unknown

When i first came to town
They called me the roving jewel
Now they've changed their tune
They call me katy cruel
Oh diddle day, oh diddle lie o day


Oh that i was where i would be
Then i would be where i am not
Here i am where i must be
Go where i would, i can not
Oh diddle day, oh diddle lie o day


When i first came to town
They brought me the bottles plenty
Now they've changed their tune
They bring me the bottles empty
Oh diddle day, oh diddle lie o day


Chorus


I know who i love
And i know who does love me
I know where i'm going
And i know whose going with me
Oh diddle day, oh diddle lie o day


Chorus


Down the road i go
And through the boggy mire
Straight way cross the field
And to my heart's desire
Oh, diddle day, oh, diddle lie o day


Chorus

I'll eat when i'm hungry,
I'll drink when l'm dry,
If the hard times don't kill me,
I'll lay down and die.


Rye whisky, rye whisky,
Rye whisky, i cry,
If you don't give me rye whisky,
I surely will die.


I'll tune up my fiddle,
And i'll rosin my bow,
I'll make myself welcome,
Wherever i go.


Beefsteak when i'm hungry,
Red liquor when i'm dry,
Greenbacks when i'm hard up,
And religion when i die.


They say i drink whisky,
My money's my own;
All them that don't like me,
Can leave me alone.


Sometimes i drink whisky,
Sometimes i drink rum,
Sometimes i drink brandy,
At other times none.


But if i get boozy,
My whisky's my own,
And them that don't like me,
Can leave me alone.


Jack o' diamonds, jack o' diamonds,
I know you of old,
You've robbed my poor pockets
Of silver and gold.


Oh, whisky, you villain,
You've been my downfall,
You've kicked me, you've cuffed me,
But i love you for all.


If the ocean was whisky,
And i was a duck,
I'd dive to the bottom
To get one sweet suck.


But the ocean ain't whisky
And i ain't a duck,
So we'll round up the cattle
And then we'll get drunk.


My foot's in my stirrup,
My bridle's in my hand,
L'm leaving sweet lillie,
The fairest in the land.
Her parents don't like me,
They say l'm too poor;
They say i'm unworthy
To enter her door.


Sweet milk when l'm hungry,
Rye whisky when l'm dry,
If a tree don't fall on me,
I'll live till i die.


I'll buy my own whisky,
I'll make my own stew,
If i get drunk, madam,
It's nothing to you.


I'll drink my own whisky,
I'll drink my own wine,
Some ten thousand bottles
I've killed in my time.


I've no wife to quarrel
No babies to bawl;
The best way of living
Is no wife at all.


Way up on clinch mountain
I wander alone,
L'm as drunk as the devil,
Oh, let me alone.


You may boast of your knowledge
An' brag of your sense,
'twill all be forgotten
A hundred years hence.


(negro variant)
In my little log cabin,
Ever since i been born,
Dere ain't been no nothin'
'cept dat hard salt, parched corn.


But i know whar's a henhouse,
De turkey he charve;
An, if ol' massa don' kill me
I cain't never starve.


(variant chorus)
Rye whisky, rye whisky,
You're no friend to me;
You killed my poor daddy,
Goddamn you, try me.


From american ballads and folk songs, lomax
Note: one of the more exhaustive texts

on the first day of may i took to the road
I'd been staring out the window most of the morning
I'd watched the rain claw at the glass
And a vicious wind blew hard and fast
I should have taken it as a warning
As a warning as a warning
As a warning

I'd given my nurse the weekend off
My meals were ill prepared
My typewriter had turned mute as a tomb
And my piano crouched in the corner of my room
With all its teeth bared
All its teeth bared all its teeth bared
All its teeth bared.

Hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah

I left my house without my coat
Something my nurse would not have allowed
And i took the small roads out of town
And i passed a cow and the cow was brown
And my pyjamas clung to me like a shroud
Like a shroud like a shroud
Like a shroud

There rose before me a little house
With all hope and dreams kept within
A woman's voice close to my ear
Said, "why don't you come in here?"
"you looked soaked to the skin"
Soaked to the skin soaked to the skin
Soaked to the skin

Hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah

I turned to the woman and the woman was young
I extended a hearty salutation
But i knew if my nurse had been here
She would never in a thousand years
Permit me to accept that invitation
Invitation that invitation
That invitation

Now, you might think it wise to risk it all
Throw caution to the reckless wind
But with her hot cocoa and her medication
My nurse had been my one salvation
So i turned back home
I turned back home i turned back home
Singing my song

Hallelujah
The tears are welling in my eyes again
Hallelujah
I need twenty big buckets to catch them in
Hallelujah
And twenty pretty girls to carry
Them down
Hallelujah
And twenty deep holes to bury them in
Hallelujah
The tears are welling in my eyes again
Hallelujah
I need twenty big buckets to catch them in
Hallelujah
And twenty pretty girls to carry them down
Hallelujah
And twenty deep holes to bury them in

past the ivy-covered windows of
The angel
Down athenaeum lane to the cathedral
Through the churchyard i wandered
Sat for a spell there and i pondered
My back to the gates of the garden
My back to the gates of the garden
My back to the gates of the garden

Fugitive fathers, sickly infants, decent mothers
Runaways and suicidal lovers
Assorted boxes of ordinary bones
Of aborted plans and sudden shattered hopes
In unlucky rows, up to the gates of the garden
In unhappy rows, up to the gates of the garden
In unlucky rows, up to the gates of the garden


Won't you meet me at the gates
Won't you meet me at the gates
Won't you meet me at the gates
To the garden


Beneath the creeping shadow of the tower
The bell from st. edmunds informs me of the hour
I turn to find you waiting there for me
In sunlight and i see the way that you breathe
Alive and leaning on the gates of the garden
Alive and leaning on the gates of the garden
Alive and leaning on the gates of the garden


Leave these ancient places to the angels
Let the saints attend to their keeping of the cathedrals
And leave the dead beneath the ground so cold
For god is in this hand that i hold
As we open up the gates of the garden


Won't you meet me at the gates
Won't you meet me at the gates
Won't you meet me at the gates
To the garden

Printed in j. silverman, american history songbook. nick has sung his version of this song live.

