For the ones holdin’ on

It’s bound to get better
for the ones holdin’ on
but I’ll never forget
all the ones dead and gone
on the road with a letter
folded up in my jeans
tellin’ me it gets better
on the roads yet to be

and it’s bound to get better
there’s a God up above
askin’ me when’s the time
I’ll start showin’ more love
on the road with a letter
tellin’ me to remember
that its bound to get better
for the ones holdin’ on

and it’s bound to get better
for the ones holdin’ on
to the folded up letters
with the words of a song
and our voices together
we can sing it forever
and it’s bound to get better
for the ones holdin’ on©

The Blue Collar Dies

34 years I’ve been walking a dream
down the roads and the highways
all the places I’ve seen
don’t prepare me for nothing
say the robots online
between me and employment
stands a sign of the times

ask me “how am I doing”
and I’ll say “doin’ fine”
without work or a home
you can see that I’m lyin’
just an American worker
trampled on by the plans
of the rich in the times
that make mice out of men

and the rich just get richer
while the blue collar dies
on the streets with a pitcher
beggin’ quarters and dimes
while the pigs have a feast
on the profits and plans
of the hopes and the dreams
of the blue collar man

and you tell me keep lookin’
without using your eyes
see the only things cookin’
more political lies
it’s control alt delete
and the babies are cryin’
with no shoes on our feet
it’s a sign of the times©

 

This warm and pretty day

Well I’m out here
I could tell you
bout a thousand from my home
I could tell you I’ve been troubled
and I’m out here on my own
where the miles keep
the bottles empty
and the worry washed away
but the truth is
what’s the use when
I’m lookin’ out on
a pretty day

and the money
ain’t what it used to
be and many
are feelin’ down
and our dreams are
down the tubes while
there isn’t anyone around
I could tell you
bout the nights
without the lights
just lie awake
but the truth is
what’s the use when
the Lord has made us
a pretty day

I’ll pretend I’m goin’ fishin’
instead of wishin’ I was gone
and my friends you’re always welcome
to pack a bag and come along
we could talk about
the good times
set beside me
wash away
with a cold one
in the sunshine
of this warm and pretty day ©

Outside the walls of Camp Lejeune

Tonight he watched her dance along
into the skies of amber June
a daddies eyes are never wrong
the strings of heart are perfect tuned
he softly whispered “don’t forget me”
the lights were on in every room
the winds were blowing through the hickory
outside the walls of camp Lejeune

a wise man knows no better wisdom
than the kind he’s never sold
sometimes the lips that used to kiss him
conceal the lies he once was told
and things go on beyond the history
that don’t get written down as soon
like the wells beneath the hickory
outside the walls of Camp Lejeune

a contribution to his country
a glass of water by his bed
the nights of love beneath old glory
six weeks of hell and war ahead
and semper fi is more than soldiers
he watched her die in that empty room
from the wells beneath the hickory
outside the walls of Camp Lejeune ©

All I’ve got are words

I wanna play guitar like Hank tonight
and speak my heart like Waylon sings
Blowin’ wind between the exit signs
of vocal chords and guitar strings

So you could hear my love in every room
that hides in words I’ve written down
A setting sun without guitar strings
Sings lovin’ songs
without a sound

I wanna sing to guitar melodies
you’d hear my love songs
far from home
on every stage from here to Tennessee
through shiny pickups made of chrome

And on the road I’d write in harmony
of spinning wheels and tuned guitars
I’d put some miles between your memories
on a silver eagle with the stars. ©

Tomorrows child

I’m a man of stone
in a world of bad
tasted smiles so sweet
wasted good I’ve had
Lord I’m feeling old
help me walk the miles
help me pave the road I know
must raise tomorrows child

I was just a boy
learning how to fly
only yesterday
my cowboy ways could never die
now I’m letting go
help me walk the miles
to replace the seeds I’ve sewn
and raise tomorrows child

