Whipping Boy

You're cruel, you do
You do, you do me wrong
You hurt me, you flirt with
Any old face that comes along
But I won't be your whipping boy
No I won't be your whipping boy
Break me like a little toy
Run me till my feet are sore
But I won't be your whipping boy
You're wild, you're sly
What you done to me
I was thirty, I look like fifty
But I feel like sixty three
It's this illegal kind of loving
That keeps my motor running
From the start to the finish line
It's a trashy kind of me that likes to believe
That I'm still trying, I'm still trying
I'm still trying, yes I'm trying
You're dirty, but you're worth it
But you're way, you're way too young
I could do time if they found out
Look out, San Quentin here I come

"Whispers"

Look at me twice with wildcat eyes
Promise me everything except a blue night
Shudder like ice in cut crystal glass
Melt in embraces of crazy eyed past
And whisper, whisper, whispering whispers

Tantamount to a lie with lingering breath
Walking fingers run, hungry scratches left
Dull chimes ringing like an empty voice
A distant smile framed, her lips are soft and moist
With whispers, whispers, whispering whispers

And whisper in a rhythm your lies
Keep comfort for others
Hurt me with the night
Whisper like cold winds close to the bone
Save heaven for lovers, leave me alone
With your whispers, whispers, whispering whispers

With whispers, whispers, whispering whispers

"White Lady White Powder"

Dust settles on a thin cloud
Sends a fog drifting to a worn out crowd
I've had my face in a mirror for twenty four hours
Staring at a line of white powder

High-priced madness pays the tab
I've scraped too much of nothing from your plastic bag
I'm a catatonic son of a bitch who's had
A touch too much of white powder

And she's a habit I can't handle
For a reason I can't say
I'm in love with a wild white lady
She's as sweet as the stories say
White powder white lady
You're one and the same
Come on down to my house won't you
And hit this boy again

Shock waves to a tired brain
Sends that hungry lady to my door again
She's my shelter from the storm when I feel the rain
Entertaining white powder

I feel I'm dry-docked and tongue-tied
Heaven sends a stretcher for the kids to ride
I might just escape while the others might die
Riding on a high of white powder

"Whitewash County"

Tonight it's hot down here
I can almost smell the rain
And I can almost taste the fear
Behind your name
Fans turning on the ceiling
I feel sticky as a chili dog
White boys howling in the evening
On that hollow log

Tall tales down the river
Say we aim to bury the truth
But the right hand just delivered
The devil in a suit

And he talks big in Whitewash County
Talks sweet as sugar cane
Got a past that's filled with lightning
Got a future filled with rain

Bug buzzing in an empty glass
Fiddle scratching some lazy tune
We're just some place that history passed
New dust, new broom
And it's a high hot buttered moon
He's got a shiny new wax face
Swears the South's gonna rise again soon
All over the place

Rain down on Whitewash County
Smell the air coming up the line
Well you've changed your face so often
But you never change your mind

"Who Wears These Shoes?"

There's a light on in your window
There's a shadow on the street
Two silhouettes tell me it's over
The shadow knows the shadow's me

I won't crawl or cause you trouble
Well that's the last thing I'll ever do
But before I leave your life completely
Tell me who wears these shoes, darling

Lord knows the days just get longer
The nights grow cold with you on my mind
And I feel like an old jukebox
Playing the same song all the time

If these crazy dreams don't kill me
It's more than I can take from you
Not knowing where or when I'll see you
Not knowing darling who wears these shoes

My friends all say don't got to pieces
I say that's fine but if I lose
I want to know who's in my foot steps
I want to know who wears these shoes

My friends all think I must be crazy
I see the facts but if it's true
I want to know who's in my footsteps
I want to know who wears these shoes, darling

Oh and it's a chilling feeling
When I can't see him
What do I do
When I face the two of you

Wicked Dreams

It's written clear across the room
In silent words the blind could understand
I came here to relax and find
A sleep that soaks me up like surf and sand
And you appear as I descend
A soft outline all poised and feather light
I come into the darkness now
To conjure up a dream and close my eyes
chorus
Don't disturb me if you dare
And join me if you have the nerve
I'll show you where the best of me has been
Behind my eyes I'll wait for you
Imagine just what we could do
Come join me in my wicked dream
Don't send me back to real life
The daily grind just leaves me feeling numb
Leave me in my wicked dream
Where pressure cracks and beauty comes undone
[repeat chorus]
[repeat chorus]

"Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)"

I remember it like it was yesterday
Snow in the park and skaters on the ice
Long black cars standing side-by-side
Loading up the boys at night

Turned up our collars to the chill of the wind
Caught an innocent smile from a taxi at the lights
Not something you'd see on a New York street
It's such an uncommon sight

[chorus:]
But I wouldn't have it any other way
This city's got a thing about it, don't try to understand it
New York City I'd really like to stay
New York City I wouldn't have you
I wouldn't have you any other way

Oh the subway rumbled underneath
Italian lights where Joey Gallo died
And the man on the door down at 54's
Letting only the pretty inside

I'd wake with a stranger under the covers
Late in the day and longing for the night
Just like the snowfall there's so many bodies
But somehow it feels so right

[repeat chorus]

Wrap Her Up

There are ladies, illegal X's
Mona Lisa's, well connected
They may be shady, English roses
Blue blooded, turned up noses
Money talks, see what it catches
Postage paid, no strings attached
She's a honey, she's a tramp
Roaring twenties, molls and vamps
Wrap her up, I'll take her home with me
Wrap her up, she is all I need
Wrap her up, I only get one chance
Beasts and beauties, but they all can dance
Wrap her up, I'll take her home with me
Wrap her up, she is all I need
Wrap her up
Give her to me, wrap her up
Is she foreign, legs eleven
Italian girls, take me to heaven
You pretty babies, from Paris, France
Crazy horses, love to dance

"Writing"

Is there anything left
Maybe steak and eggs
Waking up to washing up
Making up your bed
Lazy days my razor blade
Could use a better edge

It's enough to make you laugh
Relax in a nice cool bath
Inspiration for navigation
Of our new found craft
I know you and you know me
It's always half and half

And we were oh oh, so you know
Not the kind to dawdle
Will the things we wrote today
Sound as good tomorrow
We will still be writing
In approaching years
Stifling yawns on Sundays
As the weekends disappear

We could stretch our legs if we'd half a mind
But don't disturb us if you hear us trying
To instigate the structure of another line or two
Cause writing's lighting up
And I like life enough to see it through

"Yellow River"

So long, boy you can take my place
I've got my papers, I've got my pay
So pack my bags and I'll be on my way
To Yellow River

Put my gun down, the war is won
Fill my glass high, the time has come
I'm going back to the place that I love
Yellow River

Yellow River
Yellow River is in my mind and in my eyes
Yellow River
Yellow River is in my blood, it's the place I love

Got no time for explanations
Got no time to lose
Tomorrow night you'll find me sleeping underneath the moon
At Yellow River

Cannon fire lingers in my mind
I'm so glad that I'm still alive
And I've been gone for such a long time
From Yellow River

I remember the nights were cool
I can still see the water pool
And I remember the girl that I knew
From Yellow River