Lyrics
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1.
Across the Great Divide
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Standin by your window in pain,
A pistol in your hand,
And I beg you, dear Molly, girl,
Try and understand your man the best you can.
Across the Great Divide,
Just grab your hat, and take that ride
Get yourself a bride,
And bring your children down to the river side.
I had a goal in my younger days,
I nearly wrote my will
But I changed my mind for the better,
I'm at the still, had my fill and I'm fit to kill
Pinball machine, and a queen, I nearly took a bust
Tried to keep my hands to myself,
Ya say it's a must, but who can ya trust?
Harvest moon shinin' down from the sky,
A weary sign for all
I'm gonna leave this one horse town,
Had t' stall till the fall, now I'm gonna crawl!
Now Molly dear, don't ya shed a tear
Your time will surely come, you'll feed your man chicken ev'ry Sunday,
Now tell me, hon, what-cha done with the gun
Across the Great Divide,
Just grab your hat, and take that ride
Get yourself a bride,
And bring your children down to the river side. |
2.
Rag Mama Rag
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Rag Mama Rag, I can't believe it's true.
Rag Mama Rag, what did you do?
I crawled up to the railroad track,
let the four nine-teen scratch my back.
Shag Mama shag, now what's come over you
Rag Mama Rag, I'm a-pulling out your gag.
Gonna turn you lose like an old caboose,
Got a tail I need a drag.
I ask about your turtle, and you ask about the weather,
Well, I can't jump the hurdle and we can't get together.
We could be relaxing in my sleeping bag,
But all you want to do for me mama is a
Rag Mama Rag, there's nowhere to go,
Rag Mama Rag, come on resin up the bow.
Rag Mama Rag, where do you roam?
Rag Mama Rag, bring your skinny little body right home.
It's dog eat dog and cat eat mouse,
you can Rag Mama Rag all over my house.
Hail stones beating on the roof,
the bourbon is a hundred proof,
it's you and me and the telephone
Our destiny is quite well known.
We don't need to sit and brag.
All we gotta do is Rag Mama Rag
Rag Mama Rag, where do you roam?
Rag Mama Rag, bring your skinny little body back home |
3.
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
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Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville train,
'Til Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again.
In the winter of '65, we were hungry, just barely alive.
By May the tenth, Richmond had fell,
It's a time I remember, oh so well,
The night they drove Old Dixie down, and the bells were ringing,
The night they drove Old Dixie down, and the people were singin'.
They went la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
Back with my wife in Tennessee, when one day she called to me,
"Virgil, quick, come see, there goes Robert E. Lee!"
Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care if the money's no good.
Ya take what ya need and ya leave the rest,
But they should never have taken the very best.
The night they drove Old Dixie down, and the bells were ringing,
The night they drove Old Dixie down, and the people were singin'.
They went la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
Like my father before me, I will work the land,
Like my brother above me, who took a rebel stand.
He was just eighteen, proud and brave, but a Yankee laid him in his grave,
I swear by the mud below my feet,
You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat.
The night they drove Old Dixie down, and the bells were ringing,
The night they drove Old Dixie down, and the people were singin'.
They went la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. |
4.
When You Awake
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Ollie told me I'm a fool.
So I walked on down the road a mile,
Went to the house that brings a smile
Sat upon my grandpa's knee,
And what do you think he said to me?
When you awake you will remember ev'rything,
You will be hangin' on a string from your...
When you believe, you will relieve the only soul
That you were born with to grow old and never know
Ollie showed me the fork in the road.
You can take to the left or go straight to the right,
Use your days and save your nights,
Be careful where you step, and watch wha-cha eat,
Sleep with the light on and you got it beat.
When You Awake you will remember ev'rything,
You will be hangin' on a string from your...
When you believe, you will relieve the only soul
That you were born with to grow old and never know
Ollie warned me it's a mean old world,
The street don't greet ya, yes, it's true;
But what am I supposed to do:
Read the writing on the wall,
I heard itwhen I was very small.
When You Awake you will remember ev'rything,
You will be hangin' on a string from your...
When you believe, you will relieve the only soul
That you were born with to grow old and never know
Wash my hand in lye water,
I got a date with the captains daughter.
You can go and tell your brother.
We sure gonna love one another,
Oh! You may be right and ya might be wrong,
I ain't gonna worry all day long.
Snow's gonna come and the frost gonna bite,
My old car froze up last night.
Ain't no reason to hang your head
I could wake up in the mornin' dead.
Oh! And if I thought it would do any good,
I'd stand on the rock where Moses stood. |
5.
Up on Cripple Creek
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When I get off of this mountain, you know where I want to go?
