Industry Rule
Aging Road Dog Shuns Love for Something Real
Feeling crazy
Appending I’ll be there for you with maybe
It’s another foolish motive that sinks us
Another approval to feed our starving ego
We pause for a moment and assess the situation…
We undress for the occasion
We’re we meant to be eye candy
For another generation of staring eyes?
Detracting from the truth of our words and of our tunes
And we trail our creeping age with a sigh
Hoping we haven’t yet crossed that sacred line
We haven’t yet found that ageless song
That we tried to sing, that we tried to own
That we cried out for but the echo was not there to protect us
To repeat our quick phrases
To help us find our places
As we try to discover something that is real
From all of this we can’t understand
These days Billy don’t ask for much
Just to see his friends play
Down at the local club
He’s had himself a few too many
And he’s gonna have some explaining to do
But it’s gonna have to wait ‘till morning
At least until he thinks up something new
Billy sat down in the shower
Tried not to think of his hurting head
He said, “just because you’re tired
doesn’t mean I want to head off
straight to bed”
He agrees, he was an insensitive jerk
But he really just wanted to have some fun
But he really wants to make it work
He says he’s pretty sure that she’s the one
And all this time
Spent changing your mind
Yet you don’t know what you want
Half the time
But if you’d just listen to yourself
Don’t take no advice from nobody else
Billy and his lady have been fighting
I don’t dare ask what it’s all about
But he’s a couple years older now
And I think he’s starting to have some doubts
He’s going over and over, and over and over
The game plan in his head
He said, “if I’m going to make this my life
I’m gonna have to get myself a sideline gig”
So, he’s got his own little hustle now
Selling tv jingles to ad execs
He says, “it may not be the most inspiring work
But at least it’s going to bring me home a paycheck”
He decided he couldn’t give it all to the people
He said he seemed to get nothing in return
But it’s Billy who’s got his head screwed on straight
I say, “when the rest of us fools gonna learn”…
Like the Sandman bows his final bow
In life there is no second act
But don’t nod before the curtain falls
You’ll miss the finale you’ve been dying for
As we chase our dreams down the road
But they’re faster than a mutt in heat
And the years go by and our will grows weak
I said it’s funny, you know I saw him only last week
These days Billy don’t ask for much
Just to see his friends play
When they roll through town
He’s had himself a few too many
And he’s gonna have some explaining to do
But it’s gonna have to wait ‘till morning
Because we’ve got Billy all passed out…
Like the Sandman bow his final bow
In life there is no second act
But don’t nod before the curtain falls
You’ll miss the finale you’ve been dying for
As we chase our dreams down the road
But they’re faster than a mutt in heat
And the years go by and our will grows weak
I said it’s funny you know I saw him only last week
When the day turns into night
Slowly walking down the street
To another night of work
That will leave you dead on your feet
Slaving in a hot kitchen’s got you all fired up
Your temper is getting shorter these days
You just don’t seem to have time for the bullshit
Getting slack that you don’t deserve
But pretty soon they’re gonna have to find a new screw to turn
The water’s deep, and the river’s wide
Like all these things for which you strive
Was it fame that gave you those starry eyes?
I think it’s calling your name
Your name
Calling your name
Your name
Calling your name
Like Sonny Rollins on the Willie B
You feel you need to escape the scene
‘Cause every day is just more of the same
Everyone thinking they’re the next big thing
And they’re walking around with their head in a daze
Trying to figure out just what to say
If they ever got their fifteen minutes of fame
Well, it’s about to drive you insane
But then they say, “What are you going to do if it starts calling your name”
Calling your name
Your name
Calling Your Name
When the night turns into day
And you’re washing your face in some stranger’s sink
And she’s begging you to stay
It was a decent lay but you’re all tired out now
Whatever happened to those rock star dreams
They seem to fade away with each bill you pay
Just another worker in song
Unemployed in the city of dreams gone wrong
The waters deep and the rivers wide
Like all these things for which you strive
Was it Fame that gave you those starry eyes?
