Bruce Hornsby Album

(B. R. Hornsby/John Hornsby)

Van and Willie went out one night
Once they get out on the road
Well then everything is alright
Had to get away from the kids and the wives
Well they ran into some city boys that didn't walk just right
And the line was drawn for another showdown
Like they'd always seen it done
And when the lights came up on the little woods town
There was an old man bailing out a son

Going out for a night on the town
Going out to the smoke and trees
Going out for a night on the town
Going out for a look and see
Said do what your daddy told you
Well I just went out and did that
Van and Willie went out one night

There's a green table down at the midway
Where they rack up the balls for the games
And reputations are made
There's a green forest full of oaks and pines
Where they cleared a cleared a space in the middle
Where secret scores are settled
And the claim was made round the table that night
And they rode off through the trees
And the young boys tell how the city boys tried
And how one man fell to his knees

Going out for a night on the town
Going out to the smoke and trees
Going out for a night on the town
Going out for a look and see
Said what made you go and do that
Well we were just having a little fun
Van and Willie went out one night

And the line was drawn for another showdown
Like they'd always seen and done
And one mans night for a drunken old time
Left a scar on on another one

Going out for a night on the town
Going out to the smoke and trees
Going out for a night on the town
Going out for a look and see
Said do what your daddy told you
Well I just went out and did that
Van and Willie went out one night

(B. R. Hornsby)

Some live life with eyes that don't see
They look away at the time of your greatest need
Some talk, some'll just do, some turn their back
Turn around and just walk away, I know I've done that
Lonely days and lonely nights
Easy to be cynical never put yourself on the line
I'd like to reach out well why don't I
Take the load up off your back, I'd like to try

Let me carry your water
Let me carry the weight
I will bear your burden
Let me carry the load

Working hard, sweating all day in the long hot sun
Feel alone with the heavy load you're not the only one
Bossman says time to jump, we say how high
If you need a hand getting off your feet baby I'll try

I want to cover you like the sea on the sand
Easy to be cynical never take a stand
Easy for me not to give a damn
I'll ask you to call for me and I'll give you a hand

Let me carry your water
Let me carry the load
I will shoulder your burden
Let me carry the load

Lonely nights and lonely days
You wait for someone to come along and sweep you away
I'll put myself out there it just might feel good
I don't always do that, but I think I should

(B. R. Hornsby/John Hornsby)

They're looking for some hired guns on the Texas border
To shoot 'em all down if they try to cross over the water
And they've got their old white hoods and the same old orders
To keep the dark sons away from their daughters
The nights they came on horses
Are long gone with the wind
Now they're passing out the torches
And they're coming back again

There's a shotgun blast
There's a secret sign
It's not a candle burning and it's not a Sunday night
There's a fire on the cross
There's a fire on the cross tonight

There wasn't any sound but it felt like sudden thunder
Two boards nailed together and burning bright
He was walking by the window when he saw it
Now he wonders
Just what he's got to do to make him see
He just want to be brothers
The nights they came on horses
Are long gone with the wind
Now they're passing out the torches
And they're coming back again

There's a shotgun blast
There's a secret sign
It's not a candle burning and it's not a Sunday night
There's a fire on the cross
There's a fire on the cross tonight

(B. R. Hornsby/John Hornsby)

There were people living in a green valley
Found a way to make a lot of money
Made the green turn gradually gray
They figured they could do whatever they wanted
Everything would be alright
But scars don't always heal away
And the sons and the daughters got diamonds and gold
But they were given land where
Strong roots never take hold

Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Good things don't come along
As you just sit dreaming on
Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Say everything fades away
There you are still around

What'll you do, where will you go

There was a ship along the coast
Carrying a hold of black money
In the sound near the northern lights
When the ship set sail
The crew looked for guidance
In the bottom of an empty glass
Then the captain said "Pour me another rye"
Then the water turned black as that cold winter's night

Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Good things don't come along
As you just sit dreaming on
Good seed don't grow
On the barren ground
Say everything fades away
There you are still around
What'll you do, where will you go

(B. R. Hornsby/John Hornsby)

