1. |
Grown-Folk Music
01:56
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I play grown-folk music
I can't help myself
You just can't pick and choose the
persuasion of the muse, it's
just my way, I only play grown-folk music
I get on just fine with the young'uns
It ain't like I've grown old before my time
And I never have much trouble finding something we can talk about
I simply say whatever's on my mind
But, I play grown-folk music
I can't be what I'm not
When old folks aim to come off green,
somehow it only seems obscene, that's
not my way, I play grown-folk music
Sometimes I listen to the latest racket
Just to hear the sound that's ringing in their ears
And sometimes I even shake my thing and
if it sticks I might just sing,
But when I sit down to write, I feel my years
So, I play grown-folk music
I can't help myself
I simply can't unlearn what life has taught me to discern,
to my dismay, I only play grown-folk music
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2. |
One More Time
03:43
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If you told me one more time, would I finally see you're right?
If you told me one more time, would I finally see the light?
If you told me one more time 'bout how I'm seven kinds of wrong,
Could we let it go and try to get along?
Well, I was just sitting here drinking a beer
When you came in seeing red
It was plain to see you were sore at me
'bout something that I must've said
Well, I wracked my brain, but I could not name
What had made you blow your fuse
So I offered a general apology that I
Hope you won't refuse
If I told you one more time, would that make everything OK?
If I told you one more time, would you finally see things my way?
If I told you one more time just how sorry that I am,
Would you let me stick around and be your man?
We've both taken this same road, my dear, so many times before
I've failed to meet your expectations and been shown the door
You've heard every variation of that same sad, sorry plea
But, perhaps if I told you just one more time,
It might save you and me
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3. |
So Unreasonable
02:54
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We go back a long, long way
We've seen each other at our worst
But lately we've been reaching territory
That I'm finding very hard to traverse
Both of us like to talk
And it's true we like to talk some shit
But lately it's been hard to listen to you talk
And make any sense of it
Well, I do my best to find that common ground,
But there ain't no penetrating that skull
And what is even sadder is that it wouldn't matter
There's just something about you that's so unreasonable
You're so unreasonable
I'm not sure you're reachable
Don't know why I still try, when I do, you're unreasonable
We've all got that one relative
Who, like a moth to a flame, we attract
He wants to bend your ear, but just to be clear
He's got no problem playing fast and loose with the facts
He really takes you for a ride
Beyond all logic, yet you're forced to endure
His cockamamie conjecture, his ludicrous lecture
The kind that leaves your jaw scraping on the floor
If I knew I'd end up so frustrated and grim
I think I might have tried to avoid so many
Conversations with him-- 'cause he's
So unreasonable
I'm not sure he's teachable
Don't know why I still try, when I do, he's unreasonable
They're so unreasonable
I'm not sure they're reachable
Don't know why we still try, when we do, they're unreasonable
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4. |
The Leaders We Deserve
02:18
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These days, it can feel sometimes just like there ain't no bottom
Like we're tumbling in some hellish wonderland
And maybe you thought it was understood that
Folks would act the way they should
Darling, everybody's wrong now and then
And the news, it's all bad, so most folks try just not to listen
Too much, or maybe just enough so they can shoot the breeze
With the folks down at the bar, but you know,
They mostly talk football and cars
But politics will come up now and then
And it's no fun to root for the losing side
So mostly folks will just let it slide
When ugliness and evil finish first
When it comes to choosing leaders
and we're running low on readers
You can bet we'll get the leaders we deserve
We've had a front-row seat to every movement of deceit
Every defeat has been spun around until it feels like victory
And the only ones left complaining are the
Same folks the cops are busy detaining
Well, I guess that things will turn out as they will
It's not like I hate anyone, man, I don't even own a gun
But, let's be real, I just don't have the time
To keep track of all these goings-on
To figure out who's right, who's wrong
It's easier by far to tow the line
And it's no fun to root for the losing side
So mostly folks will just let it slide
When ugliness and evil finish first
When it comes to choosing leaders
and we're running low on readers
You can bet we'll get the leaders we deserve
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5. |
Those Damn Kids
01:23
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Those damn kids, they just don't know
They care even less
I guess they're not too happy about
Cleaning up our mess
And they don't wanna listen to no one's advice
If you try to teach them, brother, no dice
They'd rather do anything than do what we did
There's something wrong with those damn kids
Those damn kids, they're running wild
They've got no sense of shame
They're making all the crazy things that
We did look so tame
And they're acting like they've got nothing to loose
They keep slipping through while we're tightening the screws
They never paid no dues, not like we did
They think they're slick, those damn kids
Those damn kids, I just don't know
I think they've got it made
But then again, they might could be screwed just the same
And they just keep on dancing on our last nerve
It may be much better than we deserve
So, are we old now? Heaven forbid!
I'd rather hang with those damn kids
I'd rather be with those damn kids
Just to embarrass those damn kids
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6. |
Baby, You Work So Hard
01:42
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Baby, you work so hard
You make me feel so lazy
Can I get the credit card?
I'd like to get these shoes from Macy's
I've got that interview next Tuesday
And my only black pair is shot
I know I ask a lot
Seems like you've had a day
Like maybe you're not ready
I'll leave this drink right here
Was it that new girl Betty?
I told you that bitch was crazy
That should've been your job
I feel like such a slob
Why don't we order in?
I just don't feel like cooking
I know I said I would
But I've been busy looking
For that elusive post
Designed for me to fill
Find it, I surely will
Just let me save this game
And give you my attention
Just let me rub your back
Help you with all that tension
Oh, and by the way
Think I forgot to say
My student loan is due
Baby, I love you too
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7. |
Call It Love
02:58
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Have you gotten all my letters
I've been doubling all my efforts
It's all in the game, so what's in a name?
Call it love
I've been licking my wounds left over from the last time
Picking my spots, I promise you that I'm
Finally set, I'm willing to bet
That it's love
When you look through me
It really gets to me
I always thought you'd be one day my own
Oh, but you can be so cruel
Just like when we were back at school
When you were my crush, I
Longed for the rush of your love
I've been wondering just how long you can
Hold out before you see together, we belong and
See my advance and take a chance
On love
I know that I had my shot, and I did not
Go out on that limb or jump in the swim, but I'm
Finally set, I'm willing to bet that
It's love
If you were in my place, if you were to give chase
I'm sure I'd embrace your case and give in
But if you ignore me, how can you fall for me,
And what is more, how can I get under your skin?
Oh, it would be such a shame to put out this flame
I'm telling you true, I'm all about you
I will take all the blame, all I want is to reclaim your love
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8. |
Early-Bird Special
01:13
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I see you sitting in your pink chair
Keep saying, you ain't going nowhere
I'm thinking I can take the night air
But, hey now, you know me, I don't care
But then I find a little money, not too very consequential
Just enough to ask you if you wanna make the early-bird special
Early-bird special
You wear your jacket with the tight fit
I'll fix my belt up with my tool kit
We'll make the scene a while and then split
We'll be back home before you know it
We'll be back home before you know it, only
Cost us seven-ninety-nine
Oh, don't you know that's fine
It's the early-bird special
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9. |
Talk to Me Blues
04:32
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Heard a rumor 'bout you, but you know I put it down
Heard a rumor 'bout you, but you know I put it down
You know I ain't the kind to go and spread that mess around
Something 'bout what they said, it made me kind of wonder
Something 'bout what they said, it made me kind of wonder
Got me wondering just what kind of trouble you've been under
You know you can talk to me, I won't chide
But, you're 'bound to blow your top if you keep it all locked up inside
You got to trust somebody, baby, learn to ventilate that worried mind
That worried mind
Hear you been having a hard time with those wolves 'round your door
Hear you been having a hard time with all them wolves 'round your door
If you come back home to me, you wouldn't have that trouble anymore
I've been hearing about you ever since you up and quit
I've been hearing all about you ever since you up and quit
I've been getting all kinds of information; I just don't know what to do with it
You know you can talk to me, I won't chide
But, you're 'bound to blow your top if you keep it all locked up inside
You got to trust somebody, baby, learn to ventilate that worried mind
That worried mind
I'm not saying you got to love me like you did before
I'm not asking for you to love me like you did before
I'm just asking for a bit of faith, can't stand to see you in such pain anymore
You know you can talk to me, I won't chide
But, you're 'bound to blow your top if you keep it all locked up inside
You got to trust somebody, baby, learn to ventilate that worried mind
That worried mind
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10. |
Way Beyond Repair
03:14
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How we gonna get ourselves out of this one?
Whatever's to become of us all?
Seems we keep stepping on the same rake
Keep on walking into the same wall
People got to lean on one another
People got to learn how to relate
People got to organize together
Got to realize we need each other before it's too late
'Cause once we reach that point of no return
It won't matter anymore, be far too late to learn
Way too late to care, but still I got to hope we're not just
Way beyond repair
Some of us have seen it coming on
Some of us been too busy to know
But it won't make no difference anymore, friend
That ol' indifferent wind is gonna blow
I keep thinking we can find our way
I keep thinking we've been here before
I don't know just how we'll go about it, but I
Just couldn't go on if I didn't think we'd find another door
'Cause once we reach that point of no return
It won't matter anymore, be far too late to learn
Way too late to care, but still I got to hope we're not just
Way beyond repair
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11. |
Words Fail
02:37
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Words can hurt
Words can heal
Words can comfort you
Words can make you feel
Words can put you on your guard
They can put you at your ease
Words'll warm you to your soul
Some others'll make you freeze
Sometimes all we do is
Talk and talk to no avail
Words fail
Words can take
A while to form
Words can rush
Come out all wrong
Words can push your buttons
Words can lull you back to sleep
There are some you'd like to take back
And some you want to keep
You can keep your words close to your chest
Or put them up for sale
But words fail
Words alone
They can't do much
Without intent
They lack the touch
Words might offend
Push folks away
Yeah, words can make you mad
Sometimes, they'll make your day
It's why we scream
It's why we wail
Words fail
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12. |
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All my life, I've been told that man's extraordinary
But all around me I see evidence quite to the contrary
For all our evolution, our lizard brains remain
Our monkey hearts are no match for ice water in our veins
We still react instead of plan, we leap before we look
We're still hung up on spooky business in some ancient book
The human brain is only meat
And one day worms will feed
But before then it's all you'll ever need
Try not to fret, try not to resist too much; that won't do
Just try to keep in mind that it's not always about you
Except that it kind of is, you see it's all a dream
What we call reality is seldom what it seems
We think, therefore we think we are so special, but we're not
Put too much faith in our capacity for abstract thought
It's true, our brains create our world, a fact that may astound
But all that folded gray matter weighs in at just three pounds
The human brain is only meat
And one day worms will feed
But before then it's all you'll ever need
While I was drinking coffee one morning recently
I chanced to read an article of great interest to me
It said that human consciousness continues once we're dead
For up to ten more minutes, life goes on inside our heads
The human brain is only meat
And one day worms will feed
The human brain is only meat
And one day worms will feed
But before then it's all you'll ever need
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Rich Restaino Austin, Texas
"Rich Restaino covers a lot of territory, as apt to remind you of Carl Perkins as David Byrne." -- www.austin.com
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