Here are some links to my music on Soundcloud.
Lead the Way
Sometimes Life is like a long walk
On the sand down by the sea,
Though the sand is smooth,
There once were footprints
That led the way for you and me.
Just as yesterday was once tomorrow,
Every follower must someday lead.
The time has come for us to walk together
On the sand down by the sea.
I’ll lead the way so you can follow,
I’ll lead the way, walk by the sea.
Lead with your soul,
And your heart will follow,
Take my hand, I’ll lead the way.
Someday a child will look up to you
Full of questions in his eyes,
Time will stop
And you will tell him,
“Take my hand, I’ll lead the way.” CHORUS
I’ve made mistakes and
I’ve made fortunes,
I’ve made assumptions,
some that I regret.
But these days that we walked together
Will be the Times that I call the best.
So if someday the waves should
come and take my footprints,
Should you ever lose this melody,
Go to the sand, down by the ocean,
Close your eyes and know it’s me.
CHORUS
Save That Smile
Revealing, concealing,
Shadows on the moon,
Funny how those shooting stars
Always fall too soon.
Midnight skies and fireflies,
A cricket whispered to me,
“Save this smile to remember you were here.”
Quite the bon vivants, they blushed
And said they were my fans.
A mocha here, a latte there,
Such a seamless tan.
But in the end, we parted friends,
Such a waste of beauty,
I’ve saved that smile to remember I was there.
Through these fingers slippin’,
Lightly trippin’,
Spirit away.
Damn the premonitions,
Indecisions
That stay.
Aviaries, tributaries,
The Brandywine’s soft roar,
A blade of grass, some sassafras,
What boy could want for more?
He looked into that stream of blue,
And guess what came back to him?
That smile I saved to remember I was there.
BRIDGE
Revealing, concealing,
Lovers on the moon.
We were like two 45s,
Who’s grooves end all too soon.
You glanced at me, the stars agreed,
One look was all I needed,
I’ve saved that smile to remember we were here,
I’ve saved that smile to remember you were here
Every Song I Sing
Every song I sing, I sing with you,
Every note I play, I play with you.
When I close my eyes,
Imagine my sublime surprise,
Your smile is always waiting there for me.
Every phrase I turn, I turn to you,
Where you go, my voice will go with you.
Whether near or far,
We’re here within this old guitar.
No matter how hard we shall play,
Heartstrings will never break,
And every song I sing, I sing with you.
Every song I sing, I sing with you.
The Mandarin
Ripped from the pages,
Torn from the sky,
Wondering through
these streets
Like a motherless alibi.
Shadows at vespers,
He’s alleyway mist,
He’s chakras akimbo
With an El Fly Agaric twist
Swizzle sticks
frozen in time,
As he enters his lair,
Molecules re-arrange
themselves
Out of thin air:
He’s the Mandarin.
Picks one up as he
drinks down another,
He’s got the inside line,
Bartenders tab him up
by his order:
He’s the Mandarin.
Placid environs
At the end of the road,
Dispensing with
all the prelims,
He comes with his
own bar code.
Nothing deters him,
His pursuit of the prize.
The tears that he cries are real
But they never fall from his eyes.
Swizzle sticks frozen in time,
With a hint of Bordeaux,
Molecules have a habit
of startin’ to flow;
‘Round the Mandarin
Off one stool and onto another
In the blink of an eye.
A card-carrying member
of the Lush Life
He’s the Mandarin.
A sea of little children
Lift him so high in the sky.
Hovering overhead,
The mothership can
only wonder why.
He’s the tonic that
thrives on the rim,
A fresh citrusy slice,
With a tinge of a
lonely sin over ice:
He’s the Mandarin
In one arm and out the other,
I’ve got the inside line,
If you haven’t caught my name,
Let me throw it:
I’m the Mandarin.
The Melting Sun
Don’t bother backing up those files tonight
It’s not as if they will survive.
We’ll nail some vocals and then dial a quick mix
Before the melting sun arrives.
As the world signs off,
Our red light’s on,
And every note we play will be like it’s our last.
And we’ll roll tonight and then we’ll
Punch in tight,
And when the consoles dim,
We’ll dine by radium light.
And as the sky explodes,
The lens will pull in tight,
What’s your hurry, son,
The party’s just begun,
Take a load off and
Behold the melting sun.
Cement dripping off the window ledge,
Roaches squealing in delight.
Semi-conductor over-load ahead,
We’ll play it silky smooth tonight.
Jimmy Taa-daa,
And that Rastafar
Will take their cue
And play johnson-friendly tune.
And we’ll roll tonight and then we’ll
Punch in tight,
And when the consoles dim,
We’ll dine by radium light.
And as the sky explodes,
The lens will pull in tight,
What’s your hurry, son,
The party’s just begun,
Take a load off and
Behold the melting sun.
Who Knew?
Who knew I would trip that fateful day?
Who knew that my Chai would fly her way?
I guess I was meant to be on my knees
when I looked up and saw
Her dress and gingham panties
lookin’ back at me but who knew.
She snorked, L-O-L-ing like it was planned,
I blushed, with my Chai and heart in hand.
Prologue over, chapter one was looming up ahead.
Page turner, O-M-G, she reads and
Smells like pencil lead.
Who knew I could fall so far so fast,
Who knew, she would be my first and last
True love isn’t always as it seems,
I’m livin’ the dream,
Brother, take it from me.
We were meant to be but then, who knew.
Week one: learning what’s inside her head.
Week two: learning it’s a sofa bed.
Week three: she is on the road and I’m
feelin’ kind of depressed.
Week four: meeting her girl friends and
knowin’ I aced the test.
Who knew I could fall so far so fast,
Who knew, she would be my first and last
True love isn’t always as it seems.
I’m livin’ the dream,
Brother, take it from me.
We were meant to be but then,
Who cares that she lives in her jeans and t-shirts,
Who cares she’s been known to snore?
I know that without her, I’m not as happy
Even when my world falls flat,
She’s there to pick me up and make me laugh.
Who knew I could fall so far so fast,
Who knew, she would be my first and last
True love had eluded me for years,
So many tears,
But now I know that she’s here, ‘cause
We were meant to be but then, who
We were meant to be but then, who
We were meant to be but then, who knew.
Tomorrow Cries Today
Faint of heart, even less of soul,
I double lock the door,
I cap the chimney on my roof.
I’ve seen all that I need to see,
This puddin’ needs no proof,
The crowds demand they
have it their own way
And while they laugh,
Tomorrow cries, “Today!”
The empty boasts that fill the air
Like spittle from their mouth
Are raining down like sin on me.
The battles they’ve so
keenly won
Will someday come undone.
The crowds will strut with
Well-heeled feet of clay.
And while they dance,
Tomorrow cries, “Today!”
In for just a penny,
Out for just a pound.
Ring around a
rosier world, ‘cause
Culture is cheap when
Each thought is profound.
Save your soul and then ya
buy some gold,
We gotcher gourmet
bunker food.
What’s the wine to pour with
mushroom clouds?
Let’s drink to sweet salvation
From the milk of sacred cows.
The crowds have run a
tab they’ll never pay.
And while they feast,
Tomorrow cries, “Today”!
In for just a penny,
Out for just a pound.
Ring around a
rosier world, ‘cause
Why go to school when
there’re no jobs around.
A lie of grand proportions
Is just waiting to be sold.
Can I get a big Amen?
No pulpits, politicians,
Not a prophet to be found.
The crowds fall on their knees
To vote and pray,
And while their slacker gods
Are M.I.A.,
And they wonder what’s
become of yesterday,
And while they sleep,
Tomorrow cries today.
Never Here
Troubled sky overhead,
Movin’ ground under hoof,
Better tighten up your
saddle, young man,
Take a swig of the truth.
Been a long ridin’ day,
Gonna be a longer night.
Chance are there’ll be
the devil to pay
Before the morning light.
Then it’s adios,
And it’s different trails.
I say you take your cut,
I’ll take mine,
We’ll take a
swig of the truth
and swear
We were never here,
We were never here.
You’ve lost a lot of blood,
You’re not the only one.
You took another man’s
life last night,
Now he’s claimin’ yours in return.
Will you live or die?
That’s not for me to say.
I only know in the Book of Job
What he givith, he taketh away.
Then it’s adios,
And it’s different trails.
I say you take your cut,
I’ll take mine,
We’ll take a
swig of the truth
and swear
We were never here,
We were never here.
Death comes slow,
I’ve heard it said,
To those who’s souls
Are already dead.
In this cold hard ground
Bury you with your loot.
Wash my hands of the
pain you caused
And take a swig of the truth.
Here lies a troubled man
With his gold and his gun.
Fathers should never have to
bury their sons,
For livin' a life on the run.
Then it’s adios,
And it’s different trails.
I say you take your cut,
I’ll take mine,
We’ll take a
swig of the truth
and swear
We were never here,
We were never here.
Here stands a troubled man
With his gold and his gun.
Heaven Knows
How you’ve been?
You’re lookin’ fine.
You know, I think about us from
time to time,
How I’d sneak out your
back door,
How we scratched the
kitchen floor.
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been
waiting for.
Careful of that coffee lid.
I can’t believe you’ve had
a couple of kids.
It’s like mercury on glass,
How the years are sliding past.
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been
waiting for.
Given time,
Some dreams rewind.
Pandora’s equal to the task.
The masses shift,
They scratch, they sniff.
Who are we to wonder why?
(I caught your wonderin’ eye.)
This one’s home,
this one’s my cell,
Your're my reason d'etre for e-mail.
So, if you feel the feelin’s right,
Why don’t we sleep on it tonight?
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been
waiting for.
Given time,
Some dreams rewind.
Pandora’s equal to the task.
The hourglass,
It says, “Half past”,
But half the future’s
better than none.
(We’ve only just begun.)
Call me right or call me wrong,
Call it a hunch I knew
all along.
It’s not a prospect lightly posed,
But if I do, do you suppose,
Heaven knows, you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been waiting
‘Fore I forget
Let me sing it once more,
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one, you’re the one,
You’re the one,
I’ve been waiting for,
You’re the one, you’re the one,
Heaven knows.
Until You’re Here
Until you’re here
There’s an emptiness in my soul
That can’t be filled.
Until you’re here
I don’t know if I can go on
Another day.
And I walk down the street,
And I buy me a cup,
I try on a smile,
I try to look up.
It’s a second hand
That never quite seems to move,
Until you’re here.
I must concede,
There’s a sadness I must concede,
That pulls me down.
It comes in waves
This feeling, it comes in waves
I can’t explain.
And I ride on the bus,
And I stare out the pain,
A reflection looks back
But it doesn’t remain.
It’s a second hand
That never is holding mine,
Until you’re here.
Until you’re here,
My table is set for one.
Until you’re here,
My tandem bike’s no fun.
Until you’re here,
Know this love has been
put on hold,
Absent of the life I’ve led,
After all is done and said,
Until you’re here.
Until you’re here
There’s a secret I must confess
At least to you.
There’s not a day
That I don’t hear your name
murmured
Behind my ear.
And I put down the cup
And I pick up the pen
And the pen says to me,
“You’re at it again.”
The words scoff at me,
And needle a sharp rebuff
Until you’re here.
Until you’re here,
My table is set for one.
Until you’re here,
My tandem bike’s no fun.
Until you’re here,
Know this love has been
put on hold,
Absent of the life I’ve led,
After all is done and said,
Until you’re here.
I Believe in Dreams
Silly as it seems,
I believe in dreams.
Everyday’s a day when dreams were
Meant to come true.
But wishin’ on a star
Won’t take you very far.
Everybody needs a plan to follow.
Make your mind up you’ll succeed,
Make a list of just what you’ll need,
On your mark, get set,
Let’s go!
Make a movie in your mind
Of you nearing the finish line.
We become what we believe,
Nothing that we can’t achieve,
With some hard work, you will see
Victory!
If at first you fail,
Don’t you tuck your tail:
Hold your head up high!
If you dare to follow through,
All your dreams might just come true.
If you believe in dreams,
They’ll believe in you,
If you believe in dreams,
They’ll believe in you!
