Nighttown
All songs by Chris Eckman, copyright 1997, Wolffsongs/EMI Publishing GMBH
Follow Me an Angel
The city's shiverin'
Shivers in the heat
That we call summertime
And I'm deliverin'
The one piece of the puzzle
That you could not find
Follow me an angel
Follow every fool I can tonight
Follow me an angel
From the rooftops
These streets
Don't seem so bright
The clocks have lost their hands
The clouds take off their shirts
And show their scars to me
And we're out kickin cans
Chasin' sirens
Past the gate ... of your driveway
Now here's the teeth to the city
The keys to your wings
The promise that I won't say no
Though we ain't lookin' pretty
There's some places open late
Where we can go
Follow me an angel
Follow every fucked-up fool tonight
Follow me an angel
From the rooftops
These streets don't seem so bright
These Proud Streets
(not available in CD booklet; coming soon)
Tremble (Goes the Night)
Gettin' stupid ... crooked feet
a pinball on ... Scott Walker Street
gettin' stupid ... in a bar
not goin' home ... til the band plays "Superstar"
everything's on the edge of everything else
you're hittin' a stride, that cannot be stopped
people been callin' all the way from Florida
ya said, you're going down there, for a week or more
Tremble goes ... Tremble goes the night
Tremble goes ... Tremble goes the night
gettin stupid ... dancin' veins
night rain on ... the Greyhound sign
gettin' stupid ... flashlight face
strangers got ... the clearest eyes
nothin's worth envy, but I can't help myself
go find your glory, ya don't need my help
when it explodes, ya better line up to bet
the dead don't have birthdays, they just forget
Tremble goes ... Tremble goes the night
Tremble goes ... Tremble goes the night
shadows sparkle ... streetcars burn
all of God's drunks ... we wait our turn
so you're leavin' ... write it on a cake
I'll take a piece ... and I'll join the wait
When you get back, we'll find a heart and soul chapel
see if there's anything, left to unravel
now go drop this five, in the band's tip jar
I'm not goin' home ... til the band plays "Superstar" ("Superstar")
Tremble goes ... Tremble goes the night
Tremble goes ... Tremble goes the night
Unwind
you're an open gate
on a barbed wire fence
swingin' back and forth
you know it scares me half to death
funny how it moved
from a blessin' to a curse
ain't it funny how we moved
from the cursed, to the doomed
will you
will you unwind
this heart of mine?
heart of mine
busted but not broke
shaken up and stirred
watch out who you tell
this night is hangin' on each word
but when the mornin' comes
and the lies are cheap
you'll say: "to live is to lose"
I'll say: "losin's the one thing... that we all keep"
will you... will you unwind?
this heart of mine... heart of mine
both a blessin' and a curse
in everything we've heard
a blessin' and a curse
this night is hangin' on... each... word
Lift Your Burdens Up
Been a lot of rain out there
rainin' blind
summer's comin' slow ... this year
it's rainin' blind
If ya come back tonight
... I'll let it ... fall away
if ya come back tonight
ya better have ... the guts to stay
gravel's loose ... and the load is shiftin'
dreams are heavy ... they could use ... some ... liftin'
come back now ... lay all your burdens down
and with a little luck ... I'll lift your burdens up
between my thoughts and my deeds
delusion lies
I've forgotten everything
we ever tried
but if ya come back tonight
careful what you bring
the sky's unwinding here
twisted like a busted spring
gravel's loose ... and the load is shiftin'
dreams are heavy ... they could use ... some ... liftin'
come back now ... and lay all your burdens down
and with a little luck ... I'll lift your burdens up ... burdens up
If ya need me ... you can call
If ya need me ... I will call you
If ya need me ... you can call
If I need you ... I will call you
ain't goin' anywhere fast
gonna sit right here
til the sky blows ... blows on past
come back now ... lay all your burdens down
and with a little luck ... I'll lift your burdens up
and when the trigger's pulled ... ya know I'll follow through
and you can bet your luck ... I'll list your burdens up ... burdens up
Prayer for You
when you burn your kingdom
through the ashes I will come
I know it makes no difference
but I can't leave ya to your fun
usin' up your torch song gifts
why do you rush the end along?
actin' like you'll soon forget
the end is comin' on its own
Just this once
I'll say a prayer for you
though I won't pretend to help
just this once
I'll say a prayer for you
burnin' up the floorboards
burned every place you stood
every second chance: firewood
bad luck is a famous name
for what you brought yourself
and I'm too dumb to help
just this once
I'll say a prayer for you
though I won't pretend I'm right
if you ask
I'll say a prayer for you
they say the city don't give up
and I believe that's true (don't you?)
ricochets from boom to bust
like most of us
who never cared enough...
just this once
I'll say a prayer for you
though I won't pretend I'm right
if you ask
I'll say a prayer for you
in the middle of the street
I will stop
I'll say a prayer for you
if that's what you really want
I will stop...
I'll say a prayer for you
in the middle of the street...
