L Y R I C S

LY R I C S
say grace
she was almost out of high school
when she left home
got a job in an office
she answered the phone
her boss was a creep
he wouldn’t leave her alone
she had to go
middle of that mess
she met a fine young man
they rolled into houston
in a chevrolet van
louisiana tags
a beautiful band of gold
they carried each other
so long
but they drifted apart
never really went wrong
just married too young
both moved along
c’est la vie
she starts every day
just fine
rain on cedars - photograph
then she hears that voice
same place same time
her mother is in the mirror
with the same old lines to say
she says
you know better baby
say grace
don’t even try
you can’t take your brother’s place
don’t even try
don’t give me that face any more
so where does the time go
now there’s gray in her hair
she sits at her dressing table
in a wrought iron chair
wears a terrycloth robe
with a tear
when she is alone
the tv says war in the holy land
she looks at the wrinkles on the
back of her hand
rubs her finger where she wore a wedding band
she looks away
precious savior
she remembers a hymn
it is a hymn
she never liked
she goes to the gym
goes to work
dinner with a friend
falls asleep
with the tv on
you know better baby
say grace
don’t even try
you can’t take your brother’s place
don’t even try
don’t give me that face anymore
say grace
baby you know how
all these years
even now
stand up
mother take a bow
cause you still
make her cry
the tattooed woman
the tattooed woman
she sleeps in my bed
the ink is dry
the dogs are fed
the moon is safe
her face is red
the tattooed woman
she sleeps in my bed
her hair is black
her skin is white
she’s pulled the sheets around her tight
i wish i had the right
to comfort her as a husband might
rain is coming
that’s how it feels
now i lay me down to sleep
the lord out wandering with his sheep
there’s oh so many souls to keep
now i lay me down to sleep
rain is coming
that’s how it feels
curved road - photograph
The sweeping up the heart, and putting love away
- emily dickinson
road crew
sunday morning
road crew in the rain
billboards
beer cans
the street cleaners block my lane
they are sweeping up the hearts
that is what they say
they are sweeping up the hearts
they’re putting love away
flag man
so go slow
or double fines
radio talk show
flashing signs
for brake shops
for batteries
for new and rebuilt parts
guys in hard hats
sweeping up the hearts
self portrait - photograph of charcoal on canvas
they are sweeping up the hearts
that is what they say
they are sweeping up the hearts
they’re putting love away
migrants
well it is not that far
the smuggler said
you walk north one day
across la cabeza prieta
just keep walking to interstate eight
well they walked that day
the next
and the next
and the water it ran out one by one
ay mijitos
they looked like dried leaves
scattered in the sun
oh my dear ones
we are lost
well it is so far away
from the lowlands of veracruz
to the desert up north of sonora
where they strung out in ones and twos
they got twelve lines
in a midwestern paper
on the pages with the ads for shoes
well they were fourteen men
they got lost in the desert
they were migrants
they got twelve lines of news
pull together, my brothers, pull together
we are burning
pull together, my brothers, pull together
the devil is passing
they got twelve lines
in a midwestern paper
on the pages with the ads for shoes
they were fourteen men
they got lost in the desert
they were migrants
they got twelve lines of news
oh my dear ones
we are lost
desert tree - photograph
white heat
that’s what you get
you dirty copper
little jimmy cagney said
thirteen rounds in the hopper
then the cops made jimmy dead
copper penny for your thoughts
copper jacket full of lead
they wanted little jimmy cagney dead
that’s what you get you dirty copper
you get thirteen rounds in the hopper
mama mama how he yelled
he told them coppers he could fly
from the gasoline tank when he got nailed
yelling you dirty rats
it is one big lie
the crowd yelled back
fly jimmy fly
all the excitement everybody got high
mama mama how he yelled from the gasoline tank
when he got nailed
where have you gone my love
now that i have found my way
where have you gone my love
now that i am old and gray
bells are ringing
choirs are singing
step out in the field
if you are looking for trouble
man you can find it
but come out swinging
out in the field the farmers burning the stubble
out in the field people living in the rubble
but only come out if you are looking for trouble
bells are ringing
choirs are singing
you get what you want