It’s not Like She’s Gone
“Never let you go.”
They were the
words you meant to say
But somehow,
The words
Got lost along the way.
“Never Say Good-bye” was the
song we’d always play
Funny how
Songs change
When life gets in the way.
In this bed, where
we would always be
Reading the Sunday times,
Making love then making tea
It’s all shadow now
And texting on a phone
You have your issues.
I have issues of my own.
It’s not like she’s gone,
It’s not like
she would even know
About this pain that’s
deep inside me
And how every night it grows.
It’s not like she’s gone,
It’s not like
she could really care
Or believe me when I told her
That he’d
break her heart one day,
It’s not like I didn’t try
It’s not like she’s gone.
(verse 2)
CHORUS
It’s not like she’s gone,
It’s not like
she could throw away
All the letters
that he sent her
With the words
I used to say.
It’s not like she’s gone.
It’s not like she’s gone.
It’s not like she’s gone.
She was never here.
She Cries for You
Quickly ‘fore the
night gives way,
Dream your soul’s been
led astray.
Know the love you’ve
dared to wish
You risk it all in one last kiss.
Gently in the velvet sky,
She her pirouetting by.
Gossamer wings and
jasper eyes,
Alabaster soft good-byes.
And she cries for you
And her tears are
all the stars.
And she cries for you,
And her tears are like the
snowflakes that
swirl all around you.
Softly ‘fore Eos commands,
Hold the balance in your hand.
Scribble words you’ll never say,
Crumpled, tossed, and
thrown away.
And she cries for you
And her tears are
all the stars.
And she cries for you,
And her tears are like the
snowflakes that
swirl all around you.
Oh, but for a Muse of Fire,
One to hold me
through the night.
Oh, but for a Muse of Fire,
With a heart to
burn within mine.
Years and years,
locked in this cell,
A Fool of Time with tales to tell.
And should she come
to me tonight,
I’ll hear the jailor’s
mournful cry:
And she cries for you
And her tears are
all the stars.
And she cries for you,
And her tears are like the
snowflakes that
swirl all around you.
And she cries, and she cries,
And she cries.
This Is How They Lie
Man, this place has gone down hill,
Sweeter times and bitter pills,
There’s no profit motive
If you haven’t noticed yet
This is how they lie in old Tibet.
True love doesn’t fold in just one hand
Don’t forget you drive a minivan
There’s no point in leaving
If you have it stashed away
This is how they lie in Paraguay
I’ve given up the fight
It’s over now,
A final bow or two.
If Sausalito calls, I’m not at home
I’m in a zone for
Two or more, let’s
lock the door
Predatory gains are all we have
Provincial nest gone bad
Any other day I’d let I’d have the sense to let it go.
But today’s the feast day of Saint Blow
This is how the lie in Morocco.
We haven’t solved the riddle
Drifting in your sea
Tell me how you lie when you’re with me.
Two Friends
There were two friends and they learned to stand,
When one fell, the other held out a hand.
Soon they ran and, yes, they learned to fly,
Say, isn’t that you and me?
These were the days when we shed some tears,
These were the days when we faced our fears.
Gone is today,
Tomorrow’s beckoning,
So, lift up your voice and say that
Some will come and some will go,
Some stay young and some grow old.
Whatever the years may bring,
we’ll stay good friends.
There’ll be a day when were old and gray,
Memories of grades will simply fade away.
Voices distantly echoing will
Whisper these words to you, oh
Some will come and some will go,
Some stay young and some grow old.
Whatever the years may bring,
we’ll stay good friends
Some will come and some will go,
Some stay young and some grow old.
Remember,
Whatever the years may bring,
we’ll stay good friends.
We Know How This Will End
I never knew
We’d be the best of friends
Tomorrow is not ours to know
But we know how this will end.
For what it’s worth,
This time is all I have.
I never thought I’d live to say
That we know how this will end.
Believe me when I tell you
This song is meant for you ,
Believe me when I whisper,
“I love you”.
And someday, should you wonder,
If I love you still,
I will, I will.
It’s not for me
To say how things will end.
But when it comes to memories,
Look for the morning star and think of me,
And in it’s Light I’m sure you’ll see
My love will never end.
Another You
Another time,
Another place,
Another girl and
Another face.
Another crash,
Another song,
Another chronicle of
What went wrong.
Everyone, please, can’t you see
These towering walls
all around me?
Can somebody, please,
set me free,
Set me free from this loop?
Another year,
Another ring,
Another Grey Goose waiting
In the wings.
Another hook,
Another rhyme,
Another fool running
Out of time.
Let’s play pretend
Tonight,
And save
All the rest for
Another night,
Another me,
Another you.
Another tic,
Another tac,
Another toe that used to tickle
Down my back.
Another pass,
Another fail,
Another toothbrush destined
For my cleaning pail.
Everyone, please, can’t you feel
This loneliness
all around me?
Can somebody, please,
take me in,
Take me within your soul?
Another ghost,
Another town,
Another Jagermeister
Going down.
Another kiss, and
Another tell,
Another life support
For this living hell.
Let’s play pretend
Tonight,
And save
All the rest for
Another night,
Another world,
For you, another guy and
For me, another girl, for
Another night,
Another me,
Another you.
Azure Skies And No Goodbyes
Azure skies and no goodbyes,
I’ll be on my way,
Drifting over borderlines,
Through space and time,
Azure skies and no goodbyes . . .
Absurd as such illusions appear,
This light will surely bend,
And just as smoke of cobalt blue
Becomes you,
Azure skies and no goodbyes . . .
Everybody needs a little help from time to time,
And I think my time is near.
Now right in front of me
The roulette wheel’s come free.
It’s nice to hold a pair at times like these
My hombres, Space and Time, we agree
You are lurking everywhere
But maybe through this Drakian haze,
A vice anglais,
Or maybe one day I’ll
Turn a corner and feel your smile,
Azure skies and no goodbyes.
Back It Up
I know what I see,
Ain’t no mystery.
You like to talk the talk,
Ain’t gonna walk the walk.
It can’t be easy living in your house of cards,
A figment of your fevered mind,
Bliss is ignorant of all you’ve ever lost,
Seek and you will surely find.
Back it up,
Back it up with more than words,
Back it up,
Back it up with more than words.
All your bridges burned,
Ain’t nowhere to turn
Now that the truth is out
Ain’t no room for doubt.
A reason detre squatting in your house of cards,
A figment of your fevered mind,
Bliss is ignorant of you’ve ever lost,
Seek and you will surely find.
CHORUS
Singed but never burned
Ain’t gonna ever learn
Life’s one big rearrange
Ain’t gonna ever change.
Better Off If You Forget My Name
Better off if you forget my name,
I’ll be leavin’, if it's all the same,
Easy as she goes,
My Juliana Rose,
Better off if you forget my name.
Think I'll take my jacket for a walk,
Find some lonesome dog who wants to talk.
Give this heart a tug,
My jitter baby bug,
Better off if you forget my name.
Bluer skies,
And long good-byes
Are friends I’ve never known.
Memories
And reveries
That were never meant for me.
Mellow moon is hangin' in the sky,
Whippoorwill is cryin', "Me, oh my!"
Early morning mist,
I think of our last kiss,
Better off if you forget my name.
BRIDGE
Evening comes and I’ll be on the trail,
Lookin’ for a sea to set my sail.
Don’t think ill of me for I’m to blame,
Better off if you forget my name.
So long, Sweet Potato Pie,
Cross my heart and hope to die,
Better off if you forget my name.
Corazón
En Español:
La carisia del cielo,
El ritmo del mar.
Olvídese del pasado ,
Olvídese del los otros,
Olvídese de las noches solas.
La carisia de tu mano,
El ritmo de su samba.
Recuerdo la puesta del sol,
Recuerdo las sombras azules,
Hecho el pelo de sus ojos.
Corazón,
Canción de la vida,
Corazón,
Canción del amor,
Corazón,
Canción yo canto
para usted.
English:
The caress of the sky,
The rhythm of the sea.
Forget the past,
Forget the others,
Forget the lonely nights.
The caress of your hand,
The rhythm of your samba.
I remember the sunset,
I remember the
blue shadows,
I brush the hair back
from your eyes.
Corazón,
Song of life,
Corazón,
Song of love,
Corazón,
The song I sing
for you.
Hit the Lights When You Leave
So, in closing, I say:
Why the long face,
Why the dismay?
Darlin’,
One more box,
Then I’m changin’ the locks,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Take that carnival bear,
Take those e-mails you’re hiding upstairs,
I’ll keep those pictures of you on your knees,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Simple truths are often hard to face
When they’re laced with lies.
Careful of that monkey on your back
His kind won’t be denied.
Unplug the phone,
Take the wall where I
Wrote you the poem.
Ain’t no paint gonna cover that pain,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Simple truths are easy to embrace
Or replace in time.
Careful of the loves you choose to keep
Or jettison behind.
Who’s that on the phone?
Tell all of your tribe this isn’t your home.
Show some tact: don’t look back,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Rip out all the phones,
It’s not like I’ll ever be home.
Show some class: kiss my ass,
Hit the lights when you leave,
Hit the lights when you leave.
One more thing,
About that ring . . . . .
Hit the lights when you leave.
Tonight Might Be the Night
She wanna pill for what’s ailin’ her,
She wanna dog who’s always lookin’ down,
She wanna loose what she never had,
She wanna kick it like she never kick before.
She wanna swing in the Devil’s Playground,
She wanna fold, bend, and mutilate,
She wanna make all the cookies crumble,
She wanna shake it right over your face.
Take a number, all you ladies,
The line forms to the right.
Take a number, all you ladies,
If you’re lucky,
Tonight might be the night.
She wanna dum-dum in her mouth,
She wanna roll it all around her lips.
She wanna whip it up and never put it down,
She want it all and a bag of chips.
CHORUS
She will do just as she please,
She will bring you to your knees.
And in case you haven’t heard,
“Love” is just another word
She never ever took the time to learn.
CHORUS
Tonight, tonight,
Ain’t gonna be just like any other kinda night.
Tonight might be the night.
How Was I To Know
He says happily ever after
Ain’t got the same old ring,
Forever and a day these days
Don’t mean a damn thing.
He knows just how to set ‘em up,
Knock ‘em back, cut and run,
But how was he to know
She was the one?
How was he to know the things he should have said?
Silly Boy, it’s not what you say,
It’s what you do instead.
Bring out the brooms and sweepers,
Dig out from this old mess.
Where the hell’s that napkin
With her address?
Now he knows much better,
But knowin’ ain’t changed the feelin’ none.
How was he to know she was the one?
How was he to know that she would call his bluff?
Buy a clue, she loved you, too,
But knew you’d never be enough.
Bring out the brooms and sweepers,
Let’s drop the old pretense.
It doesn’t matter what you learn,
Just as long as you forget.
But, hey: just between you and me, baby,
I hold on to my memories
And I’ll never let them go
‘Cause how was I to know (happily ever after),
How was I to know (forever and a day),
How was I to know you were the one?
I Can’t Go On
I can’t go on,
I can’t go on without you.
I, I can’t go on without you.
Here I wait
At Shepherd’s Gate
Wishing that this light won’t change.
Most every night
I don’t feel right
But I only have myself to blame.
I wouldn’t want to so indulge
my feelings
As this numbing tendency prevails.
Perhaps I’ve given in to
just concealing,
Less said, the better,
Better no details.
There was a day
I’d laugh away
These specters and their whisperings.
With each pending wreck,
I’m more circumspect,
I know what the next morning brings.
I wouldn’t want to jump to
false conclusions,
As these nagging doubts keep
clouding my mind.
Perhaps I’ve given face to
these preclusions,
But when I find I scratch the surface,
I look away from what I find.
CHORUS
So here I wait
At Shepherd’s Gate
Wishing that you’ll change your mind.
Truth be told,
It’s getting old
These mawkish sentimental thoughts.
I wouldn’t want to jump to
false conclusions,
As these nagging doubts keep
pulling my leg.
Perhaps I’ve given face to
these preclusions,
But when I get down on my knees
Should I pray or should I beg?
