Lyrics
No Friend to Louisiann
They beat me down in Louisiana
I didn't even have a chance to rise
They started in on me before I awoke
And blackened both my eyes
All for the warmth of a worn out woman
I didn't even touch
They put a whoopin' on me in Louisiana
For sleeping on a couch
I licked my wounds and I loaded my things
And headed out into the street
Found myself the nearest curb
And there I took a seat
And a skinny face biker with all kinds of drugs
Brought me to my knees
They all told me secrets and they all told me lies
I didn't know what to believe
Couldn't get that Cajun fiddle out of my head
I'm half way wishing that I was dead
Instead a sitting here with all these lumps
And nothing but a tale to tell the folks
Nothing but a feeling that I should've fought
Break my paint into a trot
And get outta here just as fast as I can
I ain't no friend to Louisiann
My heart goes out to the Cajun queens
But it's not where I belong
All these days and I never learned trade
And never understood their tongue
I never quite got their dancing right
They're going back and forth
And I'm falling all over myself
Longing for the north
It goes back to the way I run
And the character I displayed
I'm taking tips from derelicts
And other friends that I have made
I learned my lesson and I learned it well
I learned the rough terrain
I'm going down to the depot now
And going to catch friendly train
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Down at the End of the Bar
It's a lonely place that I've come across
All the men at the bar in various stages of hair loss
Some covered it up with a cap
Some grew it long in the back
The bar room queens don't care anymore
They slap on their make up and walk out the door
She told me to watch it but I could not behave
And I flirted with disaster and I got a hot date
Put your money where your mouth is and tell me lies
I'll put your dollar in the juke box and you can beat me with your thighs
Put your honey where your pot is not all over town
I thought I was special until I looked around
Chorus
Put my smile on my face
Into the world and take my place
Down at the end of the bar
Down at the end of the bar
Down at the end of the bar
Now I'm tied to my love but I longed to be a searcher
Knowing I have a train wreck or two in my future
Keeps me on my toes
And the blush in my cheeks I suppose
I was running a long time before they caught up
I was the shooter in a badly aimed love
I just couldn't shake it though I tried with late nights
I took elixir and snake oil to cure me of my plight
But not a one would work
A stranger to the ways of a girl
You caught me in a good mood grinning ear to ear
I'm dancing a jig and I'm lapping up beer
With my smile on my face
Into the world and take my place
Down at the end of the bar
Down at the end of the bar
Down at the end of the bar
You Ain't for Me
She kept it all inside
And waited until the right time
To let it all out at once
Then she hit me with the one two punch
She didn't elaborate on her decision
Or specify a location
Of where she would be going
And her tough side was all she was showing
It's a sad old situation
That we've got ourselves in
And I did not predict
Some day you'd up and quit
If that's how you're going to be
sweetie you ain't for me X2
No tears obstructed her vision
In her voice there was no quivering
No trembling in her lips
No turning back in her hips
No goodbye would grace her tongue
A solemn look then she was gone
From lovers to nothing
Why I just never saw it coming
Who's in charge of pointing fingers
And are they pointing at me
Why were you keeping tabs
on who's to blame
If that's how you're going to be
sweetie you ain't for me X2
If that's how you're going to be
Weary Owls
Concerning the girls in California
Boys beware let me warn you
They're not afraid to proper scorn you
They made me feel blue
I had a big black beauty in Pensacola
Who hugged me like a boa constrictor
She'd make a promise and not deliver
She never once pulled through
Fire and brimstone raining down
I'm a hell of a fighter pound for pound
Can't you feel my wishing a washing
The owl's making sure that it comes undone
If you're not gonna scrap you better run
Henny Penny can't you see the sky's a falling
I gotta hit the road and you know what for
I make my living as a troubadour
You make yours as a pretty little whore
But I love you just the same
I don't know why they're being mean to me
I haven't been nothing but peaches and cream
When they all fell out I picked up the steam
But I'm too old to play that game
I turned 21 picking on the big grand stand
Drunker than Indian robbed of his land
Oh my brother there's no use balling
The owl's making sure that it comes undone
