Lyrics
BitterSweet Blues
1. Snow in Mississippi
2. Epitaph
3. Passing By
4. Pray For Peace
5. Sleeping Under The Stars
6. Song In C
7. Shoofly Blue
8. Just Stuff
9. Berlin Blues
10. 2>1
11. Freight Train
12. Love Can Find a Way
Snow in Mississippi
-- I remember well the winter I was ten, when the big snow fell like it would never end
The weatherman said, there'll be no school today, so we dressed up warm and went out to play
We had a snowball fight and built a snowman too, we played all morning until our lips turned blue
Then we went inside to warm up for awhile, mama gave us hot chocolate and a big smile
But the sun came out in the afternoon, and the snow began to melt , much too soon
All the best things never last too long, they go by too fast like a love song
Like snow in Mississippi, like snow in Mississippi
Those home town days seem so long ago, and in a lot of ways more simple and slow
Then one fine day, I wore a cap and a gown, I got a set of wheels and I headed out of town
Traveling the land in a beat-up van, with a rock and roll band, I was a guitar man
From New York City, all the way down to New Orleans, out to California and all points between
I had a mighty fine time in my wasted youth, and I would do it all again and thats the gospel truth
All the best things never last too long, they go by too fast like a rock and roll song
Like snow in Mississippi, like snow in Mississippi
Time is a circle, that's what I've found, everything that happens is gonna come back around
So now I'm driving down a road where I used to ride, but now I'm behind the wheel with a little one by my side
The old folks say It's getting hotter each year, I guess we'll be okay as long as we got cold beer
But I think it'd be nice, come Christmastime, to see slivers of ice on the old windchime
and a yard full of snow where we could run and play, like a long time ago, once upon a winters day
All the best things never last too long, they go by too fast like a love song
Like snow in Mississippi, like snow in Mississippi
Epitaph
In the winter of 1935 in the town of Tupelo, the thin walls of a shotgun shack was little shelter from the cold
Twin boys were born on a winters day but one lay still and cold
so they laid him down in the cold ground... to sleep beneath the snow
Mother and son walked hand in hand to school and back again
He's the only child she'll ever have and she's his only friend
and as the darkness falls and the nightbirds call they turn on the radio
to sing along till the crack of dawn, across the tracks of Tupelo
Mama's boy moved to Memphis, driving a delivery truck
playing his guitar and combing his hair, waiting on Lady Luck
and then one day he met a man named Sam down at Sun studio
then it wasn't too long before he heard his song playing on the radio
He rode the sky like lightning from Graceland to Hollywood
Sang his song pure and strong and gave like Robin Hood
His life became a lesson and his legend won't cease to grow
How the angels sang on the day he came, to be born in Tupelo
Passing By
Sun's coming up on a brand new day, a cup of coffee and I'm on my way
out of this town and on down the line
I hadn't felt so free in I don't know when, I'm going back on the road again
cause I got the boot, but that suits me just fine
Being domesticated, is highly overrated, and even though I try, it don't satisfy so I'm passing by
just passing by
Faces of long lost friends, and places that I've never been
are calling me on I got a traveling jones again
Might go down to Mexico, call up a girl that I used to know
and see if she remembers way back when
I'll put on my walking shoes and sing these bittersweet blues
but darling I won't cry , or wonder why I'm passing by,
just passing by
Goodbye girl I wish you well , I guess I'll miss you time will tell
either way, it's gonna be okay
You got the prettiest eyes that I've ever seen, sometimes brown and sometimes green
and a smile that I won't forget while I'm away
This is just the way things are, it was written in the stars
so darling please don't cry, or wonder why I'm passing by
just passing by
PRAY FOR PEACE
Brother we got to pray, Brother we got to pray, brother we got to pray every day
Brother we got to pray, brother we got to pray
We got to pray for peace every day
Sister we got to pray...
This old world's in danger, too much greed and too much anger
Heaven send your angels, to help us on our way
People we got to pray, people we got to pray
We got to pray for peace every day
Mother we got to pray...
Father we got to pray...
SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS
Days are growing longer I'm getting stronger again
It's good to know who is and is not my friend
I lost it all in a hurricane, nothings ever gonna be the same again, never again
But I don't miss the fancy car, and drinking in a crowded bar
When I'm sleeping under the stars, sleeping under the stars
Lying in the tall grass by the riverside,
watching a sundog in the clouds passing by
It's been a pretty damn good day, I wouldn't have had it any other way, any other way
I'm checking out Venus and Mars, and puffing on a funny cigar
I'm sleeping under the stars, sleeping under the stars
When I see you now I don't know what to say
How's about, it's gonna be okay
It's time to let go of love and hate, and find a new way to relate to you, a way that is true
It doesn't matter where you are, in my heart it's never that far
When I'm sleeping under the stars , sleeping under the stars
SONG IN C
On a gravel road twenty miles from town, I'm lowriding with Larry Brown
Up into the hills, we're feeling free
A red hawk circles high above the trees, riding on the breeze
We're talking about a Montana job, and who killed Pizza Bob
Stopping at the store for more beer and ice
they got cigarettes and pizza by the slice , and fuzzy dice
From Prophet Bridge we made our way, across the county for half a day
then back to Taylor as the sun was sinking low
people on their front porch wave hello, and take it slow
In front of the old country store in Taylor, a bluegrass band on a flatbed trailer
is laying it down with a sound so bittersweet
I don't know if I should cry or tap my feet, or dance in the street
Jimmy Dees and Nicky sitting on a bench, surrounded by many a lovely wench
telling a joke and sharing a toke on the sly
I can smell the catfish being fried with hushpuppies on the side
Big Lynn is whittling on a stick, he moves slow but his wits are quick
he takes a sip of whisky and he sighs, and says "Boys, this is paradise"
You know he never lies
The band was playing it fast and hot, girls were shaking everything they got
Hounddogs were howling at the moon,
Then the singer called out "one last tune", much too soon
And so it's time to say goodbye, my oh my how the time does fly
one more round and then I'm bound to go
Down Campground Cemetery Road, back to my abode
Fare you well my good old friend, until we meet again, I know we will some sunny day
Then we'll take our guitars out and play our blues away
SHOOFLY BLUE
shoofly blue, the color of the sky, people say if you paint it on your porch
it'll keep away the flies
keep the flies away
on a summer day
way down south, down in new orleans, in the summer time it get's so hot you gotta
cut off your jeans
down in new orleans
standing by your man
at the snocone stand
someday soon, when you're in the mood, we'll go swimming by the light of the moon
in the nude
want to see your tatoo
by the light of the moon
in a secret lagoon
shoofly blue, the color of your eyes , I love you
but I don't know why
cause you make me cry
but then it's all okay
like a summer day
JUST STUFF
When Hurricane Katrina, came to my town
it blew over trees and knocked my house down
all of my stuff was scattered out in the yard
I'm here to tell you we got hit pretty hard
but hey ya'll, I'm still a lucky guy, you know why?
Cause I'm still alive
It's just stuff , it aint nothing but a thing
Just stuff, life is not about bling
Whenever I feel like I can't get enough , I got to say to myself
It's just stuff
I went on down to Walmart and what did I find
The whole damn town was there standing in line
They didn't look happy and they didn't look sad
Just upgrading something that they already had
I said "hell... I'll never get in here today, oh well"
I got everything I need , a whole lot more that I don't
but no matter what I got there's always something I want
30 days no payment, I just got to try it
It's such a damn deal I cant' afford not to buy it
Fantastic Plastic, drastically reduced
Industrial strength organic prune juice
All you can eat at the buffet bar
and no money down on a brand new care
It's just stuff...
2>1 (Two is greater than one)
Suzy was a delta debutante
her daddy gave her everything she wants
but now she's working in a restuarant
out in Hollywood
She packed away her prom dress
now she's gonna be an actress
so she's sleeping on a mattress
in a garage apartment in the hood
And every night before she goes to sleep
she prays to the lord her soul to keep
and then she lays herself down
to dream about her old hometown
Her lover Johnny plays lead guitar
she met him in a hipster bar
He said "I want to be a star,
but doesn't everyone?"
He's in a band called the White Noise
really just a bunch of pretty boys
the singer's got a lousy voice
but it's a lot of fun
Johnny stays up all night long
trying to write that perfect song
until Suzy says
"Baby won't you come to bed?"
They went to Vegas on a road trip
Won a bundle and they cashed their chips
and got married right there on the strip
laughing all the way
Their friends are saying it'll never last
they got together way too fast
those two are living in the past
nobody stays together these days
But that was twenty years ago today
there's been plenty of tears along the way
but they're still having fun
they say that two is greater than one.