WHITEWASHimmersed in a dream
you with me
under waves
held by the pitch
of the whitewash
there's no going back
what's done has been done
this shot to my arm
has drained me more
than anything before
whitewash
obsolete
another break in my bones
whitewash
if you hadn't been around
i don't know what i would have done
it was you
who fed me strength
when i needed it most
whitewash
obsolete
another break in my bones
NORMAN
dug my head in a hole in the ground brought back the rain this time around
turn my face away from the sun it doesn't take long to burn
turn my back away from the sun it doesn't take long to burn
bags of sand won't let the rain come in
will you wait for me
when my time comes i'll be slow enough to stone
will you carry out
carry on with the orders you've been fed
all i know is what i was told when i was a kid
all i care about is what i was told when i was a kid
MIDNIGHT MANAGER
if you remove the cork that seals the hole in my heart
my soul will slowly float away from you
an empty bottle lying on the ocean floor
i sleep half buried beneath the sandbar
no need to ask sent you on your way
no need to resist i wish you away
floated down
buried beneath the sand
dead on the sails
dead in the sand
LAST STOP ON THE WAY TO VEGAS
we said goodbye to arden
said goodbye to home
gave our regards to arden
and we were gone we were thrown
i won't believe them i won't be led to believe in you
this armchair cracked under the stress under the strain
he'd been strapped in for days
i closed my eyes slipped into the darkness slipped into this dream
they swarmed around us time for the reserves to kick in
LAST ON THE DRIVE
the cadillac couldn't slow in time to see
he fell to his knees this one went down with the breeze
the house grew around her miss pat sat back
and watched the wind blow the leaves from the trees
from the branches to the riverbed below
last on the drive set through the cold
carried her away from the winter
in from the cold
they were lined up from left to right from front to back
to help weaken the attack of the brave
they were carried away
these stairs led to nowhere
but she followed them down
she followed them away
1/10/98
the sight of your blue eyes
the taste of your sweet smile
instantly turned me on you turned me on
i undressed you under the moonlight
last night as my dreams rolled by
you and i met under the moon
SUNSET RIDGE
i met you at the end of the earth at the edge of the sunset ridge
we nearly fell from the edge of the sunset ridge
take these shotgun shells that you left behind
when you walked through the door
i'd follow you to the end of the road where the earth and the sun become one
i'd follow you to the end of the line where the earth and the sun become one
i met you at the end of the earth at the edge of the sunset ridge
FROM PHOENIX AT FOUR
somewhere along these walks
i started noticing things weren't right
things weren't working as they were planned
that's when i noticed that my feet were headed in the wrong direction
my knees wouldn't bend
i couldn't stand
to see you again
headed for the door from phoenix at four
the moment you ask i will release you
you're free to leave as you please
what is it like on the inside
how does it feel attached to you
i offer you nothing less than respect
and in return i expect nothing less
headed from the door from phoenix at four
TUMBLEWEED
they've turned off the night sky
it's too dark outside
i need two hands to hold me up
two eyes to cry
three steps to go before we turn too old
three moves to make to turn thorns into snakes
but we still sang
why does the sun always seem to shine
on somebody else's side of the sky
if we turn off the light
tumbleweed will you still role by
bad moon on tuesday
turned blue at eight
we turned blue on tuesday
it's too bad we turned too late
open the door of the car
please let me in i don't want to be stranded again
don't drive away i can't stand to be stranded again
HERE COMES ROLLING
wandering
his sickness unfolds
open you arms if arms are all that's left
stand clear the driver knows who's behind him
steer clear stay away
silverback awoke rose unfolded
he sits still unknowing
can't stand erect when he's not awake
wake up rolling
THE THINNER RUNS THROUGH HER
as she fell through the floor
jackie needs to be relieved
jackie paper blew away
the lock port keyhole set afire through the night
she takes a deep stance with one foot through the door
who fell into the black box
who came back for more
we fell from the ceiling
BLUEBIRD
they cleared out of the warren
all the fields were covered up with blood
they escaped from the warren and have finally arrived
i am afraid that i'm about to lose my mind this time
if i were a bluebird i would fly up north to be with you again
if i were a song bird i could sing to you the songs that i held in
IRIS
we took the crosses off the wall
they did not hold weight any longer
we tore the crosses off the wall
refused to live there any longer
it's all for iris
unrole the roads
it's all for iris
she held up the roads alone
they keep calling bones keep stalling
they call for iris
iris alone
BACKSEAT BOAT
i've lost all my senses
volunteered to load the boat
take me out there to drown
it sure would be a lot better than staying in here
out of my head the whole time
forget about the fox force five
take me out to drown
i always lose i don't know how to hold my beer
on loan for the night skipper of the year
the load is not quite full
a couple more would fill the boat
to anyone out there
we need you to fill up the boat
out there can't stop until i get
turned off flat on my back
can't stop until i've cracked
i'll pass wait for the next line
outside with the fox force five
SLOW DOWN
pull back my lip while i watch my step
spitting words hurts me
facing backwards might cause you to slip
to slow down
watch your step take a little trip down
who knows where to land
