Fightin For My Life Words and Music by Butch Hancock I'm ridin through the middle of some god forsaken town Dark figures from the shadows, theyre tryin to cut me down Some hero of the hour needs a rival of some kind So dont talk to me right now, I've got survival on my mind It might seem a little strange to you But babe I got some things to do Things for me that just cant wait Dont let your love turn to hate I got nothin in the world against you babe But its gonna be a rough night out tonight I got a feelin Im fightin for my life Some street gang in the alley is tryin to tan my hide I give Œem all my money but theyre still not satisfied Theyre callin out some names but it dont reflect on you So dont bother me Im tryin to makeem see my point of view It might seem a little strange to you But babe I got some things to do Things for me that just cant wait Dont let your love turn to hate I got nothin in the world against you babe Its gonna be a rough night out tonight I know the kung fu and Im fightin for my life They say those silly phantoms are only in your mind But I swear that even some of them get out from time to time Some are rough and some are rowdy, some are fast to make the scene But the ones that move so slow, theyre the ones that treat you mean It might seem a little strange to you But babe I got some things to do Things for me that just cant wait Dont let your love turn to hate I got nothin in the world against you babe Its gonna be a rough night out tonight I better meditate you know Im fightin for my life I used to read the Bible and Paradise Lost now it looks like everybodys been gettin double-crossed I dont mean to crash the cymbals, I dont mean to beat the drum I dont wanna waste your time, you know Id rather save you some It might seem a little strange to you But babe I got some things to do Things for me that just cant wait Dont let your love turn to hate I got nothin in the world against you babe Its gonna be a rough night out tonight I better meditate you know Im fightin for my life My eyes are open, Im fightin for my life Im on the Run Again Words and Music by Joe Ely Im on the run again Im on the run again Runnin from the pleasure Runnin from the pain Runnin from the voices Whore callin my name And Im feelin like the wild wild wind Im on the run again Im on the run again Hidin from my feelings Hidin from my heart Hidin from barriers That keep us apart And Im feelin like the wild wild wind Im on the run again Hold me close Youre the only one who knows me Hold me tight Protect me from the winds that blow me Im on the run again Im on the run again Fleein from the city Fleein from the cars Fleein from the comets And the fallin stars And Im feelin like the wild wild wind Im on the run again Im on the run again Im on the run again Runnin from the salesmen Tryin to connect Runnin from the tax man Callin collect And Im feelin like the wild wild wind Im on the run again Hold me close Youre the only one who knows me Hold me tight Protect me from the winds that blow me Im on the run again Im on the run again Runnin from the internet Runnin from the Man Runnin from the Cameras At the checkout stand Flood on our hands Words and Music by Joe Ely The rivers are swollen We got a flood on our hands Get out the buckets and the pots and pans Mama put the pictures In the old wooden boat Billy get the baby And mamas overcoat Theres high ground at Gruene At the old Gristmill Store We can keep everybody dry if it dont rain no more We got a Flood on Our Hands The rains gonna keep comin down Has anybody talked to sister Since the lines went down? She spent the night with Mandy On the low side of town I do hope shes watchin On the outside tonight She aint been herself Since she lost little Dwight You dont never miss What you aint got Till you wake up some morning And youve lost the whole lot We got a Flood on Our Hands The rains gonna keep comin down Thank God were all together Thats all we really need You cant change the weather But you can plant new seed No life is spared To the ones who blame A God with out mercy, Pride with out Shame Like Noah of old Was put to the test To see if his faith Was deeper than the rest We got a Flood on Our Hands And the Rains gonna keep Comin Down Mama get the Shotgun And the pictures of dad Someday well look back On everything we had We got a Flood on Our Hands The rains gonna keep comin down All That You Need Words and Music by Joe Ely I been workin on the farm Just me and my brother Jack Choppin a sea of cotton Till I thought Id break my back Everything changed When my daddy got hurt Our lives were so connected to that brown ol flatland dirt When the government man from Austin Come sniffin around our land Askin a bunch of questions That we did not understand Theres more to farmin cotton Than just tendin to your seed The ones who set the policy Dont give a damn about our needs Sow the seed in the ground below Fall to your knees and pray real slow That rain will come and kiss the seed And Bless you with all that you need Mama says to Jackie Would she bring the car around? Shes wearin her finest dress Thats how I know shes goin to town I wish Id never seen that letter That I found there in her room Theyre sellin the farm on the courthouse step This Saturday afternoon Me and Jack moved into town To a shack