Playlist Townes Van Zandt

townes van zandt - a song for

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

townes van zandt - all your young servants

You live on your hill so high and so lonely
You toss out your bread crumbs to those down below
They think you're a king but believe me it's only
Because they're too blind to know

There once was a time when your money had meaning
You diamonds had glitter but now it's all gone
It poisoned your laughter and muffled your singing
You can't even see that it's wrong

Your castle is dingy and dirty and dismal
Your carpets are faded, your walls are all grey
There's dust on your silver and cracks in your crystal
All your young servants have drifted away

So go back to your sadness, go back to your sorrow
And i'll make my bed on a hill 'neath the sky
And lay here a-listening 'till the sun comes tomorrow
Counting the tears that you cry

Your castle is dingy and dirty and dismal
Your carpets are faded, your walls are all grey
There's dust on your silver and cracks in your crystal
All your young servants have drifted away

townes van zandt - at my window

At my window
watching the sun go
hoping the stars know
it's time to shine
daydreams
aloft on dark wings
soft as the sun streams
at days decline

Living is laughing
dying says nothing at all
baby and I are laying here
watching the evening fall

Time flows
through brave beginnings
and she leaves her endings
beneath our feet
walk lightly
upon their faces
leave gentle traces
upon their sleep

Living is dancing
dying does nothing at all
baby and I are laying here
wathing the evening fall

Three dimes
hard luck and good times
fast lines and low rhymes
ain't much to say
Feel fine
feel low and lazy
feel grey and hazy
feel far away

Living is sighing
dying ain't flying so high
baby and I are lying here
watching the day go by

townes van zandt - be here to love me

Your eyes seek conclusion in all this confusion of mine
Though you and I both know it's only the warm glow of wine
That's got you to feeling this way, but I don't care,
I want you to stay and hold me
And tell me you'll be here to love me today

Children are dancin', the gamblers are chancin' their all
The window's accusing the door of abusing the wall
But who cares what the night watchmen say
The stage has been set for the play
Hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today

The moon's come and gone but a few stars hang on on to the sky
The wind's runnin' free but it ain't up to me ask why
The poets are demanding their pay
They've left me with nothin' to say
'cept hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today
Just hold me and tell me that you'll be here to love me today

townes van zandt - billy boney and ma

Well, Billy went down to the battleground
to find a little trinket he could call his own
didn't see nothin' lying around
he decided he'd dig awhile
well he dug her up and he dug her down
'fore too long he found some bones
poor little Billy couldn't make a sound
when the bones sat up and smiled

Oh Billy you seem like a fine young man
no reason to be a tremblin' soul
come over here and shake my hand
make my proud acquaintance
Well Billy he was stunned he could hardly stand
whether he could move he didn't know
but he knew he had to formulate some kinda plan
or try the boneman's patience

The first thing he wanted to do was breathe
so he gulped in some of that battleground air
next thing he wanted to do was leave
but Billy wasn't raised up rude
Well the boneman grunted and he gave a heave
all of a sudden he was loomin' there
shakin off dirt and actin pleased
things didn't look too good

Well Billy decided what the hell
you don't meet a boneman every day
A little bit skinny but you never can tell
he might be a pretty good guy
Well they started off with the old soft sell
'fore too long they were jawin' away
by the time the darkness fell
they were seein' socket to eye

They decided right then on a life of crime
with the boneman's looks and Billy's brains
they could scare old Scrooge out of his last dime
Might as well have a go
Billy he would picked the place and time
from the corner store to the railroad train
Boney'd flash him a smile sublime
and Billy he'd grab the dough

They decided they might as well start right then
Time's awastin' so they say
they headed for the park
where the lights are dim
and only the foolish tread
he was whistlin' a tune
when they spotted him strollin' along
so plump and gay
Boney gave him a great big grin
and Billy snagged his bread

Next come a lady of the night
Boney saddled up and said hello
gave the poor thing such a terrible fright
she fainted dead away
Billy lifted her purse and her earrings bright
diamond rings and watch you know
couldn't figure out try as they might
why they'd ever worked a single day