If you're not gonna scrap you better run
Henny Penny can't you see the sky's a falling
Fire and brimstone raining down
I'm a hell of a fighter pound for pound
Can't you feel my wishing a washing
The owl's making sure that it comes undone
If you're not gonna scrap you better run
Henny Penny can't you see the sky's a falling
She'll Get the Advantage
She never ever had a chance right from the get go
With her dad always off the wagon and her mom always on to bingo
She was second hand smoking at one and first hand at the thirteen
She never ever knew better and behaved accordingly
She left that vicious cycle and she found one of her own
She got a good man in the image of her dad
Who'd get drunk and leave her alone
She found solace in romance novels and love on day time TV
She lived a very full life albeit vicariously
Chorus
It's so wonderful that she doesn't know
She's so far below average
It gives her hope and the end of her rope
That some day she'll get the advantage
It's a Winston in the morning on the way to the café
A little bit of gossip over coffee will give topic for the rest of the day
It's hardy hardy har that's just the way she rolls
She'd like to run away but lord only knows
That you can't go anywhere in this town without hearing that train
You can't throw a rock without hitting someone
That once gave you the blame
Crying on her mothers shoulder at the age of 42
She's peeking over that hill but she don't have a clue
Chorus
Rapture
I was driving down the road
Contemplating life in a secular state of mind
When I saw some fool with a Jesus fish
Oh Lord his faith must be blind
When all of the sudden his car went off the road
And a plane fell out of the air
When I went over to see if I could help
There wasn't anybody there
Where did everybody go -RAPTURE
Why am I all alone - RAPTURE
Where did everybody go -RAPTURE
Why am I all alone
Where did everybody go
Who will save my soul
I must have missed the life boat
I went back into town looking to find
Anyone as blue as me
I heard some voices from over the hill
And went over to see what I could see
There was a bunch of lawyers I say a bunch of lawyers
Drunker than all get out
They were holding hands swaying side to side
They began to sing and shout
Where did all our clients go -RAPTURE
Where did all our clients go - RAPTURE
Won't make money anymore -RAPTURE
Where did everybody go
Where did everybody go
Who will save my soul
I must have missed the life boat
Jesus oh Jesus I must get into heaven
Had I known all those words in the bible true
Don't you know I would have obeyed them
I'm down below and lord don't you know
I'm facing eternal damnation
So won't you teach me how to catch the second one
Since I missed the first saving
Chorus
Blues Came Today
Here's to supposing if the world was still frozen
I wouldn't be the only one who was blue
Hoping for heaven and love never ending
But that's not what I'm finding in you
And there's no need to deny it
You've been caught red handed
In the dark it all seemed okay
Shame on the sun for rising and shining
And showing the worst of your ways
Chorus
The blues came today and they took me away
They fooled me into thinking they were love
I cried like a baby when they said to me
"Boy we can never give you up"
You're our little darling and you're not going home
You're our little darling and you're not going home
You're our little darling and you're not going home
You're our little cutie and you're not going home
Now that you're gone I must press on
All by my lonesome
With a gun on my hip and curl on my lip
And my spurs a jangling
Get on my pony, forget how they warned me
And keep on looking for the sunny side
Set out to fail with the Lord on my trail
And that tricky old Devil on my side
Chorus
Rhinestones
They were staring at my rhinestones
So they never saw my face
They were dancing to the melody
So my words were all a waste
Hold me back so I don't swing
I'm not afraid of barflies
I'd swim to the bottom of the barrel
And look the shark right in the eyes
I took every precaution
Well aware of the risk
And I knew of love's pitfalls
But didn't think it would end like this
Sitting on the side of the road
Fumbling with this match
As soon as I light this cigarette
I'm gonna throw away this patch
Leave me alone while I bait this hook
Tell me where you're going so I don't look
Your way
I don't want you getting the wrong idea
Like I want you to stay
They we're all wanting hand outs
And I was passing around beats
The shufflers wanted four
And the waltzers wanted three
And I've barely got it together
Please allow me to explain
I'm not going to be the one
To drive this boogie woogie choo choo train
So get along little doggie
