Things are getting tougher and I don't know why A man can't barely get himself a piece of the pie This country's taken down by Nurget Stadnick and Mom I swear to god above I'll get what's mine or die trying, come on The way this town is running man its making me sick but there's very few problems that a shotgun can't fix Your life is pretty short and the night is long so kiss you wife and kids and go to war with these pricks, come on Some men fear what they can't understand others forget they ever had any friends I'm a motherfucker knows right where I belong But she's the type of woman puts a shake in my hand, come on Drive all night hide out in the day The bikers never find us down Mexico way All their careful plans are blowing up like a bomb You know they better get down on their knees and pray, come on

Throw me under those rolling wheels cause I'm done working your tobacco fields Lash my wrists to the whipping tree out behing Kent Penitentiary Interrogate everyone I've spoken to cause I'm done working on your paving crew Throw me in a hole where I can never see in the basement of Kent Penitentiary Its a long long way up from the bottom Its a long long way up from the bottom You can tell me I got a cross to bear you can chain my legs cut off my hair You can tell me I'm never gonna be free but I won't die in Kent Penitentiary Its a long long way up from the bottom Its a long long way up from the bottom Throw me under those rolling wheels cause I'm done working your tobacco fields Lash my wrists to the whipping tree out behing Kent Penitentiary Its a long long way up from the bottom Its a long long way up from the bottom

Looking back was something we never had and my dad did his best with what he had Like driving logs downstream Dad and me were never in control as we seemed So we left that town where my mother drowned and to the road we were bound until that cop tracked us down The old logger lived like he should have been dead Guess some folks just have those thoughts in their heads Like smoke in the air or an old man's despair you could tell that he was burning somewhere So we left that town where my the kid from canada drowned and to the road we were bound until that cop tracked us down

I was just in high school barely old enough to drive I ran around went wild was just thrilled to be alive She was two years younger she was such a pretty girl I took her out on the town man I promised her the world but it all ran through my fingers like our happiness was sand now her face is in my dreams and her blood is on my hands She told me it was over that we were just young and having fun I said 'babe we had a good run' and went and got my father's gun Daddy he came home and he seen just what I done He looked deep into my eyes and he said son you better run It was all an accident none of this was planned now her face is in my dreams and her blood is on my hand I said to the warden 'man you gotta understand I always tried to do what's right I tried to be a man' The warden he said 'son you better start praying while you can you got her face in your dreams and her blood is on your hands' I stood there on them gallows my clothes were soaking wet I had mortal fear inside my chest and a rope around my neck the hangman he strolled over stood beside me on that deck He said 'why you look so nervous boy? the fun ain't even started yet' 'Well mister' I said 'good luck I hope you sleep like babies can when my face is in your dreams and my blood is on your hands' Her face is in my dreams and her blood is on my hands

Momma, I wanted to make you proud, but it seems like its too late You told me one day all my dreams would work out, my life didn't out that way Now I've lied so much don't know which are true, can't believe what a mess I've made But I remember every single night, every time I made you cry Every single day I'm in here, the world outside keeps running on While I sit frozen in stone And everyone that cares about me, are living still they're moving on And I do my time alone Maybe one day when they open these doors, and these chains come off my legs I'll finally figure out what my life is for, and feel the sunlight on my face I'm Saul of Tarsus and I've fell from my horse, but I'm still waiting for that change New understanding, something new to work for, and a brand new name Every single day I'm in here, the world outside keeps running on While I sit frozen in stone And everyone that cares about me, are living still they're moving on And I do my time alone

First light in this mountain valley Walk this empty parking lot and I can almost hear your heartbeat In this town that time forgot Cause we both know that nothing is gonna last so come paddling with me We slept last night beneath the stars sleeping bag and a bottle on wine I finally showed you my scars and how they mark the passing time Cause we both know that nothing is gonna last so come paddling with me Time keeps sliding by like me and you in this old canoe What are we gonna do? So when it comes my time to die and my spirits going free take my body up the mountain side and lay me down beneath the trees Cause we both know that nothing is gonna last so come paddling with me

Come on gals get your hair did up get made up with your neckline down boys are there with come-ons in a cup Come on gals lets go downtown Everybody's different everything has changed the roles we used to live are getting rearranged Who gives a shit? no cares about you wits? All we wanna see is if you got a pair of tits Oooo modern woman You like your job though you don't make as much as me Pad your bra with your philosophy degree No one heard a goddamn word you said Miley's on the cover and de Beauvoir's dead Oooo modern woman Oooo modern man

Goodbye to the creek and to playing hide and seek goodbye to the streets where laughing children meet over by the jungle gym where I first kissed a girl goodbye to the neighbourhood that was my whole world I've spent my whole life trying to learn how to be myself and every time I lied I was being somebody else but this ain't no storybook and it ain't no tv show and that's a hard thing to learn but its part of growing up That's what my daddy taught me the day he died and maybe we weren't close but he never said goodbye He grew up too fast and got married way to young three kids and a mortgage and too little time for fun he didn't have what he wanted and he didn't want what he had if it were me I'd be moving on if it ever got so bad That's what my daddy taught me the day he died he left me there alone to wonder why That's what my daddy taught me the day he died and daddy I'm not perfect but I'll try for you

