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Original Steve Goodman
The Dutchman's not the kind of man
Who keeps his thumb jammed in the dam
That holds his dreams in,
But that's a secret that only Margaret knows.
When Amsterdam is golden in the summer,
Margaret brings him breakfast,
She believes him.
He thinks the tulips bloom beneath the snow.
He's mad as he can be, but Margaret only sees that sometimes,
Sometimes she sees her unborn children in his eyes.
Let us go to the banks of the ocean
Where the walls rise above the Zuider Zee.
Long ago, I used to be a young man
And dear Margaret remembers that for me.
The Dutchman still wears wooden shoes,
His cap and coat are patched with the love
That Margaret sewed there.
Sometimes he thinks he's still in Rotterdam.
And he watches the tug-boats down canals
An' calls out to them when he thinks he knows the Captain.
Till Margaret comes
To take him home again
Through unforgiving streets that trip him, though she holds his arm,
Sometimes he thinks he's alone and he calls her name.
Let us go to the banks of the ocean
Where the walls rise above the Zuider Zee.
Long ago, I used to be a young man
And dear Margaret remembers that for me.
The winters whirl the windmills 'round
She winds his muffler tighter
And they sit in the kitchen.
Some tea with whiskey keeps away the dew.
And he sees her for a moment, calls her name,
She makes the bed up singing some old love song,
A song Margaret learned
When it was very new.
He hums a line or two, they sing together in the dark.
The Dutchman falls asleep and Margaret blows the candle out.
Let us go to the banks of the ocean
Where the walls rise above the Zuider Zee.
Long ago, I used to be a young man
And dear Margaret remembers that for me.
Song For David
Weary though weary is only a case
Of being unwound at the wrong time and place.
David put down his head and he covered his face,
He asked himself why he had bothered to race
With the sun.
He thought that standing still would have been a mistake.
He knew all along the risks he would take.
Can't help thinking that the whole thing's fake
And the race was fixed long before it had
Even been run.
He knew the sun sets a treacherous pace
That only madmen try to erase -
You can race it, you can chase it, for one moment,
But then you let go.
It's too hot to hold
For too long I've been told,
Besides, that old sun is just lucky
And so
Weary, though weary is only a case
Of being unwound at the wrong time and place.
David put down his head and he covered his face,
He asked himself why he had bothered to race
With the sun.
David knew who had won
And he waited for dawn.
When I first met you baby you fed me on chicken and wine
It was steak and potatoes and lobster and babe I sure felt fine
But now all you ever give me is seaweed and alfalfa sprouts
And sunflower seeds and Igot my doubts
You left me here with the Chicken Cordon Bleus
My stomach is empty and all I got is food for thought
I been up all nite thinkin' 'bout the twenty pounds of groceries we bought
We bought ten lbs of brown rice and five more of beans
And five pounds of granola and you know what that means,
I'm just a regular fella with the Chicken Cordon Bleus
I'm starved for affection and I don't think I can stand no more
This stuff is so wierd that the cock roaches moved next door
Can you see that old dog out in the street
He's got a big smile on his face
Cause they let him meat
Babe I got the lemon and the Chicken Cordon Bleus
(spoken)
Yeah I'm goin down to the baker and get me a cannoli.
and Maybe a chocolate eclaire would be nice...
Yesterday I went downtown and saw an oldtime picture show
The hero got a pie in the face
He didn't like that and he stormed around the screen
But everybody else was laughin' in that place.
(chorus)
(That's cause) it ain't too hard to get along with somebody else's TROUBLES
they don't make you lose any sleep at night
as long as fate is out there bustin' somebody else's bubbles.
(everything is gonna be alright)
Did you ever pay for something that you didn't do?
Did you ever figure out the reason why?
When the doctor says this gonna hurt me a lot more than this hurts you
Did you ever figure out that that's a lie
He knows (chorus)
I saw the boss come a walkin' down along the factory line,
he said we all have to tighten up our belts,
but he didn't look any thinner than he did a year ago
and I wonder just how hungry that man felt
He knows (chorus)
So I asked the undertaker what it took to make him laugh
when all he ever saw is people cryin'
first he hands me a bunch of flowers that he received on my behalf
he said, "Steve business just gets better all the time
and it aint too hard
(chorus)
He Knows
(chorus)
One more night in a transatlantic city
The clocks all run on someone elses time
And the streets run so close to the houses
But none of them run into mine
And the people are all in a hurry
And the whiskey's as cheap as the beer
And the skyline looks just like that postcard I sent you
And darlin' I wish you were here.
Some folks travel for pleasure
And other folks just born to roam
Some folks can't stand the pressure and some folks never come home
I only go where I have to go and I only come home when I'm done
And If everything's right I'll be home Friday night
Six Hours ahead of the sun.
