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Grant Lee Buffalo
Storm Hymnal - Gems From The Vault Of Grant Lee Buffalo 2001
Disk I: Takes


1. FUZZY

Bring me home to this house of many days
Just lay me on the floor hard and cool as slate
You know I love it more and more than before I ran away
It triggers off so many hurts hurtful words and broken plates

I lied to
Now I'm fuzzy
I've been lied to

All and all the world is small enough for both of us
To meet upon the interstate waiting on a train
And just when those big arms lift up fall in love with no time to say it

I lied to
Now I'm fuzzy
I lied to
Now I'm fuzzy
Fuzzy now

Here we are in our car driving down the street
We're looking for a place to stop have a bite to eat
We hunger for a bit of faith to replace the fear
We water like a dead bouquet does no good does it dear

I lied to
Now I'm fuzzy
We've been lied to
Now I'm fuzzy
Fuzzy now
Lied to


2. THE SHINING HOUR

Are we still on the phone
With the lady Anna Clarke and her trumpet solo
Whose ghost sings for pay
In the blue billiard room of the Monterey
For room and for board
And the backdoor key is a nineteenth century civil war sword
Once owned by John Booth
Who misplaced his script when he caught his leather boot

This could be the shining hour
Based on all those mad beliefs
In the money oil and angel powder
In the new age magazine

There's a hole in the wall
Behind the photograph of Al Capone he's a sittin' down at city hall
The police they peek thru here
And they watch you get dressed in the two-way mirror
But it's all in good spirits
And if you close your eyes ya can't help help but to hear 'em move

This could be the shining hour
Based on all those mad beliefs
In the money oil and angel powder
In the new age magazine

I propose a toast
To the memory of the horse who carried King Tut and his gold
Into the sun
He collapsed last summer from the heat stroke somewhere in the East Village oh
It kills me to think
That I'm no longer living just looking for excuses to drink
So lift up your glass
And your Ouija board 'cause I'm fading fading fading fast

This could be the shining hour
Based on all those mad beliefs
In the money oil and angel powder
In the new age magazine


3. JUPITER AND TEARDROP

Just a girl who can't say no
And her sweetheart on parole
Parents named her Jupiter
To bless her with a lucky soul
He's a boy who never cried
When they locked him up inside
And she nicknamed him her teardrop
For the tattoo by his eye

Now she's sleeping in her bed
And he's sleeping in her bed
And it's Jupiter and Teardrop

She divines by radio
Pushing buttons show to show
And she wonders 'bout the fate of
Lovers in the barrio
She forgets after a while
When she tunes in on the dial
Jackie Wilson's Lonely Teardrops
And she drives another mile

Now she's sleeping in her bed
And he's sleeping in her bed
And it's Jupiter and Teardrop

And they want to have a child
Walk together down the aisle
But the world we live in is mean
And it's built on sheer denial
The phone rings it's for her
Got to see ya Jupiter
I'm in trouble with the law
Bring my thirty-eight caliber

Now she's sleeping in her bed
As she pulls the phone plug dead
And it's Jupiter and Teardrop


4. STARS N' STRIPES

Steel mill streets overrun
The ghost of cars in the yard
Sunflower speaks of a one
Of a one
Engines purr up above
The L train roars like our love
Like our love

I can hide in you
In your chestnut hair
I confide in you
Whisper in your ear
When the earth is ripe
All the worms wake up
In their stars and stripes
And their swastikas
There's a cure in sight
Set your soul at ease
For the red and white
And the blue disease

Got you on the Handycam fits in my hand
Got you on the Handycam
Got you on the Handycam fits in my hand
Fits in my hand see my green light

Down in my soul
Moon River flows
All my trials
All my trials
Will halt


5. LONE STAR SONG

There's a bullet in the heart tonight
In the heart of Texas
Shout it to the Dallasites
We are rolling home
They shot an angel in mid-flight
And now she won't protect us
Shout it to the bedlamites
We are westward ho

Pray the holy war is ending
Like in the films of Hollywood
And the angels are descending
Like Koresh had said
They would before too long
Sing a Lone Star Song

They had him nailed up to a T
With a T for Texas
His disciples with artillery
They held the fort inside
And by the time the story broke
Down at Dealey Plaza
We already caught all the smoke
Read the TV guide

Pray the holy war is ending
Like in the films of Hollywood
And the choppers are descending
Like Ma Reno said
They would before too long
Sing a Lone Star Song

Lone Star Song of the south
Words that can't help but escape my mouth (easy words)
When they bring down the house (easy words)
Day upon day

Pray the holy war is ending
Like in the films of the Hollywood
And the trumpet's blast is blending
With the crack of burning wood
Before too long
Sing a Lone Star Song
Lone Star Song


