1. |
Who we Are
03:44
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Desert skies and lady fair
I dreamt about your long brown hair
And when the moon reflects off of those white sands
I know I will be home soon
To put in action all my plans
To get to work with stronger hands
I’m counting on the simple fact
That we can’t help being who we are
You can’t control who you’ll be
Any more than I can stop being me
Mountain silhouetted dawn
The wellspring which I’ve drawn upon
Whenever times seem like they are wavering
It’s right to atone for crimes
And await the judgment of a king
Forgiveness is such a paltry thing
I’m counting on the simple fact
That we can’t help being who we are
You can’t control who you’ll be
Any more than I can stop being me
Am I ocean or am I land
A white-capped wave or a pile of sand
And if the stars could tell you their deepest fears
Would you listen from afar
And make an ocean out of tears
Construct a poem from the jeers
I’m counting on the simple fact
That we can’t help being who we are
You can’t control who you’ll be
Any more than I can stop being me
We can’t help being who we are
We can’t help being who we are
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2. |
Trying Too Hard
03:04
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I met an actress from Big Spring
We talked about many things
I played a banjo song for her
She forgot where we were
I met a red-headed ballerina
Up on her toes, you should’ve seen her
I played a guitar song for her
And the rest is just a blur
Some people say all roads lead away from yourself
Into the woods to find somebody else
I don’t know where they grow that magic mushroom
Maybe they’re just looking for too much, too soon
I met a chess-playing girl in the smog
She wore glasses and she lived with frogs
I never played any music for her
She hopped away like she didn’t even care
Some people say all roads lead away from yourself
Into the woods to find somebody else
I don’t know where they grow that magic mushroom
Maybe they’re just looking for too much, too soon
Maybe they’re just trying too hard
Maybe they’re just trying too hard
Maybe they’re just trying too hard
Maybe they’re just trying too hard
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3. |
Tomorrow, Today
03:49
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We tend to save for better days
And look for someone else to blame
They might conceive of better ways
You or me, it’s all the same
Our tendencies are here to stay
We’ll just break the rules to the game
Our ploys don't change the way we play
Out the same door through which we came
There’s still time to change for tomorrow to be okay
So it went today, but tomorrow’s another way
Or so they say
No black no white it’s all just grey
The fortuitous renounce their fame
Well one of these days I just may
Grow a beard and change my name
There’s still time to change for tomorrow to be okay
So it went today, but tomorrow’s another way
Or so they say
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4. |
Los Alamos
03:31
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I drove up to Santa Fe
I had work to do, ain’t no time to play
I rolled down through Albuquerque
Just in time to get in your way
You parked your little black car right in the middle of the street
I came ‘round a bend, my guitar flew out of her seat
You took your sweet ol’ time but you were already beat
I knew it was just a matter of when I’d sweep you off your feet
I took a wrong left turn, it was the right way to go, oh – oh
Drivin’ up them mountaintops in New Mexico, oh – oh
Oh those desert skies and moonshining hills, oh – oh
Waiting on the sunrise to make sense of what’s real
I remember the night I sat under that big Ponderosa
That was about the time I could feel it getting closer
I picked a Primrose from the ground and a Braeburn from a tree
I addressed you by name and asked you to dance with me
Maybe we’re trying too hard
I drove down to Los Alamos
Still had work to do but it was oh so close
I rolled up to be a good host
Just in time to meet with their ghosts
I took a wrong left turn, it was the right way to go, oh – oh
Drivin’ up them mountaintops in New Mexico, oh – oh
Oh those desert skies and moonshining hills, oh – oh
Waiting on the sunrise to make sense of what’s real
Waiting on the sunrise to make sense of what’s real
Waiting on the sunrise to make sense of what’s real
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5. |
Eternal Return
04:49
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Poetry ain’t so natural to me
Sometimes birds just fly by
Purple, pink, inky-blue, tangerine
Sometimes that’s just the sky
There ain’t no reason why
There ain’t no reason why
Thirty times we’ve circled ‘round this spot
Passing judgements all the while
Just because the stove doesn’t feel hot
Doesn’t mean you should smile
There ain’t no reason why
There ain’t no reason why
They’d like to say they left it up to me
They tried to say they gave it a chance
They hoped and prayed their lullaby would soothe me
Even a poet comes unstuck in time
I’d like to think that I make you chuckle
But really, you just love to laugh
The rain brings out that sweet honeysuckle
The flowers taking a bath
There ain’t no reason why
There ain’t no reason why
You’d like to say you left it up to me
You tried to say you gave it a chance
You hoped and prayed your lullaby would soothe me
Even a poet comes unstuck in time
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6. |
Manhattan
02:58
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Waitin’ for New York City to come straight down to me
Waitin’ for my baby to show up today
Waitin’ for her pretty face to brighten up my world
Waitin’ is all I do but it sure beats going home
Well I’ve been waitin’ till I’m blue for her hop skip jump home
Waitin’ for my baby to come back from where she roams
Well I’ve been waitin’, girl, just for you and your little dog, too
Watin’ is all I do but it’s always something new
See the fire, feel the ire, be a luminary
Keep on working in Manhattan even when it’s scary
I’ve been waitin’, New York City, it’s raining in the desert
Clouds and lightning hide the starlight, be a luminary
We’ve been waitin’ in this desert for that big bright sunshine
Waitin’ all together and now it’s almost time
Waitin’, one, two, three, for that Trinity
“Needing danger to be good"; "Bones to philosophy”!