One more night in a transatlantic city
You buy one round for everyone in sight
You order up the same old glass of trouble
But trouble just don't taste the same tonight
And the local bartender tells you the stories
And the local lovelies dance before your eyes
And they call that dance old "Younger's Tartan"
And I can't get all this blood out of my eyes
Some folks drink when they're happy
Some folks drink when they're dry
Some folks drinks so they don't have to think
And some folks drink till they dies:
Drinking just gives me amnesia
But the devil has a list of those who run
Bun, win, place, and show
And nowhere to go, and six hours ahead of the sun.
My baby came to me this morning and said I'm kinda confused
She said "If me and B.B. king was both drownin',
Which one would you choose?"
And I said "Oh Baby, Oh Baby, Oh Baby,
I ain't never heard you play no blues"
Steve Goodman (w/ help from John Prine)
NOTE: The Version on this Recording does not contain
the "Mother, Prison, Trains" verse!
It was all that I could do
to keep from cryin'
sometimes it seems so useless to remain
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me by my name.
You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings
And you don't have to call me Charlie Pride.
You don't have to call me Merle Haggard, anymore.
Even though your on my fightin' side.
CHORUS
And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standin' in the rain.
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me by my name.
(Spoken, in a whiney twang)
I've heard my name a few times in the phone book
And on the neon sign above the bar I used to own
But I know I'll hear the day my
savior calls me home
CHORUS:
(we left out a few things...
you can't have a good country and western song with out
mother, prison, trains, farms, trucks and dogs)
Well the dog got drunk and died and momma went to prison.
Now nothing 'round this farm remains the same.
It was raining the day momma broke out from prison
and drove her getaway truck into a train
CHORUS:
So I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standin' in the rain. No,
You don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me, I wonder why you don't call me
Why don't you ever call me by my name.
The City of New Orleans
Steve Goodman
Riding on the City of New Orleans,
Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders,
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail.
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields.
Passin' trains that have no names,
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.
CHORUS:
Good morning America how are you?
Don't you know me I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
Dealin' card with the old men in the club car.
Penny a point ain't no one keepin' score.
Oh Won't you pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor.
And the sons of pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their father's magic carpets made of steam.*
Mothers with their babes asleep,
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream.*
CHORUS
Nighttime on The City of New Orleans,
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee.
Half way home, we'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea.
And all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news.
The conductor sings his song again,
The passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearing railroad blues.
Good night, America, how are you?
Don't you know me I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
*Arlo Guthrie and others have substituted the word "steel" for "steam" and and "feel"
for "dream"
Carl Martin
It was late one nite by the pale moonlight
all the vegetables gave a spree;
they put out a sign that said the dancing's at nine
and all the admission was free,
there was peas and greens and cabbage and beans
it was the biggest crowd you ever did see;
and when mister cucumber struck up that number
you should have heard those vegetables screams
Oh little turnip top was doin' the backwards flop
the cabbage is doin' the shimmy, she couldn't stop
the little red beet shook its feet
and the watermelon died of the cockeyed heat;
little tomato, agitator, shook the shimmy with the sweet potato
and old man garlic dropped dead of the colic
down at the barnyard dance
late this morning.
down at the barnyard dance.
(intrumental bridge)
(in a falseto voice)
Oh little turnip top was doin' the backwards flop
the cabbage is doin' the shimmy, she couldn't stop
the little red beet shook its feet
and the watermelon died of the cockeyed heat;
(normal voice)
little tomato, agitator, shook the shimmy with the sweet potato
and old man garlic dropped dead of the colic
down at the barnyard dance
late this morning.
down at the barnyard...
late this morning.
down at the barnyard dance.
In Chicago where I live, there's a... there's a outfit that'll tow just almost anything off the streets but they deal mostly in automobile.
and we call 'em the Lincoln Park Pirates*.
The street lamps are on in Chicago tonite
and lovers are gazin at stars, the stores are all closin'
and Daley is dozin' and the fatman is counting the car;
There's more cars than places to put 'em he said
but I got room for them all, so round 'em up boys
I want some more toys, hit the lot by the grocery store
(chorus)
--to me--
WAY HEY TOW'EM AWAY
The Lincoln Park pirates are we; from Wilmette to Gary
There's none that so hairy and we always collect our fee
WAY-HEY tow 'em away we plunder the streets of your town,
be it Edsel or Chevy, there's no car to heavy
And no one can make us shut down.
