Edwin McCain Album

Al, he sells records down on old St. Charley's Street
He's cleaning up Fat Tuesday's mess he keeps the sidewalks neat
And he just lost his father and he just lost his wife
And if it wasn't for the music he couldn't get on with his life
And he knows what I know
It's not all that hard to survive
You take the good and the bad and the time in between
It lets us know we're alive
Well now Be Be's singing gospel
And down on Bourbon she sings the blues
She plays on all my heart strings curls my toes up in my shoes
And she knows what I'm after
Chase my dreams with all my might
She says you shouldn't be so anxious
And deep down I know she's right
And she knows what I know
It's not all that hard to survive
You take the good and the bad and the time in between
It lets us know we're alive
Well get on board the rocket
Step right into the front car
You know life's a roller coaster It ain't got no safety bar
Raise your voices up with laughter
Bring it in with one big sigh
Consecrated in the wonder .... we're alive
Norman he plays music but only in my dreams
Shows me all the beauty that soulful music brings
But sometimes he's a spectre and I wake up clenched with fear
But lesson good or bad he always keeps me clear
And he knows what I know
It's not all that hard to survive
You take the good and the bad and the time in between
It lets us know we're alive

Tim he was a good friend
Yea was a brother of mine
We were imaginary comic book superheroes
Kids wasting time
We were prisoners of our youth
We were growing up strong
'Til the day he was taken away
For something he did wrong
Tim came 'round just the other day
And boy he had some stories to tell
His mama kept him locked up in a rehab
Although the doctors said he was well
He said yeah I been through the anger
And the hatred towards my mom
And I put all that behind me
Just tell me what was it like to go to your prom
He said thank you mom for fixing
My clouded broken mind
But excuse me if I seem a little rude
While I was missing my childhood, my brother and my prime
You enjoyed the convenience of my solitude
Well growing up these days just ain't easy
And the kids they're doing the best that they can
So mama you better think twice
Before you lock your kid up and throw away the key
'Cause soon your little boy is gonna be a man
He said thank you mom for fixing
My clouded broken mind
But excuse me if I seem a little rude
While I was missing my childhood, my brother and my prime
You enjoyed the convenience of my solitude
Tim left town yesterday
He left me with these words
He said yeah I know this life's got a lot to give
But my childhood is gone
And I'm not afraid of dying
I'm gonna grab the world by the horns and learn how to live
He said thank you mom for fixing
My clouded broken mind
But excuse me if I seem a little rude
While I was missing my childhood, my brother and my prime
You enjoyed the convenience of my solitude

Looking back on younger days the view stretched on for miles
We charged into our futures with laughter and smiles
As we traveled blindly the road became so thick
No chance to change direction and we've laughed until we're sick
Now I keep company with wicked evil men
My generosity's brimming but I'm still inclined to sin
My friends think I am crazy and I know that may be so
But I'm as happy with a penny as coffers full of gold
And so for all of you I say, don't miss the forest for all the trees
And don't ever question Honor Among Thieves
The undergrowth has parted now the path is easily read
It's lined with all the doubters regretting all they've said
God bless all the dreamers and those who lead with soul
For how can you know virtue 'less you fought out of a hole
And so for all of you I say, don't miss the forest for all the trees
And don't ever question Honor Among Thieves
Trickle of a chuckle as laughter starts to pour
Bells begin to jingle the trickles now a roar
Pan floutist, cloven dancer
The Mischeif Has Begun
Laugh with me if it's funny, laugh at me if it's fun
And I don't know St. Peter but I know he believes
There's a place in heaven for Jesters, Dreamers & Thieves

After all the corridors are darkened
When the royal crown is off your head
To your chambers I will creep not a word we will speak
Just love me while the fire light dances 'round the bed
Well there is danger in this passion
Because the king can never never know
And on my blood I've sworn my allegiance
So I'll leave you when the sunlight comes and beckons me to go
And the silver shine is tarnished from my armor
And in battle I am paralyzed with fear|
And this poison in my soul is the love we'll never know
And it finds me playing Lancelot to your Guinevere
Well and Guinevere is sly enough to steal a little taste
And her laughter it peals into the night
Oh but forbidden fruit always stays sticky on your face
And without virtue I'm worthless in a fight
Stealing little glances at the table I feel that this is theatre in the round
But far away chasing vixens in the meadow
Your love like wind, blows right by and sweeps me off the ground
Your love sweeps me off the ground
Well now it sweeps me off the the ground
And the silver shine is tarnished from my armor
And in battle I am paralyzed with fear
And this poison in my soul is the love we'll never know
And it finds me playing Lancelot to your Guinevere

