1. |
Slim and the Devil
05:11
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Slim Greer went to heaven
St. Peter said
“You been a good right boy Slim
But now you’re dead”
“Been a travelin’ rascal
In your day
You can roam once more
Then you come to stay”
“Put these wings on your shoulders
And save your feet”
Slim spoke up and said
“Thank you Pete”
Then Peter said “go
To hell and see
All that they’re doin’
Tell it back to me”
“But be sure to remember
How everything goes”
Slim said
“I’ll see you on the late watch bo’ (boy)”
So he got to covortin’
Swell as you choose
Like Lindy in the spirit
Of the St. Louis blues
He flew and he flew
‘Till at last he hit
A hangar with a sign
Readin’ “This is it”
So he parked his wings
And he strolled around
Gettin’ used to his feet
Back on solid ground
Then he come to a mansion
And walked right in
Up looked the Devil
With a sickly grin
“No I didn’t think to look for you
Mr. Greer
Tell me how could it be
That you come by here”
He said “I just dropped by
For a little spell”
“Make yourself at home
Here’s the keys to hell”
Said the Devil to Slim
“Let’s go downtown”
He took the Devils hand
And he showed him around
Showed him bawdy houses
And cabarets
Made him think of New Orleans
And Memphis days
Showed him folks all fightin’
‘Round the roulette wheel
Like Rampart street
In the south of Beale
Then he took him ‘round the corner
Where Slim did see
A preacher with a woman
Sittin’ on each knee
Showed him whiskey stills
Goin’ everywhere
With a passel of Devils
Stretched dead drunk there
Then he took him to a furnace
That some devils was firin’
Hot as hell
Slim’s a-mean perspirin’
White devils with pitchforks
Threw black devils on
Slim thought he’d better
Get movin’ along
Said Slim “this makes
Me think of home”
Vicksburg, Little Rock,
Jackson, and Rome”
Then the Devil gave Slim
The big “Ha-ha”
Turned into a cracker
With a sheriff’s star
So he ran for his wings
Lit out from the ground
Hauled it back to Peter
He was heaven bound
Said Peter the Slim
“Man you got back quick
Tell me how’s the Devil,
What’s his latest trick”?
“Oh no” said Slim
“I can’t really tell
That place was Dixie
That I took for Hell”
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2. |
Real Love
05:43
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I come from the land
Of a million stars
In the of winter
You can almost hear them burn
She came flyin’ by
With stardust in her eye
We lit out and
I swore I’d never return
I thought our love was true
I sang those “Worried Man Blues”
I was chained to the heart of a ghost
That I never knew
I’m above it now
I see miles around
This is the only real love
That I have ever known
The boys are in the alley
With long tall Sally
Sayin’ come on buddy there’s a party
Do you wanna go?
Down at the razor ball
Down at the Razor Hall
Where there’s shadows in the eyes
Of the people
That I used to know
Some came to me in strides
Some wounded my pride
On the banks
Where the raging river flows
But I could hear you callin’ me
From the other side
This is the only real love
That I have ever known
My song is ringing like silver
Your heart shines like gold
They told me “nothin’ last forever”
But I know they’re wrong
You gave me the best
And I forgot about the rest
Now we’re standing on the platform
Right where we belong
Engineer blows the whistle
The fireman rings the bell
This train is rollin’ out tonight
It’s sixteen coaches wide
We watch ‘em all go by
Because this is the only real love
That I have ever known
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3. |
Already Gone
04:12
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Pictures of before and after
Warning eminent disaster
But the message never made it through
All that’s lost is all that’s left of you
Don’t remember how to light the spark
Hearing voices whisper in the dark
Can’t stop doing what you can’t undue
Gone is all that you believe is true
What are you waiting for
Standing in the doorway
Stretching out the moment
Before it falls apart
You already know
That no one can stay here
There’s no hearts to break here
They’re already gone
Wasted, watching as the time transpires
Torn and tattered but you never tire
When the sun comes shining into view
All that’s left are shadows haunting you
What are you waiting for
Standing in the doorway
Stretching out the moment
Before it falls apart
You already know
That no one can stay here
There’s no hearts to break here
They’re already gone
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4. |
Sad Song
03:31
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Take me out tonight
Baby don’t want too long
Take me out tonight
Baby don’t want too long
Rattle me up when it all goes wrong
All I can hear is this sad song
The banjos are rolling
There tappin’ those tambourines
The banjos are rolling
There tappin’ those tambourines
Baby’s gonna dance while I sit here instead
With a sad song reelin’ around in my head
So raise your glass
I’ll just pretend
I’m still havin’ fun
But I know how it ends
You’ll sing along as
I fall apart
‘Cause there’s always a sad song
Livin’ in my heart
When I was a child
Things were goin’ fine
When I was a child
Things were goin’ fine
Then trouble come blowin’ on a wind in the pine
