Hammer and a Nail
Welcome Me
World Falls
Southland in the Springtime
123
Keeper of My Heart
Watershed
Hand Me Downs
You and Me of the 10,000 Wars
Pushing the Needle to Far
The Girl With the Weight of the World in Her Hands

Hammer and a Nail
clearing webs from the hovel
a blistered hand on the handle of a shovel
i've been digging too deep
i always do
i see my face on the surface
i look a lot like Narcissus
a dark abyss of an emptiness
standing on the edge of a drowning blue
i look behind my ears for the green
and even my sweat smells clean
glare off the white hurts my eyes
i gotta get out of bed 
get a hammer and a nail
learn how to use my hands
not just my head
i think myself in a jail
now i know a refuge never grows
from a chin in a hand 
and a thoughtful pose
gotta tend the earth 
if you want a rose
i had a lot of good intentions
sit around for fifty years 
and then collect a pension
started seeing the road to hell 
and just where it starts
but my life is more than a vision
the sweetest part is acting 
after making a decision
started seeing the whole 
as a sum of its parts
and i look behind my ears for the green
and even my sweat smells clean
glare off the white hurts my eyes
gotta get out of bed 
get a hammer and a nail
learn how to use my hands
not just my head
i think myself in a jail
now i know a refuge never grows
from a chin in a hand 
and a thoughtful pose
gotta tend the earth 
if you want a rose
my life is part of the global life
i'd found myself becoming more immobile
when i'd think a little girl in the world 
can't do anything
a distant nation my community
and a street person my responsibility
if i have a care in the world 
i have a gift to bring
i look behind my ears for the green
even my sweat smells clean
glare off the white hurts my eyes
i gotta get out of bed 
get a hammer and a nail
learn how to use my hands
not just my head
i think myself in a jail
now i know a refuge never grows
from a chin in a hand 
and a thoughtful pose
gotta tend the earth 
if you want a rose

Welcome Me
welcome me to your city of angels
devil prophets still hold my hand
i walked your stillborn streets for hours
ethnic echoes spitting out their trials
they tell me i'll be the first to praise the sun
the first to praise the moon
the first to hold the lone coyote
the last to set it free
welcome me to a haven given
it's well received into my open arms
oh i ran in my sleep through shaking tremors
i felt the splitting earth echoing in my ears
i feel it i'll be the first to praise the sun
the first to praise the moon
the first to hold the lone coyote
the last to set it free
welcome me to your city of angels
there's a devil monkey laying on our backs
now tell me where's the heart
where's the bullet for breaking
who's gonna give me a weapon
a pacifying weapon
i need it i'll be the first to praise the sun
the first to praise the moon oh
the first to hold the lone coyote
the last to set it free
i'll be the first to praise the sun
i said I said welcome me
the first to praise the moon oh
the first to hold the lone coyote
the last to set it free
i said welcome me

World Falls
i'm coming home with a stone
strapped onto my back
i'm coming home with a burning hope
turning all my blues to black
i'm looking for a sacred hand
to carve into my stone
a ghost of comfort
angels breath
to keep this life inside my chest
this world falls on me
hopes of immortality
everywhere i turn
all the beauty just keeps shaking me
now i woke up in the middle of a dream
scared the world was too much for me
sejarez said, "don't let go
just plant the seeds and watch them grow"
i've slept in rainy canyon lands
cold drenched to my skin
i always wake to find a face
to calm these troubled lands
ah this world falls on me
with dreams of immortality
everywhere i turn
all the beauty just keeps shaking me
now i'm running
to the end of the earth
and i'm swimming
to the edge of the sea
and i'm laughing
i'm under a starry sky
this world was meant for me
don't bury me
carry me
i wish i was a nomad
an indian or a saint
the edge of death would disappear
leave me nothing left to taint
i wish i was a nomad
an indian or a saint
give me walking shoes
feathered arms
and a key to heaven's gate
ah this world falls on me
dreams of immortality
everywhere i turn
all the beauty just keeps shaking me
i'm running
(this world falls on me) 
to the end of the earth
(with hopes of immortality) 
i'm swimming
(everywhere i turn) 
to the edge of the sea
(the beauty keeps on shaking me) 
and i'm laughing
(this world falls on me) 
cause i'm under a starry sky
(hopes of immortality) 
this world was meant for me
(everywhere i turn) 
i've got hopes of immortality

