Category: acoustic

I know that you love him; he’s taken your heart
It seems you’re determined to tear us apart
So this is the end of the life that we share
But I know you love me; I know you still care
You say you’re ready to stand by his side
but I’m not prepared for my baby to become a bride

Under the stars by the campfire’s glow
Sharing the secrets that only we know
Flickering lights making stars of your eyes
The mem’ries remind me just how the time flies
You say that he gives you that same glow inside
but I’m not prepared for my baby to become a bride

Sometimes only music can say what I mean
A bittersweet moment each father’s foreseen
But life isn’t ever quite what you had planned
You gave him your heart so I’ll give him your hand
I know that you’re ready; this knot will be tied
but I’m not prepared for my baby to become a bride

I’ve been a fan all my life long
Of rock and roll’s electric three-chord songs
But I’ve come to a crossroads; time to move on
cause it all sounds the same, I guess the thrill is gone

So the first time in years I turned the dial
Looking for something new and worthwhile
I spun the knob and the next thing you know
Some guys leavin’ his woman for a rodeo

Chorus:
What’s that playing on my radio?
Can’t tell if it’s country
Or rock and roll
Hey, I kinda like it
I’m not just some crank
But it isn’t Led Zeppelin
And it sure isn’t Hank

My daddy used to sing and play guitar
He thought my rock and roll idols were pretty bizarre
Jimmie Rodgers and Hank, either Williams or Snow
He stuck with his heroes and let the rest go

So I knew about country – or I thought I did
Had some preconcieved notions from when I was a kid
But the next song’s about a singin’ mechanic
And some music advice and prodsponder panic

Chorus:
What’s that playing on my radio?
Can’t tell if it’s country
Or rock and roll
Hey, I kinda like it
I’m not just some crank
But it isn’t Led Zeppelin
And it sure isn’t Hank

Bridge:
Well you really got me on a stairway to heaven somehow
With or without you I feel like a free bird now

It’s interesting how my horizon’s expanded
Haven’t been this unsettled since the Eagles disbanded
But I’ll settle in and spend my afternoons
With guitars and Cadillacs and hillbilly tunes

Chorus:
What’s that playing on my radio?
Can’t tell if it’s country
Or rock and roll
Hey, I kinda like it
I’m not just some crank
But it isn’t Led Zeppelin
And it sure isn’t Hank

intro D notes
D A
the hole we’re in keeps getting deeper
G D
everything’s darker than night
the life we were promised feels so far away
you said you’d make everything right

I try to be patient, keep on believing
I know that it’s all true
we’re all hanging on by a thread and I wonder
there’s something I have to ask you

G
please tell me now
A
show me somehow
G A
please answer, ’cause I need to know

D A G
is it soon today now? I need to know
is it soon today now? I need you to show me
it’s soon today now, ’cause I need to know

as everything crumbles to dust all around us
we’re trying hard to hang on
you know we trust you with all of our hearts
can’t wait till this old world is gone

prechorus
chorus

A G
some days we feel we can’t take anymore
so many have waited so long
it keeps getting harder day after day
G A
give us the faith to hold on

chorus

story time’s done for tonight
those puppies got home safe again
you never get tired of that story
tuck you in, say a prayer, and then

chorus:
In the land of a little boy’s dream
Full of singing and games and ice cream
you’ve played hard all day
now sleep takes you away
to the land of a little boy’s dream

you’re asleep in no time at all
you never waste time counting sheep
I’m wondering what’s
going on in your head
and watching a while as you sleep

chorus

I know that some day you’ll grow up
to find out that life ain’t what it seems
but for now every night
it’ll all be alright
in the land of a little boy’s dream

chorus

to the land of a little boy’s dream

Seven steps up from West Thirty-Fifth
To an old brownstone
Whose bulky genius wouldn’t work at all
If I left him on his own

Hoisting himself out of that custom chair
Only exercise he’ll get
Elevator to his orchids fair
So he doesn’t break a sweat

If it wasn’t for my needling
He’d have nothing much to do
If there was no Archie Goodwin
There’d be no you-know-who

Inspector Cramer in the big red chair
Chews on his unlit cigar
He swears someday he’s gonna get us both
But we all know he won’t get far

Theodore up in the orchid room
Saul and Fred and Fritz and me
Jump through hoops to suit his every whim
Best you’ll hear is ‘satisfactory’

If it wasn’t for my needling
He’d have nothing much to do
If there was no Archie Goodwin
There’d be no you-know-who

