A Night On The Town

B. r. hornsby/john hornsby

Van and willie went out one night
Once they get out on the road
Well then everything is alright
Had to get away from the kids and the wives
Well they ran into some city boys that didn't walk just right
And the line was drawn for another showdown
Like they'd always seen it done
And when the lights came up on the little woods town
Ther was an old man bailing out a son

Going out for a night on the town
Going out to the smoke and trees
Going out for a night on the town
Going out for a look and see
Said do what your daddy told you
Well i just went out and did that
Van and willie went out one night

There's a green table down at the midway
Where they rack up the balls for the games
And reputations are made
There's a green forest full of oaks and pines
Where they cleared a cleared a space in the middle
Where secret scores are settled
And the claim was made round the table that night
And they rode off through the trees
And the young boys tell how the city boys tried
And how one man fell to his knees

Going out for a night on the town
Going out to the smoke and trees
Going out for a night on the town
Going out for a look and see
Said what made you go and do that
Well we were just having a little fun
Van and willie went out one night

And the line was drawn for another showdown
Like they'd always seen and done
And one mans night for a drunken old time
Left a scar on on another one

Going out for a night on the town
Going out to the smoke and trees
Going out for a night on the town
Going out for a look and see
Said do what your daddy told you
Well i just went out and did that
Van and willie went out one night

B. r. hornsby

And he stands at the banquet room bar
Looking over the crowd
The reunion band playing too loud
And he sees his fellow old star
Looks him up and down
Sees a little of himself in his frown

The stander on the mountain
Looking for the fountain to drink some, to think some
About the old days
King of the mountain
Nothing could be found of the old ways, the old days
When he was the one
And the stander on the mountain runs

Let us sit and talk of old times
That's what we're supposed to do
And you don't look a day over thirty-two
Yes we were so funny and wild
There's an old friend of mine
Says i'm looking back most all the time

And the stander on the mountain
Listens to the sound of the city streets, the lonely heat
The town he once owned
King of the mountain
Nothing could be found of the old ways, the old days
When he was the one
And the stander on the mountain runs
King of the hill runs away

Oh she's knocking on your door tonight
Oh she wants to see if she remembers right
Say won't you come outside tonight
Alright
They drive to the lookout on the hill

And when it was over
They sat there and looked back
Tomorrow was way in the distance
Tomorrow was a long time away
Nobody thought much about it
And there's nothing wrong if we live for today

I recall when you filled it on up
And you bowed to the crowd
The girls in the short skirts screaming loud

The stander on the mountain
Looking for the fountain to drink some, to think some
About the old days
Big man around town
Nothing could be found of the old ways, the old days
When he was the one
And the stander on the mountain runs

B. r. hornsby/john hornsby

There were people living in a green valley
Found a way to make a lot of money
Made the green turn gradually gray
They figured they could do whatever they wanted
Everything would be alright
But scars don't always heal away
And the sons and the daughters got diamonds and gold
But they were given a land where
Strong roots never take hold

Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Good things don't come along
As you just sit dreaming on
Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Say everything fades away
There you are still around
What'll you do where will you go

Ther was a ship along the coast
Carrying a load of black money
In the sound near the northern lights
When the ship set sail
The crew looked for guidance
In the bottom of an empty glass
Then the captain said "pour me another rye"
Then the water turned black as that cold winter's night

Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Good things don't come along
As you just sit dreaming on
Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Say everything fades away
There you are still around
What'll you do where will you go

B. r. hornsby/john hornsby

She moved back around here thirty-five weeks ago today
Oh down the lane
At night she walks on the banks and remembers how she
Dreamed of rowing away
And how she left one day
She left with a driven look in her eyes
Came back around with it still inside
They said give it some time and you'll forget about it too
We know they always do
Well i know

Some fine day
You will find your way across the river
Row down slow
There's a long way to go
Across the river

She was proud and so strong
And she tried not to listen to idle talk
Downtown where she walked
They sit around and they say
That she came back with her tail between her legs
Like they always said she would

Well i hear it's better on the other side
They say you'll never do it so don't even try
Well you may be beaten downwith your closed mind
But don't try and make it mine
Well i know

Some fine day
You will find your way across the river
Row down slow
There's a long way to go
Across the river

"your wild days are through" is what they said
I dreamed she came, when i was down and
I walked where she led

Standing on the shore
She looks to the west with a look of longing
To where the grass seems greener
There's a hard and distant prize
It probably won't happen but i think i'll try
Well even if it doesn't happen for me
It still beats hanging around here
Well i know

Some fine day
You will find your way across the river
Row down slow
There's a long way to go
Across the river

B. r. hornsby

There was a man of confused and sad nature
Thought no one loved him that was not true
He said he was a lost soul didn't fit in anywhere
Didn't know where to turn or who to turn to

There's a lost soul coming down the road
Somewhere between two worlds
With an oar in his hands and a song on your lips
We'll row the boat to the far shore
Row the boat of the loved lost soul

Ever since oh i can remember
We all tried to ease the pain
Took him in when he needed some shelter
Tried to make him feel he was one of us again
There was one day oh i can remember
He sat alone with a pencil in his hand
All day long he drew careful on the paper
In the end just a picture of a man

Of the lost soul coming down the road
Somewhere between two worlds
With an oar in his hands and a song on your lips
We'll row the boat to the far shore
Row the boat of love lost soul

Oh dear mary do you remember
The day we went walking downtown
As i recall it was in early december
After school had just let out
When i see you on the street in the twilight
I may tip my hat and keep my head down
You show me love but maybe i don't deserve it
I've been called but not been found

There's a lost soul coming down the road
Somewhere between two worlds
With an oar in his hands and a song on your lips
We'll row the boat to the far shore
Row the boat of the loved lost soul

B. r. hornsby

Well i'm walking on the floor
Hanging right round the door
Hoping you will come through
Wanting you to, sweat on my brow
I'm no saint
Nothing left but a bad excuse
The heat makes you do things
You might just not do
In your right mind
But you'll do what you do
You can be sure i'll be there

It's gonna take these arms of mine
All that they've got to hold onto you
All that i know is these arms of mine
Are willing to try to keep hold of you
Gonna take a whole, whole, whole lot
A whole, whole, whole lot

Well i'm walking the line
Between wrong and right
I could go either way
But now you don't want me to stay
You're so tired of waiting
Well i'm no saint
Tried to have my cake and eat it too
But nobody does what you do
Now another wins and i lose
I might deserve to
Now you'll do what you do
Might be too late but i'll tell you

It's gonna take these arms of mine
All that they've got to hold onto you
All that i know is these arms of mine
Are willing to try to keep hold of you
Gonna hold, hold, hold on
Hold, hold, hold on