LUCKY FONZ III – LIFE IS SHORT
Draw me a River
draw, draw me a girl who
looks a lot like you
with bones placed by an artist
told from above what to do
draw, draw me a girl
‘cause the ones that I have
don’t seem to do it for me
draw, draw me a name to
write up in the sand
he who picks the letters
he'd better steady his eye and hand
draw, draw me a name
'cause the ones that I have
don't seem to do it for me
draw, draw me a fireplace
to smoke the stench out of my skin
the soil that you still reek of
is trying to suck you back in
draw, draw me a river
that flows so gracefully
it makes you want to listen
to things that you cannot see
draw, draw me a river
'cause the ones that I hear
don't seem to do it for me
Once I was a Lady
once I was a lady dressed in black and blue
I used to walk the boulevard because that's what ladies do
my nails were always polished, my secrets always hid
I just did whatever it was that all the other ladies did
at nighttime around my bedside I keep a million lights
one for every soldier who fought the war and died
for my husband is a landlord whose eyes are full of greed
and his army full of young men whom he never even sees
but now I am somebody else with golden books upon my shelves and diamonds on my mind
strolling through the woods at night to find the little bits of light others leave behind
once I was a soldier in the army of some lord
I have never even seen him, I just got paid to hold his sword
I kept my armour shiny and I kept my secrets hid
and whatever I was told to do, that is what I did
when I think about it now it's hard for me to say
whether I had a choice in life to do the things my way
because by the time I heard about that lady's bedside state
I had already gone far too far, it was already too late
but now I am somebody else with golden books upon my shelves and diamonds on my mind
strolling through the woods at night to find the little bits of light others leave behind
once I was a student, I had to pick up my degree
and I thought about the years gone by, the years that numbered three
how things that had seemed important turned out to be a joke
and things that had seemed natural had all gone up in smoke
earlier a crowd had come to see me win my prize
I felt like I deserved it, it was justice in my eyes
but the only thing that I could think was 'what am I gonna do?
when all of this is over, when my days of hope are through?'
but now I am somebody else with golden books upon my shelves and diamonds on my mind
strolling through the woods at night to find the little bits of light others leave behind
Jane on the Roof
Jane on the roof
I want to thank you
for being
Jane on the roof
Jane on the roof
I long to see you
naked
in your room
oh Jane, remember my name
remember our faith
and forget what we've done
I am the queen
and you are the king
it's only natural
for us to spend the night
and to this day you still think
that there never was a village
but I swear upon my life
it was there
oh Jane, remember my name
remember our faith
and forget what I've done
Jane on the roof
I want to thank you
for being
Jane on the roof
All My Days
All my days, all my days, all my days go by
in thoughts of dream, in dreams of thought
always on the how and why
but even when the sun comes up, even when the sun comes down
I love you still, I always will, and I'm never gonna turn around
All my nights, all my nights, all my nights go by
in the haze of smoke, in the smoke of haze
in the arms of every girl and guy
but even when the sun comes up, even when the sun comes down
I love you still, I always will, and I'm never gonna turn around
All my friends, all my friends, all my friends go by
dressed in white, in the whitest of dress
everyone with stars in their eyes
but even when the sun comes up, even when the sun comes down
I love you still, I always will, and I'm never gonna turn around
Seven Years of Observation
the city is too big
these people are too small
whatever their thoughts
it don't matter at all
he makes his way
everyday around town
from library to cafe
from silence into sound
he's done that so much
that by now it is clear
there's not much of a difference
between these books and his beer
he makes his way
everyday around town
from library to cafe
from silence into sound
in the holiest of places
you'll find the loniest of man
and after seven years of observation
you find out that you are one of them
Drops of Water
I will jump in the water, I will swim in the sea
I will ask all the fishes just where you could be
I will search every region of the watery land
and if the fishes don't answer I will ask them again
I will evaporate, I will talk to the sky
I will mention your name and be asking them why
why did she leave me and where did she go
and if the clouds have no answer I will come down as snow
when spring comes along I will melt in the ground
I will ask everything 'have you seen her around?'
