1. |
The Magpie Hunter
03:50
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*** The Magpie Hunter ***
Magpie oh magpie, in your sheltered tree
Far away on a branch, now looking down at me
And though you’re hidden from my searching eyes,
I know where you are by the sound of your cry.
Out from the shadows, now you’re flying overhead
Are you looking for a silver ring to pretty up your bed?
Then down to the grasses and hedges there you speed
Attracted by something that glitters with greed.
But soon those feathers of glossy black
Will be lost in the darkness of this hunter’s sack.
I’ll tighten the string of this bow and arrow
Then straight through the gristle of flesh and marrow.
One for the gold you willingly gave
Two for the roses each one for a grave
Three for the sins of a wayward son
Four for the trigger on a silvery gun
Five for the fools and the actors and actresses
Six for the promises, promises, promises
And seven is seven to have and to hold
Then bury the secrets that never were told.
Magpie oh magpie, you’ll never do me harm
When I see your black wings, I’ll sound the alarm
When I hear your harsh cry, I’ll sound the alarm.
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2. |
Marianne Was Tired
03:36
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-- Marianne Was Tired --
Marianne was tired, on a Wednesday morning
Was she really dreaming these alarms going off in her head?
Try to tell these troubles, to a fortune teller
She forgets to mention, she knows who you are, where you’ve been
Ooooooh, Marianne ...
She had joined a circus, as a bareback rider,
And she wore a costume, of silver, and sequins, and gold
Acrobatic dancing, while the horns were playing,
And the crowds were cheering, as she circled, again, and again,
in her silver & sequins and gold
Ooooooh, Marianne, Marianne ...
A handstand, then an arabesque, in the spotlights red and blue
She comes down in a falling wave, Hold on tight, Marianne
Marianne was nervous, she began to worry
Marianne was tired / Marianne was tired
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3. |
The Thief
04:33
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*** The Thief ***
I went down to Georgia, used the back roads every day
Counted headlights on towards midnight,
Counted cows and Sonic Drive-Ins during the day.
20 miles will get you nowhere, when you’re trying for 64
64 will get you somewhere, multiply by 10 and add a thousand more.
I found out, yeah I found out too late
I found out, yeah I found out too late.
Well, he could not be trusted, with my guitar or my life
Told me stories that were twisted,
Spread them out so smooth with the blade of a butter knife.
Took from me my last five dollars, and 22 more cents
When a thief decides to rob you,
You’ll be wondering how you’ll ever pay the rent.
60 seconds, then an hour, 24 make up a day
I waste them all while I keep driving
I could use a map but never find my way.
Well there’s sweetness in the summertime,
And cold winds in the fall
Eat that berry when it’s ripening,
You’ll be crying when you get no fruit at all.
I stayed on, yeah I stayed on too long
I found out, yeah I found out too late.
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4. |
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*** The Ballad Of Sad Endings ***
I’ll tell you a story, but first for some others
from books I have read in the past.
I’ll tell you the plots and even the endings
I’m warning you now, so you can leave if you want.
The first is from Rolvaag, a Norwegian immigrant
who set his sad tale out on the Great Plains
the story of Beret, the wife of Per Hansa,
who was caught in her brooding and longing for home
but madness descends from her dreams of the ocean
how cruel and so desolate in far North Dakota
there’s worse than cold weather out on the Great Plains.
She couldn’t go / Turn the page
She couldn’t stay / Turn the page
She never found her way.
He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope,
a writer of graces and women’s sad fates,
and two stubborn people who were caught in their battles
there’s final forgiveness, but it comes too late.
For death is most obstinate, what we cling to can kill us
Dear Reader, Dear Reader, do you think he was right?
He was right / Turn the Page
She was right / Turn the page
They never could agree.
And now for my story of two lucky people
and a packet of diamonds they found in the street
but the one who was carrying, let the packet fall open
and the diamonds were scattered far out of their reach.
They went then to live on two sides of a river
and though there’s a bridge, well they could not get over.
And now for my ending, but this I won’t tell you
‘cause it’s to sad to say, it’s too sad to say.
Yes, it's too sad to ..... say.
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5. |
Sugar
03:07
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** Sugar **
Glisten brown, butter cream
Finger lick, delicious dream.
Round and smooth, shiny drop
Tongue melt, sticky friend
Peppermint glow.
Sugar, Sugar, Ahhh ...
Creamy cold, vanilla curl
Tantalize, a salty swirl
Butterscotch glow ...
Sugar, Sugar, Ahhh ...
