Townes Van Zandt Album

Sometimes I don't know where
This dirty road is taking me
Sometimes I don't even know the reason why
But I guess I keep a-gamblin'
Lots of booze and lots of ramblin'
Well it's easier than just a-waitin' around to die

One time, friends, I had a ma
I even had a pa
Well he beat her with a belt once 'cause she cried
She told him to take care of me
Headed down to Tennessee
Well it's easier than just a-waitin' around to die

Well I came of age and I found a girl in a Tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hit in on the sly
I tried to hide the pain, I bought some wine and hopped a train
Well it's easier than just waitin' around to die

A friend said he knew
Where some easy money was
We robbed a man, and brother did we fly
The posse caught up with me
And drug me back to Muskogee
Two long years waitin' around to die

Well, now I'm out of prison
I got me a friend at last
Well he don't drink or steal or cheat or lie
His name's codeine
He's the nicest thing I've seen
Yah, together we're gonna wait around and die
Yah together we're gonna wait around and die

The name she gave was caroline
Daughter of a miner
Her ways were free
It seemed to me
That sunshine walked beside her

She came from spencer
Across the hill
She said her pa had sent her
'cause the coal was low
And soon the snow
Would turn the skies to winter

She said she'd come
To look for work
She was not seeking favors
And for a dime a day
And a place to stay
She'd turn those hands to labor

But the times were hard, lord,
The jobs were few
All through tecumseh valley
But she asked around
And a job she found
Tending bar at gypsy sally's

She saved enough to get back home
When spring replaced the winter
But her dreams were denied
Her pa had died
The word come down from spencer

So she turned to whorin' out on the streets
With all the lust inside her
And it was many a man
Returned again
To lay himself beside her

They found her down beneath the stairs
That led to gypsy sally's
In her hand when she died
Was a note that cried
Fare thee well... tecumseh valley

The name she gave was caroline
Daughter of a miner
Her ways were free
It seemed to me
That sunshine walked beside her

If I needed you would you come to me,
Would you come to me, and ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain

In the night forlorn the morning's born
And the morning shines with the lights of love
You will miss sunrise if you close your eyes
That would break my heart in two

The lady's with me now since I showed her how
To lay her lily hand in mine
Loop and Lil agree she's a sight to see
And a treasure for the poor to find

Living on the road my friend,
Is gonna keep you free and clean.
Now you wear your skin like iron,
And your breath as hard as kerosene.
You weren't your mama's only boy,
But her favorite one it seems.
She began to cry when you said goodbye,
And sank into your dreams.

Pancho was a bandit boys,
His horse was fast as polished steel,
He wore his gun outside his pants,
For all the honest world to feel.
Pancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico,
And nobody heard his dying words.
Ah, but that's the way it goes.

And all the Federales say,
They could have had him any day.
They only let him hang around,
Out of kindness, I suppose.

Lefty, he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to.
The dust that Pancho bit down south
Ended up in Lefty's mouth.
The day they laid poor Pancho low,
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go,
There ain't nobody knows.

And all the Federales say,
They could have had him any day.
They only let him slip away,
Out of kindness, I suppose.

Well the poets tell how Pancho fell,
And Lefty's living in a cheap hotel.
The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold,
And so the story ends we're told.
Pancho needs your prayers it's true,
But save a few for Lefty too.
He just did what he had to do,
And now he's growing old.

And a few grey Federales say
They could have had him any day.
They only let go so wrong,
Out of kindness, I suppose.

A few gray Federales say
They could have had him any day.
They only let him so wrong,
Out of kindness, I suppose.

I gotta guitar all my own
I gotta quarter for the telephone
I ain't headed down this highway all alone
One two three and maybe four
Honey they're knockin' on my door
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone

Got no daddy but I got a ma
Think she lives in Arkansas
Maybe I'll go see her some old day
It ain't like she'd really care
It ain't like she'd pay no fare
But I might just blow on through there anyway

Headed down to Alabam
Cause some trouble if I can
Aw buddy would you like to come along
It's a place I never been
And you know I could use a friend
They say they'll give us twenty bucks a song

I gotta guitar all my own
I gotta quarter for the telephone
I ain't headed down this highway all alone
One two three and maybe four
Honey they're knockin' on my door
I know I'm gonna miss you when I'm gone

(feat. Willie Nelson)

I stood in line and left my name
Took about six hours or so
Well, the man just grinned like it was all a game
Said they'd let me know
I put in my time till the pocono line
Shut down two years ago
I was staying at the mission till I met marie
Now I can't stay there no more

Fella 'cross town said he's lookin' for a man
To move some old cars around
Maybe me and marie could find a burned-out
Van and do a little settlin' down
Aw, but I'm just dreamin', I ain't got no ride
And the junkyard's a pretty good ways
That job's about a half week old besides
It'd be gone now anyway