Never leaves the house on business
Unless some flummery’s afoot
Maybe a meal upstairs at Rustermann’s
But he’d prefer to just stay put

So I go out with Lily Rowan
Flamingo lays out quite a spread
Back home a snack is always waiting
Big glass of milk and off to bed

If it wasn’t for my needling
He’d have nothing much to do
If there was no Archie Goodwin
There’d be no you-know-who

They come in droves to hire the genius
But disappointed out they go
He seems impervious to needling
Unless the bank account is low

But when he finally takes an interest
He sits and thinks and thinks and sits
Lips pushing in and out with eyes closed
About as active as he gets

If it wasn’t for my needling
He’d have nothing much to do
If there was no Archie Goodwin
There’d be no you-know-who

“Please sit down; eyes at a level”
“Will you have a beer with me?”
He doesn’t stand, he won’t shake hands
The author’s name his physiognomy

I’ve put up with this enfant terrible
Forty years and maybe more
And through ’em all I’ve quit so many times
I’d love to even up the score

If it wasn’t for my needling
He’d have nothing much to do
If there was no Archie Goodwin
There’d be no you-know-who

If there was no Archie Goodwin
There’d be no you-know-who

---

intro C G C G
C G
You should have married Andrew Jackson
I know that you think more of him than me
I’ll bet Ben Franklin would be fine with you
D C G
and that’s fine with me as far as I can see

Alexander Hamilton is only half as much
as Andrew Jackson in your twisted mind
George Washington is peanuts and Lincoln’s not much more
but Grover Cleveland would be quite a find

too bad Woodrow Wilson don’t circulate no more
got your hands on him he’d never leave
but give me just one Roosevelt to call a cab
and I’ll be gone for good you’d best believe

Fiona: drums w/snare on, brush/hot rod | notes
capo 3, play in A
It’s raining straight in my face and I’m losing my place in the lane
as the big rigs go by spitting mud in my face
and it’s all I can do just to hang on and pray
up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the right
and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to meet me
and help me try to make some sense of my day

last night or last week or last month or last year
I’d never have thought I’d be coming back here
to the place that I should never have left in the first place at all
but this morning I woke in more ways than one
underpaid undervalued and under the gun
was the last night week month year of climbing that wall

had a lotta friends who were really great
took the shirt off my back and the food from my plate
but they left me an old mandolin and a song or two
gave a beat up car and an old guitar
and a mandolin I couldn’t play anyway
for this old road warrior that’s bringing me back to you

two iron lungs between my knees
all the leatherwork died of some horrid disease
and I’ll bet you a nickel ain’t no nickel left in that chrome
it’s ragged and ugly but it sure is fast
eating miles and bugs and oil and gas
and time on the road to the hills that we call home

up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the right
and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to meet me
and help me try to make a little sense of my day

bass notes

P-F T-C
walkdown →
             C             B            Bb        A
It’s raining straight in my face and I’m losing my place in the
F           C           F           C
lane as the big rigs go by spitting mud in my 
G             D         G          D           C   G   F C
face and it’s all I can do just to hang on and pray
    C             B            Bb            A
up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the 
F             C         F               C
right and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to 
G           D         G        D           C   G   C bump
meet me and help me try to make some sense of my day

last night or last week or last month or last year
I’d never have thought I’d be coming back here
to the place I should never have left in the first place at all
but this morning I woke in more ways than one
underpaid undervalued and under the gun
was the last night week month year of climbing that wall

had a lotta friends who were really great
took the shirt off my back and the food from my plate
but they left me an old mandolin and a song or two
gave a beat up car and an old guitar
and a mandolin I couldn’t play anyway
for this old road warrior that’s bringing me back to you

two iron lungs between my knees
all the leatherwork died of some horrid disease
and I’ll bet you a nickel ain’t no nickel left in that chrome
it’s ragged and ugly but it sure is fast
eating miles and bugs and oil and gas
and time on the road to the hills that we call home

up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the right
and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to meet me
and help me try to make a little sense of my day
up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the right
and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to meet me
and help me try to make a little sense of my day

walkdown →
    C             B            Bb            A
up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the 
F             C         F               C
right and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to 
G           D         G        D           C   G   C bump
meet me and help me try to make some sense of my day
    C             B            Bb            A
up ahead there’s a curve to the left and I’ll go to the 
F             C         F               C
right and I’ll be home tonight and you’ll be there to 
G           D         G        D           C   G   C C C C CCCC
meet me and help me try to make some sense of my day