Sittin' on the edge
Looking for songs in a bottle
Talking with strangers who don't know my pain
Blurry eyed and burned out
Choking on more than I can swallow
Crack in a little voice called out my name
She said ~ Whatever happened to you
It's been two years where have you been
And I guess all my fears were true
The words were all gone the time's been too long
But I deserve to know what happened to my friend
Staring in her face
I see a past that still haunts me
The road where we split up is paved with the things I didn't say
We had wonderful times, but terrible timing
Now just leave her alone, I'll just be in the way

She said whatever happened to you
You took the coward's way out again
And I guess all my fears were true
The words are all gone, the time's been too long
But it's not too late to say I'm sorry to a friend
I'm sorry to a friend
Sorry to a friend
Like a stone in a stream
Life smoothes all our edges
'Til we barely make a ripple any more
But those times in my life will live with me forever
But we're not the same people that we were before
And I'm sorry for the smiles we missed and the times that I blew it
I've got so much to tell you
I don't know where to start
Maybe I'll find a way maybe you'll help me do it
'Cause friends like us should not be apart
And I'm sorry to a friend
Well now I'm sorry

Rubber on my tires making contact with the road
Sign on the streetpost tells me which way I should go
Riding down America Street funny that it's one way
Riding down from uptown to where the buildings are broken down in decay
America Street it's right nearby
Land of the free and the brave
If we can't work and make some change
There won't be much of this land left to save
It's a classic case of misdirection and slight of hand
We watch while our deficit grows
What a shame that we can't teach our kids to read
Makes you wonder where all the tax money goes
Well America Street it's right nearby
Land of the free and the brave
And if we can't work and make some change
There won't be much of this land left to save
Won't be much to save
Excuse me sir pardon me can you spare some change
Because it's cold and I live outside
A thoughtful search into my pockets finds enough so he can rocket
Right up to the bar and enjoy his lie
America Street it's right nearby
Land of the free and the brave
And if we can't work and make some change
There won't be much of this land left to save
Won't be much to save...

Hey boy pushin' on your girlfriend
Trying to show her all the pain you feel inside
Yeah and head all scrambled and the love is gone
And you don't know what went wrong
But I think I heard you hissing something about blue steel
But when you talk about something like gun play
Let me tell you it's a losing bet
But when the hammer falls all bets are called
And five to one you're gonna lose
When you talk about something like Russian Roulette
Tears run down your sweet love's face
I say she's a mirror of your insides
And you can't scream loud enough to let it go
And you mouthful of pride you just can't swallow
Rips your soul like a hurricane tide
But when you talk about something like gun play
Let me tell you it's a losing bet
But when the hammer falls all bets are called
And five to one you're gonna lose
When you talk about something like Russian Roulette
Pack up your ego and your tantrum
Put it back with your anger and your pride
Beating up on your girlfriend
Ain't gonna change anything inside
But when you talk about something like gun play
Let me tell you it's a losing bet
But when the hammer falls all bets are called
And five to one you're gonna lose

Sweet love is keeping a very close score
She's cheated death more than one time
The tears roll down her face and on to the floor
The psychic's been reading her mind
Women with secrets men with their rage
The lines run deeper than words on the page
Breeze through the window, it turns bitter chill
Pretend we don't feel it, lie here real still
Whispered in visions of new earth shine
We volunteer to do nothing again
The world falls around us all we can do is whine
Living out the future of original sin
Women with secrets men with their rage
The lines run deeper than actors on the stage
Breeze through the mountains turns bitter chill
Pretend we don't feel it, lie here real still
Well now follow me to the water
Dive right through the film
Swim in the madness, fulfill every whim
Why worry about tomorrow that you'll never see
Why talk about the children that will never be
Give us this day our daily bread
Forgive us our monstrosities
No more stories of the Quick and the Dead
The asphalt will burn with our liabilities