Southland in the Springtime
maybe we'll make texas by the morning
light the bayou with our tail lights in the night
800 miles to el paso from the state line
and we never have the money for the flight
i'm in the back seat sleepy from the travel
we played our hearts out all night long in new orleans
and i'm dirty from the diesel fumes, drinking coffee black
when the first breath of texas comes in clean
and there's something bout the southland in the springtime
where the waters flow with confidence and reason
though i miss her when i'm gone 
it won't ever be too long
till I'm home again to spend my favorite season
when god made me born a yankee he was teasin'
there's no place like home and none more pleasin'
than the southland in the springtime
in georgia nights are softer than a whisper
beneath a quilt somebody's mother made by hand
with the farmland like a tapestry 
passed down through generations
and the peach trees stitched across the land
there'll be cider up near helen off the roadside
and boiled peanuts in a bag to warm your fingers
and the smoke from the chimneys meets its maker in the sky
with a song that winter wrote whose melody lingers
and there's something bout the southland in the springtime
where the waters flow with confidence and reason
though i miss her when i'm gone 
it won't ever be too long
till I'm home again to spend my favorite season
when god made me born a yankee he was teasin'
there's no place like home and none more pleasin'
than the southland in the springtime


from the bowery to the brimstone 
i tried to find your heart
with drugs of initiation
the bottom of a barrel that drops
i understand your causes
sympathize the motivation
but all the details of this war
are just self-infatuation
and it's 1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go home 
manic blood runs thick my friend
are you looking for a clean escape
what's left when the locks have all been broken
young children of authority
now how long can you be agile
dancing between the alter and the mercy seat 
yeah now here's a chance to make a choice 
are you aware of the fire beneath your feet
1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go home
the basement lies within us
our fear comes through the door
now there's nothing left between us
as the fear becomes a roar
once that wheel is in motion
don't you lose what you have found
i'm talking about that burning wheel of tongues
everything that makes it go round and round
we're all born in the devils scorn
they want to see you die
i'm asking you are you true
everything they say is a lie
it's a lie
1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go 
1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go 
1 2 3
(we're all born) 
nothings for free
(in the devils scorn)
1 2 3
(we're all born) 
nothings for free
(in the devils scorn)
everything they say it's a lie
(we're all born) 
it's a lie now
(in the devils scorn)
everything they say it's a lie
it's a lie now
pick up the sticks
(pick up the sticks)
pick up the sticks 
(pick up the sticks)
pick up the sticks
(pick up the sticks)
pick up the sticks 
and go home
123
from the bowery to the brimstone 
i tried to find your heart
with drugs of initiation
the bottom of a barrel that drops
i understand your causes
sympathize the motivation
but all the details of this war
are just self-infatuation
and it's 1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go home 
manic blood runs thick my friend
are you looking for a clean escape
what's left when the locks have all been broken
young children of authority
now how long can you be agile
dancing between the alter and the mercy seat 
yeah now here's a chance to make a choice 
are you aware of the fire beneath your feet
1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go home
the basement lies within us
our fear comes through the door
now there's nothing left between us
as the fear becomes a roar
once that wheel is in motion
don't you lose what you have found
i'm talking about that burning wheel of tongues
everything that makes it go round and round
we're all born in the devils scorn
they want to see you die
i'm asking you are you true
everything they say is a lie
it's a lie
1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go 
1 2 3
nothings for free
4 5 6
pick up the sticks and go 
1 2 3
(we're all born) 
nothings for free
(in the devils scorn)
1 2 3
(we're all born) 
nothings for free
(in the devils scorn)
everything they say it's a lie
(we're all born) 
it's a lie now
(in the devils scorn)
everything they say it's a lie
it's a lie now
pick up the sticks
(pick up the sticks)
pick up the sticks 
(pick up the sticks)
pick up the sticks
(pick up the sticks)
pick up the sticks 
and go home

