1. |
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Life can be so drab sometimes
try to find something to occupy your mind
all this nervous, pent-up energy
need an outlet for your creativity
but look at you now, you’re flying around
you feel good
for a little while
you’re in the air now
flying at the speed of sound
but it all goes south when you have to come down
trapped in a room, no one to be with
naked and shaking, the walls are closing in
your ideas move too fast for your body to keep up
much less the simple minds of the rest of us
but look at you now, you’re flying around
you feel good
for a little while
you’re in the air now
flying at the speed of sound
but it all goes south when you have to come down
I don’t get why all the geniuses go mad
is it because they can’t cope with what they have
all this nervous, pent up energy
all the vision to fly into eternity
but look at you now, you’re flying around
you feel good
for a little while
you’re in the air now
flying at the speed of sound
but it all goes south when you have to come down
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2. |
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Last night you were late
Coming over to my place
I could yell and get real mad
But I know it wouldn’t last
When I see the way you smile
I want to kiss you for awhile
Sometimes you know it’s true
I just don’t know what to do
With you
I’m not your old man
I won’t keep track of where you been
It is true that I care
But we don’t need to go there
You know I won’t just leave
No matter what you do to me
Sometimes you know it’s true
I just don’t know what to do
With you
When I feel like I’m insane
I know it’ll pass one day
There are times I can’t believe
You’re sitting next to me
And I will play the fool
I guess if I have to
Sometimes you know it’s true
I just don’t know what to do
With you
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3. |
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The headlights on the highway
Shine bright against the night
In an hour there should be
A gas station in sight
When I get out of this car
I’ll just stand there and stare
All the while wondering
All the while wondering
What’s out there
The constellations are bright
As I look up into the sky
My telescope is cold
As I press it to my eye
If I could fly that high
You know I wouldn’t be scared
Instead I’m here wondering
Instead I’m here wondering
What’s out there
When you reach the outskirts of town
Will you keep going or will you
Turn around
My bag is heavy
As I head down the path
I knew there were a lot of things
I should have packed
There are things in life
For which you can’t prepare
It will leave you wondering
It will leave you wondering
What’s out there
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4. |
Ringtones
03:29
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You saw him again last night
You watched a movie
An hour spent talking
You have no clue what you’re doing
Now you spent all day staring at the phone
Wanting to feel something other than alone
Sitting on a barstool but too scared to
Do anything but continue to
That guy at the bar is
Hitting on the waitress
As you sit there writing
In a passive voice
Now you spent all day staring at the phone
Wanting to feel something other than alone
Sitting on a barstool but too scared to
Do anything but continue to be used
Around the midnight hour
Your phone goes off
You stop to answer it
And you take the call
Now you spent all day staring at the phone
Wanting to feel something other than alone
Sitting on a barstool but too scared to
Do anything but continue to be used
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5. |
Fisticuffs
03:05
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I let my emotions get the best of me
And then the worst of me
They took the rest of me
And when you put your hand out to rescue me
I said just let me be
You made a wreck of me
Oh baby can’t you see
There’s nothing left of me
I opened up the book and skipped ahead
Couldn’t believe
What the pages said
Now everyone that’s in my bed
Thinks I’m too well read
Oh baby can’t you see
There’s nothing left of me
Now the cards have been laid down
Every queen has peace
In the kings they’ve found
I just can’t help but look around
And find I’m one hand down
Oh baby can’t you see
There’s nothing left of me
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6. |
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You were a wonder boy
The one they said would take over the world
You were the one that everyone expected
So much of
It wasn’t so much that your flame burned out
But they kept pouring water on your dreams
The fire in your eyes was always ablaze
Even though they couldn’t see
Though they couldn’t see
Everyone admitted that you didn’t it best
But they wanted no part of you
Is it because you were temperamental
Or because they feared what you might do
