Songs That Tell Stories

JIM REEVES - The Gods Were Angry With Me


The Gods were angry with me for loving you
The Gods were angry with me because they knew
I stood at heaven's portal and that was too high
For any model such as I.

So they took down the sun the skies were gray
Then the howling winds took you away
And there was nothing I could do because I knew
The Gods were angry with me for loving you.

[Spoken]
Once upon a time when our love was new
And I was happy with the love that I've found
Then the Gods and the sun and the moon
And the stars looked down and saw me there with you
And they sent my dream world crash into the ground.

[It was because the Gods were angry with me.]

The Gods were angry with me for loving you
The Gods were angry with me because they knew
I stood at heaven's portal and that was too high
For any model such as I.

And so they took down the sun the skies were gray
And then the howling winds took you away
And there was nothing I could do because I knew
The Gods were angry with me for loving you.

[And so they took down the sun, the skies were gray]
[And then the howling winds took you away]
And there was nothing I could do for I could see
It was because the Gods were angry with me...

sorry bear... i still love this one.

ya really have to work for it, but it's there.


Thick as a Brick (Part One)

Really don't mind if you sit this one out
My words but a whisper, your deafness a shout
I may make you feel but I can't make you think
Your sperm's in the gutter, your love's in the sink
So you ride yourselves over the fields
And you make all your animal deals
And your wise men don't know how it feels
To be Thick as a Brick

And the sand castle virtues are all swept away
In the tidal destruction, the moral melee
The elastic retreat rings the close of play
As the last wave uncovers the newfangled way
But your new shoes are worn at the heels
And your suntan does rapidly peel
And your wise men don't know how it feels
To be Thick as a Brick

And the love that I feel is so far away
I'm a bad dream that I just had today
And you shake your head
And say that it's a shame

Spin me back down the years and the days of my youth
Draw the lace and black curtains and shut out the whole truth
Spin me down the long ages, let them sing the song

See there, a son is born, and we pronounce him fit to fight
There are blackheads on his shoulders, and there he pees himself in the night
We'll make a man of him, put him to trade
Teach him to play Monopoly, not to sing in the rain

The poet and the painter casting shadows on the water
As the sun plays on the infantry returning from the sea
The doer and the thinker, no allowance for the other
As the failing light illuminates the mercenary's creed
The home fire burning, the kettle almost boiling
But the master of the house is far away
The horses stamping, their warm breath clouding
In the sharp and frosty morning of the day
And the poet lifts his pen, while the soldier sheaths his sword
And the youngest of the family is moving with authority
Building castles by the sea, he dares the tardy tide
To wash them all aside

The cattle quietly grazing at the grass down by the river
Where the swelling mountain water moves onward to the sea
The builder of the castles renews the age-old purpose
And contemplates the milking girl whose offer is his need
The young men of the household have all gone into service
And are not to be expected for a year
The innocent young master, thoughts moving ever faster
Has formed the plan to change the man he seems
And the poet sheaths his pen while the soldier lifts his sword
And the oldest of the family is moving with authority
Coming from across the sea, he challenges the son
Who puts him to the run

What do you do when the old man's gone ?
Do you want to be him ?
And your real self sings the song
Do you want to free him ?
No one to help you get up steam
And the whirlpool turns you way off beam

I've come down from the upper class to mend your rotten ways
My father was a man of power, whom everyone obeyed

So come on all you criminals ! I've got to put you straight
Just like I did with my old man, twenty years too late

Your bread and water's going cold, your hair is short and neat
I'll judge you all and make damn sure that no one judges me

You curl your toes in fun, as you smile at everyone
You meet the stares, you're unaware that your doings aren't done
And you laugh most ruthlessly, as you tell us what not to be
But how are we supposed to see where we should run ?

