Way Down South
Honey I know it'll be all right
If you can just get here tonight
So put that pedal down and make some good time
Lord make some good time
Hey there what's up
You look so good
But I'm way down south
I'm way down south tonight

Landfills or goldmines
I don't mind if you're mine
Cause I'm way down south
I'm way down south tonight

So honey get behind the wheel
And drive drive drive drive
Let thoughts of me and truck stop coffee
Get you through the night

So what's up lil buttercup
Lord I miss you so much
Cause I'm way down south
I'm way down south tonight

Pretty Lil Smile
Ever since it happened
I healed a little harder
And the good boy that was me before
Well he's a little farther away
And all the sweetness I used to have
Has turned more bitter than the sour mash
I'm drinkin to forget you everyday

All my friends have noticed
A new look in my eye
I guess that it comes from
Going out every night
It beats staying here alone
In the place that was s'posed to be our home
If you think I've had some company here you're right

So don't call me up with your pretty lil smile
And ask me if I miss you once in a while
You don't know me anymore
I'm evil since you walked out the door
And every day I'm doing things
I know I'll wind up sorry for

Well this might be the meanest
Song I ever wrote
And the liquor might be helpin me
Break some of the notes
I've been holdin onto the bottle
Since I let go of hope
It was a good heart that I gave you girl
It was a goddamn good heart that you broke

So don't call me up with your pretty lil smile
And ask me if I miss you once in a while
You don't know me anymore
I'm evil since you walked out the door
And Heavan have mercy on me
I used to be so goddamn pure

Madison County
There's a town with no street lights
Where 10 generations have lived and died
And their kin still farm the land today
At the General Store you could buy
Milk and eggs and a hunting knife
While Pop gassed up the truck outside
I used to hop in the back for the long ride home
And every time I would pretend we were going

Far away from Madison County
Far away from those red dirt roads
Somewhere all new and so shiny
Somewhere far away from home

Spent my summers bailing hay
Fixin fences and painting gates
While I listened to that old radio play
Only got a few static-filled stations
In that Blue Ridge Mountain isolation
But I got enough information to make my getaway
I saw jet liners up in the blue sky
And I knew that one day I was gonna fly
Far away from Madison County
Far away from those red dirt roads
Somewhere all new and so shiny
Somewhere far away from home

Well I left the farm the day I turned 18 years old
I headed out to California searching for my share of gold
But I never could call that place my home

Cause those LA city nights
They burned my eyes with neon signs
No it ain't dark and I could see all too clearly
There's a million faces everywhere
They don't smile they just stare
They're busy and they hurry on by
Walkin down Hollywood Boulevard
Wonderin how I got so farway

Far away from Madison County
Far away from those red dirt roads
Somewhere all new and so shiny
Somewhere far away from home

Stoppin For Bullets
Well I just heard the news
They're subdividing the farm
Tearing out all the woulds
And tearing it all apart
The house where we grew up
Will be knocked down soon
If I can't get there to stop it
Sunwater Farm will be ruined

So I'm heading up there just as fast as I can
And I'm only stoppin for bullets and to fill up the tank

Don't call it tresspassing
I used to work this land
And blood, sweat and back break
Buil what you're about to trash
So don't tell me to go
You're the ones that should leave
And you're about to make me angry
If you cut down one more tree

Cause I'm heading up there just as fast as I can
And I'm only stoppin for bullets and to fill up the tank

Lord have mercy for what I'm prepared to do
But part of what pisses me off so much
Is that it's your land too

So if you need me
I'll be in my front yard
With a rifle in my hand
And malice in my heart
I'm gonna shoot the first man
Who tries to fire up that cat
And I swear I'll shoot the next one
And the sumbitch after that

Cause I'm heading up there just as fast as I can
And I'm only stoppin for bullets and to fill up the tank

So call up the sheriff
Call up the FBI
When you tell 'em what I'm doing
Could you kindly tell 'em why
Well I'm protectin something sacred
From your progress of the blind
And you might knock down my farm house
My 200 year old farm house
But not while I'm alive

