Townes Van Zandt Album

[No lyrics]

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

Why does she sing her sad songs for me, I'm not the one
To tenderly bring her soft sympathy, I've just begun
To see my way clear and it's plain if I stop I will fall
I can lay down a tear for her pain, just a tear and that's all
What does she want me to do
She says that she knows that moments are rare
I suppose that it's true
Then on she goes to say I don't care and she knows that I do
Maybe she just has to sing for the sake of the song
Who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong

She'd like to think that I'm cruel but she knows that's a lie for I would be
No more than a tool if I allowed her to cry all over me
My sorrow is real even though I can't change my plans
If she could see how I feel then I know that she'd understand
Does she actually think I'm to blame
Does she really believe that some word of mine
Could relieve all her pain
Can't she see that she grieves just because she's been blindly deceived
By her shame
Maybe she just has to sing for the sake of the song
Who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong

Nothin's what it seems, maybe she'll start someday to realize
If she abandons her dreams then all the words she can say are only lies
When will she see that to gain is only to lose
All that she offers me are her chains, I got to refuse
It's only to herself that she's lied
She likes to pretend there's something that she should defend with her pride
I don't intend to stand her and be the friend from whom she must hide
Maybe she just has to sing for the sake of the song
Who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong

My lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom
The moon's dancin' purple
All through her black hair
And a ladies-in-waiting she stands 'neath my window
And the sun will rise soon on the false and the fair

She tells me she comes from my mother the mountain
Her skin fits her tightly
And her lips do not lie
She silently slips from her throat a medallion
Slowly she twirls it in front of my eyes

I watch her, I love her, I long for to touch her
The satin she's wearin'
Is shimmering blue
Outside my window her ladies are sleeping
My dogs have gone hunting
The howling is through

So I reach for her hand and her eyes turns to poison
And her hair turns to splinters,
And her flesh turns to brine
She leaps cross the room, she stands in the window
And screams that my first-born
Will surely be blind

She throws herself out to the black of the nightfall
She's parted her lips
But she makes not a sound
I fly down the stairway, and I run to the garden
No trace of my true love
Is there to be found

So walk these hills lightly, and watch who you're lovin'
By mother the mountain
I swear that it's true
Love not a woman with hair black as midnight
And her dress made of satin
All shimmering blue

Won't say I love you, babe
Won't say I need you, babe
But I'm gonna' get you, babe
And I will not do you wrong
Living's mostly wasting time
And I waste my share of mine
But it never feels too good
So let's don't take too long
Well, you're soft as glass and I'm a gentle man
We got the sky to talk about
And the world to lie upon

Days up and down they come
Like rain on a conga drum
Forget most, remember some
Oh, but don't turn none away
Everything is not enough
Nothing is too much to bear
Where you've been is good and gone
All you keep is the getting there
Well, to live's to fly, all low and high
So shake the dust off of your wings
And the sleep out of your eyes

It's goodbye to all my friends
It's time to leave again
Here's to all the poetry
And the picking' down the line
I'll miss the system here
The bottom's low and the treble�s clear
But it don't pay to think too much
On things you leave behind
Well, I may be gone, but it won't be long
I'll be bringing back the melody
And the rhythm that I find

We all got holes to fill
Them holes are all that's real
Some fall on you like a storm
Sometimes you dig your own
The choice is yours to make
Time is yours to take
Some dive into the sea
Some toil upon the stone
Well, to live's to fly awe low and high
So shake the dust off of your wings
And the sleep out of your eye
Oh, shake the dust off of your wings
And the tears out of your eye

Well, won't you lend your lungs to me?
Mine are collapsing
Plant my feet and bitterly breathe
Up the time that's passing.
Breath I'll take and breath I'll give
Pray the day ain't poison
Stand among the ones that live
In lonely indecision.

Fingers walk the darkness down
Mind is on the midnight
Gather up the gold you've found
You fool, it's only moonlight.
If you try to take it home
Your hands will turn to butter
You better leave this dream alone
Try to find another.

Salvation sat and crossed herself
Called the devil partner
Wisdom burned upon a shelf
Who'll kill the raging cancer
Seal the river at its mouth
Take the water prisoner
Fill the sky with screams and cries
Bathe in fiery answers

Jesus was an only son
And love his only concept
Strangers cry in foreign tongues
And dirty up the doorstep
And I for one, and you for two
Ai'nt got the time for outside
Just keep your injured looks to you
We'll tell the world we tried

By townes van zandt
Days full of rainSkys comin' down againI get so tiredOf these same old bluesSame old songBaby, it won't be long'fore I be tyin' onMy flyin' shoesFlyin' shoesTill I be tyin' onMy flyin' shoes
Spring only sighedSummer had to be satisfiedFall is a feelin' that I just can't lose.I'd like to stayMaybe watch a winter dayTurn the green waterTo white and blueFlyin' shoesFlyin' shoesTill I be tyin' onMy flyin' shoes

The mountain moonForever sets too soonBein' alone is all the hills can doAlone and thenHer silver sails againAnd they will followIn their flyin' shoesFlyin' shoesThey will follow in theirFlyin' shoes
Days full of rainSkys comin' down againI get so tiredOf the same old bluesSame old songBaby, it won't be longTill I be tyin' onMy flyin' shoesFlyin' shoesTill I be tyin' onMy flyin' shoes

If I had no place to fall
And I needed to
Could I count on you
To lay me down?