Keeper of my Heart
for you
i would tattoo me
with lines crossing into a hand
and a heart that would never bleed
with the twilight 
and the horse drawn on my arm
standing for an addiction
pray we go unharmed
here is my love and anger
you see now
these are my gods
these are my scars
here is my love and anger
well these arms are burning
but they're open wide
some things
i hold too tightly
some things
i'll never 
i'll never touch
oh but i'm wearing down the stones
in the river
and you see all my life
i've painted with anger's brush
now, now could you
lift me through my love and anger
you see now
these are your gods
these are my scars
lift me through my love and anger
ah and my arms are burning
but they're open wide
oh
you precious kid
i have a motion 
and it's just for you
i see a warrior
barefoot and dancing
oh with tears of pain and beauty
and all of this is true
for you
lift me through my love and anger
you see now these are my gods
these are your scars
lift me through my love and anger
oh and my arms are burning 
and they're open wide
pointing out the graveyards
i will be the reaper
if you will be
the keeper of my heart
i will be the reaper
if you will be
the keeper of my heart
you are the keeper of this heart
of my heart

Watershed
thought i knew my mind 
like the back of my hand
the gold and the rainbow
but nothing panned out as i planned
and they say only milk and honey's 
gonna make your soul satisfied
well i better learn how to swim
cause the crossing is chilly and wide
twisted guardrails on the highway
broken glass on the cement
a ghost of someone's tragedy
how recklessly my time has been spent
they say that it's never too late
but you don't, you don't get any younger
well I better learn how to starve the emptiness
and feed the hunger
up on the watershed
standing at the fork in the road
you can stand there and agonize
till your agony's your heaviest load
you'll never fly as the crow flies
get used to a country mile
when you're learning to face 
the path at your pace
every choice is worth your while
and there's always retrospect 
(when you're looking back) 
to light a clearer path
every five years or so i look back on my life
and i have a good laugh
you start at the top
go full circle round
catch a breeze
take a spill
but ending up where I started again 
makes me wanna stand still
up on the watershed
standing at the fork in the road
you can stand there and agonize
till your agony's your heaviest load
you'll never fly as the crow flies
get used to a country mile
when you're learning to face 
the path at your pace
every choice is worth your while
stepping on a crack
breaking up and looking back
til every tree limb overhead just seems to sit and wait
til every step you take becomes a twist of fate
up on the watershed
standing at the fork in the road
you can stand there and agonize
till your agony's your heaviest load
you'll never fly as the crow flies
get used to a country mile
when you're learning to face 
the path at your pace
every choice is worth your while
up on the watershed
standing at the fork in the road
you can stand there and agonize
till your agony's your heaviest load
you'll never fly as the crow flies
get used to a country mile
when you're learning to face 
the path at your pace
every choice is worth your while
and when you're learning to face 
the path at your pace
every choice is worth your while

Hand Me Downs
i've taken so many down
i've helped them all to dismount
i've followed so many down
i take their hand me downs
all with hope
all with hope 
that emptiness brings fullness 
and loss of love brings wholeness 
all with hope
all with hope 
that emptiness brings fullness 
and loss of love brings wholeness 
to us all
everything that i believe 
crawls from underneath the streets
everything i truly love 
comes from somewhere far above
everything that I believe 
is wrong with you is wrong with me
everything i truly love 
i love in you and i love in me
so give me hope
give me hope 
that emptiness brings fullness 
and loss of love brings wholeness 
to us all
you swear you can't swim the river
(i've become the beggar now) 
(you've become the saint somehow) 
but i saw you running to jump in
(i've become the beggar now) 
(you've become the saint somehow) 
i swore i'd never be your sinner
(i've become the beggar now) 
(you've become the saint somehow) 
til i held your sin
hand me downs
now you ask me why i'm here
the same as you
i'm scared - it's fear
i've become the beggar now
and you've become the saint somehow
twist the words and place the blame
and tell me now aren't we the same
tripping in our yellow feet
checking underneath our sheets
for some hope
give me hope 
that emptiness brings fullness 
and loss of love brings wholeness 
give me hope
give me hope 
that emptiness brings fullness 
and loss of love brings wholeness 
to us all

