Music

1

Passing Lane

Well, I was born in Carolina, way back in the swamp
I was a happy country boy 'til television came along
It showed them far away places and it sho was a bitch
'Cause every time I'd quit my traveling,
Well, my feet would start to itch

So I borrowed my daddy's suitcase and picked up my guitar
I walked up the highway and flagged down a car
I hitchhiked out to Kansas City just as far as I could
My life was all before me and that highway sure looked good

Gimme that highway, better go my way
Crank up the big wheels, let 'em roll on
I'm movin' like a fast train, gimme that passing lane
And I'm gone, I'm packin' my load a little farther down the road

I moved on down to Dallas soon as I got the chance
I was playin' funky music for them city folks to dance
And I had money in my pocket, I had fun in my bed
But I've been here a year now and it's gettin' to my head

'Cause I've been rocked into ruin, I've been discoed to death
I've been funk rocked and punk rocked 'til I can't catch my breath
I've been ragged 'til I'm ragged, I've been new waved 'til I'm blind
But I've got a solution for my funky state of mind

Gimme that highway, better go my way
Crank up the big wheels, let 'em roll on
I'm moving like a fast train, gimme that passing lane
And I'll be gone, no more blues just as long as I can move

Gimme that highway, better go my way
Crank up the big wheels, let 'em roll on
I'm moving like a fast train, gimme that passing lane
And I'm gone, I'm packing my load a little further down the road

2

Blue Star

Blue star over my shoulder
Blue star, can't you see?
Blue star, it's a little colder
She's gone away from me

And I wish I'd never seen her with the sunlight in her eyes
And I wish I'd never learned the game she played
And I wish I'd never listened when she told me all the lies
And I wish I'd never seen her walk away

She was everything I wanted
She was sweet mystery
Blue star, every night I hold it
She's gone away from me

And I wish I'd never seen her with the sunlight in her eyes
And I wish I'd never learned the game she played
And I wish I'd never listened when she told me all the lies
And I wish I'd never seen her walk away

Dark eyes shining like two diamonds filled with fire
Dark hair blowing in the wind of hot desire
Red lips pulling me now

Dark eyes glowing like two diamonds filled with fire
Dark hair blowing in the wind of hot desire

Blue star over my shoulder
Blue star, can't you see?
Blue star, it's a little colder
She's gone away from me

And I wish I'd never seen her with the sunlight in her eyes
And I wish I'd never learned the game she played
And I wish I'd never listened when she told me all the lies
And I wish I'd never seen her walk away
And I wish I'd never seen her walk away

3

Jitterbug

He wears a zoot suit with a reet pleat
Drives a '36 Cord with a rumble seat
Now he's a Lord, he's a jitterbug
Scare the letters off a highway sign

He drinks beer and eats bennies
Chases it down with ol' Thunderbird wine
Carries brass knuckles and a .44
Runs a loan shark business and a Mary Jane store

He's a... he's a jitterbug; keeps movin', don't sit still
If the law don't get him, some gun-totin' irate husband will
Oh, oh, oh, ooh, ooh, ooh jitterbug, jitterbug

One day in September he stepped out of his Cord
Into the street to face a bullet spittin' Ford
Now he's jitterbug, just a name in the news
Said, "He finally paid the price. He finally paid his dues."

jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug
jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug

4

Behind Your Eyes

Here you are again, and here I go
Down the same old street I already know
That same sweet voice and those same old lies
I'm drawn into the world behind your eyes.

[CHORUS]
And I try to run away
But I know it's only a try
'Cause everything I could ever want
Is there behind your eyes,
Behind your eyes.

Seeing you again and it all comes down
Thinking how it was the first time around
And when I feel that feeling again
I have no chance, I must give in.

5

Reflections

I remember you back in nineteen fifty six
You had all the moves
And you knew all the tricks
You left all the ladies in a hell of a fix
When your voice took wing

Then you'd shake around and
Oh, how you'd sing
Just an old boy from Memphis
With a big diamond ring
A country girl's prayer
And a city girl's dream, hail the king

But it's all right now
Keep on singin' loud
It's all right now
Heaven should be proud

The fifties left town on a crowded dance floor
The sixties came in with a bang and a roar
The world heard a knock
It was Janis at the door, they let her in

And when it seemed
This whole world was fallin' apart
The houselights would fall
And the music would start
She'd be givin' us all a piece of her heart
Once again

But it's all right now
Keep on singin' loud
It's all right now
Heaven should be proud

It was October in St. Louis town
When we heard that the Free Bird had fell to the ground
And we all said a prayer
Before we went down to play

And Ronnie, my buddy
Above all the rest
I miss you the most
And I loved you the best
And now that you're gone
I thank God I was blessed,
Just to know you

But it's all right now
Keep on singin' loud
It's all right now
Heaven should be proud

6

The Devil Went Down to Georgia

The Devil went down to Georgia. He was lookin' for a soul to steal.