(chorus)
Wade in the water.
Wade in the water, children.
Wade in the water.
God's gonna trouble the water.


Jordon's water is chilly and cold.
God's gonna trouble the water.
It chills the body, but not the soul.
God's gonna trouble the water.


If you get there before i do.
God's gonna trouble the water.
Tell all of my friends i'm coming too.
God's gonna trouble the water.

Nick performed this for the italian film mojo, and it is available on a cd called soho.


They call him joe the dragon
He's on the water wagon
He's got that look of mourning and concentration on his face
Carries a 38 special
A six inch barrel
The saddest damn man in the entire human race


Mojo (4x)


Joe's mind is full of motors(?)
He is always taking photos
Of the remains of his beserk little twists
Yes ....(?) polaroids
Of his little golden boys
18 carat corpses with wired wrists


Mojo (4x)


Blood thicker than water will flow
The fire will eat the streets of old soho
Daddy's out the back with little joe
With his vaseline and his violin and bow - mojo


Down on compton(?) road
Joe ain't never going home
Till he finds what he is searching for
Well mad mathildas in his jacket
They crank and make him record(?)
As he does and make his funny little laugh and dance upon your floor


Mojo (repeat)

In our yard
How many chickens can we count
On our fingers and toes
On their toes
Sitting on fathers hole
Siting on his chest
Crushing rocks of dirt
The earth is soft in our
Yard yard
Stones in my shoes
And feet
Dragging them through museums
Where
Under glass
Refridgerate
Freeze
Hands and feet
And knobbly knees
Yard yard

From the batman forever soundtrack.


Hey there sugar where ya gunna go?
I'm going downtown daddy-o
What ya gunna do when you get there, girl?
I'm gunna get messed up in a god-shaped hole
Hey mr hophead, what ya gunna do?
I'm going downtown for some bad ju-ju
Ya going downtown too, mr. gigolo?
Damn right i am, daddy-o...


There is a light thay shines over this city tonight
There is a light that shines over this city tonight
Let it shine


O mr high roller where ya gunna go?
Where the real high-rollin rollers roll real dough
Hey mr killer man what ya gunna do?
Me and mr death are going downtown too
Ain't there one god fearing citizen about?
They're all holed up and they ain't comin' out
What about mr. preacher to forgive us our sins?
Not that carrion crow with blood on his chin
And mr. politician can't he lend a hand?
He's too busy sucking on the guts of this town
And what about god and this armageddon?
He's all blissed out, man, up in heaven
Ain't there nowhere to run, ain't there nowhere to go?
(repeat line 3 more times)
Yeah, look to the sky, daddy-o


There is a light that shines over this city tonight
There is a light that shines over this city tonight
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine


What are the little kids gunna do, man?
The little kids are all standing around
What are the kids doing, do you know?
They are looking to the sky, daddy-o

On this european night out on the brink
The cafes and the bars still stink
The air is much too thick for seeing
But not thick enough for leaning
I leave in a catatonic crawl
And if i die tonight then throw me in
Some bleak teutonic hole
Six feet under with a snap-frozen soul
And really we could all just die of shame
And really we could all just die of shame
Dumb europe, dumb europe, dumb europe.


Oh the utopian night on the brink
Mama's face staring up at me from the bottom of the sink
Witness my trail of destruction
Trying to leave this drinking place
My feet are magnetised for furniture
The floor's attracted to my face
And if i die tonight
Sell me as some prehistoric bone
A lump of junk-souvenier for jap
To fob off on his friends back home
The money dance....
I find it hard to cope with days like this. pass the bottle etcetera
Dumb europe, dumb europe, dumb europe.


On this european night out on the brink
The cafes and the bars still stink
The air is much too thick for seeing
But not thick enough for leaning
I leave in a catatonic crawl
And if i die tonight then throw me in
Some bleak teutonic hole
Six feet under with a snap-frozen soul
And really we could all just die of shame
And really we could all just die of shame
Dumb europe, dumb europe, dumb europe.

Words and music by kaye - weisman - fuller

"the bad seeds performed cindy regularly in their live sets in 1990,and indeed on a tv appearance as well. i have a version of elvis presly doing this song, but i think it's a traditional, also known as 'i wish i was an apple', or as 'sydney'. i think the bad seeds often sang 'come on home, sydney cindy' -maurice

Wish i was an apple dangling from a tree
Every time you'd pass me by you'd take a bite of me
I wish i was a bluebird i'd never fly away
I'd sit up on your shoulder baby and sing to you all day


Come on home cindy cindy, come on home cindy cindy
Come on home cindy cindy, come on home to me


I wrote it in a letter, carved it on a tree
Told it to a honeycomb, told it to a bee
Told them that i love you, they all know its true
Say it till the cows come home until it gets to you


Come on home cindy cindy, come on home cindy cindy
Come on home cindy cindy, come on home to me


Need you in the morning to start the coffee pot
Need you in the afternoon to fan me when i'm hot
Need you in the evening when supper time is through
What i'm really tryin' to say is i can't get enough of you


Come on home cindy cindy, come on home cindy cindy
Come on home cindy cindy, come on home to me


If i were a musician i'd harp on just one thing
You should never play my harp the way you pluck a string
If only you would love me say it and tell me so
I need two charms about me baby to have the whole world
Know


Come on home cindy cindy, come on home cindy cindy
Come on home cindy cindy, come on home to me


Come on home cindy cindy, come on home cindy cindy
Come on home cindy cindy, come on home to me

come over here, babe
It ain't that bad
I don't claim to understand
The troubles that you've had
But the dogs you say they fed you to
Lay their muzzles in your lap
And the lions that they led you to
Lie down and take a nap
The ones you fear are wind and air
And i love you without measure
It seems we can be happy now
Be it better late than never

Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come to me

The burdens that you carry now
Are not of your creation
So let's not weep for their evil deeds
But for their lack of imagination
Today's the time for courage, babe
Tomorrow can be for forgiving
And if he touches you again with his stupid hands
His life won't be worth living

Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come
Sweetheart, come to me

Walk with me now under the stars
For it's a clear and easy pleasure
And be happy in my company
For i love you without measure
Walk with me now under the stars
It's a safe and easy pleasure
It seems we can be happy now
It's late but it ain't never
It's late but it ain't never
It's late but it ain't never

i hold this letter in my hand
A plea, a petition, a kind of prayer
I hope it does as i have planned
Losing her again is more than i can bear
I kiss the cold, white envelope
I press my lips against her name
Two hundred words. we live in hope
The sky hangs heavy with rain