I, I can’t go on without you,
This song will always be for you,
And I can’t go on . . . .
Here I wait
At Shepherd’s Gate
Seeing that the light has changed.
Lead Pipe Cinch
Lady Chatterly
Sits satorially,
Listen as she plays
Lady Clairol’s polonaise.
See her flick his switch,
See that monkey twitch,
See his shrinking spine,
Same old saline every time.
The quintessential lead pipe cinch
‘Cause she’s never, never,
never, never gonna
Give an inch.
Place your bets,
And pour yourself a healthy pinch,
It’s a lead pipe cinch.
Lives in constant fear,
Comes with push-up gear,
Flips the welcome mat,
Goes to bed with a baseball bat
Such a prolix pout,
With trace amounts of doubt,
Pensive eyes look back
To wistful sojourns from her past.
The quintessential lead pipe cinch
‘Cause she’s never, never,
never, never gonna
Give an inch.
Place your bets,
Better hold on to your hats,
The woman lives with
Cats and debt
And dreams
She can’t forget
His name or why
The song,
The song remains the same.
Come on, baby . . . .
She’s always gonna be
That quintessential lead pipe cinch
‘Cause she’s never, never,
never, never gonna
Give an inch.
Hide your brooms:
She moonlights as a
Celtic witch.
It’s a lead pipe cinch.
Perfect Symmetry
Every now and then,
Ideas coalesce.
It’s the shape of space,
With the hint of grace.
Our planets turned around,
My Goldenshlager hit
the ground,
With your smile so fly
How could I deny
It’s perfect symmetry,
The way I feel
when you’re with me,
Wouldn’t you agree
It’s perfect symmetry.
It’s sheer chemistry,
An isomorphic master key
For love eternity,
It’s perfect symmetry.
Up-town droids sashay
Mixing Cosmos with the stars.
Their life’s a centrifuge,
Nothin’ left to loose.
Our turbines purr and hum
Sweet as Madagascar plums.
Form and felicity,
Sum of simplicity.
CHORUS
On foreign sand,
A Tchokwe maiden
starts to draw.
In a tantric groove,
Her picture starts to move.
Her patterns interlace,
The palindrome is set in place.
Peering in the dust,
Kinda looks like us.
CHORUS
Best Friends
It seems I was walking alone,
Looking down and not lookin’ up.
Each day was the same as yesterday.
But things have a way of changin’
When you walk down a road.
Something was coming right my way.
Enter you, meeting me.
Soon it was clear to see our
Story would make history ‘cause
I could never find a better friend,
Someone on who I could depend,
It’s me for you and you for me
And it will always be.
I could never find a better friend,
Compadres ‘till the bitter end.
Someday when they write the book,
They will say, “Hey, look, they were
Always the best of friends.”
Sunsets that fade into the sky
Will never set on you and I.
Through thick and thin, we’ll be like glue,
You’ll stick with me, I’ll stick with you.
CHORUS
“Happy ever after”s can come true,
With friends like me and friends like you.
Inquire Within
From the crack of dawn to the dimming twilight,
You’re always with a friend.
He was here when you came,
she’ll be there when you go
Through all your joys and pain.
It’s only a Light
And it only shines bright
If the flame, we tend.
So when it’s your time
Just remember the sign,
“Inquire Within”.
Moonshadows come and moonshadows go but
Still the threat remains.
Through all our faults and conscious assaults,
It still remains to say:
“I’m only a Light
And I only shines bright
If the flame, we tend.
So when it’s your time
Just remember the sign,
“Inquire Within” ”.
Make the Most of Every Day
Betcha’ never really knew
Just how much that you could do.
When we give our all each day
Success is bound to come our way,
because
There’s a star in you
Did I hear you say!
I am here to help you prove
Mountains were made to move.
Just like 2 and 2 is 4,
Hard work opens any door,
because
There’s a star in you
Let me hear you say!
Make the most
Of every day,
Don’t give up,
You’ll find a way.
When in doubt,
Just wear a smile
Push yourself
That final mile.
Nothing’s gonna slow us down,
Nothing’s gonna stop us now, I’ll
Make the most of every day.
I like flyin’ fancy free,
Gravity is not for me!
So why worry up a frown
When there’s so much good around,
because
There’s a song in you
Let me hear you sing!
Make the most
Of every day,
Don’t give up,
You’ll find a way.
When in doubt,
Just wear a smile
Push yourself
That final mile.
Nothing’s gonna slow us down,
Nothing’s gonna stop us now, I’ll
Make the most of every day.
Make the most, oh
Make the most ,
Make the most of every day. (4Xs)
Make the most
Of every day,
Don’t give up,
We’ll find a way,
Mind that little
voice and say you’ll
Give yourself
Just one more day.
Nothing’s gonna slow you down,
Nothing’s gonna stop you now,
We’ll make the most of every day,
Make the most of every day.
Tell Me How They Lie
Man, this place has gone down hill,
Sweeter times and bitter pills,
There’s no profit motive
If you haven’t noticed yet
Tell me how they lie in old Tibet.
True love doesn’t fold in just one hand
One more camel in you Caravan
There’s no point in leaving
If you have it stashed away
Tell me how they lie in Paraguay
I’ve given up the fight
It’s over now,
A final bow or two.
If Sausalito calls, I’m not at home
I’m in a zone for
Two or more, let’s
lock the door
Predatory gains are all we have
Provincial love nest gone bad
Any other day I’d let I’d have the sense to let it go.
But they tell me it’s the feast day of Saint Blow
Tell me how they lie in Tokyo.
We haven’t solved the riddle that is
Drifting in your sea
Tell me how you lie when you’re with me.
The Kid
Here I am, I’m on the stage,
Can you see me over here?
I’m standin’ by some other kid
Who’s fightin’ back his fears.
I’m not the kid who was the star,
I might have missed some lines.
I’m not the kid who’s always
doin’ fine . . .
I’m just the kid who loves you so much,
Who lives for the hugs
And wish they would never stop,
I’m the one
Who waits by the door
And looks for your face,
The face I adore,
I’m just the kid who’s proud to say
That I’m your kid.
I’m the kid you once brought home
On a winter’s frost,
I’m the kid who spilled the gravy
On the table cloth.
I’m the one who made the card
And then misspelled your name
But you showed it off to your friends
Just the same.
I’m just the kid who loves you so much,
Who lives for the hugs
And wish they would never stop,
I’m the one
Who waits by the door
And looks for your face,
The face I adore,
I’m just the kid who’s proud,
I’m just the kid who’s proud, oh
I’m just the kid who’s proud to say
That I’m your kid.
TransAm Heaven
Look at all the painted
girls and boys
Revving up their financed
four-wheel toys.
Just fifteen minutes away
Street kids fight and
keep the rats at bay.
Easy to O.D. on dollars
and cents,
Can create an air of pestilence.
Stop, you over there, beware
Of the cut of your cloth
and your hair.
You can see it everyday
Working here at
TransAm Heaven.
You can have it your own way
Any day at TransAm Heaven.
Fuel-injected TransAm heaven
AM, FM, TM.
To thee,
Saint John Romain,
I pray
All your rules I will obey
We beseech thee in the
holy name of Aigner.
Now, I wake me up
to dress,
Pygmy gators on my chest,
Deity of Deens, we only
ask for mercy.
Lounging dockside wearing
silly grins
In the Pappagalo Islands.
Take that Little Heel
off the gas
Savor this breath, it could
be worse –
I could be your last.
Smell the incense in the air
Burning rubber,
TransAm Heaven
Light a candle, say a prayer,
Sing a song of
TransAm Heaven,
It’s a toll road to
TransAm Heaven.
CHORUS
Potter’s Field in
TransAm Heaven,
Mea culpa, TransAm Heaven,
Mea culpa, TransAm Heaven,
Mea maxima culpa,
TransAm Heaven.
Try To Believe
Way back when I was still in college,
Major: Transcendental Bartending
Love didn’t mean a thing.
Time and space I since have traveled,
Shared many sunsets in exotic lands,
They all led to your hand.
Worlds collide, slip, and slide,
Truth and dare, side by side.
Don’t you know logic will not work,
Just close your eyes and it won’t hurt:
Try to believe.
Faith, Hope, and Charity,
And every other girl that I once knew
Don’t have a thing on you.
You look lucky in that green chiffon,
Why don’t you take a chance on what you see,
Someone like me?
CHORUS
Leave all your worries, they’ll be fine,
Walk through this world with me,
And never look behind
Worlds collide, slip, and slide,
Truth and dare, side by side.
Give up this fight, come on, admit,
Just close your eyes and blow a kiss:
Try to believe.
Sparking Conversation
So sweet, she
beams her dreams to me,
Aspiring psycho-deity.
She’s splattered in sunshine,
Strapless and on her
third white wine,
Sometimes, it all comes
down to flair.
Central casting cantina,
Sangria in a paper cup.
She’s retro chic and
peacock ink -
Careful, it’s just a
bathroom sink -
We’ll be in Dewey
before the sun.
Let’s not confuse you
now with me,
So short-sighted but still I see
Incandescent flames
laugh up ahead.
A soulful mate is
waiting there,
Until then I think I’ll stay in here
Where the sparkling
conversation
never ends.
With a marriage
somewhere south of hell,
She claims she’s got some
art to sell.
Her youngest is
pushing seventeen,
She doesn’t care if we are seen,
That car has been parked
there for some time.
CHORUS
The sparkling conversation
never
Ends justify dreams,
Lives, not as they seem.
Love, easy and free,
Won’t red apple me.
Lies, told in these dunes
Rise like firetail blooms.
The Chinese lanterns shimmer
and they fill the sky.
She’s on the brink,
She waves good-bye.
It all boiled down to:
“Could she think?”
CHORUS
The sparkling conversation
never ends
The Death of Me
If it were up to me
I’d give you another chance.
What’s a little pain and suffering
For the cause of true romance?
But these little voices in my head
Are sounding more and more perturbed,
And these little feet inside my gut
Are tryin’ to kick you to the curb.
And while it’s eating me away,
I “shuck and jive” ‘em everyday.
It’s only hubris
But at least I know it’s mine.
They tell me that I’ve got no right
To believe that you still care,
That I’ve got to come to grips
With this notion of despair.
But the days drift by oh so slow
And what I’ve done, I can’t undo.
I look at these hands a million
times a day
And think of how they last touched you.
This broken heart of mine
Ain’t gonna wither on no vine.
And, if I may, inject my
lethal point of view:
I got a funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
A funny, funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
It wouldn’t be prudent of me
To continue on this way,
Any chance to get my privileges back
Hinge on what the doctors say.
These meds keep messin’ with my head,
But I take it all in stride.
It’s almost like the good old days
When you were still alive.
When I think of you that way,
It’s like the taste of cabernet
And every drop’s still
Chillin’ to the bone.
CHORUS
Fast forward:
three long years since we
Did our little act.
Talk around the courthouse was
The jury pool was stacked.
If I’m lucky, just another
two before I’m
Walkin’ out this door.
I’ll be that model citizen again
Workin’ in some retail store.
I’ve seen the errors of my ways,
I’ve held Beelzebub at bay,
I’ve found Jesus,
But they’ll never find my gun,
No, no . . . .
CHORUS
The Region of My Heart
Take this map,
It’ll get you just so far,
Enjoy the bus,
You’re bound to see some stars,
Suppositions and regrets,
The sound of fingers working frets,
Let my man take care of you tonight.
Watch your head,
It’s a short step to my pier,
These canals,
They’re nice this time of year,
Indisposed and so discreet,
Trace of ganja floating sweet,
This street is mine, mention my name.
Weary roads, weary smiles,
Weary signals up and
down the dial,
Vacancy in a house of prayer
Nero’s crown climbin’
through the air,
One more life that’s come undone,
It’s Jacob’s ladder with a
missing rung,
A broken place where
love comes a la carte:
The nether world, the
region of my heart.
I curse the day I woke up in this land.
Whoever said,
“My kingdom for a horse.”?
Make mine a catamaran.
Ancient dust and sun-baked clay,
Midnight tides and Grand Marnier,
A buyer’s market waiting for you.