A Little Too Close
Well I suppose it's useless
I know that you're long gone
But I still see you
When I sing your songs
You told my could keep 'em
When you told me you were moving on
Now I keep them where I kept you
A little too close to my heart

Sunday afternoon
Wakes me up again
I spent the night forgettin'
Now I'm rememberin'
Sundays were the days
You always used to help me begin
Now I'm stalled out
Cause I keep those good times
A little too close to my heart

A little too close to my heart
Ain't it ironic that's what tore us apart

Well I've tried to be successful
But I only failed you
And lately seems like losing
Is the best thing I do
If we ever play in Nashville
I'll be singing about you
And if I end up winning
It's cause I kept you
A little too close to my heart
A little too close to my heart
A little too close

A little too close to my heart
Ain't it ironic that's what tore us apart
A little too close to my heart
I loved you darling right from the start

Punch Me In The Face
Each day goes by is a goddamn lie
Lord livin this way kills us inside
So we try to let it ride
But we don't wanna wind up dead before we die

You can punch me in the face if you see me here next year
You can hit me over the head with an empty bottle of beer
Blow out your vocal cords screamin in my ear
You can punch me in the face if you see me here next year

So don't shake your head
Judge yourself instead
If you wanna waste your life go right ahead
Well I tell you what
You can't learn that much
Tradin livin how you want for how you should

You can punch me in the face if you see me here next year
You can hit me over the head with an empty bottle of beer
Blow out your vocal cords screamin in my ear
You can punch me in the face if you see me here next year

So let's drink a toast to hittin the road
And one more for homecoming shows
We gotta get there before we get too old

You can punch me in the face if you see me here next year
You can hit me over the head with an empty bottle of beer
Blow out your vocal cords screamin in my ear
You can punch me in the face if you see me here next year...

Longer To Stay
The prairie grass is rushing past
The white lines move faster than the fence posts
And I'm traveling fast overland
From the east coast to the west coast
And I've seen so many towns along the way
So many pretty faces I have to say
I know I'd find my place if I only had
Longer to stay

I met a girl in a Motel 6
With blue eyes prettier than I picture
And it's been 10 since I've been back to Texas
But I find I still often miss her
I asked her if she'd like to ride with me
She smiled and she turned her head away
Told me I might come to like this place if I only had
Longer to stay

So give us more riding time
We ain't ready for the end of the line
Give us more riding time
We ain't ready for the end of the line just now
Cause there's too much left to figure out

Now we're all out on the trail
We're scattered like the dust on a comet's tail
And the universe is a big place to search
So if it's all right with you I'll start here first
Standing out with starlight on my face
Staring up at the swirling Milky Way
I know I'll find my place now I only need
Longer to stay

So give us more riding time
We ain't ready for the end of the line
Give us more riding time
Give us more riding time
Cause there's too much left to figure out

Shine For You
When you find yourself
Too tired for the song
And you don't know if you have the strength
Left to carry on
And everything is broken
Ain't nothing worth the fixing
And it's hard to find a reason why
This dusty life's worth living

You can look for something shiny
Look for something new
Look right here in my eyes
I'm trying to shine for you

Like the kingfisher waiting
To take his river's catch
You don't know what you'll eat
But you know what hunger is
And if you only had a token
Yeah one damn thing to redeem
You cash it in for a reason why
This old life's worth living

So look for something shiny
It's escaping you
Look right here in my eyes
I'm trying to shine for you

Now the broom sage is spreading
Across your pasture land
You can't get the grass to grow
And you're waiting on the rain
But when the sky opens
It'll bring a mighty flood
It's gonna brighten up brown
And wash away your dust

So look for something shiny
It's in front of you
Look right here in my eyes
I'm trying to shine for you

Rock 'N Roll
Congratulations
You went back for more
yeah you unlocked your door
Now your heart's on the floor
And you don't know what you did that for
It seems like this time
You oughta get it right
But all your life's
Just been one big fight
Against what you did last night

So don't go and throw it all away
I knew you in your younger purer days
But you're not too old
To mend your soul
With rock 'n roll

Remember when music
It's what made you tick
Now I think you've confused it
With the booze and the bullshit excuses it brings
Yeah your broken heart
I'm sure it tears you apart
But think you've made an art
Out of playing the part of the aggrieved martyr

So don't go and throw the rest away
You'll only live to regret it
In your bitter final days
When you're too old
To mend your soul
With rock 'n roll
Your savior ain't coming back again
So better take a long hard look
At this hard way that you're living
And you will be forgiven if you throw your soul
Back to rock 'n roll
Rock 'n roll...

