Richard Thompson Album

If the wife and I are fussin', brother that's our right
'Cause me and that sweet woman's got a license to fight
Why don't you mind your own business
(Mind your own business)
'Cause if you mind your business, then you won't be mindin' mine.

Oh, the woman on our party line's the nosiest thing
She picks up her receiver when she knows it's my ring
Why don't you mind your own business
(Mind your own business)
Well, if you mind your business, then you won't be mindin' mine.

I got a little gal that wears her hair up high,
the boys all whistle when she walks by.
why don't you mind your own buisness
(Mind your own business)
Well, if you mind your own business, you sure won't be minding mine.

If I want to honky tonk around 'til two or three
Now, brother that's my headache, don't you worry 'bout me.
Just mind your own business
(Mind your own business)
If you mind your business, then you won't be mindin' mine.

Mindin' other people's business seems to be high-toned
I got all that I can do just to mind my own
Why don't you mind your own business
(Mind your own business)
If you mind your own business, you'll stay busy all the time

My young love said to me "My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind"
And she laid her hand on me and this she did say
"Oh, it will not be long, lord, till our wedding day"

And she went away from me and moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her move here and move there
And then she went onward, just one star awake
Like the swan in the evening moves over the lake

Last night she came to me, my dead love came in
So softly she came that her feet made no din
And she laid her hand on me and this she did say
"Oh, it will not be long, lord, till our wedding day

I'm walking through a wasted land
Of soft sell concrete and rust
What ever happened to this country?
Where is the hand you can trust?
Walk down, walk down, walk down

I remember when a farmer was ashamed
If he never put his hand to a plough
You can buy a lot of shame with your money
He's riding in a limousine now
Walk down, walk down, walk down, walk down!

Sweat is the name of this town
It's an ugly old, dirty old disgrace
And now that the steel's shut down
It's fear puts the sweat in a man's face
Walk down, walk down, walk down

Oh now I should have a break like you
But somebody stacked up the decks
Heads are going to roll some day
If we ever get this yoke off our necks
Walk down, walk down, walk down, oh

Well I'm walking through a wasted land
I'm walking through a wasted land
Where is the future we planned
I'm walking through a wasted land
Walk down, walk down, walk down, walk down!

My shadow follows me
Wherever I should chance to go,
John The Gun did say.
If you should chance to meet me
As I wander to and fro,
Sad would be your day.

My life is mine and the light did shine
Till the guns they did go through me,
So now I shall never fall.
Ideals of peace are gold which fools have found
Upon the plains of war.
I shall destroy them all.

Chorus
Put away your guns of steel,
Death comes too soon for all.
Your Master He may need you soon,
And you must heed His call.
I am the master of the games
That you will hardly ever play,
So I will teach your sons.
And if they should die
Before the evening of their span of days,
Why, then they will die young.

(Chorus)

Condemn me not,
For always will I play the game of war,
In moonshine or in sun.
And if any cross the path I choose to tread,
Their chances they are poor.
My name is John The Gun.

(Chorus)

1. Was there ever a winter so cold and so sad
The river too weary to flood
The storm and the wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood

2. I wasn't looking for trouble to tangle my line
But trouble came looking for me
I knew I was treading on treacherous ground
I was sinking too fast to run free

Refrain:
With her scheming, idle ways
She left me for naught
The storm and the wind cut through to my skin
But she cut through to my blood

3.

You must philosophise
But why must you bore me to tears?
You're red around the eyes
You tell me things no one else hears
You spend all your time crying
Crying the hours in tears
Crying the hours in tears

Come lend your time to me
And you will know that you are free
And when you look at me
Don't think you're owning what you see
For remember that you're free
And that's what you want to be
So just lend your time to me

You must philosophise
But why must you bore me to tears?
You're red around the eyes
You tell me things no one else hears
You spend all your time crying
Crying the hours in tears
Crying the hours in to ears

You gave so many things to remember you by
Like a heart full of emptiness like tears in my eye
When my heartaches all have gone
It will be because you gave me so much leaving alone

I've got everything I need to remember you
I've got all the things you gave me and you gave me quite a few
Like a heart full of emptiness like tears in my eyes
I got wall to wall of sadness I can walk on while I cry
You gave so many things...
[ banjo ]
Well I wish you hadn't given me this solitude
It's a gift that keeps on givin' after you've gone gone gone gone
When my heartaches all have gone
It will be because you gave me so much leaving alone

This house is dark and shuttered
Luck has gone out the door
No daytime will shine
In this empty room no more
Bad news is all the wind can carry

I heard a sound one morning
I bowed my head to weep
I heard a man dig my love's grave
The hole was dark, the hole was deep
Bad news is all the wind can carry

Some people say she wandered
And that she had a price, likewise
I'll cut their tongues and hang 'em high
They'll rot away with all their lies
Bad news is all the wind can carry

I'll steal a boat and rig her
On course I'll tie the wheel
I'll lay down to the stars
Until the bottom meets the keel
Bad news is all the wind can carry

There's riders in this county
They're taking heads for bounty
Wake up Corinne, they come to ride us down
Sweetness we have tasted
The time to move is wasted
They're riding like a hurricane through this town

We've been too many nights sleeping in a feather bed
You can't close both your eyes with a price on your head
You got to stand and fight for what you believe
You got to face death with your heart on your sleeve
Life is a card-game, you've soon got to leave