You and Me of the 10,000 Wars
you and me of the 10,000 wars
dividing life into factions of pleasure and chores
a bed to be made and a bed to lie in
a hand in the darker side
and our sights set on zion
the heart of a skeptic and the mind of a child
put my life in a box and let my imagination run wild
pour the cement for my feet
the heart and the mind on a parallel course
never the two shall meet
and oh the dissatisfied with the satisfied
everybody loves a melodrama and the scandal of a lie
still you held your arms open 
for the prodigal daughter
i see my eyes in your eyes through my eyes
still waters
try making one and one make one
twist the shapes until everything comes undone
watch the wizard behind the curtain
the larger than life and the power of seeming certain
the evil ego and the vice of pride
is there ever anything else that makes us take our 
different sides
i wanted everything to feed me
about as full as i got was of myself
and the upper echalons of mediocrity
and oh the dissatisfied with the satisfied
everybody loves a melodrama and the scandal of a lie
still you held your arms open 
for the prodigal daughter
i see my eyes in your eyes through my eyes
still waters
still waters
after the battles and we're still around
everything once up in the air has settled down
sweep the ashes let the silence find us
a moment of peace is worth every war behind us
you and me of the 10,000 wars

Pushing the Needle Too Far
well i woke up this morning
grey dawn
with a prayer on my breath
see i lost something precious
and god'll save me 
from losing myself
i said i think i know what's wrong
i think i know what's wrong
now i met the queen and i understand why
why she closed the door
i'm not making excuses
but you know i've been there a few times
you know i was 
i was knocking on the door
i said i think i know what's wrong
i think i know what's wrong
wrong wrong
there's a man
he lived in a house
had a family of five
well he blew up the windows and the doors
he said "i just couldn't
i just couldn't survive"
we've all been removed 
in one way or another
we don't know our families
we don't need our brothers
we're pushing the needle too far
pushing the needle too far
well if you wake up in the morning
grey dawn
there's a prayer on your breath
see maybe you lost something precious
god'll save you 
from losing yourself
i said i think i know what's wrong
let me hear you
i think i know what's wrong
there's queen who closed the door
the family that lies
people who turn
the cat that has died
a boy that od's
a girl with a gun
the world on its knees
and a band on the run
you know you'd help me more
(the queen who closed the door) 
by not giving in
(the family that lies) 
you know you'd help me more
(people who turn) 
by not giving in
(and the cat that has died) 
you know you'd help me more
(a boy that od's) 
by not giving in
(and a girl with a gun) 
i said you'd help me more
(the world on it's knees) 
now don't you give in
(and a band on the run) 
ah now you'd help me more
by not giving
i said don't you dare
(not giving in no) 
don't you dare
(not giving in no) 
don't you dare
you'd help me more
by not giving in
i said you'd help me more
by not giving in
i said i 
i think i know what's wrong
i think i know what's wrong
we're pushing the needle too far

The Girl With the Weight of the World in Her Hands
she won't recover from her losses 
she's not chosen this path
but she watches who it crosses
maybe move to the right
maybe move to the left
so we can all see her pain she wears 
like a banner on her chest
and we all say it's sad
and we think it's a shame
and she's called to our attention
but we do not call her name
the girl with the weight 
of the world in her hands
cause we're busy with our happiness
and busy with our plans
i wonder if alone she wants it 
taken from her hands
but if things didn't keep getting harder
she might miss her sacred chance 
to go a consecrated martyr
the girl with the weight 
of the world in her hands
i wonder which saint 
that lives inside a bead
will grant her consolation 
when she counts upon her need
it makes us all angry 
though we feign to care
but who will be the scale 
to weigh the cross she has to bear
the girl with the weight 
of the world in her hands
is the glass half-full or empty
i ask her as i fill it
she said it doesn't really matter
pretty soon you're bound to spill it
with the half logic language 
of the sermon she delivers
and the way she smiles so knowingly 
at me gives me the shivers
i pull the blanket higher 
when i'm finally safe at home
and she'll take a hundred with her
but she always sleeps alone
the girl with the weight 
of the world in her hands
i wonder which saint 
that lives inside a bead
will grant her consolation 
when she counts upon her need
it makes us all angry 
though we feign to care
but who will be the scale 
to weigh the cross she has to bear
the girl with the weight 
of the world in her hands

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