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Cowboy Junkies Lament Lyrics
Baby hit the back door
breathin' real heavy
said the boys in the alley
wouldn't leave her alone
Mama did her make-up in a terrible hurry
she finally got ready
but the boys were gone
Mama don't you worry,
night's approachin'
there's a hole in heaven
where some sin slips through
just close your eyes and dream real steady
maybe just a little will spill on you
Dark don't lie
Dreams come true
Could be a few will see you through
Old lady Rose, lookin' down her nose
at lonely Miss Lily hiding in the hall
Lily's just praying for the trial to be over
lady Rose just waiting for the axe to fall
Show me off on the way to town
the sky's still shiny
and the earth's still brown
Tell the judge I'm ready for the vases
gonna dance in their faces
when the guitar sounds
Won't be long
I won't be gone
Been leaning toward the shadows all along
Those in the know say so it goes
you plan on reapin', you better sow
You plan on sleepin',
you better keep movin'
sleepin' ain't allowed around here,
you know
Snake eyes cry
Boxcars sigh
Seven's stuck in the middle
just wonderin' why
Dark don't lie
Dreams come true
All it takes is one or two
Maybe just a few will see you through
breathin' real heavy
said the boys in the alley
wouldn't leave her alone
Mama did her make-up in a terrible hurry
she finally got ready
but the boys were gone
Mama don't you worry,
night's approachin'
there's a hole in heaven
where some sin slips through
just close your eyes and dream real steady
maybe just a little will spill on you
Dreams come true
Could be a few will see you through
at lonely Miss Lily hiding in the hall
Lily's just praying for the trial to be over
lady Rose just waiting for the axe to fall
Show me off on the way to town
the sky's still shiny
and the earth's still brown
Tell the judge I'm ready for the vases
gonna dance in their faces
when the guitar sounds
I won't be gone
Been leaning toward the shadows all along
you plan on reapin', you better sow
You plan on sleepin',
you better keep movin'
sleepin' ain't allowed around here,
you know
Boxcars sigh
Seven's stuck in the middle
just wonderin' why
Dreams come true
All it takes is one or two
Maybe just a few will see you through
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This is not a Cowboy Junkies song....It was written by townes Van Zandt. I suggest you check out his music. It's amazing. Cowboy Junkies did an excelent job covering it though.
Townes did write this song. He wrote it for the band. He toured with them for a couple months towards the end of his career.
Supposedly each verse is for one of the members. I cant tell you which one is which.
Im not sure if there is a single thread that runs through the song. If there is, it escapes me.
It is a great song. This song is how I found Townes Van Zandt.
ps - The lyrics are incomplete.
This song may be the best cowboy junkies song of all...what does it mean? Well, the short version is this: a lamentation is an audible expression of grief or sorrow; reading through the lyrics, someone is on trial and is going to be convicted and sentenced to death, but they don't want to die/they don't want to go. They go back and forth between just being ready to die, and wanting to live. Their ability to dream is giving them hope they might just live after all...
That's the best I can come up with on short notice.
It may be the best CJ song of all, but it was written by Townes Van Zandt. He toured, opening, with them for a year, and he wrote this for them. What an honor, to share the stage with Townes. One of the great songwriters of all time.
It may be the best CJ song of all, but it was written by Townes Van Zandt. He toured, opening, with them for a year, and he wrote this for them. What an honor, to share the stage with Townes. One of the great songwriters of all time.