Whiskey Shivers
I've been shivering all day long
But I ain't cold
I've just been drinking and doing a little thinking
About all the places I wanna go

Whiskey bottle never got anybody very far
But it's so hard to leave town when you can walk to the bar
And take your old familiar place
You're an old familiar face

I've been shivering all day long
But I ain't cold
I've just been drinking and doing a little thinking
About all the places I wanna go

I've been complaing about money for way too long
The way it keeps a good man down keeps the bad ones strong
But life doesn't last that long
I think I'll quit complaining and get along

I've been shivering all day long
But I ain't cold
I've just been drinking and doing a little thinking
About all the places I wanna go

And I'll go anywhere you wanna go
As long as it ain't here
I'll be ready in a minute
I'm not quite finished with my beer



* All lyrics copyright Pete Stein BMI

Ghost or an Angel
Past 10 on a Louisiana winter night
The highway gave way to a detour sign
Sure enough that detour was cut off
And I was one foot from backing into that back woods swamp
A thousand miles from any place like home
And I was too scared to cry and had no idea where to go

When out of the darkness I saw a pool of light
Near an old warehouse that was closed for the night
An ancient ford was parked with its engine on
White steam curling up from the exhaust
And a mysterious driver with her maplight on

I said excuse me m’am but I am lost
Could you help me get back to the road I was on
She just smiled and she looked at me
And said I’m going there now son, follow me

Turn after turn she took me back to town
Christmas lights in every window but we were the only souls around
And I can’t recall hearin a single sound
Except that preacher on the radio and the hallelujah gospel hour

She pulled up next me at a traffic light
And pointed down the road to the highway onramp sign
I looked and breathed a sigh of relief and turned to wave goodbye
But that old Ford and its driver had vanished in the night

And I knew I’d met an angel outside of Baton Rouge
I knew I’d met an angel outside of Baton Rouge
I knew I’d met an angel outside of Baton Rouge
Was that a ghost or an angel outside of Baton Rouge

Gas Tank
Put new tires on the car
And drive it just as far as you can
Until the wear and the tear break you down again
Fill it up with gas
'til you run out of cash or crash
And everyone laughs cause you're back here again

And your friends
They're all your biggest fans
Except when they're pouring sugar
In your gas tank

Well the freeway ain't finished yet
And these back roads are bumpy as shit
And it takes forever to get where you wanna get
And try as hard as you might
You just can't get it right and you feel
Like your steering the wheel of a burning wreck

And your friends
They're all your biggest fans
Except when they're pouring sugar
In your gas tank

So set em up just to knock em down
That's the way it goes in these little towns
You can leave but you can't get out you can't get out

And your friends
They're all your biggest fans
Except when they're pouring sugar
In your gas tank

You slow down real fast
With sugar in your gas tank....

TN Time
Smoke em while you can
We got two left in the pack
We're 18 deep and it's too late to turn back
Burn it all down
Nothing left for later
Save some memories we'll savor down the line

If I ever do
One thing right
I'll get back to
The southside of the Kentucky state line
Back to
Tennessee time

Like a faded tatoo
I wear these worn out pictures of you
Lately looking back is all I do
To a winter sky
A soft winter sunshine
Reflecting off the back of blackbirds in flight

If I ever do
One thing right
I'll get back to
The southside of the Kentucky state line
Back to
Tennessee time

