West

West I will go.

These bricks and mortar don't carry me no water

No, no rest have I found

Where my feet will carry my body down...

Turning in it's 6am, I done worn out the night again,

Guessing I might need a friend, to wake me in the morning.

The radio reports a final showdown of the forces int he east,

It don't sound like the end to me but I guess it might be.

West I will go.

These bricks and mortar don't carry me no water

No, no rest have I found

Where my feet will carry my body down...

Walking down the quays with Anna-Lee, she's as pretty as can be,

Smart and sharp and she was awful kind to me this summer.

I left her by the moon and stars, for banjo strings and old guitars and,

I don't wanna break her heart but I'm gonna.

West I will go.

These bricks and mortar don't carry me no water

No, no rest have I found

Where my feet will carry my body down...

Won't you lie your boots beside my feet they're bruised and battered?

Won't you let me rest an evening in this strange abode?

When morning comes without delay, I'm bound to make my getaway,

I'd rather be the rider than the road. 

West I will go.

These bricks and mortar don't carry me no water

No, no rest have I found

Where my feet will carry my body down...

*Won't you tell the world, when all my bones lie whitening,

After the years of tears and toil and sighing...

That I was once one in whose bones ran lightening,

Oh praise break from my lips when I'm dying!

West I will go!

These bricks and mortar don't carry me no water

No, no rest have I found

Where my feet will carry my body down.

*Some words in this verse are re-worked from a James Clarence Mangan poem, The Nameless One.

Oh My Love

You and I, we should get married,

Wild flowers I will carry.

All this time, no way to travel - 

Many miles, kicking gravel.

We will lie and press our bodies,

Start a little fire when it gets cold.

When evening comes to hold us tighter,

Like the reins of a rider.

Too wild to hold,

Where would you go?

I am told -

I would follow and never weary...

You sing a little sweeter with your morning dress on,

You sing a little sweeter when the witness is sworn,

You sing a little sweeter when the chorus is gone,

My love.

Ain't no protection, from fears and sorrow,

There's a song we can borrow.

Fallen timbers, turn to cinders,

But you know dust does turn to gold.

We'd drink the wine, you been saving,

Drink it down - drink it down.

A storyline close behind us,

You could write and never find us.

Too wild to hold,

Where would you go?

I am told -

I would follow and never weary...

You sing a little sweeter with your morning dress on,

You sing a little sweeter when the witness is sworn,

You sing a little sweeter when the chorus is gone,

My love,

Oh my love.

You and I, we should get married,

Wild flowers, I will carry.

Till evening comes, to hold us tighter,

Like the reins of a rider.

Boats

With You I Ride

I been ridin' long as I can recall,

I been ridin' longest of them all,

Take me back in time, 

Pull me out alive,

For with you I ride.

West of Mississippi I lost my way,

And I'll stand down, hands out, for my judgement day.

I left my soul in with the lonely one,

Headed out to where the blues come from,

Where I will remain.

Motorcycle Michelle done me good,

And drove me crazy like I hoped she would,

Until my eyes ran dry,

She left me by the roadside,

And there I stood. 

Few years later in an old Mobile motel,

Like my design in line I spied Michelle,

That needle in my stack,

Turned a dagger in her back,

And that woman fell.

Judge and Jury cut me down to size,

But no witnesses were found, no sign of my knife,

As I walked into the sun,

Seemed like my work was done,

And I almost cried.

Tie me down and leave me on the track,

Strike a hundred lashes across my back,

As I looked on down the line,

Seen that old soul of mine,

Just a looking back.

Iron and Wood

Iron and wood, I'm gonna get you good,

Turn you into telephone lines.

Under a redhot sun, looking for coal and diamonds,

Oh it's just a little at a time...

Oh from the mountain line

Oh from the mountain line

Leave the wheel in spin, save the shape I'm in,

Bib and tucker on a mannequin.

Just about insane, trying to shave the rain,

Feast until you grow up thin...

Oh save the shape I'm in

Oh in the chase again

I was on the other side, I was caught running for my life,

Now I just can't seem to find the time.

I been bought and sold, no place left to go,

I'm living on a fault line.

Oh it's a goldmine -

Oh this mountain line

Brother brother - a little at a time 

Sister, sister - I'm living on a goldmine

Mother, mother - a little a time

Mister, mister - ohhhh

Brother brother - a little at a time 

Sister, sister - I'm living on a fault line

Mother, mother - a little a time

Mister, mister - ohhhh from the mountain line.