your broken hand scratch my back
mend me now
my chance to move on who's to know
but the outer side
the outside might glimpse
a glimpse gather my sense
sit back and mend myself
take a walk outside too bored to sleep
not enough time to get anything halfway done
JINGLE DELL
he's seen the last day
the last day has been a mistake
nothing left for him but a bottle and a broken hand
wrong side of the long stand
took a ride to the west coast
time took a turn for the worse
they were blind on the outside
bring out burns
off hand to the cleaners
insiders have spoken
retrace the past
broken clans transcend
LAST GOOD GROWTH
short legs underhead
can't keep up it's your turn again
green sky late at night
tried to figure out the reasons why
he can't keep up his legs are too thin
can't keep up it's your turn again
backwards i can't stop sinking
it's not my turn
it's over my head
back it up it seems a little fucked up
it's over my head
been caught in the rain
can't keep up
SHEPHERD
hold the rope and the saddle time is wasting
do you think you could just call him
pretend to be his friend
would you do that for me
would you do that for him
thanks he's been feeling down
with all respect to the loon
mind on a loan he's out there
not enough time to make
catapult himself into madness
not enough time to make it
what's up with that cat
referring to falling out amazing
good times old friend you've been lost for a while
the marbles in your head driving everyone away
i'd like to tell you that we all really miss you
hope you'll be home soon
FIVE LINED SKINK
the five lined skink crawled to the back
tail deep try not to sink me
too bad it's too late she's already been taken
too bad it's too late
one armed wonder for the taking
PATHOS DELAY
planted seed by the road
hope that everyone can see you as you grow
found the crumbs left to lead home
i feel so sad today
i'm going home today
left a note on the door
for anyone who wants to come along with us
swift bliss passes through the night
as we rode along the dark line
broke it off i'm going home today
broke it off
BREACH
hold me up the ceiling is low
traced her name across my pillow
tear it up tear it out
replace the racks they have broken down
traced the thorns around the window
that raised the roses up to us
retraced the thorns around the window
that keep us up
ROLLER-RINK SKATE DATE
nowhere to go from here
i've already been there
ropes cut into my wrists
head slumped in fear
my open eye has done me in
catch your breath undone again
dug in deep waiting to clear myself
waiting for a safe way out
rusted from the rain
one moved lifted up to clear the way
same name was in
two rooms in one
she stayed up again until i was in
one fast slammed back the wind
so that time was lost
same name was in back to back
two rooms in one
she stayed up again until i was in
HILL
wood for the mill piled up on the hill
they laugh but they don't understand
they're out there still on the hill
buy the big man a beer
chuck pick up the check
sat near the back with my head on backwards
what am i doing here
my ears work but i'm still not listening
root from the ground growing up through my feet
boy meets a girl goes home beats his meat
five miles long outside the lawn
my friend where have you been
been away hang me by my toes
from the tree by the side of the road
make me pay for the bus
i don't want to go home
SWITCH
so long not long before i'm gone
i don't want you to drive me away
i don't want to waste my time
i don't want to waste away
mow the lawn the grass has gotten so long i can't walk through it
clip your wings i don't want you to fly away
LOT 235
overhead and i'm spitting down
found the rail leaning my weight out
caught on a nail it's pulling me down
dragging me down
can't see below cut off the pain in my back
show your shadow across my back
take time to aim it now that you've got your chance
shot through the back down onto the ground
my life floats away puddle surrounds
stuck down deep eating away at my lung
hope you'll take it back number one
can't sift through the rain unless it clears a little
drag me down alone in my puddle
puddle surrounds
CRISPIN GLOVER WEEKEND
out like a lead weight on the couch
can't stop the shaking in my hands
slow down as the road narrows
take time as the others would
don't know when they'll be coming back
worn the soles off of my shoes
SLINGSHOT
stones don't throw themselves
so grab your slingshot granny grab your slingshot
sitting there by the phone trying to find a ride home
thinking to myself seems no one will help
if my horse breaks a leg she will kill it
shoot it with her slingshot
kill me with here slingshot
hey mr. handyman can you give me a hand
i need some sympathy
granny's all fucked up now she seems all broken down
she needs some sympathy
granny's slingshot has jammed she needs another hand
to help aim it at me
stepped out on the porch with her
she found a stump on her crossword
broken hands across her lap
cigarette stain holes on her lap
drops fall from her hand onto the porch below
cigarette stain holes on her robe
broken hands across her robe
ALONE
legs bent back to feel
it seems i have forgotten who i am
i am so alone so i'll sit at home
alone with my hand schmuck
the word left his mouth
as he walked away he slipped and fell
onto the ground into the mud
i am pushed down left out alone
TRUNK
we rode to the back
cord tucked up inside
left eye where are you
buried her face in the mesh
left eye where are you
buried her face in the mesh
colonel tom there is so one listening
you can stop talking now
slow pace got away
sit back and rest
we both wasted away
in the back room beside her chair
we all came out to watch the sun
we all came out with our dark sides down
pelouze can't see through you
this side up not the bottom
my weight planted forced her to the ground
we both wasted away
in the back room beside her chair