1. |
Comfort in the Wise
04:10
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COMFORT IN THE WISE
If you find comfort in the wise,
Take a look at my old home
Place your bets but don't feel too safe
In the land that no one owns
These towns are ghosts
They passed so long ago
So please give my love to Rosemary
And please say "Hi" to the family
Because there's so much between us, you see
That the wise will never know
No, the wise will never know
If you find comfort in the brave
Go down to the penitentiary
Experts will divert their eyes
In the land where nothing's free
These towns are ghosts
They passed so long ago
So please give my love to Rosemary
And please say "Hi" to the family
Because there's so much between us, you see
That the wise will never know
No, the wise will never know
The waves will crash upon the shore
Where no one lives or dies
The mother weeps, she hears the bells
She finds comfort in the wise
So please give my love to Rosemary
And please say "Hi" to the family
Because there's so much between us, you see
That the wise will never know
No, the wise will never know
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2. |
Out Under Diamonds
04:38
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OUT UNDER DIAMONDS
My soul is stuck in that old shack, come hell or high water
It’s not stuck in Sunday school alongside perfect daughters
In the dark of the evening, I can still see your silhouette
I smoked my pipe and you smoked a long cigarette
I cast my eyes upon a scene of rushing train cars
Felt weak beneath a roof of boulevard stars
We rushed through the foggy woods in the morning dew
I carried a pail of regret
And you make it hard to love
And you said I am my father’s son
And I am trying to call your bluff
I hope that is enough
The scars on my arms are from faraway winters
The man who builds the house gets hands full of splinters
You told me the roof would keep me from getting wet
Somehow I’m stuck in here dripping with sweat
And you make it hard to love
And you said I am destined to do as you’ve done
And I am trying to call your bluff
I hope that is enough
So I’ve had a taste of your Jupiter shuffle
You’ve been out under diamonds, now you’re done with the hustle
I don’t see the reason for grasping at things you can’t get
But the scars on your heart stick around to remind you to never forget
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3. |
The Trail and the Animal
03:47
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THE TRAIL & THE ANIMAL
Your life is like a trail
Extending through the town
My path is here at home
There’s no need to rush around
You spend your time
Looking for a new path
Run away from home
To find one covered in grass
I’m gonna walk this trail
I have nowhere else to go
I am gonna walk this trail
Because it’s the one I know
Out on the trail once again
Running from who they thought I should be
Left all my foes and my friends
Town to town, spreading my seed
Animal, an animal, I am an animal you see
An animal, an animal, I’d rather be that than a machine
Chasing the past out again
They tried hard to civilize me
I’m not an animal they said
Make decisions rationally
Animal, an animal, I am an animal you see
An animal, an animal, I’d rather be that than a machine
The irony is not lost on me
I’m a rootless man planting tree after tree
Chasing the past out again
They tried hard to civilize me
I’m not an animal they said
Make decisions rationally
Animal, an animal, I am an animal you see
An animal, an animal, I’d rather be that than a machine
I can finally see
The animal in me
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4. |
The Mother of Devotion
02:55
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THE MOTHER OF DEVOTION
He came rushin’ up
He said, “I’m educated now
I’m gonna cast my vote and draw me up a man
I’ve lost my apolitical slant
And this new guy seems to make sense
He’s gonna clean this country up
He’s takin’ a stand”
I said, “I know last week you couldn’t care less
About the government’s motion
But who is the mother of your devotion?”
She came in effortlessly
And said, “I know the sublime
I hear gods in the wind call out to me”
She said, “I carry a lot of baggage
And I need something to ease my mind
I need something to give me soul some peace”
I said, “So do I, but last week
You cared nothin’ about God or his establishment
You haven’t read a book in two years
So, tell me, who is the mother of your devotion?”
To myself, I said,
“These two are petty creatures
Their ignorance has led them to preach”
To my lovely I
Was hopelessly engaged
But to my dismay she was too far out of reach
So I sit with my eyes sullen thinkin’ about
All those fanatics out causin’ a commotion
And I remember what my old man said
It was an old maxim he’d heard out on the ocean
He said, “Your ignorance is the mother of your devotion”
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5. |
No No No
02:14
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NO-NO-NO
He came in from Houston
And his arms were covered with welts
He had his uncle’s pistol
And a little hand-made box wrapped in felt
He was an outlaw and a boxer
And he knew how to spin a yarn
He had manners like an urchin and he had country grammar
And he made love out in his barn
He said, “It’s no good to try to save me
You know I’ll never act my age
Like a hamster on a wheel
I’ll be cursin’ till I hit the grave”
Oh, No-No-No
No-No-No-No-No
No-No-No
No-No-No-No-No
This waif, this rascal
Knew just how to make his presence felt
Just a scamp with a sailor’s tongue
Into the underworld he would melt
He said, “It’s no good to try to tame me
It’s too late for a fall from grace
Like a hamster on a wheel
I’ll be cursin’ till I leave this place”
Oh, No-No-No
No-No-No-No-No
No-No-No
No-No-No-No-No
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6. |
Sail On
03:44
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SAIL ON (LOVE SONG TO AMERICA)
America
I fell in love with the red, white, and blue
When I was young
You seemed young, too
America, the merciful
My grandpa’s land
My rich and my poor family
They played in your orchestra
Said yeah
You’ve got to sail on (I love you)
You’ve got to sail on (I love you)
America
What did you think when we dug our claws in you?
