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Old John on his deathbed cried:
"Think I will wait 'til tomorrow to die
Sun is shining, birds do sing
This, sir, is no day to go
Up and out the door"
CHORUS:
I've had a life that's full
Everyone's been good to me
So fire up that fiddle, boy
And give me one last drink
When the sun comes up
I will leave without a fight
The world is mine tonight.
Took young Molly by the hand
Spun her 'round and back again
Clicked his heels, bowed his head
Never a tear in his eye
Carried on 'til five
So raise a glass to the dear departed ones
The room was full of all his friends
Never a funeral, this was the end
They drank to all who lent their hand
Everyone drank to John,
Raised a glass and said:
I've had a life that's full
Everyone's been good to me
So fire up that fiddle, boy
And give me one last drink
When the sun comes up
I will leave without a trace
The world was mine today.
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Thought we had a grudge against
Our friends who live beyond the fence
Victims of a circumstance or writers of our fate?
Proud enough to cast a stone
But not enough to lose our homes
Now it's done we have been shown
The things that were at stake
Should have stopped to think about it
Would have brought to light our doubts
I wish the silent ones had shouted
At us to our face
Would we even listen then?
Or could we only see the damage
When the dust had settled
And we finally saw the waste
CHORUS:
Hey, ho, the wind has blown
Won the war, now there's nothing to show
Seeds sewn, time to grow
No more stones to throw
Now it's time to reap the corn
But no one's left to grow it for
I'm knockin' on my neighbor's door
Alas, to no reply
Now I want to live in peace
But no one's here to live with me
I should have learned of harmony
Before I took a side
Situation took a hold of
Common sense and wouldn't go
Although I guess we could have known
The error of our ways
All alone at dinnertime
No one's left to drink my wine
As I propose a toast to
Every family that paid
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Train moves on another town
whisky's gone another round
whisky's gone
eagle flies overhead
sun will rise sun will set
sun will rise
fee fie foe diddle eh
never get to heaven if the devil's on his way
fee fie foe diddle um
buy another round if the devil don't come
i was born on the road
had to crawl to save my soul
had to crawl
devil hides at every turn
gotta roll so I don't burn
gotta roll
gotta find a place to rest
I've been east and i've been west
I've been down
round on the house if the devil don't come.
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I'm an actor a web-voyeur
I'm a fall-down follow-through
Trying hard to find somebody
And be somebody
Like we're all supposed to do
Any day now the lights will change
And we'll all be forced to go
Running with our heads down
Hiding our eyes from people
We don't know
CHORUS:
Maybe I'm just cynical
I could care less than I do
It's a feeling I've grown tired of
Haven't you
And if I ever leave it all behind
Maybe you'll be leaving too
But it's obvious you're cynical
You don't believe in miracles
It's amazing colour dreams of things
I can see in monochrome
I can buy a prime-time body
With part-time money
From the comfort of my home
We're so lazy
We're soap-box heroes
And we've got so much to say
But if I never cast my ballot
I wash my hands and walk away
CHORUS:
Maybe I'm just cynical
I could care less than I do
It's a feeling I've grown tired of
Haven't you
When I finally leave it all behind
Maybe you'll be leaving too
But it's obvious you're cynical
You don't believe in miracles
Maybe it's a dream it's a nightmare
Figure we've fallen asleep
We've fallen asleep
And if I close my eyes
I'm alone in the room
Can it go any deeper, go any deeper?
CHORUS:
Maybe I'm just cynical
I could care less than I do
It's a feeling I've grown tired of
Haven't you
And if I ever leave it all behind
Maybe you'll be leaving too
But it's obvious you're cynical
You don't believe in miracles
If you can't believe your eyes
What can I do?
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Marti was a fightin' man
Whose story should be told
He was a son of circumstance
He couldn't quite control
His father gave him pellet guns
And plastic hand grenades
Had him marching up and down
Like he was on parade
Marti was a fightin' boy
His parents made it clear
Military college was his home
For seven years
They'd make a soldier out of him
No matter what the price
He said he was a pacifist
They called it cowardice
CHORUS:
All I ever wanted to be was
Left alone to live in peace
But nobody would ever listen to me
They forced a gun into my hands and
Told me what to do with it
Nobody would ever listen to me
Marti was a fightin' man
On graduation day
Splendid in his uniform
He smartly marched away
And when the call to action came
In battle he did rise
Dodging blood and bullets and
Indoctrinated lives
Marti was a fightin' man
The enemy was sure
Both had drawn their guns
And after that it was a blur
Marti was the faster draw
But purposely shot wide
Peace to you my friend
Was all he said before he died
What is this world we've left our
Sons and daughters now
So full of hatred pain
Hipocrisy and power
We would not listen
When they told us how they felt
And so by God I hopw we're happy now
Marti was a fightin' man
The eulogy was read
Served his country well
A brave young man is what they said
What is this world we've left our
Sons and daughters now
So full of hatred pain
Hipocrisy and power
It's time we listen
To the things they have to say
By God I hope it's
Not too late to change
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Jerry's keeping up with the neighbours
Good for the man on the go
Rabbit's got a new monthly flavour
Helps to keep the dogs on the down-low
Anna's feeling less self-destructive
Feeling less in general too
Her kids have been a lot more productive
Anna's got a lot less to do
CHORUS:
Cause they can make you
Break you and better you
Don't ask don't tell you anything
If it's the same damn song
Why are you listening
Jerry's got a familiar feeling
Heart is pumping and mind is full
Counting all the cracks in the ceiling
Fear is frozen in amber bottles
One a day to kill your resentment
Two a day if you're ill at ease
While Anna pays to pursue contentment
Her doctor's making new NME's
It's a kind of answer kind and fair
Nice and normal soft and flawless
If the doctor doesn't care
Who can say the question's even there?
