Townes Van Zandt Album

I don't want no wom',
If her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
I don't want no w'man,
If her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
Yeah, ya know, she ain't no good for nothin but trouble, did ya know 'at?
Vets keep ya buyin rats all the time.

Yeah, you know I got on the good side of my woman,
I told her, "Darlin, I's a-comin to go have some fun."
You know, I went to make her swing out when a rat fell from her head like,
One from a burnin barn.
I just don't want, want no woman,
Boy, if her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
Whoa, ya know she ain't no good for nothin but trouble.
Vets keep ya buyin rats all the time.
Yeah, you know rats and wigs'll get ya killed.

Yeah, you know I got on the good side of my woman,
I told her, "Darlin, I's comin to go have some fun."
You know, I went to make her swing out when a rat fell from her head like,
One from a burnin barn.
I say, I don't want no woman,
Boy, if her hair it ain't no longer 'an mine.
You know she ain't no good for nothin but trouble, did ya know 'at?
Vets keep ya buyin rats all the time.

I been gone too long
Too long gone, too long
I been travelin' hard
I just can't get back home
Ah it's hard to believe I done all that much wrong

I wanna find me a seven
Sevens ain't so bad
Seven about the best friend
This poor boy ever had
Ah you get you a seven
One and six don't seem so sad

I ain't bein' alone
Bein' alone too long
I'm sick of singin' this same ol' lonesome song
I'm gonna find me a seven and darlin'
I'm comin' home

It's lonesome down along this ol' highway
Darlin' I ain't stayin' here
I don't intend to stay
You may not want me I'm comin' home anyway

When the sun comes creepin'
Over the mountain side
I at least lay down and tell myself I tried
I ain't like somebody gonna sit in no ditch and cry

I been gone too long
Too long gone, too long
Travelin' hard I just can't get back home
It's hard to believe I done all that much wrong

Too long gone
Too long gone, too long
Travelin' hard, I just can't get back home
It's hard to believe I done all that much wrong
Ah it's hard to believe I done all that much wrong

Sometimes I dont know where
This dirty road is taking me
Sometimes I cant even see the reason why
I guess I keep a-gamblin
Lots of booze and lots of ramblin
Its easier than just waitin around to die

One time, friends, I had a ma
I even had a pa
He beat her with a belt once cause she cried
She told him to take care of me
Headed down to tennessee
Its easier than just waitin around to die

I came of age and I found a girl
In a tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hit in on the sly
I tried to kill the pain, bought some wine
And hopped a train
Seemed easier than just waitin around to die

A friend said he knew
Where some easy money was
We robbed a man, and brother did we fly
The posse caught up with me
And drug me back to muskogee
Its two long years Ive been waitin around to die

Now Im out of prison
I got me a friend at last
He dont drink or steal or cheat or lie
His names codine
Hes the nicest thing Ive seen
Together were gonna wait around and die
Together were gonna wait around and die

Ribbons of love
Please keep me true sane
Until I reach home on the morrow
Never never to wander again
I'm weak and I'm weary of sorrow
London to Dublin
Australia to Perth
I gazed at your sky
I tasted your earth
Sung out my heart
For what it was worth
Never again shall I ramble

There's nowhere left
In this world where to go
My arms, my legs they're a-tremblin'
Thoughts both clouded and blue as the sky
Not even worth the rememberin'
Now as I stumble
And reel to my bed
All that I've done
All that I've said
Means nothin' to me
I'd soon as be dead
All of this world be forgotten

No words of comfort
No words of advice
Nothin' to offer a stranger
Gone the love, gone the spite
It just doesn't matter no longer
My sky's getting far
The ground's gettin' close
My self goin' crazy
The way that it does
I'll lie on my pillow
And sleep if I must
Too late to wish I'd been stronger
Too late to wish I'd been stronger

I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine

White freight liner
Won't you steal away my mind
Ah, new mexico ain't bad, lord
And the people there they treat you kind
And the people there they treat you kind

Well, it's bad news from houston
Half my friends are dying
Well, it's bad news from houston
Half my friends are dying

Ah, lord, I'm gonna ramble
Till I get back to where I came
Ah, lord, I'm gonna ramble
Till I get back to where I came

I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine
I'm goin out on the highway
Listen to them big trucks whine

The old woman finally caught me
Sneakin' 'round her cave
Her hair looked just like barbwire, boys
And her smile just like the grave
She asked me could I stay awhile
I said I'd better go
She slid her arm around my neck
And sweetly whispered no