but come out swinging
where have you gone my love
now that i have found my way
where have you gone my love
now that i am old and gray
that’s what you get
little jimmy cagney said
thirteen rounds
in the hopper
then the cops made jimmy dead
copper penny for your thoughts
copper jacket full of lead
they wanted little jimmy cagney dead
that’s what you get
you dirty coppers
you get thirteen rounds in the hopper
mama mama how he yelled
told them coppers
you go to hell
mama mama how he yelled
from the gasoline tank
when he got nailed
where have you gone my love
now that i have found my way
where have you gone my love
now that i am old and gray
ditch
i am crawling back down in the ditch today
i got a crazy-ass wife
got a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
i’m crawling back down in the ditch today
the crew’s a bunch of stoners
the boss is a shit
be a miracle if one of us
does not get hit
by a ton of pipe
on a cheap ass chain
swinging round the sky
in this pouring ass rain
i am crawling back down in the ditch today
i got a crazy-ass wife
got a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
i’m crawling back down in the ditch today
my crazy-ass wife
she’s nutty as her brother
supposed to marry rich
according to her mother
supposed to marry up
now she is knocked up down
by a poor man
wrestling a pipe in the ground
i am crawling back down in the ditch today
i got a crazy-ass wife
got a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
crawling back down in the ditch today
my wife god bless her and for what it is worth
thinks she and taylor swift
were twins at birth
separated at birth
earth to wife
wife to earth
i am crawling back down in the ditch today
i got a crazy-ass wife
a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
crawling back down in the ditch today
i’m glad i got work
glad i got pay
i’m crawling back down in the ditch today
ripe wheat - photograph
interlude
west texas - photograph
isn’t love great
there is a beautiful woman
walks with a limp
he calls her his princess
he calls her his gimp
she calls him her fat man
calls him her pimp
she teaches first graders got a beautiful limp
isn’t love great
isn’t love grand
she touches his face
he holds her hand
isn’t love great
isn’t love grand
for years they’ve been married
not one day of trouble
got two happy boys
good luck
and daily double
love to dance with each other
say they live in a bubble
go to church twice a week
not one day of trouble
eye of the horse - photo of oil on canvas
isn’t love great
isn’t love grand
she touches his face
he holds her hand
isn’t love great
isn’t love grand
glory hallelujah
my sisters and my brothers
she wears fishnet
he wears leather
when the boys are at his mother’s
there is a beautiful woman
she walks with a limp
he calls her his princess
calls her his gimp
she calls him her fat man
calls him her pimp
she teaches first graders got a beautiful limp
isn’t love great
isn’t love grand
she touches his face
he holds her hand
isn’t love great
isn’t love grand
introduction to feast
white swan - photograph
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last...
- yeats
feast
what rough beast
there are mega blessings
golden fleece
golden fleece
close thine eyes on
that rough beast
dues are paid palms are greased
your neighbors in the neighborhood sufficiently policed
feast, feast
close thine eyes on
that rough beast
i had a dream last night
a woman came to my bed her hair was made out of light
she said wake up deacon the time is right
wake up deacon it’s our wedding night
i had a dream
i had a dream
what rough beast
there are mega blessings
a golden fleece
a golden fleece
close thine eyes on
that rough beast
self portrait - photograph of oil on canvas
feast, feast
close thine eyes
on that rough beast
sunflower - photograph
sweet hour of prayer
sweet hour of prayer
sweet hour of prayer
that calls me from this world of care
plowed field - photograph
panhandle winter
it’s a panhandle winter
i hear it may snow
blow a sky full of dirt
back to old mexico
a fresh pane of glass
and one dearborn stove
are not enough to keep out the cold
you see it’s cold on the prairie
when a blue northern runs
coming down the canadian past a frail winter sun
with a wind like a combine
in a high plains wheat field
comes down the prairie
like blue tempered steel
the morning sun
falls soft on the bed
on the king james bible
that lies at the head
all this is passing is all she said
all this is passing is all that she said
you see it’s cold on the prairie
when a blue northern runs