Straight down the Mississippi river, to the Gulf of Mexico
To Lake Charles, Louisiana, little Bessie, girl that I once knew
She told me just to come on by, if there's anything she could do
Up on Cripple Creek she sends me
If I spring a leak she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Good luck had just stung me, to the race track I did go
She bet on one horse to win and I bet on another to show
The odds were in my favor, I had 'em five to one
When that nag to win came around the track, sure enough she had won
Up on Cripple Creek she sends me
If I spring a leak she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
I took up all of my winnings, and I gave my little Bessie half
And she tore it up and threw it in my face, just for a laugh
Now there's one thing in the whole wide world, I sure would like to see
That's when that little love of mine, dips her doughnut in my tea
Up on Cripple Creek she sends me
If I spring a leak she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Now me and my mate were back at the shack, we had Spike Jones on the box
She said, "I can't take the way he sings, but I love to hear him talk"
Now that just gave my heart a throb, to the bottom of my feet
And I swore and I took another pull, my Bessie can't be beat
Up on Cripple Creek she sends me
If I spring a leak she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Now there's a flood out in California and up north it's freezing cold
And this living on the road is getting pretty old
So I guess I'll call up my big mama, tell her I'll be rolling in
But you know, deep down, I'm kind of tempted
To go and see my Bessie again.
Up on Cripple Creek she sends me
If I spring a leak she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one |
6.
Whispering Pines
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If you find me in a gloom, or catch me in a dream
Inside my lonely room, there is no in between
Whispering pines, rising of the tide
If only one star shines
That's just enough to get inside
I will wait until it all goes 'round
With you in sight, the lost are found
Foghorn through the night, calling out to sea
Protect my only light, 'cause she once belonged to me
Let the waves rush in, let the seagulls cry
For if I live again, these hopes will never die
I can feel you standing there
But I dont see you anywhere
Standing by the well, wishing for the rains
Reaching for the clouds, for nothing else remains
Drifting in a daze, when evening will be done
Try looking through a haze
At an empty house, in the cold, cold sun
I will wait until it all goes round
With you in sight, the lost are found |
7.
Jemima Surrender
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Jemima Surrender, I'm gonna give it to you,
Ain't no pretender, gonna ride in my canoe.
If I were a barker in a girly show,
Tell ya what I'd do, I'd lock the door,
Tear my shirt and let my river flow.
Oh, oh, Sweet Jemima wont'cha come out tonight?
The ground is so warm and the moon is so bright!
Jemima Surrender, I'm gonna give it to you,
I'll bring over my Fender
And I'll play all night for you.
There's a bird on my head
And his mouth won't talk,
You know he laughs just like a goose,
But looks like a hawk
Jemima, you know what I'm try'n to say,
Meet me in front and we'll fly away.
You can change your name
You can find a new walk
You can change a lock, its all the same
You don't have to give out
If you'll only give in
You can jump and shout
But can't you see girl, that I'm bound to win
Jemima Surrender, I'm gonna give it to you,
Ain't no pretender, gonna see my tattoo;
I hand you my rod and you hand me that line,
That's what you do, now, we ain't doing much fishin'
Or drinkin' any wine.
Sweet Jemima, if I were king
I'd fix you up with a diamond ring. |
8.
Rockin' Chair
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Hang around, Willie Boy,
Don't you raise the sails anymore.
It's for sure, I've spent my whole life at sea
And I'm pushin' age seventy three;
Now there's only one place that was meant for me:
Oh, to be home again,
Down in old Virginny,
With my very best friend,
They call him Ragtime Willie.
We're gonna soothe away the rest of our years,
We're gonna put away all of our tears,
That big Rockin' Chair won't go nowhere.
Slow down, Willie Boy,
Your heart's gonna give right out on you
It's true, and I believe I know what we should do.
Turn the stern and point to shore,
The seven seas won't carry us no more.
Oh, to be home again,
Down in old Virginny,
With my very best friend,
They call him Ragtime Willie.
I can't wait to sniff that air,
Dip'n snuff, I won't have no care,
That big Rockin' Chair won't go nowhere.
Hear the sound, Willie Boy,
The Flyin' Dutchman's on the reef.
It's my belief
We've used up all our time,
This hill's to steep to climb,
And the days that remain ain't worth a dime.
Oh, to be home again,
Down in old Virginny,
With my very best friend,
They call him Ragtime Willie.
Would-a-been nice just t'see the folks,
listen once again to the stale jokes,
That big Rockin' Chair won't go nowhere.
I can hear something calling on me
And you know where I wanna be
Oh Willie, can't you hear that sound
Down In Old Virginny
I just wanna get my feet back on the ground
Down In Old Virginny
And I'd love to see my very best friend
They call him Ragtime Willie
I believe old Rockin' Chair's got me |
9.
Look Out Cleveland
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Look Out, Cleveland, the storm is comin' through,
And it's runnin' right up on you.
Look out, Houston, There'll be thunder on the hill;
Bye-bye, baby, don't cha lie so still.
