AFTER STRANGE GODS
Around the world Around the horn The cup is filled The lamb is born Into a flock A herd a show Of hands now please Mind how you go... After the climb Before the fall You feel a chill The hounds all call You yesterday They daily plod And hurry now After Strange Gods After Strange Gods Outside the pearl Inside the song Remains the same Until it's gone So take up fast Thy staff and rod And hurry now After Strange Gods After Strange Gods words and music by Gary Lucas
FATA MORGANA
Within the dark the lights come up She sings the line fantastic She weaves her spell The people yell You bought her bit of plastic When the scales fell from your heart And love starts looking drastic What's she holding in her heart What's the siren singing? Now you see her, now you don't Your ears will never stop ringing Now she leans right over you And now she starts to swaying Fata Morgana is her name And you, you better start praying Her stolen kiss tastes of the mist Her lifeline is an anchor You reach to touch her silken hair For this you've come to thank her Her hidden cache now turns to ash You stupid bloody wanker What's she holding in her heart What's the siren singing? Now you see her, now you don't Your ears will never stop ringing Now she leans right over you And now she starts to swaying Fata Morgana is her name And you, you better start praying On a spree eternity and more All seems to beckon Look out man you're in her plan To lay waste to your heart, I reckon Careful Before you fall A kiss is just a kill to her A sigh is just a sigh All that glitters pure fool's gold And you, you better not try To penetrate the mystery The pulp beneath the bone Fata Morgana's come to earth And you, you better stay home Her icy stare, her mournful air Can hypnotize all sailors Who now full fathom five doth lie Beneath her coral jailer As Cruel Morgana seals your fate Just when you've come to nail her What's she holding in her heart What's the siren singing? Now you see her, now you don't Your ears will never stop ringing You gaze into her eyes and find An unforgiving shore Fata Morgana drags you down You're ship-wrecked ever more Ship-wrecked ever more Ship-wrecked ever more Words and music by Gary Lucas
EVANGELINE
Trust in her, you must endure The seasons ever changing Face the frost, the hollow cost Of lives spent rearranging Evening bells and wishing well The one who won't need naming Evangeline comes claiming I can see her fair face sure As you can spy the sparrow Swiftly now she turns and bows And flies straight as the arrow Dusky dells and private hells Evangeline comes claiming Brings forth her gentle raining Evangeline Now leaves do fall, and through it all She constantly keeps burning Within her gaze, the suns own rays Now keeps my head from turning When you think you know it all Evangeline discerning Brings forth her gentle learning Evangeline comes claiming Brings forth her gentle raining Evangeline Words and Music by Gary Lucas
COMING CLEAN
When I say, I want to know you Think of all the things, I want to show you You strip away the lies okay, that fall around me Breathing life into the day, your love surrounds me Riding on a steel rail Twisting past oblivion You bend before the wind so frail Giving me the strength to live again There's a simple song you sing, I want to hear it Heading out for better days, now don't you fear it Life is not a game you play, the rules aren't black and white Rising from oblivion Do not go gentle into that good night Like a pebble on the beach, unto a grain of sand Thrown and sown just out of reach, moving freely in his hand All of us come clean you know, there at journey's end Waiting for the wave to flow, waiting for a sign To start again Words and Music by Gary Lucas
SKIN DIVING
Plonger, se perdre Dive, lose yourself remonter le parfaire rise up to the climax tremper, eclater get drenched, burst open comme une goutte de verre like a drop of glass descend toi pudeur let go your modesty trop profonde too deep respire breathe remonter rise up le desire qui respire the desire that breathes skin diving water rising bubbles rising words and music by Gary Lucas and Elli Medeiros
FOLLOW
When you're feeling low Got no place to go When the love light doesn't glow And your friends don't want to know Follow Look past your mind, deep within you must find Follow When the frost begins to chill When you're dragged right through the mill You hear a voice that whispers slow A string drawn taut across the bow Look to your heart, and then make a new start Follow And you will fast endure The sickness without cure Follow free follow sure In this run-through, in this race In this time and in this space Rise to break this petty pace Choose to find a state of grace Follow When the wind begins to blow And the darkness starts to show You must take comfort, let it go For as above, so below Follow Look to your soul, like a child let it roll Don't let the hatred take its toll Follow When the feeling flows From your head down to your toes And the light within you shows There's a way beyond this woe Follow Words and Music by Gary Lucas