CHORUS
Hard beginnings, harder ends,
Little work and fewer friends,
I was fresh, I was young,
He took me in,
And said, “Hey, son, . . . .”
“Take this bag,
It’ll get you just so far,
Enjoy the bus,
You’re bound to see some stars.”
Don’t you know, it’s the
Same old s____ with a new address,
Same old devil with a new caress,
Let Madam Kim Soo take
care of you tonight.
(A happy ending in sight)
CHORUS
Whistler’s Pallet
Twilight’s last light,
Sleepy hazel eyes,
Pictor in disguise,
Whispered soft goodbyes,
Intrigued by thoughts of
Silkscreen lullabies,
In the twilight skies.
Midnight, sleep tight,
Alizarin smile,
Innocence beguiled,
Drifting for a while,
Waking up amid a sea of
Lilies of the Nile.
We're goin’ away
Forever to stay,
Whistler’s palette and me,
This world’s grown too cold
For high tea and scones
Se vou play, mon ami,
Wood sprite in flight
Primrose indigo,
That’s my cue to go,
Tears fall like they’re snow,
Crossing over one last time
This Ponte Vecchio.
With our final breath,
We mock certain Death,
Whistler’s palette and me,
This world’s grown too bright
For midsummer nights,
Se vou play, mon ami.
It all fades away
To Dorian Gray,
Whistler’s palette, and me.
A Party in Tangier
Is the caller there?
You’ve reached my Tangier line:
The call’s declined.
The lobby café’s closed.
Notice that the lift is filled
With bullet holes.
The concierge is gone
He got a better gig
With less intrigue.
Fetch me another tall surprise
One with some Truth
And fresh Vermouth.
Perfumed water and soft lights,
Claxton on the walls,
And Bird in flight.
That chanteuse from Hong-Kong
She’s lookin’ oh so right
In that sarong.
We regret tonight’s event, has been postponed
To another zone (no, no, no)
“These glitches may occur”,
To quote Harry Lime,
“From time to time”
Dear friends and gentle hearts
Need not apply
Or turn a weather eye.
Atmospheric ambiance with opaque eyes
Will typify
This party in Tangiers.
Translucent tassels sway
While the shaykh is telling jokes
Between jokes.
The general and his aides,
They’re playing Baccarat:
It’s a coup d’etat.
Your friends have stepped outside
To sell some air
In the market square.
We supply as they demand
The odd racketeer
Or Grand Wazire.
Dear friends and gentle hearts
Need not apply
Or turn a weather eye.
Atmospheric ambiance with opaque eyes
Will improvise
And hear
The music of the spheres
At a party in Tangiers.
We regret tonight’s event, has been postponed
To parts unknown, you’re on your own
That Royal's is all you’ll need.
Type it well
And you’ll be free.
Dear friends and gentle hearts
Need not apply
Or cast a weather eye.
Atmospheric Ambiance with opaque eyes
Will realize
Their appeal
Sporting Cuban heals
As they finalize the deal
With a guest list so surreal,
This party in Tangiers.
Relinquish all your fears,
To a party in Tangiers,
To a party in Tangiers.
You’ve reached a party in Tangiers.
You’ve reached a party in Tangiers.
You’ve reached a party in Tangiers.
The operator softly says,
“You‘ve reached a party in Tangiers”
The operator softly says,
“You‘ve reached a party in Tangiers”
The operator softly says,
“You‘ve reached a party in Tangiers”
Then the line went dead.
Again
I love to see you look at me,
I love to see you look at me,
‘Cause when I see you look at me, Chick-a-dee
I’ve seen all that I need to see.
I love to see you when you smile
I love to see you when you smile
‘Cause when I see startin' to smile, Crocodile,
I feel like staying for a while.
I love to see you gently sway,
I love to see you gently sway,
‘Cause when I see you gently sway my way,
It makes me think of brighter days.
I love to see you wave your hand,
I love to see you wave your hand,
‘Cause when I see you wave your hand, my man,
I know that we understand.
I hate to see you when you cry,
I hate to see you when you cry
‘Cause when I see you start to cry, Small Fry,
I feel like I will surely die.
I love to hear you say “Hello”,
I love to hear you say “Hello”,
‘Cause when I hear you say “Hello”, my friend,
I know I’ll never say “Good-bye” again,
And you make me feel alive again.
And you make me feel alive again.
Pythagoras Was Wrong
One-on-one ain’t easy
When your
two becomes a three.
That foul line is your friend, son,
Take a tip from me.
That’s as bad a case of chokin’
As I have ever seen.
Close you eyes and
put it up there
Just like you do in your dreams.
Rippin’ down another
loose ball,
Talking’ trash until
the dawn.
A simple game we
make so hard,
Pythagoras was wrong.
Throw it down there, Big Man,
You think you own that shot,
You’ll game will only suffer
Should you ever get caught.
It’s a bump-and-run world
For folks like you and me
Shirts and skins
And a later-to-be-named
will make three.
CHORUS
Spoils of war,
Crystal tea,
It’s a game of points and curves
It’s your Manifest Destiny
Some can make and break,
They tell me you can
pick and roll,
I like to lace ‘em up and under,
Wanna see my ‘give and go’?
One-on-one ain’t easy
When the one I want is you
Let’s roll that tape back, baby,
We’re a matter for review.
CHORUS
The Beast
She’s the Beast,
She’s Al Capone,
She’s Belushi on a bad night
all alone.
A golden girl
Who’s off the map,
She’s the China Kitty
Sleepin’ in my hat.
And when her love boat
comes to town,
It’s a coin toss if I’m
Ever comin’ down.
'Cause I’m a mess,
I’m a wreck,
I’m fifty-one cards shy of
a full deck.
West Coast turnarounds abound,
I’m a River Styx who’s
Flowin’ underground.
And when she’s acting oh
so fey,
I’m an isotope in
Seach of ‘bombs away’.
She’s takin’ me to the bridge
this time,
She’s takin’ me to the bridge
over the bay.
We’re gonna dine on wine and
fine paté,
We’re gonna cruise control and
Taste the ocean spray,
Miami way.
Cell phones ring,
Doctors shout,
Times like these can
Make a weak man doubt.
A paisley theme induced by Proust,
Am I passing through or
Am I checking out?
Whatever name you choose to use,
You serve at her discretion or at
Her abuse.
BRIDGE
She’s the Beast,
She’s Al Capone,
She’s the reason why I
alway drink alone.
A golden girl
Who’s off the hook,
She’s the Queen in hot pursuit
of my last rook.
She’s my famine,
She’s my feast,
She’s my Bromo,
She’s my Buddha,
She’s my Beast.
Build a Bridge
Once
On a distant shore,
Dreams
Could wait no more.
Arms
Reaching outward
Couldn’t reach
The other shore.
So the world
Joined hand in hand
And built a bridge
That all could span
A bridge
From their time
A bridge to make
Their dreams mine.
Build a bridge with me
And forget about our
years of sorrow and
Then I’m sure we’ll see
Our brightest promise
is tomorrow
There’s room for all
Within this family
So build a bridge with
Me,
What can I do alone
Far
Away from home?
Now
That it’s our turn,
Let’s not forget
What we’ve learned.
Build a bridge with me
And forget about our
years of sorrow and
Then I’m sure we’ll see
Our brightest promise is tomorrow
There’s room for all
Within this family
So build a bridge
with me,
Come along, you’ll see
If you
Build a bridge with me
And forget about our
years of sorrow and
Then I’m sure we’ll see
Our brightest promise is tomorrow
There’s room for all
Within this family
So build a bridge
with me,
A bridge with me,
A bridge with me!
Serengeti Night
On a summer Serengeti night
All the animals are out of sight,
They’re hiding ‘neath the
orange moon.
Sickle bush and red grass
in the breeze,
Vervet monkeys in umbrella trees,
The crockadiles lie waiting patiently.
Cheetahs and puff adders
on the loose,
Wildebeest is stalking
wild mongoose,
In her nest, the stork
protects her egg.
Antelopes and rhinos
are at peace,
A pride of lions
eyeing their next feast.
Are those poachers
hiding in the hills?
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
In the Hills!
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
In the Hills!
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
In the Hills!
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
On a sizzling Serengeti night
Shadows travel at the
speed of light.
A thousand eyes are
watching you.
Golden jackal and
black rhino creep
While the baby baboon
drifts to sleep
And dream of happy days
that lie ahead.
CHORUS
On a summer Serengeti night
All the animals are out of sight,
They’re hiding ‘neath the
orange moon.
In the flap of a wing,
in the snap of a jaw,
In the hiss of a tongue,
in the rip of a claw,
In the blink of an eye,
in the heat of a fight,
In a moment of fear,
Serengeti night!
Star
High, so high up in the sky I’m rarely seen,
So far away but still we’ll always be
Together, you and I,
I’m your star.
Go, no matter where you go or what you do,
My heart will always find a trace of you
No matter where you go,
Follow me,
I’m your star.
Although some don’t believe,
I’m sure I’ll know
That when I see
That falling star was meant for me.
Believe,
Believe in me as I believe in you,
Believing means there’s nothing we can’t do
Together, you and I.
You’re my star,
And you’re my star,
And wherever you go,
I’ll be there with you.
The Death of Me
If it were up to me
I’d give you another chance.
What’s a little pain and suffering
For the cause of true romance?
But these little voices in my head
Are sounding more and more perturbed,
And these little feet inside my gut
Are tryin’ to kick you to the curb.
And while it’s eating me away,
I “shuck and jive” ‘em everyday.
It’s only hubris
But at least I know it’s mine.
They tell me that I’ve got no right
To believe that you still care,
That I’ve got to come to grips
With this notion of despair.
But the days drift by oh so slow
And what I’ve done, I can’t undo.
I look at these hands a million
times a day
And think of how they last touched you.
This broken heart of mine
Ain’t gonna wither on no vine.
And, if I may, inject my
lethal point of view:
I got a funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
A funny, funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
It wouldn’t be prudent of me
To continue on this way,
Any chance to get my privileges back
Hinge on what the doctors say.
These meds keep messin’ with my head,
But I take it all in stride.
It’s almost like the good old days
When you were still alive.
When I think of you that way,
It’s like the taste of cabernet
And every drop’s still
Chillin’ to the bone.
CHORUS
Fast forward:
three long years since we
Did our little act.
Talk around the courthouse was
The jury pool was stacked.
If I’m lucky, just another
two before I’m
Walkin’ out this door.
I’ll be that model citizen again
Workin’ in some retail store.
I’ve seen the errors of my ways,
I’ve held Beelzebub at bay,
I’ve found Jesus,
But they’ll never find my gun,
No, no . . . .
CHORUS
Undercover Kids
Can you keep a secret?
If you can, here’s one for you.
There’s a team of super secret agents
in your school.
It’s a secret who they are,
‘Cause they’re havin’ secret fun.
One thing is for sure,
They’ve got the bad guys on the run!
My teacher thinks the world of me
Little does she realize
She’s teaching Undercover Kids,
like me.
We’re the Undercover Kids,
We’re sneaky super spies!
We’re the Undercover Kids,
We’re masters of disguise.
If your world is upside down
And filled with mystery,
I’ll be your secret friend because
Your secret’s safe with me, me, me,
Undercover Kids,
I’ve got a crime lab that I hide under my bed,
I’ve built a rocket ship that runs on Wonder Bread.
I’ve got a submarine I made from old spare parts,
My dog is named Kung Fu and he knows the martial arts.
We’ll Make the Most Of What We Have
We’ll make the most of what we have
‘Cause what we have will surely be enough.
We’ll make the most of every friend
‘Cause sometimes all it takes is just one friend.
And should we find the road is long,
We’’ do our best to try and find our way.
And should we find the road is long,
We’ll come together, hand in hand,
Step by step each day.
We’ll make the most of what we have
‘Cause what we have will surely be enough.
We’ll make the most of every friend
‘Cause sometimes all it takes is just one friend.
‘Cause someday all we’ll have is one more day.
Sometimes Life is like a long walk
On the sand down by the sea,
Though the sand is smooth,
There once were footprints
That led the way for you and me.