Love letter love letter
Go get her go get her
Love letter love letter
Go tell her go tell her

A wicked wind whips up the hill
A handful of hopeful words
I love her and i always will
The sky is ready to burst
Said something i did not mean to say
Said something i did not mean to say
Said something i did not mean to say
It all came out the wrong way

Love letter love letter
Go get her go get her
Love letter love letter
Go tell her go tell her

Rain your kisses down upon me
Rain your kisses down in storms
And for all who'll come before me
In your slowly fading forms
I'm going out of my mind
Will leave me standing in
The rain with a letter and a prayer
Whispered on the wind

Come back to me
Come back to me
O baby please come back to me

All words that look prounouncable are not typos, any that look unpronouncable are probably typos. each set of two lines is one line in the lyric book. (ie. what has not got....sir names)(one lin
R

What has not got my heart in it shall we be dubbed sir names
Wither million blither tongues mounting bristling guilt frames
In the fake-ache of the gloomloom slippers slap me alive!
The hours hands down a miracle to spend with ugly types
So we can catch and thread a minstrel bleed a tower down to its ankles
So we can't go up or stay up find the thumb dumb' in your ear brain
Get unfunny! such as choirs do why the clocklock bought up this one
Just when things seem so paperparrent like my toothface? like my out-do?


Oh a streak, o'treacly [not a typo] ink-inks tied my knees all up in elbows
Erase that lapsing smile tub lose the slip of the small soap-fellows
Account the addups till do-nots are we balanced? we're in business!
Idle tidal, rush in, tried all with a limb's... all legs and armour
I had a dreadful diehood diehard drunken sunken, monk-heart
Oh i had a wonderful diehood thanks to my fa. fa. family

[as sung by mick harvey; nick's live versions deviate from this.]
Credits: humphreys/lovett/richards/lynch/anderson/lpa

I look at you in your sad dark eyes
And your gypsy face with your spanish grace
With your words like rhymes and your voice like chimes


Darling, i want to kiss your burning mouth
Your sad dark eys and your ghostlike soul
Darling baby say that you'll be mine


Put your ring on my finger
And comb your long red hair
Put on your sad eyes
And tell me that you care
That you'll be mine, you'll be mine
Until the end of time

This time it's the truth
This time nothings goinna fall on through
These books
Are broken up
Blast off!
Wham! bam!
Right off the shelf
Right off the shelf
Blast off!


This is it- the last one
This ine's the final-in-a-fair-field-of-wheat
This building
Will may be fall down
Blast off!
Down! down!
Down! down!
The ground
Down! down!
The ground
Blast off!


Contents

I climbed the hill, lay in the grass
A little dark-eyed girl drifted past
She said all the best is come, it could not last
And the worst, it has come true


Her hands are small and fluttered up
I lay amongst the buttercups
I pulled on my coat and buttoned it up
For the worst, it had come true


Sail away, sail away
To a place where your troubles can't follow
Sail away, sail away
Save all your tears for tomorrow


Orphans of the city moved toward us
And the swallows swooped and the starlings warned us
And the peril in everything
It assured us that the worst had come true


And all my sorrows made their bed beside me
The shame, the disgrace and the brutality
And she whispered then "let laughter flee."
For the worst, it has come true


Dry your tears, forget while we're here
Leave all your sorrows behind you
Never lose heart, all things will pass
To a place where your troubles can't find you


She came beside me amongst my coat
Her breath was warm against my throat
We clung to each other so very close
For the worst, it had come true


Sail away, sail away
To a place where your heart will not shame you
Take my hand through this night without end
For the worst, it has come to claim you


Sail away, sail away
To a place where no one can betray you
Take my hand through this night without end
For the worst, it has come to claim you

(john lee hooker 1959)

A song which was a likely inspiration for tupelo. nick's song is also available.

Tupelo blues - john lee hooker (3:23) (from the album the country blues of john lee hooker, riverside 1959). recorded several more times, issued as vee jay single "tupelo (backwater blues) / dusty road", june 1960; also on 1962 vee jay album "the folklore of john lee hooker" as "tupelo". also issued a live recording from newport folk festival in the early 60s.

Did ya read about the flood?
Happened long time ago,
In tupelo, mississippi.
There were thousands o' lives,
Destroyed.

It rained, it rained,
Both night and day.
The poor people was worried.
Didn't have no place to go.
Could hear may people, cryin' "lord!"
Have mercy!"
'cause you're the only one,
That we can turn to"
Happened a long time ago.
A little town,
Way back in mississippi,
In tupelo

Hm-mm, hm-mm, hm-mm-mm,
Hm-mm, hm-mm, hm-mm-mm,
Hm- mm, hm-mm-mm,
Hm-mm, hm-mm, hm-mm-mm,


There was women, and there was children,
They were screamin' an' cryin',
Cryin', "lord, have mercy!
You're the only one now, that we can turn to."


Way back down in mississippi, a little country town.
I know ya read about it,
'cause i'll never forget it.
The mighty flood in tupelo, mississippi.
Been years ago.

Hm-mm, hm-mm hm-mm-mm,
Oh-hoh, oh- hoh oh-oh-oh
Hm-mm-mm
Oh-hmm, lord, have mercy!
Wasn't that a mighty time? tupelo's gone.

It's a very happy day
We are at lots of fun fun fun
And it's ice-cream and jelly
And a punch in the belly
How much can you throw over the walls?


And see how his face glows
It's a bike! what a surprise.
It's a big bike. what a big surprise.
It's a red bike. what a red surprise.
Oh, what a surprise.


But the best thing there
But the best thing there
Was the wonderful dog chair
Was the beautiful dog chair
That could count right up to ten
It could count right up to ten
It went woof, woof, woof, woof, woof,
Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof.


And it's another happy day.
He was born eleven years ago
And this year it's long trousers
And a very smart tie.
Just think in five years he'll be shaving.


And see how his face glows
It's a bike. what a surprise!
It's a samurai sword.
What a metal surprise.
He'll remember this day for the rest of his life.