It wasn’t so much that your flame burned out
But they kept pouring water on your dreams
The fire in your eyes was always ablaze
Even though they couldn’t see
Though they couldn’t see
I saw you when you were older
You looked different than before
Everyone said you lost your marbles
But no one was sure anymore
It wasn’t so much that your flame burned out
But they kept pouring water on your dreams
The fire in your eyes was always ablaze
Even though they couldn’t see
Though they couldn’t see
You still had the passion
And you still had the joy
Even in an old man’s beard
You were the same wonder boy
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7. |
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you gotta have hope
you gotta know there’s something coming down the line
it’s hard to think that way
when the romantic ideals of youth
fade over time
you get used to disillusionment
you get used to thinking
like something will never happen
you compromise your faith
and feel that less and less matters
another year has passed
another time of loss and regret
we should have done this
we should have done something other than that
second guessing is our nature
our way of coping with our mistakes
it’s hard to admit that sometimes
those are just the breaks
it seems that in the spring
we’re able to think so positively
by the time the leaves have fallen from the trees
we’re hit with reality
any way you look at it
it takes a lot of grace to get by
we get through the winter
and find the strength
to give it another try
the last time the cubs won the world series
I wasn’t even born
neither was my father
my grandpa was only 1
but somehow we have hope
despite the cynicism of our age
we kept the faith all those years
and it was worth the wait
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8. |
The Restlessness
03:31
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When you got home this morning
Looked under the sink
Another mouse caught in a trap
Get a beer out of the fridge
Look at the TV
Try to find something to make you laugh
And you feel the restlessness eating you up inside
You don’t know where it’s coming from or why
Laying on the couch
Under the covers
Can’t seem to get comfortable
You’re hot and you’re cold
And you don’t want to be touched
By anyone in the world
And you feel the restlessness eating you up inside
You don’t know where it’s coming from or why
You find it hard to think
It’s hard to breathe
You can’t tell that you’re alive even if you bleed
You think back to when
You were a girl
It’s like another lifetime in another world
And you feel the restlessness eating you up inside
You don’t know where it’s coming from or why
You find it hard to think
It’s hard to breathe
You can’t tell that you’re alive even if you bleed
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9. |
Romeo Rides Again
04:40
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The front porch is empty
There’s nobody home
He’s out there walking the streets
All alone
Hands in his pocket
Eyes to the ground
Aimless shuffling
His feet around
And he can’t remember
When he’s felt this lost in town
And he can’t remember when he
Ever felt found
On the corner of eighth
He lights a cigarette
Stares for a minute
Then he tales his next step
Old Lady Krantz
Yells from her second floor
“Shouldn’t you be at home?
Don’t walk by here anymore”
And he can’t remember
When he’s felt this lost in town
And he can’t remember when he
Ever felt found
It’s a quarter to two
And he’s still walking
Down by the bridge
There’s a couple kids parking
Guess he should go home
He lights a cigarette
Shuffles his feet
And don’t look back
And he can’t remember
When he’s felt this lost in town
And he can’t remember when he
Ever felt found
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Brent Stewart recommends:
To The Roof Of The Sky (1998)
by Bill Mallonee & Vigilantes of Love
A huge record for me. It helped me find a language to articulate what I wanted to say with my music. Bill is one of the best songwriters out there. You'll never be disappointed.
go to album
David Brown and The Tomorrowmen
by David Brown and The Tomorrowmen
One of the most creative guys I've known. Also check out his late band, Secondary Modern.
go to album
Sticks And Stones (Deluxe Remaster)
by 77s
Another very influential album for me. Great pop/ rock writing. Killer band. Killer guitar playing. Should have been a hit!
go to albumIf you like Brent Stewart, you may also like:
Echo Dancing
by Alejandro Escovedo
The legendary Alejandro Escovedo returns with another country-rock scorcher.
go to album
Play It On The Tannoys
by Stranger The Horse
Rich and carefully-sculpted songs that cross-wire country and roots music with jazz, samba, and more.
go to album
Restless Spirit
by Tucker Riggleman & The Cheap Dates
West Virginia trio showcase strident country rock anchored in bold, anthemic songcraft and deliciously twangy tones.
go to album
