1. |
Churchill Road
03:48
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When I was knee-high to a puppy dog,
I’d walk a mile down Churchill road,
Wind whistling’ would blow me along,
Looking down on all the land below,
Down to the hardware, to buy me a Bowie Knife,
Like a renegade running through the woods all day,
Woods are gone now; it’s only houses,
Kids there now they got no place to play
Town of Ferndale, just south of BC
When Elvis died, I was standing on Churchill road
School was out when the snow was heavy
I learned to swear when I was standing on Churchill road
Standing on Churchill road
I rode that horse on old Mr. Murphy’s farmland,
Fell off and rolled into an electric fence,
Ain’t no use now for electric fences,
It’s just a bunch of landlords collecting rents,
There was an old man played the Scottish bagpipes
Every Sunday up and down Churchill road,
Sunday’s quiet now, except for the traffic,
Old man died about ten years ago
Town of Ferndale, just south of BC
When Elvis died, I was standing on Churchill road
School was out when the snow was heavy
I learned to swear when I was standing on Churchill road
Standing on Churchill road
Was exactly one mile from the church up at Vista,
Down to the bottom down to Mountain View,
Just some roads out in a tiny farm-town
But that’s a mile to me, tell me, what’s a mile to you?
Well to some men I guess a mile means money,
To others, I guess it just means an evening walk,
I’m not the first to sing a song of protest,
But if I’m singing loud enough, don’t got to listen to the money men talk
Town of Ferndale, just south of BC
When Elvis died, I was standing on Churchill road
School was out when the snow was heavy
I learned to swear when I was standing on Churchill road
Standing on Churchill road
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2. |
Burlington Railroad
05:58
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back when I was seven, before we lived in the city, mama went with a man who worked on the railroad, he had a beard like a grizzly, long hair like a hippie & I remember all the stories he told, Michael was a brakeman for the Burlington Northern, Mama she loved him just the same, he spoke the laymen’s wisdom, that you learn living out in the County, told me working trains for a living, well, that’s okay
he told me about how alcohol was evil as he was sipping on a bottle of booze, he told me about how a man could send a message, said “go for it boy”, you got nothing to lose, I think he’ll live to be very old, the nights are long, they work till dawn on the Burlington Railroad,
lord help him find a pot of gold, the nights are long, he’s still working on the Burlington Railroad
he took me out to go fishing in the Northwest weather, all morning fishing a rain-dropped lake, we’d just sit there whistling, drive out down by the river, either way we’d fish all we could take, one time he got to talking, said “I know you ain’t got no father, but there’s nothing you can do about it now”, said “your Mama don’t listen to old time rock and roll no more, so I’m gonna teach you ‘cause you got to learn it somehow”,
& he sang me Johnny B. Goode all the way home, sang me all shook up and don’t be cruel, told me that’s how a man could send a message, “if you’re wise enough to never play the fool”, I think he’ll live to be very old, the nights are long, they work till dawn on the Burlington Railroad, lord help him find a pot of gold, well those nights are long, he’s still working on the Burlington Railroad
I remember the night I walked in and saw him packing, I asked him could he find a way to stay, it didn’t seem right to me for him to be leaving, he said “boy you’ll understand all this someday”, so I tried to forget him for a long time and everything he taught me up to that night, but I have learned sometimes a man’s just got to get leaving, and I remember Michael now ‘cause he was right,
he was right he was right to play my father if just for a moment, he was right to go when he had to go, he was right about how a man could send a message, funny some things you find you already know, I think he’ll live to be very old, the nights are long, they work till dawn on the Burlington Railroad, lord help him find a pot of gold, the nights are long, he’s still working on the Burlington Railroad
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3. |
Mister Robin Hood
04:51
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‘Round about a quarter to three in the morning
Just a few hours that sun’s gonna come a’ dawning
I don’t want, I don’t need, I don’t care anyway
Can’t pay the rent, gonna be boxed up and sent To Heaven if I’m lucky today
There’s a paperboy delivering all of the bad news
Gonna take a resurrection to bring this world some good
I’m just waiting for the merry men to come and help me out today
There’s a traveling band of thieves in the neighborhood
They’re taking from the rich and giving to the poor
So they’ve go to come a knocking on my door
Come on hurry it up Mr. Robin Hood
I ain’t got all night Mr. Robin Hood
I ain’t go much time Mr. Robin Hood
I ain’t got but one can of food in the kitchen
And one little last shot of whisky to help with the bitchin’
I won’t eat, I won’t sleep, I won’t last through the night
Can’t get to sleep, too many thoughts that I keep
In my head that I’ve still go to fight
There’s a woman crying that the sheriff locked up her husband
It’s a lonely paddy wagon ride down to the jail
And those merry men are just following him to make sure he’s all right
The traveling band of thieves are gonna put up the bail
They’re taking from the rich and giving to the poor
So they’ve go to come a knocking on my door
Come on hurry it up Mr. Robin Hood