But the best thing there
But the best thing there
Is that fabulous dog chair
The immaculate dog chair
That could count right up to eleven


It could count right up to eleven
It went woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof,
Woof, woof, woof.


But the best thing there
But the best thing there
Was my darling the dog chair
But the rampaging dog chair
That could count right up to eleven
It could count right up to eleven.


And it went round and round the house.

Jazz
Fire eating drag-queens dressed as society whores
Crazy two timing bitches running round
Ghetto blasting blasters, blasting magnificently
Blossoms falling from the cherry trees
That's what jazz is to me

High buildings with crippled backs circle around my dreams
I clutch at the greasy tails of my dreams
White blossom falling from the cherry trees
That's what jazz is to me

Ten bottles standing in a row military style
With hats pulled low over their brows
A thousand wasted hours
Skeletons entwined fucking and braying ? fields
Blossoms falling from the cherry tree
That's what jazz is to me

History repeating itself like a
All the great cars of the world in one massive collision
All the doctors swallowed up by one incompetence
All the great theorists and teachers eaten alive ...
Religious extacy and a blossom falling from a cherry tree
That's what jazz is to me

Blind fish being used as musical scales
Sharks puffed for fish and whales
I long to be by the sea where a blossom falls from a cherry tree
That's what jazz is to me

Three forms, four forms, five forms, six forms,
Seven forms, eight forms, nine forms,
A blossom falling from the cherry tree
That's what jazz is to me

As einstein said about his theory
I love, i love, i love, i love jazz
It's in your heart, it's in your soul, it's in your mind
The colour of death, sweet vanilla essence
Richard harris and donald pleasance
And a cherry blossom falling from a cherry tree
That's what jazz is to me

From the current '93 album all the pretty horsies

Hush-a-bye
Don't you cry
Go to sleepy little baby
Go to sleepy little baby
When you wake
You shall have
All the pretty little horsies
All the pretty little horsies


Blacks and bays
Dapples and greys
All the pretty little horsies


Way down yonder
In the meadow
Lies a poor little lamby
Bees and butterflies
Flitting round his eyes
Poor little thing is crying
"mammy"


Go to sleep
Don't you cry
Rest your head upon the clover
Rest your head upon the clover
In your dreams
You shall ride
While your mammy's watching over


Blacks and bays
Dapples and greys
All the pretty little horsies


All the pretty little horsies
All the pretty little horsies
All the pretty little horsies

The light from the window
Falls on the floor
And after it breaks
I cut my feet
On the little bright pieces
I glow in the dark
But only when night falls
It's falling it's falling
It falls


My head is a night-club
Club-clubbed to dull drums
Beating to slow
To dance or to breathe or to dance
I insist that you cut in
I a la flambe
I'm drinking i'm drinking
I'm drunk

Quixanne, ah'm in its grip
Quixanne, ah'm in its grip
Sinken in the mud
Patron-saint of the bog.
They cum with boots of blud
Wit pitchfawk and with club
Chantin out mah name
Got doggies strainin onna chain
Lucy, ah'll love ya till the end!
They hunt me like a dog
Down in sw-a-a-a-amp land!


So cum mah executioners! cum bounty hunters!
Cum mah county killers--for ah cannot run no more
Ah cannot run no more
Ah cannot run no more
No i can't!
Lucy, ya won't see this face agin
Wheb ya caught ya swing and burn...
Down in sw-a-a-a-amp land!


The trees are veiled in fog
The trees are veiled in fog
Like so many jilted brides
Now they're all breakin down and cry
Cryin tears upon mah face
Cryin tears upon mah face
And they smell of gasolene
A-a-a-a-ah- scr-e-e-e-a-am
Lucy, ya made a sinner out of me
Now ah'm burnin like a saint
Down in sw-a-a-a-amp land!


So cum mah executioners! cum mah bounty huntahs!
Cum mah county killers--ya know ah cannot run no more
No ah cannot run no more.

This leaves out a lot of the repetions on this lyric sheet, and i'm pretty sure a few sections are out of order compared with the recorded song.

King ink strolls into town
He sniffs around


King ink kicks off his stink-boot
Sand and soot and dust and dirt and
He's much bigger than you think
King ink
King ink, wake up, get up
Wake up, up, up, up, up, up
A bug crawls up the wall
King ink feels like a bug
And he hates his rotten shell
Cha-cha-{10 cha's)
King ink, get up, go forth
Wake up-what's in that room
Wake up- what's in that house?
Express thyself say something loudly
Aaaahhhh! what's in that room?
Sand and soot and dust and dirt
Dirt dirt dirt dirt dirt dirt
King ink feels like a bug
Swimming in a soup-bowl
Oh yer! yer! what a wonderful life
Fats domino on the radio

There is woman-pie in here
Mr. evangalist says she's hit
The best cook you ever had
Ya can't blame the good-woman now, dad
And ya looked him up for 20 years
Now there's action on the basement stairs
A monster half man half beast climbs
Hear the hatchet (grind, grind)
Pilgrim gets 1 hacked daughter
And all we guys get are 40 hack reporters
Uptown 100 skirts are bleeding
Mr. evangilist says
She's hit ev'ry little bit
She's hit ev'ry little bit
Now if only we could all grow wings and fly
Sweet hatchet swing low son
I'm feeling pretty lonesome
Christen the bastard jack dad
The head-shrinker is a quack
"anyone who'd wear their hair like that"
The vinyl is so cool/the conversation's cruel
Hold my heart romeo its in a rodeo
Hold my head daddy-o it just won't go-o-o-o
And all the girls across the world
Are hit ev'ry little bit

Hushaby, don' you cry
Go to sleepy little baby


When you awake you shall have cake
And all the pretty little horses.
Blacks and bays, dapples and grays
Coach, and a six a little horses.


So hushaby, etc.


Way down yonda', down in the medder
There's a poor little lambie.
Bees an' the butterflies peckin' out his eyes
Poor lambie cried fo' his mammy.


But hushaby, etc.

Three traditional versions of the song from murder ballads. nick's version is also available. further details (and the actual book nick edited from) are also available.

Stagolee
Bad man stagalee when he bad,
He bad wid a gun
Stagalee, stagalee --- you must-a been a sinner
Ev'ry- christmas eve they give stagalee a dinner
Bad man stagalee, when he bad
He bad wid a gun.