Just as yesterday was once tomorrow,
Every follower must someday lead.
The time has come for us to walk together
On the sand down by the sea.
I’ll lead the way so you can follow,
I’ll lead the way, walk by the sea.
Lead with your soul,
And your heart will follow,
Take my hand, I’ll lead the way.
Someday a child will look up to you
Full of questions in his eyes,
Time will stop
And you will tell him,
“Take my hand, I’ll lead the way.” CHORUS
I’ve made mistakes and
I’ve made fortunes,
I’ve made assumptions,
some that I regret.
But these days that we walked together
Will be the Times that I call the best.
So if someday the waves should
come and take my footprints,
Should you ever lose this melody,
Go to the sand, down by the ocean,
Close your eyes and know it’s me.
CHORUS
Save That Smile
Revealing, concealing,
Shadows on the moon,
Funny how those shooting stars
Always fall too soon.
Midnight skies and fireflies,
A cricket whispered to me,
“Save this smile to remember you were here.”
Quite the bon vivants, they blushed
And said they were my fans.
A mocha here, a latte there,
Such a seamless tan.
But in the end, we parted friends,
Such a waste of beauty,
I’ve saved that smile to remember I was there.
Through these fingers slippin’,
Lightly trippin’,
Spirit away.
Damn the premonitions,
Indecisions
That stay.
Aviaries, tributaries,
The Brandywine’s soft roar,
A blade of grass, some sassafras,
What boy could want for more?
He looked into that stream of blue,
And guess what came back to him?
That smile I saved to remember I was there.
BRIDGE
Revealing, concealing,
Lovers on the moon.
We were like two 45s,
Who’s grooves end all too soon.
You glanced at me, the stars agreed,
One look was all I needed,
I’ve saved that smile to remember we were here,
I’ve saved that smile to remember you were here
Every Song I Sing
Every song I sing, I sing with you,
Every note I play, I play with you.
When I close my eyes,
Imagine my sublime surprise,
Your smile is always waiting there for me.
Every phrase I turn, I turn to you,
Where you go, my voice will go with you.
Whether near or far,
We’re here within this old guitar.
No matter how hard we shall play,
Heartstrings will never break,
And every song I sing, I sing with you.
Every song I sing, I sing with you.
The Mandarin
Ripped from the pages,
Torn from the sky,
Wondering through
these streets
Like a motherless alibi.
Shadows at vespers,
He’s alleyway mist,
He’s chakras akimbo
With an El Fly Agaric twist
Swizzle sticks
frozen in time,
As he enters his lair,
Molecules re-arrange
themselves
Out of thin air:
He’s the Mandarin.
Picks one up as he
drinks down another,
He’s got the inside line,
Bartenders tab him up
by his order:
He’s the Mandarin.
Placid environs
At the end of the road,
Dispensing with
all the prelims,
He comes with his
own bar code.
Nothing deters him,
His pursuit of the prize.
The tears that he cries are real
But they never fall from his eyes.
Swizzle sticks frozen in time,
With a hint of Bordeaux,
Molecules have a habit
of startin’ to flow;
‘Round the Mandarin
Off one stool and onto another
In the blink of an eye.
A card-carrying member
of the Lush Life
He’s the Mandarin.
A sea of little children
Lift him so high in the sky.
Hovering overhead,
The mothership can
only wonder why.
He’s the tonic that
thrives on the rim,
A fresh citrusy slice,
With a tinge of a
lonely sin over ice:
He’s the Mandarin
In one arm and out the other,
I’ve got the inside line,
If you haven’t caught my name,
Let me throw it:
I’m the Mandarin.
The Melting Sun
Don’t bother backing up those files tonight
It’s not as if they will survive.
We’ll nail some vocals and then dial a quick mix
Before the melting sun arrives.
As the world signs off,
Our red light’s on,
And every note we play will be like it’s our last.
And we’ll roll tonight and then we’ll
Punch in tight,
And when the consoles dim,
We’ll dine by radium light.
And as the sky explodes,
The lens will pull in tight,
What’s your hurry, son,
The party’s just begun,
Take a load off and
Behold the melting sun.
Cement dripping off the window ledge,
Roaches squealing in delight.
Semi-conductor over-load ahead,
We’ll play it silky smooth tonight.
Jimmy Taa-daa,
And that Rastafar
Will take their cue
And play johnson-friendly tune.
And we’ll roll tonight and then we’ll
Punch in tight,
And when the consoles dim,
We’ll dine by radium light.
And as the sky explodes,
The lens will pull in tight,
What’s your hurry, son,
The party’s just begun,
Take a load off and
Behold the melting sun.
Who Knew?
Who knew I would trip that fateful day?
Who knew that my Chai would fly her way?
I guess I was meant to be on my knees
when I looked up and saw
Her dress and gingham panties
lookin’ back at me but who knew.
She snorked, L-O-L-ing like it was planned,
I blushed, with my Chai and heart in hand.
Prologue over, chapter one was looming up ahead.
Page turner, O-M-G, she reads and
Smells like pencil lead.
Who knew I could fall so far so fast,
Who knew, she would be my first and last
True love isn’t always as it seems,
I’m livin’ the dream,
Brother, take it from me.
We were meant to be but then, who knew.
Week one: learning what’s inside her head.
Week two: learning it’s a sofa bed.
Week three: she is on the road and I’m
feelin’ kind of depressed.
Week four: meeting her girl friends and
knowin’ I aced the test.
Who knew I could fall so far so fast,
Who knew, she would be my first and last
True love isn’t always as it seems.
I’m livin’ the dream,
Brother, take it from me.
We were meant to be but then,
Who cares that she lives in her jeans and t-shirts,
Who cares she’s been known to snore?
I know that without her, I’m not as happy
Even when my world falls flat,
She’s there to pick me up and make me laugh.
Who knew I could fall so far so fast,
Who knew, she would be my first and last
True love had eluded me for years,
So many tears,
But now I know that she’s here, ‘cause
We were meant to be but then, who
We were meant to be but then, who
We were meant to be but then, who knew.
Tomorrow Cries Today
Faint of heart, even less of soul,
I double lock the door,
I cap the chimney on my roof.
I’ve seen all that I need to see,
This puddin’ needs no proof,
The crowds demand they
have it their own way
And while they laugh,
Tomorrow cries, “Today!”
The empty boasts that fill the air
Like spittle from their mouth
Are raining down like sin on me.
The battles they’ve so
keenly won
Will someday come undone.
The crowds will strut with
Well-heeled feet of clay.
And while they dance,
Tomorrow cries, “Today!”
In for just a penny,
Out for just a pound.
Ring around a
rosier world, ‘cause
Culture is cheap when
Each thought is profound.
Save your soul and then ya
buy some gold,
We gotcher gourmet
bunker food.
What’s the wine to pour with
mushroom clouds?
Let’s drink to sweet salvation
From the milk of sacred cows.
The crowds have run a
tab they’ll never pay.
And while they feast,
Tomorrow cries, “Today”!
In for just a penny,
Out for just a pound.
Ring around a
rosier world, ‘cause
Why go to school when
there’re no jobs around.
A lie of grand proportions
Is just waiting to be sold.
Can I get a big Amen?
No pulpits, politicians,
Not a prophet to be found.
The crowds fall on their knees
To vote and pray,
And while their slacker gods
Are M.I.A.,
And they wonder what’s
become of yesterday,
And while they sleep,
Tomorrow cries today.
Never Here
Troubled sky overhead,
Movin’ ground under hoof,
Better tighten up your
saddle, young man,
Take a swig of the truth.
Been a long ridin’ day,
Gonna be a longer night.
Chance are there’ll be
the devil to pay
Before the morning light.
Then it’s adios,
And it’s different trails.
I say you take your cut,
I’ll take mine,
We’ll take a
swig of the truth
and swear
We were never here,
We were never here.
You’ve lost a lot of blood,
You’re not the only one.
You took another man’s
life last night,
Now he’s claimin’ yours in return.
Will you live or die?
That’s not for me to say.
I only know in the Book of Job
What he givith, he taketh away.
Then it’s adios,
And it’s different trails.
I say you take your cut,
I’ll take mine,
We’ll take a
swig of the truth
and swear
We were never here,
We were never here.
Death comes slow,
I’ve heard it said,
To those who’s souls
Are already dead.
In this cold hard ground
Bury you with your loot.
Wash my hands of the
pain you caused
And take a swig of the truth.
Here lies a troubled man
With his gold and his gun.
Fathers should never have to
bury their sons,
For livin' a life on the run.
Then it’s adios,
And it’s different trails.
I say you take your cut,
I’ll take mine,
We’ll take a
swig of the truth
and swear
We were never here,
We were never here.
Here stands a troubled man
With his gold and his gun.
Heaven Knows
How you’ve been?
You’re lookin’ fine.
You know, I think about us from
time to time,
How I’d sneak out your
back door,
How we scratched the
kitchen floor.
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been
waiting for.
Careful of that coffee lid.
I can’t believe you’ve had
a couple of kids.
It’s like mercury on glass,
How the years are sliding past.
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been
waiting for.
Given time,
Some dreams rewind.
Pandora’s equal to the task.
The masses shift,
They scratch, they sniff.
Who are we to wonder why?
(I caught your wonderin’ eye.)
This one’s home,
this one’s my cell,
Your're my reason d'etre for e-mail.
So, if you feel the feelin’s right,
Why don’t we sleep on it tonight?
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been
waiting for.
Given time,
Some dreams rewind.
Pandora’s equal to the task.
The hourglass,
It says, “Half past”,
But half the future’s
better than none.
(We’ve only just begun.)
Call me right or call me wrong,
Call it a hunch I knew
all along.
It’s not a prospect lightly posed,
But if I do, do you suppose,
Heaven knows, you’re the one,
You’re the one I’ve been waiting
‘Fore I forget
Let me sing it once more,
Heaven knows you’re the one,
You’re the one, you’re the one,
You’re the one,
I’ve been waiting for,
You’re the one, you’re the one,
Heaven knows.
Until You’re Here
Until you’re here
There’s an emptiness in my soul
That can’t be filled.
Until you’re here
I don’t know if I can go on
Another day.
And I walk down the street,
And I buy me a cup,
I try on a smile,
I try to look up.
It’s a second hand
That never quite seems to move,
Until you’re here.
I must concede,
There’s a sadness I must concede,
That pulls me down.
It comes in waves
This feeling, it comes in waves
I can’t explain.
And I ride on the bus,
And I stare out the pain,
A reflection looks back
But it doesn’t remain.
It’s a second hand
That never is holding mine,
Until you’re here.
Until you’re here,
My table is set for one.
Until you’re here,
My tandem bike’s no fun.
Until you’re here,
Know this love has been
put on hold,
Absent of the life I’ve led,
After all is done and said,
Until you’re here.
Until you’re here
There’s a secret I must confess
At least to you.
There’s not a day
That I don’t hear your name
murmured
Behind my ear.
And I put down the cup
And I pick up the pen
And the pen says to me,
“You’re at it again.”
The words scoff at me,
And needle a sharp rebuff
Until you’re here.
Until you’re here,
My table is set for one.
Until you’re here,
My tandem bike’s no fun.
Until you’re here,
Know this love has been
put on hold,
Absent of the life I’ve led,
After all is done and said,
Until you’re here.
I Believe in Dreams
Silly as it seems,
I believe in dreams.
Everyday’s a day when dreams were
Meant to come true.
But wishin’ on a star
Won’t take you very far.
Everybody needs a plan to follow.
Make your mind up you’ll succeed,
Make a list of just what you’ll need,
On your mark, get set,
Let’s go!
Make a movie in your mind
Of you nearing the finish line.
We become what we believe,
Nothing that we can’t achieve,
With some hard work, you will see
Victory!
If at first you fail,
Don’t you tuck your tail:
Hold your head up high!
If you dare to follow through,
All your dreams might just come true.
If you believe in dreams,
They’ll believe in you,
If you believe in dreams,
They’ll believe in you!
It’s not Like She’s Gone
“Never let you go.”