I see you shuffle in the courtroom, with your rings upon your fingers
And your downy little sidies and your silver-buckle shoes
Playing at the hard case, you follow the example
Of the comic-paper idol, who lets you bend the rules

So, come on you childhood heroes, won't you rise up from the pages
Of your comic-books, your super crooks, and show us all the way ?
Well, make your will and testament, won't you join your local government ?
We'll have Superman for president, let Robin save the day
You put your bet on number one and it comes up every time
The other kids have all backed down and they put you first in line
And so you finally ask yourself just how big you are
And you take your place in a wiser world of bigger motor cars

(And you wonder who to call on ...)

So, where the hell was Biggles when you needed him last Saturday ?
And where are all the sportsmen who always pulled you through ?
They're all resting down in Cornwall, writing up their memoirs
For a paperback edition of the boy scout manual


Thick as a Brick (Part Two)

See there, a man is born, and we pronounce him fit for peace
There's a load lifted from his shoulders with the discovery of his disease
We'll take the child from him, put it to the test
Teach it to be a wise man, how to fool the rest

(We will be gearing toward the average rather than the exceptional)
(God's an overwhelming responsibility)

(We walked through the maternity ward and saw 218 babies wearing nylons)

(It says here that cats are on the upgrade, upgrade ?)

In the clear white circles of morning wonder
I take my place with the lord of the hills
And the blue-eyed soldiers stand slightly discolored
In neat little rows, sporting canvas frills

With their jock-straps pinching, they slouch to attention
Whilst queueing for sarnies at the office canteen
Singing, "How's your grannie ?", and good old Ernie
He coughed up a tenner on a premium bond win

The legends worded in the ancient tribal hymn
Lie cradled in the seagull's call
And all the promises they made are ground beneath the sadist's fall

The poet and the wise man stand behind the gun
And signal for the crack of dawn, light the sun
Do you believe in the day ?

The dawn creation of the kings has begun
Soft Venus lonely maiden brings the ageless one
Do you believe in the day ?

The fading hero has returned to the night
And fully pregnant with the day, wise men endorse the poet's sight
Do you believe in the day ?

Let me tell you the tales of your life
Of your love and the cut of the knife
The tireless oppression the wisdom instilled
The desire to kill or be killed
Let me sing of the losers who lie
In the street as the last bus goes by
The pavements are empty, the gutters run red
While the fool toasts his god in the sky

So, come all ye young men who are building castles
Kindly state the time of the year
And join your voices in a hellish chorus
Mark the precise nature of your fear


Let me help you to pick up your dead
As the sins of the fathers are fed
With the blood of the fools and the thoughts of the wise
And from the pan under your bed
Let me make you a present of song
As the wise man breaks wind and is gone
While the fool with the hour-glass is cooking his goose
And the nursery rhyme winds along

So, come all ye young men who are building castles
Kindly state the time of the year
And join your voices in a hellish chorus
Mark the precise nature of your fear
See, the summer lightning casts its bolts upon you
And the hour of judgement draweth near
Would you be the fool stood in the suit of armour
Of the wiser man who rushes clear ?

So, come on you childhood heroes, won't you rise up from the pages
Of your comic-books, your super-crooks, and show us all the way ?
Well, make your will and testament, won't you join your local government ?
We'll have Superman for president, let Robin save the day

So, where the hell was Biggles when you needed him last Saturday ?
And where are all the sportsmen who always pulled you through ?
They're all resting down in Cornwall, writing up their memoirs
For a paperback edition of the boy scout manual

So you ride yourselves over the fields
And you make all your animal deals
And your wise men don't know how it feels
To be Thick as a Brick

why have you locked yourself away... all alone
with your sorrow and your pain.. forever
feel my sorrow

How have the gods lead you astray
Why do you fear the dawning day
Feel my pain.. if you dont mind

Feel my sorrow
Wisk me away to Morrow
Take my hand

I'll take you away
To the other side
To the promised land

Falling in like a landslide
comming down like the rain
for the last time

was a riptide
in your still pride
deep inside

a rugged ride
a life denied
and the devil cried...

WHAT A WONDERFULL SUICIDE

pull trig gonna pull trig gonna pull trig gonna pull.

