LYRICS
MOLINE
there’s people on the highway
people leaving town
trying to find a standing sign
or just some higher ground
you smiled like a genius
when you headed out that way
all you hold is fool’s gold and prayers
from those of us who pray
the wheel spins, the end begins
as written in their books
he had a bride from riverside
who tired of his looks
and in the city where she lives
they say it looks like snow
he gets up from the table
turns off the radio
that’s her way
(come and see me on the other side)
that’s what we say
live another day
(I will see you on the other side)
just the fates at play
stranger at my doorway
say they know my name
I don’t recognize the face
but they’re welcome just the same
they say there’s water in Moline
jobs in Idaho
the sparrow flies with made up eyes
and somewhere else to go
that’s her way...
SOLDIER'S FIELD
I had to get ugly before I could be beautiful
had to be stupid before I learned a thing
had to get the spirit before I could be physical
had to hear the voices before I learned to sing
no sense trying to calculate
you said it was the hand of fate
reaching down to save our mortal souls
nothing adds up anyway
it’s all subtraction, take away
we’re only beggers setting out
our begging bowls
I was bowled over when I got a look at the machinery
a couples years older in just one afternoon
early june you pointed out the scenery
that’s when you decided we had to change the tune
every year around that date
I recall the iron gate
we stormed it, we brought the kingdom down
a lonely bed near soldier’s field
traffic stalled, truth revealed
time itself suspended
like light above the town
I had to be tempted to learn about my loyalty
had to be moving but now I’m standing still
had to be a poor man to learn that I am royalty
had to be hungry but now I’ve had my fill
SOLID STATE
darling, see you standing in your flowered dress
smiling, as if the world were not a holy mess
one look at you and who could guess
papers, held in front of you as you recite
peepers, perfect symphony to such a night
epitome of your delight
and this world just rolls along
nothing’s right and nothing’s wrong
there is no map, no chart
we’ve only hands and heart
to make our way
closely, hold your children, one upon each knee
teach them simple songs with lovely melody
make for them a memory
quiet, solid state, turn on the radio
baught it at the fair a couple years ago
she might be on, you never know
and this world just rolls along...
LUMINOUS
I’m becoming luminous
as the world goes dark
all lit up like fields of fire
ignited by one spark
the holy light of morning
shines down were you slept
illuminates your body, gone
and every tear we wept
Tuscaloosa
Tonawanda
anywhere I go
Caladonia
Oogallala
anywhere I go
silver birches, sugar maples
an evergreen or two
shade the brook where we mistook
the things we thought that we could do
the birds have come and gone again
the years move faster still
oh my lover, oh my friend
i've lost my iron will
FIX
bone deep, eighteen below
there’s things you shouldn’t know
silent as the snow
and still, I write
it’s late at night
I’m out of sight
and out of mind
I see what we once were
able strong and sure
dirty, drunk and pure
you cracked your smile
and left in style
and all the while
you never knew
“I can only call this holy
I’ll take you when I go
you are my one and my only
I’ll do all that I can...”
A PERFECT TIME FOR THIEVES
black as laquer,nothing quite like 3 a.m.
they say it’s the perfect time for thieves
she shook his shoulder, pointed at the sky
a night like that will make a man believe
from the causeway, he can see her building
the clothesline and chimes on her back deck
fill the bower, mark the hour that will come
before the perfect wreck
he laughed and said she was his Irish girl
beauty rivaling the moon
he promised he’d be back for her
sometime in early june
she rolls over, tells him not to speak
“just put on your clothes and go
it isn’t you my dear, it’s been an aweful week
there’s things you really shouldn’t know”
just a soldier worn out from the wars
ashamed to even show my face
you shook my shoulder pointed at the sky
the stars, they bloomed like queen anne’s lace
now that it has been a thousand years
I hope that you’ve forgotten me
clandistine and filled with fear
locked up, consigned to history
there’s people on the highway
people leaving town
trying to find a standing sign
or just some higher ground
you smiled like a genius
when you headed out that way
all you hold is fool’s gold and prayers
from those of us who pray
the wheel spins, the end begins
as written in their books
he had a bride from riverside
who tired of his looks
and in the city where she lives
they say it looks like snow
he gets up from the table
turns off the radio
that’s her way
(come and see me on the other side)
that’s what we say
live another day
(I will see you on the other side)
just the fates at play
stranger at my doorway
say they know my name
I don’t recognize the face
but they’re welcome just the same
they say there’s water in Moline
jobs in Idaho
the sparrow flies with made up eyes
and somewhere else to go
that’s her way...
SOLDIER'S FIELD
I had to get ugly before I could be beautiful
had to be stupid before I learned a thing
had to get the spirit before I could be physical
had to hear the voices before I learned to sing
no sense trying to calculate
you said it was the hand of fate
reaching down to save our mortal souls
nothing adds up anyway
it’s all subtraction, take away
we’re only beggers setting out
our begging bowls
I was bowled over when I got a look at the machinery
a couples years older in just one afternoon
early june you pointed out the scenery
that’s when you decided we had to change the tune
every year around that date
I recall the iron gate
we stormed it, we brought the kingdom down
a lonely bed near soldier’s field
traffic stalled, truth revealed
time itself suspended
like light above the town
I had to be tempted to learn about my loyalty
had to be moving but now I’m standing still
had to be a poor man to learn that I am royalty
had to be hungry but now I’ve had my fill
SOLID STATE
darling, see you standing in your flowered dress
smiling, as if the world were not a holy mess
one look at you and who could guess
papers, held in front of you as you recite
peepers, perfect symphony to such a night
epitome of your delight
and this world just rolls along
nothing’s right and nothing’s wrong
there is no map, no chart
we’ve only hands and heart
to make our way
closely, hold your children, one upon each knee
teach them simple songs with lovely melody
make for them a memory
quiet, solid state, turn on the radio
baught it at the fair a couple years ago
she might be on, you never know
and this world just rolls along...
LUMINOUS
I’m becoming luminous
as the world goes dark
all lit up like fields of fire
ignited by one spark
the holy light of morning
shines down were you slept
illuminates your body, gone
and every tear we wept
Tuscaloosa
Tonawanda
anywhere I go
Caladonia
Oogallala
anywhere I go
silver birches, sugar maples
an evergreen or two
shade the brook where we mistook
the things we thought that we could do
the birds have come and gone again
the years move faster still
oh my lover, oh my friend
i've lost my iron will
FIX
bone deep, eighteen below
there’s things you shouldn’t know
silent as the snow
and still, I write
it’s late at night
I’m out of sight
and out of mind
I see what we once were
able strong and sure
dirty, drunk and pure
you cracked your smile
and left in style
and all the while
you never knew
“I can only call this holy
I’ll take you when I go
you are my one and my only
I’ll do all that I can...”
A PERFECT TIME FOR THIEVES
black as laquer,nothing quite like 3 a.m.
they say it’s the perfect time for thieves
she shook his shoulder, pointed at the sky
a night like that will make a man believe
from the causeway, he can see her building
the clothesline and chimes on her back deck
fill the bower, mark the hour that will come
before the perfect wreck
he laughed and said she was his Irish girl
beauty rivaling the moon
he promised he’d be back for her
sometime in early june
she rolls over, tells him not to speak
“just put on your clothes and go
it isn’t you my dear, it’s been an aweful week
there’s things you really shouldn’t know”
just a soldier worn out from the wars
ashamed to even show my face
you shook my shoulder pointed at the sky
the stars, they bloomed like queen anne’s lace
now that it has been a thousand years
I hope that you’ve forgotten me
clandistine and filled with fear
locked up, consigned to history