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Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt


Background information
Birth name John Townes Van Zandt
Born March 7, 1944
Born place Fort Worth, Texas, US
Died January 1, 1997
Death place Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, US
Genre(s) Country
Folk
Blues
Years active 1965—1996
Label(s) Fat Possum Records
Sugar Hill Records
Associated acts Steve Earle
Guy Clark
Lightnin' Hopkins
Mickey Newbury
Website Website



Music World  →  Lyrics  →  T  →  Townes Van Zandt  →  Albums  →  The Nashville Sessions

Townes Van Zandt Album



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(feat. Kathy Mattea)

At my window
Watching the sun go
Hoping the stars know
It's time to shine
Daydreams
Aloft on dark wings
Soft as the sun streams
At days decline

Living is laughing
Dying says nothing at all
Baby and I are laying here
Watching the evening fall

Time flows
Through brave beginnings
And she leaves her endings
Beneath our feet
Walk lightly
Upon their faces
Leave gentle traces
Upon their sleep

Living is dancing
Dying does nothing at all
Baby and I are laying here
Wathing the evening fall

Three dimes
Hard luck and good times
Fast lines and low rhymes
Ain't much to say
Feel fine
Feel low and lazy
Feel grey and hazy
Feel far away

Living is sighing
Dying ain't flying so high
Baby and I are lying here
Watching the day go by


. . .


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

. . .



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

I heard her sing in tongues of silver
I heard her cry on a summer storm
I loved her, but she did not know it
So I don't think about her anymore
Now she's gone, and I can't believe it
So I don't think about her anymore

If three and four was seven only
Where would that leave one and two?
If love can be and still be lonely
Where does that leave me and you?
Time there was, and time there will be
Where does that leave me and you?

If I had a buckskin stallion
I'd tame him down and ride away.


If I had a flyin' schooner
I'd sail into the light of day
If I had your love forever
Sail into the light of day

Pretty songs and pretty places
Places that I've never seen
Pretty songs and pretty faces
Tell me what their laughter means
Some look like they'll cry forever
Tell me what their laughter means.

If I had a buckskin stallion
I'd tame him down and ride away.
If I had a golden galleon
I'd sail into the light of day
If I had your love forever
Sail into the light of day

. . .


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

. . .


By townes van zandt
You can't hold meI'm too slipperyI do no sleepin'I get lonelyYou can touch meIf you want toI got poisonI just might bite you
Lie in circlesOn the sunlightShine like diamondsOn a dark nightAin't no mercyIn my smilin'Only fangs andSweet beguiling

Future, he don'tTry to find meSkin I been throughDies behind meSolid hollowWrapped in hatredNot a drop ofVenom wasted
You can slip inTry to find meHold your breath andFlat deny meIt makes no differenceTo my thinkin'I'll be here whenYou start sinkin'.

. . .



Loretta she's my barroom girl
Wheres them seven's on her sleeve
Dances like a diamond shines,
Tells me lies I love to believe
Her age is always twenty two
Her laughing eyes a hazel hue
Spends my money like a water falls
Loves me like I want her too.

Loretta won't you say to me
Darlin' put your guitar on
Have a little shot of booze
Play a blue and wailin' song
My guitar rings a melody
My guitar sings Loretta fine
Long and lazy wild and free
And I can have her any time

Sweetest at the break of day
Prettiest in the setting sun
She don't cry when I can't stay
Atleast not 'till she's all alone
Loretta I won't be gone long
Keep your dancing slippers on
Keep me on your mind a while
I'm comin' home, I'm comin' home




. . .



(feat. Doug Sahm)

Well, the clouds didn't look like cotton
They didn't even look like clouds
I was underneath the weather
My friends looked a crowd
The swimmin' hole was full of rum
I tried to find out why
All I learned was this my friend
You got to swim before you fly

I got two girls
One's in heaven and one's below
Oh, one I love with all my heart
And one I do not know.

Two lonesome dudes on an ugly horse
Passed by not long ago
They asked me where the action was
I said I did not know
As they disappeared into the brush
I heard the driver say
He's a little slow between the ears
He's always been that way.

Jolly jane just lays around
And listens with her mouth
She's had about a dozen husbands
But the last one pulled out
Now, who's gonna bring her dinner
Through the weary years ahead
All she'll get from me is sympathy
Got no time to see she's fed.

It's cold down on the bayou
They say it's in your mind
But the moccasins are treadin' ice
And leavin strange designs
Cajuns say the last time
That this happend they weren't here
All beaumont's full of penguins
And I'm a-playin' it by ear


. . .


By townes van zandt
There is a spider in my dreamsLong and silent is his nameCold as lightning is his smileFinal is his sting
His curse is deep as seven skiesBoys, I wouldn't tell you liesThe legends say he never sleepsHe's never hungry long
He's got us, boys, I believe it's trueBut I'm fighting till he lays me downRun his foul black body throughCleave him all asunder

Think your women, won't you boys,Think your mother growing oldThink about your darling sonSpittin' the spider's eye
Up (at ease) against him rideWe'll not take him by surpriseGive a scream down in your dreamsLet him know we're comin'
There is a spider in my dreamsLong and silent is his nameCold as lightning is his smileFinal is his sting

. . .



When she don't need me
It makes me crazy
She say rest easy
And it makes me lazy
But when she please me
She please me all night long

My friends are leavin'
She say don't worry
They're only leavin'
There is no parting
You will be lonely
I will be here with you

On the winds of darkness
The light is soring
And chains are bonded
Freedom is singing
Cling to the darkness
Until you've turned to song

The blues shall wash me
And sun shall dry me
The world will hide me
But she will find me
And when she find me
She will take me home

When she don't need me
It makes me crazy
She say rest easy
And it makes me lazy
But when she please me
She please me all night long


. . .


By townes van zandt

Sunrise comes and I don't know why
Living loves and the day does fly
Soon the moon and baby and i
Will be lyin' side by side

How many of your skies are blue?
How much of your love is true?
Where to get them eyes of green?
I'm knowin' you know just what I mean

If I have to go I won't be long


Maybe we'll move to tennessee
Leave these texas blues behind
See susanna and guy

Well, I'm in this cold room all alone
I guess I'll try the telephone
It'll be busy or she won't be home
Tomorrow is another day

Sunrise comes and I don't know why
Living loves and the day does fly
Soon the moon and baby and i
Will be lyin' side by side

. . .


By townes van zandt

Be my staple and my stay
Jesus help through each day
As I walk this weary way
Upon my soul

And when judgement falls to me
Through my saviour shall I be
Given peace eternally
Upon my soul

Upon my soul
Upon my free and joyous soul
Given peace eternally
Upon my soul

Jesus shine your light on me
Shine with love and charity
That I might help brothers see
Upon my soul

For temptation let me ply


Be my wings, lord, be my eyes
Guard me when old satan's nigh
Upon my soul

Upon my soul
Upon my free and joyous soul
Guard me when old satan's nigh
Upon my soul

I shall fill each earhly day
With the singing of his praise
Follow in his holy ways
Upon my soul

And when I lay my troubles down
On my brow he'll place a crown
And the trumpets all shall sound
Upon my soul

Upon my soul
Upon my free and joyous soul
And the trumpets all shall sound
Upon my soul

. . .


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