Legend Of Bonnie And Clyde

Bonnie was a waitress in a small cafe
Clyde Barrow was the rounder that took her away
They both robbed and killed until both loved and died
So goes the legend of Bonnie and Clyde
The poem that she wrote of the life that they led
Told of the lawmen left dying or dead
Some say that Clyde made her life a shame
But the legend made Bonnie the head of the game
The rampage grew wilder with each passing day
Their odds growing smaller with each get-away
The end getting closer the harder they fought
With blood on their hands they were bound to get caught

They drove back from town on one bright summer day
When a man they be-friended stepped out in the way
With no thought of dying they both took his side
But the death lay there waiting for Bonnie and Clyde
Now two years of running was ended that day
For robbing and killing they both had to pay
We'll always remember how they lived and died
So goes the legend of Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie and Clyde

Thank you for starting this topic - I LOVE long story songs even though
they are not commercial radio feasible. I browsed all 63 pages and didn't
see one of my many personal favs...

The Rock

The rock is gonna fall on us, he woke with a start
And he ran to his mother, the fear dark in his heart
And he told her of the vision that he was sure he'd seen
She said: "Go back to sleep son, you're having a bad dream!"

Silly child--
Everybody knows the rock leans over the town
Everybody knows that it won't tumble to the ground
Remember Chicken Little said the sky was falling down
Well nothing ever came of that, the world still whirls around

"The rock is gonna fall on us," he stood and told the class
The professor put his chalk down and peered out through his glasses
But he went on and said; "I've seen it, high up on the hill
If it doesn't fall this year then very soon it will!"

Crazy boy--
Everybody knows the rock leans over the town
Everybody knows that it won't tumble to the ground
We've more important studies than your fantasies and fears
You know that rock's been perched up there for a hundred thousand years

"The rock is gonna fall on us." He told the magistrates
"I believe that we can stop it but the time is getting late
You see I've done all the research my plans are all complete."
He was showing them contingencies when they showed him to the street

Just a madman--
Everybody knows the rock leans over the town
Everybody knows that it won't tumble to the ground
Everybody knows of those who say the end is near
Everybody knows that life goes on as usual round here

He went up on the mountain beside the giant stone
They knew he was insane so they left him alone
He'd given up enlisting help for there was no one else
He spent his days devising ways to stop the rock himself
One night while he was working building braces on the ledge
The ground began to rumble the rock trembled on the edge

"The rock is gonna fall on us! Run or you'll all be crushed!"
And indeed the rock was moving, crumbling all to dust
He ran under it with one last hope that he could add a prop
And as he disappeared the rock came to a stop

The people ran into the street but by then all was still
The rock seemed where it always was or where it always will be
When someone asked where he had gone they said: "Oh he was daft.
Who cares about that crazy fool." And then they'd start to laugh

But high up on the mountain
When the wind is hitting it
If you're watching very closely
The rock slips a little bit

Harry Chapin - a gifted songwriting conscience too soon gone.

I agree, cathode. Welcome to A2K.

too true cathode, too true. and thanks for reminding me about chapin. this song really opened some new doors for me when i was first starting to write. amazing strings.

hola, edgar !


HARRY CHAPIN - "Taxi"

It was raining hard in 'Frisco
I needed one more fare to make my night
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down
She got in at the light

Oh, where you going to, my lady blue
It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain
She just looked out the window
She said, Sixteen Parkside Lane

Something about her was familiar
I could swear I'd seen her face before
But she said, I'm sure you're mistaken
And she didn't say anything more

It took a while, but she looked in the mirror
And she glanced at the license for my name
A smile seemed to come to her slowly
It was a sad smile, just the same

And she said, How are you Harry
I said, How are you Sue
Through the too many miles
And the too little smiles
I still remember you

It was somewhere in a fairy tale
I used to take her home in my car
We learned about love in the back of a Dodge
The lesson hadn't gone too far

You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
And I took off to find the sky