Don't you remember you remember
One dark stormy night
Stagalee and bill o. lion
Dey had dat noble fight.


Bill o. lion tole stagalee
Please don't take my life
I got three little children
And a dear lil' lovin'wife


Stagalee told billy o. lion
I don't care for your three lil' children
Or even your lovin' wife
You stole mah stetson hat
And i'm goin to take yo'life


Stagalee pulled out his forty-four
It went boom boom boom
It wasn't long' fore bill o. lion
Wvere layin'on de flo'


Stagalee's woman she went to her boss
Said, "please give me some change.
Dey got my baby in de station house
An'mah business mus'be'ranged. "


Stagalee asked his woman
"how much change has you got?"
She run her han'in her stocking feet
And pulled out a hundred spot.
She had to get mo'money.


From southern folk ballads, mcneill collected from vera hall, al 1947


Stagolee
Stagolee was a bad man,
Ev'rybody knows.
Spent one hundred dollars
Just to buy him a suit of dothes.

He was a bad man
That mean old stagolee


Stagolee shot billy de lyons
What do you think about that?
Shot him down in cold blood
Because he stole his stetson hat;


He was a bad man
That mean old stagolee


Billy de lyons said, stagolee
Please don't take my life
I've got two little babes
And a darling, loving wife;


You are a bad man
You mean old stagolee.


What do i care about your two little babes,
Your darling loving wife?,
You done stole my stetson hat
I'm bound to take your life;


He was a bad man,
That mean old stagolee.


The judge said, stagolee,
What you doing in here?,
You done shot mr. billy de lyons,
You going to die in the electric chair;


He was a bad man
That mean old stagolee.


Twelve o'clock they killed him
Head reached up high
Last thing that poor boy said,
"my six-shooter never lied."

He was a bad man,
That mean old stagolee.


Stagolee
Chorus: stagolee, stagolee, he's the meanest man in town
When that boy starts gamblin', better lay your money down
Down in new orleans where they got that lyon's club
Every step you step you're steppin' in billy de lyon's blood


I remember one september, on a cold and stormy night
Billy de lyon and stagolee, lord, they had a great big fight
Billy shot a seven, and stack he said he'd pass
Stack said to billy de lyon, "brother,
You done shot your last"


The woman asked the sheriff, said "how can this be?
You got all them bad men, but you can't get stagolee"
Deputies took their badges and they laid them on the shelf
"if you want to get that bad man, you get him by yourself"


Now send for the policemen, a hundred thousand come
Loaded down with rifles and a great big gatling gun
On friday we condemned him, the judge he lowered his head
On saturday we hanged him, i was glad to see him dead

I am the king, i am the kind
One dead marine through the hatch
Scratch and scrape this heavenly body
Every ince of winning skin
There's garbage in honeys sack again
Honey honey honey honey
Come on and kiss me
Honey honey honey
Honey's child is taken over this place
Two dead marines standing in line
Drink to me! this heavenly body
Every inch a winning thing
Honey honey honey
Hack hack hack hack this heavenly body
Yack yack yack yack yack goes junk-face
Scratch scape scratch this winning skin
There's garbage in honey's sack again
Garbage in honey garbage in honey
Garbage in honey's sack again
Garbage in honey
Junkwayrd king junkyard king
King king king

i left by the back door
With my wife's lover's smoking gun
I don't know what i was hoping for
I hit the road at a run
I was your lover
I was your man
There never was no other
I was your friend
Till we came along this road
Till we came along this road
Till we came along this road

I ain't sent you no letters, ma
But i'm looking quite a trip
The world spinning beneath me, ma
Guns blazing at my hip
You were my lover
You were my friend
There never was no other
On whom i could depend
Then we came along this road
We came along this road
We came along this road

Written by tim rose

Yeah, they came to take me away
Said i'd be sitting here for the rest of my life
But i don't really care - i shot my wife
And brother, i can't even remember the reason why


Oh, it makes a long time man feel bad
Yeah, it makes a long time man feel bad
Well i ain't had no love since i don't know when
It sure makes a long time man feel bad


We was down in jacksonville
A cold winter night
My baby and i, we began to fight
I heated up, and i grabbed my gun
I get so cold on those nights down south


She was laying in a pool right there on the kitchen floor
She looked up at me and began to smile
Her gasping words: "baby, i love you"
Then she closed those baby blue eyes


(chorus, and variations)


Sometimes i hear you call my name in the dead of the night


I ain't had those arms around me
I ain't had those lips, those lips, around me


It sure makes a long time man feel bad
So bad

We've come to bring you home
Haven't we, cassiel?

To cast aside your loss and all your sadness
And shuffle off that mortal coil and mortal madness
For we're here to pick you up and bring you home
Aren't we, cassiel?

It's a place where you did not belong
Were time itself was mad and far too strong
Where life leapt up laughing and hit you head on
And hurt you, didn't it hurt you, cassiel?

While time outran you and trouble flew toward you,
And you were there to greet it,
Weren't you, foolish cassiel?

But here we are, we've come to call you home
And here you'll stay never more to stray
Where you can kick off your boots of clay
Can't you, cassiel?

For death and you did recklessly collide
And time ran out of you
And you ran out of time,
Didn't you, cassiel?

And all the clocks, in all the world
May this once just skip a beat in memory of you
Then again those damn clocks, they probably won't
Will they, cassiel?

One moment you are there and then strangely you are gone,
But on behalf of all of us here we are glad to have you home
Aren't we, dear cassiel?

Hamlet fishin' in the grave
Thru custard bones and stuff
He aint got no friend in there
I believe our man's in love
Hamlet's got a gun-now
He wears a crucifex
Pow pow pow pow
Hamlet moves so beautiful
Walking thru the flowers
Who are hing 'round the corners
He's movin' down the street-now
He likes the look of that cadillac
Pow pow pow pow
Is this love some kinda love
Now he movin' down my street
And he's coming to my house
Crawling up my stairs
Where for art thou baby-face
Where-for-art-thou
Pow pow pow pow
Is this love
Pow!
He shoot it inside
Don't let'em steal your heart away
He went and stole my heart
Pow!!
Hey hey hey
Pow!!

