high and free
She'll lead you down through misery
Leave you low, come time to go
Alone and low as low can be

If I had a nickel I'd find a game
If I won a dollar I'd make it rain
If it rained an ocean I'd drink it dry
And lay me down dissatisfied

Legs to walk and thoughts to fly
Eyes to laugh and lips to cry
A restless tongue to classify
All born to grow and grown to die

So tell my baby I said so long
Tell my mother I did no wrong
Tell my brother to watch his own
And tell my friends to mourn me none

I'm chained upon the face of time
Feelin' full of foolish rhyme
There ain't no dark till something shines
I'm bound to leave this dark behind

Ride the blue wind high and free
She'll lead you down through misery
Leave you low, come time to go
Alone and low as low can be

 

[fox69]

"Sad Cinderella"

"Sad Cinderella"


When the bandits have stolen your jewelry and gone
And your crippled young gypsy, he's grown tall and strong
And your dead misconceptions have proven you wrong
Well then, princess, where you plannin' to turn to?

When your magazine memory has spun you around
And you realize your lovers were just painted clowns
And outside your window you start hearing sounds
Where they're building a cross for to burn you

When all your bright scarlet turns slowly to blue
Will you stop and decide that it's over?

When your teardrops go sour and no longer fall
The splash cross the virgin that lives down your hall
And spends all her nights with an ear to your wall
Well then, what will you have you can offer?

When the firedancers finish and leave you alone
With nothing but embers and sacks full of stone
That hang round your neck, slicing through to the bone
Will there still be a place for your laughter?

When all your bright scarlet turns slowly to blue
Will you stop and decide that it's over?

As your shattered illusions come a-tumblin' home
And all of the butchers you've nourished have grown
And they're are suddenly able to leave you alone
And they run like slaves that are set free

When your questions are answered and your pleadin' is done
And your mind starts to a-screamin' that you ain't the one
That once dwelled within you, will you turn, will you run
Then princess, will you come home and get me?

When all your bright scarlet turns slowly to blue
Will you stop and decide that it's over?

When all your bright scarlet turns slowly to blue
Will you stop and decide that it's over?

 

[fox69]

"Sanitarium Blues"

"Sanitarium Blues"


The folks, they just can't take no more
Throw you in the back seat, slam the door
No stoppin' as down the road you go
Go not time to lose

Gigantic one way gate ahead
You're thinkin' man I'd as soon be dead
They decided to give you life instead
The sanitarium blues

Big ole nurse all dressed in white
Slaps you on a table in the middle of the night
Then he straps you down real tight
You're wonderin', what'd I do?

They hose you down, make sure you're clean
Wrap you up in hospital green
Shoot you full of Thorazine
The sanitarium blues

Could be TB or maybe a tumor
Eavesdropping on the doctors, listening to the rumors
Can't see your friends, hear the hum of the wheels
Hey my man, you know how it feels
Like the sanitarium blues

They upon some sunlit day
They figure there's no need for you to stay
They're pretty sure you can't be cyred
So they send you on your merry way

You hit the pavement, hang around
Nobody's on the outside to be found
You're just tryin' to stay above the ground
You start to thinkin', what's the use?
The sanitarium blues
The sanitarium blues

 

[fox69]

"Second Lovers Song"

"Second Lovers Song"


You're wakin' next to me
Tears splash across the sun
You whisper soft to me
That I ain't the only one
To breathe your yellow hair
Caress your bosom fair
Do you think I really care?
Do you think it matters?
What do your feelings mean?
Do you think I'd love more
If you stood pure and clean
Of those you'd known before
Would your words be sweeter then
Upon November's wind
If you began again
Could your smile be softer?
Would your eyes more brightly shine?
Would your laughter be so tender?
If you'd been only mine
For as long as you remember?
I don't want tears from you
Don't build your love on shame
All that we've done is through
And all we can do remains
My lady can't you see
I love not jealously
But for all you are to me
And all you'll be tomorrow

 

[fox69]

"She Came And She Touched Me"

"She Came And She Touched Me"


She came and she touched me
With hands made of heaven
Reflections sent spinnin'
Through a face laced in mist
Now I stand where she left me
Buried deep 'neath her shadow
And the mirror pleads sadly
Has it all come to this?
And I wonder, will she call my name?

Well the wind careens madly
Through wide windows paneless
Fragrancies mingle
In a room full of shade
The peons pick partners
And waltz 'cross the ceilings
But the violins whisper
That I've been betrayed
Tryin' not to look ashamed

Well the drunkards drink deeply
From cups full of nothingness
Ghost lovers laugh
At the games that they play
While the moments do somersaults
Into eternity
Cling to their coattails
And beg them to stay
Saying I got nothing to hide

Well Illusions projected
On walls made of Tiffany
Mad minuets to
A sad satin song
A harlequin mandolins
Harmonize helplessly
Hoping that endlessly
Won't last for long
Praying that their God ain't dying

Then I turn and I see her
In a dress made of moonlight
Teardrops like diamonds
Run slow down her face
And her arms surround me
Like chains made of velvet
And the demons fall faithfully
Into their place
And the river runs with jewels

Now the morning lies open
The night went quite quickly
Memory harmlessly
Fractures and fades
All the poets do push-ups
On carpets of rubber foam
Loudly they laugh
At some joke that's been made
And the wise men speak like fools

 

[fox69]

"Short-Haired Woman Blues"

"Short-Haired Woman Blues"


I don't want no wom',
If her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
I don't want no w'man,
If her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
Yeah, ya know, she ain't no good for nothin but trouble, did ya know 'at?
Vets keep ya buyin rats all the time.

Yeah, you know I got on the good side of my woman,
I told her, "Darlin, I's a-comin to go have some fun."
You know, I went to make her swing out when a rat fell from her head like,
One from a burnin barn.
I just don't want, want no woman,
Boy, if her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
Whoa, ya know she ain't no good for nothin but trouble.
Vets keep ya buyin rats all the time.
Yeah, you know rats and wigs'll get ya killed.

Yeah, you know I got on the good side of my woman,
I told her, "Darlin, I's comin to go have some fun."
You know, I went to make her swing out when a rat fell from her head like,
One from a burnin barn.
I say, I don't want no woman,
Boy, if her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
You know she ain't no good for nothin but trouble, did ya know 'at?
Vets keep ya buyin rats all the time.

 

[fox69]

"Shrimp Song"

"Shrimp Song"


I saw three shrimp in the water, two were old and gray
I swam a little bit closer and .. I heard the third one say
Goodbye mama shrimp, papa shake my hand
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'
He showed his mama and papa, the shrimp newspaper he read
An invitation to all the shrimp and this is what it said
Free ride, New Orleans, stay in grand hotel
Big Creole gal who help you come out of your shell
Big Creole gal who help you come out of your shell
If I should live to be ninety, I will never forget
The little shrimp and the song he sang as he jumped into the net
Goodbye mama shrimp, papa shake my hand
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'
Here come the shrimper for to take me to Louisian'