SONG TITLES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
(Lyrics to titles currently in Jon McAuliffe's Onstage Repertoire - Looking for song lyrics that have been permanently or temporarily retired? Email Jon at axematic@gmail.com. He'll be happy to send them to you.)
CRAZY HIGHWAY
Drivin' in the rain, singin' all the way
Wheelin', let it spin, I'm gonna make it some day
Always on the run, under the gun
All I ask is leave me some time for love
Chorus
Yes, and I'm always on my way, it's just so hard to stay
In any one place for too long
What keeps me goin', I don't know, but I've just gotta go
Maybe it's just that crazy myth of the road
Oh but someday I'm gonna get off of this crazy highway
Oh yeah someday I'm gonna get off of this crazy highway
Orphans in the storm, always bein' born
Bet your life, sacrifice, just can't seem to stay warm
Call it like you see it, play it where it lies
Ride it out to the end of the line
Chorus
Words & Music © 1977 by United Artists/Bottom Line Music; 2010 by Jon McAuliffe
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'CROSS THE RIVER
I got business 'cross the river, hallelujah
I got business up the road, around the bend
I got business 'cross the river, hallelujah
I got business at the river's end
Someone's down upon their knees and they're just prayin'
For the water that refreshes souls anew
But the rain that feeds the river's always fallin'
Fillin' up the river just for me and you
Chorus
'Cross the river our eyes will open
We will lay our burdens down
We will sing a song of deliverance
When we hear the river's sound
Someone's thirsting but they will not drink the water
Someone's searching but they will not read the signs
Still the river rolls on, can't you hear it singing?
Calling out to every troubled mind
Chorus
I got business 'cross the river, hallelujah
I got business at the river's end
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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DEADWOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY
The Jack o' Diamonds is a hard card to play
When you're in Deadwood in the middle of the day
When some loose cannon's bent on twisted destiny
To make his mark and take his place in history
The Number 10 Saloon and Crooked Nose McCall
It's said that Wild Bill read the writing on the wall
Jack, on the other hand, for brains he had no use
Six months later they put Jack's head in a noose
Don't think that you're somehow above the law
That you won't get yours in the end
Can't beat the reaper with a quicker draw
He's waitin' for you 'round the bend
Bill's back faced the door, he never saw McCall
The hand he drew would be the last thing that he saw
Eights and aces would scare any gamblin' man
You call it what you will, it's still a Dead Man's Hand
Play with fire and you're gonna get burned
There ain't no gettin' around that
Lessons ignored will be lessons learned
You're gonna die and that's a fact
Frontier justice nor Calamity Jane
Could not tame Wild Bill's heart
Bill took a bullet to the back of his head
That's when the heartaches start
Pulled out my .44, I aimed a little high
I squeezed the trigger once, got him right between the eyes
He fell back hard, he wasn't about to get up
It's a dirty business, but then everyone's corrupt
The Jack o' Diamonds is a hard card to play
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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DARKNESS COMING ON
Okay, I guess I get it, what's your next move?
And don't ya try to pin the blame on me
It's clear to everybody here except you
You've only fooled yourself with your deceit
Chorus
The sun is going down now, the light is almost gone
The temperature is falling, there's darkness comin' on
You cannot lie your way around this, this time
Your motivation's all too clear to see
You've violated so many for so long
And all of them just want to see you bleed
Chorus
Bridge
I can't help but wonder if you've even given just one thought
To the damage in your wake, the sincerity you fake
I don't believe that anything will change you
I'd be amazed to learn you had a heart
The trail of tragedy you've left behind you
Illuminates the monster that you are
Chorus
Words & Music © 2012 by Jon McAuliffe
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ENCOURAGEMENT
It's not what goes into a man that defiles him, it's what comes out
It's what a man communicates, that's what I'm talkin' about
With just one word you can build me up or you can shoot me down
You can lift my spirits high and push me right down to the ground
Chorus
Encouragement lifts me up, Encouragement stands me tall
Encouragement makes me feel good but Discouragement can ruin it all
Now don't be lookin' down on your brother 'less your pullin' him up with your hand
There's opportunity everywhere, pay attention to circumstance
A kind word's like a cool drink o' water to a man dying of thirst
It can turn his whole world around like when the last become the first
Chorus
I don't need no discouragement, I got enough just watchin' my TV screen
Hearin' some silly politician sayin' "you gotta vote for me"
Meanwhile millionaires who don't pay taxes are puttin' lobby money in the politicians hands
Politicians say "we need more, more, more, gotta tax the poor and the workin' man"
Chorus
Words & Music © 2008 by Jon McAuliffe
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GOTTA GET BACK TO MEMPHIS
Headin' down South, I-40 West
I gotta get back to the place I love best
I gotta get me some o' that barbeque
Down at the King's Palace Cafe or the Rendezvous
Chorus
I gotta get back to Memphis, I gotta get back to Memphis
I gotta get back to Memphis if it's the last thing I do
The home of Stax Records, Sun Records, too
They tell me that Beale Street's the Home of the Blues
Elvis Presley's Graceland is standin' still
It's only 225 miles from Nashville
Chorus
Bridge
Take me down past the fragrant Mississippi
Back to McLemore Avenue
I wanna reminisce about the Staple Singers
Rufus Thomas and Howlin' Wolf
Those Memphis folks, they're really the best
From the North to the South, from the East to the West
A smile from a stranger, a "Howdy, you all!"