Oh, I've got something inside me
To drive a princess blind
There's a wild man, wizard
He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind
Oh, I've got something inside me
Not what my life's about
'Cause I've been letting my outside tide me
Over 'til my time, runs out

(Yes, she's flying, afraid to fall)
(I'll tell you why baby's crying)
('Cause she's dying, aren't we all)

There was not much more for us to talk about
Whatever we had once was gone
So I turned my cab into the driveway
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns

And she said, we must get together
But I knew it'd never be arranged
And she handed me twenty dollars
For a two fifty fare
She said, Harry, keep the change

Well, another man might have been angry
And another man might have been hurt
But another man never would've let her go
I stashed the bill in my shirt

And she walked away in silence
It's strange, how you never know
But we'd both gotten what we'd asked for
Such a long, long time ago

You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
And I took off for the sky

And here, she's acting happy
Inside her handsome home
And me, I'm flying in my taxi
Taking tips, and getting stoned
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned

i don't think i've posted this one yet in this thread

and if i did, well, it's that good i'll post it again

Poor Paddy

[The Pogues' Version]
-----------------------------------------

In eighteen hundred and forty-one
The corduroy breeches I put on
Me corduroy breeches I put on
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-two
From Hartlepool I moved to Crewe
Found myself a job to do
A working on the railway

I was wearing corduroy breeches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging pitches, as I was
Working on the Railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-three
I broke the shovel across me knee
I went to work for the company
On the Leeds to Selby railway

I was wearing corduroy breeches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging pitches, as I was
Working on the Railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-four
I landed on the Liverpool shore
My belly was empty me hands were raw
With working on the railway, the railway
I'm sick to my guts of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-five
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive
And working on the railway

I was wearing corduroy breeches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging pitches, as I was
Working on the Railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-six
I changed my trade to carrying bricks
I changed my trade to carrying bricks
To work upon the railway

I was wearing corduroy breeches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging pitches, as I was
Working on the Railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-seven
Poor Paddy was thinking of going to Heaven
The old bugger was thinking of going to Heaven
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm sick to my death of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

I was wearing corduroy breeches
Digging ditches, pulling switches
Dodging pitches, as I was
Working on the Railway



[Paddy Works on the Railway]
---------------------------------------


In eighteen hundred and forty-one
My corduroy breeches I put on
My corduroy breeches I put on
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-two
I didn't know what I should do
I didn't know what I should do
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-three
I sailed away across the sea
I sailed away across the sea
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-four
I landed on Columbia's shore
I landed on Columbia's shore
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-five
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-six
I made my trade to carrying bricks
I made my trade to carrying bricks
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-seven
Poor Paddy was thinking of going to Heaven
Poor Paddy was thinking of going to Heaven
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-eight
I learned to drink my whiskey straight
I learned to drink my whiskey straight
To work upon the railway, the railway
I'm weary of the railway
Poor Paddy works on the railway

Streams Of Whiskey

Last night as I slept
I dreamt I met with Behan
I shook him by the hand and we passed the time of day
When questioned on his views
On the crux of life's philosophies
He had but these few clear and simple words to say

I am going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing

I have cursed, bled and sworn
Jumped bail and landed up in jail
Life has often tried to stretch me
But the rope always was slack
And now that I've a pile
I'll go down to the Chelsea
I'll walk in on my feet
But I'll leave there on my back

Because I am going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing

Oh the words that he spoke
Seemed the wisest of philosophies
There's nothing ever gained
By a wet thing called a tear
When the world is too dark
And I need the light inside of me
I'll walk into a bar
And drink fifteen pints of beer

Iam going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing

I am going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing
Where streams of whiskey are flowing
Where streams of whiskey are flowing