From english folk songs from the southern appalachians, sharp. collected from mary wilson and mrs. townley, kentucky, 1917


Once there was a little tailor boy
About sixteen years of age;
My father hired me to a miller
That i might learn the trade.


I fell in love with a knoxville girl,
Her name was flora dean.
Her rosy cheeks, her curly hair,
I really did admire.


Her father he persuaded me
To take flora for a wife;
The devil he persuaded me
To take flora's life.


Up stepped her mother so bold and gay,
So boldly she did stand;
Johnny dear, go marry her
And take her off my hands.


I went unto her father's house
About nine o'clock at night,
A-asking her to take a walk
To do some prively talk.


We had not got so very far
Till looking around and around,
He stooping down picked up a stick
And knocks little flora down.


She fell upon her bended knees,
For mercy she did cry:
O johnny dear, don't murder me,
For i'm not fit to die.


I took her by her lily-white hands
A-slung her around and around;
I drug her off to the river-side,
And plunged her in to drown.


I returned back to my miller's house
About nine o'clock at night,
But little did my miller know
What i had been about.


The miller turned around and about,
Said:" johnny, what blooded your clothes?"
Me being so apt to take a hint:
By bleeding at the nose.


About nine or ten days after that,
Little flora she was found
A-floating down by her father's house
Who lived in knoxville town.

I can't raise my glass, without seeing her ass
Through its telescopic bottom


I can't raise my glass, without seeing her ass
Through its telescopic bottom


If you wanna know what agony is
Ask the girl at the bottom of my glass


Well love'll come a-knockin' with my toolbag and my stockin'
Challeng-challengin' her knickers


Well love'll come a-knockin' with my toolbag and my stockin'
With my bag a-challenging her knickers


If you wanna know whats shakin' down the house
Ask the girl at the bottom of my glass


I can spill my drink from the woman at the sink,
Coming at my lap with rum and bitters


Slop my drink, without that woman at the sink,
I'll grab my back with the rag and mittens


If you're looking for that woman at the house
Ask the girl at the bottom of my glass
All right!


I cannot raise my drink, without stopping to think
That some bad baby's givin' me trouble


I cannot raise my drink, without stopping to think
That some bad baby's givin' me trouble


If you wanna see what's inside of sally
You'll find that doll in a hole out in the alley,
Yeah


I cannot raise my glass, without seeing her ass
That booze is a-turning bitter


I cannot raise my glass, without seeing her ass
'cause you got no more than bitter


If you know a little bit about my past
Take my switch at the bitch in my house

Hidden track on the x-files tv series soundtrack.


We were called to the forest,
And we went down.
A wind wind blew warm and eloquent,


We were searching for the secrets of the universe,
We rounded up demons and forced them
To tell us what it all meant.


We tied them to trees,
And broke them down, one by one.
On a scrap of paper they wrote these words:


(and as we read them, the sun broke,
Through the trees.)


"dread the passage of jesus, for he will not return."


Then we headed back to our world,
And left the forest behind,
Our hearts singing with all the knowledge of love.


But somewhere, somehow, we lost the message,
Along the way,
And when we got home, we bought ourselves a house.


And we bought a car that we did not use,
And we bought a cage,and two singing birds.
And at night we'd sit and listen to the canary song.


For we'd both run right out of words.


Now the stars they are all angled wrong,
And the sun and the moon refuse to burn.


But i remember a message,
In a demon's hand,


"dread the passage of jesus, for he does not return."
...he does not return
...he does not return

Look-a look-a yonder (3x)
Well the sun done gone


The captain can't hold her (3x)
The way i do now


Ada got a gold mine (3x)
Way above her knees


The shiv (?) is golden (3x)
Above her knees


Look-a look-a yonder (3x)
Well the sun done gone


Wohoh, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty had a baby, bam-e-lam (2x)
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam (2x)
Wohoh, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Oh, betty black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty had a baby, bam-e-lam (2x)
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty didn't mind, bam-e-lam (2x)
Damn thing was blind, bam-e-lam (2x)
Wohoh, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Jump steady black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)


That monday, i was arrested
Tuesday, i locked up in jail
Wednesday baby, my trial's tested
On thursday, nobody could blow my bail


Yes, i'm almost done (3x)
And i ain't gonna yell against no bells


On monday, baby i went a-walking
Tuesday, i .... asked to go
On wednesday i sat down a-talking
On thursday she hock all a my clothes


Yes, i'm almost done (3x)
And i ain't gonna .... no more

Oh, plane, take me away.
Said, i'll be sittin' here for the rest of my life
And i am really scared-- nick's not coming tonight.


And brother, i can't even think of a reason why...


Oh it makes a long time fan feel bad
Yeah, it makes a long time fan feel bad


Well, i ain't had no nick since i don't know when
It sure makes a long time fan feel bad


It was back in jacksonville
Cold windy night
My friends and i-- we began to like
That black-haired guy
And we grabbed our tickets...
Ooooh. i get so cold on those nights we were waiting to buy tickets....
And we would listen to him right there on the kitchen floor
We'd look at one another and begin to smile
His gaspin' words...
"from her.. to eternity"
And we'd imagine those baby blue eyes


Oh, makes along time fan feel bad
Uuuh, yeah it makes a long time fan feel bad
I ain't had no nick since i don't know when..
It sure makes along time fan feel bad
Yeah, makes a long time fan feel bad


Yeaaaah, yeah makes a fan feel so bad
Sometimes i hear your religious voice in the dead of the night


Makes a long time fan feel bad
Yeaaah, makes a long time fan feel bad
Mmmmmmmm, yeah. feeeel bad, bad


I ain't had that crowd around me
I ain't had that nick, that nick around me


It sure makes a long time fan feel bad, so bad
It sure makes a long time fan feel bad
Makes a long time fan feel bad, so bad....


