Under Iron
Shook the ashes from my face
collected those that fell from grace
held redemption in my gut
and followed the light of the moon
Struck at stone in the cold
laid my hands against the road
felt the wind that burns the soul
Lenny, keep on moving on
That venom has to sting someone
When it enters me I’ll take it all and take it proud
Saw my name written in Pittsburg smoke
on that night they let me go
followed the footprints of 15 men
through mud, the rain the rain the rain
Watched arguments unfold
when there’s no place left to go
soon blind anger took its hold
how they pit us against our own
Chorus:
that venom has to sting someone
when it enters me I’ll take it all and take it proud
Somewhere in Bethlehem
Angels kissed a savior’s hand
as you face your family west
I ask where’s your savior now
The stories getting old
Of men just doing what they’re told
As they drove you from your home
I asked where’s your savior now
Chorus
Keep your silver and your gold
all things built on others souls
just make sure that my boys know
when they beat I never broke
If we die out her alone
where justice never roams
just make sure that my boys know
when they beat I never broke
when they beat I never broke
Suicide Boats
Caught the last of a golden age
as the Sun was waking up from a dream.
Found myself on a frozen plain
digging just to keep my hands busy.
Saw the saint flying in the sky
I saw them all crash down in a hospital room.
All the boys back home were watching over me,
well boys I finally understand this truth
No one will save you
No one will save you
Woke up again in the morning haze
wondering just how far this ride would go.
Had a drink with a lonely man
who got stuck inside the ring 30 years ago.
He said no one can drag you up to heaven
and can’t nobody drag you down to hell.
As the cars drove by on the overpass
I saw myself as a boy skipping stones alone again
No one will save you
No one will save you
No one can drag you up to heaven
Can’t nobody drag you down to hell.
As the cars passed by on the overpass
I saw myself as a boy skipping stones alone again.
No one will save you
No one will save you
My Starving Arms
Struck down by the moonlight
On broadway tonight
lost in the chaos of the air
It was ¼ to 3
and all I could see
was the cross that you left here for me
The Devil is grief
and he tested me
on the backroads on the outskirts of town
on the backroads on the outskirts of town
Handcut from the others
that I outlined in doubt
even bleeding hearts said disregard them
I reached my best
With you in motels out West
the sun sets on the greatest of days
the devil is grief
and he walks with me
in the embrace of my starving arms
in the embrace of my starving arms
Hardwired
Stay with me here till the night turns to day
stay with me here either way
with you I believe in a goodness so pure
I’ll miss you much when you go
Walk with me down to the spirited stream
walk with me through idle days
a stillness surrounds this new morning we share
the grace of the day rests in your eyes
Come dance with me under faint moonlight
Dance with me out in the rain
walking alone through the city I knew
the best that I see in me is through your eyes
Stay with me here till the night turns to day
stay with me here either way
with you I believe in a goodness so pure
I’ll miss you much when you go
Salesman
Bring on the steel
the heat of Hattiesburg
An iron fist
that casts its print on the whole world
A bus stops on the corner
I feel the wind that Solomon chased
Midnight girls walk through fire
chasing the great unknown
These are the days of rage and careless love
Rubbed my eyes
awaken to the tribal drums
the barn and the boredom
burn like fire in my mind
Jesters sing of love
on the highest mountain tops
But I find my truth
in the jester’s saddest song
These are the days of rage and careless love
Born of the salesman who couldn’t sell
Born of the salesman who couldn’t sell
Born of the salesman who couldn’t sell
Born of the salesman who couldn’t sell
Vindicated at the foot of my father’s grave
Before You There was Me
Broken down triumphs sleep on a wooden floor
two chairs cast their shadows on the wall.
The seasons they changed with grace
in this land where militia men learned to walk in stride.
I feel the sins of Cain all around me now
as you sit in the mysteries of young and old
Well we will meet up again someday
in a shack a room or a bed, and share stories of our name
A dry well now overflows
Pa laughed that’s the way it goes
then found his place in the shade.
The reasons shatter me just like a wrecking ball
I saw colors spread out across the night sky.
In dragging steps you walked a slow pace
past the tree where we carved our name in the yard.
A dry well now overflows
Pa laughed that’s the way it goes
then found his place in the shade.
On the Corner
Patsy’s on the corner
praying to the saints of fire
he’ll show how there’s more than one way
to skin a cat this time.
The asphalt screams no mercy
on streets where the triggermen gets made
but have you ever seen the way a mother holds her baby tight
they are carving out their names
in basements that wreak of shame
I feel the thunder rising now
all up through my veins, I’m ready to go.
I saw them in the morning
dressed in their Sunday’s best
huddled up together on those congregation steps.
He walked up to the altar
like he did in the welfare line.
I say he looks like Jesus and sacrifices much the same.
So where do you go from here,
when the price to pay ain’t fair?
maybe someday you’ll find yourself on that crooked road to hell
and then you’ll understand.
Be brave now like your father
who dared to cross that line.
Just walk on by the corner
if you can leave your brother in the fire.
They told me he was crazy
I say he had a steel spine.
I can still hear him saying “You’ll never take me alive”.
It All Grows Old
Take me for a ride in your Cadillac
Drive me down the streets I’ve never been
See two worlds collide on interstate 95
Just like you and I it all grows old
The curses of the past seemed to follow me
up and down the avenues of my home
saw a halo hanging high above your head
baby you stuck with me just like a stone
You took me in when I was coming down
with a bad case of those old New England blues
I couldn’t find the rhythms that always carried me
maybe it was time to sing to a different tune
Mario made us laugh on all those summer days
drinking by the beach with all the boys
but I won’t stand beside all those yesterdays
cause just like you and I it all grows old
I left you on a cold December day
your hair hung in your face, I remember it well
if you can’t stand to watch then just look away
Just like you and I it all grows old x4
When the Rockets Leave Me
I waited alone in the hallway
my legs began to shake
rested my head up against the wall
my flesh never seemed so useless
the worried eyes sank low
I sketched in my notebook
a scene of an intergalactic war, where we all won
“come on boy let’s go, I’ve come to take you home”
auntie Sue sits and wonders
Mamma doesn’t speak a word
the thought’s too much for her to bear
I hurry off to my bedroom
so I can dream a dream
of a life light years from here
Alas, in the midst of the morning sun the commander, he comes to me
“Come on board the ship, we’ve come to take you home”
I’ll sleep it off when the rockets leave me X2
Son you’ve been absolved of your sins
and we give you now into his arms
In everlasting peace
Martyrs sway out in the ether
to the hymns of heroes passed
I’ll join them when it all turns black
the kids went racing down the street, without me
I’ll sleep it off when the rockets leave me