Well I don't drive a fast car
You know it just ain't my style
And I don't give a damn about that
You know it ain't worth my while
And I've been known to run around
Burned some bridges in my time
You know those girls tried to tie me down
But my heart is still all mine
Well Elvis had his blue suede shoes and Samson had his hair
You know I got my music baby
And My Dreams Will Take Me There
You know I don't smoke cigarettes
I don't see the point
And if you're gonna put smoke in your lungs
Might as well smoke a joint
Well I don't mind if you hang around
Just don't start talking that love talk baby
Don't Bring Me Down
Well don't call me a scoundrel
Baby don't call me a thief
Don't look down your nose at me
I don't need all your grief
Join me and the JESTERS, singing for today
Live life at its fullest
Before it slips away
Well I don't mind if you hang around
Just don't start talking that love talk baby
Don't Bring Me Down
Why you want to shoot me down
I'm just trying to be your friend now baby
But you lock the door, hide the key, hide under the bed
You're gonna hide from me
Come on baby, let me in...

Sitting in the kitchen
Just staring at the cracks in the wall
I've been sitting here since yesterday
Just waiting on you to call
The cracks remind me of you and I
They're all up, down and split apart
And all the cracks in the wall lead to one great big hole
That used to be my heart
Now that I think of it
Nothing ever worked out right
All we ever seemed to do is just cuss, scream, bitch and fight
All we did was fight
The tears I cried
Fell on a cold and lonely floor
No one to wipe them away
The tears I cried
Will be my own and they'll follow me
And that's the way it's gonna stay
Now that I think of it
Nothing ever worked out right
All we ever seemed to do is just cuss, scream, bitch and fight
All we did was fight
Oh pretty baby, can't you understand
I'm not made up of enough to be your man
Oh pretty baby, don't know what to say
I just want you to ... go away
Well I'd love to sit and reflect on this
But I haven't got the time
Just tell me why you chose to be so cruel, mean, brutal so unkind
Now that I think of it
Nothing ever worked out right
All we ever seemed to do was cuss, scream, bitch and fight
All we did is fight
The tears I cried fell on a cold and lonely floor
No one to wipe them away
The tears I cried
Will be my own and they'll follow me
And that's the way it's gonna stay

Thirty Pieces of silver screen
Deep inside our souls
How did we betray our imagination
Watching our futures unfold
Without a whisper for fear of intrusion
We have to see how this part ends
Time out for commercials
Time out to be good friends
But our generation's angry
We're so scared that we can't see
The answer right inside of us
If we can find the place in our hearts where we're all free
Does it see that time works against us
Or does it just march on and on and on
Sometimes it drives me crazy
Proving Nostradamus wrong, so wrong
But we still have secret silos with buttons, codes and keys
We can avert this awful disaster
If we find the place in our hearts where we're all free
And what a tall order
Far be it for me to say
Maybe I'll try a little harder
Starting Here Today
Or just throw in the towel
Laydown five up the ghost
And join all the cynics
Luckier than most
Maybe I'll check out with a bullet
Would you think less of me
Or would it frighten you enough
Would it rattle you enough
Would it frighten you enough to...
Find the place in our hearts where we're all free

It's 3:00 A.M.
I'm awake and my heart is still dreaming
It's 3:00 A.M.
Outside I hear the souls still screaming
It's been so long you know since my head's been this clear
Just like a ship lost in the night
I just don't know which way I should steer
But I'll keep chasing my dreams
And only you can make them real
I pour my heart out every night
But do you know the way that I feel
Sometimes this is work
And don't you know sometimes this is play
Sometimes you are listening to me
And sometimes you don't hear a damn word that I say
Sometimes there's a girl
Sometimes I go home alone
And I guess it's no wonder right now
That I do very well on my own
But I'll keep chasing my dreams
And only you can make them real
I pour my heart out every night
But do you know the way that I feel
And I will play just as long as you will listen
Now I'm in no big hurry to get back on the road
Sometimes in this lifestyle
I feel like there's so much that I'm missing
Well I'm missing you
It's just that I'm ... so far from home
It's 3:00 A.M.
I'm awake and my heart is still dreaming
It's 3:00 A.M.
Outside I hear the souls still screaming