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1. |
The American Way
04:48
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He put on the cap and gown one day,
Walked across the stage, shook hands, and then he walked away;
Lookin' for the finer things,
Feelin' like he'd found some wings,
Loaded up his brand new Chevrolet
Goin' the American way.
She had spent her childhood on the streets,
Learned to live from hand to mouth and stay light on her feet;
A public education
That had no graduation;
Still, there was a high price to pay--
Payin' the American way.
Someone wrote the story that's written on the wall:
"There's some folks bound for glory,
And there's some folks bound to fall."
Is it written in the stars, or written in the Book of Life?
The words that cut are sharp as any knife.
Got himself a downtown job in June,
Office with a window and a chance to shoot the moon;
Tradin' jokes across the fax,
Savin' folks some income tax,
Waitin' for a chance to make his play--
Playin' the American way.
She lived in the projects 'til they burned
Couldn't even start to count up all the things she learned.
Cleanin' up the office
Of a tax accountant novice,
Workin' for her minimum wage--
Workin' the American way.
Someone wrote the story that's written on the wall:
"There's some folks bound for glory,
And there's some folks bound to fall."
Is it written in the stars, or written in the Book of Life?
The words that cut are sharp as any knife.
If only she'd try harder,
(She could surely barter);
If only she were smarter,
(She could be a martyr).
He kept workin' harder every day
Had a wife, two young kids, and another on the way,
Savin' up for college
To buy them all some knowledge,
So they can have a nice clean office some day--
Learnin' the American way.
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2. |
We Could Go To Denmark
03:35
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We could go to Denmark, you and I;
I'll take you there to see the king and queen go riding by.
The lights of Copenhagen shine like stars against the sky,
And we could go to Denmark, you and I.
We could have some tea beside the picture window there;
I could bake some cookies for the children in the square.
We could see the wildflowers by the road;
We could see my mother by the stove.
We could go to Denmark, you and I;
I'll take you there to see the king and queen go riding by.
The lights of Copen hagen shine like stars against the sky,
And we could go to Denmark, you and I.
We could see the woods that I once wandered as a girl;
See the church where I was baptized, see my only school.
We could hear the music in the night.
We could walk in Copenhagen's light.
Look out at the Baltic Sea;
Look out where I used to be.
We could go to Denmark, you and I;
I'll take you there to see the king and queen go riding by.
The lights of Copenhagen shine like stars against the sky,
And we could go to Denmark, you and I.
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3. |
Roll That Stone Away
04:07
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All the stars are empty,
Every voice is silent now;
All the world is shadow,
Every whisper breaks some vow.
Time stands still at midnight,
All things wait for the daylight;
But who in the world could roll that stone away?
Who in the world could roll that stone away?
As our hearts are shaking
Underneath the surgeon’s knife;
As we sit in silence
Staring into death from life.
Time stands still at midnight,
All things wait for the daylight;
But who in the world could roll that stone away?
Who in the world could roll that stone away?
All the world is waiting
Every hope is hanging on;
As the light is breaking
In the face of the dawn.
Time stands still at midnight,
All things wait for the daylight;
But who in the world could roll that stone away?
Who in the world could roll that stone away?
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4. |
TV Weatherman
03:29
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Joey was 30 and he didn't have a life.
Momma said, "son you know it ain't right."
Joey was stupid but he wasn't dumb;
The TV had made his mind go numb.
He went upstairs and he turned on the tube,
It was six-fifteen on the evening news.
That's when he knew what he wanted to do
Was be a TV weatherman, like David Letterman.
Don't need the wind to know which way the weatherman blows.
A TV weatherman, ain't no better man;
Right or wrong, callin' those highs and lows.
Weatherman talks in scientific terms;
Looks like he works for a hairspray firm.
He's got a radar and a satellite view;
Joey knew exactly what he wanted to do.
He could be a celebrity,
Like Willard Scott in a different key.
And do his bit for society
As a TV weatherman, like David Letterman.
Don't need the wind to know which way the weatherman blows.
