1. |
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|
Lord, forgive what I do tonight.
I only pray he don’t put up a fight.
A special place in Hell awaits for those who steal and lie.
Father Bob took the collection box
down to the racetrack, gambled, and lost.
Down on his knees, he pleads for us to forgive his heavenly cost.
Now, I’m a good man, good Catholic, too.
Every Sunday I sit in the pews.
Jesus Christ, please grant me the strength to do what I must do.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ll never forget the horrible sound –
how your thoughts can choke as you swallow them down.
Remember the story of the angel’s song, well I’ll never hear it now.
Lost in the night, now I can’t even dream.
Maybe I’ll die from a lack of sleep.
Christ on the cross is crying out as he weeps for me.
Big Bill gave me purpose. He gave me a place.
He gave me the money, put food on the plate.
South of the creek I guess it seemed there was no other way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I danced with the Devil. I lied to myself.
The Ohio rose with the coming flood.
Card up my sleeve, thought I cheated the game,
but judgement came for me just the same.
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2. |
Painting Every House
03:55
|
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|
Mr. John, the friendly private eye,
and Nikolai, the old Soviet spy,
tapped into your phone, working through the night, unaware of their wives’ own affair.
The wolfman bought the house down the street.
He’s paying all his HOA fees.
He’s just like you and me – dreaming violent dreams – when the neighbors meet, he feels so afraid.
---------------------------------------------------
(Chorus)
Ain’t that the way that it goes?
It happens right under your nose.
When dreaming no longer tastes sweet,
try to run
or just
try to scream.
---------------------------------------------------
Tommy working for the FBI.
Every morning, pressed his suit and tie.
Friends across the town, painting every house, reassigned to organized crime.
----------------------------------------------------
(Chorus)
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3. |
The Flood
04:39
|
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|
Rain came pounding down like a thundering gun.
Linsly with the ball, it’s fourth-and-one.
Snap and collide in a violent fashion.
That’s another win for Central Catholic.
Rain floats through the air just like it’s dancing.
Hand-in-hand up the stairs run Pat and Nancy.
Young lover sharing such a passionate moment.
Hearts beat in their chests like they stole it.
Rain comes falling down hard and cold.
Under the overpass, he’s all alone.
Moondog lets the water drink his feet.
“I’m tired of being tired, please set me free.”
-----------------------------------------------------
(Chorus)
Tonight, Wheeling Island is gonna flood.
Robbers grab their masks. Cops grab their guns.
The city’s closing down every bridge,
so there’s no more escaping it.
-----------------------------------------------------
Rain cuts through the dark like a knife.
Big Bill wants blood to spill tonight.
In the darkness on the edge of town,
a cry for mercy, two shots ring out.
Rain rolls on like tears down a face.
Linda sits silently in the hallway.
Seeing your mother in a hospital bed
feels like movie crawling to an end.
Rains twinkles on like a piano.
Doug plays his guitar soft and slow.
Knows he missed his chance at the limelight,
but happy to play this bar tonight.
-----------------------------------------------------
(Chorus)
-----------------------------------------------------
Rain precipitates from a cloud
onto every road without a sound.
The buildings stand alone, tall and grey.
Even in the rain they think nothing at all.
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4. |
Steel Mill
02:21
|
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|
I had a dream today.
I watched the rain through the bathroom window.
I sat in the tub and soaked with the Earth.
It was only a dream, cause my bathroom ain’t got windows.
It was only a dream.
It was only a dream.
And I had a dream I worked at the mill
making the nails for the railroad tracks.
John Henry worked and he never died.
It was only a dream, cause these nails are for coffins.
It was only a dream.
It was only a dream.
And I had a dream I lived in a motel.
And I smoked the world’s longest cigarette.
And we never quite made it out to Vegas.
But Elvis still plays every night.
But it was only a dream.
|
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5. |
Wheeling Feeling
04:57
|
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|
I ain’t been eating. I ain’t been sleeping at all.
I just been working, been drinking coffee or just plain drinking.
I seen a car crash a couple kids dead out on National Road.
I got a feeling a funny feeling inside my bones.
I need a woman, something I can feed some passion.
