YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT

You said that you're fed up

You say you're gonna head off

Then you run around packin'

Like a chicken with yer head off

I just wanna ask you

Honey where you think you're at

Cause I tell you all the time

You don't have to do that

 

You're always complaining

'Bout everything you have to do

But have you forgotten

Just who you're talkin' to

I'm not like the others

No I ain't no sewer rat

And I know that you know babe

You don't have to do that

 

I think I'm gonna end it

There ain't nothin' left to say

There's even less to do now

So just go get on your way

I tried to be honest

And let you know where it was at

You went and double crossed me

You don't have to do that

 

SHOOTIN' STAR

In the silence of the night

When the moon is shining bright

And I see a shootin' star

I will search high and low

In the valleys deep below

Cause where it lands is where you are

 

It just keeps on snowin'

And the winter wind keeps blowin'

And I can't see too far

But until that fateful day

I will have no words to say

Until I find my shootin' star

 

AIN'T NO FRIEND OF MINE

Go jump overboard baby

That'll suit me just fine

You ain't much of a woman

And you ain't no friend of mine

You don't practice what you preach

You don't walk no line

You got no sugar in your lips

Got no wiggle in yer hips

And you ain't no friend of mine

 

Well you ask me if I can stay awhile

Just so you can kill me with a smile

Don't care if you're screamin'

Don't care if your cryin'

I'll tell you one more time

You ain't no friend of mind

 

You better watch your step baby

Don't you know you're bound to fall

So go ahead ha! you can take it all

I ain't got nothing and that suits me just fine

Now you've got to foot the bill

And you've got big shoes to fill

And you still ain't no friend of mine

 

DON'T LET THEM IN ( IF YOU HEAR THEM KNOCKIN' )

Those who preach of heaven they live a life of sin

So if you hear them knockin' don't let them in

They might change their face but you know just where they've bin

So if you hear them knockin' don't let them in

 

They always want a drink but they'll never buy the gin

So if you hear them knockin' don't let them in

They'll make you play a game you know you'll never win

So if you hear them knockin' don't let them in

 

PONY EXPRESS

I'm headin' where the sun don't go down

I'm leaving on the pony express

Good-bye mister moon I'm leaving here soon

I got nobody to impress

 

I'll be riding on that pony express

Clear through the ol' dusty plains

With a tent in my pack and a guitar on my back

I'll be leavin' on that northbound train

 

My pockets they ain't loaded

My shoes they've got no heel

If you've had a pal who stole away your gal

Then you'll know just how this poor boy feels

 

TALKIN' SASKATOON DOWNTOWN BUSKERS BLUES

Woke up morn' didn't know what to do

So I walked up 2nd Avenue

Put on my guitar I threw down my case

Hopin' the sun would shine down upon my face

And I started pickin'

Singin' songs about the new dust bowl

 

I was standing there for a little while

I was tryin' my best to keep a low profile

And just as I was gettin' ready to stop

Up pulled a car and out jumped a cop

He eyed me up right away

 

Well he walked up and he asked me for my name

And I wasn't in the mood to play his game

So I gave him my ID picture card

Tryin' make the situation just a lil' less hard

 

But I knew he was here to chase me away

And said "Though I ain't gonna tell you where to play

C'mon boy I've made it pretty clear

We want you and your guitar outta here

We gotta keep downtown Saskatoon B-E-A-UTIFUL"

 

So I took off my harmonica rack

And on the cop I turned my back

Put my guitar back in it's case

Stood up and looked him straight in the face

And said today's pig is tomorrow's bacon

 

But then as I went to leave

He said "Wait a minute boy" and grabbed me by my sleeve

Just gotta wrap up my little game

I'm gonna do a background check on yer name

See if you don't need to come for a ride

Free cab fare

 

Well he made a little call down to his chief

You know he wanted to hang me like I was a thief

But whatddya know my name was clear

So I figured I'd go and have myself a couple of beers

Cause like Leroy Carr used to sing in the 30's

I'd rather be sloppy drunk than anything I know

 

I don't think I'm smart but I ain't no dunce

I wish that I could ask him once

Why on me do you waste your time

When you could be out solving a real crime

Instead of chasing the ol downtown busker away

They made me feel like I was Jesse James... or Lenny Bruce

 

PRETTY LITTLE GAL

Had myself a sweetheart for her there was nothing that I wouldn't do

One day without no warning she told me that we were through

I tried to get myself together but the ends were too frayed to tie

And without that pretty little gal I just feel like dyin'

 

The sun don't shine for me anymore the moon and stars all seem to hide

Ain't got no momma knockin' on my door, ain't got no train to ride

Got sugar in my coffee no clothes drying on the line

And without that pretty little gal I just feel like dyin'

 

The birds outside my window they refuse to sing

And without you in my life my life don't mean a thing

The roads too dark for dreamin' and I got no more money for wine

I ain't got no pretty little gal of my own and I can't keep from cryin'

 

IT WON'T BE ME

You can't shut me up

You can't blow me down

I'm too hot to stop

I own this town

I've paid my dues

Now you gotta pay yours too

You better watch yourself

Cause what I say is true

 

(CHORUS)

It won't be me that will judge you when you die

It won't be me that's gonna run to you when you cry

It won't be me turning the other cheek

It won't be me with the broken jaw blues next week

It won't be me

 

Whatever you do

Don't count yer chickens 'fore they hatch

You shoulda remembered

The 22 catch

REPEAT CHORUS

 

EULOGY FOR THE FORGOTTEN POET

When you find the time startin' to pass you by

You must find the courage to hang your head high

Be sure of each step that you take

As to avoid an unnecessary mistake

In your life you must take stock

Go and find yourself on a winters walk

And if the blowin' snow seems to hinder your pace

And you feel the cold wind blowin' on yer face

Just bare your palms unto the most high

And your fears and chills will pass you by

And in that quiet moment

You'll realize yer just skin and bones

And yer time on earth may not be long

But be thankful for each and every song

Your tongue has had the pleasure to know

And every not that yer lungs did blow

And for every lover who has known my touch

Knows that poetry has always been my crutch

It's kept me alive through good times and bad

It's givin' me everything that I've ever had

For every poem is a story to tell

From My Heart's In The Highlands to A Season In Hell

 

Around each new corner comes another chance

To rally the troops for the cosmic dance

We must gather together and all hold hands

To stand, to live, to die for our lands

Lettin' nobody bully our point of view

Knowin' that heavens have declared that it's true

We fear no wrath of the devils scorn

Cause when we die we'll be reborn

Delivered to day from endless night

Saved from the black by the man in white

Torn from the clutches of evil parasites

And brought to a place of endless delights

Where the sun always shines o'er the mountains

Where we finally get to drink from the holy fountains

The water so clear, so fresh , so cold

The spirit that no mortal man can hold

A place where no serpents creep under the door

Where peace and love lives forever more

Where natural beauty finally gets her day

Is the place where I long to stay

 

But I'm in no hurry to finish the race

To do things by half is a selfish disgrace

I'd best bide my time cause for what it's worth

I know not the time that I'll leave this earth

But when that day comes and my flesh it is dead

Please recite these words that came from my head

Tell my tale through the words of this poem

And know that this ramblin' man is finally home

 

WHO WHAT WHY WHERE HOW WHO

Why did you come around

Where you knew you could find me

How did you hear the news

What lips spoke it to thee