1. |
Tea Leaves
04:26
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Well I woke up middle-aged
No direction, no big dream
Halfway stuck up somewhere in-between
Went looking for relief
Read the signs surrounding me
But I don’t think they mean a goddamn thing
It only matters what you do
Not what you think, or know, or speak
This modern world ain’t built for the meek
It’ll leave you torn in two
Bruised-beaten, drowning in the sea
Middle-aged and shaky at the knees
But alright, I’ll believe your lies
Cause I can’t seem to read the tea leaves
Every feeling in our bones
Every morning we wake up alone
With nothing left except our memories
“That’s life” I heard you say
There’ll always be something in the way
Nothing’s ever as it seems…
But still a man can dream
Dream…a man can dream
The dream never ends for those who learn to love
And keep their eyes looking up above
The dream never ends for those who don’t think small
Who keep their eyes looking at the dawn
But alright, I’ll believe that you’re right
‘Til I don’t need to read the tea leaves
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2. |
Old Flames
05:33
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Autumn night, firelight, all alone
Memories and wine, and my mind roams
Then the lonely cry of a telephone
Comes a sweet, young voice I used to know
Oh, who’s to blame when love takes aim?
But tonight, we’re two old flames dancing in the rain
Dancing in the Rain
Through the foggy night and flagstone road
Down the ruins of time and soft moon glow
Narrow is the path to your front door
Heavy is the heart that’s wanted more
Oh, who’s to blame for love reclaimed?
But tonight, we’re two old flames dancing in the rain
Dancing in the rain
You once told me I burned too bright
You once told me you’d be my bride
Golden sunrise to your sunset
But you can’t remember what I can’t forget
Stubborn shame led us astray
But tonight, we’re two old flames dancing in the rain
Dancing in the rain
Dreams must fade
But Lord let us stay here tonight
Two old flames dancing in the rain
Dancing in the rain
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3. |
Her Heartland
04:05
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A summer night
Under the burnt black Midwestern sky
A woman’s face in the lantern light
She turns away toward
A distant church bell, a lonely chime
Knows something just don’t feel right
Heartland, her Heartland
Where old dreams began
Where still she’s never free
In a rustbelt ghost town
Born of crooked hopes and broken vows
She lights a smoke and thinks out loud
“Not for me” she says…
“It should not have been this way for me
Now all I got is what could have been”
Heartland, her Heartland
Where all dreams began
Where still she’s never free
To be free now
Be reborn on a Midwest breeze
A second chance for redemption tonight
For to live, love
Yes to live is still to dream
Make your peace and leave it all behind
To make your peace and leave it all behind
Heartland, her Heartland
Old dreams be damned…what can a loner do?
And there she stands, dead still with fear of the great unknown
And she lights her last smoke and rides off through that prairie night…
All alone
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4. |
Young Man
04:12
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When you love somebody
And you know that they could be the one
To break your heart
When all is said and done
When you want her badly
And the moonlight makes you believe
In your dreams
You know that’s half the fun
Well young man
Go forth unashamed
The world rewards the brave
And young love
Burning bright again
Born on the summer wind
You’ll never be so young again.
When you love somebody
And you know that they could be the one
Who’s gonna break your heart
When all is said and done
And you want her badly
And the moonlight makes you believe
In her dreams
You know that’s half the fun
You young fool
You couldn’t find the words
To tell her how you feel
And young love
Born and burned again
Lost on the summer wind
You’ll never be so young,
You’ll never be so young,
You’ll never be so young again.
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5. |
Fools In Heat
03:28
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Young love, sweet love, two of a kind
What's mine is yours, yours is mine
Punch me in the shoulder, I'll pretend it hurts
Pretend you don't see me looking down your shirt
Oh no, what's this now?
Two dumb birds with our heads in the ground
Life's cleaning our clock, kicking our can
But we still got each other and that ain't half bad
Dancing in the kitchen like fools in heat
You're all thumbs, I got two left feet
Furnace ain't running ‘cause the bill's not paid
It's cold as hell but at least we're getting laid
Oh no, what's this now?
Two dumb birds with our heads in the ground
Life's cleaning our clock, kicking our can
But at least we got each other and that ain't half bad
No I've never been one to knock on wood
With the luck we've had I probably should
They hear us coming down when we're driving through town
Tail lights broke, the muffler's gone
Can't stop laughing, you're red in the face
So far behind I think we're winning this race
Oh no, what's this now?
Two dumb birds with our heads in the ground
Life's cleaning our clock, kicking our can
But at least we got each other and that ain't half bad
No I've never been one to knock on wood
With the luck we've had I probably should
Sky full of stars in the middle of the night
You whisper in my ear, "It'll be alright"
The day might come when I don't know your name
But I'll still be loving you just the same
Oh no, what's this now?
