The Jayhawks Album

Won't you take my hand
Won't you be my friend
Take my advice, go away
When the days get short and the chips are down
Will you be there will you stick around

And if thou shalt give
Thou shalt be deceived
This traveling band was not well received
No open arms, or reception lines
Just handlebars wearing five-point stars
Am I living in your dream

We got the guns
A thousand to one, a thousand to one
He's the man, he's the man who loved life
He's the man who loved life

Served by different stories
Are you living in your dream
Pretty metal green
Can I ride upon your wings so free

In the canyon walls there's a trusty lot
The stakes were high
And the sun was hot
You can rest assured as casinos rise
Buzz around my ears like dragonflies
Am I living in your dream

We've got the guns
A thousand to one, a thousand to one
He's the man, he's the man
He's the man who loved life

Served from different shores
Am I living in your dream
Pretty metal green
Am I living in your dream so real
Heard a million stories
Am I living in your dream
Pretty metal green
Am I living in your dream…

Took her pills and her magazines
Left her lying in her misery
He was locked in his room
Colored pinwheels as the sirens whine down the avenue

Think about it once
Take your time don't fuss
What you got to lose
Everybody choose
Think about it once
Take your time, don't fuss

All the dog-eared pages on your shelf
You never talk except about yourself
All the red eyes in the room
Tried to rearrange your world for you

Think about it once
Take your time, don't fuss
What you got to lose
Everybody choose
Think about it, once
What you got to lose

As he pulled his pad and scribbled "suicide"
The county coroner, he shook his head from side to side
He was a little less than pleased
Very pale and very tired
The toil of love had brought them to their knees

Think about it once
Take your time, don't fuss
What you got to lose everybody choose
(repeat)

Trouble that's what we had
And everything that goes around
Comes around in a bittersweet lament
Well my heart's already broken down
Looking for a sweeter sound
Looking for a brighter day

I'm face down on the pavement
Step aside, see the light, close your eyes
And let us live our lives
As they rally 'round the sinking ship
Looking for a better way
It was just the blind leading the blind

I got my feet back on the ground
It's better to be alone

Funny
We tried it all
You left me standing on the brink
Looking down, down, down
There's a little bit of truth in every lie
You were so above us all
It was just the blind leading the blind

I got my feet back on the ground
It's better than being alone
It's better than being alone

We were stranded on the vine
Destitute and shaken
Looking for a sign
Left hung out to dry
Our backs against the wall
Stoned out of our minds

Ooh yeah, I've got my feet back on the ground
But you know, it's better than being alone
It's better than being alone

I heard you bragging 'bout the boys you took
Are you a victim or a small time crook
Or just a little fool
You know, you know it's up to you

You're no princess you're a prima donna
Can't understand why the world wasn't handed to you
You know, you know it's up to you

Yeah, when you're deep inside your head
Justify the blame

Six green olives and a champagne basket
Paid the bill with your boyfriend's plastic
What a little fool
Takes one to get to two

Yeah, when you're deep inside your head
Justify the blame

Stirring a tin cup with a silver spoon
Tell me honey, who is possessing who
You know, you know it's up to you
You know, you know it's up to you

I've been getting by
I've got no cross to bear
But I'm still getting there

You've got me down on my knees
Begging you please don't leave

Let me be nice to you
You're still my best friend
Who says that this is the end

Why do good things divide
Why did they all choose sides
Slow steady wins the race
Slow steady wins the race

You've got the sweetest eyes
You just couldn't be mean
See you down on Skyline Drive

You've got me down on my knees
Begging you please don't leave
You've got me down on my knees
Begging you please don't leave

I'm flat busted
Wild-eyed and free
I couldn't get arrested if I tried
A has-been at a mere thirty-five

Straight, honest, forthright and true
Great expectations for someone
Doesn't anybody know how to have fun

But I'm gonna be a Big Star
I'm gonna be a Big Star someday
I'm gonna be a Big Star someday

Grape's bitter
I'm no quitter
Revolutions come one by one
Seems it's high noon and I ain't got no gun

But it's so hard
So hard
So hard getting by

Gonna be Big Star
I'm gonna be a Big Star someday
I'm gonna be a Big Star someday

Fine bourbon, Cuban cigars
Rude remarks observed at the C.C. Bar
I'm perfecting the finest are to wasting hours

But I'm gonna be a Big Star
I'm gonna be a Big Star someday
I'm gonna be a Big Star
I'm gonna be a Big Star someday

Poor little fish, swimming in the water
Hide behind the coattails of your father

I've been alone so long I thought I'd never last
Stuck up on a shelf like and old dusty hat
But then you came along
You put me on that throne
Up into the sky

