Sky

All across the ocean

and the other end of the world

everyone is still with me

and there is no alone.

Sky

Prologue: Horizon Blue

I turn the radio on

for that sweet sound

and head west, always west,

go to the heartland I always say

and keep the horizon blue,

that way you lose less time.

Not that I'm rushin anything

just,

well everyone needs time,

and I like to keep mine close.

what was that promise that you made

I pull into a truckstop,

always eat where the truckers are,

they know what's good,

the dust from my miles blows in

and I need to wash my Lincoln.

The toothless waitress brings me my bacon

and the grease on the plate could kill a horse.

I swallow it all and keep on driving

and I try to reach Kansas by sundown.

Part One: Dusk and Twilight

Topeka hits me when the sky explodes red,

I cry cause its just so beautiful,

and because its just smoke and dirt.

sweet dreams and flyin machines

I burn through town and right past a Motel 6,

they left the light on,

but I'm not goin home.

The first star comes out and I make a wish

            Starlight starbright

            first star I see tonight...

I plow through Kansas, but its getting late

there's nothing for me here

so I pop a couple a pills

and figure I can drive for another day.

Part Two: Night

Alone on the highway

everyone returns

and I can see my baby crying.

I shut out the eyes

but the stars stare down

and every trapped soul reminds me of who I am.

I try to pull off

but the speed is working

and my mind pumps my bloodshot eyes wide open,

my white knuckles grip the hard wheel.

got a world of trouble on my mind

Somehow the night passes and the stars droop down,

the radio wants me to buy a minivan.

Part Three: Sunrise and The Next Day

Stopped at the golden arches with an overheated engine,

I've gotta eat cause I ain't comin down

and I don't know when I'm stoppin.

I walk out to where the truckers are

and I sponge around for some anti-freeze

the lot lizards in their leather straps

with their too much makeup call me

hey baby hey baby hey baby hey.

I can see her soft hair

and the years beyond her eyes

I can feel that first kiss

and I slam down the hood and take down the top,

crank 'er up I'm on my way.

people keep talkin about me baby

Fifteen miles to Nevada

and I've gotta keep money to get somewhere

I close my eyes as I feel the rain.

Pulled off on the highway

-emergency stopping only-

the roof comes up and the windows too,

suicide doors and all.

I put the pedal down to make some time

Part Four: Horizon Neon

For some reason I drive through Vegas

the call girls and the gamblers and the neon gods,

an artificial heaven,

Babel in the desert.

I'm comin down so I pull into a cheap hotel

the waitress wants to marry me

but I just want my two dollar prime rib.

don't know when I noticed life was life

I hide in my sheets,

shit drunk and piss stained

I crash, so there's no time to think,

no time to hear those demons.

Part Five: The Clouds at Midnight

I step through the screen door and the sliding glass

takes me away to that special place

the table is covered with a mountain of bills

and the stove overflows with home cooking.

The baby cries in the other room

and I hear sounds of soothing.

The pots boil over

and the paper accumulates,

masses

a couple of paintings from Sears

the baby keeps crying and I can't reach her

I'm burned by the water and torn by the paper

it clamors around my neck and smothers my arms

as the water scalds my chest

I jump up to a musky sheet in a baking room

I throw off the covers and turn on

the ice-maker air-conditioner.

I step out into the darkness

and the clouds are covering the stars.

I know you I walked with you

what more in the name of

Part Six: Horizon Black

I jump into the Lincoln

and speed off towards the sea.

The stormclouds gather on the wind tonight

and lightning strikes the horizon.

Its early in the morning

so the cops are all at Krispy Kreme

and I'm peelin down the road,

I know what I've gotta do.

under a blood red sky

I know when I would not ever

California flies by me at dawn

and birds paint the sky.

Part Seven: Cirrus Clouds and Seagulls

The Pacific grabs me like a hungry child

and the salt air makes me swoon.

I drive up the coastline and the endless summer

and the sun beats down on my shoulders.

I remember this

I can see the clouds on the horizon,

the weather's changin soon.

Part Eight: Lightning in the Sky

I pull off at some beachboom town

and walk through the wooden plank hotels

and the surfboard rental shops.

The wind blows cold with the advancing storm

and I didn't bring a jacket

so I just shiver along with the birds.

come Monday it'll be alright

The bars are crowded with the drunk and brown

first time rock star singers

coo soulful tipsy melodies.

I look back to the ocean,

the sky is black

and yellow with lightning,

and my roof is down.

Part Nine: Black Clouds and Rainfall

I love a rainy night

I run back to the Lincoln before the storm hits

and I save my vinyl.

I weave back through the streets

as the rain comes.

Its getting late,

but its already black from the storm.

with the lights out its less dangerous

Young boys drive by and holler in their youth

I'm splashed by the rain on the street.

I slide into a Waffle House

and dripping like a rat I find a seat.

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

The coffee and sausage do nothing for me,

I pass out in my booth

and my waitress lets me sleep for a couple a hours.

Part Ten: Moonlight

When she wakes me up it’s past midnight

my sleepstained mouth and eyes point me to the restroom.

I leave her a fiver

and I stumble out the door.

The rain has stopped and the full moon

glows down like a radiant king.

I can hear music fom behind me

a long long time ago

I turn around and head that way.

I find a small bar where the sound comes from

and a young boy with a guitar,

he sings to the little crowd sweetly

a dragon lives forever

how many deaths will it take till he knows

you ask me to enter but then you make me crawl

I'm sorry

Epilogue: Horizon Red

As the tears slip from my eyes

I am frozen in my chair

I can only lay my head down and know.

in the midst of the rubble

When he stops singing its dawn.

I get up from my stool

and I almost break my neck running out the door.

It takes me awhile to remember where I'd parked

but the engine cranks right up.

Radio on I turn towards the Atlantic,

I'm goin home.