DYIN' TO GO
CD LYRICS
All tracks written by Ralph Boyd Johnson except as
noted.
© 2002 - Rumble Seat Recordings
MYSTERY
Why would you and how could you
And what am I to believe
What with every minute of every day
Through every moment that slips away
She’s a mystery to me
Ain’t no blue eyed boy off that Delaware farm
Been a mile or two on the road to town
Know a hawk from a hand shake, the wish from the well
So I’d never thought I’d fall under her spell
But with every minute of every day
Through every moment that slips away
She’s a mystery to me
Got a little something that I can’t resist
An angelic touch and a magical kiss
A devilish heart that’s doing me wrong
Caught up in this trance, while I just keep holding on to her
Every minute of every day
And with every moment that slips away
She’s a mystery to me
(Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)
BOMBED OUT HOUSE
I hope the rain keeps up and just never comes down
Hard knocks, cold shoulders blew my four walls down
I’m a wreck amid the ruins of a bombed out house
Waiting for the roof to fall in all around
I believed we were meant to be
I was made for you and you were made for me
It all fit so perfectly
Right over my head and now I’m dug in deep
(Chorus)
There ain’t much that a man can do
When the love of your life up and lowers the boom
Damage done the rubble’s strewn
I tell you that little package had a big bang fuse
I hope the rain keeps up and just never comes down
Hard knocks, cold shoulders blew my four walls down
I’m a wreck amid the ruins of a bombed out house
Waiting for the roof to fall in all around
Fall now
She thinks I’ll miss her she’ll never know
Yeah I may be lonely but I’m never alone
I’ve got these stairways and these empty halls
A bottle, a habit and my ever failing health
(Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)
DYIN’ TO GO
There was Bullet Head Sam and some side-show freaks
Holed up in a hotel off a dead man’s street
Cookin’ up powder, they was cookin’ up schemes
Cookin’ up enough, to blow the buttons off the seams
Wired up, fired up, lockin’ the load
Fully automatic and .44 sure
Took the teller and the take and a life cut short
And an 8 by 10 a’hind death row’s door
(Chorus)
And mama couldn’t hold him, had to let him go
In a cloud of dust, down a blind side road
Papa said mama, girl I told you so
See that there boy's just dying to go
Well the heart break hemi, was a white line streak
On a black top track, at haul ass speeds
Punishing the pace, he was a packin’ on the heat
Talking transcendental, at one with the machine
Wired up, fired up, a grand stand show
Crashing in the corner and about to implode
Drive train tumbled, the roll cage rolled
Nullified his number and the angels took hold
(Chorus)
I had a premonition, like a vision what a sight
Saw the big book closin’ on my own sweet life
Howdy hallelujah heave ho Geronimo
Felt the good lord smilin’ as I stepped on board
(Chorus)
HIT THE DECK
Well that old snake handler he should have stuck seventeen
Weighin’ the anchor and a black jack chain
Rollin in red eye and dog faced mean
I’d come down to the pistol if a racket was rigged
Now everybody knows about the seventh son
Neck and neck at a hundred to one
But you line ‘em up and the pony’s gone
Hell it don’t matter what your are gamblin’ on
(Chorus)
Love money the great beyond
Ya’ hit the deck runnin’ down where I come from
Bust your knuckles you can bite your tongue
But you hit the deck runnin’ down where I come from
In a drive by gang bang with the big machine
Gears start grindin’ you can hear the wheels screamin’
An’ your spine’ll crack if the knees are weak
Round here vengeance rules and muscles king
(Chorus)
Now they’re blessing the ground on Belair Drive
And it’s down to zero on the lower south side
Spills out of the doorways on through the streets
And it’s one up and nearer my god to thee
(Chorus)
SHE USED TO WORRY
She used to worry ‘bout me
Now she don’t worry ‘bout that
So far removed from the love we had
And I still kick ‘round this town
Like some ghost from the past
She used to worry ‘bout me
Now she don’t worry ‘bout that
(Bridge)
And in the time it takes to tour Tofino
Well she’s over me
Sure to find once she’s made up her mind
How the rest is history
She used to worry ‘bout me
Now she don’t worry ‘bout that
And I still kick ‘round this town
Like some ghost from the past
