Crusades of the Restless Knights
Crows
Crows
Some come to in grays and blues and shake like a tambourine
Some wake up and spit of the fire and it acts like gasoline
Yes sir, some drone and drool and do nothin for heaven’s sake
Some of them act like crows when they find a dyin snake
Even crows act like eagles when they find a dyin snake
Some been seen with a rusty knife walkin by the railroad tracks
Some been accused of laying down and workin on their back
Yes sir some drone and drool and do nothin for goodness sake
Some of’ um act like crows when they find a dying snake
Even crows act like eagles when they find a dyin snake
Some wake up and look around and then go back to sleep
Some come down and put on flesh and then start playing for keeps
Yes sir some drone on and drool and do nothing for nobody’s sake
Some of um act like crows when they find a dying snake
Even crows act like eagles when they find a dyin snake
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug
There are Some Days
There are Some Days
Well I seem to be haunted by these ghosts
I can’t decide which ones grieve me most
Not wanting to remember or I can’t forget
I am dusty with old regrets
There are some days I just wanna cry
There are some ways I use to get by
Well you got your cross and your hymnal too
And you say you’re prayers like you’re supposed to do
And you say it was amazing grace
And I believe you, I see it in your face
Chorus
Now I have seen this angel her wings are torn
She offers me a string of pearls and thorns
She seems to smile before she disappears
She whispers, “You’re not the only one bleeding here”
Chorus
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug
The Lovers in Your Dreams
The Lovers in Your Dreams
You are soft to the touch and things fall on the ground for you
I am torn and blessed as much for I cannot not love you as I do
We are here within our skin and like a coin tossed upon a tambourine
We’ll soon be gone from all we see in this dream within a dream within a dream
When you leave you’re body laying on your bed at night
And drift off to somewhere like you do
In the morning when you open your eyes
Do the lovers in your dreams wake up too?
You all wild within your dreams and its dangerous company you keep
Perhaps it is as it seems then again these dark waters run deep
You are lost to my eyes like a gypsy child on European streets
I hope someday you’ll realize in the darkness there are thieves
Why do I burn if love is kind perhaps this is what the poets mean?
When they rhyme all those words is shades of deep blues and greens
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc.
Conversation With The Devil
Conversation With The Devil
I had a dream last night I was cast into hell by a jealous god
The devil walked up and said “You won’t need no lightning rod
It hardly ever rains down here, I can’t recall the last storm
You’re not gonna need that leather jacket, it gets kinda warm
There’s one way in, no way out, looks like you’re here to stay.
The place is a mess, it’s over crowded and more are comin’ in every day”
I said, “Awe man, wait a minute, there’s gotta be something wrong
I ain’t a bad guy, I just write these little songs
I always pay my union dues, and I don’t stay in the passin’ lane”
He said,” What about all that whiskey and cocaine?”
I said, “Well, sure man, but that no reason to throw me in hell.
I didn’t use the cocaine to get high, I just liked the way it smelled”
He said “Come over here son let me show you around
Over there’s where we put the preachers; I never liked those clowns
They’re always blaming me for everything wrong under the sun
Its not harder to do what’s right, its just maybe not as much fun
Then they walk around thinking they’re better than me and you
And then they get caught in a motel room doing what they said not to do”
“Now all the murders and rapists go into a fiery lake
As well as most of the politicians and cops on the take
And all the mothers who wait till they get to K-Mart to spank their kids
Instead of showing them what to do they just hit them for what they did
And all the daddies who run off and abandon their daughters and sons
Anybody who hurts a child is gonna burn until they’re done
“Every body’s down here, I said, who’s up in heaven with God and the son?”
“Oh some saints and mystics and students of metaphysics 101
People who care and share and love and try to do what’s right
Beautiful old souls who read little stories to their babies at bedtime every night
What you won’t find up in heaven are Christian coalition right wing conservatives
Country program directors and Nashville record executives”
Now I said “I made some mistakes but I’m not as bad as those guys
How can God do this to me can’t you sympathize?”