They were the
words you meant to say
But somehow,
The words
Got lost along the way.
“Never Say Good-bye” was the
song we’d always play
Funny how
Songs change
When life gets in the way.
In this bed, where
we would always be
Reading the Sunday times,
Making love then making tea
It’s all shadow now
And texting on a phone
You have your issues.
I have issues of my own.
It’s not like she’s gone,
It’s not like
she would even know
About this pain that’s
deep inside me
And how every night it grows.
It’s not like she’s gone,
It’s not like
she could really care
Or believe me when I told her
That he’d
break her heart one day,
It’s not like I didn’t try
It’s not like she’s gone.
(verse 2)
CHORUS
It’s not like she’s gone,
It’s not like
she could throw away
All the letters
that he sent her
With the words
I used to say.
It’s not like she’s gone.
It’s not like she’s gone.
It’s not like she’s gone.
She was never here.
She Cries for You
Quickly ‘fore the
night gives way,
Dream your soul’s been
led astray.
Know the love you’ve
dared to wish
You risk it all in one last kiss.
Gently in the velvet sky,
She her pirouetting by.
Gossamer wings and
jasper eyes,
Alabaster soft good-byes.
And she cries for you
And her tears are
all the stars.
And she cries for you,
And her tears are like the
snowflakes that
swirl all around you.
Softly ‘fore Eos commands,
Hold the balance in your hand.
Scribble words you’ll never say,
Crumpled, tossed, and
thrown away.
And she cries for you
And her tears are
all the stars.
And she cries for you,
And her tears are like the
snowflakes that
swirl all around you.
Oh, but for a Muse of Fire,
One to hold me
through the night.
Oh, but for a Muse of Fire,
With a heart to
burn within mine.
Years and years,
locked in this cell,
A Fool of Time with tales to tell.
And should she come
to me tonight,
I’ll hear the jailor’s
mournful cry:
And she cries for you
And her tears are
all the stars.
And she cries for you,
And her tears are like the
snowflakes that
swirl all around you.
And she cries, and she cries,
And she cries.
This Is How They Lie
Man, this place has gone down hill,
Sweeter times and bitter pills,
There’s no profit motive
If you haven’t noticed yet
This is how they lie in old Tibet.
True love doesn’t fold in just one hand
Don’t forget you drive a minivan
There’s no point in leaving
If you have it stashed away
This is how they lie in Paraguay
I’ve given up the fight
It’s over now,
A final bow or two.
If Sausalito calls, I’m not at home
I’m in a zone for
Two or more, let’s
lock the door
Predatory gains are all we have
Provincial nest gone bad
Any other day I’d let I’d have the sense to let it go.
But today’s the feast day of Saint Blow
This is how the lie in Morocco.
We haven’t solved the riddle
Drifting in your sea
Tell me how you lie when you’re with me.
Two Friends
There were two friends and they learned to stand,
When one fell, the other held out a hand.
Soon they ran and, yes, they learned to fly,
Say, isn’t that you and me?
These were the days when we shed some tears,
These were the days when we faced our fears.
Gone is today,
Tomorrow’s beckoning,
So, lift up your voice and say that
Some will come and some will go,
Some stay young and some grow old.
Whatever the years may bring,
we’ll stay good friends.
There’ll be a day when were old and gray,
Memories of grades will simply fade away.
Voices distantly echoing will
Whisper these words to you, oh
Some will come and some will go,
Some stay young and some grow old.
Whatever the years may bring,
we’ll stay good friends
Some will come and some will go,
Some stay young and some grow old.
Remember,
Whatever the years may bring,
we’ll stay good friends.
We Know How This Will End
I never knew
We’d be the best of friends
Tomorrow is not ours to know
But we know how this will end.
For what it’s worth,
This time is all I have.
I never thought I’d live to say
That we know how this will end.
Believe me when I tell you
This song is meant for you ,
Believe me when I whisper,
“I love you”.
And someday, should you wonder,
If I love you still,
I will, I will.
It’s not for me
To say how things will end.
But when it comes to memories,
Look for the morning star and think of me,
And in it’s Light I’m sure you’ll see
My love will never end.
Another You
Another time,
Another place,
Another girl and
Another face.
Another crash,
Another song,
Another chronicle of
What went wrong.
Everyone, please, can’t you see
These towering walls
all around me?
Can somebody, please,
set me free,
Set me free from this loop?
Another year,
Another ring,
Another Grey Goose waiting
In the wings.
Another hook,
Another rhyme,
Another fool running
Out of time.
Let’s play pretend
Tonight,
And save
All the rest for
Another night,
Another me,
Another you.
Another tic,
Another tac,
Another toe that used to tickle
Down my back.
Another pass,
Another fail,
Another toothbrush destined
For my cleaning pail.
Everyone, please, can’t you feel
This loneliness
all around me?
Can somebody, please,
take me in,
Take me within your soul?
Another ghost,
Another town,
Another Jagermeister
Going down.
Another kiss, and
Another tell,
Another life support
For this living hell.
Let’s play pretend
Tonight,
And save
All the rest for
Another night,
Another world,
For you, another guy and
For me, another girl, for
Another night,
Another me,
Another you.
Azure Skies And No Goodbyes
Azure skies and no goodbyes,
I’ll be on my way,
Drifting over borderlines,
Through space and time,
Azure skies and no goodbyes . . .
Absurd as such illusions appear,
This light will surely bend,
And just as smoke of cobalt blue
Becomes you,
Azure skies and no goodbyes . . .
Everybody needs a little help from time to time,
And I think my time is near.
Now right in front of me
The roulette wheel’s come free.
It’s nice to hold a pair at times like these
My hombres, Space and Time, we agree
You are lurking everywhere
But maybe through this Drakian haze,
A vice anglais,
Or maybe one day I’ll
Turn a corner and feel your smile,
Azure skies and no goodbyes.
Back It Up
I know what I see,
Ain’t no mystery.
You like to talk the talk,
Ain’t gonna walk the walk.
It can’t be easy living in your house of cards,
A figment of your fevered mind,
Bliss is ignorant of all you’ve ever lost,
Seek and you will surely find.
Back it up,
Back it up with more than words,
Back it up,
Back it up with more than words.
All your bridges burned,
Ain’t nowhere to turn
Now that the truth is out
Ain’t no room for doubt.
A reason detre squatting in your house of cards,
A figment of your fevered mind,
Bliss is ignorant of you’ve ever lost,
Seek and you will surely find.
CHORUS
Singed but never burned
Ain’t gonna ever learn
Life’s one big rearrange
Ain’t gonna ever change.
Better Off If You Forget My Name
Better off if you forget my name,
I’ll be leavin’, if it's all the same,
Easy as she goes,
My Juliana Rose,
Better off if you forget my name.
Think I'll take my jacket for a walk,
Find some lonesome dog who wants to talk.
Give this heart a tug,
My jitter baby bug,
Better off if you forget my name.
Bluer skies,
And long good-byes
Are friends I’ve never known.
Memories
And reveries
That were never meant for me.
Mellow moon is hangin' in the sky,
Whippoorwill is cryin', "Me, oh my!"
Early morning mist,
I think of our last kiss,
Better off if you forget my name.
BRIDGE
Evening comes and I’ll be on the trail,
Lookin’ for a sea to set my sail.
Don’t think ill of me for I’m to blame,
Better off if you forget my name.
So long, Sweet Potato Pie,
Cross my heart and hope to die,
Better off if you forget my name.
Corazón
En Español:
La carisia del cielo,
El ritmo del mar.
Olvídese del pasado ,
Olvídese del los otros,
Olvídese de las noches solas.
La carisia de tu mano,
El ritmo de su samba.
Recuerdo la puesta del sol,
Recuerdo las sombras azules,
Hecho el pelo de sus ojos.
Corazón,
Canción de la vida,
Corazón,
Canción del amor,
Corazón,
Canción yo canto
para usted.
English:
The caress of the sky,
The rhythm of the sea.
Forget the past,
Forget the others,
Forget the lonely nights.
The caress of your hand,
The rhythm of your samba.
I remember the sunset,
I remember the
blue shadows,
I brush the hair back
from your eyes.
Corazón,
Song of life,
Corazón,
Song of love,
Corazón,
The song I sing
for you.
Hit the Lights When You Leave
So, in closing, I say:
Why the long face,
Why the dismay?
Darlin’,
One more box,
Then I’m changin’ the locks,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Take that carnival bear,
Take those e-mails you’re hiding upstairs,
I’ll keep those pictures of you on your knees,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Simple truths are often hard to face
When they’re laced with lies.
Careful of that monkey on your back
His kind won’t be denied.
Unplug the phone,
Take the wall where I
Wrote you the poem.
Ain’t no paint gonna cover that pain,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Simple truths are easy to embrace
Or replace in time.
Careful of the loves you choose to keep
Or jettison behind.
Who’s that on the phone?
Tell all of your tribe this isn’t your home.
Show some tact: don’t look back,
Hit the lights when you leave.
Rip out all the phones,
It’s not like I’ll ever be home.
Show some class: kiss my ass,
Hit the lights when you leave,
Hit the lights when you leave.
One more thing,
About that ring . . . . .
Hit the lights when you leave.
Tonight Might Be the Night
She wanna pill for what’s ailin’ her,
She wanna dog who’s always lookin’ down,
She wanna loose what she never had,
She wanna kick it like she never kick before.
She wanna swing in the Devil’s Playground,
She wanna fold, bend, and mutilate,
She wanna make all the cookies crumble,
She wanna shake it right over your face.
Take a number, all you ladies,
The line forms to the right.
Take a number, all you ladies,
If you’re lucky,
Tonight might be the night.
She wanna dum-dum in her mouth,
She wanna roll it all around her lips.
She wanna whip it up and never put it down,
She want it all and a bag of chips.
CHORUS
She will do just as she please,
She will bring you to your knees.
And in case you haven’t heard,
“Love” is just another word
She never ever took the time to learn.
CHORUS
Tonight, tonight,
Ain’t gonna be just like any other kinda night.
Tonight might be the night.
How Was I To Know
He says happily ever after
Ain’t got the same old ring,
Forever and a day these days
Don’t mean a damn thing.
He knows just how to set ‘em up,
Knock ‘em back, cut and run,
But how was he to know
She was the one?
How was he to know the things he should have said?
Silly Boy, it’s not what you say,
It’s what you do instead.
Bring out the brooms and sweepers,
Dig out from this old mess.
Where the hell’s that napkin
With her address?
Now he knows much better,
But knowin’ ain’t changed the feelin’ none.
How was he to know she was the one?
How was he to know that she would call his bluff?
Buy a clue, she loved you, too,
But knew you’d never be enough.
Bring out the brooms and sweepers,
Let’s drop the old pretense.
It doesn’t matter what you learn,
Just as long as you forget.
But, hey: just between you and me, baby,
I hold on to my memories
And I’ll never let them go
‘Cause how was I to know (happily ever after),
How was I to know (forever and a day),
How was I to know you were the one?
I Can’t Go On
I can’t go on,
I can’t go on without you.
I, I can’t go on without you.
Here I wait
At Shepherd’s Gate
Wishing that this light won’t change.
Most every night
I don’t feel right
But I only have myself to blame.
I wouldn’t want to so indulge
my feelings
As this numbing tendency prevails.
Perhaps I’ve given in to
just concealing,
Less said, the better,
Better no details.
There was a day
I’d laugh away
These specters and their whisperings.
With each pending wreck,
I’m more circumspect,
I know what the next morning brings.
I wouldn’t want to jump to
false conclusions,
As these nagging doubts keep
clouding my mind.
Perhaps I’ve given face to
these preclusions,
But when I find I scratch the surface,
I look away from what I find.
CHORUS
So here I wait
At Shepherd’s Gate
Wishing that you’ll change your mind.
Truth be told,
It’s getting old
These mawkish sentimental thoughts.
I wouldn’t want to jump to
false conclusions,
As these nagging doubts keep
pulling my leg.
Perhaps I’ve given face to
these preclusions,
But when I get down on my knees
Should I pray or should I beg?