Cottonwood Tree - Marty Robbins
I rode into Tucson three hours ago for supplies and a short friendly game
Of poker while Smitty put some new shoes on old Dan before he goes lame
I sat in a game at the Miner's Saloon soon I had doubled my stake
The cards run like they'd been dealt by Lady Luck they were just sealin' my fate
A young cowboy lost more than he could afford and accused me of dealin' too smart
His draw was too slow and he fell to the floor with three bullets close to the heart
Oh cottonwood tree are you waiting for me waiting to take me away
I've done no wrong but the town cannot see and so with my life I must pay

A crowd started gatherin' the sheriff came in I handed him over my gun
Was then when I found out the boy I had killed
Was the town's biggest man's only son
I tried to explain I had shot in defense it was the young cowboy or me
The crowd wouldn't listen so they drug me out to the limb of this cottonwood tree
Majestically standing out here all alone it's spring and the valley is green
But I can't admire a place I don't belong to me it's all like a bad dream
But old Dan's beneath me with new shows and all
As they place the noose round my neck
Cowboys I've never laid eyes on before are tyin' my hands to my back
Oh cottonwood tree...

I see hate in the eyes of the town's biggest man as he pulls a branch from the tree
To whip the backside of my old pony Dan so he'll run out from under me
Insane he won't listen to my last appeal a wild grin has covered his face
As I tried to reason just how he would feel if he were up here in my place
There's many a mountain trail I'll never ride green valleys I'll never see
A young cowboy died and a man's foolish pride brought me to this cottonwood tree
My face is turned upward and I cannot breathe the sky's growing dark overhead
The knot's pulling tight as my body swepts free a few moments more I'll be dead
Oh cottonwood tree...

peter murphy is another one of those writers that sets up a movie in your head. absolutely brilliant.

Peter Murphy: Cuts You Up
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I find you in the morning
After dreams of distant signs
You pour yourself over me
Like the sun through the blinds
You lift me up
And get me out
Keep me walking
But never shout
Hold the secret close
I hear you say

You know the way
It throws about
It takes you in
And spits you out
It spits you out
When you desire
To conquer it
To feel you're higher
To follow it
You must be clean
With mistakes
That you do mean
Move the heart
Switch the pace
Look for what seems out of place

On and on it goes
Calling like a distant wind
Through the zero hour we'll walk
Cut the thick and break the thin
No sound to break no moment clear
When all the doubts are crystal clear
Crashing hard into the secret wind

You know the way
It twists and turns
Changing colour
Spinning yarns
You know the way
It leaves you dry
It cuts you up
It takes you high
You know the way
It's painted gold
Is it honey
Is it gold
You know the way
It throws about
It takes you in
And spits you out
You know the way
It throws about
It takes you in
And spits you out
It spits you out
When you desire
To conquer it
To feel you're higher
To follow it
You must be clean
With mistakes
That you do mean
Move the heart
Switch the pace
Look for what
Seems out of place

It's o.k.
It goes this way
The line is thin
It twists away
Cuts you up
It throws about
Keep me walking
But never shout.

I don't know if this has already been posted, but here it is. I liked this song when it came out (many years ago) and I still do. It plays like a movie in my mind, when I listen to it.


Artist: Harry Chapin
Song: Taxi

It was raining hard in 'Frisco,
I needed one more fare to make my night.
A lady up ahead waved to flag me down,
She got in at the light.


Oh, where you going to, my lady blue,
It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain.
She just looked out the window, and said
"Sixteen Parkside Lane".


Something about her was familiar
I could swear I'd seen her face before,
But she said, "I'm sure you're mistaken"
And she didn't say anything more.


It took a while, but she looked in the mirror,
And she glanced at the license for my name.
A smile seemed to come to her slowly,
It was a sad smile, just the same.
And she said, "How are you Harry?"
I said, "How are you Sue?
Through the too many miles
and the too little smiles
I still remember you."


It was somewhere in a fairy tale,
I used to take her home in my car.
We learned about love in the back of the Dodge,
The lesson hadn't gone too far.
You see, she was gonna be an actress,
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off to find the sky.