It's cold and dark and lonely here
As soon enough you'll see
I'm oh so glad you stumbled in
I've been cravin' company
I cannot stay too long you know
I left some friends at home
Don't you fret about your friends
Down here we're all alone

What about my mother
I can't just leave her there to mourn
You don't have to think about her
Just forget you were ever born
I'll disappoint my father
You know he worked so hard for me
If you have to pay your father back
Just send him some misery

I'll miss, I said, a girl I know
I can't just leave her there to pine
She's still got plenty of men to go
I'm sure she'll do just fine
What about my little boy
She said, he's just like you
Let a few short years roll by
He'll end up down here too

Then her pale green eyes began to glow
She placed her hand on mine
She smiled and said don't worry
You'll get used to me in time
As her cold tongue flickered toward my throat
I spun myself around
Made a dive for the passageway

But the walls come crashing down
Now her eyes were the only light
My fevered brain could see
But I tore myself away from them
And fell down to my knees
I've come too far, I can't get back
I beseeched the gods of men
Fame and fortune just laughed at me
Then silence once again

I whisper deep within
Embrace the God of love
I lifted my face and through the tears
I saw light fall from above

I hurled myself into the wall
I ripped and clawed my way
Through the stinkin', clingin' loam
Back to the light of day
I crawled out into the wind again
The sky upon my face
I heard the earth sigh patiently
As it slid back into place

Now I'm back among the ones I love
I'm loved by them in turn
And it's only on the darkest night
That green eyed memory burns
So walk my friends, in the light of day
Don't go sneakin' 'round no holes
There just might be something down there
Wants to gobble up your soul

Hey mama, when you leave
Don't leave a thing behind
I don't want nothin'
I can't use nothin'

Take care into the hall
And if you see my friends
Tell them I'm fine
Not using nothin'

Almost burned out my eyes
Threw my ears down to the floor
I didn't see nothin'
I didn't hear nothin'

I stood there like a block of stone
Knowin' all I had to know
And nothin' more
Man, that's nothin'

As brothers our troubles are
Locked in each others arms
And you better pray
They never find you

Your back ain't strong enough
For burdens doublefold
They'd crush you down
Down into nothin'

Being born is going blind
And buying down a thousand times
To echoes strung
On pure temptation

Sorrow and solitude
These are the precious things
And the only words
That are worth rememberin'

[No lyrics]

My starter won't start this mornin'
And I'm about to lose my mind
My starter won't start this mornin'
And I'm about to lose my mind
I wanna go and see my little baby
But my machine is all outa time

I got water in my gas tank
and my battery's all run down
I got water in my gas tank
and my battery's all run down
If I don't see my little baby
I'm gonn' leave this lonesome town

Well blow your harmonica son...
(Lazy Lester's solo)

My starter won't start this mornin'
And my car won't do a thing
My starter won't start this mornin'
No my car won't do a thing
I must begot some kind of bad disconnection
Somewhere in my piston ring

[No lyrics]

I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
You know she cools me with her breathin'
Chases away those howlin' bottles of wine

She fits just like my guitar
Man, she's near as tall as me
She fits just like my guitar
She's near as tall as me
She lives way out the d train
But she's texas as can be

She got a home-spun disposition
Man, she's just as gentle as you please
She got a home-spun disposition
Man, she's just as gentle as you please
She got arms just like two rattle snakes
Legs just like a billow in the breeze

I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
I got a brand new companion
Man, I'm gonna do my best this time
I want to trace her with my body
I want to track her with my mind

Cocaine, cocaine,
'Round my heart and runnin' 'round my brain,
Cocaine, aw, you ol' cocaine.

I woke up this mornin', Lord, I had a hunger pain.
And all I want for breakfast is my good cocaine,
Cocaine, aw you ol' cocaine.

Jump out of bed, Mama, run downtown;
Take along the money and look all around.
Find the man, the man that sells cocaine.

Come here, Mama, come here quick;
That ol' coke's got me and I'm feelin' sick.
Cocaine, aw you ol' cocaine.

Get out of here, Mama, I thought you understood;
You got no connections then you're no damn good.
Cocaine.

Well, coke's for horses, Lord, it ain't for men.
They say it kills you, but they don't say when.

C'mon, Mama, let's rent us a boat.
We'll sail down that Gibraltar moat;
Shed a tear every time we pass Tangiers.