Was Wedn'sday evenin' when first we heard the word,
It did not come by train nor bird.
T'was when Ben Pike stepped down to say,
"This old town's gonna blow away."
Chain lightnin', frightnin' as it may seem,
Must not be mistaken for just another dream.
Justice of peace don't know his own fate,
But he'll go down in the shelter late.
Look Out, Cleveland, the storm is comin' through,
And it's runnin' right up on you.
Look out, Houston, There'll be thunder on the hill;
Bye-bye, baby, don't cha lie so still.
Hidin' your money won't do no good,
Build a big wall, you know you would if you could, yeah!
When clouds of warnin' come into view,
It'll get the ol' woman right outta her shoe.
Look Out, Cleveland, the storm is comin' through,
And it's runnin' right up on you.
Look out, Houston, There'll be thunder on the hill;
Bye-bye, baby, don't cha lie so still. |
10.
Jawbone
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Oh, Jawbone, when did you first go wrong?
Oh, Jawbone, where is it you belong?
Three time looser, you'l never learn,
Lay down your tools before you burn.
Ya keep on runnin' and hidin' your face,
spreadin' your heat all over the place.
I'm a thief and I dig it!
I'm up on a beef, I'm gonna rig it!
I'm a thief and I dig it!
Oh, Jawbone, why don't cha sit and moan?
Oh, Jawbone, you know that it's stone for stone.
Sneak through the night upon your toes,
To look in your eye, it never shows.
Your name upon the post office wall,
Put you on edge 'cause they wrote it too small!
I'm a thief and I dig it!
I'm up on a beef, I'm gonna rig it!
I'm a thief and I dig it!
Oh, Jawbone, revenge stays on your mind.
Oh, Jawbone, you been doin' too much time.
Pull off a job with an inside man,
who needs the cash and likes your plan.
Then you will know just who to thank,
when you land right back in the tank.
I'm a thief and I dig it!
I'm up on a beef, I'm gonna rig it!
I'm a thief and I dig it!
Oh, Jawbone, why dont'cha go home?
Oh, Jawbone, where is it you belong?
Boostin' and goin' out on the lam,
Ya know that you'll steal anything that you can.
Temptation stands just behind the door,
So what you wanna go and open it for?
I'm a thief and I dig it!
I'm up on a beef, I'm gonna rig it!
I'm a thief and I dig it! |
11.
The Unfaithful Servant
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Unfaithful Servant, I hear you leavin' soon in the mornin'
What did you do to the lady, that she's gonna have to send you away?
Unfaithful servant, you don't have to say you're sorry,
If you done it just for the spite, or did ya do it just for the glory?
Like a stranger you turned your back,
Left your keys and gone to pack.
Bear in mind who's to blame, and all the shame;
She really cared, the time she spared and the home you shared.
Unfaithful servant, I can hear the whistle blowin,
Yes, that train is a-comin' and soon you'll be goin'.
Let us not bow our heads for we won't be complainin';
Life has been good to us all
even when that sky is rainin'.
To take it like a grain of salt
is all I can do. It's no one's fault,
Makes no diff'rence if we fade away.
It's just as it was, it's much to cold for me to stay.
Goodbye to that country home,
So long to a lady I have known,
Farewell to my other side,
I'd best just take it in stride.
Unfaithful Servant, you'll learn to find your place;
I can see it in your smile,
and, yes, I can see it in your face.
The mem'ries will linger on,
But the good old days, they're all gone,
Oh! Lonesome servant, can't you see,
That we're still one and the same, just you and me. |
12.
King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
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Corn in the fields.
Listen to the rice when the wind blows 'cross the water,
King Harvest has surely come.
I work for the union 'cause she's so good to me;
And I'm bound to come out on top,
that's where I should be.
I will hear ev'ry word the boss may say,
For he's the one who hands me down my pay.
Looks like this time I'm gonna get to stay,
I'm a union man, now, all the way.
The smell of the leaves,
from the magnolia trees in the meadow,
King Harvest has surely come.
Dry summer, then comes fall,
Which I depend on most of all.
Hey, rainmaker, can't you hear my call?
Please let these crops grow tall.
Long enough I've been up on Skid Row
And it's plain to see, I've nothin to show.
I'm glad to pay those union dues,
Just don't judge me by my shoes.
Scarecrow and a yellow moon,
and pretty soon a carnival on the edge of town,
King Harvest has surely come.
Last year, this time, wasn't no joke,
My whole barn went up in smoke.
My horse Jethro, well he went mad
And I can't remember things bein' so bad.
Then there comes a man with a paper and a pen
Tellin' us our hard times are about to end.
And then, if they don't give us what we like
He said, "Men, that's when you gotta go on strike."
Corn in the fields.
Listen to the rice when the wind blows 'cross the water,
King Harvest has surely come. |
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