I ain’t got all night Mr. Robin Hood
I ain’t go much time Mr. Robin Hood
I swear my soul is leaving, lord I can feel it
I’m afraid that the devil he’s going to come and steal it
I hope that, I pray that, that ain’t the way it will be
May sound funny but the power of money’s
Got a lot more power than me
And there’s a Chinese proverb says that I got what I wanted
And I always heard that you get what you deserve
If those merry men ain’t coming then I’ll curse this whole damn night
That traveling band of thieves got a whole lot of nerve
If They were taking from the rich and giving to the poor
Then they shoulda come a knocking on my door
You really let me down Mr. Robin Hood
I guess you ain't comin' around Mr. Robin Hood
Probabaly already in another town Mr. Robin Hood
What the hell am I supposed to do now Mr. Robin Hood?
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4. |
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browsing through these pages I haven’t read in a while,
gazing at these pictures and most of them bring me a smile,
my own son was younger then and hooked up with a real good friend
we may as well have adopted him, what a long road the lesson has been
and I told those boys everything they’d listen to,
tried to show them every good thing that I ever knew,
I’m reading this book having a good long look at a lesson that just doesn’t end,
and I might have learned just a thing or two from them
there’s a chapter on dreaming the big dreams and sticking it out,
and in there somewhere is a section covering trouble and doubt,
chapter on losing a love to a friend and problems with seeing it through,
somewhere the ink runs with teardrops and there’s a wedge between these two
and I told them a boy’s got to do what he’s got to do,
I always knew that the boys would somehow make it through,
I’m reading this book having a good long look at a lesson that just doesn’t end,
and I might have learned just a thing or two from them
so the story comes to this chapter and everyone’s better than fine,
as good as this book might have written itself up to this very line,
no sugar coated happy ending that’s not what the story’s about,
living the lesson in travel, in churches or bars they keep writing it out
and I told those boys of honor and to have respect,
and I told them that their dreams were nothing to neglect,
I’m reading this book having a good long look at a lesson that just doesn’t end,
and I might have learned just a thing or two from them
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5. |
Howl at the Moon
04:50
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they sat at the bar and he told her he was afraid of her
she asked him just what more did he have to lose
they found a way home though the lights on the Chevy went out a long time ago
she told him life is simply any path you choose
another day spent searching for a penny
a couple of bucks to borrow, borrow for last call
looking through the windshield out at the stars, so many
and howl at the moon, please howl at the moon just one more time
before you fall asleep
driving down roads familiar but never seen before
stop at the old gas station for a last beer
believing in God is easy when you make it so safely home
and tumble into bed wondering “how did we get here”
the angels will always see to it we’ve done enough playing
following us to make sure the truck don’t stall
listening to them its funny to hear what their saying
howl at the moon please, howl at the moon just one more time
before you fall asleep
there’s a sun that’s rising in your dreams while you’re sleeping
it’ll follow you all day relentlessly
the neighborhood dive is happy to see you whittle away the night
you might have a laugh but there’s no guarantee
some other time were gonna make it out of here early
but one last dance for the ghost of old St. Paul
scuffing up the dance floor, got to be twisting, twirly
so howl at the moon, please howl at the moon just one more time
before you fall asleep
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6. |
A Teardrop
03:21
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midnight’s making her way to the Lonely Hotel , she hopes there ‘s someone there for her to greet ,she says she’s only looking for the man from Heytown city, the one who sang her melodies so sweet
and she cries at night for every time he packed and moved along, she says that she is his and only his, she looks upon the moon, like a great big gray balloon
a teardrop, that’s all her memory is
daylight is her middle name, like every bright new dawn, and on her knees she prays to see it through, with every ounce of courage and any will she has left, she holds on to the love she knows is true
and she cries at night for every time he sang her sweet love songs, she says forever is not long enough at all, she looks upon the stars, while the angels play guitars
a teardrop just took her for a fall
long fight is the only name she has for this one love, if only she could rest to see the sun, she says she’s only looking for the man from Heytown city, forever she’ll be for him, or be for none
and she cries at night for every time he brushed away her tears, she says she only longs for his embrace, she looks upon the land and waits for his strong hand
a teardrop rolls softly down her face
and she cries at night for every time he brushed away her tears, she says she only longs for his soft touch, she looks upon the land and waits for his strong hand
a teardrop, that’s all, it isn’t much
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7. |
Cheap Disguise
04:29
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Why such a blue expression? This cover by this careless hand?
