1. |
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I love you surely I do I just can’t remember why
Woke up this morning with bruises on my face
I just can’t remember why
It must’ve been a chicken or a coward or a fool
Who thought it was a nice night for a fight
He took all my money and left me there to die
Often wrong, but always right
You know the spirits they got the best of me
I just can’t remember why
Woke up this morning with my tail between my legs
I just can’t remember why
It must’ve been a woman with her eyes full of flames
swinging for these fences of mine
But she took all my money and made herself my wife
Often wrong, but always right
I love you surely I do I just can’t remember why
Woke up this morning with bruises on my face
I just can’t remember why
Lord help me to remember why
I do the things I do sometimes
The nights I can’t remember are the nights I want to forget
But they all come back sometimes
Maybe I’m a chicken, I’m a coward or a fool
But I know what it means to be a man
Broken bottles, bloody knuckles too
Often wrong, but always right
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2. |
Circlin' the Henhouse
04:19
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I wanted love, you would not make it
I gave you all, but you would not take it
Now I’m as blue as those sweet eyes
But I must accept that we’ve cut our ties
And I’ll just be circling the henhouse again
I’ll Just be circling the henhouse again
These tears I’ve cried have gone away
But my new pride she’s here to stay
Why did she go and leave me alone
What she was thinking I’ll never know
And I’m just circling the henhouse again
I’ll just be circling the henhouse again
There was a time it felt like Summer
She pulled me close but she held me under
I could not breathe and I knew she knowed
If she really loved me well she never showed
And I’m just circling the henhouse again
I’ll just be circling the henhouse again
I must admit my heart is broken
But I’ll keep on moving baby I’ll keep on rolliing
I could really use another lover like you
But not just any old hen will do
And I’m just circling the henhouse again
I’ll just be circling the henhouse again
I wanted love, you would not make it
I gave you all, but you would not take it
Now I’m as blue as those sweet eyes
But I must accept that we’ve cut our ties
And I’ll just be circling the henhouse again
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3. |
Broken Record
03:32
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I’ve been walking down Orleans Avenue
With nothing on my mind but me and you
I’ve been thinking about your face
And them pretty little hands sitting on your waist
I can’t keep this to myself
I love you little mama don’t you put me on a shelf
Because that’d be
Mean like an alley cat sounds like a broken record
Mean like an alley cat sounds like a broken record now
Mean like an alley cat sounds like a broken record
Mean like an alley cat sounds like a broken record now
Come on baby let’s get a little crazy
Take a little walk with me
Come on baby let’s not be lazy now
Take a little walk with me
I’ve been drinking for days now
I’ve been dreaming for years
I’ve been drinking for days now
I’ve been dreaming of you for years
It’s something about that summer sun
And the way you keep my name right on your tongue
I’m feeling like an animal a little untamed
Come on little mama just a little spare change
It must’ve been fate that brought you my way
Come on little mama don’t just throw me away
Because that’d be
Mean like an alley cat sounds like a broken record
Mean like an alley cat sounds like a broken record now
Come on baby now we can make it now
Take a little walk with me
Come on baby now you can save me now
Take a little walk with me
I’ve been drinking for days now
I’ve been dreaming for years
I’ve been drinking for days now
I’ve been dreaming of you for years
Mean like an alley cat
Sounds like a broken record
Mean like an alley cat
Sounds like a broken record
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4. |
Seasoned Greens
02:34
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Hey boys? Yes, Ellis?
Do you see that girl with the eyes that shine?
Make a big man feel like he’s 2 foot 9
Every breath passing through her lips
Makes a little man feel like he’s 10 foot 6
Tell me now boys what have I seen
Makes me wish I could afford a ring
Just one look and you know she can swing
She looks good enough to season greens
Having a hard time believing my eyes
Is that really her or am I going blind?
There ain’t no way she’s walking my way
But even just the thought is making my day
Tell me now boys give it to me straight
I cannot believe this is my fate
Her in the flowers what a beautiful scene
She looks good enough to season greens
I put my right sock on before my left
Every single day before getting out of bed
Because karma’s gonna get me any way she can
I pick up every single penny
Honest Abe staring up from a copper piece
Because bad luck is my luck and good luck ain’t for me
Hey boys? Yes, Ellis?
Smile real pretty, straighten them ties
She’s coming this way avert those eyes
This must be my lucky day
The stars in the sky must’ve rearranged
This time she’s within my reach
Make way boys I’ve prepared a speech
Excuse me miss but I really must sing
You look good enough to season greens
Just where did my sweetheart go
She was coming this way just a moment ago
Once the sun shined down on me
Then old man fate came barking up my tree
Come on boys show me the door
Can’t remember what I came here for
Just one look and you know what I mean
She looks good enough to season greens
I put my right sock on before my left
Every single day before getting out of bed
Because karma’s gonna get me any way she can
I pick up every single penny
Honest Abe staring up from a copper piece
Because bad luck is my luck and good luck ain’t for me
Hey boys? Yes, Ellis?
Just one look and you know she can swingShe looks good enough to season greens
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5. |
Gabriella
02:51
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Gabriella I tell you I love you forever
And you know that I mean it well
But the look in your eyes says lend me your knife
And I’ll send you back to your hole
Gabriella if you care don’t send me back
You know that it’s dark down there
And I cannot stand that afflicting stench
I could use a little fresh air
Your blind can’t you see
The monster you’ve made of me?