ONE MAN'S MEAT
Oh Man, man...here we go again One Man's Meat lived in a garden, till he ate forbidden fruit All of a sudden his life got weird, now he's choppin' his own wood One Man's Meat don't want to wake up, till every dream comes true He starts out with a harem pretty soon he's killing dragons In an epoch like a Hindu I ain't no genius but I know what I know, people are dreamin' wherever I go Till recognition hits with a shock Come on children let's rock! Some play the dozens and even the tens, they'll never live that moment over again They keeps on talkin' till it leads you in, don't stop till your head spins One Man's Meat's absorbed in rhythm, he likes an unobstructed flow Without some degree of obstruction, rhythm doesn't happen at all Who knows that he knows must be amazed, because he's both a wonder and being A maze Knowing and being is downright weird The phenomenon is three-tiered Which One is I when I Know that I Know, the One Who Knows or Who Knows that I Know, Confusion of echoes it generates, the original gets lost no trace I can't remember the words to this song I get lost every time I am born Evolving so unique and autonomous That it almost appears to be a separate universe One Man's Meat, Lord! One Man's Meat is playing Hamlet, playing with such a serious rage That the player of Polonius is actually murdered on the stage I like to rampage, I like to sin Till I turn around and see where I been Tried to get straight Lord, I tried to fit in Can't stop and I can't win I know it hurts to be Who You Are, I seen your Brother, I know your Pa I know your Sister ran off with your Ma Driving in a fast car Way down under the ocean, give or take a couple billion years ago May have been swimmin' we was still chasin' women Way down under the deep blue sea, Lord One Man's Fish Meat! One Man's Meat was born to boogie, One Man's Meat can't do no good One Man's Meat is so afraid, he's the bully of his neighborhood I know you're dreaming, I hear you snore, I hear the rumble from under the door, I seen the halo surrounding your head Be an angel if you was dead I heard you laughing when somebody said I saw you fall down on top of the bed Turned out the light, cried into the phone Please don't let me sleep alone Please don't let me sleep alone Please don't let me sleep alone Please don't let me sleep Alone...Alone...Alone words and music by Gary Lucas and David Johansen
OUT FROM UNDER
Look over yonder Out from under Don't you wonder Never fear Holy thunder Out from under Out from under And up from here When I was just a kid you know my daddy said to me Music's just the thing my girl and singing's just the key I heard a voice inside my head Singing till my face turned red And now i've got the power Here to set you free Ripped asunder Out from under Don't you wonder What's to fear Lift me yonder Out from under Out from under And up from here When I got out from under I was hanging by my thumbs The schoolyard torn and plundered waiting for what ever comes The writing on the wall spoke tall And so I had to chuck it all I'm sailing down the seaway now Just listen to me hum Set me to ponder Out from under Set me to wander Far from here Rise over yonder Out from under And up from here (repeat first verse) words and music by Gary Lucas
SKIN THE RABBIT
Cities are shaken The sky is falling Walk in the blue fields Wild seed blowing Skin the rabbit Snatch and grab it Skin the rabbit Make it habit Flies buzz the highest hill Obsidian crumblin' Wake to the blue fields While heaven comes tumblin' down, down Skin the rabbit Kiss the fur and feel the light Dark hare of the night Join the feast...feed the beast The blood is calling Skin the rabbit Snatch and grab it Skin the rabbit Go and bag it Let your mind drive freely Stop my world from turning Walk in the blue fields The forest is burning Skin the rabbit words and music by Gary Lucas and Rolo McGinty
POISON TREE
Mind split, darkness tripled Tree unfurled, branches rippled And spread its banner for all to see Come and dance around the poison tree Poison Tree (4X) Tree of life bears bitter fruit Harvest yields the iron boot A seed is sown and grows, now see All gather round the poison tree Poison Tree (4X) Come all ye fair and tender frail Seeking out the holy graIl There's but one truth will set you free Swing your partner round the poison tree Poison Tree (4X) Snake awakes and glides to the side Allowing God to run and hide But Eve and Adam won't let him be Curled fast around the poison tree Poison Tree (4X) words and music by Gary Lucas