A hundred faces & all are me, Some are scared of darkness,
some are magical and grand, They all conceal a part of me
And each one has a name, excels at his own game,
And waits for God to move the world along…
Hey am I okay? what should I say? That all the day I just go dreaming on?
Hey am I alright? I cry at night, And I laugh to hide my eyes,
Because I thought I was so wise, And my tears are just another cheap disguise
Why such a cold confusion? A sly perversion brings this pain
No truth is ever brought to light, No moral courage in me can change what all my sins be
No guiding principle can make me clean tonight, So I pray and play till dawn,
and curse this trip I’m on, With leaky faucet eyes that need to run…
Hey am I okay? what should I say? That all the day I just go dreaming on?
Hey am I alright? I cry at night, And I laugh to hide my eyes,
Because I thought I was so wise, And my tears are just another cheap disguise
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8. |
Law
05:24
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Johnny pretends he’s a thug, and he don’t sweat the rain
A cold Brando grin, sips a bottle of gin, he knows he’s just feeding his pain
He’s a night singing soldier, absent without leave again
His cigarette hangs with the purposeful poise of a pool que that knocks ‘em all in
And sometimes a love is a cold one way street
Littered with losses and red light defeat
But it leads you on home to a haven where lovers withdraw
And sometimes we follow a love like we follow a law
Hope cries, 11th and pine, come a 4:00 AM drone
By the wet freeway roar, on a steamy top floor, she breathes a solicitous groan
Her jasmine perfume is a cloud ‘round a glitter pink frown
Her fists pull her hair, shoot up into the air, like a cowgirl in a sunset showdown
And sometimes a love is an infinite road
And each warning sign’s an unbreakable code
And bound to the by-way, we push the last limit we saw
And sometimes we follow a love like we follow a law
Hope’s in a hands and knees crawl to the knocking door toll
It swings open wide, Johnny saunters inside, with the thrill of a dice player’s roll
A forgiving amnesia, that flees you away from all pain
Into his arms, and his made for her charms, love, abiding in each once again
And sometimes a love is a cold one way street
Littered with losses and red light defeat
But it leads you on home to a haven where lovers withdraw
And sometimes a love is an infinite road
And each warning sign’s an unbreakable code
And bound to the by-way, we push the last limit we saw
And sometimes we follow a love like we follow a law
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9. |
This Riddle of Mine
03:10
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I moved untouched I moved unseen
back in the born years in between
this hard place in my heart and high above me
no steps I took could trip me then
you see I’m falling fast so when
I say it please just take me and love me
I hate looking back, hate wasting time
alone in the world but I’m sure I’ll be fine
I just can’t seem to shake this riddle of mine
I keep a distance, I keep a carecare
but some times that don’t get you anywhere
but the one place I know well, it’s like religion
I hang on to my heart or God knows I try
never thought before whether to live or to die
and it’s all inside myself, it’s my decision
I hate looking back, hate wasting time
alone in the world but I’m sure I’ll be fine
I just can’t seem to shake this riddle of mine
I hate looking back, hate wasting time
alone in the world but I’m sure I’ll be fine
I just can’t seem to shake this riddle of mine
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10. |
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the bolted doors are coming open, the tour is starting soon
with every kind of practical vice you can dream of displayed in every room
got three women in the shape of a triangle, champagne enough to drown
so if you’re taking the tour, then you’d best be sure that you’re ready for going down
don’t make me venture further in this church of miseries
I’ll surely be killed, this church is filled with worthless saints & thieves
worthless saints & thieves
there’s a mystic maiden at the altar, the men are on their knees
she dripping with sex and it’s a horrible hex, ‘cause you can never see enough to please
there’s a criminal who’s looking for talent, I feel it’s only fair to warn ya’
he’s the right hand man to the manager of the hotel California