A TV weatherman, ain't no better man;
Right or wrong, callin those highs and lows.
Tellin the people it was hot today,
The sun went down and the heat went away.
Flirtin w/ the anchorwoman, jawin w/ the sports guy.
Joey'd like to wear that technicolor necktie.
He could be a celebrity,
on the Weather Channel reruns eternally
And do his bit for charity
As a TV weatherman, like David Letterman.
Don't need the wind to know which way the weatherman blows.
A TV weatherman, ain't no better man;
Right or wrong, callin those highs and lows.
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5. |
The Itinerary
03:14
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When I go to Africa, I will find my way
On my own without a tour bus or a soldiers pay.
No safari will I take, the elephants are safe;
I will join with all the children when they start to say
Hey na na na na na na
Hey na na na na na na.
When I go to Alaska, I will take the boat;
Lie out on the deck at night, singing as we float.
Maybe hike the Chilkoot, maybe drink a beer,
Maybe I will lose my way and stay up there all year.
Hey na na na na na na
Hey na na na na na na.
When I go to heaven, if I go that way,
There is just a thing or two I would like to say:
Ask about the universe, and other little things,
Then I'll ask the angels please to take their harps and sing with me:
Hey na na na na na na
Hey na na na na na na.
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6. |
Circles Around the Sun
03:23
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Half the folks here are half-crazy;
Most of the rest are half-mad.
I guess that I'm just half-lazy,
But I don't think half-lazy's half-bad.
I can take work for a living,
But I'll never live just to work.
I guess that I'm just not driven
To drive myself into the dirt.
Somebody told me, life can't be fun
But they never sold me on that one.
I wanna sing circles around the sun.
Work all your life to retire,
Drive that two-hour commute.
Give everything they require
Dress up in your burial suit.
Buy everything you can dream of
Then buy a few dozen more;
Work overtime for that credit line,
And you'll be half-crazy and poor.
Somebody told me, life can't be fun
But they never sold me on that one.
I wanna sing circles around the sun.
Work, work, work, keepin' the wheels greased
Work, work, work, keepin' the Market pleased
Work, work, work, keepin' the bottom line front and center—
Somebody told me, life can't be fun
But they never sold me on that one.
I wanna sing circles ,
I wanna sing circles,
I wanna sing circles around the sun
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7. |
A Gracing Maze
04:01
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None of it makes any sense when it all comes down.
None of it makes any sense when you talk it around.
Every dead end turns you back to find new ways—
Ain’t this world a gracing maze?
Everything feels immense when it’s on your back.
Everything feels intense on the torturer’s rack.
How can nights of anguish, lead to better days?
Ain’t this world a gracing maze?
God, I feel like I’m nothing but my fears
At the point of no return.
God I feel, I’m just the sum of all my years;
Maybe grace is what’s left
When everything else gets burned.
I went looking for God, and I found the lost.
I went looking for truth, and I found the cost.
But there’s a big star burnin’ somewhere through the cosmic haze—
Ain’t this world a gracing maze?
Ain’t this world a gracing maze?
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8. |
Clearwater
03:23
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9. |
I Always Find You
02:46
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There's one thing I've been told:
"Everywhere you look you can find some gold,"
And it's true, when I look, and I do,
I always find you.
Out in a crowd, well,
I saw faces like the sand on the shore.
Then like a beautiful shell
I saw yours and I knew I wouldn't search any more.
There's one thing I've been told:
"Everywhere you look you can find some gold,"
And it's true, when I look, and I do,
I always find you.
Deep in the forest
I see the golden leaves high in the trees;
I hear the chorus
Of birds singin', but I hear you singin' to me.
It's been a while but I still love your smile, yes I do.
I like the way that I see you each day, and I still see something new.
It's been a while but I still love your smile, yes I do.
I like the way that I see you each day, and I still see something new
There's one thing I've been told:
"Everywhere you look you can find some gold,"
And it's true, when I look, and I do,
I always find you.
And it's true, when I look, and I do,
I always find you.