She used to worry ‘bout me
Now she don’t worry ‘bout that
So far removed from the love we had
And I still kick ‘round this town
Like some ghost from the past
She used to worry ‘bout me
Now she don’t worry ‘bout that
Oh she don’t worry ‘bout that
Don’t worry don’t worry ‘bout that
No she don’t worry ‘bout that
HARD ACT TO FOLLOW (B.A.JOHN)
Know Johnny knows a good time
And he likes his cocaine
But he gets shot all to hell
Down them ol’ back alley ways
And he’s a hard act to follow
Even harder to catch
Runs a hundred on the needle
An’ a little low on cash
(Chorus)
Was in mighty fine shape
For the shape he was in
Got a high wire fever
An’ he wants a ride on the wind
Now Johnny likes the night life
An’ he got a lady or two
Johnny starts to walking
Ya’ hear baby sing the blues
An’ he’s a roaring steam engine
He’s one hired gun
Is one crazy muther
But he’s some mother’s son
(Chorus)
Now holy’s to the bible
Like water through the land
And the ringing of a guitar
Puts Johnny on the mend
And its another six nights
Another back water town
An’ its eight miles a minute
And a another long distance call
(Chorus)
GREASE FIRE HOT
A 1, A 2, A 1, 2, 3, A wow
(Intro)
Somethin’ ‘bout ya’ baby, say oh what it is
A swingin’ your sway, a shakin’ your hips
But heart to hearts faster than any speed I know
And it’s there in the air a spark set to nitro
Got your grease fire hot, got your ice house cold
Got you a motion moves a body and soul
Your Mama’s good looks, Papa’s billfold
I got your grease fire hot; you got your ice house cold
Got you a motion moves a body and soul
Loves the sweet smell of success
Oh la la, say de eau de cologne
Conflict without contest
Yeah your cheek and your talk and your manner of tone
(Chorus)
(Music)
Should serve some kind of warning
Stained with a colour marked with a sign
Some semblance and caution
Yeah a hint to heed word’s of advice
Black boots, silver buckle
Yeah Casino cool, a role of the dice
Heat wave in a heart beat
Yeah I say luck be a lady tonight
(Chorus)
You got your grease fire hot, you got your ice house cold
Got you a motion moves a body and soul
(Tag)
WHAT DO YA RIGHT?
It’s out of control
And it’s out of my hands
And the devil may care
But I don’t give a damn
(Chorus)
And I’d have sent you a letter
Some forward address
But what do you write on the back
Of postcards from the edge
Ya’ I hitched the train a rumblin’
Tagged her whistling round the bend
Ridin’ wide and rollin’ box cars
Well there ain’t time to stop and think
(Chorus)
Force of habit breeds a gambler
Don’t like working when I can
So I parlayed me some pistols
Into cold hard cash
And it went bang on the money
We divvied up at five to ten
Now you can reach me correspondence
Care of the Joyceville pen
(Chorus)
(Tag Out)
COMMON CLAY
Steady on oh precious child
And my father’s words are with me now
Twenty winters come and gone
Since that wreck on highway one
Where a white cross marks the day
A hymn was sung and a wreath was laid
The sky was blue and dressed in grey
And hopeless hands held for heart’s sake
(Chorus)
And yester’ year and yesterday
Of ash and dust and common clay
For all the world and all it’s ways
There’s a road that winds towards heaven’s gate
Now it’s all covered wire and railway line
Red winged blackbirds stacked thistle high
Posted notes on nail thin shacks
And for sale signs gone to hell and back
(Chorus)
(Bridge)
And some washed their hands in muddy water
And some set their step at shadows length
I’ve been beyond reach and the point of reason
An exodus of flesh and faith
(Chorus)
And yester’ year and yesterday
Of ash and dust and common clay
And for all the world and all it’s ways
There’s a road that winds to heaven’s gate
So steady on oh precious child
MAMA’S LITTLE BABY
Mama’s little baby’s got no shoes on her feet
And mama’s little baby’s got no food on the plate
Well she’d run around scared maybe you would too
Every time they was hungry
They’d come looking for you
And when scarcely a breath of their lies were truth
I’ve seen more compassion from a serpent’s tooth
Mama’s little baby’s got no one there to hold
Ya’ mama’s little baby’s got no one there to hold her
Well they took her love from a tribal land
And they sold him off for the gold at hand
And they worked him to death in a slaver’s camp
And they buried his body back deep in the swamp
Mama’s little baby don’t wear no diamond rings