Though you walk through the streets
With shoes on your feet
I’m already gone
Gabriella I tell you I can’t live like a rat
Soiled and underground
But if you really love me I’ll do it for you
I’ll do anything for you
Gabriella if you care take off your mask
Look me straight in the eye
Tell me you love and tell me you see me
Or am I an invisible man?
Your blind can’t you see
The monster you’ve made of me?
Though you walk through the streets
With shoes on your feet
I’m already gone
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6. |
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Where’d you go, how could I know?
You left me hear with nowhere to go
But don’t you worry darling i will get by
I’ll just spend my days
Looking low and getting high
The summer time has come and went
The doggy days have all but been spent
And I’m stuck in colder weather
Just dreaming of you
And spending all my days
Looking low and getting high
Ain’t it something oh that special something?
You said it all when you said nothing
Ain’t it a dream, some sort of dream?
Won’t you tell me darling what it all really means
And am I just a man, am I nothing more?
My coats on the rack, my boots by the door
So just come on home darling, please come on home
I can’t stand it no more
Where are you now, what’s on your mind?
If it ain’t me then I’ve fallen behind
And maybe that’s just right where I’ll stay
Spending all my days
Looking low and getting high
Ain’t it something oh that special something?
You said it all when you said nothing
Ain’t it a dream, some sort of dream?
Won’t you tell me darling what it all really means
And am I just a man, am I nothing more?
My coats on the rack, my boots by the door
So just come on home darling, please come on home
I can’t stand it no more
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7. |
Silver Tongue
02:56
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I’m a silver tongue crooked as they come
I’ll talk you oh so sweet darling
And do you oh so wrong
But that’s okay I’ll get by without yeah
Yeah mama that’s okay I’ll get by without you
The lights are on the show is over
We can all go home
And dream of fantasies but it’s just realities
That are haunting us now
For the life of me can’t figure out
Who stole the crown and who’s really king now
Have a sip of wine you should be fine
But two more and the memories
Have gone out the doorYour clothes gather dust your head on a platter
Is it love or merely lust?
Save the former take the latter would you now?
I’m a silver tongue wicked as they come
I’m here one minute mama
And the next I’m gone
But that’s okay I’ll get by without you
Yeah mama that’s okay I’ll get by without you
We’re standing on the ground
And the Devil is below
And it shows in the way that my hands
Seem to shake in the light
That’s calling me now
I’m clsoing the curtain and taking my final bow
But first let’s dance in the moonlight
It must be romance
That has lit up the corner of your eyes
And kept things off of the groud
As we float through the night
If I do it at all I’ll do it in time
Baby do it right would you now?
I’m a silver tongue crooked as they come
I’ll talk you oh so sweet mama
And do you oh so wrong
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8. |
Ain't Life Grand
03:33
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Oh sweet maria I tell you I did not see you
In that hotel room
With leather boots bound to my feet
Oh sweet Maria I tell you I did not hear you
When you told me that you loved me
Oh sweet Maria why’d you have to go?
Ain’t life grand
Just a series of missed connections
And poorly played hands
Ain’t life grand
Just a wake for the wrong three people
And flowers in the wrong bed
Oh sweet Maria does it ever cross your mind
That in some life we were together
In some life I really tried
Oh sweet Maria we’ve been through this before
I’m better that I appear
Call it numbness I’d rather it be fear
Ain’t life grand
Just a series of missed connections
And poorly played hands
Ain’t life grand
Just a wake for the wrong three people
And flowers in the wrong bed
Ain’t life grand
Just a series of missed connections
And poorly played hands
Ain’t life grand
Just a wake for the wrong three people
And flowers in the wrong bed
Ain’t life
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9. |
To the End of the World
02:52
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A man in yellow waits on the bank
Smoking funny late at night
Waiting for a steam boat to take him down the river
To the end of the world
Where the earth and the sky meet the ocean
River wash him clean
It ain’t right when you’re living just to make it
To the end of the world
A man grey has all but forgotten
Where he lays his head
Spells his name in the sand to remember
Then forgets once again
Fire water good for the moment
Burn the midnight oil
In the morning he’ll wake up early
Just a happy devil of a man
A man in gold tries his hand on the river bank
Writing melodies
A crowd has gathered to carry him over
To the end of the world
Where the earth and the goddess meet
Muddy water sinking in
Sold his soul just to make it
To the end of the world
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10. |
Shaky Knees
04:17
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Standing out in your yard
It’s late I can’t stay here no more
But oh how your voice it just pulls me in
And I’ll stay here
The steam engine’s calling my name
And the train leaves ‘round half past eight
And oh how I need to leave this time
But I’ll stay here, I’ll stay here for you
The dogwoods are blooming back east
And high tide’s rising like yeast
And oh how I long for Carolina
But I’ll stay here
And I ain’t much for the North
But I followed her up the eastern shore
And oh how I long for sweet Dixie again
But I’ll stay here, I’ll stay here for you
I know you know just as well as me
What’s in the past is plain to see
I should’ve kept my feet on the ground
Instead I took flight
Avoiding all obscenities
Wasted breath and shaky knees
I tucked my tail between my legs
And I followed
Standing out in your yard
It’s late I can’t stay here no more
The steam engine’s coming to take me on home
And I’m gone, I said I’m gone
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Ellis Dyson & the Shambles Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Songs for the shambles
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