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10. |
Finite Pie
03:44
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It's a finite pie, and there's too much need;
It's pie in the sky, bye and bye, so somebody's gotta bleed.
Well, that's just the way that the story goes:
Some folks don't get nothin' some get pie ala mode.
It's a finite pie, and there's too many mouths to feed.
Don't blame us, if the pie's too small;
You all look hungry, it's a real tough call.
We do what we can and we try to be fair,
You should just be thankful if you look at a share of that
Finite pie, when there's too much need;
It's pie in the sky, bye and bye, so somebody's gotta bleed.
Well, that's just the way that the story goes:
Some folks don't get nothin' some get pie ala mode.
It's a finite pie, and there's too many mouths to feed.
Remember Jack Horner? He stuck in his thumb,
Everybody knows that he pulled out a plum.
If you didn't get one, and you're feelin' numb,
You can beg at the table, and we might drop a crumb of that
Finite pie, when there's too much need;
It's pie in the sky, bye and bye, so somebody's gotta bleed.
Well, that's just the way that the story goes:
Some folks don't get nothin' some get pie ala mode.
It's a finite pie, and there's too many mouths to feed.
Don't be suspicious, you shouldn't mistrust;
It's really delicious, here, we'll throw you some crust.
It's really too bad if you get hung out to dry,
But that's the way it goes with American Pie--it's a
Finite pie, when there's too much need;
It's pie in the sky, bye and bye, so somebody's gotta bleed.
Well, that's just the way that the story goes:
Some folks don't get nothin' some get pie ala mode.
It's a finite pie, and there's too many, too many, there's too many mouths to feed.
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11. |
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There’s a big ol’ hole in my heart;
I have no idea what to do.
I have no idea where to start;
There’s a big nothin’ without you.
I didn’t know I had a hero.
Well we didn’t have you for long;
And you left before you were through.
When you left it all felt wrong;
Still we know what we have to do.
I didn’t know I had a hero.
I didn’t know you were my hero.
Gotta bear that cross
(Don’t sit down);
Gotta bear this loss
(Turn it around).
If you let them, they’ll destroy you;
And it’s easy to give in.
And it’s an easy paranoia,
If I don’t stand up again.
I didn’t know I had a hero.
I didn’t know you were my hero.
I didn’t know I had a hero.
Gotta bear that cross
(Don’t sit down);
Gotta bear this loss
(Turn it around).
Don’t sit down;
Turn it around.
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12. |
Heading For Obscurity
03:20
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Henry put his books away, when he heard the music play;
Pulled the plug on his Macintosh and let the program crash.
Left a message on the board, threw some gear into his Ford,
Drove away from the Ivory Tower with five hundred cash.
Got on Highway 61, north by northeast on the run,
Headin' to the northlands where the big lake stretches wide;
Lookin' for an opening, just another chance to sing,
Hopin' after thirty years to finally hit his stride.
Off the roadmap, off the roadmap, Henry found Í his way;
Heading for obscurity, and Henry aimed to stay.
Drivin' up into the pines, leave the hardwood lands behind,
Listenin' to the rhythm of the steel belts on the road;
Lookin' for an open place to breathe the vagrant winds of grace;
Only checked the mirror for what it didn't show.
Off the roadmap, off the roadmap, Henry found his way;
Heading for obscurity, and Henry aimed to stay.
Henry sold his car for parts, he came by work at fits and starts
Twice a week he played for tips at Nicollet's cafe.
People saw that Henry smiled more and more as the deep snow piled;
Henry heard the snowfall like he heard the music play.
Off the roadmap, off the roadmap, Henry found his way;
Heading for obscurity, and Henry aimed to stay.
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Tim Gustafson Minneapolis, Minnesota
I have been writing and playing Americana--sometimes bluesy, sometimes rockish, sometimes jazz-inflected folk--since before it was called "Americana." I don't know where songs come from, or how or why they emerge. But here they are. I hope you enjoy them. ... more
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Recorded live at St Buryan Church, the latest from Sarah McQuaid is a showcase for the simple power of voice & guitar.
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