"Y'all come back, you don't even have to call"
Chorus
Words & Music © 2007, 2010, 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
I got my head in the clouds, I got my mind set on freedom
I got a death row reprieve, my soul’s salvation bound
I got my eyes on the prize, yeah I can see another country
Where there’s another kind of life, and there’s another kind of sound
So many people are troubled in mind
They’re all messed up, but they swear they’re fine
They can’t see beyond the here and the now
They’re killin’ themselves, but they don’t know how
I got my head in the clouds, I got my mind set on freedom
I got a reason to believe my soul’s salvation bound
I got my eyes on the prize, yeah I can see another country
Where there’s another kind of life and God knows there’s another kind of sound
Can’t find no doctor who can ease the pain
They take their pills still they feel the same
There ain’t no relief from the status quo
They’re dyin’ inside, but they just don’t know
Hey now, take a little walk with me
We’re goin’ up the mountain to a place called eternity
It’s a narrow path, ya gotta watch your step
But when you get to the end of that road you will find happiness
Hope’s something more than just a state of mind
Man, it’s real as steel and you can feel it inside
You’ve got to let your little light shine
You show me your light, I’ll show you mine
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE
Remember the time you were down for the count
With a bad attitude and a self-righteous pout
You tried to be someone else, but you just ended up as yourself
That confusion you felt, bid it farewell
Chorus
Let your light shine, let it shine like the light of the rising son
Let it shine
Let your light shine, let it shine like the battle is already won
Let it shine
Ya know you can't fake it, ya know you can't hide
Behind some illusion you know is a lie
You'd love to just break on thru, to a place that resembles the truth
If you just didn't end up some kind of fool
Chorus
Bridge
You've been down before
Ya don't want to go back there no more
Hung up by darkness, you long to be free
Still you're possessed by a blue melody
You'd love to just break on out, tear the walls down with just one shout
Remind yourself what this thing's all about
Chorus
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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ONCE UPON A TIME
How did we ever get to this?
You used to wake me with a kiss
You used to tell me you were mine
Once upon a time
My heart was then and it still is
Caught up in yours, am I remiss?
In thinking you weren't so unkind
Once upon a time
Bridge
I thought that you would understand
I simply could not comprehend
I would rather stay behind
Remembering you once upon a time
And now the curtain hits the stage
Another act, another play
Another heart that's left behind
Once upon a time
Repeat first verse
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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ON THE OTHER SIDE
There ain't no tears on the other side
There ain't no fear and there ain't no pride
There ain't no death and there ain't no time
There ain't no pain on the other side
There's no confusion on the other side
There ain't no secrets there to be disguised
There's no distortion and there ain't no lies
There ain't no liars on the other side
They say the grass is always greener there
The skies are many shades of blue
A day lasts for a thousand years I'm told
It's where all our dreams come true
There's no illusions on the other side
There ain't no darkness there to hide behind
There ain't no power that can victimize
There ain't no chains on the other side
There ain't no wars, there ain't no trouble there
No friends who'll fail you in the end
No broken promises or cheating there
And no disappointment
No one's lonely on the other side
There ain't no heartbreak and no one cries
And no one's frozen up inside
Cause there ain't no sorrow on the other side
There ain't no tears on the other side
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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SOUTHERN SPECIAL
Southern Special, take me down the line
I'm leavin' Mississippi underneath the pale moonlight
Southern Special, hear that engine whine
I'm gonna jump that train and leave my troubles behind
Well, ya know My Baby Left Me
She slammed that door in my face
I gotta get across the border, got no time to waste
Southern Special, rollin' thru the rain
I'm standin' here waitin' just to ride your Mystery Train
Southern Special, take me to Tennessee
My luck will improve if I can just locate Marie
Southern Special, please have mercy on me
I got rolled in Louisiana, now I'm broke as a man can be
Well, I hitchhiked from Detroit
All the way to Ville Platte
I gotta make Memphis by dawn
There ain't no doubt about that
Southern Special, slow up as you go by
Say won't you do me a favor, man, and let this poor boy ride
Train I Ride, 16 Coaches Long . . .
Words & Music © 2011 by Jon McAuliffe
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TEAR DOWN EVERY WALL
Well now if ya wanna dissipate the darkness
Ya know you've got to shine your light
Tear down the walls that divide and separate us
And help the blind regain their sight
Chorus
We got to tear down every wall now children
Got to tear down every wall
We got to "ooooooooooooo" early in the mornin'
Got to tear down every wall
We got war among the Christians, Muslims and Jews
War between the straight and gay
Everybody's talkin' about peace and understanding
Something's lost in translation 'long the way
Now the left say the right's mean spirited and cold
The right say the left's unsound
Both sides are buildin' up walls o' separation
Got to tear these walls on down
Chorus
Jesus met the woman at the well
He asked her for a drink o' water
He didn't care that she was a Samaritan
He laid the love of God on her
Now I don't mean to sound religious
I know that turns some people off
But if you don't resist the devil when he comes around
Ya know you're surely gonna pay the cost
Chorus
Everywhere greed and corruption
Everywhere some evil plan
The poor victimized by the rich and powerful
They think that we don't understand
Chorus
Alternate verse
Freedom fighters OCCUPY Boston
Wall Street had to hide and run
Do the math and you will easily see
That 99 is more than 1
Words & Music © 2009 by Jon McAuliffe
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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT
You get on board the local, the rain's comin' down
There's somethin' in the air that says you best not stick around
There's thunder in the distance, there's gunfire underground
The atmosphere is tense and there is trouble in this town
I hope ya got a match when the lights go out
Abandoned on the street, stranded in the storm
Attack is all around you in this present form
Like a '57 Cadillac, neglected, rusted out
You know all about decay, you know what that's about
I hope you got a match when the lights go out
Bridge
Somethin's sneakin' up on you and you ain't got no time to lose
Your last fair deal's gone down and now you ain't got no excuse
The highway calls you home, the Good Lord lights your way
But that flicker in the rear view says you just might be delayed
You got so many questions, you hear so many sounds
You're bound to get some answers when you get out of this town
I hope you got a match when the lights go out
