The dragon weeps with empty eyes,
the whistle sighs no more in the night ...
It rests in the lines, like a ghost in the music,
the soul of America's pride

Toil of our fathers with foreign hands,
they laid the tracks and they opened the plains
they fought the mountains and they merged our seas
they set America free

Tell me,...Where is the blaze of the hobo's caldron?
The refuge for these poor and these fallen?
It rests in the lines, like a ghost in the music,
the soul of America's pride

Foreign father ...American son, father see what your son has done
He's torn up the mountains
and reshaped the plains
the dreams he dreams aren't the same

To the fallen ones who may still be askin,
"Who'd take time to stir these ashes,
Who'll hear the lines of a ghost in the music
and kindle America's pride?"

Tell me,... Where is the blaze of the hobo's caldron?
The refuge for these poor and these fallen?
It rests in the lines, like a ghost in the music,
the soul of America's pride.

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Love Is A Hard Waltz

(Nanci Griffith)

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Take this heart of mine out the winter
and let the new life of Springtime come rest at our door
May the soul of my brother never bow to the wicked
and the hearts of our children waltz together once more

(chorus)

Love is a Hard Waltz... and we could all use a

lesson in giving

If we give it hearts... it could teach us the

rhythm if only we're willing

Now my mother's had a hard life in learnin' to dance
my father did leave her on the dance floor at midnight
Though they shared a true love, he did not understand
that all she ever wanted was a hand in her own life

(repeat chorus)

I know women who gather for the hatred of men
their eyes are as closed as the blind Ku Klux Klan
There are men who would love those same women as friends
oh , brother and sister they'd stand in the end ...but ...

(repeat chorus)

Now, we've all lived in fear of the needs of our neighbours
yet, we voice our opinions through weak politicians
Hey, the shores of our country have closed for this season
and our lady of the harbour stands lonely and weeping ...'cause ...

(repeat chorus)

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Roseville Fair

(Bill Staines)

---

Oh, the night was clear and the stars were shinin'
and the moon came up,... so quiet in the sky
And all the people gathered round while the band was a-tunin'
I can hear them now ... playin' 'Comin' Through the Rye'

She was dressed in blue and she looked so lovely
just a gentle flower of a small town girl
Then he took her hand and they danced to the music
with a single smile ... she became his world

(chorus)

And they danced all night ... to the fiddle and the banjo

their driftin' tunes, seemed to fill the air

so long ago, but they still remember ...

when they fell in love, at the Roseville Fair

Now, they courted well, and they courted dearly
They'd rock for hours in the front porch chair
Then a year went by ... from the time that he met her
and he made her his, at the Roseville Fair

(repeat chorus)

So here's a song for all of the lovers
and here's a tune ... that you can share
May you dance all night ... to the fiddle and the banjo
Oh, the way they did at the Roseville Fair
Oh, the way they did ... at the Roseville Fair

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Mary And Omie

(Nanci Griffith)

---

"My daddy was a longshoreman in New Orleans,
My mamma kept score just watchin' the Mardi Gras ...
oh me, ... I sat on the front porch watchin' the rails roll out,
I was waitin' for my Omie to take me outta this south
it was me and my sisters ... like to wore that front porch out

(chorus)

And there can,t be more to this livin' than loving my Omie

We're both sittin' back here watchin' our children grow

If there's a better ace in the deck,

Well, ... baby, come on and show me ...

If you ain't got a hand then get on your wheel and roll,

'cuz there could never be a better hand than these hearts I hold

Me and my Omie ... we settled down here in Houston
Oh, and one by one, we moved my sisters west
We bought a house in the suburbs and we've got four fine children
We are black middle class because Omie wouldn't settle for less
We are black middle class because Omie wouldn't settle for less

(repeat chorus)

My children are the first thing in my mornin' ...
My Omie is the last thing in my night
Oh, in between I dream about that porch back home
and I bless my daddy for the love within that house
But, ... I thank my Omie for takin' me outta the south

... look at these hearts I hold ... oh, look at these hearts I hold
... look at these hearts I hold ... there ain't no place like home
look at these hearts we hold ... look at those hearts you hold
Hey! ... my Omie's got a heart of gold ... look at these hearts we hold
... take a look at those hearts you hold ... !"