He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind. He was willing to make a deal

When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot.

And the Devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said "Boy, let me tell you what."

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"I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player, too.

And if you'd care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you.

Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the Devil his due.

I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 'cause I think I'm better than you."

�

The boy said, "My name's Johnny, and it might be a sin,

But I'll take your bet; and you're gonna regret 'cause I'm the best there's ever been."

�

Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.

'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia and the Devil deals the cards.

And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold,

But if you lose the devil gets your soul.

�

The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show."

And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.

And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss.

And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.

�

When the Devil finished, Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty good ol' son,

But sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."

�

"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run!

The Devil's in the house of the rising sun;

Chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough.

Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no.

�

The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat.

And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet.

Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back. If you ever wanna try again,

I done told you once�you son of a bitch�I'm the best that's ever been."

And he played:

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"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run!

The Devil's in the house of the rising sun;

The chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough.

Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no.

7

Mississippi

Mississippi
You've been on my mind
Like a mist in the morning
From some dream I've left behind
Mississippi
I've been kinda down
Because it's been such a long time
Since I've seen old Jackson town

[Chorus]
I could be on the other side of the world
But in my memory, all I can see
Is Spanish moss hanging from a live oak tree

[Verse 2]
Mississippi
Save a place for me;
I'll be coming home again [coming home again]
Mississippi, until then [until then]
You'll be on my mind
I'll be coming home again
Mississippi, until then
You'll be on my mind

[Chorus]

8

Blind Man

On a cold concrete sidewalk, on the corner of Fifth and Main
Sits an old black blind man, and no one knows his name.
He plays the same old guitar, he plays the same old tune
And when the people pass him by, some are heard to say
“Play, let the blind man play”.

He was a cotton picker down in Alabam’
Daddy never amounted to much; died by his own hand
He lost his sight one terrible night by the hand of the Ku Klux Klan
Burned his eyes with a branding iron some are heard to say;

Play, let the blind man play
Maybe you’ll be around another day
Dreamin’ about those little things you know you’ll never see
So play, let the blind man play, let the blind man play!

The years were kind while the man was blind, but he knew his time was due
And no one cried when the blind man died, with the name that no one knew
They made his coffin outta knotty pine, with a wreath of laurel too
His epitaph was short and sweet, and all it said was "Play".

Play, let the blind man play
Maybe you’ll be around another day
Dreamin’ about those little things you know you’ll never see
So play, let the blind man play, let the blind man play
Maybe you’ll be around another day
Dreamin’ about those little things you know you’ll never see
So play, let the blind man play, let the blind man play

Play that guitar blind man!

9

Rainbow Ride

I traced my footprints through the sands of yesterday
Back the way I came, I was returning
And then I saw me standing just across the river
Just across the bridge that I'd left burning

It was all reaching out to me
Now my reflection in the water's all I see

(Then it flew away)
Back to the laughing green of summer days
(Flew away)
Back to the chilly, golden autumn haze
(Flew away)
To a place called yesterday
(Yesterday)

Come on in and sit down
It's good to be in your town
We're gonna take you for a rainbow ride
There's no excuse not to relax and get loose
And let us take you for a rainbow ride

It's been a long, hard day
But now it's time to play
'Cause we've got it all planned
We're gonna strike up the band
We're gonna take you for a rainbow ride

When the sunlight finally blossoms way up high
Purple shadows fall across the countryside
We could get together for a rainbow ride
Close your eyes and let it happen
Bright and breezy, nice and easy

Hold on while the music takes you way up high
We can race the moon across the evening sky
See the night time rainbow colors flying by
Close your eyes and let it happen
Rising, falling, gently calling you

Let the evening fly away
While you're dreamin'
Come on, take that rainbow ride with me

Let the evening fly away
While you're dreamin'

Come on, take that rainbow ride with me
Come on, take that rainbow ride with me
Come on, take that rainbow ride with me

Million Mile Reflections (1979)