It was snowing in Chatanooga
The first night we rolled in
Kinda cold for some Florida boys
But we warmed up when we went in
Saw some good old rock n roll
And we made some brand new friends
I swear it was the happiest
A boy's ever been

If I ever do
one thing right
I'll get back to
The southside of the Kentucky state line
Back to a place where everything was alright
Where the breeze was blowing a better state of mind
Back to
Tennessee time
Tennessee time
Tennessee time

Silver Side of Signs
Hey we're on the brink again
Just a couple of old friends
Starring in some home movie
That flickers when it begins
So we settle in for the show
And there's a real long way to go
But the first song stabs light through me
In way only you could know

Some sad number about love and hope
The kind that makes ya wanna throw out
Evey single song ya ever wrote
And try to write one for you
If I could only find the notes
Would you tell me if this one's close?

Well it's almost the end of spring
And the summer's through slumbering
Don't tell me you're not dying
To go out exploring again
We could leave our maps behind
We could blaze a brand new line
And smile when we look back on
The silver side of signs

Driving 90 miles an hour in my car
Is the only way I can listen to music anymore
Standing still just makes me dizzy
And I only miss you more

Have you felt like that before
Like your knocking at death's door
But your wanting so much more
Exactly what you're not quite sure
But you know it's something about
Seeing every single town
Every single town

We need to cover so much ground
Before these leaves turn brown
Before we grow tired
Before the wheel winds down

Costume
Tired of trading away the future for a dime
Wasting all our worth on these production lines
They can pay us all what they want, but we can't buy back the time
Spent paving roads to riches that surely ain't ours to drive

So take back this carrot you've been holding out to me
Stop telling me about all the shiny things I don't need
I'll be just fine with a wealth of time and a little fresh air to breathe
Lord anything else, I'll make myself, it'll be all mine to keep

So take me outta this costume
It don't suit me no more
Show me a way out
And I'm breaking down the door
Need to feel some sunshine on my aching skin
I don't ever wanna wear this costume again

Now I ain't complaining, I'm just speakin my mind
I blame myself for misplacing my time
Just thinkin bout changing lanes, planning an overdue drive
Down Interstate highways to a land without compromise
To a truer side

So take me outta this costume
It don't suit me no more
Show me a way out
And I'm breaking down the door
Need to feel some sunshine on my aching skin
I don't ever wanna wear this costume again

Never again...

16 Ounces
I'm getting better 16 ounces at a time
I'll surely be cured by midnight
Noone ever got very far
Wishing on a lone star
Takes a least a sixer to get it right

Now the white lines are lookin a little hazy before my eyes
My knuckles are sweating from holding the steering wheel for dear life
I gotta make it home
I gotta stay drunk
I gotta crack open
Another tall boy of bud
If 16 ounces
Aint enough
I'll drink another one

Thank You
In the morning
The dawn is burning red
In the morning
I raise my weary head
In the morning
I’m ready for the day ahead
And I thank you for being mine

In the morning
I look into your eyes
In the morning
I see what I want to find
In the morning
I’m finally feeling fine
And I thank you for being mine

Little girl I hope you slept well
In my bed of dandilions
Little girl I hope you dreamt well
I dreamt of you all night
And I thank you for being mine

In the evening
The moon is on the rise
In the evening
Kudzou’s creeping on the vine
In the evening
You are lying by my side
And I thank you for being mine

You shimmer like a Georgia highway in the summertime
You sparkle like a sparkler in the hands of a little child
My tribulations are behind me and I thank you for being mine
I said my tribulations are behind me and I thank you for being mine

US 29
Well I'll miss you when I go
But I don't wanna know
What I'll be like if I just stay here
Cause I'm feeling kind of old
So I'm looking at the road
Like it's some kind of saviour

US 29 take me far away from here
Northbound southbound I don't care
I'm a one-way two-lane passenger
On divided highway time

Well we gave it a hell of a try
But after three years of barely scrapin by
I think it's time to cut our losses
When we look back all we'll find
Is just the back side of billboard signs
Plastic flowers and highway crosses

US 29 take me far away from here
Northbound southbound I don't care
I'm a one-way two-lane passenger
On divided highway time
Oh US 29