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Friend Out In The Madness

(Nanci Griffith)

---

I am not a child, though you'll treat me as you've always seen me
You never saw the changes in a heart grown old and wise
Hey, it's good to see you smile, it's been so long between the pages
... wheels out on the highway seem to laugh between my lines

(chorus)

Do you still want to know?

Where does the love go when it dies?

Hey, I want you to know ... love never dies ...

it is sheltered here very safe inside and it's left you

with a friend out in the madness

And you say you love me still ...
How your soul does change and your heart still ponders ...
how I could grow fonder ... of a life out on my own
I still sing the harmony
I'll have another wine and toast this madness
I'll howl at your moon ... on my way home alone

(repeat chorus twice)

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Time Alone

(Nanci Griffith)

---

Oh the grace that true love holds when hearts grow weary for
time alone
you give it room and the warm to hold
... and it'll always come home

True love is faithful all on it's own
Hearts know when they should fly alone
When the mind is rested and the heart's at ease ...
two loves can give to each other's needs

Oh, the grace that true love holds when hearts grow weary for
time alone
you give it room and the warm to hold
... and it'll always come home

You can fool yourself and fool your dreams
but you can't fool your heart and you can't fool me
Love is a sailor sailing out to sea
one of these days you'll need the harbour in me ...

Oh, the grace that true love holds when hearts grow weary for
time alone
you give it room and the warm to hold
... and it'll always come home
Oh, give it room and the warm to hold ... and it'll always
come home Back to Track Listing:

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Ballad Of Robin Winter-Smith

(Richard Dobson)

---

Mamma's in the kitchen rattlin' pans and the baby cries,
on the TV news, somebody died
He was a crazy biker in a motorcycle ridin' daredevil show,
in Merry England, oh, ... twenty seven years old
He was tryin' to break the record,
for jumpin' over cars, he was the champ
He fell a little bit short ... oh, hit the ramp

This is the story, sad and it's gory of Robin Winter-Smith
He was a very brave man if you get my drift
'Cause he waved to the crowd, headed down the runway like a
man possessed, Robin Winter-Smith ... I guess he did his best

I make a livin' a-playin' these songs and I hang out in bars
I play my guitar ... oh, but honey, I don't jump over cars
Mamma's in the kitchen rattlin' pans and the baby cries,
on the TV news ... somebody died
He was a crazy biker in a motorcycle ridin' daredevil show,
in Merry England, oh, ... twenty seven years old

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Daddy Said

(Nanci Griffith)

---

Oh, I used to wish I was a hard line taker ... and they'd say,
"Six to one a half dozen'll break her",
'till I fell in love with a young man who sang the blues
Oh, bless my daddy, he warned me well
He'd whisper in my ear and say, "Now look out, gal ...
there's always a ne'er do well gonna call you the fool"

(chorus)

He said, "you'll never learn to fish on a borrowed line

you'll never learn to write if you're walkin' 'round cryin'

and it's a pity that you're lover died young, but ...

you'll never get tired of livin' alone".

So, now I dream of the lover that I don't know
It's safer this way 'cuz I don't have to go ... oh, and he
won't come ... so nobody goes away
Sometimes I wish for the warmth of his hand
take a look in these eyes and understand
I'm just a little too old to be a-learnin' the rules of the game

(repeat chorus)

Oh, maybe I could take him to Mexico
We'd kick our heels in the warm cloudy gulf
He'd sing a song about the weather in the Poconos;
this lover that I don't know
Then two hearts would pound 'stead of one in the night
I'd learn to fish with my own line
catch my dream and hope that line would hold

(repeat chorus)

No, I never get tired of livin' alone
Sometimes my feet get cold ... when I'm livin' alone ...