I, I can’t go on without you,
This song will always be for you,
And I can’t go on . . . .
Here I wait
At Shepherd’s Gate
Seeing that the light has changed.
Lead Pipe Cinch
Lady Chatterly
Sits satorially,
Listen as she plays
Lady Clairol’s polonaise.
See her flick his switch,
See that monkey twitch,
See his shrinking spine,
Same old saline every time.
The quintessential lead pipe cinch
‘Cause she’s never, never,
never, never gonna
Give an inch.
Place your bets,
And pour yourself a healthy pinch,
It’s a lead pipe cinch.
Lives in constant fear,
Comes with push-up gear,
Flips the welcome mat,
Goes to bed with a baseball bat
Such a prolix pout,
With trace amounts of doubt,
Pensive eyes look back
To wistful sojourns from her past.
The quintessential lead pipe cinch
‘Cause she’s never, never,
never, never gonna
Give an inch.
Place your bets,
Better hold on to your hats,
The woman lives with
Cats and debt
And dreams
She can’t forget
His name or why
The song,
The song remains the same.
Come on, baby . . . .
She’s always gonna be
That quintessential lead pipe cinch
‘Cause she’s never, never,
never, never gonna
Give an inch.
Hide your brooms:
She moonlights as a
Celtic witch.
It’s a lead pipe cinch.
Perfect Symmetry
Every now and then,
Ideas coalesce.
It’s the shape of space,
With the hint of grace.
Our planets turned around,
My Goldenshlager hit
the ground,
With your smile so fly
How could I deny
It’s perfect symmetry,
The way I feel
when you’re with me,
Wouldn’t you agree
It’s perfect symmetry.
It’s sheer chemistry,
An isomorphic master key
For love eternity,
It’s perfect symmetry.
Up-town droids sashay
Mixing Cosmos with the stars.
Their life’s a centrifuge,
Nothin’ left to loose.
Our turbines purr and hum
Sweet as Madagascar plums.
Form and felicity,
Sum of simplicity.
CHORUS
On foreign sand,
A Tchokwe maiden
starts to draw.
In a tantric groove,
Her picture starts to move.
Her patterns interlace,
The palindrome is set in place.
Peering in the dust,
Kinda looks like us.
CHORUS
Best Friends
It seems I was walking alone,
Looking down and not lookin’ up.
Each day was the same as yesterday.
But things have a way of changin’
When you walk down a road.
Something was coming right my way.
Enter you, meeting me.
Soon it was clear to see our
Story would make history ‘cause
I could never find a better friend,
Someone on who I could depend,
It’s me for you and you for me
And it will always be.
I could never find a better friend,
Compadres ‘till the bitter end.
Someday when they write the book,
They will say, “Hey, look, they were
Always the best of friends.”
Sunsets that fade into the sky
Will never set on you and I.
Through thick and thin, we’ll be like glue,
You’ll stick with me, I’ll stick with you.
CHORUS
“Happy ever after”s can come true,
With friends like me and friends like you.
Inquire Within
From the crack of dawn to the dimming twilight,
You’re always with a friend.
He was here when you came,
she’ll be there when you go
Through all your joys and pain.
It’s only a Light
And it only shines bright
If the flame, we tend.
So when it’s your time
Just remember the sign,
“Inquire Within”.
Moonshadows come and moonshadows go but
Still the threat remains.
Through all our faults and conscious assaults,
It still remains to say:
“I’m only a Light
And I only shines bright
If the flame, we tend.
So when it’s your time
Just remember the sign,
“Inquire Within” ”.
Make the Most of Every Day
Betcha’ never really knew
Just how much that you could do.
When we give our all each day
Success is bound to come our way,
because
There’s a star in you
Did I hear you say!
I am here to help you prove
Mountains were made to move.
Just like 2 and 2 is 4,
Hard work opens any door,
because
There’s a star in you
Let me hear you say!
Make the most
Of every day,
Don’t give up,
You’ll find a way.
When in doubt,
Just wear a smile
Push yourself
That final mile.
Nothing’s gonna slow us down,
Nothing’s gonna stop us now, I’ll
Make the most of every day.
I like flyin’ fancy free,
Gravity is not for me!
So why worry up a frown
When there’s so much good around,
because
There’s a song in you
Let me hear you sing!
Make the most
Of every day,
Don’t give up,
You’ll find a way.
When in doubt,
Just wear a smile
Push yourself
That final mile.
Nothing’s gonna slow us down,
Nothing’s gonna stop us now, I’ll
Make the most of every day.
Make the most, oh
Make the most ,
Make the most of every day. (4Xs)
Make the most
Of every day,
Don’t give up,
We’ll find a way,
Mind that little
voice and say you’ll
Give yourself
Just one more day.
Nothing’s gonna slow you down,
Nothing’s gonna stop you now,
We’ll make the most of every day,
Make the most of every day.
Tell Me How They Lie
Man, this place has gone down hill,
Sweeter times and bitter pills,
There’s no profit motive
If you haven’t noticed yet
Tell me how they lie in old Tibet.
True love doesn’t fold in just one hand
One more camel in you Caravan
There’s no point in leaving
If you have it stashed away
Tell me how they lie in Paraguay
I’ve given up the fight
It’s over now,
A final bow or two.
If Sausalito calls, I’m not at home
I’m in a zone for
Two or more, let’s
lock the door
Predatory gains are all we have
Provincial love nest gone bad
Any other day I’d let I’d have the sense to let it go.
But they tell me it’s the feast day of Saint Blow
Tell me how they lie in Tokyo.
We haven’t solved the riddle that is
Drifting in your sea
Tell me how you lie when you’re with me.
The Kid
Here I am, I’m on the stage,
Can you see me over here?
I’m standin’ by some other kid
Who’s fightin’ back his fears.
I’m not the kid who was the star,
I might have missed some lines.
I’m not the kid who’s always
doin’ fine . . .
I’m just the kid who loves you so much,
Who lives for the hugs
And wish they would never stop,
I’m the one
Who waits by the door
And looks for your face,
The face I adore,
I’m just the kid who’s proud to say
That I’m your kid.
I’m the kid you once brought home
On a winter’s frost,
I’m the kid who spilled the gravy
On the table cloth.
I’m the one who made the card
And then misspelled your name
But you showed it off to your friends
Just the same.
I’m just the kid who loves you so much,
Who lives for the hugs
And wish they would never stop,
I’m the one
Who waits by the door
And looks for your face,
The face I adore,
I’m just the kid who’s proud,
I’m just the kid who’s proud, oh
I’m just the kid who’s proud to say
That I’m your kid.
TransAm Heaven
Look at all the painted
girls and boys
Revving up their financed
four-wheel toys.
Just fifteen minutes away
Street kids fight and
keep the rats at bay.
Easy to O.D. on dollars
and cents,
Can create an air of pestilence.
Stop, you over there, beware
Of the cut of your cloth
and your hair.
You can see it everyday
Working here at
TransAm Heaven.
You can have it your own way
Any day at TransAm Heaven.
Fuel-injected TransAm heaven
AM, FM, TM.
To thee,
Saint John Romain,
I pray
All your rules I will obey
We beseech thee in the
holy name of Aigner.
Now, I wake me up
to dress,
Pygmy gators on my chest,
Deity of Deens, we only
ask for mercy.
Lounging dockside wearing
silly grins
In the Pappagalo Islands.
Take that Little Heel
off the gas
Savor this breath, it could
be worse –
I could be your last.
Smell the incense in the air
Burning rubber,
TransAm Heaven
Light a candle, say a prayer,
Sing a song of
TransAm Heaven,
It’s a toll road to
TransAm Heaven.
CHORUS
Potter’s Field in
TransAm Heaven,
Mea culpa, TransAm Heaven,
Mea culpa, TransAm Heaven,
Mea maxima culpa,
TransAm Heaven.
Try To Believe
Way back when I was still in college,
Major: Transcendental Bartending
Love didn’t mean a thing.
Time and space I since have traveled,
Shared many sunsets in exotic lands,
They all led to your hand.
Worlds collide, slip, and slide,
Truth and dare, side by side.
Don’t you know logic will not work,
Just close your eyes and it won’t hurt:
Try to believe.
Faith, Hope, and Charity,
And every other girl that I once knew
Don’t have a thing on you.
You look lucky in that green chiffon,
Why don’t you take a chance on what you see,
Someone like me?
CHORUS
Leave all your worries, they’ll be fine,
Walk through this world with me,
And never look behind
Worlds collide, slip, and slide,
Truth and dare, side by side.
Give up this fight, come on, admit,
Just close your eyes and blow a kiss:
Try to believe.
Sparking Conversation
So sweet, she
beams her dreams to me,
Aspiring psycho-deity.
She’s splattered in sunshine,
Strapless and on her
third white wine,
Sometimes, it all comes
down to flair.
Central casting cantina,
Sangria in a paper cup.
She’s retro chic and
peacock ink -
Careful, it’s just a
bathroom sink -
We’ll be in Dewey
before the sun.
Let’s not confuse you
now with me,
So short-sighted but still I see
Incandescent flames
laugh up ahead.
A soulful mate is
waiting there,
Until then I think I’ll stay in here
Where the sparkling
conversation
never ends.
With a marriage
somewhere south of hell,
She claims she’s got some
art to sell.
Her youngest is
pushing seventeen,
She doesn’t care if we are seen,
That car has been parked
there for some time.
CHORUS
The sparkling conversation
never
Ends justify dreams,
Lives, not as they seem.
Love, easy and free,
Won’t red apple me.
Lies, told in these dunes
Rise like firetail blooms.
The Chinese lanterns shimmer
and they fill the sky.
She’s on the brink,
She waves good-bye.
It all boiled down to:
“Could she think?”
CHORUS
The sparkling conversation
never ends
The Death of Me
If it were up to me
I’d give you another chance.
What’s a little pain and suffering
For the cause of true romance?
But these little voices in my head
Are sounding more and more perturbed,
And these little feet inside my gut
Are tryin’ to kick you to the curb.
And while it’s eating me away,
I “shuck and jive” ‘em everyday.
It’s only hubris
But at least I know it’s mine.
They tell me that I’ve got no right
To believe that you still care,
That I’ve got to come to grips
With this notion of despair.
But the days drift by oh so slow
And what I’ve done, I can’t undo.
I look at these hands a million
times a day
And think of how they last touched you.
This broken heart of mine
Ain’t gonna wither on no vine.
And, if I may, inject my
lethal point of view:
I got a funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
A funny, funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
It wouldn’t be prudent of me
To continue on this way,
Any chance to get my privileges back
Hinge on what the doctors say.
These meds keep messin’ with my head,
But I take it all in stride.
It’s almost like the good old days
When you were still alive.
When I think of you that way,
It’s like the taste of cabernet
And every drop’s still
Chillin’ to the bone.
CHORUS
Fast forward:
three long years since we
Did our little act.
Talk around the courthouse was
The jury pool was stacked.
If I’m lucky, just another
two before I’m
Walkin’ out this door.
I’ll be that model citizen again
Workin’ in some retail store.
I’ve seen the errors of my ways,
I’ve held Beelzebub at bay,
I’ve found Jesus,
But they’ll never find my gun,
No, no . . . .
CHORUS
The Region of My Heart
Take this map,
It’ll get you just so far,
Enjoy the bus,
You’re bound to see some stars,
Suppositions and regrets,
The sound of fingers working frets,
Let my man take care of you tonight.
Watch your head,
It’s a short step to my pier,
These canals,
They’re nice this time of year,
Indisposed and so discreet,
Trace of ganja floating sweet,
This street is mine, mention my name.
Weary roads, weary smiles,
Weary signals up and
down the dial,
Vacancy in a house of prayer
Nero’s crown climbin’
through the air,
One more life that’s come undone,
It’s Jacob’s ladder with a
missing rung,
A broken place where
love comes a la carte:
The nether world, the
region of my heart.
I curse the day I woke up in this land.
Whoever said,
“My kingdom for a horse.”?
Make mine a catamaran.
Ancient dust and sun-baked clay,
Midnight tides and Grand Marnier,
A buyer’s market waiting for you.