She moved back around here
Thirty-five weeks ago today
Oh down the lane
At night she walks on the banks
And remembers how she dreamed of rowing away
And how she left one day
She left with a driven look in her eyes
Came back around with it still inside
They said give it some time and you'll forget about it too
We know they always do
Well I know

Some fine day
You will find your way
Across the river
Row down slow
There's a long way to go
Across the river

She was proud and so strong
And she tried not to listen to idle talk
Downtown where she walked
They sit around and they say
That she came back with her tail between her legs
Like they always said she would

Well I hear it's better on the other side
They say you'll never do it so don't even try
Well you may be beaten down with your closed mind
But don't try and make it mine
Well I know

Some fine day
You will find your way
Across the river
Row down slow
There's a long way to go
Across the river

"Your wild days are through" is what they said
I dreamed she came, when I was down
And I walked where she led

Standing on the shore
She looks to the west with a look of longing
To where the grass seems greener
There's a hard and distant prize
It probably won't happen but I think I'll try
Well even if it doesn't happen for me
It still beats hanging around here
Well I know

Some fine day
You will find your way
Across the river
Row down slow
There's a long way to go
Across the river

(B. R. Hornsby/John Hornsby)

Well she was so fine
On the first impression
I was taken, taken in by the view
With eyes so soft
And a face so smooth
I found her selling in a fashion booth
All that I said was "Do you sell suits?"
She said "You're a scream, and your accent's so cute"
Her mother had to meet me, it all sounded funny
But then my friends told me, well the girl's got money

It's alright, it's okay
Hey, don't you worry about a thing
You're the king today, but there's a price you may pay
If you take your seat in the royal suite
You might get stranded on easy street

Well she said she was
A good time girl
Laughing, laughing a bit too loud
Such a face
That the specialist creates
She gets the benefit of the doubt
I know that she wanted more than I could give
But I just had to see how the other half lived
She showed me her friends, she showed me her throne
I didn't sell my soul, I just took out a loan

It's alright, it's okay
Hey, don't you worry about a thing
You're the king today, but there's a price you may pay
If you take your seat in the royal suite
You might get stranded on easy street

She runs to her mother, the social x-ray star
She put me at the wheel of her father's new car
She loved how her touch made me want to drive farther
She loved how her money meant she'd tell me how far

It's alright, it's okay
Hey, don't you worry about a thing
You're the king today, but there's a price you may pay
If you take your seat in the royal suite
You might get stranded on easy street

(B. R. Hornsby)

And he stands at the banquet room bar
Looking over the crowd
The reunion band playing too loud
And he sees his fellow old star
Looks him up and down
Sees a little of himself in his frown

The stander on the mountain
Looking for the fountain to drink some, to think some
About the old days
King of the mountain
Nothing could be found of the old ways, the old days
When he was the one
And the stander on the mountain runs

Let us sit and talk of old times
That's what we're supposed to do
And you don't look a day over thirty-two
Yes we were so funny and wild
There's an old friend of mine
Says I'm looking back most all the time

Stander on the mountain
Listens to the sound of the city streets, the lonely heat
The town he once owned
King of the mountain
Nothing could be found of the old ways, the old days
When he was the one
And the stander on the mountain runs
The king of the hill runs away

Oh she's knocking on your door tonight
She wants to see if she remembers right
Say won't you come outside tonight
Alright
They drive to the lookout on the hill

And when it was over
They sat there and looked back
Tomorrow was way in the distance
Tomorrow was a long time away
Nobody thought much about it
There's nothing wrong if we live for today

I recall when you filled it on up
And you bowed to the crowd
The girls in the short skirts screaming loud

The stander on the mountain
Looking for the fountain to drink some, to think some
About the old days
Big man around town
Nothing could be found of the old ways, the old days
When he was the one
And the stander on the mountain runs

(B. R. Hornsby)

There was a man of confused and sad nature
Thought no one loved him, that was not true
He said he was a lost soul didn't fit in anywhere
Didn't know where to turn or who to turn to

