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Dupree's
Diamond Blues
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When I was just a little young boy,
Papa said, "Son, you'll never get far,
I'll tell you the reason if you want to know,
'cause child of mine, there isn't really very far to
go"
Well, baby, baby wants a gold diamond ring
Wants it more than most any old thing
Well, when I get those jelly-roll blues
Why, I'd go and get anything in this world for you
Down to the jewelry store packing a gun,
says, "Wrap it up. I think I'll take this one."
"A thousand dollars, please," the jewelry man said
Dupree, he said, "I'll pay this one off to you in lead"
Well, you know, son, you just can't figure,
first thing you know you're gonna pull that trigger
and it's no wonder your reason goes bad--
jelly roll will drive you stone-mad
Judge said, "Son, this gonna cost you some time"
Dupree said, "Judge, you know that crossed my mind"
Judge said, "Fact, it's gonna cost you your life"
Dupree said, "Judge, you know that seems to me to be
about right" |
Well, baby, baby's gonna lose her sweet man
Dupree come out with a losing hand
Baby's gonna weep it up for a while
then go on out
and find another sweet man's gonna treat her with style
Judge said, "Son, I know your baby well
but that's a secret I can't never tell"
Dupree said, "Judge, well, it's well understood,
and you got to admit that that sweet, sweet jelly's so
good"
Well, you know, son, you just can't figure,
first thing you know you're gonna pull that trigger
and it's no wonder your reason goes bad--
jelly roll will drive you stone-mad.
Same old story and I know it's been told,
some like jelly-jelly--some like gold
Many a man's done a terrible thing
just to get baby that shiny diamond ring
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|
Row, Jimmy
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Julie catch a rabbit by his hair
Come back step, like to walk on air
Get back home where you belong
and don't you run off no more
Don't hang your head let the two time roll
Grass shack nailed to a pinewood floor
Ask the time? Baby, I don't know
Come back later, we'll let it show
And I say row, Jimmy, row
Gonna get there?
I don't know
Seems a common way to go
Get down row, row, row
row, row
Here's a half a dollar if you dare
double-twist when you hit the air
Look at Julie down below
the levee doin' the do-pas-o
And I say row, Jimmy, row
Gonna get there?
I don't know
Seems a common way to go
Get down row, row, row
row, row |
Broken heart don't feel so bad
Ain't got half o' what you thought you had
Rock your baby to and fro
Not too fast and not too slow
And I say row, Jimmy, row
Gonna get there?
I don't know
Seems a common way to go
Get down row, row, row
row, row
That's the way it's been in town
ever since they tore the jukebox down
Two-bit piece don't buy no more
not so much as it done before
And I say row, Jimmy, row
Gonna get there?
I don't know
Seems a common way to go
Get down row, row, row
row, row
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| Playing
In The Band |
Some folks trust to reason
Others trust to might
I don't trust to nothing
But I know it come out right
Say it once again now
Oh, I hope you understand
When it's done and over
Lord, a man is just a man
Playing
Playing in the band
Daybreak
Daybreak on the land
Some folks look for answers
Others look for fights
Some folks up in treetops
Just look to see the sights
I can tell your future
Look what's in your hand
But I can't stop for nothing
I'm just playing in the band |
Playing
Playing in the band
Daybreak
Daybreak on the land
Standing on a tower
World at my command
You just keep a-turning
While I'm playing in the band
If a man among you
Got no sin upon his hand
Let him cast a stone at me
For playing in the band
Playing
Playing in the band
Daybreak
Daybreak on the land
Playing
Playing in the band
Daybreak
Daybreak on the land
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| Uncle
John's Band |
Well, the first days are the hardest days,
don't you worry anymore
When life looks like Easy Street
there is danger at your door
Think this through with me
Let me know your mind
Whoa-oh, what I want to know,
is are you kind?
It's a Buck Dancer's Choice my friend,
better take my advice
You know all the rules by now
and the fire from the ice
Will you come with me?
Won't you come with me?
Whoa-oh, what I want to know,
will you come with me?
Goddamn, well I declare
Have you seen the like?
Their walls are built of cannonballs,
Their motto is Don't tread on me
Come hear Uncle John's Band
by the riverside
Got some things to talk about
here beside the rising tide |
It's the same story the crow told me
It's the only one he know--
like the morning sun you come
and like the wind you go
Ain't no time to hate,
barely time to wait
Whoa-oh, what I want to know,
where does the time go?
I live in a silver mine
and I call it Beggar's Tomb
I got me a violin
and I beg you call the tune
Anybody's choice
I can hear your voice
Whoa-oh, what I want to know,
how does the song go?