I think it’s calling your name
It’s calling your name
It’s calling your name
It’s calling your name
I think it’s calling your name
The water’s deep and the river’s wide
I think it’s calling your name
(repeat)
Wild eyed
From backwoods to city lights
Beautiful
You know you are so
A graceful pose
Her lines are drawn with broad strokes
It makes it hard for you to focus
A single note
That makes the words that I wrote
It’s only one of many
But her eyes tell you more
Than a Gamelan dancer’s shifting glances
She moves for the sake of movement, these ancient dances
And finds clarity from within
Frees her mind, forgives her sins
And sheds the chaos of the world
With one motion
Too late
If I only knew it way back then
So long
If I never see your face again
A graceful pose
Her lines are drawn with broad strokes
It makes it hard for you to focus
A single note
That makes the words that I wrote
It’s only one of many
But her eyes tell you more
Than a Gamelan dancer’s shifting glances
She moves for the sake of movement, these ancient dances
And finds clarity from within
Frees her mind, forgives her sins
And sheds the chaos of the world
With one motion
She finds clarity from within
Sheds the chaos of the world
She finds clarity from within
Sheds the chaos of the world with one motion
People wondering how I’m gonna deal with the pressure
People wondering how I’m gonna try to survive
In the city
I was pounding the pavement
Trying to make it
In the city that doesn’t sleep
Getting cold stares
And cold feet
But I know if I can make it there….
Blowing up the spot
In a one hour spot
In a downtown club
With shady money tactics
They give you just a little bit
And say, “don’t you want more of this?”
People wondering how I’m gonna deal with the pressure
People wondering how I’m gonna try to survive
In the city
Well, we’re turning our villains into heroes
And our role models are just lucky chumps
With sex appeal
It’s the twenty-first century and the music business
Is politics as usual
I heard that Clinton joined the Plastercasters
Hey man, he blows a mean saxophone…
People wondering how I’m gonna deal with the pressure
People wondering how I’m gonna try to survive
In the city
I’ve got a solid vision of the future
I’m just going to lie to myself and never look back
And though I’m feeling kind of useless
I just say, “tomorrow I’ll pick up the slack”
I’ve got a heart of indignation
I’ve got no time for myself when I’m not feeling bold
And with a thoughtless resignation
I tell myself I won’t feel this way when I’m old
No, I won’t feel this way when I’m old
But then you open your heart
And let me in
I say the songs are not written
So let us begin
You’ve made up your mind
To give shelter from the storm
And the rain’s chilled my bones
But the fire makes me warm
And I feel alive in the present
Though everyday I’m reborn
Stronger everyday
I’ve been sewn, where I was torn
And we can walk through the empty streets together
And stare restlessly at the blocks ahead
As we sit in a café at night and stare through the saxophone solo
That rests in mid sentence, speaking in counterpoint
And we push up together on a crowded train
And we think we’re somewhere else
Resting on the saxophone’s last refrain
I’ve got a solid vision of the future
I’m just going to lie to myself and never look back
And though I’m feeling kind of useless
I know tomorrow I’ll pick up the slack
I’ve got a heart of indignation
I’ve got no time for myself when I’m not feeling bold
And with a thoughtless resignation
I tell myself I won’t feel this way when I’m old
No, I won’t feel this way when I’m old
But then you open your heart
And let me in
I say the songs are not written
So let us begin
You’ve made up your mind to give shelter from the storm
And the rain’s chilled my bones
But the fire makes me warm.
I got a letter from an old lover
She said, “it’s kind of random”
She said, “I hope it finds you in good spirits”
I was surprised it found me at all
You see, I’ve been moving around so much
It’s just so hard to settle down
When no one knows where you come from
And you’re always new in town
She asked was I still playing music
That’s what she visualized me doing
With my name up on the marquis
And a simple song to sing
But I set myself on fire
Just to rise up from the ashes
Though no one has a drop of faith
In a single thing I’m doing
…single thing
Open your eyes
You decide
How am I?