I've seen some terrible crashes
People chasin down their dreams too fast yeah
But dying slow is the worst disaster

US 29 take me far away from here
Northbound southbound I don't care
I'm a one-way two-lane passenger
On divided highway time
Oh US 29

The Ballad of Joel Carpenter
Wouldn't cut his hair just to please the court
Thought he looked alright in the eyes of the Lord
But on his judgement day they lead poor Joel away
To serve 21 long years with the state

Joel lived on Old Rag Mountain alone
A kinder man the county had never known
His only vice was that he liked to drink a little moonshine
And sleep on his front porch 'til daylight

Well them boys had been raising hell all over town
Drinking and fighting with everyone they found
Joel woke up when they broke his car windshield out

When the Sheriff arrived at the scene of the crime
Couldn't believe what he saw with his eyes
Joel was passed out an empty shotgun by his side
A dead boy and clear signs of a fight

Well them boys had been raising hell all over town
Headed up the holler making a God-awful sound
Ran down down like cowards when that one shot went off

Joel only meant to scare 'em away but
That boy grabbed the barrel and
That was his last mistake

Wouldn't take no lawyer he defended himself
Wasn't no earthly counsel could cure the sadness that felt
But still the district attorney produced an extra shotgun shell
They found him guilty and the gavel fell

Well the boys had been raising hell all over town
Headed up the holler making a God-awful sound
Anyone but Joel woulda shot 'em all down
Should've shot 'em all down
You would have shot 'em all down

Wouldn't cut his hair just to please the court
Thought he looked alright in the eyes of the Lord

Laredo Skies
The weather's been changin since you're gone
All of the cotton has turned brown
The reservoir's dried up in this thirsty little town
There ain't no water to be found
But still I feel like I have drowned

So heaven help me I can't explain it
How a girl can make it so cold
But since you're gone I have waited
For these Laredo skies to snow

Well I won't drive out to find you
There's too much ice on our road
I'd rather find someone new, somebody warm to hold on to
But can't feel to grip since my fingers froze
You frosted my heart closed

So heaven help me I can't explain it
How a woman can make it so cold
But since you're gone I have waited
For these Laredo skies to snow

The sky is gray out to the west
There's too many clouds to see the sunset
My pony shivers as we ride the fence
He wants to move on, I ain't ready yet
I still got too many holes to mend

So heaven help me I can't explain it
How you can make it so cold
But since you're gone I have waited
For these Laredo skies to snow
Since you're gone I have waited
For these Laredo skies to snow

I3
This land ain't your land I don't care what the song says
You best be leaving if you know what's best
You ain't paving where my grandaddy's layin
If you do it's you they'll be laying to rest

Now the great Smoky Mountains are about to be torn down
Just so folks can drive through em Instead of around em
They wanna honor the army by naming it I3
After some division that fought the Iraqis

But we need faster access
From knoxville to savannah
Gotta cut down on the traffic
We'll just take it outta your taxes
And there's no new money for your town
Them cars won't even slow down
But some gas station jobs will open
To leave the attendants hopin'

Now is it really that bad?
We'll even pay you for your land
Just trade in everything you built by hand
For a little bit of spending cash
And sorry about your grand dad
We heard he was a good man
But this road's already been planned
To run through where his grave stands

Well that's all fine and dandy
But you won't make it passed me
Cause I'm fighting for the grave of my grandaddy

Mrs. Grady
Your son isn’t coming home
I regret to tell you
He died bravely
I regret to tell you that he didn’t die alone
We’ll be grieving in company
And I pray for you
Please pray for me
Mrs. Grady

War is always
A greedy harvester
Of unfulfilled
Potential
Every death leaves a hole in time
And someone behind
Your son was a friend of mine
So I pray for you
Please pray for me
Mrs. Grady

May the souls of war
One day be reborn
In a land of peace and love
Seems like a fitting reward for
What they've been fighting for
Seems like a price we can barely afford



* All lyrics copyright Pete Stein BMI