Thought I saw Nick Cave down at the laundromat
You put your hand in my hand and that was that
Your perfume on my sleeve
You lit my life like a Christmas tree
Up into the sky

Poor little fish, swimming in the water
Hide behind the coattails of your father

Y'know a cold, cold heart sleeps awful well
While the maids vacuum the hall outside my cheap hotel room
Then the shit came down
Exploded to the ground
Up into the sky

Poor little fish, swimming in the water
Hide behind the coattails of your father

Where you are is who you are
When you're sleeping
Where you are is who you are
When you're sleeping

Poor little fish…

Sunshine stealing stage time
From the moon and stars above
She said leave me alone
I said take me home
Sixteen down living in the hallowed ground

Now the blue has turned to red
All but given up for dead
Ooh, Madeline-Madeline Breathe

Skiff rocked like a cradle
And the poor girl fell overboard
Rope wrapped around her neck
Tangled in her hair soaked wet
They dragged the stream
The body never to be found

Now the blue has turned to red
All but given up for dead
Ohh, Madeline-breathe

My life, made the headlines
Beneath the waterlily sky
She said leave me alone
I said take me home
Sixteen down living in the hallowed ground

Now the blue has turned to red
All but given up for dead
Madeline-Madeline breathe…

Billy was a vampire
Carving out an empire
Strolling Pirate's Alley in the middle of the night

Buy a round of cocktails
Spinning sordid fables in the twilight
That's all right

Scattered words that matter
It's a disaster in the making
Take the time to smell the leaves beneath the trees
That's all right

Well my whole life has gone haywire
I'm just a blade bending in your shade
For your love I'm a vampire
Strolling the ways of Esplanade

Headed up to Pittsburgh
Heard you could get a pretty good sandwich
For fifteen and a dime
I miss that old stretch of road
Down to the Bayou
In the middle of the night

Guilt by association
The mere smell of speculation conjures up hell
Feel the touch of oil from the tankers upon the breeze
That's all right

All my life has gone haywire
I'm just a blade bending in your shade
For your love I'm a vampire
Strolling the ways of Esplanade

That's my whole life in a nutshell
Take it as you will
I can hear that old brass band
Playing our song down the hill

Won't you smile, smile, smile
Won't you smile, smile, smile…
Won't you smile the smile
That fills the room with an independent light
But that's all right

Dear one, I had enough
Killjoy lurking in the shadows
I been sick and tired playing out my day in a dream
Hurry up, hurry up it's late
I'm dying in the shadow
I'm just a little baby boy in your arms

So you
You know who you are
Thought I saw you in the rearview mirror looking down
Took the dive Friday night
Had a pretty good alibi
Gasoline it hid the deed, not taking it for granted
Hurry up, hurry up it's late
I'm tongue-tied and getting something

Babe
Scared of you
Scared of you
Babe
Scared of you
Scared of you

Headed down to Kingsfield
With the key in my hand
Took a swim down at Hidden Beach
You and me in the sand
Hurry up, hurry up it's late
I'm dying in the shadow
I'm just a little baby boy
But now I'm getting something

Babe
Scared of you
Scared of you
Babe
Scared of you
Scared of you

Dear one
I've had enough
Raise the flag, I'm giving up
I'm just sick and tired living out my day in a dream
I want to be the first to say it
Black or white but never gray
I don't feel like me today
I'm dying in the shadow
Hurry up, hurry up it's late
But now I'm getting somewhere

Babe
Scared of you
Scared of you
Babe
Scared of you

Walk me to the bus
Tell me it's alright
Talk the man out of the first drink and drive
Rock away my terror
After I burn the place down

But you know
The years make things different
If you go
The bottomless cup runs out
You never gave up on me

I think I let you down
I could use you around
There's nothing quite like the sound of
Your voice in the evening
Calling my name
It's getting late

You used to say "I love your"
A hundred times a day
What ya gonna say
When you learn they turned me

The day is gonna come
For something to take you
But it's clear
Nothing comes near to you
I lower my sights
You never gave up on me

I think I let you down
I could use you around

I gotta get back…

It's a matter of time
Till I fall
In the middle of the town
There stands a tall brick wall
In the middle of a dream
Where time plays in between
The sound of lies rings funny against the truth

When I was young, outspoken
(Mama said it'll work out right)
Then sixteen brought a moody star
(Mama said it'll work out right)
Mama said it'll work out right
Boulevards and green leaves billowing

It's a matter of time
Till I fall
In the middle of a town
There stands a tall brick wall
In the middle of a dream
Where time stands in between
The sound of lies rings funny
Against the truth