Two dumb birds with our heads in the ground
Life's cleaning our clock, kicking our can
But we still have each other and that ain't half bad
We still got each other and that ain't half bad
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6. |
Dangerous Times
03:15
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Before the silence becomes the din
Before the romance, before the sin
Where there’s smoke there’s fire, with love there’s grief
And all the parts of your heart the words don’t reach
Not what you do, but who that you know
The man on the street corner told me so
There’s end days coming, debts to pay
Every man for himself and God for me
So, we don’t need it
Leave the past behind
Hold on tightly now…
Dangerous Times
Catch your breath kid, you’re running on fumes
No he don’t need talk, he just assumes
Well one half fear and the other half lie
They’ll pray for you and spit in your eye
No, we don’t need it
Leave the past behind
Hold on tightly now…
Dangerous Times
We’re all looking for a place to sleep
Pretend our dreams are gonna set us free
We’ll wrap ourselves up in our lies
We’ll bite our tongue and shut our eyes
No, we don’t need it
Leave the past behind
Hold on tightly now…
Dangerous Times
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7. |
Diplomat Motel Blues
03:50
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Well I got woke up in a white-hot fever
Hear you call my name girl
But I can’t see you
In a cold sweat
I ain’t getting any sleep tonight
I gotta go now, gotta get a move on
Walk out on the back porch
Breath the cold night air in
Take one more drag on my last Parliament
The night’s awaitin’ for some rough loving
And I’m gonna give it some yeah
Some real attention
Well I guess I don’t know
But I sure hope so
Let’s get a move on
Meet her down at the motel
Foster and Lincoln
You know they charge by the hour girl
Rooftop to the basement
Gonna stop and see Betty
She’s gonna make me feel like a real big man
I’ve been broken, but I’m on the mend now
Wake up in a strange bed
Wake up in town
Wake up with a strange face
Dead eyes staring me down
Well if I could girl
You know I would now
But both my hands are tied up
This ain’t a kind world
Well I guess I don’t know
But I sure hope so
Let’s get a move on
Smoking Marlboro Reds now
Telling white lies now
I’ve been feeling blue now
Got bloodshot eyes now
My last dollar
Ripped from my cold dead hands by a demon woman
But I’m on the mend now
Just one more whiskey, Lord
Just one more pint, Lord
God, I need one more shot
Gotta get my head right
Been working on a plan, man
To get me the hell out of this dark place
But I’ll wake up, gonna do it again
Well I guess I don’t know
But I sure hope so
Let’s get a move on
Let’s get a move on
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8. |
Your Hurricane
03:22
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Yeah that’s the way to go
You got to lose some to gain control
And it looks like it’s gonna rain down on here now
You’ve been pulling like a hurricane
Breaking up our home again
All your birds are out for blood again, but it’s alright
Where to run
When all the roads lead back to home
We ain’t too young
To pretend that we don’t know
One day I left
Sold off my rights
Down goes the sun, off go the lights
Well you wanted it alright
Tell me how you feeling now
As the storm clouds roll into your little town
But where to run
When all the roads lead back to home
We ain’t too young
To pretend that you don’t know what’s going on
Well you wanted it alright
Tell me how you feeling now
As the storm clouds roll into your little town
All the best laid plans
Of both mice and men
They are no match for your hurricane
All the best laid plans
Of both mice and men
Hell, they are no match for your hurricane
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9. |
Porchlights Down Lincoln
03:10
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Thinking down Lincoln on a Saturday night
Under the porchlights amber glow
You say I’m always in my head, in the red, half-dead
Just waiting on the rain to come
Oh, but does it matter to you?
Oh, is it supposed to?
Same situations, conversations, revelations
I can see that you are ready to jet
We’ve been leaving in a minute for an hour or two
You know it’s hard work trying to forget
Shine a light, shine a light
Oh wounded night!
All the lost souls wander the streets
Searching for a door with the porchlight on
All looking for a place to sleep
Oh, but does it matter to you?
Oh, is it supposed to?
So tell me…
If we can hear the future coming
But can’t find the words to sing along
I guess we’re all just hanging on
Man, I’m getting older but I still ain’t wise
Gone wrong, but it serves me right
As long as I can dream and I can breathe I’ll still believe
Everything’s gonna be just fine
Shine a light, shine a light
Oh wounded night!
I’m a lost soul wandering the streets
And I’m always in my head, in the red, half-dead
So leave your porchlight on for me
Oh, but does it matter to you?
Oh, is it supposed to?
Oh, it never mattered to you!
Oh, it was supposed to…
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10. |
Weeping Willow
03:27
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Fireflies dance on the wind
As the evening light grows dim
I hold your hand, you hold my heart
Underneath your willow tree
Auburn hair, hazel eyes
The face of God in the night
Our two lost souls entwine
Underneath your willow tree
Underneath your willow tree
Tell me all your hidden dreams, Darling I’ll believe
Just put your hand in mine
Tell me can life ever be so good again?
Underneath your willow tree
You’re always gonna be my true love
You’ll always own my sad heart
You’ll always be mystery to me, my love
Underneath your willow tree
Tell me all your hidden dreams, Darling I’ll believe
Just put your hand in mine
Will life ever be so good again?
This summer never end?
Never end!
Underneath your willow tree
Underneath your willow tree
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11. |
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Lonesome, leather and tweed
Wounded down among the autumn weeds
Lost comfort in a fading dream
When the hunter calls for you
You answer slow
You know it’s just your given role
You were born to lose
As a cold wind wanders through
Forged steel carves the woodland night
Lost shadows dance in the ancient lantern light
For one to make it, another has to die
To sacrifice
When the hunter comes for you
You crawl below
But you know it’s just your given role
Not yours to choose
Tonight, under the cold blood moon
He said he’d love you
You were his rose
Forever bonded, it’s you he chose
And you surrendered with both eyes closed
Your eyes were closed.
When the hunter calls for you
You answer slow
But you know it’s just your given role
You were born to lose
And you wonder if he’ll remember you
Wonder if he’ll remember you…
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Brian McGrath Chicago, Illinois
Brian McGrath is a Folk & Americana Singer-Songwriter from Chicago and currently based in Madison,
Wisconsin.
With intense, honest conviction tempered by Midwest sensibility and grit, the big man with a big voice tells tales of broken characters, desolate landscapes, and hopeful redemption all along the highways and byways of the American heartland.
McGrath's new album "The Lonely Hour" now out.
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