WHIP NAMED LASH
The temperature's rising—it's winner take all You crawl through the quick sand You stumble and fall Now the bird's in the bush And his cheek's in the trash You're on the end of a whip A whlp named lash She picks you up easy And throws you down hard You walk through her wasteland Thrice humbled and scarred Then she lays it out sleazy And shows you the gash She's on the end of a whip A whip named lash If you want to look inside If you want to pry real hard Peaking ln pandora's box Do you want to play that card? Out where the dust blows dry Come taste the open sky Marching to the sound of Children's songs Lullabyes Life and death Come praise his name As you draw your last Breath Now the atmosphere's flaming—it's coming to boil Mirage in the desert The blood of the soil Now the gods at the gate Getting ready to bash They're on the end of a whip A whip named lash Come on now first to fade Come join the mad parade As we march along, proud Singing loud Singing strong we pray God speed Our slow decay words and music by Gary Lucas
CHIME ON
Chime on till the night is done Chime on till you feel it come Chime on till the race is won Chime on like the risin' sun Whenever you're cold Or you're feeling too old Chime on, Don't ever fold It's all part of the load Chime on Kick up your heels Do whatever you feel Chime on Open your eyes And you can make the sun rise Chime on till your day has come Chime on till your spring has sprung Rhyme on till the song is sung Climb on to the highest rung Kick off your shoes And step outta your blues, Chime on, Pay all your dues You got nothin' to lose, Chime on Whatever your age Break outta your cage Chime on, chime on Turnin' a page 'Cause this is now a new age Mama's in the kitchen Makin' shortnin' shortnin' Daddy's in the alley Talkin' out of his head Gettin' it together In the brand new morning Pullin' off the covers Jumpin' out of the bed Rise... Now you hear what I said! Chime on chime on chime on chime on Well the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road Well the Rock Island Line is the road to ride Get yr ticket at the station Number one's your destination You know you can make it if you really try Fly— now reach for the sky! Chime on chime on chime on chime on Words and music by Gary Lucas
SWAMP T'ING
Chilly scenes of winter The price of love comes A' tumbling down Like a play by Pinter You think you know her But she's nowhere around Her words a sharpened dagger One thrust will drop you right Straight to the ground And that's the way That's the way that it is A frosty blue horizon An arctic wind descends To billow and blow Around the corner something Might be a savior But uh you never know And in the distance calling Another lover, man How low can you go? And that's the way That's just the way that it is Come on and dance the tango Come on and join me In this sick pas de deux Come on now choose your partner Give her a tumble Before she tumbles you And if you're feeling frisky Well Ernie Brooks will make you Sadder than blue! And that's the way That's the way that it is Words and music by Gary Lucas
CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN
To reach the highest mountain Gotta keep on and climb To make it other ways Is just a waste of your time To move it over here You gotta burn till you shine Oh you gotta keep on pushin' Till the end of the line The cryin' of the dyin' Reaches our city streets The places of the heart Where you never want to meet So set your sights on higher Even when you taste defeat And don't you dare stoppin' Even when you get beat You better Climb the highest mountain You Gotta Drink from the fountain You better Climb the highest mountain You gotta Climb the highest mountain So you can stand tall Repeat chorus To swim the widest river It takes nothing at all To forge the raging currents Well you can't afford to fall So keep your heart right When your back's to the wall You gotta keep on movin' Until you can stand tall Repeat chorus Words and music by Gary Lucas
THE LADY OF SHALOTT
