See Beautiful Rattlesnake Gardens
Jumping Off
Dressed in jealous clothes
She drove to the black hole
Out past to where the roads turn into sand
No crmies worth a dime
'Less you look it in the eye
And she drove
And she drove
Past the debts that he owed
Past the ends she can't meet
Jumping off is the air that I breathe
Jumping off is the air that I breathe
And I should have swindled
And I should have lied
And I should have jumped
When the chance was mine
Tied up in your sleep
Like a tiger with no teeth
Can't confess to things you've never done
Soup left on the stove
And the cellar barred and closed
And she drove
And she drove
Past the debts that he owed
Past the ends she can't keep
Jumping off is the air that I breathe
Jumping off is the air that I breathe
And I should have swindled
And I should have lied
And I should have jumped
When the chance was mine
Hold your horses
And hold your britches
And hold the handle
on you suspicious drink
Drink to your health
Drink to your wealth
Drink if you think it will make a difference
And hold your britches
And hold the handle
on you suspicious drink
Drink to your health
Drink to your wealth
Drink if you think it makes a difference
Breakneck Speed
The season has come
When nothing gets done
Save copycat killin'
Away from windows
asleep on the floor
The wheel of misfortune spins in the yard
And by the way
And by the way
I'm . . .
(And) by the way
(And) by the way
I'm almost moving breakneck speed
Good news is no news
The whole things comes down
To character murder
Cattle are driven
To market or prison
Hindsight a genius lost in the blood
And by the way
And by the way
I'm . . .
(And) by the way
(And) by the way
I'm almost moving breakneck speed
Tip my hat
And then I'm good as gone
I'm good and ready
Beside myself - breakneck speed
Stretch my reach
You know I'd steal the shoes
Right off a dead man's feet
Beside myself - breakneck speed
The Wellspring
Knock yourself
And knock again
Roll it all into your hand
And let it spin
There's a wind blowin' hell
From the bottom of the well
Let it fall
Below the belt
Calm, cool and collected
Who could have known
Just how it felt
There's a wind blowin' hell
From the bottom of the well
Anytime at all
Anytime at all
John Reilly
Fair young maiden
All in the garden
Strange young man
Passed her by
Said: "Fair maid
Will you marry me?"
This, then, sir,
Was her reply
"Oh no, kind sir
I canot marry thee
For my beloved
Who sails out on the sea
He's been gone
For seven years
And still no man
Shall marry me
Well if he's in
Some battle salin
Well I will die
When the moon [ ? ]
Or if he's drowned
In the dark salt sea
I'll be true
To his memory."
He picked her up
All in his arms
And kisses gave her
One, two and three
Said: "Weep no more
My own dear true love
I am your love
Lost John Reilly"
Said: "Weep no more
My own dear true love
I am your love
Lost John Reilly"
This Rotten Tree
Liars left their roost last night
I heard it from some talkshow host
Fangs and venom working hard
In simulcast from coast to coast
Hey ho, 'round we go
This rotten tree will never grow
Hey ho, 'round we go
This rotten tree will never grow
Dogs and colonels laugh in packs
And take us for the fools we've been
Some patriots got drunk and begged
To all go bottoms up
Hey ho, 'round we go
This rotten tree will never grow
Hey ho, 'round we go
This rotten tree will never grow
This rotten tree will never grow
This rotten tree . . .
This rotten tree . . .
This rotten tree will never grow
Laughingstock
Why we can't fake it you won't ever say
Both arms hangin' from the ball and chain
Tongue tied and twisted from braidin' the rope
Both arms hangin' from this faded hope
Both arms hangin' from this faded hope
Heard it in a whisper
Heard it from a jailor's song
Packed it in a suitcase
Lost it halfway 'round the world
Out beyond harm's way you gave a lift
Past the shipyard and the empty pit
And you saif that my cover was already blown
And one too many is the one I've known
And one too many is the one I've known
Heard it in a whisper
Heard it from a jailor's song
Packed it in a suitcase
Lost it halfway 'round the world
Oh, I wish you wary and I wish you wise
And then of course I wish you well
Rode into town on the back of surprise
And then of course I laughed like hell
And then of course I laughed like hell
Oh, I wish you wary and I wish you wise
Drove into town on the back of surprise
Oh, I wish you wary and I wish you wise
Then of course I wish you well
Rode into town on the back of surprise
And then of course I laughed like hell
And then of course I laughed like hell
Glass Palace
A crooked road on a country mile
The widow walks from a letter found
(And) ties her hands in knots and chokes her disbelief
(That) what's done is done and it's dine for good
Afterwards
Aftershocks in afterhours
The truth it blurs
O glass palace
O glass palace
Cleaned his guns for those who dug his grave
The bullets flew, his luck it finally came
That crooked road was long and he would never see it
Crawled in a ditch and then he almost prayed
Afterwards
Aftershocks in afterhours
The truth it blurs
O glass palace
O glass palace
Heard it all
I heard it shatter
Afterwards
Aftershocks in afterhours
The truth it blurs
O glass palace
O glass palace
Heard it all
I heard it shatter
Feast Or Famine
In a trailer park with hungry dogs
Eat stolen bread
With stolen credit cards
With half a brain
I'd torch this mess
Have all these things
So I don't ask for more
Never sure it's about to happen
Wait for sweepstakes in the mail
What you don't know it will rip you open
Feast or famine
Feast or famine
Took a leave from better sense
A hypocrite who bit on every line
Have no time for another laugh
Bought a car and drove it off a cliff
Never sure it's about to happen
Wait for sweepstakes in the mail
What you don't know it will rip you open
Feast or famine
Feast or famine
Who-Knows-What
I waited all day
And it seemed like one day too many
To find out who knows what
And why all the gallons are hanging
Deadmen are sneaking
Over thr hills
Something forgotten
Is going on there still
I waited all day
and still it seemed like one day too many
Down in the basement
With gunfire closer than distant
And upstairs the band
Played a cynical waltz
The whole world a blamin'
When it's everyone's fault
Who knows what
Who knows what
Tell me what kind of
Is at the end of the world who knows what
What kind of [?] is at the end of the world who knows what
Linda Evans
Mai Tai Time
Cyclone
Gather Round (by Arthur Lee)
Certain Gift
All lyrics written by Chris Eckman. ©1987 Fire&Skill Publishing (BMI)
John Reilly might be a traditional song/lyric (?) , I'm not sure.
Please e-mail corrections to Chris:
chrisbhall@yahoo.com
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