Courtesy of zoo music girl: "here's a little something i wrote while thinking about the sad possibility that nick will not visit the states..." (for the summer of 1997)

Blundertown is drowned in no brainstorm
Smothered in mud at the foot of the river
The color vague is slapped around stupid
Blood dries to a very dull color


I'm drowning and there is no relief from


It's only 12,000 miles to heaven
But the car is broken and we're all well-spoken
I've met three people but i don't think they like me
And we all talk about the state of the weather


I'm drowning and there is no relief from


And everything i say are my own thoughts
Don't listen to my very dull brother


I'm drowning and there is no relief from

From the current '93 album all the pretty horsies

The rivers of babylon flow, and fall, and carry
Away...jesus is alone on earth, not merely with no
One to feel and share his agony, but with no one
Even to know of it. heaven and he are the only ones
To know.


Jesus is in a garden, not of delight, like the first
Adam, who fell and took with him all
Mankind, but of agony, where he has saved
Himself and all mankind


He suffers this anguish and abandonment in the
Horror of the night.


Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world.
There must be no resting in the meantime...

Obsessive, deadpan
Moribund seasick etc.

Nick covered this in a segment in september songs: a tribute to kurt weill


See the shark with teeth like razors
And he wears them in his face
And macheath has got a knife
But not in such an obvious place


Now see the shark, how red his fins are
As he slashes at his prey
Mack the knife wears fancy gloves
Which gives a minimum away


By the thames' turbid waters
Men abruptly tumble down
Well is it plague, or is it cholera
Or because macky's in town?


And the child bride, in her nighty
Whose assailant's still at large
Violated in her slumbers
Macky how much did you charge?


In the ghastly fire in soho
Seven children had a go
In the crowd stands mack the knife
But he isn't asked and he don't know


In the crowd stands mack the knife
But he ain't asked and he don't know

Where streets start getting wild
Well you're moving on down on the other side of the tracks
Would you cross that line baby, there ain't no turning back
Some raise and i don't ever wanna see that place
That's where the action is

Listen, hear the stories hear the lies
You hear the rooms they criticize
They call you everything under the moon
Then they try to buy you with diamonds and rings and rings

Move over baby gonna help you out of this mess
By the look of your face well you been here before i guess
You're hanging around, like some kinda parasite on past
And i just wanna tell you to come on let's go
And i know a place where never cold
And i know a place where the thing is sin
And i'm gonna tell you where the action is

Your momma's told you about whiskey and she's told you about beer
...drink and hear... nothing
It turns you into a monster it turns your mind insane
It does things to you where you will never come back again
I don't care what your disposition is i don't care what's your name
I'm gonna tell you where the action is

Look at you dressed in your debutante dress and your phoney eye-lashes
Walking around like you just walked out of some fucking car crash
You think that you're ok cause you're looking like you're gonna have a smash
With the action
I don't care where you're going, i don't care what you say,
What your religion is
Baby, i just wanna tell you where the action is, hey, hey, hey, hey

Take off that wedding ring baby, you don't need it anymore
Take off that dress girl and throw it out the door
Take off those phoney make-up and those eye-lashes i saw
Take off your shoes and your hat
And throw the whole fucking lot right out the door
Come over here and lend me your ear
I'm gonna tell you where the action is

I don't care if you can read a book or if you can write
I don't care how long your hair is or how bright
I don't care about much to tell you the truth but that's allright
I only care is if you come on like you think you're with the action
I've got only one thing to say: come here darling, kiss me,
I'm gonna show you where the action is

You spend a little dollar and you spend a little dime
You get all funny and you laugh at your friends
And you think you're having a good time
You don't know nothing till you come around here and have some of mine
Then you'll start to understand about the two sides of the line
Come over here darling, lend me your ear, gonna educate you
Gonna tell you where the action is

So you've come back for jennifer
You know, she hides her face behind a veil
I'm warning you frankie, leave on the next train
Your jennifer she just isn't the same
Quit waving that thing about! come back!
Come back and give me a chance to explain
Your baby will never cry again.


So don't try to reach out
And don't let the ship's flag down
Point the figure-head at the storm
And drive her hard upon
Don't stop and don't stop
And don't let the veil drop
(another ship ready to sail--the rigging is tight
Tight like jennifer's veil).


She drew the curtain on her face
Ever since they came and burnt the old place down
Why is she searching through the ashes?
Why, only jennifer knows that now.
And the officer, without a word,
Left all his junk and just moved out.


So don't try to reach out
And don't let the ship's flag down
Point the figure-head at the glass
Smash! smash! into shards
Don't stop and don't touch!
And don't let the veil drop...behind jennifer's veil


Oh god! frankie! is that really you!
Get back! don't reach out!
Get back, and get that lantern out of my room!


Don't try to reach out
And don't let the ship's flag down
Down, down over her, like a shroud


And let her sail on the sea like a stone.
Don't touch and don't touch
And don't let the veil drop
Another ship ready to dock...the rigging comes loose...

Erik wrote: "the theme is similar to the nick's song new morning. note also that the line 'there'll be no sadness, no sorrow' also is in new morning. finally, the bright day versus black ni
Ntithesis is also the same.

Well, i'm tired and so weary but i must go along,
Till the lord comes and calls, calls me away, oh, yes,
And the mornin's so bright and the lamb is the light,
And the night, night is as black as the sea, oh, yes.

Chorus


There will be peace in the valley for me, some day,
There will be peace in the valley for me, dear lord, i pray.
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow, no trouble i see,
There will be peace in the valley for me.

The bear will be gentle and the wolf will be tame,
And the lion shall lie down with the lamb, that's what it
Says, and the beasts from the wild will be led by a child,
And i will be changed, changed from this creature that i am, oh, yes.

Chorus

Down in the willow garden, me and my love did meet
And as we sat a-courting, my love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of burgundy wine; my love, she did not know
And so i poisoned that dear little girl along the banks below
Along the banks below


I drew my saber through her; it was a bloody night
I threw her in the river, which was a dreadful sight
My father often told me that money would set me free
And so i murdered that dear little girl whose name was rose connelly
Whose name was rose connelly


My father sits at his cabin door wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
His only son soon should walk to yonder scaffold high
My race is run beneath the sun; the scaffold now waits for me
For i did murder that dear little girl whose name was rose connelly
Whose name was rose connelly
Whose name was rose connelly

and no more shall we part
It will no longer be necessary
And no more will i say, dear heart
I am alone and she has left me

And no more shall we part
The contracts are drawn up, the ring is locked upon the finger
And never again will my letters start
Sadly, or in the depths of winter

And no more shall we part
All the hatchets have been buried now
And all of birds will sing to your
Beautiful heart
Upon the bough

And no more shall we part
Your chain of command has been silenced now
And all of those birds would've sung to your beautiful heart
Anyhow

Lord, stay by me
Don't go down
I will never be free
If i'm not free now

Lord, stay by me
Don't go down
I never was free
What are you talking about?

