Shine Eyed Mister Zen (1999) - paroles

par kjp 10.07.08 0:21

The House Carpenter (traditional) inspired by Clarence Ashley

well met, well met said an old true love
well met, well met said he
I’ve just returned from the salt salt sea
and it's all for the love of thee

come in, come in my old true love
and have a seat with me
it's been three fourths of a long long year
since together we have been

no I can't come in, I can't sit down
for I have but a moment's time
they say you are married to a house carpenter
and your heart will never be mine

yet I could have married a king's daughter dear
and I’m sure she'd have married me
but I’ve forsaken her crowns of gold
and it's all for the love of thee

will you forsaken your house carpenter
and go along with me
I’ll take you where the grass grows green
on the banks of the deep blue sea

she picked up her little babe
and kisses gave it three
say's stay right here my darling little babe
and keep your papa company

hadn't been on the ship but about two weeks
I’m sure it was not three
'til his true love began to weep and moan
and she weeped most bitterly

says are you weeping for my silver or my gold
are you weeping for my silver or my store
are you weeping for your house carpenter
whose face you'll never see no more

I’m not weeping for your silver or your gold
no I’m not weeping for your store
I am weeping for my darling little babe
whose face I’ll never see no more

they hadn't been on the ship but about three weeks
I’m sure it was not four
'til they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship
sunk and never rise no more

River Rat Jimmy

drums are still playing I can see them marching close
this he walks like a shadow and that he dances like a ghost
the one that looks like jimmy lord he scares me the most
river rat jimmy and jehoshaphat

playing boyhood mumbly peg a six inch bowie blade
out the top of my redwing kickers and down a muddy slippery grade
to the fever pitch savannah where granddaddy lay
river rat jimmy and jehoshaphat

river jimmy ghosty face ate off the kitchen floor
cause woman mom threw dinner plates at drunken dad on the door
he would cop us cans of beer and close his eyes and soar
river rat jimmy and jehoshaphat

shouting revelation out a boyman child of ten
never looking up to heaven it was heaven there and then
we wrapped our bloody fingers like a shine eyed mister zen
river rat jimmy and jehoshaphat

neither us knew who would pop and who would sink the lake
and who would run off fast enough before the bow string'd break
man we was crying for tomorrow through the crying and the shake
river rat jimmy and jehoshaphat

Hobo's Son

one cold summer night sally slipped away
door left open wide not a word to say
hard luck took its toll I can't blame her none
not today might be here tomorrow

she knew better fare when a girl at home
hope for a settled life, not this world to roam
let my prayer be heard and guide me on her way
not today might be here tomorrow

been three years and change since I held her near
up and down these roads I’ve looked everywhere
and not once have I seen the color of her hair
not today might be here tomorrow

I’ll be a hobo's son surely all my days
whittle off the hours with a memory for my blade
and carve the hand of sally dear hoping her to find
not today might be here tomorrow

Katy

Katy’s down by the cellar door
calls for me to go
back down to the clover
singing soft and low
singing soft and low

my little one's mother is
holding him and crying
she hears Katy call my name
and I can see her dying

Katy says she loves me
I used to feel the same
walking by the old boneyard
calling out my name

hand in hand we laid the deed
and evil we have done
evil I will do no more
to a mother and her son

Katy Katy stay away from me
I could never quit you, no
you gotta let me be
sharpened up my razor, picked a piece of ground
one of these dark and moonless nights
be the last around

my lover turns to walk away
and I follow close behind
trouble in my pocket
sorrow in my mind and

hand in hand we laid the deed
and evil we have done
evil I will do no more
to a mother and her son

Katy Katy stay away from me
I could never quit you, no
you gotta let me be
sharpened up my razor, picked a piece of ground
one of these dark and moonless nights
be the last around

dark is finally coming on and
silence in the woods
would a man do over if the lord said that he could

god it's too late now the night has come
trouble them no more
the cold steel blade across my neck
suffering will be over

Katy Katy stay away from me
I could never quit you, no
you gotta let me be
sharpened up my razor, picked a piece of ground
one of these dark and moonless nights
will be the last around

Wandering Away

will I shed one more tear for my broken family
and have a glass of whiskey with another friend
that has nowhere to be
get my feet on the road they feel much better there
gonna stop trying some day some year

I meant it when I told her I loved her and I did
and I meant when I said goodbye
grabbed my suitcase and my kid
we'll find another place to call home for a while
oh I get to itching I don't know why

wandering away

the grey is coming the wrinkles aren't far behind
more nights than not I think this is the one where I lose my mind
maybe I can get it right this time
maybe I can stay up most of tonight
cause I don't want to see her come at me again reaching for my neck

wandering away

all these broken promises in a shoebox full of bones
lie behind the crows feet eyes of anyone
better when they roam
whatever happens then falls under the wheel
dancing to a fiddle tune with the devil on my heel

wandering away

my knees are wobbly my back keeps going out
try to sing like a bird but all I can do is mumble and shout and moan
wake up to another damn day
wish I was magic I’d make it go away
last night in a dream I saw her again I tried to scream but couldn't

wandering away

Dock Boggs Country Blues (traditional) inspired by Dock Boggs

come all you good time people
while I’ve got money to spend
tomorrow might be monday
and I never have a dollar nor a friend

when I had plenty of money, good people
all my friends would gather around
just soon as my pocket book was empty
not a friend on earth could be found

the last time I saw my little woman, good people
had a wine glass in her hand
she's drinking away all her troubles
with a lowdown sorry man

my papa taught me a plenty, good people
my mama taught me more
if I don't quit my lowdown rowdy ways
I’m gonna have more trouble at my door

I wrote my woman a letter, good people
and I told her I was in jail
she wrote me back an answer
said now honey I’m soon come and go your bail

all around this old jail house is haunted, good people
forty dollars won't pay my fine
corn liquor surrounds my body
and pretty women aching my mind

if I would've listened to my mama, good people
I wouldn't have been here today
drinking and shooting and gambling
at home I could not stay

dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
dig a hole in the ground
when I’m dead and buried, my pale face turned toward the sun
you can come and see the way you have done

give me corn bread when I’m hungry, good people
corn whisky when I’m dry
pretty women surrounding my body
and bring me heaven when I die

Capman Bootman

baseball cap and flannel arms
dancing with a voodoo doll
sweat rolls down the old guitar
seeing things the way they are
a crooked look lay on his brow
beside a wisecrack whiskey mouth
tip up the bottle and pour him out

here he is again
capman bootman

lay it down horizontal lean slip a finger across the bar
whip the high note frantic
skip the manic songwriter's pulled-down rhyme
then leave'em hanging halfway home
surprise is not the same thing twice
music is not your boiled rice

here he is again
capman bootman

leave the making sense behind
zen bazooka buddha joe
cornmeal and guitar strings
hates to fly to land and lives to sing
he's got his cap and boots and coat
he's got his box of songs he wrote
I wonder if he'll find that note

here he is again
capman bootman

Train Carried My Girl From Town (traditional) inspired by Frank Hutchison

where were you when the train left town
I was standing on the corner, my head hanging down
I be crying hey, train carried my girl away
I be crying hey, that train carried my girl away from town

ashes to ashes and dust to dust
show me the woman that I can trust
I be crying hey, train carried my girl away
I be crying hey, that train carried my girl away from town

I wish to the lord that train would wreck
kill the engineer and break that fireman's neck
I wish to the lord that train would turn around
bring my girl back to this here town
I be crying hey, train carried my girl away
I be crying hey, that train carried my girl away from town

smoke-cloud rising, heading for the west
there goes the baby that I love the best
smoke-cloud falling down from the sky
oh my girl won't you tell me why
train carried my girl away from town

where were you when the train left town?

Piece By Piece

piece by lonely piece the mountainside tumbles away
back down to the river bottom lined with pocket worry stones
a hundred years in hand worn smooth by long grandmother nights
sitting by the rocking chair waiting for the world

oh, if I could roll back all the years and talk to my daddy's dad
about all the fears I’m leaving in that maybe he had had
I might get some light to shine down this dusty old dry well
hear the bucket hit the bottom and the rope come rolling by

when three hundred years has been the time from whence it came
why hadn't someone yet figured out to lower down the gun
and shoot out the middle of this clawing, staring eye?
hear the bucket hit the bottom and the rope come rolling by
sitting by that old rocking chair waiting for the world

Many A Time

many a time I thought I had fallen down
away by the wayside away from grace
my heart torn asunder
my legs buckle under me
I have one promise and I have one prayer
only believe
thou gonna be saved

all I can offer is one wayward sinner
confused and surrounded by wavering faith
let me go quiet
that I may listen
understand better the weight of the cross
only believe
thou gonna be saved

hearken the voice here
that calls in the morning
kingdoms and mercies and life for all time

many a time I thought I had fallen down
away by the wayside
my heart fallen
my legs buckle under me
I have one promise and I have one prayer
only believe
thou gonna be saved

hearken the voice here
that calls in the morning
kingdoms and mercies and life for all time

I know you hear my prayer in the morning
I’m not so sure the answer you gave
should I continue the step that I have taken
and embrace the life that begins away
only believe
thou gonna be saved

Goodnight Irene (Huddie Ledbetter / John A. Lomax)

sometimes I live in the country
sometimes I live in town
sometimes I have a great notion
to jump in the river and drown

quit your rambling quit your gambling
quit staying out all night
stay at home with your wife and your family
and sit by the fireside bright

Irene goodnight Irene goodnight
goodnight Irene goodnight Irene
I will see you in my dreams

I asked your mother for you
but she said you were too young
I wish that I’d never seen your face
I wish I was never born

Irene goodnight Irene goodnight
goodnight Irene goodnight Irene
I will see you in my dreams

I love Irene, god knows I do
I’m gonna love her 'til the sea run dry
if I can't have Irene with me tonight
I might take morphine and die

Irene goodnight Irene goodnight
goodnight Irene goodnight Irene
I will see you in my dreams