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.