Billy's plans ended up in ruin you know
they were workin' a quaint little neighborhood
spied an old lady about eighty or so
almost looked too easy
Boney put on a pretty good show
the little ol' lady didn't see too good
My kind Sir your all bones you know
you need something hot and greasy

Grabbed ol' Boney drug him inside
Billy peeked in through the window sill
she fed him boiled and baked and fried
Ol' Boney he's chewin like crazy
he gobbled up everything he tried
pounds added on like you know they will
Billy laid down in the dirt and cried
watchin Boney Gettin fat and lazy

Well Billy's back workin his job by day
sleep'n nights it ain't so bad
never liked stealin anyway
kinda gives a guy the willies
Boney and Ma got a new cafe
best baked beans you ever had
Ma's expecting any day
and they say they're gonna name him Billy

townes van zandt - blaze 039 s blues

I gotta guitar all my own
I gotta quarter for the telephone
I ain't headed down this highway all alone
One two three and maybe four
Honey, they're knockin' on my door
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone

Got no daddy but I got a ma
think she lives in Arkansas
maybe I'll go see her some old day
It ain't like she'd really care
it ain't like she'd pay no fare
but I might just blow on through there anyway

Headed down to Alabam
cause some trouble if I can
Aw, buddy, would you like to come along?
It's a place I never been
and you know I could use a friend
they say they'll give us twenty bucks a song

I gotta guitar all my own
I gotta quarter for the telephone
I ain't headed down this highway all alone
One two three and maybe four
Honey, they're knockin' on my door
you know I'm gonna miss you when I'm gone

townes van zandt - blue ridge mountains

My home is in the Blue Ridge mountains
My home is in the Blue Ridge mountains
My home is in the Blue Ridge mountains
and I ain't comin' back here anymore

I had me a mother that could pray, boys
she prayed for me both night and day, boys
and I tore down every down every prayer that she could say, boys
and I ain't comin' back here anymore

I wanna find me a lady fair and tender
wanna play her song on my steel strings
gonna lay her down in a bed of clover
then I ain't comin' back here anymore

I've seen this whole wide country over
from New York city down to Mexico
and I've seen the joyful and the sorrow
and I ain't comin' back here anymore

So Mister [Sinby] can you hear me
down there in [Gracel], Louisana-O
I'll lay a joint upon your grave, Sir
then I ain't comin' back here anymore

My home is in the Blue Ridge mountains
My home is in the Blue Ridge mountains
My home is in the Blue Ridge mountains
and I ain't comin' back here anymore

townes van zandt - brand new companion

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

townes van zandt - brother flower

Brother Flower, are you listenin'?
Let me sing a song for you
Brother Flower, petals glistenin',
in the bashful mornings dew
Brother Flower, when the sun shines
and the dew has flown away
if you don't mind weak and wrong rhymes
Brother Flower, may I stay?

Brother Flower, you ain't lonely
for you've always been alone
but I haven't been so lucky
I had love and now it's gone
I have arms to hold another
never to hold her again
I have life to give lover
You have life to give the wind

Brother Flower, when the snow flies
and you lay your beauty down
Brother Flower, are you sleepin'
there upon the cold, cold ground
Brother Flower, please awaken
show the sky your face of blue
let me know I ain't forsaken
seems like all I have is you

townes van zandt - buckskin stallion blues

I heard her sing in tongues of silver
I heard her cry on a summer storm
I loved her, but she did not know it
so I don't think about her anymore
Now she's gone, and I can't believe it
so I don't think about her anymore

If three and four was seven only
where would that leave one and two?
If love can be and still be lonely
where does that leave me and you?
Time there was, and time there will be
where does that leave me and you?

If I had a buckskin stallion
I'd tame him down and ride away.
If I had a flyin' schooner
I'd sail into the light of day
If I had your love forever
sail into the light of day

Pretty songs and pretty places
places that I've never seen
pretty songs and pretty faces
tell me what their laughter means
some look like they'll cry forever
tell me what their laughter means.