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Once In A Very Blue Moon

(Patrick Alger/Gene Levine)

---

I found your letter in my mailbox today
You were just checkin' if I was okay
And if I miss you, well, you know what they say ...

just once ... in a very blue moon

just once in a very blue moon

just once ... in a very blue moon

and I feel one comin' on soon

No need to tell me, you'd like to be friends
and help me get back on my feet again
If I miss you at all ... it's just now and then

just once ... in a very blue moon

just once in a very blue moon

just once ... in a very blue moon

and I feel one comin' on soon

There's a blue moon shinin'
when I am reminded of all we've been through
Such a blue moon ... shinin'
Does it ever shine down on you?
You act as if it never hurt you at all
Like I'm the only one who's gettin' up from a fall
Don't you remember?
Can't you recall?

just once ... in a very blue moon

just once in a very blue moon

just once ... in a very blue moon

and I feel one comin' on soon ... just once ... in a very

... blue moon

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I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels

{Bring The Prose To The Wheel}

(Nanci Griffith)

---

From Boston to Southshore in the back of the bus ...
it's the last winter storm of the season and such
And I am lost to the fiction of the book in my lap
the snow makes me drowsy ... while the dreams roll and tumble ...
]
It's a long way to Texas ... it's a long way back home
it's a three hour flight on the plane when I go
... away from this snow from Boston to Southshore where the
dreams roll and tumble ... and bring the prose to the wheel ...

(chorus)

Bring the prose to the wheel ... I'm not drivin' these wheels

I'm not drivin' these wheels

Bring the prose to the wheel ... I'm not drivin' these wheels

I'm not drivin' these wheels ... (today)

That face in the window ... it's one I should know
but it's never been haloed by New England snow ...
and the child 'cross the isle is sleepin' away
while the soldier behind me lets his dreams roll and tumble
my way ...

(repeat chorus)

This cradle of the interstate makes me weary of dreams
the hurt they cause is now ... restless ... it seems
Oh soldier, dear soldier, 'ya keep your dreams to yourself ...
my hearts rolled and tumbled 'till I've put it on the shelf

(repeat chorus)

From Boston to Southshore in the back of the bus
it's the last winter storm of the season and such
And I am lost to the fiction of the book in my lap ...
the snow makes me drowsy ... while the dreams roll and tumble ...

Back to Track Listing:

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Year Down In New Orleans

(Nanci Griffith)

---

I truly need ... a year down in New Orleans,
the hum of a southern drawl that I could understand
And should you meet ... my sweetheart in New Orleans
kindly pass my heart into the safety of his hands

I remember clover ... in the fields south of New Orleans
and we ran so blindly through the fields of summer cane
Now when I'm lonely ... I send my heart down to New Orleans
to chase my memories alone down through my dreams

How I miss the clarity I left there in my youth
Will there be another heart who can endure my solitude?
His roses grow ... so lovely in New Orleans
their petals do recall the mysteries in his eyes

Now, should you go ... to that garden in New Orleans
kindly tend a rose beside his heart for me ... and sigh

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Spin On A Red Brick Floor

(Nanci Griffith)

---

I could use a little spin on a red brick floor
in that crazy 'ol bar when Tim locks the door
Where the walls are gonna ring and the strings are gonna bend
and it's a buss on the cheek from all my old lovers again

Oh. the Blue Ridge mountains at the fall of the night
it sure feels good when you cross that line
I'll tip my cup and holler at the moon
I'll say-a-Great White North ... honey here's to you sleep tight ...

(chorus)

I've gone crazy on this road ... with all of this travellin alone,

but the asphalt is burnin' tonight ...

The New England Spring's been good to me
there's been warmth to lend and good lines to sing
But, how I miss my native tongue
'cause ... New York City sorta brings out the stupids in me

I've got one more stop down in Tennessee
My sweetheart is there just a-waitin' on me
Then it's on down the road kickin' East Texas dust
I'll catch my breath with that hot Houston neon buzzin'

(repeat chorus)

Oh, here comes a little spin on a red brick floor
it's a crazy 'ol bar and Tim's locked the door
The wall's are ringin', the strings are gonna bend
and it's a buss on the cheek from all my old lovers again

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Back to the album listing

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