Rock Island

In the late hours of a sunset rendezvous ---
Chill breeze against tide, that carries me from you.
Got a job in a southern city --- got some lead-free in my tank.
Now i must whisper goodbye --- i'm bound for the mainland.

Island in the city, cut by a cold sea.
People moving on an ocean. groundswell of humanity.

Now the sum breaks through rain as i climb glen shiel
On the trail of those old cattlemen who drove their bargain south again.
And in the eyes of those five sisters of kintail
There's a wink of seduction from the mainland.

Island in the city. cut by a cold sea.
People moving on an ocean. groundswell of humanity.
Storm-lashed on the high-rise --- their words are spray to the wind.
Blown like silent laughter. falling on ears of tin.

Take my heart and take my brawn.
Take by stealth or take by storm ---
Set my brain to cruise.
I can see the glow of the suburb lights.
I'm fresh from the out-world ---
Singing the mainland blues.

There was a girl where i came from.
Seems a long time, long time gone by.
Wears the west wind in her hair.
She calls from the hill --- yeah, she calls
In my mainland blues.

There's a coast road that winds to heaven's door
Where a fat ferry floats on muted diesel roar.
And there's a light on the hillside --- and there's a flame in her
Eyes, but how cold the lights burn on the mainland.

Island in the city. cut by a cold sea.
People moving on an ocean. groundswell of humanity.
Storm-lashed on the high-rise --- their words are spray to the wind.
Blown like silent laughter. falling on ears of tin
In my mainland blues.

Savage night on a misty island. lights wink out in the
Canyon walls.
Two old boys in a stolen racer. black rubber contrails in
The unwashed halls.
And all roads out of here, seem to lead right back to the
Rock island.

I've gone back to paris, london, and even riding on a
Jumbo to bombay.
The long haul back holds faint attraction, but the people
Here know they're o.k.
See the girl following the red balloon: walking all alone
On her rock island.

Doesn't everyone have their own rock island? their own little
Patch of sand?
Where the slow waves crawl and your angels fall and you find
You can hardly stand.
And just as you're drowning, well, the tide goes down.
And you're back on your rock island.

Hey there girlie with the torn dress, shaking: who was it
Touched you? who was it ruined your day?
Whose footprint calling card? and what they want, stepping
On your beach anyway?
I'll be your life raft out of here, but you'd only drift right
Back to your rock island.

Hey, boy with the personal stereo: nothing `tween the ears
But that hard rock sound.
Playing to your empty room, empty guitar tune, no use waiting
For that c.b.s. to come around.
`cos all roads out of here, seem to lead right back to your
Rock island.

Working on the late shift --- first drink of the day.
Pull a chair up to the table, have to look the other way.
What kind of place am i in? and who's this over here?
Shaking through the silver bubbles climbing through my beer.
Won't let it move me, but i can't sit still.
Could you meet the eyes of a working girl
Undressed to kill?

Staring through the smoke haze --- plaid shirts in the night.
Well, i'm making sure that everything is zipped up tight.
Who's that jumping on the table? putting tonic in my gin?
Brushing silken dollars on her cold white skin.
Won't let it move me, but i can't sit still.
Could you meet the eyes of a working girl
Undressed to kill?

She could have been sweet seventeen. there again, well, so could i.
There was a tear drop sparkle on the inside of her thigh.
Going to fetch myself a cold beer. i've got to get a grip.
Find some place to touch down. find a landing strip.
Won't let it move me, but i can't sit still.
Can you meet the eyes of a working girl
All undressed to kill?

Last one out is a cold duck. padding down the road.
I wait outside, my motor running --- got a warm dream to unload.
Can i face her in the sunshine? in he harsh real light of day?
She walks out with recognition in her eyes --- i look away.
Won't let it move me, but i can't sit still.
Couldn't meet the eyes of a working girl
Undressed to kill.

Marty loved the sound of the stolen mandolin.
Somebody took it on a dare in the night-time.
Run up to the radio, calling out to the wind.
Now, bring it, bring it back at least an hour before flight time.
It was a souvenir, but it was a right arm missing.
Swap a woodwork rhythm for a humbucking top line.

Big riff, rough boy, wants to be a singer in a band.
A little slow in the brain box, but he had a quick right hand.
Run left, run right --- everywhere he look ---
Nobody watching, no, but that was
All he took last night.

Running on the power of a stolen mandolin.
Steal a little inspiration. steal a little muscle.
Will he wake in the morning, wondering --- was it really worth it?
So make a little deal, yeah, make a little hustle.

Ringing on the radio --- got a proposition for those english boys.
I'll make the sing-song --- you can make the background noise.
One, two, three, four --- one bar and in.
Give you back the mando, if you'll let this singer sing tonight.

Marty loved the sound of the stolen mandolin.
Big riff took it on a dare in the night-time.
Now it's four o'clock, and we're waiting at the sound-check.
Looking for a face staring in from the sunshine.
We got two strong lawmen from the sheriff's office.
They're going to lift big riff before he plays the first line.

Big riff, rough boy, wants to be a singer in a band.
Yeah, help him on the stage now, put that microphone in his hand.
Think hard, think right --- nothing in his mind ---
So riff did a runner, but he left the mandolin behind.

Got a hair shirt round my shoulder. got a cold stew in my spoon.
And i'm falling on my head, lifting feet of lead ---
Now it's got me baying at the moon.
Well, there's a race on for tomorrow. i'm stretching out
For what might have been.
Going to come out from the night, got my second sight ---
Play rough --- you know what i mean.
I'm going for the kill. i'm going tooth and nail
Up that dusty hill --- on the rattlesnake trail.

Got the law laid down to the left of me. got the real world to the right.
Heading up through the middle with my cat and my fiddle ---
Yeah, looking for a fight.
Going to ride hard in bandit country --- on the blind side of the bend.
Keep my nose to the wind while the rabbit's skinned ---
Bed down at the journey's end. (be a rattlesnake.)
I'm going for the kill. i'm going tooth and nail
Up that dusty hill --- on the rattlesnake trail.

The rattlesnake trail.
I'm going on the rattlesnake trail.

Going to be with wolves in winter --- run in angry packs by day.
But when you give a dog a bone, he has to be alone ---
Growl, keep the other dogs away.
See that thin moon on the mountain. see that cold star in the sky.
Going to bring them down --- shake them to the ground ---
Put that apple in the pie. (be a rattlesnake.)
I'm going for the kill. i'm going tooth and nail
Up that dusty hill --- on the rattlesnake trail.