Volcanic Wind

I saw a crazy lady on the side of the road
feedin’ the coyotes Alpo, Alpo
But you can’t scoff an act, a selfless act
of kindness, kindness

Oh my sugar! Spring has come too early!
Let us pray for rain! Let us pray for rain!
Again and again let me whisper in your sunburned ear
in the volcanic wind, in the volcanic wind

I pity this poor place, I pity this poor place
all these creatures have God on their face
I saw the universe in a jackrabbit’s eye!
I pity this poor place, pal of mine, pal of mine

Oh my sugar! There’s an uninvited guest!
The bear on the mountain he’s mad as heck!
We’re just a weak link in this abomination!
in the brave new wind, in the brave new wind

Wipe a little chapstick on your bakin’ lips
I wanna little kiss, I wanna little kiss
Wipe a little chapstick on your bacon lips
I wanna little kiss, I wanna little kiss
I wanna little kiss…

Oh my sugar! Spring has come too early!
Let us pray for rain! Let us pray for rain!
Again and again let me whisper in your sunburned ear
in the volcanic wind, in the volcanic wind

McCutcheon: vocals, electric guitar, harmonica
Jeff Berlin: drums
Michael Grimes: upright acoustic bass
Kevin Zoernig: wurlitzer

Gloriously Tangled

Oh, can’t you feel that river, feel that river tuggin’ on you?
There’s not much left to do when that river’s tuggin’ you

And everything has wings, just like the skippin’ stones
we’ll all be washed up on some other shore, where the light is born

She stepped into my fingers, grabbed the mane of a silvery mare
Said, “Stick around my son, for I may not return from there”

Well she’s older now for what that’s worth
but once she was a little girl, riding alone on the Rio Grande with the reins in one hand, with the reins in one hand

And I have arrived in your valley gloriously tangled, infused, confused
Tiny hairs on tiny flowers where every inch of the earth is alive! Take a dive!

I pick her up Sundays, pull some weeds and wait for her return
I gaze in to the kiln and watch the sun spill over the hills

Well she’s older now and she’s returned
but once she was a little girl, on the Rio Grande riding alone with the reins in one hand, with the reins in one hand

And everything has wings, just like the skippin’ stones
we’ll all be washed up on some other shore, where the light, where the light is born!

Oh, can’t you feel that river, feel that river tuggin’ on you?
There’s not much left to do when that river’s tuggin’ on you

McCutcheon: vocals, guitar
Michelle Collins: vocals
Kevin Zoernig: Hammond B3, piano
Jeff Berlin: drums
Brett Davis: bass
Dave Guiterrez: pedal steel

Green Wish

The green pulse is here, bursting in the air
the green wish, the next wild summer is here
and in its endlessness a set of new green wings
to take it there, the green wish is here

I call out to my buddy, “Oh, buddy wait for me!”
But he’ s already waiting beside me patiently
I do not walk the river, the river follows me
always and forever flowing straight to thee

The green wish is near, the green wish is near
the green wish is near, the green wish is here!

The cooing scented blossoms lay their heavy jewels
upon the arches and sink into the pools
Oh take me into this ocean of life!
This black holy bottomless bale of timothy!

Have mercy on my soul as I yield and accept
the simple raw joy of being with her
There’s truth in her body there’s truth in her dreams
take me by the river and I’ll show you what I mean

Like the whiskers on a sage, like an aspen on a grave
I’m tapped into the tender music that you make
and in its endlessness a set of new green wings
to take us there, the green wish is here

McCutcheon: mandolin, guitar, vocals, harmonica
Brett Davis: electric guitar,bass
]Jeff Berlin: drums
Kevin Zoernig: wurlitzer, synth, Hammond B3

Chicken Man

Stumbled down Yosemite shooters in Tawalamay
didn’t wear no rubber boots because the mud was heavenly
and even though his beak was bent and even though his spurs were black
still he chased me threw them weeds then he chased me back

Taken too many pills by now, I drove too many stakes
I had to sleep with forty widows just to cure the shakes
but way back when I had I love, she got pecked away from me
and there’s dried tears everywhere, everywhere she used to be

Blame it on the chicken man!
Chicken man is not your friend, no
Blame it on the chicken man!
Chicken man is not your friend, no here we go

I don’t know if you been told
but the chicken man he’s a mean old soul

So when your life is on the dumps
and Percoset won’t get you over the hump
and every thing you do or say, can’t get out of your own way

God damn the chicken man!

