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I was walkin' down the street
In the town where I was born
I was movin' to a beat
That I'd never felt before
So I opened up my eyes
And I took a look around
I saw it written 'cross the sky
The revolution starts now
Yeah, the revolution starts now
The revolution starts now
When you rise above your fear
And tear the walls around you down
The revolution starts here
Where you work and where you play
Where you lay your money down
What you do and what you say
The revolution starts now
Yeah the revolution starts now
Yeah the revolution starts now
In your own backyard
In your own hometown
So what you doin' standin' around?
Just follow your heart
The revolution starts now
Last night I had a dream
That the world had turned around
And all our hopes had come to be
And the people gathered 'round
They all brought what they could bring
And nobody went without
And I learned a song to sing
The revolution starts now
. . .
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When I pulled out of Basra they all wished me luck
Just like they always did before
With a bulletproof screen on the hood of my truck
And a Bradley on my back door
And I wound her up and shifted her down
And I offered this prayer to my lord
I said “God get me back home to Houston alive
and I won't drive a truck anymore�?
Early in the mornin' and I'm rollin' fast
Haulin' nine thousand gallons of high test gas
Sergeant on the radio hollerin' at me
Look out up ahead here come a R.P.G.
If I ever get home to Houston alive
Then I won't drive a truck anymore
I've driven the big rigs for all of my life
And my radio handle's “Train�?
Down steep mountain roads on the darkest of nights
I had ice water in my veins
And I come over here ‘cause I just didn't care
Now I'm older and wiser by far
If I ever get home to Houston alive
Then I won't drive a truck anymore
Great God A'mighty what was wrong with me
I know the money's good but buddy can't you see
You can't take it with you and that ain't no lie
I don't wanna let ‘em get me I'm too young to die
If I ever get home to Houston alive
Then I won't drive a truck anymore
. . .
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Jimmy joined the army ‘cause he had no place to go
There ain't nobody hirin'
‘round here since all the jobs went
down to Mexico
Reckoned that he'd learn himself a trade maybe see the world
Move to the city someday and marry a black haired girl
Somebody somewhere had another plan
Now he's got a rifle in his hand
Rollin' into Baghdad wonderin' how he got this far
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man's war
Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone when he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year now and he's still there
Chasin' ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man's war
When will we ever learn
When will we ever see
We stand up and take our turn
And keep tellin' ourselves we're free
Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwing bottles and rocks when the tanks would come
Ain't nothin' else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin' ‘bout livin' in fear all your life makes you hard that way
He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man's war
. . .
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This is the best time of the day—the dawn
The final cleansing breath unsullied yet
By acrid fume or death's cacophony
The rank refuse of unchained ambition
And pray, deny me not but know me now,
Your faithful retainer stands resolute
To serve his liege lord without recompense
Perchance to fall and perish namelessly
No flag-draped bier or muffled drum to set
The cadence for a final dress parade
But it was not always thus—remember?
Once you worshipped me and named me a god
In many tongues and made offering lest
I exact too terrible a tribute
Take heed for I am weary, ancient
And decrepit now and my time grows short
There are no honorable frays to join
Only mean death dealt out in dibs and dabs
Or horror unleashed from across oceans
Assail me not with noble policy
For I care not at all for platitude
And surrender such tedious detail
To greater minds than mine and nimbler tongues
Singular in their purpose and resolve
And presuming to speak for everyman
Oh, for another time, a distant field
And there a mortal warrior's lonely grave
But duty charges me remain until
The end the last battle of the last war
Until that ‘morrow render unto me
That which is mine my stipend well deserved
The fairest flower of your progeny
Your sons, your daughters your hopes and your dreams
The cruel consequence of your conceit
. . .
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Beggin' your pardon there stranger
You look like you're new to this town
We're a long way away from the beach here
You won't see many gringos around
Well I come from West Colorado
And I've wandered this world far and wide
I've lived for some years in the shadows
And my eyes are unused to this light
If you buy me a strong drink of whiskey
I will tell you the tale of my life
It's long and it's sad but it fits me
And it may bring a tear to your eye
All the men of my family were solidiers
The hard fightin' straight talkin' kind
When my turn came all that was over
But I'd already made up my mind
I was there when we blew though Grenada
And I still have to ask myself why
Then we took down that fool Noriega
That's where I caught the good colonel's eye
Well he asked me if I loved my country
And before I had time to reply
He regaled me with tales of past glories
I believed every one of his lies
So I left my old life behind me
Turned my back on my family and friends
And I did everything that they asked me
And I lost some sleep now and again
And I lived like a thief and assassin
I smuggled their poisons sometimes
Until I asked the wrong question in passin'
And the colonel himself dropped the dime
So if you're ever in west Colorado
Tell the folks in Durango goodbye
There's a price on my head and I can't go
So I'll just wait around here ‘til I die
. . .