and it looks like all my night mares took on personalities
they wont behave & this church wont save me from these worthless saints & thieves
worthless saints & thieves
there’s a weeping woman in the bathtub, washing away her sins
in her head she hears a thunder and now she’s going under just as the ceremony begins
there’s a bishop who’s been banished forever, for selling things no one can buy
he’s no spirit walker, but a real fast talker & he’s waiting for his piece of the pie
the congregation and the choir they all sing sad melodies
and they ignore their guilt ‘cause this church was built by worthless saints & thieves
worthless saints & thieves
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11. |
You Surprised Me
04:16
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I still cried at song lines, so lonely in long lines, awaiting some matinee show When I saw an umbrella, I recalled a fella who said that’s what I’d never own So under the rain & uncovered again, a new lover would help ease the pain, but my heart was with her, so I’d have to defer, and to hope you’d know just what to do,
To surprise this worn heart if you could,
To surprise me if only you would
I felt lost for a long time, I struggled with song rhymes; my guitar just left me alone, My piano a mean game, my tears wet an old flame that burned like a pyre to the bone, So under the pain, I welcomed your rain & your loving could build me again, My heart you’d renew, but the best I could do is to hope you’d know just what to do
To surprise this worn heart if you could,
to surprise me if only you would,
Rain is always invited, but her seasons subsided & old winds blew away all she’d shown & My melodies carried to the love I could marry, your magic’s in all I have sown, So under your rain, I’m uncovered again & your loving is mine without pain, To my heart you’re the mend that could heal to the end, you were born knowing just what to do,
To surprise this worn heart as you should
& surprise me like she never would,
you surprised me for keeps & for good,
you surprised me like nobody could
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12. |
Gonna Be Okay
04:57
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I’m bored with all of this depression
my face wears the same expression
radio playing the same old station
and it makes me laugh to see my frightened faces
scared of all the same old places
looking for hints and helpful traces
and above the love of freedom fights
the hate of fearful nights
Today is the same, yes I’m burned by the flame that’s alive inside of me
Maybe tomorrow these tears that I borrow will find their way back to the sea, It just burns hotter and hurts for longer and longer until I can say
The pain is illusion, a blessed intrusion, I’m riding it out today,
And I’m going to be okay…
I picked a pretty place to lay in
I wait and listen to what God’s saying
He’s talking ‘bout leaving talking bout staying
I won’t cry now to see the face of sunlight
the face of horror’s nothing to fight
I’ll sleep as well as always tonight
far beneath the teeth of demons bite
the same as every night
Today is the same, yes I’m burned by the flame that’s alive inside of me
Maybe tomorrow these tears that I borrow will find their way back to the sea, It just burns hotter and hurts for longer and longer until I can say
The pain is illusion, a blessed intrusion, I’m riding it out today,
And I’m going to be okay…
It’s just the face of fear that’s funny
makes me laugh as hard as money
a laughter soft and sweet as honey
I’ll be here same as every sunny day break
swimming through what to leave and to take
walking through every thing that’s at stake
and around the sound of singing rings
above these hateful things
Today is the same, yes I’m burned by the flame that’s alive inside of me
Maybe tomorrow these tears that I borrow will find their way back to the sea, It just burns hotter and hurts for longer and longer until I can say
The pain is illusion, a blessed intrusion, I’m riding it out today,
And I’m going to be okay…
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Brent David Fraser Los Angeles, California
#Singer #Songwriter #Writer #Poet #Actor #FSAScot #Sober - What's in it for me is covered. How I can help is my quest.
Living the Dream that helps others in living theirs. 777 #BDF
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imdb.me/brentdavidfraser
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