He said, “You’re wrong about God being cruel and mean
God is the most loving thing that’s never been seen.”
“Well, hot shot,” I said, “Tell me this which religion is the truest?”
“They’re all about the same” he said “ Buddha was not a Christian, but Jesus would have made a good Buddhist.”
I thought about my future and I didn’t seem to have much of one
Looked around to leave but there was no place to run
I said, “I don’t suppose I could go back and try living again
You know like reincarnation, I hear that’s the way it’s always been.”
“I can’t answer that,” he said “you’ll have to wait for that response
But, it’s not any more unusual to be born twice than it is to be born once”
It looked like I was gonna be stuck here as far as I could tell
I thought I might as well suck up, what the hell
I said, “You know that song that Charlie Daniel’s did
About how you went down to Georgia and played fiddle against that kid?”
“Yeah”, he said “It broke my heart, but what are you gonna do?”
“ Well to tell you the truth I thought your solo was the better of the two”.
Then I woke up and I was lying in my bed
I ran up the stairs and kissed my little boy on his sleeping head
Well I took this dream as a sign from God so I thought I better pray
I said, “Don’t ever speak to me directly and thanks anyway”
Now so much has changed about me besides just giving up red meat
Some get spiritual cause they see the light and some cause they feel the heat.
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc
Red Dress
Red Dress
Baby put on her red dress and her lipstick too
Slipped on her seamed stockings and her high heeled shoes
Tonight’s the night she gonna be takin it downtown
Baby’s looking good and baby’s looking round
She put on her danglin earrings and some French perfume
Slid on her diamond bracelet and a little necklace too
Tonight’s the night she gonna be takin it downtown
Baby’s lookin good and she’s looking round
She went down to the beauty parlor, got a platinum rinse
Then she went and tanned her hide, she sparred no expense
Tonight’s the night she gonna be takin it downtown
Baby’s looking good and baby’s lookin round
Now she painted up her fingernails and slipped on her sparklin rings
Picked up her little black purse to carry her special things
Tonight’s the night the woman gonna be takin it downtown
The woman’s lookin good and she’s lookin round
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc
The River Bed
The River Bed
I come down to the river
And I watched the sun go down
And I feel the earth shiver
And the darkness come circlin’ round
I swore I would not come here
And I know I should not stay
Any thoughts heaven born I have
I choose to cast them away
She appears by the water
In the light of a quarter moon
She is dress in lace and velvet
And shades of grays and maroons
She knows without me speakin’
Until I have her I cannot rest
And she smiles as she comes to me
And I lean down and kiss her breast
She rips the cross from my neck
She says “take me down to the river bed”
For once you have had me
You’ll not be satisfied with the undead
We walk into the river
I cannot see the shore
I am baptized in dark waters
And I am hers forever more
Beneath my feet there’s a rumble
In the heavens there are storms
I feel myself sinking into something dark and warm
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc
This River Runs Red
This River Runs Red
My mama run off with a bible salesman
Daddy didn’t come back from the Korean War
My mama’s mama took me in
To save me from sin
The kind sweet Jesus died for
One day she said were goin to the Kiamishie River
We loaded up in her old blue green Pontiac
Before the next sunrise
We gonna get you baptized
By the way your mama ain’t comin back
When we get to river, a man standin out in water
Dressed up in a suit of clothes old and gray
There was people standin round
Okies glory bound
He raised up his head and begins to pray
This river runs red, this river runs red, this river runs red like Jesus’ blood
Gonna raise up the dead, gonna raise up the dead, gonna raise up these old bones from the cold, cold mud
Let me tell you he said about revelations
Chariots of fire and a Promised Land
Being washed in the blood of the lamb
Your soul being goddamned
Repent, for the kingdom is at hand
Then them people started shoutin hallelujah
Come on come on sweet heavenly host
Old women began to cry
Throwin their hands up to the sky
It was a full tilt rapture of the Holy Ghost