and if the bugs and the roots do not know what to say
I will move through the ground and be a river someday
I'll be flowing downstream all the way to your land
I'll be drunk from the glass that you hold in your hand
and before I can tell you that it's you that I seek
I'll fall from your eye and roll down your cheek
Christmas Lights in a Cave
I made you some tea
the darkest tea I could find
I poured you a cup
but you did not seemed to mind
that I had scars in my face
and stains of blood on my shirt
it's almost as if
you wanted me to get hurt
but I don't care. No, I don't care. I just don't care.
your eyes are to me
christmas lights in a cave
I don't know a thing
but I fall in love everyday
but you don't care. No, you don't care. You just don't care.
I cursed at the sea
all the things I've done wrong
it cursed back to me
you were always so young
and dumb enough to believe
love is something to keep you
warm
The Island
the island said 'I will not let you go'
the island said 'I will not let you go'
'others have to leave for shore
but you just dropped your clothes to the floor'
the island said 'I will not let you go'
I soon found out that I was not alone
I soon found out that I was not alone
She came and took me by the hand
said 'try and make them understand'
I soon found out that I was not alone
so I let my long legs burn
I let my long legs burn
I made the days feel like they're mine
I made the days feel like they're mine
I used to wear my rings underneath my skin
I used to wear my rings underneath my skin
they had to shed my skin, you know,
to find out what I had to show
I used to wear my rings underneath my skin
Now take these rings and wear them like a crown
Now take these rings and wear them like a crown
Lesser gods will you ask you why
you hold your head so way up high
when you take these rings and wear them like a crown
and you'll let your long legs burn
let your long legs burn
make the days feel like they're yours
make the days feel like they're yours
everything I have learned, I have learned from you
everything I have learned, I have learned from you
my words, my ways, my voice, my place,
the signes to look for in a face
everything I have learned, I have learned from you
do you hear that robin howling at the moon?
do you hear that robin howling at the moon?
his cries to stop the slaveboat beat
will sooner or later knock you off your feet
do you hear that robin howling at the moon?
and you'll let your long legs burn
let your long legs burn
make the days feel like they're yours
make the days feel like they're yours
Around the Backdoor
around the backdoor
honey I called your name
oh baby baby baby
honey I called your name
love is a stranger
when your mind is gone
oh baby baby baby
when your mind is gone
suppose you win a ticket to a place where you don't want to be
would you be so kind as to wrap it up and give it to me?
around the backdoor
honey I called your name
well baby baby baby
honey I called your name
In Search of the Miraculous
Are you what they call a sailor?
Is your heart restless and free?
With a sailor's grave tattood upon your arm?
Sinking steadily?
Have you heard about that daughter?
The one whose body just gave up?
Oh, someone said that she was your lover
but I doubt that very much
Yes, it's true, I am a sailor
in fact, I am the one you have heard about
and I sail my ship for all to see
I have been doing so for many years
And that's enough for all of your questioning
I just do what I am supposed to do
and sail away, sail away, sail away
and sail away, sail away, sail away
Deborah was only 18
she wore my bracelets nearly every day
you know, she used to give me her cigarettes
and I don't know what went wrong.
From the Mountain
you were 19, I was not
what you were wearing, I forgot
from Barcelona to Madrid
from what you wanted me to …
to what I did
when you said your heart beat somewhere else
outside of you, outside of yourself
you took the stones out of my street
to lay your head down upon my beach
my hands were empty, your hair was wild
you made me feel like some kind of child
raised by strangers who had to fight their way
through a war still fought today
when you said your heart beat somewhere else
outside of you, outside of yourself
you took the stones out of my street
to lay your head down upon my beach
well you thought you were dancing with somebody else
you didn't even know you were dancing with yourself
you had 16 children to call your own
all of their names now written in stone
well what did you think then all the times I'd say
'each and everyone will go away'
from the mountain to the sea
from my mother back to me
from the lives of simple men
to the stars and back again
I feel my heart beat somewhere else
outside of me, outside of myself
I'll take the stones out of my street
and lay my head down upon the beach
upon the beach
The Lowlands
boys made of cola
girls made of wine
in theory the two of them
can never intertwine
but the lowlands have no sympathy
for the laws of nature's ways
and so the scene was set for love
and the blending of their days
his soul as black as black can go
hers as red as the dawn
both of them so far away
away from their home
and you just came in dancing
you just came in dancing on your shoes
everytime they stepped into
a restaurant or bar
heads would turn and people would say
'you can tell they come from far'
their bed too small to hold one man
big enough for them
their love too large to fit between
its beginning and its end
I hope that you know that you just came in dancing
you just came in dancing on your shoes
but I loved, I loved, I loved you
I loved, I loved, I loved you
every day
you might call it failure
but me I just don't know
who to thank for all of this
for the highs, the mids and the lows
Don't Knock on My Door
don't knock on my door
it's already open
don't ask if you're able
I am absolutely sure
don't worry so much
she is waiting right here
she's combing her hair
for you to be yours
I need you to go
as deep as you can
I need you to leave
this wasteland behind
go wear yourself out
until the only thing left
is a boy with long hair
and a face like a man
so here comes the sound
of hearts breaking down
we'll drown out the noise
by the sound of our whispering
I'll not be here long
and neither will you
so drink from my tongue
until we are through
LUCKY FONZ III – LUCKY FONZ III
Romance
I keep them on my uppershelf
right next to my picturebooks
I keep them on my uppershelf
‘cause that’s where they belong
I got them from a friend in school
supposed to teach me reading skills
but all I’ve ever learned from them
is that it’s easy knowing nothing
oh you may laugh as much as you like
but romance will find a way
and even though I may look like a fool
romance will find a way
I read the book a million times
and everytime it’s wonderful
one edition’s 64
and the other is from the 80s
I like the people in my book
I like the way they drink their beer
I like the way they drink their wine
as if it’s easy knowing nothing
I read the book a million times
and everytime it’s wonderful
one edition’s 64
and the other is from the 80s
Little Children
there is a place I call the fall
doctors and lawyers say it’s too small
there’s dancing and singing and places to crawl
children with triggers having a ball
you watch out for that place, don’t ever go there
you’ll walk in a circle, you’ll walk out a square
everything sparkles, the ceiling’s so high
a web sure looks pretty from the back of a fly
little children trickling down my feet again
chasing my toes and I only can
pray for some luck to make the good ones stay
and wait for the rain to flush the rest away
so now that you’re told to go look for gold
take one slave to carry it and one to be sold
take up your money and travel to Spain
no, not by airplane, and, no, not by train
and the moment you get there just tell them all you know
about tricksters and travellers and raindrops and snow
little children trickling down my feet again
chasing my toes and I only can
pray for some luck to make the good ones stay
and wait for the rain to flush the rest away
Ballad of the Lighthouse
I’ll chase my dreams the best that I can
I’ve got my target and I know my plan
just like a heron I’ll wait for the day
the wind blows your ship into my bay
millions of sailors out on the sea
would have lost hope if it were not for me
I took their hands, led them out of the storm
so why are you silent when you hear me moan?
don’t make me sleep on your floor
I won’t be in your way
please let me sleep in your arms
I’ll wake you up with my charms
the year 1840 was the year I was made
and when I was finished they held a parade
I may not be tall but I stand way up high
my feet on the hilltop, my head in the sky
if you want to meet me, you can come to my coast
my door’s always open, I’m a wonderful host
climb to the top, warm your hands at my fire
then lean a bit closer so you’ll hear my cry
don’t make me sleep on your floor
I won’t be in your way
please let me sleep in your arms
I’ll wake you up with my charms
Poor Carolina
after the days when flowers were white
after the days when the sun gave its light
a young girl was standing with eyes open wide
waiting for someone to return from the night
her left hand was holding a coat that seemed warm
its cotton was worn out but the thing had its charm
her right hand was trying to light up a smoke
but the winds would not have it, made her seem like a joke
oh my poor Carolina
oh my poor Carolina
John from the baker was 19 years old
when things got too hard and the bakery was sold
a man came up to him, said I got you a job
and without even thinking, John signed right up
and then in the frontline he wrote her a song
and said in his letter that it wouldn’t be long
‘no need to worry’, that’s what he would say
but the letter got lost and it’s still lost today
oh my poor Carolina
oh my poor Carolina
a boy and a girl and they’re waiting in line
he thinks she is wonderful and she thinks he is fine
I’ve got a cigarette if you have a light
I’ll bring the day if you’ll bring the night
Mickey
the gardener hums a song
about Jehovah feeling blue
he must have known before
that the summer is coming through
and the girl who just walked by
is beat as beat can be
had I known what to say to her
I’d have fallen down on my knees
but, Micky, don’t you be so sad
there is nothing you can do
but to wait around for people
who will sing their song as loud as you do
your left arm carries your bag
your right arm carries your soul
it’s a miracle you don’t tip over
it’s a miracle you’re there at all
but don’t you know that I’m just a boy?
don’t you know that I need you too?
if you will take me to the park
I’ll make that gardener sing for you
but, Micky, don’t you be so sad
there is nothing you can do
but to read a lot a books
that will tell you nothing’s ever new
yesterday I got away
to my favourite place to read
and I told the handsome waiter
I met a girl who looked just like me
she had fists made of wool
and the eyes of William Blake
and the cigarette that she gave me
was the only thing that I could take
but, Micky, don’t you be so sad
there is nothing you can do
but to hold on to your breath
and pretend that you’re not turning blue
The Beat
today you look like a stranger to me
with your rags hanging down from your neck
I remember a boy with gold in his hands
but, my son, I don’t think that you hear me
so I said to my father there and then
‘I am much older than you are
in fact, I was born in ‘41
and my cradle was placed in the sun’
but he came from another town
where people are born with their heads hanging down
and the only sound is the beat of a drum
telling the people to row
I remember a story from your town
about a wife who had given birth to a son
this boy was as healthy as a baby could be
after nine months of joy in the womb
but the wedding had been only six months ago
and sex before marriage was a sin
so they put him back in the hospital
and they said that he was born too soon
but he came from another town
where people are born with their heads hanging down
and the only sound is the beat of a drum
telling the people to row
there are so many things that I have learned
how to get out of jail without moving
how to take out your guard, how to put him to sleep
how to lay a man down in his place
how to get around town without having to steal
how to follow the footsteps of nomads
how to tame a wild horse, how to ride on its back
how to wipe out my trail without losing my track
he came from another town
where people are born with their heads hanging down
and the only sound is the beat of a drum
telling the people to row
Hallelujah (To My Friend)
I was thinking tonight about a friend
with whom I used to dream of beautiful fame
we had the looks, the voice, the music, the talent and the plans
and if I had the power in me I would give this boy another chance
if someone would say ‘oh, you’re being young’
we would find him, kill him, leave him to bleed dry
let the world know: revolutions don’t come cheap
your father’s gonna say ‘my god’ and your mother will weep
Hallelujah to my friend
you would tell me ‘there is no other way;
if you want to be a legend then you better be prepared to pay
you have to live like a ghost, you have to scream that it’s all a game’
but still I love you, I love you, I love you, all the same
Hallelujah to my friend
do you do what you do just so you can say
‘I was there at the bottom, now I’m back to let you know
that the fool on the hill is a man with the sun in his eyes
that a little song of prayer is enough to save another man’s life’?
Hallelujah to my friend