There's a lost soul coming down the road
Somewhere between two worlds
With an oar in his hands and a song on your lips
We'll row the boat to the far shore
Row the boat of the loved lost soul

Ever since oh I can remember
We all tried to ease the pain
Took him in when he needed some shelter
Tried to make him feel he was one of us again
There was one day oh I can remember
He sat alone with a pencil in his hand
All day long he drew careful on the paper
In the end just a picture of a man

Of a lost soul coming down the road
Somewhere between two worlds
With an oar in his hands and a song on your lips
We'll row the boat to the far shore
Row the boat of the loved lost soul

Oh dear Mary, do you remember
The day we went walking downtown
As I recall it was in early December
After school had just let out
When I see you on the street in the twilight
I may tip my hat and keep my head down
You show me love but maybe I don't deserve it
I've been called but not been found

There's a lost soul coming down the road
Somewhere between two worlds
With an oar in his hands and a song on your lips
We'll row the boat to the far shore
Row the boat of the loved lost soul

(B. R. Hornsby)

Woke up this morning looking at the screen
There's a couple of men talking
I'm not so sure what they mean
There's a conversation, many men running wild
We learn about the world while they're fighting in the aisles

Here we go
What do you say, what do you know
You've got your life and you watch it away
It's just another day in this old town
So get down

Home Shopping Channel's got us by the eyes
Scrambling to the phones ordering porcelain flies
Talk to the women talk to the wives
Everybody's buying important things for their lives

Here we go
What do you say, what do you know
You've got your life and you watch it away
It's just another day in this old town
So get down

He's a high performance engine with Jesus as the fuel
Old father's handing out forty acres and a mule
Preaching the word of prosperity
Make a little more money they might just put you on TV

Here we go
What do you say, what do you know
You've got your life and you watch it away
Ain't no big thing it's just another day
Ain't no big thing so let it ring

Turn off the lights honey, turn off the set
Life around here don't make a lot of damn sense
As I closed my eyes I saw in my mind
Somebody selling me a nickle for a dime

Here we go
What do you say, what do you know
You've got your life and you watch it away
It's just another day in this old town
So get down, ain't no big thing so let it ring
In this old town so get down
Another day so go ahead
Go ahead
Everybody go

(B. R. Hornsby)

Riding in the early evening I'd say
I know of a certain tree
I always asked if you wanted to go
You'd just sit there silently
Now you say come on let's go
You know where you want to be
As I watch you tan in the waters so brown
Desire gets the best of modesty
Walk me down the side of the water
Lay your weary head on me
Lay your clothes up on the table
Wrap your worries round the red cedar tree

It's a special night
Looks like a special night
There'll be some changes made on the water tonight
Go in a boy and come out a man

Looking out at the water
You say "What do you think?"
Indecision in my face and arms
You say you either swim or you sink
Sliding off sliding on down
Wetness in the evening mist
No ride in the countryside
Ever compared to this
Walk me down the side of the water
Lay your weary head on me
Lay your clothes up on the table
Wrap your worries round the red cedar tree

It's a special night
Looks like a special night
There'll be some changes made on the water tonight
Go in a boy and come out a man

(B. R. Hornsby)

Well I'm walking the floor
Hanging right round the door
Hoping you will come through
Wanting you to, sweat on my brow
I'm no saint
Nothing left but a bad excuse
The heat makes you do things
You might just not do
In your right mind
But you do what you do
You can be sure I'll be true

It's gonna take these arms of mine
All that they've got to hold onto you
All that I know is these arms of mine
Are willing to try to keep hold of you
Gonna take a whole, whole, whole lot
A whole, whole, whole lot

Well I'm walking the line
Between wrong and right
I could go either way
But now you don't want me to stay
You're so tired of waiting
Well I'm no saint
Tried to have my cake and eat it too
But nobody does what you do
Now another wins and I lose
I might deserve to
Now you'll do what you do
Might be too late but I'll tell you

It's gonna take these arms of mine
All that they've got to hold onto you
All that I know is these arms of mine
Are willing to try to keep hold of you
Gonna hold, hold, hold on
Hold, hold, hold on