coming down the canadian past a frail winter sun
with a wind like a combine
in a high plains wheat field
comes down the prairie
like blue tempered steel
a windbreak, a windbreak
i want no more cold heartache
like a horse turn my back to this wind
a warm heart, a warm house
not a wind burned prairie farm house
good whiskey
the smile of a friend
well it’s a panhandle winter
i hear it may snow
blow a sky full of dirt
back to old mexico
a fresh pane of glass
one dearborn stove
are not enough to keep out the cold
button by button
zip un zip
snap un snap
hook un hook
strap un strap
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
candlelight to canvas
red wine to red lips
one bare shoulder
white silk to cream hips
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
lord show me how you hide
in the perfume of this saint
show me how you hide
in the brushes and the paint
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
lace and light - photograph
and show me how you hide
your daughter
from your son
show me how you hide
the things that you want done
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
ivory and umber
turpentine and lace
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
button by button
all of her clothes fall down
go in peace
go in peace
go in kindness
go in love
go in faith
leave the day
the day behind us
day is done
go in grace
let us go
into the dark
not afraid
not alone
let us hope
by some good pleasure
safely to
arrive at home
let us hope
by some good pleasure
safely to
arrive at home
white horse - photograph
PERFORMERS
say grace
sam baker: voice and guitar
billy crockett: harmony voice
rick richards: drums
drew pressman: bass
chip dolan: piano
anthony da costa: electric guitar
the tattooed woman
sam baker: voice
rick richards: drums
drew pressman: bass
steve conn: piano
anthony da costa: electric guitar
road crew
sam baker: voice and guitar
tim lorsch: strings
migrants
sam baker: voice and guitar
joel guzman: accordion and harmony voice
white heat
sam baker: voice and guitar
carrie elkin: second voice
rick richards: drums
drew pressman: bass
chip dolan: piano
anthony da costa: electric guitar
tim lorsch: strings
ditch
sam baker: voice and guitar
john ross silva: percussion
interlude
chip dolan: piano
tim lorsch: violin
isn’t love great
sam baker: voice
john ross silva: percussion
lloyd maines: guitar
oliver steck: trumpet
introduction to feast
steve conn: piano
feast
sam baker: voice
britt savage: harmony voice
roxie dean: harmony voice
steve conn: piano
mickey grimm: drums
gurf morlix: electric guitar and bass
radoslav lorkovic: accordion
sweet hour of prayer
chris baker-davies: voice
raina rose: second voice
steve conn: piano
a panhandle winter
sam baker: voice and guitar
chris baker-davies: second voice
stephen scott baker: pedal steel
button by button
sam baker: voice
carrie elkin: harmony voice
raina rose: harmony voice
rick richards: percussion
chip dolan: piano
drew pressman: bass
tim lorsch: strings
go in peace
sam baker: voice and guitar
tim lorsch: cello
grass fire - photograph
C R E D IT S
art: sam baker unless otherwise noted
photos: sam baker
back cover portrait: chrislyn lawrence
all songs written by sam baker with these exceptions:
graphic design & layout: vanessa lively
graphic production: tim hicks
-the melody in the bridge of
t h e t a t t o o e d w o m a n and in the i n t e r l u d e
comes from picardy, a french medieval folk melody,
dating to the seventeenth century. i learned the melody in
the presbyterian church in itasca as a child. it was used in the hymn
recording: cedar creek, austin texas
lead engineer: john ross silva
additional recording:
steve lorree
crabapple downs
nanton, alberta
let all mortal flesh keep silent
bradley hartman
thirteen degrees studio
nashville, tn
-s w e e t h o u r o f p r a y e r
william b. bradbury 1816-1868 fred remmert
cedar creek recording
austin, tx
-g o i n p e a c e
sam baker (sesac bluelimestone) and liz rose (bmi sony)
and inspired by the hymn come thou fount of every blessing
words by robert robinson 1732-1790
mix: john ross silva
cedar creek recording
master: jim wilson mastering
boulder, co
© 2013
production: sam baker except f e a s t by
sam baker and tim lorsch
road and sky - photograph
all this
is passing
is all
she said
G R AT IT U D E
i am grateful for:
chrislyn lawrence
my wonderful friends and family
and the great artists who contributed their talents
i am also grateful for:
the fans who were generous with their kindness and financial support,
and
you the listener
everyone is at the mercy of another one’s dream