by the train depot Jack got a job as a bouncer At a Bar on Paradise Row Mama got a job in the cotton gin Grading cotton by the bale She cried when a trailor full of cotton come in From the farm we had to sell Sow the seed in the ground below Fall to your knees and pray real slow That rain will come and kiss the seed And Bless you with all that you need Me, I ended up in jail Sick of livin on welfare And the hardest thing ever happend to me Is when mama come to vist me there Dont you worry your pretty little head I said as I buttoned my shirt When I get out of this Iron Hotel Im goin back to that Dryland dirt For some its just a livin But for Us its our whole life If it kills me Im gonna rake that dirt And make a livin out of toil and strife The ways of the cities makes no sense Strapped to dependency Id rather be sweatin Œneath a clear blue sky Plantin cotton with my family Sow the seed in the ground below Fall to your knees and pray real slow That rain will come and kiss the seed And Bless you with all that you need Run Little Pony Words and Music by Joe Ely I went down to the races to watch my pony run Down to the races to watch my pony run Lookin at the faces, lookin for the fastest one I took my money, money Id saved for rent I took my money, money Id saved for rent Forgive me honey, Ill give it up for lent Run Little Pony, run like youre runnin from Sin Run Little Pony, Run like the Crazy Wind Play your bugle, boy, play it fast and hard Play your bugle, boy, play it fast and hard Here come the ponies, come trottin out in the yard The odds against me, they laid Œem seven to one Odds were against me, they laid Œem at seven to one Cold sweat like t drench me, when the starter man fired his gun Run Little Pony, run like youre runnin from Sin Run Little Pony, Run like the Crazy Wind I yelled and I cheered and praised the lord above I yelled and I cheered and praised the lord above My Little Pony come in, one head out in front Out all night until the mornin sun Out all night until the mornin sun Buyin all the drinks with the money I had won Run Little Pony, run like youre runnin from Sin Run Little Pony, Run like the Crazy Wind Next thing I knew I was lookin thru cold hard steel Next thing I knew I was lookin thru cold hard steel Aint got a brain in my head, guess I never will. Streets of Sin Words and Music by Joe Ely Mighty River, Muddy as Sin Troubled Waters, Like the shape I'm in Would you open your Screen Let a poor boy in If I come back Home Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin If I come back Home Would you let me in? If I could hitch a ride, on a DC9 I'd be back home by closin' time. Would you open your Screen Let a poor boy in If I come back Home Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin If I come back Home Would you let me in? Love o love, can't you hear me moan This ramblin' boy aint got no Home. Would you open your Screen Let a poor boy in If I come back Home Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin If I come back Home Would you let me in? Off the Streets of Sin Off the Streets of Sin If I come back Home Off the Streets of Sin 95 South Words and Music by Joe Ely 95 South 95 South 95 South from Portland Maine When am I ever gonna see you again 95 South 95 South 95 South tryin to whistle a tune Potholes deeper that the craters on the moon 95 South Well, the longest train that I ever saw Had the front in the summer and the back in the fall I wish I was on that train tonight Rollin in the pale moonlight 95 South 95 South 95 South to Boston town Honey this tunnell is getting me down 95 South 95 South 95 South to the big city lights Theres a big empty hole in my heart tonight 95 South Well, the longest train that I ever saw Had the front in the summer and the back in the fall I wish I was on that train tonight Rollin in the pale moonlight 95 South 95 South 95 South off the Jersey Pike Coffee colored Cadillac rollin through the night 95 South 95 South through the Carolina Pines My head is swimming in the honeysuckle vines Well, the longest train that I ever saw Had the front in the summer and the back in the fall I wish I was on that train tonight Rollin in the pale moonlight Carnival Bum Words and Music by Joe Ely The carnival is closed for the winter The gates are full of nails All my belongings in a camper truck In front of some Hell Hole Motel. The rides are wrapped in canvass There's a smell of snow in the air They're taking apart the ferris wheel Like a game of solitaire. Love o love I will be home When the trees are bare and brown For without you I'm just a carnival bum Whose fate goes round and round Whose fate goes round and round When Little Maggie lost Big Earle Man, That was about it for her She was MIA in the Day to Day The next 3 years were a blur I left home when Maggie checked out I been a snowbird ever since I work the curcuit in the summertime Come Winter I jump the Fence Love o love I will be home When the trees are bare and brown For without you I'm just a carnival bum Whose fate goes round and round Whose fate goes round and round Darkness comes with the headlights. It gives me a little relief. I feel a little more like a leaf in the wind And a little bit less like a thief. Sometimes I feel I stole life itself Im as lucky as a man can be The carnival is closed