Cruel White Water

Cruel White Water

Up near the border where the cruel white water

drowns the vagabond who sleeps too low

me and my companion, the famous Jack Of Lanterns

tracked the misty mountains through the snow

I ran across the hidden chord but I could not learn the changes

the blue Pacific called and I had to go

there was holy on the ivy in the apparition mountains

but the warmest bed I found was ten below

courted lady Greensleeves, she pushed me out the window

I landed like a feather in the trees

took off across New Mexico and landed in the bayou

but the catfish were too lean, and I had to blow

don't lie for gold--no no no no!

don't lie for love--that turns out cold

if life depends, just get out whole...

but don't lie for less, no no no no!

Marie Marie, Marie Helena

you're my amour, you're my own heart

Marie Marie, Marie Helena

Marie Marie, Marie Helena!

Left a life of ease and caught that black iron steamer

across the barren waste to your arcade

singing 'take me to your leader' in my strangest country tenor

but the bad I set to lay was half way made

leftover pieces weren't exactly what I needed

they didn't have much meaning on their own

there was some talk of deviation, but from what was never mentioned

so I set out to find my wrong way home

home inside the hour, I was tuning my guitar

where I got that sudden urge I know too well

I finished my rendition of 'Don't Pity My Condition'

and then looked around to find what I could sell

You can't sell your soul! Leave that alone!

You can't change your role Big Daddy Lowe

Don't break your back for less than love!

and don't trade your love for stars above!

Marie Marie, Marie Helena

you're my amour, you're my own heart

Marie Marie, Marie Helena

Marie Marie, Marie Helena!

Caught up with Jack Of Lanterns in a town called Make It Hurt

preaching three card monte in the Live And Let It church

the choir was down and dirty, drawing bad and betting worse

we left at ten past six in a padded hearse

I might find companions in after hours taverns

to tell a tale or two I've never heard

but the strangest song I know

is what the thunder said to lightening

and I never could recall a single word

except...

Up near the border where the cruel white water

drowns the vagabond who sleeps too low

me and my companion, the famous Jack Of Lanterns

tracked the misty mountains through the snow

don't lie for gold--no no no no!

don't lie for love--that turns out cold

if life depends, just get out whole...

but don't lie for less--no no no no!

Marie Marie, Marie Helena

by firelight you steal my heart

Marie Marie, Marie Helena

Marie Marie, Marie Helena!