Waitin’ till we’re blue, waitin’ is all we do
Waitin’ for that bomb to make a big bang boom
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7. |
At Odds
04:23
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What you choose is your choice
You do what you’ll do
I’ve got no voice
I’ve got no voice
It’s not art until someone applauds
That’s why I don’t like to know the odds
Why are we at odds?
Why are we at odds?
Every time that you come around
I’m not allowed to make a sound
That you can hear
Why is that, dear?
All I’ve ever done is sing you songs
And when a comet appears
We both looked up
And everything stopped
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna lift you up
I don’t wanna lift you up
I’m not clever enough to be
The villain that you see
There’s not enough
Time to be that rough
Every time that I come along
I wish I could make everything wrong
But try as I might
Everything’s right
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna lift you up
I don’t wanna lift you up
What you choose is your choice
You do what you’ll do
I don’t wanna let you down
I don’t wanna let you down
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8. |
Cavaliers
04:39
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Cactus blossom, spiny flower falling to the ground
Sunshine, awesome atom power falling to the ground
Rockslide sand grain little boulder falling to the ground
Something man-made getting older falling to the ground
Rivets, solder, goose egg candle falling to the ground
Sons and daughters, suitcase handle falling to the ground
Bricks and mortar, scorching sunburn falling to the ground
Feather-sporting, laughing wonder falling to the ground
We ain’t nothing but cavaliering Cavaliers
We ain’t nothing but Devil-spearing Devil Spears
Cavaliering Cavaliers
Devil-spearing Devil Spears
We ain’t nothing but cavaliering Cavaliers
We ain’t nothing but Devil-spearing Devil Spears
We ain’t nothing but cavaliering Cavaliers
We ain’t nothing but Devil-spearing Devil Spears
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9. |
Dresden
03:06
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We’ve been here for too long
It’s time we moved along
And if you sing a song
Take your time, don’t get it wrong
We’ve borne some wretched times
Flown by such precious lines
When the wind sounds your chimes
Nevermind, everything’s fine
Let a flame warm your soul
Let it burn oh so slow
Watch it melt, let it go
Let a flame warm your soul
We’ve seen the sky blue sky
Through clouds of red and white
Yet no one dares ask why
You can’t hear a blackbird fly
Let a flame warm your soul
Let it burn oh so slow
Watch it melt, let it go
Let a flame warm your soul
Let a flame warm your soul
Let it burn oh so slow
Watch it melt, let it go
Let a flame warm your soul
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10. |
(A) New Direction
04:56
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It all depends upon perception
Relationships between things
You can see it as deception
Or something fascinating
And to go a new direction
To shift that tidal swing
A defined acceleration
A push against what’s pulling
When it’s time to make corrections
And deal with what the winter brings
A breakdown in communication
Leaves your sharp tongue lolling
When you seek repatriation
Is the compassion lacking?
Are you adhered to this conviction?
Did you remove the paper backing?
And when we all get to share where we’ve been
Elucidate on the things we have seen
What will it mean?
I make no differentiation
Between what the birds will sing
When they express appreciation
Or when they take to the wing
If you’ve missed the dispensation
The bombardier’s still waiting
Just raise your naked adoration
For something else worth wasting
And when you all get to share where you’ve been
Elucidate on the things you have seen
What will it mean?
What will it mean?
What will it mean?
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11. |
Find Your Voice
03:57
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There’s a smiling moon tonight
Swimming across the inky-blue sky
A planet shines, jewel-bright
I used to know her name, maybe that’s why
A comet appeared for us
Drifting across the sky-black sky
It was so dangerous
But I taught you her name, there ain’t no reason why
Come on and find your voice
Give a name to the wind that rolls by
You know you’ve got a choice
Take your time while you’re singing your song
I’ll wait until you’re ready for me to sing along
There’s a man at the slaughterhouse
Digging his way through rubble and char
I said goodbye to the opera house
It’s where I first met you and wondered who we are
Come on and find your voice
Give a name to the wind that rolls by
You know you’ve got a choice
Take your time while you’re singing your song
I’ll wait until you’re ready for me to sing along
Come on and find your voice
Come on and find your voice
Come on and find your voice
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Edgar Derby Denton, Texas
Edgar Derby is a hobo-folk act based in Denton, Texas.
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