We break into cars when we gotta
with pick axe and hammer and saw,
they said this garage had no license
but little care i for the law
all my drivers are freindly and courteous;
their good manners you always will get
for they all are recent graduates from the charm scholl in Joliet
(chorus)
And when all of the cars are collected,
and all of their fenders are ruined
then I'll tow every boat in belmont harbor to the Licoln park Lagoon
and when I've collected the ransom and sunk all the ones that won't yield
then i'll tow all the planes that are blocking the runways
at midway, O'Hare and Meigs Field
--to me--
WAY HEY TOW'EM AWAY
The Lincoln Park pirates are we; from Wilmette to Gary
There's none that so hairy and we always collect our fee
Way hey, tow 'em away, -- Citizens Gather around
I think its enough and lets call his bluff
Yeah lets throw the bum out of town.
*
-
Note:
-
The Lincoln Towing Company is a comapny that provided towing service to private businesses primarily on the near north, northwest side of Chicago, an area which included Rush Street and Wrigley Field. Rush Street was and still is considered a center for social night life. It is often invaded by the suburbs and surrounding communities on the week ends and parking become a major problem. Lincoln Towing was brutal in its methods of towing vehicles and was suspected of towing any vehicle, whether it was legally parked or not. It also charged one of the highest inpounding fees known at the time of this song. This song brought the towing situation to light in the city. Business quickly realized they were losing customers due to the operation of Lincoln towing as well as other companies, and legislation was introduced in the City Council to bring the towing companies under stricter regulations. (Yes Lincoln towing operated for quite some time without a license.) So in many ways the people of Chicago owe the improved towing regulations to Steve Goodman.
-
Note
-
The Charm School at Joliet refers to the Joliet Maximum Security Prison. Made famous by Joliet Jake (John Belushi) of the Blues Brothers. While the song makes a joking comment about the status of the tow truck drivers, it is a fact that a high percentage of the drivers were ex-cons. They were hired simply because the towing companies could pay them less.
The Ballad Of Penny Evans
Oh my name is Penny Evans and my age is twenty-one
A young widow in the war that's being fought in Viet Nam
And I have two infant daughters and I do the best I can
Now they say the war is over, but I think it's just begun.
And I remember I was seventeen on the day I met young Bill
At his father's grand piano, we'd play good old 'Heart and Soul'
Well, I only knew the left hand part and he the right so well
He's the only boy I ever slept with and the only one I will.
It's first we had a baby girl and we had two good years
It was next the 1A notice came and we parted without tears
It was nine months from our last good night our second babe appears
So it's ten months and a telegram confirming all our fears
And now every month I get a check from an Army bureaucrat
And it's every month I tear it up and I mail the damn thing back.
Do you think that makes it all right, do you think I'd fall for that ?
And you can keep your bloody money, it sure won't bring my Billy back.
I never cared for politics, and speeches I don't understand,
And likewise never took no charity from any living man
But tonight there's fifty thousand gone in that unhappy land
And fifty thousand 'Heart and Soul's' being played with just one hand.
And my name is Penny Evans and I've just gone twenty-one
A young widow in the war that's being fought in Viet Nam
And I have two infant daughters and I thank God I have no sons
Now they say the war is over, but I think it's just begun.
(S. Goodman)
Well I wish I had some memories
That I'd keep inside my trunk
I wish I had a nickel for every beer I've drunk
And I wish I had me a sailing ship
That'd take me over the sea.
I wish I could talk you in to coming home with me
Is this the part where I came in
I've heard this song before
Had a couple too many
but I think I can find the door
And I do not know your name my friend
But I've seen that face before
Well I saw it in the Jail House
and I saw in the War
and I saw it my mirror
Well just a couple of times before
I wish I was the Candyman
sweet as I could be
In every town the ladies hang 'round
Just to get a taste of me
Iwish I was an opry star
Or had me a Ph. D.
I wish I had the common sense
to be satisfied with me
Is this the part where I came in
I've heard this song before
Had a couple too many
but I think I can find the door
And I do not know your name my friend
But I've seen that face before
Well I saw it in the Jail House
and I saw in the War
Well I saw it my mirror
Well just a couple of times before
(instrumental)
I wish I had a magic pocket, That'd keep all my money in
I wish I knew a good excuse for all of my mortal sins
Well they say 'to know the best in life, you gotta know the worse'
I wish that I had been the clown, who thought of that one verse
Is this the part where I came in
I've heard this song before
Had a couple too many
But I think I can find the door
And I do not know your name my friend
But I've seen that face before
Hey, I saw it in the Jail House
and I saw in the War
Well I saw it in the mirror
A couple of times before
Let me tell you
I saw it in the Jail House
it was on the post office door
and I saw it on my mirror
a couple of times before
Good People I saw it in the jail house
Saw it in the war
lord I saw it in the mirror ....fade