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Oh Condi Condi beggin' on my knees
Open up your heart and let me in wontcha please
Got no money but everybody knows
I love you Condi and I'll never let you go
Sweet and dandy pretty as can be
You be the flower and I'll be the bumble bee
Oh she loves me oops she loves me not
People say you're cold but I think you're hot
Oh, Condi, Condi
Oh, Condi, Condi
Oh Condi, Condi I'm talkin' to you girl
What's it gonna hurt come on give me a whirl
Shake your body now let me see you go
One time for me Oh Condi I love you so
Skank for me Condi show me what you got
They say you're too uptight I say you're not
Dance around me spinnin' like a top
Oh Condi Condi Condi don't ever stop
Oh Condi Condi Can't you hear me call
I'm standin' in the street outside your garden wall
Pocketful of money belly full of wine
Condi in my heart and romance on my mind
Listen to me Condi don't be afraid
I come here tonight to chase your blues away
I'll never hurt you I'll treat you right
Oh Condaleeza won't you come out tonight
Pretty little Condi precious as can be
Bet you never had another lover like me
. . .
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I used to listen to the radio
And I don't guess
They're listenin' to me no more
They talk too much but that's okay
I don't understand a single word they say
Piss and moan about the immigrants
But don't say nothin' about the president
A democracy don't work that way
I can say anything I wanna say
So fuck the FCC
Fuck the FBI
Fuck the CIA
Livin' in the motherfuckin' USA
People tell me that I'm paranoid
And I admit I'm gettin'
Pretty nervous, boy
It just gets tougher everyday
To sit around and watch it
While it slips away
Been called a traitor and a patriot
Call me anything you want to but
Just don't forget your history
Dirty Lenny died so we could all be free
. . .
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(with Emmylou Harris)
Early this mornin' I was washin' my face
Thinkin' ‘bout goin' to town
Sick and tired of hangin' around this place
Waitin' on the blues to track me down
Bless my soul maybe I'm comin' around
Been lyin' low but maybe I'm comin' around
I've been runnin' nearly all of my life
Far and as fast as I can
It may sound funny but I'm thinkin' this might
Be about right where I came in
Well I don't know maybe I'm comin' around
Got a ways to go but maybe I'm comin' around
Finally layin' my burden down
One fine day
I'll be free
‘Til it comes
I'll go on
My heart's a little ragged but it's all that I got
So I'm gonna give it a try
Look out world I'm comin' ready or not
I don't wanna let you pass me by
Here I go maybe I'm comin' around
I'm a little bit slow but maybe I'm comin' around
Finally layin' my burden down
. . .
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I been watchin' you watchin' me
I could feel your eyes from way across the room
But now that I'm holdin' you close I can see
Ain't no way I'm gonna get around you
I won't tell you I don't need you tonight
I won't pretend I ain't burnin' inside
Your skin glowin' soft in the silver moonlight
The shadows where the promises hide
The bittersweet taste of your kiss
It's all more than I can resist
If you're thinkin' ‘bout breakin' my heart
You might as well just pick up your little black dress and go
Somebody else already tore it apart
And I thought you should know
Maybe this is all that you want
Maybe you're just as lonesome as me
A shoulder that you can cry on
A warm safe place you can be
Someone to call in the middle of the night
When the ghosts in your bedroom won't rest
Two arms to hold you tight
I promise that I'll do my best
To give you everything I got to give
And keep your secrets for as long as I live
. . .
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I was eight years old when my granddaddy died
He that showed me the signs I still miss him sometimes
Been a long time ago but his words still ring true
Whatever you do be a seeker
All these years I have wandered and wherever I roamed
I was never alone or forsaken I know
Somewhere way out yonder I know I will find
That a bright beacon shines for a seeker
You can't always believe your eyes
It's your heart that sees through all the lies
And the first answer follows the first question asked
The mystery unmasked by the seeker
In a world full of sorrow, hunger and pain
It's so hard to explain why I'm still travelin'
But there's a new day tomorrow and maybe I'll hold
Something brighter than gold to a seeker
. . .
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I was walkin' down the street
In the town where I was born
I was movin' to a beat
That I'd never felt before
So I opened up my eyes
And I took a look around
I saw it written 'cross the sky
The revolution starts now
Yeah, the revolution starts now
The revolution starts now
When you rise above your fear
And tear the walls around you down
The revolution starts here
Where you work and where you play
Where you lay your money down
What you do and what you say
The revolution starts now
Yeah the revolution starts now
Yeah the revolution starts now
In your own backyard
In your own hometown
So what you doin' standin' around?
Just follow your heart
The revolution starts now
Last night I had a dream
That the world had turned around
And all our hopes had come to be
And the people gathered 'round
They all brought what they could bring
And nobody went without
And I learned a song to sing
The revolution starts now
. . .
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