Chorus
Now me I got baptized that Sunday
I guess it didn’t take as I look back
When I turned 15 I just seemed to get mean
And I stole my mama’s mama Pontiac
I took me drive up to the south side of Tulsa
Satisfied and moved in with a woman called sweet Loraine
Talkin tough and breakin rules
Being hip slick and cool
And by 25 I was dealin a little cocaine
My luck run out one night in Knoxville
Not less than 5 more than 10 a judge said
Now it happens every night
When they turn out the lights
I can’t stop the voices in my head
Chorus
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc
After the Harvest
After the Harvest
Always before us there have been true believers
Rising above the rank and file drums
Now for a short time we gather small treasures
And after the harvest there is sweet kingdom come
Once we had wings and could fly over mountains
In the blue yonder we had a home
There was a time we could all walk on water
Then we saw a reflection and sank like a stone
There are these bridges from the past to the present
There are these bridges from now until dawn
There are these rivers that flow on forever
We are like rivers on our way home
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard and Lisa Mednick
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP) /Pop Decay Music (BMI)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc
This is an attempt at a mythological bluegrass Buddhist Gnostic gospel hymn. Lisa and I hit two out of the six.
Ray Wylie Hubbard – vocals, acoustic guitar; Lisa Mednick – background vocals, accordion; Paul Pearcy – percussion; Glen Fukunaga – bass; Stephen Bruton – mandolin; Lloyd Maines – dobro
Airplane Fell Down in Dixie
Airplane Fell Down in Dixie
An airplane fell down in Dixie lord how the people cried
An airplane fell down in Dixie, lord how the people cried
20 people was damaged bad, 6 crossed over to the other side
When a mama lose a young’n, ain’t no sadder loss
When a mama lose a young’n, ain’t no sadder loss
Was baptized in the name of Jesus, lay’em neath a Southern Cross
I stood on the ground in England, and heard a hard southern reign
Stood on the ground in England …heard a hard southern rain
Got a taste of bourbon whiskey and Mr. JJ Cales’ cocaine
Now nobody lives forever, some things never die
Nobody lives forever some things never die
Like way down in the land of cotton, they tell me a free bird will always fly
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc.
For the 20, the 6 and the millions they touched.
Ray Wylie Hubbard – slide (Martin D-28E), vocal; Paul Pearcy – cardboard box, tambourine; Glen Fukunaga – upright bass
The Messenger
The Messenger
I am wearing old boots with high Cuban heels
Our souls they are worn and we stand here by grace
My trousers are torn and my jacket is borrowed
I am wearing my time behind the eyes in my face
I am not looking for loose diamonds
Or pretty girls with crosses around their necks
I don’t want four roses and water
I am not looking for God
I am not looking for sex
I’ve worn out my welcome in certain small circles
In Spanish bordellos and confederate states
But there is an angel in leathers and kindness
Who whispers my name and smiles at my fate
All the true believers are out on the road tonight
And no matter what happens, you know they’ll be okay
While the rock and roll gypsies was the last song we sang
By Mr. Van Zandt down in old Santa Fe
Now I have a mission and a small code of honor
To stand and deliver by whatever measures
And the message I give you is by this old poet, Rilke
He said, “Our fears are like dragons guarding our most precious treasures.”
I am not looking for loose diamonds
Or pretty girls with crosses around their necks
I don’t want four roses and water
I am not looking for God
I just want to see what’s next.
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mt. Kharma Music ( ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc.
After I awoke from a long sleep someone gave me “Letters to a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke. This book should be read whether one is a young poet, old poet, not a poet, don’t want to be a poet, don’t care about poetry one way or the other, hates poetry etc.
Ray Wylie Hubbard – vocals, acoustic guitar; Paul Pearcy – percussion; Glen Fukunaga – bass; Stephen Bruton – mandolin; Lloyd Maines – dobro; Terry “Buffalo” Ware – acoustic lead; Patty Griffin – harmony vocals