I'd never tell you no lies
I don't believe it's wise
You got pretty eyes
Won't you spin me 'round

I ain't much of a lover it's true
I'm here then I'm gone
And I'm forever blue
But I'm sure wanting you

Skies full of silver and gold
Try to hide the sun
But it can't be done
Least not for long

And if we help each other grow
While the light of day
Smiles down our way
Then we can't go wrong

Time, she's a fast old train
She's here then she's gone
And she won't come again
Won't you take my hand

If I had no place to fall
And I needed to
Could I count on you
To lay me down?

By townes van zandt

If I had a dollar bill
Yes, I believe I surely will
Go to town and drink my fill
Early in the morning

Little darling, she's a redhaired thing
Man, she makes my legs to sing
Gonna buy her a diamond ring
Early in the morning

Mother was a golden girl
I slit her throat just to get her pearls
Cast myself into a whirl
Before a bunch of swine

It's a long way down the harlan road


Busted back and a heavy load
Won't get through to save my soul
Early in the morning

I've always been a gambling man
I've roled them bones with either hand
Seven is the promised land
Early in the morning

Whiskey'd be my dying bed
Tell me where to lay my head
Not with me is all she said
Early in the morning

If I had a dollar bill
Yes, I believe I surely will
Go to town and drink my fill
Early in the morning

By townes van zandt

I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine

White freight liner
Won't you steal away my mind
Ah, new mexico ain't bad, lord
And the people there they treat you kind
And the people there they treat you kind

Well, it's bad news from houston


Half my friends are dying
Well, it's bad news from houston
Half my friends are dying

Ah, lord, I'm gonna ramble
Till I get back to where I came
Ah, lord, I'm gonna ramble
Till I get back to where I came

I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine

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

By townes van zandt

Don't you take it too bad
If you're feelin' unlovin'
If you're feelin unfeelin'
If you're feelin' alone
Don't take it too bad

'cause it ain't you to blame, babe
Lord, it's just some kind of game made
Out of all of this living
That we got left to do

And if you go searchin'


For rhyme or for reason
Then you won't have the time
That it take just for talkin'
About the places you've been, babe
About the places you've seen, babe
And how soft the time flies
Past your window at night

And we just can't have that, girl
'cause it's a sad, lonesome, cold world
And a man need a woman just to stand by his side
And whisper sweet words in his ears about daydreams
And roses and playthings
And the sweetness of springtime
And the sound of the rain

So close and yet so far away
And all the things I'd hoped to say
Will have to go unsaid today
Perhaps until tomorrow
Your fears have built a wall between
Our lives and all what loving means
Will have to go unfelt it seems
And that leaves only sorrow
You built your tower strong and tall
Can't you see, it's got to fall someday

You close your eyes and speak to me
Of faith and love and destiny
As distant as eternity
From truth and understanding
The wind blows cold outside your door
It whispers words I've tried before
But you don't hear me anymore
Your pride's just too demanding
You built your tower strong and tall
Can't you see, it's got to fall someday

The end is coming soon it's plain
A warm bed just ain't worth the pain
And I will go and you'll remain
With the bitterness we've tasted
A mother's breast, a newborn child
A poet's tear and drunken smile
I can't help feelin' all the while
Their meaning won't be wasted
You built your tower strong and tall
Can't you see, it's got to fall someday

By townes van zandt
Ride the blue wind high and freeShe'll lead you down through miseryLeave you low, come time to goAlone and low as low can be
If I had a nickel I'd find a gameIf I won a dollar I'd make it rainIf it rained an ocean I'd drink it dryAnd lay me down dissatisfied
Legs to walk and thoughts to flyEyes to laugh and lips to cryA restless tongue to classifyAll born to grow and grown to die

So tell my baby I said so longTell my mother I did no wrongTell my brother to watch his ownAnd tell my friends to mourn me none
I'm chained upon the face of timeFeelin' full of foolish rhymeThere ain't no dark till something shinesI'm bound to leave this dark behind
Ride the blue wind high and freeShe'll lead you down through miseryLeave you low, come time to goAlone and low as low can be

(feat. Kimmie Rhodes)

Brother flower, are you listenin'?
Let me sing a song for you
Brother flower, petals glistenin',
In the bashful mornings dew
Brother flower, when the sun shines
And the dew has flown away
If you don't mind weak and wrong rhymes
Brother flower, may I stay?

Brother flower, you ain't lonely
For you've always been alone
But I haven't been so lucky
I had love and now it's gone
I have arms to hold another
Never to hold her again
I have life to give lover
You have life to give the wind

Brother flower, when the snow flies
And you lay your beauty down
Brother flower, are you sleepin'
There upon the cold, cold ground
Brother flower, please awaken
Show the sky your face of blue
Let me know I ain't forsaken
Seems like all I have is you

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

I'm goin' out to Denver
See if I can't find
I'm goin' out to Denver
See if I can't find
That lovin' Colorado girl of mine

The promise in her smile
Shames the mountains tall
The promise in her smile
Shames the mountains tall
She bring the sun to shining
Tell the rain to fall

It's been a long time, mama,
Since I heard you call my name
Ah, been a long time
Since I heard you call my name
I got to see my Colorado girl again

Be there tomorrow
Mama, don't you cry
Be there tomorrow
Now, mama, don't you cry
I got to kiss these lonesome
Texas blues good-bye

I'm goin' out to to Denver
See if I can't find
I'm goin' out to to Denver
See if I can't find
That lovin' Colorado girl of mine
That lovin' Colorado girl of mine