Come hear Uncle John's Band
by the riverside
Come with me or go alone
He's come to take his children home
Come hear Uncle John's Band
playing to the tide
Come on along or go alone
he's come to take his children home
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| Lady
With A Fan |
Let my inspiration flow
in token rhyme suggesting rhythm
that will not forsake me
till my tale is told and done
While the firelight's aglow
strange shadows in the flames will grow
till things we've never seen
will seem familiar
Shadows of a sailor forming
winds both foul and fair all swarm
Down in Carlisle he loved a lady
many years ago
Here beside him stands a man
a soldier from the looks of him
who came through many fights
but lost at love
While the storyteller speaks
a door within the fire creaks
suddenly flies open
and a girl is standing there
Eyes alight with glowing hair
all that fancy paints as fair
she takes her fan and throws it
in the lion's den |
"Which of you to gain me, tell
will risk uncertain pains of Hell?
I will not forgive you
if you will not take the chance."
The sailor gave at least a try
the soldier being much too wise
strategy was his strength
and not disaster
The sailor coming out again
the lady fairly lept at him
That's how it stands today
you decide if he was wise
The storyteller makes no choice
Soon you will not hear his voice
His job is to shed light
and not to master
Since the end is never told
we pay the teller off in gold
in hopes he will come back
but he can not be bought or sold
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| Terrapin
Station |
Inspiration move me brightly
light the song with sense and color
hold away despair
More than this I will not ask
faced with mystery's dark and vast
statements just seem vain at last
some rise, some fall, some climb
to get to Terrapin
Counting stars by candelight
all are dim but one is bright:
the spiral light of Venus
rising first and shining best
From the northwest corner
of a brand-new crescent moon
crickets and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune: |
Terrapin Station
in the shadow of the moon:
Terrapin Station
and I know we'll be there soon
Terrapin -- I can't figure out
Terrapin -- if it's the end or beginning
Terrapin -- but the train's got its brakes on
and the whistle is screaming: Terrapin
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| The
Wheel |
The wheel is turning
and you can't slow down
You can't let go
and you can't hold on
You can't go back
and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you
then the lightning will
Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
Round, round, robin run round
Gotta get back where you belong
Little bit harder, just a little bit more
Little bit farther than you've gone before
The wheel is turning
and you can't slow down
You can't let go
and you can't hold on
You can't go back
and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you
then the lightning will |
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod
Big wheel turn by the grace of God
Every time that wheel turn 'round
bound to cover just a little more ground
The wheel is turning
and you can't slow down
You can't let go
and you can't hold on
You can't go back
and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you
then the lightning will
Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
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| Stella
Blue |
All the years combine
they melt into a dream
A broken angel sings
from a guitar
In the end there's just a song
comes crying like the wind
through all the broken dreams
and vanished years
Stella Blue
When all the cards are down
there's nothing left to see
There's just the pavement left
and broken dreams
In the end there's still that song
comes crying like the wind
down every lonely street
that's ever been
Stella Blue |
I've stayed in every blue-light cheap hotel
Can't win for trying
Dust off those rusty strings just
one more time
Gonna make 'em shine
It all rolls into one
and nothing comes for free
There's nothing you can hold
for very long
And when you hear that song
come crying like the wind
it seems like all this life
was just a dream
Stella blue
"Written at the Chelsea Hotel in 1970." -- Robert Hunter
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|
Black Peter
|
All of my friends come to see me last night
I was laying in my bed and dying
Annie Beauneu from Saint Angel
say, "The weather down here so fine"
Just then the wind
came squalling through the door
but who can
the weather command?
Just want to have
a little peace to die
and a friend or two
I love at hand
Fever roll up to a hundred and five
Roll on up
gonna roll back down
One more day
I find myself alive
tomorrow
maybe go
beneath the ground
See here how everything
lead up to this day
and it's just like
any other day
that's ever been
Sun goin' up
and then the
sun it goin' down
Shine thru my window and
my friends they come around
come around
come around |
People might know but
the people don't care
that a man could be
as poor as me. . . .
"Take a look at poor Peter
he's lyin' in pain
now let's go run
and see
Run and see
hey, hey,
run and see
"I wrote this as a brisk piece like Kershaw's 'Louisiana
Man.' Garcia took it seriously, though, dressing it in subtle changes and
a mournful tempo.
"The bridge verse-- 'See here how everything lead
up to this day....' --was written after the restructuring of the piece
and reflects the additional depth of possibility provided for the song
by his treatment." --Robert Hunter
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| Brokedown
Palace |
Fare you well, my honey
Fare you well my only true one
All the birds that were singing
Have flown except you alone
Going to leave this broke-down palace
On my hands and my knees I will roll, roll, roll
Make myself a bed by the waterside
In my time -- in my time -- I will roll, roll, roll
In a bed, in a bed
by the waterside I will lay my head
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul
River gonna take me
Sing me sweet and sleepy
Sing me sweet and sleepy
all the way back home |
It's a far-gone lullaby
sung many years ago
Mama, Mama many worlds I've come
since I first left home
Going home, going home
by the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul
Going to plant a weeping willow
On the bank's green edge, it will grow, grow, grow
Sing a lullaby beside the water
Lovers come and go -- the river roll, roll, roll.
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul
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