McCutcheon: vocals, electric guitar
Jeff Berlin: drums
Kevin Zoernig: wurlitzer, snippet
Brett Davis: electric guitar, vocals
Felecia Ford: vocals

Deathgrip

I came to the village, stole the queen bee
they talked bad about us, but it was just jealousy

Took a little while but I got her to sting me
Took a little while but I got her to sting me
sting me, sting me

The crocuses were pokin’ up through the leaf litter
she wore a tight wool sweater
and the daffodils brought me to tears

So many years I had never smelled the spring
so many years I had never smelled the spring
smelled the spring, smelled the spring

So, lost in the moment!
Precious on this earth, on this earth, on this earth
Hmmm…

The sun set on a wigglin’ fish, in the death grip
of a bird of prey, to end the day

Took a little while but I finally saw the light!
took a little while but I finally saw the light
saw the light, saw the light!

So, lost in the moment!
Precious on this earth, on this earth, on this earth
Hmmm…

McCutcheon: vocals, harmonica
Michelle Collins: vocals
Jeff Berlin: drums
Kevin Zoernig: wurlitzer, Hammond B3
Brett Davis: lapsteel, vocals

Seeds and Candy

They longed for taste of the country
locked up in a cubicle for centuries
sunflower seeds and candy
the Donner Party jokes ended quickly

Way up in the Utah desert
the elk would not be seen until June
ravens gathered talking in the junipers
o’er the random jeep embedded in the dunes

They skirted past a sign all blasted
with shotgun holes it was not legible
their toes were getting cold inside the tennis shoes
soon the road they chose became impossible

Way up in the monumental valleys
The engine idled as he tried to comfort her
he rubbed her head and promised mashed potatoes
but the cruel wind tore the banker’s words

Oh lost, lost… lost and forbidden
to ever leave the palace of the maelstrom
the drifts were so high as he kissed her one last time
one frozen tear against the desert sky

Scantily prepared for a picnic
in the white blinding rage of the wilderness
sweet young thing and her boy friend did bring
sunflower seeds and candy

Way up in the Utah desert
the elk would not be seen until late June
ravens gathered talkin’ in the junipers
o’er the ill-prepared lovers fated doom

McCutcheon: vocals, electric guitar
Brett Davis: banjo
Jeff Berlin: drums
Michael Grimes: upright bass
Kevin Zoernig: accordian

Pilgrim

Drivin’ along…
waiting for something vital to give
waiting for a piece of the engine to fall
waiting on a clutch
you know there ain’t much
left of this truck.

I used to think…
that duct tape would last forever
But the gas line’s rotten
and this old frame’s forgotten
and the slow lane’s too fast
and I think I’m gonna crash
in a wreck from the past.

But there’s no sky like the New Mexican sky.
And ain’t I been a good ole’ pilgrim
for you, for you, for you?

Bury me under…
Spanish peaks and thunder
Next to my sweet Boulder bride
sing us a rusty junkyard lullaby
when you’re out for a ride.

But there’s no sky like the New Mexican sky.
And ain’t I been a good ole’ Pilgrim
for you, for you, for you?

McCutcheon: duct tape, vocals, mandolin, guitar
Mark Lewis: dobro, vocals
(Recorded by Mark Lewis and Boris at Mark’s place in Barelas, Albuquerque)

Branded

Instrumental

McCutcheon: vocals, guitar
David Guiterrez: pedal steel
Jeff Berlin: drums
Kevin Zoernig: wurlitzer, keys, effects
Brett Davis: bass, bells

Torn Faith

You were champion in the mountains
you led the wild horses home
their stomachs gurgling purple flowers
you knelt down to listen to the growling

But it was easy when they followed you
down the canyons where Apache roses grew
When they hit the valley them horses knew what to do
what to do, what to do

But now they look at you with big dark eyes
piss and squeal when you pass by
somehow they know that you’ve lost your nerve
They don’t care and they don’t ask why. They don’t ask why

The sun was bright. You couldn’t see their breath
but you had lots of faith I guess
You drove them out ‘cross the frozen lake
with hooves as wide as dinner plates, as wide as dinner plates

Torn faith, torn faith
They tore the faith right out of your heart
You sat by snapping pools and watched the birds disappear
something old and evil where the water is not clear
where the water is not clear

Torn faith, torn faith
They tore the faith right out of your heart
You saw their eyes and you saw them sink like lead
so many leather straps tangled in a web, tangled in a web

McCutcheon: vocals, acoustic guitar
Jeff Berlin: drums
Bill Palmer: electric guitar
Brett Davis: vocals, ebow
Mark Lewis: electric guitar
Kevin Zoernig: piano, keys, effects

Don’t Get Weird

The moon is rising and you delight me.
I’ve never been so awe-filled and excited.
You’re the woman they said would come to me, come to me

Please don’t get weird, don’t get weird on me.

I was following the ancient rhythms
letting my heart make all of the decisions.
I’ve been working so hard not to interrupt your world

Please don’t get weird, don’t get weird on me girl.