Get along with your life
You were always quite a trophy
But never much of a wife
I hate to burst your bubble
It's been such a good time
But the big bang went boom
Our stars didn't align
Chorus
Elephant in This Room
There's an elephant in this room
And he's taking up all the space
There isn't anywhere to talk
Without his trunk in your face
He's a highly intelligent creature
So grand he can't be missed
I don't know how he stayed so long
I don't know how it's come to this
Oh my lover
We must discuss our
Problems and get over this hump that is an elephant
Oh my darling
I'd rather be quarreling
Than go on in this uncomfortable silence
There's an elephant in this room
And he's taking up all the space
There isn't anywhere to talk
Without his trunk in your face
He's a highly intelligent creature
So grand he can't be missed
I don't know how he stayed so long
I don't know how it's come to this
Solo
Oh my lover
Our home's been toppled over
By a member of the order of proboscidea
Oh my darling
I'd rather be quarreling
Than go on in this uncomfortable silence
There's an elephant in this room
And he's taking up all the space
There isn't anywhere to talk
Without his trunk in your face
Without his trunk in your face
Without his trunk in your face
Had I Known
At the age of sixteen I thought I knew everything
I joined with my brother who was already in a ring
Of bandits and thieves of the very worst kind
I can still hear our mother begging us to stay behind
But a boy has to run and a boy has to learn
I found the barrel of a gun around every turn
I kept in my heart it was only self defense
But I'd shoot a man down every time I had the chance - X3
September in Missouri in 1864
I was wild as river and rotten to the core
Running through a stage coach and running through a bank
Left a terror in my mind every night and every day
We came across a train just ripe for the picking
Get 1500 dollars for every man
With 7 rebels and my brother at my back
I put the dynamite down and I blew it off the track - X3
I cleared the place out top to the bottom
I rounded them up I bound em and shot em
I whistled Dixie as I brandished my gun
I sent them to the makers if they believed in one
We hit the ground running staying off the main road
We were keeping to the trees so nobody would know
As quiet as a mouse we were slipping around
In the middle of the night with the rain pouring down - X3
I'd never pull a job and not expect to be chased
And this was no different than any other case
Brand new deputies busting at the seams
To capture an outlaw as dangerous as me
They crept up on us as we coming near a ridge
I'd hate to say I was surprised but you know I really was
In a flash in fury in a sky filled with lead
I took one in the side and watched my brother fall dead - X3
I dug my heels in the dirt with my pistol in my hand
I was gonna meet the devil fighting like a man
We exchanged fire until I shot my last round
I kept on the trigger until they heard clicking sound
They came down on me and they beat me to the ground
They tied me to a horse and they drug me in to town
They drug me through the streets so everyone could see
What happens to a man who was living like me - X3
I'm sitting my cell with the shackles on my legs
Outside they're building gallows I can hear them pounding nails
I could hear them curse my name as they sank each one
I could hear them test the door that they'd be dropping me from
I can't help but think about our dear old mother
Who'll cry like a whistle when she hears about my brother
Lord I pray now that she never gets the news
That her boys lives have ended with a bullet and noose - X3
I'd a never left my home had I known had I known had I known - X100
Better Place for You
I've been negotiating with the sun
To always shine on you
And the trees have agreed to bear their prettiest leaves
Whenever you're passing through
The storm clouds said they'd stay away
They promised me they'd stay away
So if a rain drop hits and you don't want it to
There'll be hell to pay
I've been doing all I can do do do
To make the world a better place for you
The flowers they're so stubborn
Want to keep they're beauty all to themselves
I've dug up some dirt on them
So now you'll always see their pretty pedals
I've struck a deal with the birds
That I know they will uphold
So whenever you're around
They'll only sing songs you know
I've been doing all I can do do do
To make the world a better place for you
I've been fighting tooth and nail
To keep your demons away
It's been a knock down drag out war
I've tried to make you a goddess
But I could not convince the Lord
I've been doing all I can do do do
To make the world a better place for you