Oh, I've got something inside me,
To drive a princess blind.
There's a wild man, wizard,
He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind.
Oh, I've got something inside me,
Not what my life's about,
Cause I've been letting my outside tide me,
Over 'till my time, runs out.


Baby's so high that she's skying,
Yes she's flying, afraid to fall.
I'll tell you why baby's crying,
Cause she's dying, aren't we all.


There was not much more for us to talk about,
Whatever we had once was gone.
So I turned my cab into the driveway,
Past the gate and the fine trimmed lawns.
And she said we must get together,
But I knew it'd never be arranged.
And she handed me twenty dollars,
For a two fifty fare, she said
"Harry, keep the change."
Well another man might have been angry,
And another man might have been hurt,
But another man never would have let her go...
I stashed the bill in my shirt.


And she walked away in silence,
It's strange, how you never know,
But we'd both gotten what we'd asked for,
Such a long, long time ago.


You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly.
She took off to find the footlights,
And I took off for the sky.
And here, she's acting happy,
Inside her handsome home.
And me, I'm flying in my taxi,
Taking tips, and getting stoned,
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned.

"Eddie Walker" by Ben Folds Five

Won't you smile you look so shocked
put the nametag on your smock
we've come to see you,
Eddie Walker

We may pack a little tight
the girl up front says
it's alright
and look there's more of us
still getting off the bus
we wish you'd come back home with us

Eddie Walker,
this is your life

This one's you when you were small
you're learning how to walk
they'd pick you up
and you keep falling down
there you are with Aunt Louise
you're bouncing on her knees
remember all those trees behind the garden?
their gone, they all got cut down
when she died

Eddie Walker, this is your life
you never had a son or a wife
you sure had a hell of a time
Eddie Walker, this is your life

This one's you and Mary Jo
well she couldn't come
she says hello
no, Eddie Walker
she doesn't hate your guts
it's just the whole thing's
shook her up
how they picked you up
and you kept falling down
Eddie Walker, this is your life

Eddie Walker, this is your life
you never had a coat or a tie
you never had a reason to cry
(whoa no no no no oh no)

This whole stack and all of these
are your semester overseas
we're gonna leave you
Eddie Walker

I could have sworn that there is a thread on The House of the Rising Sun.

Anyway, this week's Boston Phoenix has an interesting story derived from the late Dave Van Ronk's posthumous autobio, "The mayor of McDougall Street," about the above mentioned song. Unfortunately, the paper did not post the story on line. Van Ronk claims that the House was actually a woman's prison.

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=47825&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

I didn't know he'd died. Dave could tell some tall tales.

Thanks, Panzade, threads seem to get buried here!

Van Ronk died three years ago. Boston folk-singer and writer Elijah Wald actually finished his auto-biography for him. It is available through Da Capo press.

Cheesecake Truck - King Missile

So then I got this idea about driving a cheesecake truck,
Because I figured at the end of the day I could take some of the leftover cheesecakes home,
And I love cheesecake.
So I went to the cheesecake company,
And they asked me if I could drive a truck,
And I said yes and they said you're hired.
So the next day I got in the truck with all the cheesecakes,
And I drove about a block and I just had to have a cheesecake.
So I pulled over and I opened the trunk and I got a cheesecake,
And I also took one for later,
And I took one for my friend Farmboy,
And I took one to bring home,
And by that time I had eaten one of the cheesecakes.
So I took another one.
Then I figured I might as well stop at my house to drop off all the cheesecakes.
So I take five cakes to eat on the way,
And I drive another block and a half to my house.
Now it's lunchtime so I eat ten cheesecakes and a cheesecake for desert.
I should point out by the way that all of these cheesecakes were very delicious.
Anyway, I decided that the only thing to do would be to eat all the rest of the cheesecakes and hide the truck somewhere and leave town.
And I miss everybody a lot,
But I'm not really sorry,
Because they were very delicious cheesecakes.

Neil Young -
Old King

King went a-runnin' after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin' off the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin' and he would go
Was the best old hound dog I ever did know.