Immaculate
said this was our town
the joke it was on us
we were just passin thru'
on the way to givin' up
joked this was our town
that someday we'd be thrilled
by anything we loved
and everything we killed
but the biggest risk we'll ever take
will be to stay here in one place
swearin' gold is struck
on the way to givin' up
I try not to forget
how close we came to it
ooh -- Immaculate ... ooh -- Immaculate ...
ain't we strange enough
that we don't have to prove
we know how to last
and we know how to lose
gonna chase it down
find the truth in store
were we better off
just one stop before?
will there be a run of days,
when sittin' pretty will make sense?
when somethin' like a prayer,
up and pays the rent?
I try not to forget
how close we came to it
ooh -- Immaculate ... ooh -- Immaculate ...
you're the fever that I dream
the only dream I dream awake
a dream the mornin' cannot shake
you're the fever that I dream
the only dream I dream awake
a dream the mornin' cannot shake (the fever that I dream)
ooh -- Immaculate ... ooh -- Immaculate ...
ooh -- Immaculate ... ooh -- Immaculate ...
Nocturno
(instrumental)
Heartless
This is where it starts
This is... where it stops
And when it finally stops
I hope, starts right up
walk the glitter mile
past hotels of sand
people say'n lots of things
ain't my job... to listen
I don't believe
what they say you've done
don't believe in anything
anything that lasts for long
everytime I change my mind...
you say I'm heartless... but I want the same thing as you
This is where it stops
This is... where it starts
And when it finally starts
I hope it pulls right up
everytime I change my mind...
you say I'm heartless... but I want the same thing as you
why do ya say
they built this desert in our way?
open your eyes
watch it slowly come alive
somethin' new
changin' into somethin' new...
somethin' that I... saved for you
everytime I change my mind... everytime I change my mind
you say I'm heartless... but I want the same thing as you
everytime I change my mind... everytime I change my mind
you say I'm heartless ... but I want the same thing as you
hmmmmmm something new... something new...
something new... something new...
Slow Red Dawn
We need a better idea, here quick
Before the sun's beatin' down on our necks
We need a better idea
Watch us speed, to the end of the world
Promise all, that we've already heard
and still we're nowhere
I don't care to know all the details
How you left him to shout down the stairs
I don't care to know
Slow Red Dawn is gonna come
Slow Red Dawn is comin' on
Slow Red Dawn
Do you see that thin strip of light there?
On the skyline, it seems unaware
that we haven't slept yet
But as long as we still laugh for keeps
and you swear you were dyin' to leave
There's no reason to sleep
Slow Red Dawn is gonna come
Slow Red Dawn is comin' on
Slow Red Dawn
Slow Red Dawn is gonna come
Slow Red Dawn is comin' on
Slow Red Dawn
Do ya see that light there?
On the skyline unaware
Do ya see that light there?
comin' on
Are we gonna let it flag?
I think we got it in the bag
Do ya see the light there?
Comin' on
Harbour Lights
Harbour lights will change your plans
more than judge or jury can
what a sight
flickerin' like prayers of grace
how could you ever lose this place?
what a sight
But I'm sure I don't stand
a ghost of a chance
to stay here past the time, when all my checks run out
to stay here past the time, when all my checks... run... out
Chinese junks are driftin' in
the foghorn blows its low warnin'
across the stars
glistening fluorescent tears
finally know what kept me here
harbour lights
and I wonder if you
are makin' it through
we all hang from a single thread and a thousand truths
we all hang from a single thread and a thousand... truths
harbour lights will change your plans
more than judge or jury can
what a sight
But I'm sure I don't stand
a ghost of a chance
to stay here past the time, when all my checks run out
and I wonder if you
are makin' it through
I wonder under which moon do you sleep tonight
I wonder under which moon do you say... good... night
Forever Gone
Streaks of light
on the graveyard walk
your bright star was crashin'
crashin' the dark
dreamed of a cold night
to freeze it in place
dreamed of ship bells and thunder
ringin' us under
dreamed all the way home
that you'd never go
talked up and down it
mornin', noon and night
alone in the optimists chair
said our instincts were right
but now I know the clean choice
was the worst choice of all
I'd rather feel guilt
than this desert inside
I'd rather steal wicked
than lay down in pride
gone forever
forever gone
made a mess of this town
but that's what we always do
throwin' glass to the floor
now it's cuttin' right through
more than a year's time
'til ya give up the scheme
my wood matches meltin'
the ghosts from your wedding ring
never trusted fate
but I wish that I had
fate is what answered
your slow cry for help
fate was your motive
your fate was yourself
gone forever
forever gone
made a mess of this town
but that's what we always do
throwin' glass to the floor
now it's cuttin' right through
gone forever
forever gone
I'd rather feel guilt
than this desert inside
I'd rather steal wicked
than lay down in pride
seems like a long time... oooh!
Nightbirds
The nightbirds stumble in
like broken pendulums
the nightbirds stumble in
flown from thick to thin
'neath a cloud of suspicion
you're a lucky man
say it again
the nightrain's pourin' down
as the nightsky hits the town
the nightbirds stumble in
there are orders to be filled
there are tall ones to be killed
there are songs of praises to be sung
will they all go south on us?
with the crazies, with our trust?
I trust you'll tell me
if you lose that trust
the nightrain's pourin' down
as the nightsky hits the town
the nightbirds stumble in
you're a lucky man
say it again
I'm a lucky man
say it again
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