6. MOCKINGBIRDS

Devastation at last finally we meet
After all of these years out here on the street
I had a feeling you would make yourself known
You came along just to claim your place on the throne
And I have been overthrown
Overthrown

And I thought if I towed the right lines
But these mockingbirds won't let me shine

Devastation my door was left open wide
You brought me into your heart then you swallowed my pride
I had a feeling you were hiding your thoughts
I made a note to myself that I nearly forgot
Now I am overwrought
I'm overwrought

And I thought if I towed the right lines
But these mockingbirds won't let me shine

One day this ground will break
And open up for me I hope it will
I hope it will

Salutations at last down on my knees
I heard the bugle this morn blast reveille
Woke from a dream where I was in a terrible realm
All my sails were ablaze I was chained to the helm
And now I am overwhelmed
I'm overwhelmed

And I thought if I towed the right lines (devastation at last)
But these mockingbirds won't let me shine


7. HONEY DON'T THINK

It's the luck of the draw
How you wound up with me
You don't know how at all
But I beg you to stay
Crawl around on this earth
While the world's still small

Honey don't think
About it too long now
Honey don't think
You're liable to figure me out

Somethin’ wrong in my stars
Could you look at my chart
And help me healing these scars
Could you learn to read minds
In the case of mine
Do you read in the dark

Honey don't think
About it too long now
Honey don't think
You're liable to figure me out

You don't wanna figure me out
Don't wanna figure me out
Don't wanna lose

Honey don't think
About it too long now
Honey don't think
You're liable to figure me out


8. HAPPINESS

Nevermind me 'cause I've been dead
Out of my body been out of my head
Nevermind the songs they hum
You don't want to sing along
There's nothin' that I said

That'll bring you happiness happiness
Is hard to come by I confess
I'm bad at this thing happiness
If you find it share it with the rest of us

Nevermind the words that came
Out of my mouth when all that I could feel was pain
The difference in the two of us
Comes down to the way
You rise over things I just put down

That'll bring you happiness happiness
Is hard to come by I confess
I'm bad at this thing happiness
If you find it share it with the rest of us
With the rest of us

Nevermind me 'cause I've been dead
Out of my body been out of my head
Nevermind the curse I wore
Proud like a badge
That just don't shine no more

That'll bring you happiness happiness
Is hard to come by I confess
I'm bad at this thing happiness
If you find it share it with the rest of us
With the rest of us
With the rest of us
Share it with the rest of us


9. BETHLEHEM STEEL

There was a light blue as a welder's torch
It used to shine over the fields
And all the wise men strong men were drawn for miles
Followed a star to Bethlehem Steel

Our mother's father worked here in World War Two
On the main floor operating the drill
And in his open palms little splinters remind him of
The booming days the days of Bethlehem Steel

But the steeples on the hills they point
To a better life beyond this one
And that promise penetrates the clouds
And mighty walls of brick red cinnamon

Take a walk past Lazarus Moving n' Storage
Behind the Goodman's Furniture Store
See the smoke stacks rise on up to heaven's step
While on earth we're burnin' this miracle iron ore

But the steeples on the hills they point
To a better life beyond this one
And that promise penetrates the clouds
Even when they block the fiery sun
The sun

There was a light blue as a welder's torch
It used to shine over the fields
And all the wise men strong men were drawn for miles
Followed a star to Bethlehem Steel

Bethlehem Steel


10. AROUSING THUNDER

Maybe the rain's holding off
Surely it knows we're down here
Walking 'round there barefoot lost
Pretty soon these clouds've got to clear

I know it's a lot
Arousing thunder I only ask you to stop
For a second so I could coax you to talk

Think when we first laid eyes
Didn't know who you were and then I was one more passerby
You were the girl in the entryway that's all that I knew but ah
You were still in school and I was insecure

I know it's a lot
Arousing thunder I only ask you to stop
For a second so I could coax you to talk

'Bout your dreams
And orange soda
Tea leaves TV
More

Looks like the rain's holding off
Might as well take this slow
You know sometimes when I hold you in silence I listen real close
Then I hear you talking to my soul

Well I know it ain't half
Of this story I'm only meaning to ask
Just what would it take to coax you to laugh
To laugh

What would it what would it
What would it take you to laugh
To laugh


11. HOMESPUN

Faithless on the skids hung out to dry oh seen better days
With the sunlight fading like a tabloid and I I have found
All those double-barreled freedom fighters are in for themselves
And a call to arms has never been about anything else

Fire one more round
But hate is not a lone assailant
Hear the drummers pound
Listen to the homespun violent sound

Hatred on the prowl underneath an oh new guise garb and gown
And he's so persuasive when you look in his eyes all dumbfound
And the double-talkin' politicians expose their intimate lives
While the sheep are lowing for the shepherd to show he never arrives

Fire one more round
But hate is not a lone assailant
Hear the drummers pound
Listen to the homespun violent sound
Sound