I had a dog and his name was King
I told the dog about everything
There in my truck the dog and I
Then one day the King up and died.

Then I thought about the times we had
Once when I kicked him when he was bad
Old King sure meant a lot to me
But that hound dog is history.

King went a-runnin' after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin' off the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin' and he would go
Was the best old hound dog I ever did know.

That old King was a friend of mine
Never knew a dog that was half as fine
I may find one, you never do know
'Cause I still got a long way to go.

I had a dog and his name was King
I told the dog about everything
Old King sure meant a lot to me
But that hound dog is history.

King went a-howlin' after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin' off the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin' and he would go
Was the best old hound dog I ever did know.

two similar stories from two different bands

Smithers -Jones
The Jam

Here we go again, it's Monday at last,
He's heading for the Waterloo line,
To catch the 8 a.m. fast, its usually dead on time,
Hope it isn't late, got to be there by nine.
Pin stripe suit, clean shirt and tie,
Stops off at the corner shop, to buy The Times
'Good Morning Smithers-Jones'
'How's the wife and home?'
'Did you get the car you've been looking for?'

Let me get inside you, let me take control of you,
We could have some good times,
All this worry will get you down,
I'll give you a new meaning to life - I don't think so.

Sitting on the train, you're nearly there
You're part of the production line,
You're the same as him, you're like tin-sardines,
Get out of the pack, before they peel you back.

Arrive at the office, spot on time,
The clock on the wall hasn't yet struck nine,
'Good Morning Smithers Jones'
'The boss wants to see you alone'
'I hope its the promotion you've been looking for'


'Come in Smithers old boy'
'Take a seat, take the weight off your feet'
'I've some news to tell you'
'There's no longer a position for you' -
'Sorry Smithers Jones'.

Put on the kettle and make some tea
It's all a part of feeling groovie
Put on your slippers turn on the TV
It's all a part of feeling groovie
It's time to relax, now you've worked your arse off
But the only one smilin' is the sun tanned boss
Work and work and work and work till you die
There's plenty more fish in the sea to fry



Fred Jones Part 2
Ben Folds Five

Fred sits alone at his desk in the dark
There's an awkward young shadow that waits in the hall
He's cleared all his things and he's put them in boxes
Things that remind him: 'Life has been good'
Twenty-five years
He's worked at the paper
A man's here to take him downstairs
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
It's time
There was no party, there were no songs
'Cause today's just a day like the day that he started
Noone has left here that knows his first name
And life barrels on like a runaway train
Where the passengers change
They don't change anything
You get off; someone else cant get on
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
It's time
Streetlight shines through the shades
Casting lines on the floor, and lines on his face
He reflects on the day
Fred gets his paints out and goes to the basement
Projecting some slides onto a plain white
Canvas and traces it
Fills in the spaces
He turns off the slides, and it doesn't look right
Yeah, and all of these bastards
Have taken his place
He's forgotten but not yet gone
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
It's time

this one's pretty good, and still holds well today.

THE END OF THE INNOCENCE
 
Remember when the days were long
And rolled beneath a deep blue sky
Didn't have a care in the world
With mommy and daddy standing by
When happily ever after fails
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers dwell on small details
Since daddy had to fly
But I know a place where we can go
That's still untouched by man
We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by
And the tall grass wave in the wind
You can lay your head back on the ground
And let your hair fall all around me
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence
O' beautiful, for spacious skies
But now those skies are threatening
They're beating plowshares into swords
For this tired old man that we elected king
Armchair warriors often fail
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers clean up all details
Since daddy had to lie
But I know a place where we can go
And was away this sin
We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by
And the tall grass wave in the wind
Just lay your head back on the ground
And let your hair spill all around me
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence
Who knows how long this will last
Now we've come so far, so fast
But, somewhere back there in the dust
That same small town in each of us
I need to remember this
So baby give me just one kiss
And let me take a long last look
Before we say good bye
Just lay your head back on the ground
And let your hair fall all around me
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence