Lay My Burden Down

Posted on May 2, 2022

Album: Burden
(Johnson)

When hatred is near
Bloodshed and fear begin to bring up the rear

When color of skin divides and upends
Nobody wins, nobody wins

No more sickness, no more sorrow
When I lay my burden down

When I hear those lies
Money and ties can’t buy a disguise

When I hear that news, it gives me the blues
Ain’t got no excuse, you ain’t got no excuse

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
When I lay my burden down

In the words of Dr. King, gotta sweep our streets clean
See just what love will bring, love will bring

All my troubles, still gotta dream
When I lay my burden down

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Empty Room

Posted on May 2, 2022

Album: Ol’ Savannah
(Weaver)

I done drank so much whiskey
I staggered in my sleep 
That girl from Atlanta (Nova Scotia) 
She sure done worried me

Don’t your room look lonesome
When your girl packs up and leaves?
You might drink all your moonshine
But your heart sure ain’t pleased

I got a new way of lovin’
Green man can’t catch on
If you want to get my lovin’
Girl, you can’t just stay at home

I done drank so much whiskey
I staggered in my sleep 
That girl from Atlanta (Nova Scotia) 
She sure done worried me

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Dust n’ Dead’uns

Posted on June 7, 2017

Album: Burden
(Johnson)

Claustrophobic in this consciousness
Dust and dead’uns all I see
Nature is hell and all the women act light
When in fact they’re feeling heavy

That dainty little woman bears you a child
Then she bears you a grudge
She comes into your room late at night
And out of something, maybe nothing, comes love

The devil will dance with an olive branch
Then sell you a bill of goods
To bless with one hand, the other enjoins a curse
Your silence is well understood

Hands are shook, palms are greased
No one’s listenin’ in the elevator shaft
Down goes up, forth goes back
You writhe as you ride through each path

Caught in a trap in this consciousness
Dust and dead’uns that is all
Supine in a box, the last nail fit…

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Arlington

Posted on June 7, 2017

Album: Burden
(Budde)

There’s a gravestone down in Arlington
With the name of my first love
The box below is filled with dirt
And the vultures fly up above

In ’92 I buried you
In ’93 I mourned
After ten long years I’ve forgotten you
For the worms have left nothing more

Six feet of dirt is unforgiving
And so it seems am I
I don’t want to go down to Arlington
Please burn my when I die
Burn me when I die

There’s a plot for you down in Arlington
Where they’ll put you in due time
I will mourn for you down in Arlington
I can join you when it’s mine

I won’t feed the worms down in Arlington
Though I know it’s part of life
I don’t want to be six feet underground
I can’t tolerate the time

Six feet of dirt is unforgiving
And so it seems am I
I don’t want to go down to Arlington
Please burn me when I die
Burn me when I die

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Charlie Do, Charlie Don’t

Posted on June 7, 2017

Album: Burden
(Johnson)

Gonna take your life for the things that you write
I don’t mean to take sides, ain’t got no party lines
Gonna have to take arms and fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right
The same story told, all sides of the board
You’re gonna have to fight, fight for what’s right
And keep your eyes, eyes on the prize
Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize
For some kind of salvation in some other life

Gonna take your life for the things that you write
I don’t mean to take sides, ain’t got no party lines
Gonna have to take arms and fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right
The same story told, all sides of the board
You’re gonna have to fight, fight for what’s right
And keep your eyes, eyes on the prize
Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize
For some kind of salvation in some other life

I think I’m gonna take arms to fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right
I think I’m gonna take arms
I think I’m gonna draw arms
I think I’m gonna draw to fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right, fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right
I think I gotta take arms to fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right
I think I gotta take arms
I think I’m gonna draw arms
I think I gots to draw to fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right, fight for what’s right
Fight for what’s right

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Back To Normal

Posted on June 7, 2017

Album: Burden
(Budde/Johnson)

Got a bag full of blood and bones
A wind of hangman’s rope
A pocket full of flint and buck
I gotta sell all my chicken stock

On a trip to Normal
Sorry, I can’t make it

Blow the safe then blow the bank
Rollin’ high and rollin’ low
White lightnin’ in my case
I gotta make a down payment on my soul

On a trip to Normal
Sorry, I can’t make it
On a trip to Normal
On a trip to Normal

Dust and dead’uns in the alleys
A wave of corpses has reached its crest
The bars are full and the graves are empty
Ain’t hard to tell that no one’s left

On a trip to Normal
Sorry, I can’t make it
On a trip to Normal
On a trip to Normal

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Priests and Beggars and Immigrants

Posted on June 7, 2017

Album: Burden
(Budde/Johnson)

What will we do when the temple falls?
What will we do when they breach the walls?
Dust and dead’uns all flood the gates
Jokes on us, ain’t no escape

What will we do when the walls come down?
What will we do when they burn the ground?
Women and children first to their death
Jokes on us ’cause we’re all next

Where will we go when the crops all die?
Where will we go when the birds won’t fly?
Build an arc and sail away
Jokes on you at the end of the day

Who will we burn we realize
We got it wrong, just a pack of lies?
Priests and beggars and immigrants
Jokes on the them, can’t purge our sins

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(Song For) Trayvon

Posted on March 17, 2015

Album: Burden and Don’t Let It Reign
(Budde/Johnson)

Leave your weapons at the door step 
When you enter the house of God
There is justice and uprightness
No need to kill a man

Leave your judges, leave your juries
At the threshold of the Lord
Nothing is hidden, none are guilty
In the courtroom of Dog

Young, black, poor, and stoned
Stand your ground and leave me alone
I’m on your land and I’m in my hood
Leave me alone as they said you should
Young, black, poor, and stoned
Now, how! I’m all alone

Bring your shotguns, bring your switchblades
When you enter the house of Man
Ain’t no justice, no comeuppance
In this broken land

A man may shoot down his own brother
With no recourse and no time
One is buried, one is set free
Book deal for his crime

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Passenger, Pass On By

Posted on March 17, 2015

Album: Burden and Don’t Let It Reign
(Johnson/Budde)
 
Passenger, pass on by
Don’t you stop to take a look
Pilgrim kill you sure as you are born
Fry you in a pan with potatoes and corn

Passenger, pass on by
Don’t you delay on your way
Pilgrim take your wings, won’t fly no more
Leave you flightless on the dusty river shore

Injun man, pass on by
Don’t you stop to take a look
Pilgrim kill you sure as you are born
Celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey and corn

Injun man, pass on by
Don’t you delay on your way
Pilgrim take your land, won’t dance no more
Leave you homeless away from the river shore

Virgin land, them tar sands
Won’t you stop to take a look?
Pilgrim kill you sure as you are born
Tear your roots up, leave your children all forlorn

Virgin land, them tar sands
Won’t you delay on your way?
Pilgrim rape your land, won’t breathe no more
Hope that pipe line don’t spill on that river shore

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(Don’t Let It) Reign

Posted on March 17, 2015

Album: Burden and Don’t Let It Reign
(Johnson/Budde)

Let it rain
Let it rain bombs
Let the free market reign
Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain

Gotta go to the store
Gotta get some of that stuff
They got it two for a quarter
And I ain’t got a dime

If there ain’t no rights
Then there can’t be no wrongs
Have you seen it rain?
Rain right on the floor
Let it rain on the poor
Let it pour

Exchange a shake
Can’t shake that change
No change of face
Can change that shake
The face of change
It’s such a shame
Now, let shame rain
On that old exchange

They killed our gods
But they kept one hostage
And they let it rule
In the name of regression
And let it rule
In the name of suppression
Well, gold and silver
Can’t stop no lead

Don’t let it reign

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