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6. |
Hit & Run
05:10
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** Hit & Run **
I came up on a twisted scene
A hit and run, two cars between
One went sideways, the other swerved,
It was a straight-away, no highway curve.
Down on the pavement, a muddy coat
The collar was red from a bloody throat.
The witness total was two or three
Conflicting stories, that don’t agree
The car was red, no an icy blue,
An old corvette, no a 2002.
A cloudy night or was it clear?
The car and driver disappeared.
- - No sight, no sound, no evidence,
- - You had the right of way, that’s your defense.
A plan laid out, one couldn’t prevent
Just make it look like an accident.
The way it happened on the driver’s side
It might even look like suicide.
You can fool your friends and your enemies,
It’s a list so long, what a comedy.
Fool the cops and the deputies,
Even fool yourself, but you can’t fool me.
Ah you think you’re clever, with your alibis
But I can cross your whens, and dot your whys.
You like to play with words, so now conjugate,
"I’ve got the last four digits of your license plate."
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7. |
Bicycle
03:09
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** Bicycle **
You in front, and me behind
You on the pedals, I’ll just ride,
Goin’ nowhere ...
My hands on your shoulders, wind in our hair
We’ll ride down the block, towards the lights of the fair
Dizzy, laughing / Dizzy, laughing
Ferris wheel, with its pink and yellow glow
It goes up high and comes down low
But we won’t stay long, it’s just a waste
'cause it might go around, but it stays in place
Not like your bicycle / Not like your bicycle
Spokes are clicking, now here we go
Just passed a store, we don’t even know
Spinning silver / Mesmerizing
Just us two, now we’re picking up speed
We might miss this town but we won’t miss this street.
Look out, Look out you better swerve
Head for the left or we’ll hit the curb
On your bicycle / On your bicycle ...
We’re not goin’ home, we’re gonna ride all night
So pick yourself up and hang on tight!
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8. |
Old Times' Sake
03:26
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** Old Times’ Sake **
Sit down beside me, I won’t get upset.
We’ll talk about the weather for old times’ sake
We’ll talk about books for old times’ sake
I want to
Don’t want to
I want to
I’m wearing this dress for old times’ sake
I’ll look at you for old times’ sake
I want to make you
don’t want to make you
blue .....
Makes no difference, if this is wrong or right
What’s the difference, in a silent, starless night
I’ve got stories to tell, I’ve got secrets ...
Come on and stay here, and sink back in the grass
If we don’t think, then maybe this won’t pass
Do you think that it’s right?
Do you think that we might?
I’ll play some old songs for old times’ sake
I’ll mess up the words, for old times’ sake
Hey, don’t forget this
Just forget this
Hey, don't forget this
too .....
I’ll listen to you for old times’ sake
I’ll have my doubts for old times’ sake
Hey, don't touch me,
Come on and touch me,
Hey, don’t touch me,
Come on and touch me ....
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9. |
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** Saturday **
Nearly noon, should I stay in bed?
Think about, what was left unsaid
What the hell, I’ll stay in bed.
But if you wish, what I’m wishing for,
Ring my bell, it’s the 2nd floor
I’ll grab my coat, lipstick and keys
Now I’m jumping stairs, in twos and threes.
'Cause Saturday, that’s the day, I’ll be free!
Yeah, Saturday, that’s the day, ring 203!
A block or two of these city streets,
Like a keyboard walk, where I can press delete,
Helps me forget, the night before
8 million reasons, outside my door
'Cause, Saturday, that’s the day, I’ll be free!
Yeah, Saturday, that’s the day, ring 203!
If you wish, what I’m wishing for,
Ring my bell, Oooh ... oooh!
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10. |
Snow
03:35
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** Snow **
December night and darkness follows me
The air so cold that I can hardly breathe
The clouds leaning low
The wind starts to blow.
At first the snowflakes, ah, the way they fell
Round and round, I couldn’t see too well
A glittering white, I’m blind with delight.
Just an inch, and then it’s to my knees
Now here’s the part where I began to freeze
'Cause I didn’t know
It was 20 below
And I’m out here lost in the snow.
How long it’s been, well it must be years
A frozen girl and all these frozen tears
Hard as a stone
Numb to the bone
But I’m coming in from the cold.
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Lianne Smith New York
I write songs about standing in the middle of the road and wondering which way to go, about how others cheat us and how we cheat ourselves, about free-wheeling, bicycle riding, look-ma-no-hands exhilarations, and how it feels to say goodbye to summer.
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