Well, I’m living like a pauper
And I’m working like a dog
With a burning wick for temper
And nothing to call my own
You see, I’ve shed all my possessions
In an effort to be unburdened
But I miss those creature comforts
Though I thought that I had cured them
And I start to feel so small
Though I’m learning to think big
But it makes me feel so tired
When I think of all the work put in
And when I think about those days
I miss that little corner
Of the basement room we shared
Of the noisy love we made
…noisy love
Open your eyes
You decide
How am I?
Well I miss that little village
It seemed to be there just for us
To watch the fisherman on the water
And eat a meal from his day’s catch
And the wine I drank in Rome
And how you carried me to bed
And how you never questioned
All the foolish things I did
All the subway platform poetry
You swore to me you liked
And those eerie quiet walks
On those dismal London nights
You walked with an umbrella
Even though it wasn’t raining
I was happy to oblige you
I never thought that it was crazy.
…crazy
Open your eyes
You decide
How am I?
And though it may seem absurd
I left those skyscrapers for somebody else
I was choking on the dust and the fumes
But I was attracted like a moth to the light
I know it’s bad for me but I can’t refuse
I’ve got the feeling so strong tonight
I’m gonna take myself down to the river
I’m gonna lay my body down
I’m gonna take myself down to the river
So I can rest my bones awhile
And if you wait for me ‘till the sun comes up
I’ll meet you down for breakfast at our favorite restaurant
And we can talk for awhile ‘till I fade off to sleep
I said I’ll disappear ‘till dinner; you won’t hear a peep
I’ve been giving my landlord the runaround
But you can only string them along so far
There’s cigarette butts all up and down the stairwell
And he wants to know what’s been going on
Well, maybe I should just tell him the party starts at two a.m.
and runs on straight through dawn
I’m gonna take myself down to the river
I’m gonna lay my body down
I’m gonna take myself down to the river
So I can rest my bones awhile
And if you wait for me ‘till the sun comes up
I’ll meet you down for breakfast at our favorite restaurant
And we talk for awhile ‘til I fade off to sleep
I’ll disappear ‘till dinner now; you won’t hear a peep
And though it may seem absurd
I left those skyscrapers for somebody else
I was choking on the dust and the fumes
But I was attracted like a moth to the light
I know it’s bad for me but I can’t refuse
I’ve got the feeling so strong tonight, yes I do
I’m gonna take myself down to the river
I’m gonna lay my body down
I’m gonna take myself down to the river
So I can rest my bones awhile
And if you wait for me ‘till the sun comes up
I’ll meet you down for breakfast at our favorite restaurant
And we can talk for awhile ‘till I fade off to sleep
I said I’ll disappear ‘till dinner; you won’t hear a peep
I said I’ll disappear ‘till dinner now, you won’t hear a peep
I said I’ll disappear ‘till dinner now, you won’t hear a … peep
You put off an image of perfection
Most times, you pull it off without detection
Your face glows when you’re looking for someone to talk to
Won’t take long for someone to come up to you
But you wouldn’t play these games if you had a choice
I could tell by the tone of your voice
These games we play will just wash away
I could tell by the tone of your voice
When we’re alone
I’ll undress you slow
And we’ll roll until we moan
And though there’s not time to spend the night
We’re gonna try to set things right
All my life I’ve been waiting for someone like you
And now that I see you
Tell me what’s my next move?
Should I try to approach you?
And darling, I know I’m not the most handsome man
But I’ll give you the love you need
If you just give me half a chance
And you wouldn’t play these games if you had a choice
I could tell by the tone of your voice
These games we play will just wash away
I could tell by the tone of your voice
When we’re alone
I’ll undress you slow
And we’ll roll until we moan
And though there’s not time to spend the night
We’re gonna try to set things right