for the winter But it dont matter to me Love o love I will be home When the trees are bare and brown For without you I'm just a carnival bum Whose fate goes round and round Whose fate goes round and round Twisty River Bridge Words and Music by Joe Ely I recall that Twisy River Bridge Over that painted river bed They pumped about a gallon of Muddy Water Out of my salty head. I woke up in St. James Devine All wrapped up in plaster and twine The nurse said I made the front page Of the River City Sunday Times. Oh, that Twisty River Bridge Was damn near, the death of me Love, wine and Gasoline Don't mix with jealousy Have you seen my Reena Did she, did she make it home? We had a little misunderstanding Talkin on the telephone Tell her that I miss her But I dont miss what she done When she run off with that double talkin Son of a Preachers son Oh, that Twisty River Bridge Was damn near, the death of me Love, wine and Gasoline Don't mix with jealousy Thats why I love you like I do Words and Music by Joe Ely Because you walked - that lonesome valley Because I met - you in your town Because you saw - stars in the alley Because the street - light, you, did crown Because I saw - you lift your head Because you knew - I was watching you Because there was - nothing to be said Thats why I love - you like I do I am a stranger to the others No one knows - you like I do To the Great Beyond -There is no farther Thats why I love - you like I do... Because I asked - if you were cold Because the wind - had changed that day Because you needed - a hand to hold Because I saw - it in your face Because you knew - I needed laughter Because it heals - the wounded fool Because you saw - the near hereafter Thats why I love - you like I do I am a stranger to the others No one knows - you like I do To the Great Beyond -There is no farther Thats why I love - you like I do... Because the charms - You thought youd hidden In spite of pride, - Came shinin thru Because you knew - that I was not kiddin When I said that I -- could see through you Because I knew - that you had diamonds Inside youre soul - where the wild winds blew Because I thought -- I was a miner Thats why I love - you like I do I am a stranger to the others No one knows - you like I do To the Great Beyond -There is no farther Thats why I love - you like I do... Wind's Gonna Blow You Away Words and Music by Butch Hancock Well its cheek to cheek and its face to face If I told ya once, I told ya twice East is east, west is west Fire is fire an ice is ice That wind's gonna blow tomorrow Just like it blow'd today But someday when your bones turn to dust That wind's gonna blow you away In the pale moonlight, in the cold campfire light I have danced in burnin coals Well it ruined my shoes but it cured my blues All i wanted was to soothe my soul and That wind's gonna blow tomorrow Just like it blow'd today But someday when your bones turn to dust That wind's gonna blow you away Now mistakes are all right if you make them yourself But they ain't worth a damn if they're not your own You can sing the blues you can read the news You can dance off in the dark all alone, but That wind's gonna blow tomorrow Just like it blow'd today But someday when your bones turn to dust That wind's gonna blow you away From the piney woods to the great south plains From the Red River to the Rio Grande I have crossed some streams, I have lost some dreams I've seen that golden circle in the sand I got to find ol Joe Words and Music by Joe Ely Smoke from a downshift blows across the grain And the blackbirds are flyin across the golden plain Im goin back to where it was I came I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all Last night in the cafe I wanted to hold your hand So I told you with my eyes that I understand That life sure aint easy here in this no mans land I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all Somewhere I believe theres a place for me Down the road to destiny Can you hear that eagle call? I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all The dogs go to barkin at the risin of the moon And the highways a callin and Ill be listinen soon Another weary rambler crazy as a loon I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all The motel up ahead has a vacancy sign But Im travelin too hard to pay it any mind Theres a rainbow in the clouds down ol highway 99 I gotta find ol Joe before he loses it all Somewhere I believe theres a place for me Down the road to destiny Can you hear that eagle call? I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all The wild west was made with the blood of the brave Where there was little to take and even less to save Where they buried their heros in unmarked graves I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all You work all your life to get where you are Then you throw it all away to chase some crazy star While the prophet on the radio slings his guitar I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all Somewhere I believe theres a place for me Down the road to destiny Can you hear that eagle call? I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all The wild west was made from the blood of the brave Dry as the creek bed, cracked with age Where they buried their heros in unmarked graves I got to find ol Joe before he loses it all