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Under the curtains the exit sign glows
Go now and no one will know
If you try later it may be too late
Don't read the lines and get
Lost in the light on the stage
CHORUS:
Two lovers standing hand in hand
Powerless to choose
I's are dotted, stars are crossed
Alone against the muse
It may look enticing
But don't walk that line
That's what they want you to try
If you go chasing her spark in the night
Don't call my name when they're
Laughing and you're in the fire
Isn't there anything that we can do
For a friend? (aren't you listening?)
Choking on pride, unable to think
With his head (can't you hear us?)
We see the big picture, we know the way
It will end (oh well I guess)
That sometimes we have to let go
There's but one way for water to flow
So just sit back and enjoy the show
The ashes have settled
Pawns have been played
What was your part in the game?
The house is now silent
What was your lot?
Did you rise up with the curtain or
Fall for the plot?
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I'm away to the city
Never thought I'd have to sell the farm
It's a shame, what a pity
Now I've got a condo for a barn
Came to town on my tractor
Didn't want to leave it there to rust
Now I drive to the office
Never was the kind to take the bus
Chickens on the chesterfield
Ducks on the duvet
Henry the horse is in the hall
They say that we should make the best
Of everything that comes
So that's what I've done
Got a call from my landlord
Said that only dogs and cats could stay
He agreed to a treaty
As long as he got fresh eggs everyday
Cows are in the kitchen
And the sheep are on the shelves
Henry the horse is in the hall
They say that we should make the best
Of everything that comes
So that's what I've done
Of all the jobs moving to the city
Farming is the easiest to take
For if I were a fisherman
Surely I would have to bring a lake
Donkeys in the dining room
Pigs are by the pool
Henry the horse is in the hall
They say that we should make the best
Of everything that comes
So that's what I've done
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I met an old man one night in a bar
He was sitting alone
The way men his age always are
His movements were slow
Didn't speak very well
But every old man has a story to tell
He lived by the book
Went to church every day
But his wife left him young
With two daughters and bills to pay
He worked himself hard
And the years flickered past
His girls kept him young
But they grew up so fast
Prodigal faith always felt second best
When she turned seventeen
She took her coat and her camera
And headed west
It broke her dad's heart
But as he likes to say
With enough time apart
Even faith fades away
Jenny met Ray in his last days ashore
They married in May
And that August he joined the war
He said Jenny don't cry
I'll be home in the fall
So she held her head high
And said nothing at all
Then he got in a plane
Took it up in the air
It never came down
For all she knows it's stlil
Flying around up there
Then Jenny went wrong
And the last that I heard
It's been seven years long
Since she uttered a word
Seven years gone
Since she uttered a word
Now her father just sits
All alone at the bar
He orders his drinks
And smokes cigarettes
He knows he can't afford
He's got no regrets
Says he's doing quite well
But every old man
Has a story to tell
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I feel I've wandered
For most of my years
Taken some wrong turns
They all brought me here
If the road is a body
Then a home is the soul
I think I can make it
But it's a long way to go
I've seen country and city
And I've made them both mine
Now the red lights are blurry
Between these white lines
Can't say I regret it
But it's taken its toll
I think I can make it
But it's a long way to go
It's a long way to go
It's a long long long way home
Now I stand on your front porch
Staring back at the rain
Guess I should have called first
But it's just not my way
This suitcase of memories
Is all I have to show
I think I can make it
But it's a long way to go
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Outside around the side
form a circle forwar I'm an
outsider on the side
formerly a farm-boy
inside I'm on the side
i'm divided undecided
back then around again
second time's a charm boy
upside mortified
rubber-necking bottle-necking
smoke-stacks cigarettes
polish on the details
i try to stay inside
eyes and ears and curtains closing
they lie on their sides
casualties of retail
back then the earth was green
dirt was black and the air/water was clean
and then upon the scene
cars and trucks and gasonline
inside i'm petrified
i don't want to hide/watch it anymore
black or white/left or right or in between
i'm never really sure which way i lean
hey mister what does it mean he said
cars and trucks need gasoline.
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Like ships in the squall we rise and we fall
We're plotting our course through waves
Some masts are tall with sails so strong
Others are tossed in the gale
We try to stay dry with salt in our eyes
No moment to rest or complain
The moon isn't far a clear sky and stars
Red sky at morn' on your tail
I'm not going to stand on the end of the pier
I'm not going to let you go down with the ship
Raise up your anchor it's time to set sail
And I'm not going to let you go down
Like ships we were made to dance o'er our graves
One false move and we could be thrown
Buried alive before our due time
To rest at sixty below
So jibe while you can if there's danger ahead
Stay on your course if you will
I'll throw you a line as waves start to rise
Bail as your ship starts to fill
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