My mama’s little baby never had much of fancy things
Well she cried all night and she cried all day
Seemed no amount of cryin’ would make it right
Fell down onto her knees and she prayed
Singin’ Lordy Lordy won’t you give me strength
Lordy Lordy won’t you give me strength
Mum, Mum, Lordy, Lordy, won’t you give me strength
OL’ BLACK CROW
Well now ol’ Black Crow, know he never did have a lick sense
Given to gamblin’ driftin’ an whorin’ and such
Had a taste for the fire and it burn’em all up
What with the gamblin’ the driftin’ an the whorin’ and
such
Now mama always did say it was just his way
And with one broken wing how he just never flew straight
How one man’s servant is another man’s slave
And how there was always the devil an’ ol’ whitey to pay
Prayed for forgiveness Lord he done prayed for strength
But there were mouths to feed an’ prayer don’t pay the rent
So pretty soon he went an’ done just what he did
Even after he swore he’d never do it again
Ya’ see way back when he stood six foot six
An’ like ol’ John Henry he had steel in his fists
Stateside come the men with the payroll and a pugilists
All button tied and so well dressed
They put his name to paper an’ he signed to it with an X
Never knowin’ how to spell he knew damn well what it meant
Could be twenty rounds or more could be your last breath
Hell it was dangerous work but the money was good
Went head to head when they fought that fight
But ya’ see ol’ Black Crow well he had a lot of hate inside
An’ he beat that man an’ he beat him hard
Funny how there’s something about blood always pleases a
crowd
They headed north up a what they call a Satin Cross Roads
Where angels fear to tread an’ so the story goes
I’d be there on Hell’s Half Acre he’d stand toe ta toe
Takin’ on any takers worth a takin’ anything at all
Weren’t much for rules it’d be the best man win
They’d pound stakes in the ground rope ’er off round the
ends
Be the smell of cigar smoke and the stench of sweat
Folks takin’ sides layin’ odds an’ wagerin’ bets
When up stepped this man with a diamond willow cane
An’ he’s a evil a eye and a shadow run cross his face
Said boys I’ll give ya’ a contest the likes a no man’s
ever seen
And it’ll mean your weight in gold if’n ya’ should all
agree
Now ol’ Black Crow he weighed two seven five
And he’d hold a king’s ransom the good Lord willin’
he’d survived
Had the butchers tools and a stone hammer right
And a searin’ left hand that had called many a fight
The die’d been cast and they done struck a deal
An’ from a crook in the river an’ from the sticks and
through the hills
They came by wagon and by foot and by mule
To the edge of the clearing where the two giants stood
True to the word of the stranger that day
There in a corner across a canvas covered ring
Stood a hulk of a figure neither man nor beast
And if there’s demons afoot well then that’d be just what
I’d seen
The leaves were fallin’ when Black Crow let fly
Wit that searin’ left hand an’ that stone hammer right
Could hear ribs a crackin’ jarrin’ skull and spine
And the roars and the cheers of the mob ringside
Then Black Crow went down not once but twice
An’ now his eyes had closed an’ he’s a’fightin’ blind
Weren’t no bell that could save him it’d take a higher
might
There I seen growin’ men cower an’ I seen growin’ men cry
Knuckles were carved from peelin’ flesh off the hide
An’ after thirty nine rounds well I guess the Lord took his
side
Cause ol’ Black Crow well he just laid down an’ died
Amidst the roars and the jeers of the mob ringside
Now we’re gathered here today to pay our respects
An’ to pray for his journey through the shadow of death
Say a eulogy on his behalf
To set the stone an’ to make amends
Now there’ll be them that’ll claim it was all just a myth
Folklore legends tales from the crypt
Me, I swears the thunder over head
Well that’s just a ol’ Black Crow an’ he’s a catchin’
his breath
ODE
TO STEVE
Dedicated to Sally, Ryan and Leah
Well he said y’ know, it’s a hell of a thing
And I said ya’ Steve, I know it’s a bastard
To which he replied
Well he said you know, I cut my teeth on the saw blades edge
What with chores and chopping wood
I must’ve split kindlin’ ‘cross half this land
But it made my hands strong and I honed a keen eye
And it gave me an arm, a pitchin’ arm
Curve ball, fast ball, inside ,outside, over and under
If you were steppin’ up mister, you were stepping down