Head down to the south side guess I’ll bring a couple of bucks .
I just been losing, think I’m gonna go buy me a gun.
To feel some violence, better than feeling nothing at all.
I get that feeling, that funny feeling coming around.
They’re in the kitchen, in the walls trying to make no sound.
I ain’t been eating. I ain’t been feeling at all.
I just been working. No time for sleeping cause something’s coming.
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6. |
The Romantic Way
03:39
|
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|
Let me express with sincere conviction.
Let me give you absolute dedication.
I hope you don’t mind my diction,
Cause I love you in the most of romantic ways.
We could leave Wheeling if we were older.
Hit the gas and let out a cry.
Never look back over our shoulders,
And tell em all they can kiss our asses goodbye.
-------------------------------------------
Baby just take my hand.
Let’s leave tonight, act like we’re on the lamb.
Pretend to lead a life of crime,
Cause baby that’s the most romantic life.
------------------------------------------
There’s nothing left for us in this town.
I heard the steel mill is closing down.
Baby this might be our last chance,
Cause next thing you know they’re closing down the auto plant.
Meet me tonight in Elm Grove.
At our spot behind DiCarlo’s.
Don’t worry about your old man.
I heard he’s painting houses down in Bethlehem.
-------------------------------------------
Baby I gotta propose:
Let’s get in my car, head out on National Road.
Never look back at things we knew,
Cause that’s the most romantic thing to do.
----------------------------------------------
We could drive down to the ocean.
Let the waves wash away our sins.
Lay down, fall asleep in the sand,
And love and kiss with such a violent passion.
----------------------------------------------
Baby just hear me now.
I’m hear to beg, no I ain’t too proud.
If you say no I guess I’ll stay,
Cause I love you in the most romantic way.
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7. |
Linda In The Cathouse
02:54
|
|||
|
Linda sits alone.
Stares out the bathroom window.
The angels don’t come down here.
At least not no more.
The cathouse shines in light,
Like a beacon in the night.
The Johns come and they go
Home to their wives.
----------------------------------------
(Chorus)
I wish I was sleeping.
I wish I was dreaming.
----------------------------------------
Cops turn their heads.
Men place their bets.
Blood of the city flows.
River dilutes the red.
The party never stops.
The casino’s got no clocks.
Boss at the steel mill –
Head of a different mob.
----------------------------------------
(Chorus)
----------------------------------------
Money on the dog race.
Early to church on Sunday.
Violent dreams at night.
Wheeling is our place.
|
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8. |
Moondog Barks
03:20
|
|||
|
I need forgiveness.
Ain’t there one person out there to love me.
Where’s my community?
Where are the friends to reach out and touch me?
I am sick with nostalgia.
I’m sick with unearthly feeling.
You turn your nose at my shame,
But at least it’s seen plain on my face.
I may be a dog in the street,
But all dogs see Heaven one day.
Living in honesty, god has seen sin in me,
And struck down my chains.
But you judge me unworthy.
Unworthy of love and courtesy.
When I leave this earthly realm,
Will you step right over my body?
---------------------------------------
Do you resent me because I’m living wild and free?
…
(I need the kindness of a stranger.
Oh, brother, won’t you help me)?
|
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9. |
I Remember Your Name
04:09
|
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|
Come and sit down momma. Come and tell me your dreams.
Tell me where do you go when you are sleeping?
Come momma take it easy. Rest now, go to sleep.
I’ll be carrying you like you carried me,
And no need to worry for eternity.
The Good Lord above has seen us through to infinity.
-----------------------------------
(Chorus)
I remember your name.
Even in another place.
-----------------------------------
When you’re so far away, I can hear the beach
carrying soft summer dreams away into another place.
No words I can say, no song I can sing to even carry your name.
The beautiful melody ain’t half as sweet as the memory.
When you’re so far away, I can hear your dreams
carrying you soft and sweet away into another place.
-----------------------------------
(Chorus)
|
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Promiseland BBQ Morgantown, West Virginia
Promiseland BBQ is Appalachian Americana music written and performed by Ross Weidman. Ross Weidman is from Morgantown, WV and currently lives in Pasadena, CA. He is an Earth Science Systems Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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