Unemployment said I got no more checks
And they showed me to the hall
My brother died in georgia some time ago
I got no one left to call
Summer wasn't bad below the bridge
A little short on food that's all
Now I gotta get marie some kind of coat
We're headed down into fall

I used to play the mouth harp pretty good
Hustled up a little dough
But I got drunk and I woke up rolled
A couple of months ago
They got my harp and they got my dollar

Them low life so and so's
Harps cost money and I ain't got it
It's my own fault I suppose

The pocono's down but the chesapeak's runnin'
Two freights everyday
If it was just me I'd be headed south
But marie can't catch no train
She's got some pain and she thinks it's a baby,
Says we gotta wait and see
In my heart I know it's a little boy
Hope he don't end up like me

Well, the man's still grinnin' says he lost my file
I gotta stand in line again
I want to kill him but I just say no
I had enough of that line my friend
I head back to the bridge, it's getting kinda cold
I'm feelin' too low down to lie
I guess I'll just tell marie the truth
Hope she don't break down and cry

Marie she didn't wake up this morning
She didn't even try
She just rolled over and went to heaven
My little boy safe inside
I laid them in the sun where somebody'd find them
Caught a chesapeak on the fly
Marie will know I'm headed south
So's to meet me by and by

Marie will know I'm headed south
So to meet me by and by

The old woman finally caught me
Sneakin' 'round her cave
Her hair looked just like barbwire, boys
And her smile just like the grave
She asked me could I stay awhile
I said I'd better go
She slid her arm around my neck
And sweetly whispered no

It's cold and dark and lonely here
As soon enough you'll see
I'm oh so glad you stumbled in
I've been cravin' company
I cannot stay too long you know
I left some friends at home
Don't you fret about your friends
Down here we're all alone

What about my mother
I can't just leave her there to mourn
You don't have to think about her
Just forget you were ever born
I'll disappoint my father
You know he worked so hard for me
If you have to pay your father back
Just send him some misery

I'll miss, I said, a girl I know
I can't just leave her there to pine
She's still got plenty of men to go
I'm sure she'll do just fine
What about my little boy
She said, he's just like you
Let a few short years roll by
He'll end up down here too

Then her pale green eyes began to glow
She placed her hand on mine
She smiled and said don't worry
You'll get used to me in time
As her cold tongue flickered toward my throat
I spun myself around
Made a dive for the passageway

But the walls come crashing down
Now her eyes were the only light
My fevered brain could see
But I tore myself away from them
And fell down to my knees
I've come too far, I can't get back
I beseeched the gods of men
Fame and fortune just laughed at me
Then silence once again

I whisper deep within
Embrace the God of love
I lifted my face and through the tears
I saw light fall from above

I hurled myself into the wall
I ripped and clawed my way
Through the stinkin', clingin' loam
Back to the light of day
I crawled out into the wind again
The sky upon my face
I heard the earth sigh patiently
As it slid back into place

Now I'm back among the ones I love
I'm loved by them in turn
And it's only on the darkest night
That green eyed memory burns
So walk my friends, in the light of day
Don't go sneakin' 'round no holes
There just might be something down there
Wants to gobble up your soul

Baby hit the back door breathin' real heavy
Said the boys in the alley wouldn't leave her alone
Mama did her make-up in a terrible hurry
She finally got ready but the boys were gone
Mama don't you worry, night's aproachin'
There's a hole in heaven where some sin slips through
Close your eyes and dream real steady
Maybe just a little will spill on you

The dark don't lie
And dreams come true
Could be a few will see you through

Old lady Rose, lookin' down her nose
At lonely Miss Lily hiding in the hall
Lily's just praying for the trial to be over
Rosy's just waitin' for the ax to fall
Show me off on the way to town
The sky's still shiny and the earth's still brown
Tell the judge I'm ready for the vases
Gonna dance in their faces when the guitar sounds

It won't be long
I'll be long gone
I've been leaning toward the shadows all along

Those in the know say how it goes
You plan on reapin' you better sow
You plan on sleepin' you better keep movin'
Sleepin' ain't allowed around here you know
Tell me please when the rollin's over
Me and my baby gonna have some fun
Bury our backs in a bed of clover
Smile in style while the sun goes down

Snake eyes cry
And boxcars sigh
Poor seven's in the middle just a-wonderin' why

The dark don't lie
And dreams come true
All it takes is one or two
Maybe just a few will see you through
Maybe just a few will see you through

I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
You know she cools me with her breathin'
Chases away those howlin' bottles of wine

She fits just like my guitar
Man, she's near as tall as me
She fits just like my guitar
She's near as tall as me
She lives way out the d train
But she's texas as can be

She got a home-spun disposition
Man, she's just as gentle as you please
She got a home-spun disposition
Man, she's just as gentle as you please
She got arms just like two rattle snakes
Legs just like a billow in the breeze

I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
I want to trace her with my body
I want to track her with my mind

[No lyrics]