Left me with a sad song
Planted in my mind
So I’m gonna buy me
‘lectric guitar
So I’m gonna buy me
‘lectric guitar
I’ll turn it up just as loud as she goes
But this sad old song is all that she knows
So raise your glass
I’ll just pretend
I’m still havin’ fun
But I know how it ends
You’ll sing along as
I fall apart
‘Cause there’s always a sad song
Livin’ in my heart
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5. |
One To Fall
04:03
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Go on then
Back in those bright lights again
The kids are gonna tear you apart
Wipe the blood off your hands
And wrap ‘em ‘round your finger if you can
So come on then
We’ll give it one more round
If you think you can remember your part
With your back against the ropes
Seeing stars flashing circling the dark
I’ve done all I can do
But I just can’t make that call
Can’t someone else
Be the one to fall
You’ve said it a million times
Nothing’s gonna change your mind
Your words are gonna lose their weight
Coming too hot out the gate
Always looking back as you run away
So look at you now
In those bright lights again
As if there was another way out
Of this reoccurring dream
When you’re waking up before the final count
I’ve said all I can say
But I just can’t make that call
Can’t someone else
Be the one to fall
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6. |
Harris and the Mare
06:09
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Harris, my old friend, it’s good to see your face again
More welcome, though, yon trap and that old mare
For the wife is in a swoon, and I am all alone
Harris, fetch thy mare and take us home
For the wife and I came out for a quiet glass of stout
And a word or two with neighbors in the room
And young Clary, he came in, wild and drunk as sin
And swore the wife would leave the place with him
But the wife as quick as thought said, "No, I'll bloody not"
Then struck the brute a blow about the head
And he raised his ugly paw, and he lashed her on the jaw
And she fell onto the floor like she were dead
Now Harris, well you know, I've never struck an angry blow
Nor would I keep a friend who raised his hand
I was a conscie in the war, cryin' what the hell's this for?
But I had to see his blood to be a man
I grabbed him by his coat, spun him 'round and took his throat
And beat his head upon the parlor door
He dragged out an awful knife, and he roared "I'll have your life"
And he stuck me and I fell onto the floor
Blood I was from neck to thigh, bloody murder in his eye
As he shouted out "I'll finish you for sure"
But as the knife came down, I lashed out from the ground
And the knife was in his breast and he rolled o'er
Now with the wife as cold as clay I carried her away
No hand was raised to help us through the door
Now I've brought her half a mile, and I'll need to rest a while
And none of them I'll call a friend no more
For when the knife came down, I was helpless on the ground
No neighbor stayed his hand, I was alone
But by God, I was a man, and now I cannot stand
Harris, fetch thy mare, and take us home
Harris, fetch thy mare, and get us out of here
In my nine and fifty years I've never known
That to call myself a man, for my loved ones I must stand
Harris, fetch thy mare take us home
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7. |
Mole in the Ground
02:29
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I wish I was a mole in the ground
I wish I was a mole in the ground
If I’s a mole in the ground
I’d root that mountain down
I wish I was a mole in the ground
Tempe wants a nine dollar shawl
Tempe wants a nine dollar shawl
When I come o'er the hill
With a forty dollar bill
It’s “baby where you been so long”
I been in the pen so long
I been in the pen so long
I been in the pen
With the rough and rowdy men
And I ain’t goin’ back no more
Tempe let your hair hang down
Tempe let your hair hang down
Let your heir hang down
And your bangs curl around
And I wish I was a mole in the ground
I wish I was a mole in the ground
If I’s a mole in the ground
I’d root that mountain down
I wish I was a mole in the ground
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8. |
Play It One More Time
04:08
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If you could spend a lifetime
Living in the moment
Of the amber morning fading
Could you tell the difference
If you’re cursed or haunted
Would you get what you wanted
Tell me
Does the melody appear
Is it falling on deaf ears
Are you too far gone down the line
I wouldn’t be the first
To recognize the song is dying
Stuck inside my head, play it one more time
You know how the story ends
In the books up on your shelf
And the words are so persuading
If you can read between the lines
You could lift the blinds to see
That the pages are fading
The sound was so sincere
And everyone could hear
But now you’re too far gone
I wouldn’t be the first
To recognize the song is dying
Stuck inside my head, play it one more time
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9. |
Reap 'em in the Valley
08:34
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Willie Watson Los Angeles, California
Folksinger
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