I was once in Samarkand, a girl who loves me understands Look how the water on the sand, waves at me like little hands Should I tell you what I did? Or would you rather keep it hid? Shall we meet and have a drink? I need a day or two to think. The days go by, I don't complain. Was it in Greece we met or Spain? Will it snow or will it rain. And will we ever meet again? It's hard to say just what it was, that made it all so strange because You are the Lady of Shalott. Just what is real and what is not And all along the river lie Long fields of barley and rye. I kept waiting for the bus, but when it came it wasn't us Had I forgot the time you said, or was it someone else instead? Remember when the moon turned red, when you and I lay there in bed You are the Lady of Shalott, Just what is real and what is not And all along the river lie Long fields of barley and rye The beasts they cry, have crossed the moat, our boat is sinking will not float. But I doubt they mean today, I should be going anyway Whose play is this, and what the plot? Whose lines are these—I just forgot. You are the Lady of Shalott. Just what is real and what is not. And all along the river lie Long fields of barley and rye Words by David Dalton Music by Gary Lucas
GRACE
There's the moon asking to stay Long enough for the clouds to fly me away Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die My fading voice sings of love But she cries to the clicking of time, oh, time Wait in the fire, wait in the fire Wait in the fire, wait in the fire And she weeps on my arm Walking to the bright lights in sorrow Oh drink a bit of wine we both might go tomorrow, oh my love And the rain is falling and I believe my time has come It reminds me of the pain I might leave, leave behind Wait in the fire, wait in the fire Wait in the fire, wait in the fire (It reminds me of the pain) I might leave, leave behind And I feel them drown my name So easy to know and forget with this kiss I'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow Wait in the fire, wait in the fire Wait in the fire, wait in the fire words and music by Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas
LET'S GO SWIMMING
To the north part of that That country I am swimming to 'Cause where you been I go That's where you always go I'm banging on your door Up in the big blue sky To the north part of that That country I am swimming too 'Cause every where you go is where I always go I'm banging on your door Up in the big blue sky words and music by Arthur Russell
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER
"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief "There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth None of them along the line know what any of it is worth" "No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke "There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late" All along the watchtower, princes kept the view While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl words and music by Bob Dylan
HER EYES ARE A BLUE MILLION MILES
I look at her and she looks at me In her eyes I see the sea I can't see what she sees in a man like me She says she loves me Her eyes Her eyes Her eyes are a blue million miles Far as I can see She loves me Her eyes Her eyes Her eyes are a blue million miles Far as I can see She loves me I look at her and she looks at me In her eyes I see the sea I can't see what she sees in a man like me She says she loves me Her eyes Her eyes Her eyes are a blue million miles words and music by Don Van Vliet
STORY WITHOUT WORDS
becomes so silent birds look down music for my woods spoken like with both our tongues she stepped from my woods miles left in the dark waiting for you just another fool there's so much that you dont know life is in your hands theres so much that you cant see while you've made your plans i found in your room the smell of other women's perfume oh yeah theres so much you'll never know my face on your hand foolish as they join us both now we've taken sides love was warm at home the rain upon the guards that slept outside oh, oh, oh I come in to your room smoke responds with smoke with your empty smile remember on my painted cloak there's rain on my skin let me in you, please just let me in oh, oh, oh oh, hey, oh oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. once inside our bedroom dower music fills our ears promised now from both our tongues you step from my ears deftly in the dark waiting for her lost another fool there's so much that you dont know my face in your hands there's so much you never see while you make your plans love was warm at home and I was born with soul made to roam ah... words and music by Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas
LIFE KILLS
Life Kills Life Kills Life Kills Ya The Game's Over The Game's Over You're Prison Ripped You're Prison Ripped Hello Prophets Hello Prophets The Party's Over The Party's Over Over It's All Over Over for the righteous For the righteous You're dragging the truth Truth soldiers Dragged into cages Dragged Dragged into Cages Life Kills Life Kills Life Kills Life Kills The Game's Over The Party's Over Life Yeah Life Kills Life Kills words and music by Alan Vega and Gary Lucas