1. On the Road
i want to be an outlaw in the movies / telling stories under trees / desert shootouts on the highway / high speed chases in the heat / i think it’s time i take up drivin’ / far and wide as the eye can see / i might miss this place tomorrow / but chances are i'll just feel free / playin’ on the corner in a lonely desert town / get myself a table and a name to spread around wherever i go / a couple friends and an old companion / playin’ cards out in the sand / roadside diner on the highway / breakfast coffee eggs and ham / maybe i can pass through arizona / i have a friend who loves it dear / music open roads and conversation / hail hail the gang’s all here / sun sets west i’ll head east and south by the light of the moon / i’ll drive real fast and move real slow and i won't need a room to spend my nights / playin’ run down bars and shootin’ at the stars on the road / everything’s a shame let’s start a brand new day / junior get your gun it’s time to have a little fun on the road.
2. Home for the Holidays
tell your family that you’re happy to be home / tell your family that you’re working all day long / tell your family that you’ll care for all your worries / tell your family that you won’t do that again / and another baby rose in the morning / while another baby lays in wait / and the neighbors are always in a hurry / but they stumble in minutes too late / tell your family what you saw along the wayside / tell your family that this town it built you / tell your family that it’s something else completely / tell your family that it’s hard to find a job / tell your family that you know but he deserved it / tell your family that you know but he’d been drinking / tell your family that you’re home for the holidays / tell your family that you’re happy to be home / and another baby rises in the morning / and another baby waits for awhile / and another baby waits for a new place / while another is happy to call this place home.
3. Traveling Salesman
if it’s too much trouble i can come back tomorrow and sell my wares to a friend instead / it was closing time (it was closing time) anyway / if it’s too hard to answer I can repeat the question or forget the first one and find another / it’s been asked before (it’s been asked before) anyway / comfort comes in many faces and i’m not sure just what its name is / or if it has a name to speak of / or if it had a name (if it had a name) before all this / after days of not speaking i’ve got nothing left to speak of / after years of reliving i’ve got nothing left to dream of / seems it’s all the same (seems it’s all the same) anyway / if it's peace that you’re looking for best stop and ask directions / if it’s me that you’re looking for you’re better off without ‘em / it’s more fun that way (lot more fun that way) don’t ya think? / he climbed into his grandma’s buick and left this town and all things in it / if there’s any thing to speak of / comfort comes in many faces and i’m not sure just what its name is / or if it has a name to speak of / or if it had a name (if it had a name) before all this / he got a room with no tv / the town was as stale as the life he was leading / if he had a life to speak of / comfort comes in many faces and i’m not sure just what its name is / or if it has a name to speak of / or if had a name / or if it has a name to speak of / or if it had a name.
4. Less than Polite
give my regards to all the fine people you meet / save their reactions remember the look on their face / they were all talking ‘bout me the other day / they were all talking at me the other day / plug in the lantern it looks like we’re in for the night / plug in the lantern it looks like we’re in for the night / it’s nice that it’s snowing outside you can’t see the street / it’s nice that we left ‘em outside d’ya see the look on their face? / they were all talking ‘bout me the other day / they were all talking at me the other day.
5. Old Mexico
set that lovely portrait dear back upon the mantle / put that holy book away we’re headin down south to old mexico / if you’ll join me tell me dear / i’ll follow you down to old mexico / people won’t ever find us here in that old hotel down in mexico / sing a little song through the broken phone / break a little phone break a little song / sing a little song i hear the nights are long / i hear the nights are long down in old mexico / hear you’ve found some high-heeled boots / high-heeled boots for old mexico / you’ve been goin’ outta your way to take me down to old mexico / i know you don’t want to mean what you say but you say what you think about old mexico / i know you don’t want to mean what you say but you say what you think about old mexico / sing a little song through the broken phone / break a little phone break a little song / sing a little song i hear the nights are long / i hear the nights are long down in old mexico.
second vocal: don’t go out / don’t get up / don’t go down / don’t don’t go down to mexico / drivin’ in a broken car with broken mirrors and broken locks / we’ll be lucky to get halfway to old mexico // don’t let me get away with what I have been saying / don’t let me follow you dear follow you dear down to old mexico.
6. When I Talk too Loud
it’s later than it should be / but i’ve tried to get home / you’ve left me or it seems to me / that you should know it is so / a dollar for another and another marks the way / that someone could be content with waiting / you couldn’t tell by the way that it sounded / what’s new? it’s been said before / once in a long time it’s been such a long time / and guilty pride darkens the score / but i’ll wait / i will wait / i will wait / to send off to cast off to throw off all names of people i have known / someone else told me / they held me and told me and scolded my lofty decree.
7. Too Soon to Tell
what’s wrong with a little conversation? / (nothing more than a superficial “hi” and “goodbye”) / what’s wrong with a striking invitation? / (not the kind that you just write off with surprise / and walk away laughing) / where is that little contradiction? / it’s been said that it’s not too easy to find / what ever happened to the art of deception? / ya can’t cover things that should be easy to hide / (but nobody’s lookin’) / and it’s hard to find a place in the middle / when you’re the only one that knows what you mean / it takes too much effort and too much time and it's always / too soon to tell / what’s missing in your little piece of heaven? / who ever said that there’s no good reason to lie? / what’s missing in your broad definition? / it’s nothing more than a cheap party favor disguise / (you’re bound to fool someone) / and it’s hard to find a home in the middle / when it’s the only place you won’t be seen / it takes too much effort and too much time and it’s always / too soon to tell / too soon to tell.
8. Head in a Jar (New Orleans Mix)
i got my head on my feet / and my feet on the ground / got a cannonball on a string tryin’ to bring me down / got a photograph of a dixie queen / and a book about all them crazies down in new orleans / and i never wanted to be someone like you / a technicolor screen test through and through / but what can i do? / there’s nothing to do.
second vocal: hey man what you doing with your head in a jar? / hey man bet you think you’re gonna be a star / hey man get your hands off my guitar / hey man ya think you’re cool ya got a shiny car.
9. I’ll be Gone
i’ll be gone in the dawn / this old dog is movin’ on / i been chasin’ memories since the day that i was born / and i’ll hit the road again / so farewell my clever friend / i’ll be gone in the morning i’ll be gone // i’ll be driving o so far / in my overloaded car / don’t you fret don’t you cry don’t you worry when i’m gone / like a vampire in the sun / like a bandit on the run / i’ll be gone in the morning i’ll be gone / and i’m proud to be your friend / even after what you did / i’ll be gone hallelujah i’ll be gone / and my humblest of thanks / for everything you’ve done / hallelu’ in the morning hallelu’.
second vocal: i’ll be gone i’ll be gone / in the morning praise the lord / in the morn’ hallelujah in the morn’ his will be done / hallelujah i’ll be gone / lift your voice unto the lord / hallelu’ lord have mercy hallelu’.
10. Cancer Rings
hands and feet inside the car / you’re saying stupid things / it was basically fine a delightful delight / i tried to barricade the door / they’re throwing cancer rings / it’s an indirect sign and an unusual sight.
11. Burning Coal
it’s the only way to go when you’re down and low / i don’t remember what you did and i don’t think i want to know / don’t drop the obvious names / you’ve got to learn to play your own games / your friends you’ll make ‘em proud / don’t let everybody down / they’ll say “oh what a kid he’s just like me when he doesn’t get his way” / show ‘em your moves play some tunes and spit in their old ashtray / don’t tell ‘em your name / you won’t get paid / it’s a beautiful day / let’s go for a midnight drive i think it’s cold outside / let’s grab a sleeping bag and we’ll float on through the night / it looks like you’ve got a hold / on that song i shoulda sold / your skin is glowing red / and your skeleton is cold / tell me you're fine (good way to blow my mind) you’re a million steps away / put on your shoes no one accused you of being what you say you are / i know / you gotta go / it’s a beautiful day.
12. Whittlin’ Stick
hit your neighbor with a whiffle-ball bat / and you better not miss him cause if you miss him he’ll sure be mad / poke your sister with a whittlin’ stick / and you better not miss her cause if you miss her she’ll tell dad / trip your brother with a fishing rod / and you better not miss him cause if you miss him he’ll whoop you good.
13. Happy 4th
(sitting on the back porch the other day “let’s go for a ride” I heard him say in a metal box when it was done i almost died i’m not a loser or a freak i just know how to spend my time give me an image and a line and you might be surprised) / hey mister hollywood / look what you’ve done to me / shotguns and cigarettes / everything is free / new york and new orleans / only on tv / backwoods and country blues / nothing bothers me / city boys and country girls and life on the open sea / could be headed who know where / i know you and you know me / hot rods and passwords at the corner grocery / i won’t get caught / upscale downhome attitude / there’s so much that i can choose / broken down mindset sold as new / nothin’ left for me to use / upscale downtown city view / i wish i could be like you / broken down lifelong attitude / nothin' left for me to use.
14. After Hours at the Moonlight Revival
yesterday did kill his kindness / (and darkened his head) / a pleasant surprise born shaken unsullied / unsoiled unspoiled and naked without her / one closed up inside (within he is glowing / to be granted a name by those who had loved him) / his father his mother were perfectly proud of one who had drowned / he showed them he arms wholeheartedly willing / to set out a path outlined by their teachings / encompassed by faith enriched by their feelings / and joined with a trust a perfect believing / his father his mother were perfectly proud of one who had drowned / but that’s not enough / he got what he had came for / yesterday killed his kindness /oh yesterday darkened his kindness and darkened his head.
15. Dustbowl
i heard what you said about those goodbyes / but i’m not inclined to care / i heard what you said about those who try / but i know i’ve seen you there / hang my worries from a chain link fence / and leave ‘em all out to dry / 19 candles is still not enough / but if it’s something or nothing i’ll buy / i’m leavin you here with your bag and your gun / but i’m not about to cry / i gave you some money for a meal and a friend / good luck with the next one you find / flag someone down with your cross and your crown / and go with him for a ride / lead him all around through town after town / and show him why trust is a crime / i’ll see you again when you’re down on your luck / and you’ve emptied your endless supply / don’t worry my friend i won’t remember your name / but i’ll remember your worthless goodbye.
16. Here to Twin
you don’t know what i’d give to be / a member of this happy town with you / days maintained by nights abright / lit by the drunken moon / if you couldn’t tell to me the best way for there to go / some youthful spright or aged might will tell me what you know / trouble but i rest assured that pride goeth before the fall / and you my dear have past your years with one who troubles all / and if you take me to that lofty bridge and under it to go / we might find that there’s another place / another place to go.
17. Old Time
old time / hold my hands to the sky / cold night / lonely but you know it’s not you / i’ve been missin’ / bothersome neighbors that call me when i’m not home for a reason / leave me your number you say that i’m different from them / endlessly ending in places that never made sense to begin with / but you know if there's anything left you can leave it to me / i need a light / darlin’ you know my hands are tied / i’ll have a ride / if i can find me a dollar or two / by this evening / but there’s nowhere to ride to no reason to stick around here any longer / suddenly simplified suddenly simply in tune / trust me i’m faithful ask god or anyone else you come up with / old time and time played again play some for me.