My grand father hung his belt from his bones he was made from muscle and from blood His back it was strong, and his work it was his own his hands made hard from rocks and mud Take me back take me back to the place where they layed my family's bones Take me back take me back so I can work a little place of my own My grand father farmed, this land it was his home he lived by the shovel and the plow These hills and two strong arms, the only things he ever owned but he was happy and his country heart was proud Take me back take me back to the simple country life I've never known Take me back take me back and let me start a little family of my own I want to feel the sun and wind, I want to taste the earth and soil leave the offices and freeways far behind I'll feel the weather on my skin, suffer days of honest and know simple truths instead of complex lies Take me back take me back to the place where they layed my family's bones Take me back take me back so I can work a little place of my own Take me back take me back to the simple country life I've never known Take me back take me back and let me start a little family of my own

It was the winter of '65, on the run with my brother Just trying to stay alive from one day to another We'll see the end of a rope for what we done to our mother To cross the border's our only hope, trade this life for another We only did what we had to do but between you and me we enjoyed it We busted into an old farm stead to get some food and water Shots were fired we lost our heads and put the family to slaughter It wasn't really our fault, they made a fuss and a bother But what makes me sick with guilt is what we done to their daughter We only did what we had to do but between you and me we enjoyed it Cold days and blood soaked nights with desperation to guide us But soon the border was in our sights, it seems the worst was behind us My brother cracked and he lost his fight, said he hoped they would find us I cut his throat as he slept that night before his weakness defined us I only did what I had to do but between you and me I enjoyed it

I found you down by the sea couldn't believe the way you looked at me All you were wearing was the evening breeze and a string of lillies We built a boat from our love unfurled the sail under the stars above We climbed aboard and off we shoved thought we'd be enough But there's a storm burning in my heart and I don't know which way the wind will take us And I can see rocks all around and I'm afraid they're a-gonna break us And if this is a dream I don't know if I want you to wake us But I can see rocks all around and I'm afraid they're a-gonna break us You say so much with your knowing smile but I was a foolish child all the while Let my insecurities run free and put you on trial I know your heart and I know this ship you know the ocean and all its tricks we know the word before they've passed our lips we've planned this trip But there's a storm burning in my heart and I don't know which way the wind will take us And I can see rocks all around and I'm afraid they're a-gonna break us And if this is a dream I don't know if I want you to wake us But I can see rocks all around and I'm afraid they're a-gonna break us So here we are lying out on the deck its never easy but I'm doing my best Want you to know in case our ship gets wrecked with you I've been blessed I might wander and you might stray we might get lost we might lose our way Let tomorrow morning bring what it may just love me today But there's a storm burning in my heart and I don't know which way the wind will take us And I can see rocks all around and I'm afraid they're a-gonna break us And if this is a dream I don't know if I want you to wake us But I can see rocks all around and I'm afraid they're a-gonna break us Ooooh-ooooh-ooooh sweet Lydia Ooooh-ooooh-ooooh my love

North Alberta, get this pipeline on the ground minus 35 and the sun ain't comin out lord have mercy on this working stiff the money's good but this ain't no way to live Drink myself to sleep most ever single night Send money to my family I hope that they're alright I don't know why I bought that fuckin truck Four more years of payments until then I guess I'm stuck Coming home, I can't wait to put this town behind me Coming home, where I love how you wake up beside me I really thought Fort MacMurray would pay off But this morning half of us got laid off I'm sorry baby I'll look for work again You know the market hits a low spot now and then Coming home, I can't wait to put this town behind Coming home, I'll hide all the anger inside me coming hoe, I can't wait to put this town behind me Coming home, where I love how you wake up beside me

I was born with a gun in my hand got my first pair of shoes from a dying man They say a poor man ain't got nothing to lose but all I've ever had is what I've taken I've been arrested I've been battered and bruised the laws of god and men I've forsaken Ain't got no soul ain"t got no woman to hold I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man I've dreamed of gold but my skin is growing cold I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man Since I learned to walk I've been hopping trains I'm a slave to the booze and the cocaine Always knew I'd end up outlined in chalk dying young and leaving no one to miss me That don't bother me none got three dollars in my sock I got pistol and a litre flask of whiskey Have a good long look in my eyes see the darkening of the sky I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man My bullet's what your life buys as I feed you dirty lies I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man I'm gon' take the low road man and you go take the high and I'll kill all those standing by the wayside Those credit cards and cubicles will kill you in the end as cable tv holds you in its zombie spell But all you yuppy hypocrits and all your fancy friends are gonna meet with me again one day down in hell See what your prayers bring as I spread my fiery wings I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man Take off your rings you can't bring any of your things I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man I've dreamed of gold but my skin is growing cold I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man Ain't got no soul ain"t got no woman to hold I'm a fading yellow picture of a dead man

Got no place to get outta the rain at least no place that I can see. Got a sister who lives in Surrey but its been years since she trusted me. I ran out of weeks at the shelter they won't give me no place to sleep. Got a couple bucks in my pocket so I'm wandering East Hastings Street. There's been a couple times in my life when I was thinking that I might get clean. Always came crawling back like a snake moving through the weeds. It doesn't matter much what I want because there's only one thing that I need. A couple hours in a filthy room down at the end of East Hastings Street. There's a building around the block with some copper wire I can steal. If I can manage to get it to the wreckers they'll give me a pretty good deal. The cops came they knew what I was doing broke my ribs and kicked out some of my teeth. Now I'm shivering on the floor of my cell down here on East Hastings Street. It was three weeks of pain and madness and waiting for the demon to leave. Cold sweat drowning me in my bed feel the monster feeding on me. Not much of a defense for myself I had the motive the intent and the deed. Not less than 300 days until I'm back on East Hastings Street.