If I had a buckskin stallion
I'd tame him down and ride away.
If I had a golden galleon
I'd sail into the light of day
If I had your love forever
sail into the light of day

townes van zandt - bw railroad blues

I'm gonna lay my troubles on a railroad track
I'm gonna ride I ain't lookin' back
tried to stop but I can't unpack
gotta get used to the clickety-clack
the big ol' wheels and the smokin' stack
Ah babe I gotta go
Babe I gotta go

Loved you honey heart and soul
I swear you're the sweetest thing I know
I loved you true and I told you so
I told you too come time to go
I'll be gone with any ol' wind that blows
Ah babe I just can't stay
and it's bound to be that way

There's lots of things I'd like to see
from the mountains to the shining sea
up in the sky where the wind blows free
to the cities down below
Babe I just don't know
I got trouble, trouble in my soul
I got trouble in my soul

I'm gonna lay my trouble on a railroad track
I'm gonna ride, I ain't lookin back
I tried to stop but I can't unpack
go to sleep with the clickety-clack
the big ol' wheels and the smokin' stack
Babe I'm bound to go
I got trouble in my soul
I got trouble trouble in my soul

townes van zandt - catfish song

Down at the bottom of that dirty ol' river
down where the reeds and the catfish play
there lies a dream as soft as the water
there lies a bluebird that's flown away

Well, to meet is like springtime
and to love's like the summer
her brown eyes shone for nobody but me
then autumn forever, the fool come a fallin'
and the rain turned to freezin' inside of me.

I'll kindle my fires with the words
I can't send you
and the roads I can't follow
and the songs I can't sing

Well, all you young ladies
who dream of tomorrow
while you're a listenin'
these words will I say
Cling to today with its joy
and its sorrow
you'll need all your memories
when youth melts away.

Well, the angel of springtime
he rides down the southwind
the angel of summer
he does just the same
the angel of autumn
she's blue and she's golden
and the angel of winter
won't remember your name

Down at the bottom of that dirty ol' river
down where the reeds and the catfish play
there lies a dream as soft as the water
there lies a bluebird that's flown away

There lies a bluebird
that's flown away

townes van zandt - colorado girl

I'm goin' out to Denver
See if I can't find
I'm goin' out to Denver
See if I can't find
That lovin' Colorado girl of mine

The promise in her smile
Shames the mountains tall
The promise in her smile
Shames the mountains tall
She bring the sun to shining
Tell the rain to fall

It's been a long time, mama,
Since I heard you call my name
Ah, been a long time
Since I heard you call my name
I got to see my Colorado girl again

Be there tomorrow
Mama, don't you cry
Be there tomorrow
Now, mama, don't you cry
I got to kiss these lonesome
Texas blues good-bye

I'm goin' out to to Denver
See if I can't find
I'm goin' out to to Denver
See if I can't find
That lovin' Colorado girl of mine
That lovin' Colorado girl of mine

townes van zandt - columbine

Tossin' hair a-ravin'
eyes of flashin' blue
all the livin' that you're savin'
won't buy you dreams for you

Cut yourself a columbine
tear it from the stem
now breathe upon the petals fine
and throw them to the wind

Watch the petals dancin'
see them twirl and sing
all your pride and prancin'
how much does it mean?

Watch the petals start to fly
and then come falling down
hear the wind begin to cry
as she sees some touch the ground

Ah, lady, like the flower fair
some day you'll have to fall
and you can find me standin' there
to catch you if you crawl

Tossin' hair a-ravin'
eyes of flashin' blue
all the livin' that you're savin'
won't buy you dreams for you

townes van zandt - come tomorrow

Could it be the season's changin'
The winds of winter rearranging
All the leaves like fallin' queens of sorrow
Could be the freezing rain a-fallin'
Could be sad September callin'
Or maybe its knowin' she'll be gone
Come tomorrow

Well, it's strange how many tortured mornings
Fell upon us with no warning
Lookin' for a smile to beg and borrow
It's over now, there is no returning
A thousand bridges sadly burning
And light the way I have to walk alone
Come tomorrow

I guess that no amount of lying
To myself will stop the crying
I guess I have to take things like they are
The facts are plain to see, it's only
That I ain't used to being lonely
Like I'm gonna be without you
Come tomorrow

Come tomorrow

townes van zandt