Lord I’ve thrown the rocks
and I’ve stole the signs
in this great big world
I’ve spent my days just doin’ time
but before I go
help me right the wrong
help me fix the holes I know
I’ve made that don’t belong

It’s a sin upon
such a weary mind
many different roads
I’ve lost my way and left em’ blind
but before I go
let me leave a smile
help me pave the road I know
must save tomorrows child

Lord I know the seeds I’ve sewn
must raise tomorrows child  ©

I’ll be calling her name

I will write my words this morning, kiss the burning flame
walk to where it’s silent, and call my lovers name
no I won’t take one footstep, until that breeze blows high
oh I will be her sunset, and she won’t leave my mind

So if you hear me cryin’ , I’m just calling her name
and if you see me dyin’, I’ll be calling her name
I’ll be calling her name….

I will write my heart out, till it bleeds across this page
oh I’ll keep finding sunset, until she comes along
will she reach the doorstep, like a moth to burning flame
inside the shadows I’ll smile, will she hear me call her name….

So if you come and hear me cryin’, I’ll be calling her name
when my words run like a lost child, I’m just calling her name
will the flame begin to die down, calling her name
I will reach that final sundown calling her name
I’ll be calling her name…. ©

It’s your love that takes me in

 

You know I’ve held onto my money
and I’ve spent my every dime
cross the tracks that lead to nowhere
chased my dreams across the sky

found a crippled man was walkin’
bought a running man new shoes
seen a poor man never talkin’
watched a rich one sing the blues

But when I’ve had enough
there’s nothing I can do
when the rain won’t stop
it gets hard to wear my shoes
lookin’ out my window
I just can’t find a friend
it’s my love that keeps me walkin’
it’s your love that takes me in

I took a ride into the city
got broken down across the line
walked beside the kids with nothing
I’ve been rich without a dime
met the lost man by the dozen
been a free man doing time
got the truth from who I trusted
looked in the mirror and told some lies

But when I’ve had enough
there’s nothing I can do
when the rain won’t stop
it’s so hard to wear my shoes
lookin’ out my window
when I just can’t find a friend
it’s my love that keeps me walkin’
it’s your love that takes me in ©

  

Streets never seem to know her name

You know the lonely kind
one who pretends to find
smiles in a place that looks so sad
she walks the darkest streets
for everyone she meets
why does she pay to hurt so bad

Wonder why she flies
thunder should tell the wise
one heart is burning by the flame
she finds when she falls
no one will hear her call
streets never seem to know her name

In every guy she meets
out in the city streets
why does she look for what she’s had
seems just a mystery
throughout her history
finding her good in someone bad

Wonder why she flies
thunder should tell the wise
one heart is burning by the flame
she finds when she falls
no one will hear her call
streets never seem to know her name

When the thunder is passin’ her by
and the fire quits burning
she can tell you
it never dies

Wonder why she flies
thunder should tell the wise
one heart is burning by the flame
she finds when she falls
no one will hear her call
streets never seem to know her name©

It lets you go

Now, here you go again
talkin’ of your dreamin’
afraid you missed the beating
from your heart…
beside you sleeping memories of
the things that seem to leave you
like a runway
vanished in the dark…

the night remembers dreams can get
forgotten by the meaning…
in the one who loves you when you’re gone…
the crystal ball finds you without
“sometimes there’s a reason”
and dreams won’t always find you
where you run…

they let you walk
and let you go…

dreams can only find you when you’re dreamin’
love will only leave you when you run…
when the night gets cold
young hearts are freezing
only make believing you’re alone
but, you’re alone…
when you’re alone…

lonely nights come only from the feeling
a well with only wishes
is in your soul…
when your love runs cold
you stop believing
a runway never finds you
if you let go…

and if you walk…
it lets you go…
and if you run…
it lets you go…

dreams can only find you when you’re dreamin’
love will only leave
when you let it go…
the nights may find you cold
two hearts are beating
only make believing you’re alone
but, you’re alone…
when you’re alone…©