The reaper is hiding behind a screen
of rusted dying tambourines.
I’m afraid to go, I’m afraid to leave you here

Please don’t get weird, don’t get weird on me dear.

I can hold you, I can hold you
a thousand glaciers melt I told you
times are weird, don’t get weird on me, on me.

I’ll be Lexi’s little clown.
I’ll be Lexi’s little clown.

And I’ll worship the ground that you walk upon each day
I’ll be Lexi’s, Lexi’s little clown.

McCutcheon: vocals
Jeff Berlin: drums
Kevin Zoernig: keys
Michael Grimes: upright bass

Caves of Burgundy

© Mark Ray Lewis

“Come down, come down” she said to me
“to the Caves of Burgundy
You can set me under a dripping rock
and have your way with me”

I won’t go down, I won’t go down
to the Caves of Burgundy
Your hands are soft and your voice is sweet
but your face is unfamiliar to me

“Come down, come down” she said to me
“to the Caves of Burgundy
I will dip my cloth in a pool of ice
and wipe the pain from thee”

The pain, the pain now I recall
what’s pouring out of me
but I believe I must hold on
to return to my family

“Your wife” she said, “has gone ahead
to the Caves of Burgundy
She was carried there by six strong men
she was smiling, she was happy”

“Come down, come down” she said to me
“to the Caves of Burgundy
I have many other girlfriends there
that I want you to meet”

But wait, my son was also in the car
he was riding along shotgun
I threw my arms across his chest
I must return to him

“Your son” she said, “is having fun
in the Caves of Burgundy
He has found a friend with lots of toys
he will not return to thee”

“Come down, come down” she said to me
“to the Caves of Burgundy
You can set me under a dripping rock
and have your way with me”

I’ll follow, I’ll go, just show me the way
to the Caves of Burgundy
I will lay my head upon your lap
if you’ll sing me to sleep

McCutcheon: vocals, very old Kay Craft acoustic guitar
Kevin Zoernig: toy piano, wurlitzer, keys, effects
Brett Davis: electric guitars
Michael Grimes: upright Bass
Jeff Berlin: drums
Mark Lewis: vocals

Hold That Thought

Remember the last time we passed through the moment
Hold that thought

Was it for love, or was it for naught
Hold that thought

And thinking to yourself
Life is good, life is good

A woman and man, and a babe in the sand
Hold that thought

The light from the lake plays on their faces
Hold that thought

And saying to yourself
Life is good, life is good

Oh, your heart is golden
Oh, your heart is golden

Oh, my pilgrim open your arms
Hold that thought

And know what it means to be harmed
Hold that thought

And hold onto yourself
Life is good, life is good

McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Recorded by Mark Lewis and Boris at Mark’s place in Barelas, Albuquerque

Charles Mingus Bird

I didn’t know this morning I’d be standin’
in a claw-foot bathtub by the boiling sea
Snappin’ a line at the edge of the world
listenin’ to the Charles Mingus Bird.

And I know that there’s no beauty in a straight line
and the thin hem ‘tween worlds in Autumn time
But one of these mornings I’m gonna rise and shine
gonna be on time, be on time, be on time.

Well the Charles Mingus Bird likes to whistle while he works
he whistles be-bop tunes from days gone by
It drives the neighbors crazy but it always makes me cry
when I think about leavin’ the Charles Mingus Bird.

We carry on until it’s coffee time
Give it hell until it’s coffee time
A man is made of sawdust cut from the divine
We carry on until it’s coffee time.

Tugboat came a boppin’ up the harbor
I heard the captain call out his name
The shipmates waved but he did not wave back
he was too busy fishin’ shingles to react.

Well the Charles Mingus Bird he’s a rough one
some call him the Mayor of this old town
Gonna catch the old man before he hits the ground
thats why I’m workin’ for the Charles Mingus Bird.

When we’re drivin’ in his ‘37 Chevy
I close my eyes and pray we cross Main Street
Everybody waves at the life that he paints
that’s why I’m ridin’ with the Charles Mingus Bird.

We carry on until it’s coffee time
Give it hell until it’s coffee time
A man is made of sawdust cut from the divine
we carry on until it’s coffee time.

And I hope I wasn’t too much of a burden
when I told you what was eatin’ me inside
I found a certain peace in the wood grains of your mind
beetlebung, cypress, yellow pine.

And I know that there’s no beauty in a nail gun
and Jesus was a carpenter divine
But one of these mornings I’m gonna rise and shine
gonna be on time, be on time, be on time.

Well that Bird he painted worlds
and now I’m paintin’ mine
It’s gonna be on time, be divine, be divine.

McCutcheon: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Dan Stouffer: drums
Kevin Zoernig: piano
Michael Grimes: upright bass
(Recorded by Mark Lewis and Boris at Mark’s place in Barelas, Albuquerque)