Devilish good looks, hmmm
It’s a wonder more girls weren’t sweet on me
Well it was the bottom of the ninth and I was given the go
Tied on runs and sliding for home
Caught a belly full of gravel, popped a knee and snapped a bone
And it still sets me to grieving today having to give up that
ghost
So I buried those dreams of pennants and the big leagues
And I took me a job as an assistant to a veterinarian
And let me tell you my friend, things were different then
‘Cause there was cow pies and horse flies
God’s creatures, all shapes and all kinds
Had us catterwallin' kittens and bicuspid hounds
Foul mouthed parakeets and bowlegged hogs
Was pigeon-toed turkeys and bulemic bullfrogs
Enamored emus and punch drunk turtledoves
So you get what I mean when I says things was odd
But I liked the logo on the door of that half-ton Ford
pick-me-up truck
Three squares a day in the restaurant of my choice, push button
country radio
And sending a little something back to the folks at home
Then autumn winds had brought about change
Pipeline was hirin’ and men was making good wage
Thought a fellow might get a leg up take a stand and learn a
trade
So that’s just what I did and I worked hard and I played hard
Drank hard and I lived hard and let me tell you my friend
Things were different then
Was ‘bout 21 when I made my bed, settled down, had a daughter
named Leah
Looked like an angel in her mother’s arms
Grew up to be a lady, whoo baby
But her mother and me, well, we were just kids ourselves
And what with making a mortgage and setting up house
Was just one of those things I guess that just never quite
worked out
So I left my heart with Leah and I called the road my own
An I traveled like a gypsy, town to town, woman to woman, job
to job
Was drinkin' two fisted then all revved up and gone
And I weren’t quite right for the next couple of years
Ya’ looked at me sideways, hell, I’d pin back your ears
Had a terrible temper and no sense of fear
A kicking' and a gougin’ in the mud and the blood and the
beer
And it was kind of like pouring over an old Shel Silverstein
tune
When out of the blue and into my life after all those miles and
after all this time
Came a realization when I realized it was love at first sight
‘Cause that Sally gal, well, she looked like a paintin’ you
see
She’s oh so soft and velvety yeah it was love at first sight
all right
Least it sure seemed to be that way for me
So I saddled up the old horse and I put a shine on this
tarnished armor
And I swept that gal off her feet, was a small flowery wedding
And one of the biggest things that ever happened to me
Because when my gal pal Sal so lovingly took my hand
Well I also became Ryan’s stepdad but it’s thicker than
blood
An now he calls me his father and I call him my son
And I would not dare to guesstimate the odds of a circle
becoming so complete
But I felt an urgency and a powerful need to share my hopes,
aspirations and schemes
And to show how my devotion runs soul river deep
So for 15 years we grew as a tree, spreading out branches and
throwing off leaves
As happy as birds in a nest not that we didn’t have to lean
to sway with the breeze
Then I caught a cough, was a lingering thing grew short of
breath round early spring
Summer came and went, thought it might be the heat
Ran a battery of tests confirmed our darkest beliefs
Well it was inoperable cancer and it’d be months to weeks
And he said you know it’s a hell of a thing
And I said yeah I know Steve it’s a bastard
So we sat a spell and we reminisced of the precious things to
which are blessed
And how it’s in every day and in every moment and how quickly
we forget
An’ now I know as being a man of wintery seasons, half loco
and mostly wanderin’ without reason
That men like Steve well, the’re rare gems indeed
So now he’s gone to that old pipeline in the sky
Probably working with my grandfather, could see him sittin’
up nights
Writin’ revisions and love letters back home
Raisin’ a glass and bullshittin’ till dawn
So here’s to a man show you how to live and die
Walk tall, talk straight and look’ em in the eye
Can’t say so long so I won’t say goodbye
I’ll just walk tall, talk straight and look’em in the eye
Yeah ,I’ll be damn sure to walk tall, talk straight and
look’em in the eye
Steve was born in Macklin, Saskatchewan September 28, 1949
Love ya bro
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