CHORUS
Hard beginnings, harder ends,
Little work and fewer friends,
I was fresh, I was young,
He took me in,
And said, “Hey, son, . . . .”
“Take this bag,
It’ll get you just so far,
Enjoy the bus,
You’re bound to see some stars.”
Don’t you know, it’s the
Same old s____ with a new address,
Same old devil with a new caress,
Let Madam Kim Soo take
care of you tonight.
(A happy ending in sight)
CHORUS
Whistler’s Pallet
Twilight’s last light,
Sleepy hazel eyes,
Pictor in disguise,
Whispered soft goodbyes,
Intrigued by thoughts of
Silkscreen lullabies,
In the twilight skies.
Midnight, sleep tight,
Alizarin smile,
Innocence beguiled,
Drifting for a while,
Waking up amid a sea of
Lilies of the Nile.
We're goin’ away
Forever to stay,
Whistler’s palette and me,
This world’s grown too cold
For high tea and scones
Se vou play, mon ami,
Wood sprite in flight
Primrose indigo,
That’s my cue to go,
Tears fall like they’re snow,
Crossing over one last time
This Ponte Vecchio.
With our final breath,
We mock certain Death,
Whistler’s palette and me,
This world’s grown too bright
For midsummer nights,
Se vou play, mon ami.
It all fades away
To Dorian Gray,
Whistler’s palette, and me.
A Party in Tangier
Is the caller there?
You’ve reached my Tangier line:
The call’s declined.
The lobby café’s closed.
Notice that the lift is filled
With bullet holes.
The concierge is gone
He got a better gig
With less intrigue.
Fetch me another tall surprise
One with some Truth
And fresh Vermouth.
Perfumed water and soft lights,
Claxton on the walls,
And Bird in flight.
That chanteuse from Hong-Kong
She’s lookin’ oh so right
In that sarong.
We regret tonight’s event, has been postponed
To another zone (no, no, no)
“These glitches may occur”,
To quote Harry Lime,
“From time to time”
Dear friends and gentle hearts
Need not apply
Or turn a weather eye.
Atmospheric ambiance with opaque eyes
Will typify
This party in Tangiers.
Translucent tassels sway
While the shaykh is telling jokes
Between jokes.
The general and his aides,
They’re playing Baccarat:
It’s a coup d’etat.
Your friends have stepped outside
To sell some air
In the market square.
We supply as they demand
The odd racketeer
Or Grand Wazire.
Dear friends and gentle hearts
Need not apply
Or turn a weather eye.
Atmospheric ambiance with opaque eyes
Will improvise
And hear
The music of the spheres
At a party in Tangiers.
We regret tonight’s event, has been postponed
To parts unknown, you’re on your own
That Royal's is all you’ll need.
Type it well
And you’ll be free.
Dear friends and gentle hearts
Need not apply
Or cast a weather eye.
Atmospheric Ambiance with opaque eyes
Will realize
Their appeal
Sporting Cuban heals
As they finalize the deal
With a guest list so surreal,
This party in Tangiers.
Relinquish all your fears,
To a party in Tangiers,
To a party in Tangiers.
You’ve reached a party in Tangiers.
You’ve reached a party in Tangiers.
You’ve reached a party in Tangiers.
The operator softly says,
“You‘ve reached a party in Tangiers”
The operator softly says,
“You‘ve reached a party in Tangiers”
The operator softly says,
“You‘ve reached a party in Tangiers”
Then the line went dead.
Again
I love to see you look at me,
I love to see you look at me,
‘Cause when I see you look at me, Chick-a-dee
I’ve seen all that I need to see.
I love to see you when you smile
I love to see you when you smile
‘Cause when I see startin' to smile, Crocodile,
I feel like staying for a while.
I love to see you gently sway,
I love to see you gently sway,
‘Cause when I see you gently sway my way,
It makes me think of brighter days.
I love to see you wave your hand,
I love to see you wave your hand,
‘Cause when I see you wave your hand, my man,
I know that we understand.
I hate to see you when you cry,
I hate to see you when you cry
‘Cause when I see you start to cry, Small Fry,
I feel like I will surely die.
I love to hear you say “Hello”,
I love to hear you say “Hello”,
‘Cause when I hear you say “Hello”, my friend,
I know I’ll never say “Good-bye” again,
And you make me feel alive again.
And you make me feel alive again.
Pythagoras Was Wrong
One-on-one ain’t easy
When your
two becomes a three.
That foul line is your friend, son,
Take a tip from me.
That’s as bad a case of chokin’
As I have ever seen.
Close you eyes and
put it up there
Just like you do in your dreams.
Rippin’ down another
loose ball,
Talking’ trash until
the dawn.
A simple game we
make so hard,
Pythagoras was wrong.
Throw it down there, Big Man,
You think you own that shot,
You’ll game will only suffer
Should you ever get caught.
It’s a bump-and-run world
For folks like you and me
Shirts and skins
And a later-to-be-named
will make three.
CHORUS
Spoils of war,
Crystal tea,
It’s a game of points and curves
It’s your Manifest Destiny
Some can make and break,
They tell me you can
pick and roll,
I like to lace ‘em up and under,
Wanna see my ‘give and go’?
One-on-one ain’t easy
When the one I want is you
Let’s roll that tape back, baby,
We’re a matter for review.
CHORUS
The Beast
She’s the Beast,
She’s Al Capone,
She’s Belushi on a bad night
all alone.
A golden girl
Who’s off the map,
She’s the China Kitty
Sleepin’ in my hat.
And when her love boat
comes to town,
It’s a coin toss if I’m
Ever comin’ down.
'Cause I’m a mess,
I’m a wreck,
I’m fifty-one cards shy of
a full deck.
West Coast turnarounds abound,
I’m a River Styx who’s
Flowin’ underground.
And when she’s acting oh
so fey,
I’m an isotope in
Seach of ‘bombs away’.
She’s takin’ me to the bridge
this time,
She’s takin’ me to the bridge
over the bay.
We’re gonna dine on wine and
fine paté,
We’re gonna cruise control and
Taste the ocean spray,
Miami way.
Cell phones ring,
Doctors shout,
Times like these can
Make a weak man doubt.
A paisley theme induced by Proust,
Am I passing through or
Am I checking out?
Whatever name you choose to use,
You serve at her discretion or at
Her abuse.
BRIDGE
She’s the Beast,
She’s Al Capone,
She’s the reason why I
alway drink alone.
A golden girl
Who’s off the hook,
She’s the Queen in hot pursuit
of my last rook.
She’s my famine,
She’s my feast,
She’s my Bromo,
She’s my Buddha,
She’s my Beast.
Build a Bridge
Once
On a distant shore,
Dreams
Could wait no more.
Arms
Reaching outward
Couldn’t reach
The other shore.
So the world
Joined hand in hand
And built a bridge
That all could span
A bridge
From their time
A bridge to make
Their dreams mine.
Build a bridge with me
And forget about our
years of sorrow and
Then I’m sure we’ll see
Our brightest promise
is tomorrow
There’s room for all
Within this family
So build a bridge with
Me,
What can I do alone
Far
Away from home?
Now
That it’s our turn,
Let’s not forget
What we’ve learned.
Build a bridge with me
And forget about our
years of sorrow and
Then I’m sure we’ll see
Our brightest promise is tomorrow
There’s room for all
Within this family
So build a bridge
with me,
Come along, you’ll see
If you
Build a bridge with me
And forget about our
years of sorrow and
Then I’m sure we’ll see
Our brightest promise is tomorrow
There’s room for all
Within this family
So build a bridge
with me,
A bridge with me,
A bridge with me!
Serengeti Night
On a summer Serengeti night
All the animals are out of sight,
They’re hiding ‘neath the
orange moon.
Sickle bush and red grass
in the breeze,
Vervet monkeys in umbrella trees,
The crockadiles lie waiting patiently.
Cheetahs and puff adders
on the loose,
Wildebeest is stalking
wild mongoose,
In her nest, the stork
protects her egg.
Antelopes and rhinos
are at peace,
A pride of lions
eyeing their next feast.
Are those poachers
hiding in the hills?
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
In the Hills!
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
In the Hills!
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
In the Hills!
Look out! Danger’s everywhere!
On a sizzling Serengeti night
Shadows travel at the
speed of light.
A thousand eyes are
watching you.
Golden jackal and
black rhino creep
While the baby baboon
drifts to sleep
And dream of happy days
that lie ahead.
CHORUS
On a summer Serengeti night
All the animals are out of sight,
They’re hiding ‘neath the
orange moon.
In the flap of a wing,
in the snap of a jaw,
In the hiss of a tongue,
in the rip of a claw,
In the blink of an eye,
in the heat of a fight,
In a moment of fear,
Serengeti night!
Star
High, so high up in the sky I’m rarely seen,
So far away but still we’ll always be
Together, you and I,
I’m your star.
Go, no matter where you go or what you do,
My heart will always find a trace of you
No matter where you go,
Follow me,
I’m your star.
Although some don’t believe,
I’m sure I’ll know
That when I see
That falling star was meant for me.
Believe,
Believe in me as I believe in you,
Believing means there’s nothing we can’t do
Together, you and I.
You’re my star,
And you’re my star,
And wherever you go,
I’ll be there with you.
The Death of Me
If it were up to me
I’d give you another chance.
What’s a little pain and suffering
For the cause of true romance?
But these little voices in my head
Are sounding more and more perturbed,
And these little feet inside my gut
Are tryin’ to kick you to the curb.
And while it’s eating me away,
I “shuck and jive” ‘em everyday.
It’s only hubris
But at least I know it’s mine.
They tell me that I’ve got no right
To believe that you still care,
That I’ve got to come to grips
With this notion of despair.
But the days drift by oh so slow
And what I’ve done, I can’t undo.
I look at these hands a million
times a day
And think of how they last touched you.
This broken heart of mine
Ain’t gonna wither on no vine.
And, if I may, inject my
lethal point of view:
I got a funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
A funny, funny feelin’
You’re gonna be the death of me.
It wouldn’t be prudent of me
To continue on this way,
Any chance to get my privileges back
Hinge on what the doctors say.
These meds keep messin’ with my head,
But I take it all in stride.
It’s almost like the good old days
When you were still alive.
When I think of you that way,
It’s like the taste of cabernet
And every drop’s still
Chillin’ to the bone.
CHORUS
Fast forward:
three long years since we
Did our little act.
Talk around the courthouse was
The jury pool was stacked.
If I’m lucky, just another
two before I’m
Walkin’ out this door.
I’ll be that model citizen again
Workin’ in some retail store.
I’ve seen the errors of my ways,
I’ve held Beelzebub at bay,
I’ve found Jesus,
But they’ll never find my gun,
No, no . . . .
CHORUS
Undercover Kids
Can you keep a secret?
If you can, here’s one for you.
There’s a team of super secret agents
in your school.
It’s a secret who they are,
‘Cause they’re havin’ secret fun.
One thing is for sure,
They’ve got the bad guys on the run!
My teacher thinks the world of me
Little does she realize
She’s teaching Undercover Kids,
like me.
We’re the Undercover Kids,
We’re sneaky super spies!
We’re the Undercover Kids,
We’re masters of disguise.
If your world is upside down
And filled with mystery,
I’ll be your secret friend because
Your secret’s safe with me, me, me,
Undercover Kids,
I’ve got a crime lab that I hide under my bed,
I’ve built a rocket ship that runs on Wonder Bread.
I’ve got a submarine I made from old spare parts,
My dog is named Kung Fu and he knows the martial arts.
We’ll Make the Most Of What We Have
We’ll make the most of what we have
‘Cause what we have will surely be enough.
We’ll make the most of every friend
‘Cause sometimes all it takes is just one friend.
And should we find the road is long,
We’’ do our best to try and find our way.
And should we find the road is long,
We’ll come together, hand in hand,
Step by step each day.
We’ll make the most of what we have
‘Cause what we have will surely be enough.
We’ll make the most of every friend
‘Cause sometimes all it takes is just one friend.
‘Cause someday all we’ll have is one more day.
Thanks for stopping by!