For no more shall we part
And no more shall we part

Leroy carr

A traditional song which was a likely inspiration for the train song.

How long, how long, has that evenin' train been gone?
How long, how long, baby how long.


Heard the whistle blowin', couldn't see the train
Way down in my heart i had an achin' pain.
How long, how long, how long.


If i could holler like a mountain jack
I'd go up on the mountain and call my baby back.


I went up on the mountain, looked as far as i could see
The man had my woman and the blues had poor me.


I can see the green grass growin' on the hill
But i ain't seen the green grass on a dollar bill.


I'm goin' down to georgia, been up in tennessee
So look me over baby, last you'll see of me.


The brook runs into the river, river runs into the sea
If i don't run into my baby, a train is goin' to run into me.

I, cigarette fingers
Puff and poke
Puff and poking the smoke
Touches the ground


You, your lungs and your wrists
They throb like trains
Choo choo choo
It's a prison of sound


Of sound


She, by my chinny chin chin [buying chilly chin-chin?]
Eee-oh eee-oh
Like a zippo smokes the way
Hope, around


You, your lungs and your wrists
They throb like trains
Choo choo choo
It's a prison of sound


A prison of sound


She, by the hair of my chinny chin chin
Eee-oh eee-oh eee-oh eee-oh
Like a zippo smokes the way
Hope, around


You, your lungs and your wrists
They throb like trains
Choo choo choo
It's a prison of sound


I poke around...

They're working us like dogs around here
'cause pleasure is the boss
And i'm the happiest slave alive round here
'cause pleasure is the boss
And nothing is safe that don't stand still
If it's o.k. with the boss
I'm gunna walk right up and take it yeah
If it's o.k. with the boss


Walk


What's o.k. with the boss is o.k. with me
What's o.k. with the boss is o.k. with me


What's o.k. with the boss is o.k. with me
What's o.k. with the boss is o.k. with me


What's o.k. with the boss is o.k. with me
What's o.k. with the boss is o.k. with me

Available on the rare on air benefit cd.



Everybody got a room
Everybody got a room
Everybody got a room
In god's hotel.
Everybody got a room.
Well you'll never see a sign hanging on the door
Sayin 'no vacancies anymore'.


Everybody got wings
Everybody got wings
Everybody got wings
In god's hotel.
Everybody got wings.
You'll never see a sign hanging on the door
Sayin 'at no time may both feet leave the floor'


Everybody got a harp
Everybody got a harp
Everybody got a harp
In god's hotel.
Everybody got a harp.
You'll never see a sign hanging on the wall
Sayin 'no harps allowed in the hotel at all'.


Everybody got a cloud
Everybody got a cloud
Everybody got a cloud
In god's hotel.
Everybody got a cloud.
You'll never see a sign hanging on the wall
Sayin 'smoking and drinking will be thy downfall'.


Everybody hold a hand
Everybody hold a hand
Everybody hold a hand
In god's hotel.
Everybody hold a hand.
You'll never see a sign hung up above your door
'no visitors allowed in rooms, by law!'


Everybody's halo shines
Everybody's halo shines
Everybody's halo shines
In god's hotel.
Everybody's halo lookin' fine.
You won't see a sign staring at you from the wall
Sayin 'lights out! no burnin the midnight oil!'


Everybody got credit
Everybody got credit
Everybody got credit
In god's hotel.
Everybody got good credit.
You'll never see a sign stuck on the cash-box drawer
Sayin 'credit tommorow!!' or 'want credit?!? haw, haw haw!!'


Everybody is blind
Everybody is blind
Everybody is blind
In god's hotel.
Everybody is blind.
You'll never see a sign on the front door
'no red skins. no blacks. and that means you, baw!'


Everybody is deaf
Everybody is deaf
Everybody is deaf
In god's hotel.
Everybody is deaf.
You'll never find a sign peeling off the bar-room wall
'though shalt not blaspheme, cuss, holler or bawl'.


Everybody is dumb
Everybody is dumb
Everybody is dumb
In god's hotel.
Everybody is dumb.
So you'll never see on the visiting-room wall
'though shalt not blaspheme, cuss, holler or bawl'.


Everybody got heaven
Everybody got heaven
Everybody got heaven
In god's hotel.
Everybody got heaven.
So you'll never see scribbled on the bathroom wall
'let rosy get ya heaven, dial 686-844!'

where is mona?
She's long gone
Where is mary?
She's taken her along
But they haven't put their mittens on
And there's fifteen feet of pure white snow?

Where is michael?
Where is mark?
Where is mathew
Now it's getting dark?
Where is john? they are all out back
Under fifteen feet of pure white snow
Would you please put down that telephone
We're under fifteen feet of pure white snow

I waved to my neighbour
My neighbour waved to me
But my neighbour
Is my enemy
I kept waving my arms
Till i could not see
Under fifteen feet of pure white snow

Is anybody
Out there please?
It's too quiet in here
And i'm beginning to freeze
I've got icicles hanging
From my knees
Under fifteen feet of pure white snow

Is there anybody here who feels this low?
Under fifteen feet of pure white snow

Raise your hands up to the sky
Raise your hands up to the sky
Raise your hands up to the sky
Is it any wonder?
Oh my lord oh my lord
Oh my lord oh my lord

Doctor, doctor
I'm going mad
This is the worst day
I've ever had
I can't remember
Ever feeling this bad
Under fifteen feet of pure white snow
Where's my nurse
I need some healing
I've been paralysed
By a lack of feeling
I can't even find
Anything worth stealing
Under fifteen feet of pure white snow

Is there anyone else here who doesn't know?
We're under fifteen feet of pure white snow

Raise your hands up to the sky
Raise your hands up to the sky
Raise your hands up to the sky
Is it any wonder?
Oh my lord oh my lord
Oh my lord oh my lord
Save yourself! help yourself!
Save yourself! help yourself!
Save yourself! help yourself!
Save yourself! help yourself!