You were a green, fertile breast of land
Free from sin, too
America, you’re growin’ old
And like old men
You’ve lost your hold
On the belief that tomorrow would be better than today
Said yeah
You’ve got to sail on (I love you)
You’ve got to sail on (I love you)
Preacher offers deliverance
But we all shy away
Preacher you said you could deliver me
Out to the high seas
But I have the feelin’
There’s nothin’ out there for me
Sail on, red-blue-white
Your Queen Mother was always right
Your dissatisfaction led you to the high seas
But the seas, the New York trees
Offer no safety from the plight
My Yankee wife she lays her head
Upon my shoulder
While they pile up the dead
Survival of the fittest
That’s what we heard
But he said so many times, “Compassion”
And “Love”, “Love” was his word
So you will lead and I will have to follow
You’ve got to sail on (I love you)
You’ve got to sail on (I love you)
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7. |
Sisterfly
03:22
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SISTERFLY
I got the boat docked in the bay
You have your friends, smoking away
Two a.m. – heart stopped – boom boom boom
You and your girl are up in the room
She had her hand there on your thigh
You and your friends all so high
Got an appointment starting at ten
I hope we get back in this hotel again
Eagle Soaring High
Angel Sister Fly
Who are the fakers? Who are the true?
Got back to Houston, called for you
All these hipsters have nothing to do
So I’ll give them a haircut on which they can chew
Remember Seattle and how we were then?
You and your demons and all your friends
Took a dive off the big, big board
Two brothers live and die by the sword
Eagle Soaring High
Angel Sister Fly
She’s gone and ain’t coming back
She’s gone and ain’t coming back
She’s gone and ain’t coming back
Eagle Soaring High
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8. |
The Mystery
02:55
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THEY MYSTERY
When I was young
Dreamin’ for fun
Eatin’ up cotton candy reams
Time swam by
Big blue sky
And the world opened up for me
And I’m tryin’ so hard to solve the mystery
And I’m tryin’ so hard to solve the mystery
Ask all the questions
That others won’t ask
And look out when you see it, fast
Still lookin’ at the world
With dandelion eyes
At a world of purple and green
And I’m tryin’ so hard to solve the mystery
And I’m tryin’ so hard to solve the mystery
And I’ve got a lot
And I’ve got a lot
And I’ve got a lot more dreams left in me
And I’m tryin’ so hard to solve the mystery
And I’m tryin’ so hard to solve the mystery
And I’ve got a lot
And I’ve got a lot
And I’ve got a lot more dreams left in me
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9. |
It Don't Take Much
03:37
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IT DON’T TAKE MUCH
It don’t take much to let your soul rise above it
It don’t take much just to push the pain away
It don’t take much to let your soul rise above it
It don’t take much just to accept what you’ve done
The mark of a good friend
Is certainly when
You don’t see them in a while
And you pick up where you left off
So you can wear the mask
And say everything’s OK
As long as you treat me the same way
It don’t take much
It don’t take much to let your soul rise above it
It don’t take much when you’ve got some support
It don’t take much because there’s no one who is above it
Everybody has a time when they’ve got to be sure
The mark of a good friend
Is certainly when
You don’t see them in a while
And you pick up where you left off
So you can wear the mask
And say everything’s OK
As long as you treat me the same way
It don’t take much
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10. |
It All Comes Back to Her
03:35
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IT ALL COMES BACK TO HER
She moves with the breezes that blow
She believes she’s got something unique
This barrio was made for her she thinks
You can see it in the company she seeks
She makes you feel wanted
She wants to want you, but no
She’s only looking for a way
To love herself more
To love herself more
I know when the pendulum swings
And she decides what really matters
It all comes back
It all comes back
It all comes back to her
She invites lengthy conversations
But the subject always comes back her way
She’ll ask you what’s new, what are you doin’, where ya been?
But she really wants to tell you about her new play
She’ll list you among
Her closest friends
But with her the need
For attention never ends
It never ends
I know when the pendulum swings
And she decides what really matters
It all comes back
It all comes back
It all comes back to her
She nearly breaks when the fates turn on her
As if she’s the only one they do this to
She doesn’t know why everyone can’t see her talent
She’ll be a star someday, if they only knew
You’ve got to look out for yourself
You’ve got to look out for yourself
I know when the pendulum swings
And she decides what really matters
It all comes back
It all comes back
It all comes back
It all comes back
It all comes back to her
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Ben Mish Seattle, Washington
Ben Mish writes songs and performs them frequently.
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