Ooh I'll tell you how it
Pains to say this
Ugliness is ours
'Cause I would better lay in bed and
Maybe even sleep all day
Maybe sleep some more
Some more
Too

Suspicion is a powerful religion when it leads to the force on these shores
In the jungles of the midwest dwarf militia train for war right on course
Unlike the famous fable revolution won't yield a firework show
Unlike the famous fable revolution won't end on July the Fourth

Fire one more round
But hate is not a lone assailant
Hear the drummers pound
Listen to the homespun violent sound
Sound

Yeah the homespun sound
I hear the sound
Yeah the homespun sound


12. TWO & TWO

You crawl up my vine and my soul's unwound
Clouds are miles down as the song unwinds
I'm conducting nothing anything at all
No I know I know

If I lose the floor I don't want no twist
Want to bite through this till I can hear no more
All the talkin' dissin' doggin'
Now I know I know I know

Not like two and two
Never seems to add up like I want it to
Not like two and two

Why can't I get this off lazy spent and spun
Off my chest for once 'cause I'm feeling lost
It's a waste of ink and paper
Laboring over anecdotes

In the center ring welter-weight tongue-tied
He was petrified before the song was sang
He fell back against the rope and
Dared to do the rope-a-dope

Not like two and two
Never seems to add up like I want it to
Not like two and two
It goes on and on on and on

I'm tired of saying I don't get it anymore I don't care
To hear you tell it tell me I can't tell you anything

Why the face the frown now and why so blue
Not like two and two when you're feeling down
It's a thing we both know so so
Can't we just explain away

Not like two and two
Never seems to add up like I want it to
Not like two and two
And on and on on and on

It goes on and on


13. TRULY, TRULY

I was hanging with some friends
In the parking lot one night near the summer's end
I leaned back against the glass
Of a car to watch all those speeding comets crash
It made me think about us

Truly truly truly I want you
Truly truly truly I do
Truly truly truly I want you

You were lying by the pool
And the surface of the water was a lapis jewel
I dove in to make a splash
Woke ya from your dream nodding off out on the grass
It made me think about us

Truly truly truly I want you
Truly truly truly I do
Truly truly truly I want you

It's just been too long that
We set aside some time alone
I sure could see your point of view
And it's been awhile
Since we dropped our guard and cracked a smile
Don't you think it's overdue
Well how about you

Truly truly truly I want you
Truly truly truly I do
Truly truly truly I want you

Truly truly truly I want you
Truly truly truly I do (oh yes it's truly)
Truly truly truly I want you


14. TESTIMONY

How can I give a testimony of my life
When I'm still trying hard to hold my head up high
I'm trying so hard to hold my head up high

And every time I turn around
Feel as though I've let you down
Always something else
And every time I turn around
Feel as though I've let ya down
But I can't outrun myself

How can I give a testimony of my time
When it's so hard to pen a simple valentine
It weighs a little heavy on my mind

And every time I turn around
Feel as though I've let you down
Always something else
And every time I turn around
Feel as though I've let ya down
But I can't outrun myself

Oh oh you know
If I told ya once I've told you loads before
I couldn't love ya more

And every time I turn around
Feel as though I've let you down
Always something else
And every time I turn around
Feel as though I've let ya down
But I can't outrun myself


15. MY, MY, MY

Fine fine strychnine free the mind n' cure the blind
Ho ho recline to the country a-goldmines
I got it comin' out-a my ears
Fine fine take your time stay put in the alpines
Ho ho Cocteau you get mixin' the moonshine
He'll teach you how to walk through mirrors

My my my you're petrified
My my my you're sick inside
My my my you're stupefied
And I know what it's like

Touche Broadway's no place for a padre
No way Jose ya hike back to the country
Those brooks are tremblin' there for you
Nix nix on the card tricks carve your name in the candle stick
Make haste double click they may call you a lunatic
Oh man but they haven't got a clue

My my my you're glorified
My my my you're sick inside
My my my you're certified
And I

My my my you're sanctified
My my my you're squinty eyed
My my my my tongue is tied
But I know what it's like

Delta high tide pack your bags and take a bride
Brush fires mud slides plug your ears and overt your eyes
Be still and it'll pass by you

My my my you're mortified
My my my you're chicken fried
My my my it's a nationwide
Tonight

My my my you're spirit guide
Has up and fled and stole your ride
My my my you're stupefied
But I know what it's like

Fine fine


16. THE SHALLOW END

Where in the world have I been
I must have tripped on the way in
Diving into the shallow end
I must have gone and broke the skin

Hold me close and let me know
I'm not alone for once
Hold me close and tell me that
I never really was

Why on the earth could I not see
The cloud a hangin' over me
But I did a dance to make it rain
And it just overflowed the drains

Hold me close and let me know
I'm not alone for once
Hold me close and tell me that
I never really was