Cocaine, cocaine,
'Round my heart and runnin' 'round my brain,
Cocaine, aw, you ol' cocaine

Mr. Ten Dollar man
Let me tell where you're bound
Drink your green liqour, Lord
You'll roll to the ground
But you come around here
With your money in your hand
Taste of my woman
You die where you stand

Snake Mountain blues
They got me down low
I could die in the morning
But noone would know
My woman come 'round
My body she'd find
Go down to Dundee
Have her a time

Snake Mountain's
Gonna crumble Lord
And fall from the sky
Before that woman of mine
Stops tellin' her lies
If I'd die Lord she'd weep
She'd weep and she'd mourn
Soon as I's buried
Forget I'd been born

Love of black-skinned woman
She won't do you no wrong
Slow to start moanin'
She don't moan for long
A yellow-headed woman
Brings you nothin' but pain
Take all you give her
She leaves only shame

My Daddy, Lord he rides
On a long holy train
First winds of winter
I'll see him again
It's farewell to this yellow
Headed misery I've known
Snake Mountain's callin'
Callin' me home

Snake Mountain blues
They got me down low
I could die in the mornin'
No one would know
My woman come around
My body she'd find
Go down to Dundee
Have her a time

Won't you see my chauffeur
Won't you sse my chauffeur
I want him to drive me
I want him to drive me downtown
For he drives so easy, that I can't turn him down

But I don't want him
But I don't want him
To be ridin' these girls
To be ridin' these girls all around
I'm gonna steal me a pistol, shoot my chauffeur down

Going to let my chauffeur
Going to let my chauffeur
Drive me around the
Drive me around the world
Then he will be my lover boy, I will be his girl

[No lyrics]

By townes van zandt

Where I lead me I will travel
Where I need me I will call me
I'm no fool, I'll be ready
God knows I will be
And in the meantime make a little money
And buy a little mercy

Met this morning, now he loves me
Say's he loves me
It must be easy, look around you
All around you
But you see the motion, you're not movin'
You don't know how to hold on
Just keep it loose
Don't get excited, it'll pass before long

Now one is goin' one is stayin'
One is silent one is saying'
Here's your coat, take care of yourself


Sorry you're leavin'
A little sad you're all I had
Will you be returnin'

The boys upstairs are gettin' hungry
You can shout in the wind about how it will be
Or you can clench your fist, shake your head
And head to the country
I got no doubt about it my friend
That's where they'll find me
That's where they're gonna find me

Ask the boys down in the gutter
Now they won't lie cause you don't matter
The street's just fine if you're good and blind
But it ain't where you belong
Roll down your sleeves, pick up your money
And carry yourself home
Roll down your sleeves, pick up your money
And carry yourself home

Well, won't you lend your lungs to me?
Mine are collapsing
Plant my feet and bitterly breathe
Up the time that's passing.
Breath I'll take and breath I'll give
Pray the day ain't poison
Stand among the ones that live
In lonely indecision.

Fingers walk the darkness down
Mind is on the midnight
Gather up the gold you've found
You fool, it's only moonlight.
If you try to take it home
Your hands will turn to butter
You better leave this dream alone
Try to find another.

Salvation sat and crossed herself
Called the devil partner
Wisdom burned upon a shelf
Who'll kill the raging cancer
Seal the river at its mouth
Take the water prisoner
Fill the sky with screams and cries
Bathe in fiery answers

Jesus was an only son
And love his only concept
Strangers cry in foreign tongues
And dirty up the doorstep
And I for one, and you for two
Ai'nt got the time for outside
Just keep your injured looks to you
We'll tell the world we tried

Goin' down to Memphis
Maybe get my ashes hauled
I can drive me a car, man
But I don't need no car at all
I believe I'll ride that Memphis cannon ball

She runs so fast
You can't catch her from behind
Ah, she runs so fast
You can't catch her from behind
But I'll be there waitin'
For that little Memphis girl of mine

Why I left
Guess I'll never know
Why I left
Man I guess I'll never know
Sittin' here thinkin'
I'm one dumb-ass so and so

I'm headed back
That Memphis train
She leaves real soon
The Memphis train
Sound like she leaves real soon
Got nothin' to guide me
'Cept the color of the moon
Hangin' over Memphis

Headed down
Where the Mississippi runs
Boys I'm headed home
Back where the Mississippi runs
I hear there's some lovin' there
Try to get me some

Headed down to Memphis
Maybe get my ashes hauled
Just don't know
Why I ever left at all
I'm gettin' on that train, man,
I ain't even gonna call
Be there before the break of day