Living on borrowed, living on borrowed, living on borrowed time

If you say that you want your freedom
They'll hear you in every kingdom
They'll travel ten thousand miles just to shoot you down
Well the judge he was deluded
And the sheriff he soon colluded
And they swore they'd hang me six feet off the ground

They'll hunt you down 'cos you dare to tell the truth
A man ain't safe these days under his own roof
But you can't live your life under no man's thumb
They'll all pay double for what they've done
Our day's coming but their day's come

Living on borrowed, living on borrowed, living on borrowed time

You can't live your life under no man's thumb
They'll all pay double for what they've done
Our day's coming but their day's come

Living on borrowed, living on borrowed, living on borrowed time

I feel for you, you little horror
Safe at your mother’s breast
No lucky break for you around the corner
‘Cos your father is a bully
And he thinks that you’re a pest
And your sister, she’s no better than a whore

Life seems so rosy in the cradle
but I’ll be a friend, I’ll tell you what’s in store
There’s nothing at the end of the rainbow
There’s nothing to grow up for anymore

Tycoons and barrow boys will rob you
And throw you on the side
And all because they love themselves sincerely
And the man holds a bread-knife
Up to your throat, is four feet wide
And he’s anxious just to show you what it’s for

Your mother works so hard to make you happy
But take a look outside the nursery door
There’s nothing at the end of the rainbow
There’s nothing to grow up for anymore

All the sad and empty faces
That pass you on the street
All running in their sleep, all in a dream
Every loving handshake
Is just another man to beat
How your heart aches just to cut him to the core

Life seems so rosy in the cradle
but I’ll be a friend, I’ll tell you what’s in store
There’s nothing at the end of the rainbow
There’s nothing to grow up for anymore

When the stone is grown too cold to kneel
In crystal waters I'll be bound
Cold as stone, weary to the sounds upon the wheel

Now be thankful for good things below
Now be thankful to your maker
For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know

When the fire is grown too fierce to breathe
In burning irons I'll be bound
Fierce as fire weary to the sounds upon the wheel

Now be thankful for good things below
Now be thankful to your maker
For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know

When the stone is grown too cold to kneel
In crystal waters I'll be bound
Cold as stone, weary to the sounds upon the wheel

Now be thankful for good things below
Now be thankful to your maker
For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know

I drew near to the house of Layla
It was then I heard her call
Her sweet voice made me wish that it would never end at all
Oh you say you see some good in me
It's only from her light
Take this being gone from me, don't look to her delight
She was pleased with me, she drew me nearer
She took me into her retreat
Oh she kept my company, she spoke to me
She let me sit at her feet
Oh Layla Layla Layla Layla
Oh Layla Layla Layla Layla
Layla Layla Layla Layla
Layla Layla Layla Layla

And then she came close to me, the veils fell from my sight
She dazzled me, she bewildered me
Confused me with her light
Well you say you see some good in me, it's only from her light
Take this being gone from me
Don't look to her delight
And then she took me, and then she possessed me
She showed her meaning to me
I thought my soul would be her ransom
I thought that she was me
Oh Layla Layla Layla Layla
Oh Layla Layla Layla Layla

And then she slew me, she tore me to pieces
Her blood stained like a die
And when I was dead, she brought me to life
My star shone in her sky
Oh Layla Layla Layla Layla
Layla Layla Layla Layla
Layla Layla Layla Layla
Oh Layla Layla Layla Layla

I'm just a little beggar girl and Sally is my name
You can call me a skiver and I'll call you the same
You can show me you're sorry if you think it's a shame
That I'm only a poor little beggar girl
Yes I'm only a poor little beggar girl
You can show me you're sorry if you think it's a shame
That I'm only a poor little beggar girl

I'll dance with my peg leg a-wiggling at the knee
I'll play on the accordion my father gave to me
For it's well worth it all to please a gent such as thee
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl
Yes I'm only a poor little beggar girl
And it's well worth it all to please a gent such as thee
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl

I've been down to London, I've been up to Crewe
I travel far and wide to do the work that I do
'Cause I love taking money off a snob like you
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl
Yes I'm only a poor little beggar girl
And I love taking money off a snob like you
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl

Oh the poor they will be rich and the rich they will be poor
That's according to Saul when he wrote down the law
And I'd much rather be rich after than before
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl
Yes I'm only a poor little beggar girl
And I'd much rather be rich after than before
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl

If the words of my song do your conscience alarm
Just remember generosity is like a lucky charm
If you give me your money, it'll do you no harm
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl
Yes I'm only a poor little beggar girl
If you give me your money, it'll do you no harm
For I'm only a poor little beggar girl

See the boys out walking
The boys they look so fine
Dressed up in green velvet
Their silver buckles shine
Soon they'll be bleary-eyed
Under a keg of wine
Down where the drunkards roll
Down where the drunkards roll

See that lover standing
Staring at the ground
He's looking for the real thing
Lies were all he found
You can get the real thing
It will only cost a pound
Down where the drunkards roll
Down where the drunkards roll
There goes a troubled woman
She dreams a troubled dream
She lives out on the highway
She keeps her money clean
Soon she'll be returning
To the place where she's the queen
Down where the drunkards roll
Down where the drunkards roll
You can be a gambler
Who never drew a hand
You can be a sailor
Who never left dry land
You can be Lord Jesus
All the world will understand
Down where the drunkards roll
Down where the drunkards roll

Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time

For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?

Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving
Ah, but then you know it's time for them to go
But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving
I do not count the time

For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?

And I am not alone while my love is near me
I know it will be so until it's time to go
So come the storms of winter and then the birds in spring again
I have no fear of time

For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes