MATANZA - TO HELL WITH JOHNNY CASH - 2005

:: TO HELL WITH JOHNNY CASH ::
:: MATANZA ::
:: 2005 ::

FIVE FEET HIGH AND RISING
My mama always taught me that good things come from adversity if we put our faith in the Lord.
We couldn't see much good in the flood waters when they
were causing us to have to leave home,
But when the water went down,
We found that it had washed a load of rich black bottom dirt across our land.
The following year we had the best cotton crop we'd ever had.

I remember hearing:

How high's the water, mama?
Two feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Two feet high and risin'

We can make it to the road in a homemade boat
That's the only thing we got left that'll float
It's already over all the wheat and the oats,
Two feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Three feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Three feet high and risin'

Well, the hives are gone,
I've lost my bees
The chickens are sleepin'
In the willow trees
Cow's in water up past her knees,
Three feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Four feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Four feet high and risin'

Hey, come look through the window pane,
The bus is comin', gonna take us to the train
Looks like we'll be blessed with a little more rain,
4 feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Five feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Five feet high and risin'

Well, the rails are washed out north of town
We gotta head for higher ground
We can't come back till the water comes down,
Five feet high and risin'

Well, it's five feet high and risin'

STRAIGHT A'S IN LOVE
Well, readin' and writin' and arithmetic
Never did get through to me
It ain't because I'm square or thick
'Cause I learned my A-B-C
But when I graduated from the grammar school
And I moved one grade above
I began to be a snook at books
But I made straight A's in love

Now the teacher would say
Learn your algebra
But I'd bring home C's and D's
How could I make an A
When there's a swingin' maid
On the left and on the right
And in the back and the front of me

All my grades are low
On my card I know
But they oughta give me one above
If they'd give me a mark
For learnin' in the dark
I'd have straight A's in love

Now, in my senior year
With graduation near
I did my homework every night
And when my mama said
I oughta go to bed
I'd turn out all the lights
But my sweetie pie
Was waitin' right outside
She'd be a cooin' like a dove
Though I did my best
I failed semester test
But I made straight A's in love

Now the teacher would say
Learn your algebra
But I'd bring home C's and D's
How could I make an A
When there's a swingin' maid
On the left and on the right
And in the back and the front of me

All my grades are low
On my card I know
But they oughta give me one above
If they'd give me a mark
For learnin' in the dark
I'd have straight A's in love

MY TREASURE
I saved a lot of money my fortune was untold
And like a fool I idealized my silver and my gold
My earthly treasure's mounted but when I counted through
I realized the treasure I had overlooked was you

My treasure unmeasured but forsaken of the treasures that come from above
My treasure unmeasured but it don't hold a heart of the one that I love

If I had my life before me if I could see it all
I'd stake my claim on things that are secured against downfall
I'd work for earthly treasures like any man would do
But I set my sights much higher and I'd be sure that I had you

My treasure unmeasured unmeasured...

SAN QUENTIN
San Quentin, you've been livin' hell to me
You've hosted me since nineteen sixty three
I've seen 'em come and go and I've seen them die
And long ago I stopped askin' why

San Quentin, I hate evry inch of you.
You've cut me and have scarred me thru an' thru.
And I'll walk out a wiser weaker man;
Mister Congressman why can't you understand.

San Quentin, what good do you think you do?
Do you think I'll be different when you're through?
You bent my heart and mind and you may my soul,
And your stone walls turn my blood a little cold.

San Quentin, may you rot and burn in hell.
May your walls fall and may I live to tell.
May all the world forget you ever stood.
And may all the world regret you did no good.

San Quentin, you've been livin' hell to me.

TELL HIM I'M GONE
You take this hammer take it to the capt hey take this hammer take it to the capt
Take this hammer take it to the capt you can tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone
Cause I ain't gonna take no more kicks and whippings
No I ain't gonna take no kicks and whipping
I ain't gonna take no more no more this kicks and whippings
You can tell him I'm gone gone gone you can tell him I'm gone
Captain call me a hard headed devil well the captain call me a hard headed devil
Well the captain call me you hard headed devil
And that ain't my name that ain't my name
Well the Captain got a big gun bout a 99 calibre
Uuh Captain got a big gun bout a 99 calibre
Well the captain got a big gun bout a 99 calibre
He gonna shoot me down if he ever catches me gonna shoot me down
But you tell him that I went where the great goose goes
Tell him that I'm gone where the great goose goes
Tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone just tell him I'm gone
Take this hammer take it to the capt hey take this hammer take it to the capt

LEAVE THAT JUNK ALONE
Well you come on thinking for open the door
You better pick on your feet or gonna fall on the floor
I keep on telling you and I tell you some more
you better leave that junk alone and drink water

Lord that liquor is hard drink water
You don't wanna be assault
You better lay down the bottle
And put it on the top and drink

Culleistuo

Well your eyes are begging and the bloodshot are ready
It's been a weak or two since you've been in bed
You better pay attention to what I say
You better leave that junk alone and drink water

Lord that liquor is hard drink water
You don't wanna be assault
You better lay down the bottle
And put it on the top and drink

Culleistuo

Well I forgive for you running around
If you just promess that you come unwild
I buy you anything that you want in town
If you leave that junk alone and drink water

Lord that liquor is hard drink water
You don't wanna be assault
You better lay down the bottle
And put it on the top and drink

Culleistuo

BIG RIVER
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry,
and I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota).
And it tore me up ev'ry time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl.
Then I heard my dream was back downstream cavortin' in Davenport,
And I followed you, Big River, when you called.

Then you took me to St. Louis later on (down the river).
A freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone.
I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block.
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.

Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Go on, I"ve had enough; dump my blues down in the gulf.
She loves you, Big River, more than me.

BELSHAZZAR
Well the Bible tells us about a man
Who ruled Babylon and all it's land
Around the city he built a wall
And declared that Babylon would never fall

He had concubines and wives
He called his Babylon "Paradise"
On his throne he drank and ate
But for Belshazzer it was getting late

For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His houses were built upon the sand

The people feast and drank their wine
And praised the false gods of his time
All holy things were scorned and mocked
But suddenly all their mocking stopped

For on the wall there appeared a hand
Nothing else, there was no man
And but, the hand began to write
And Belshazzar couldn't hide his fright

For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His houses were built upon the sand

Well no one around could understand
What was written by the mystic hand
Belshazzar tried but couldn't find
A man who could give him piece of mind

But Daniel the prophet, the man of God
He saw the writing on the wall in blood
Belshazzar asked him what it said
And Daniel turned to the wall and read

"My friend your weighed in the balance and found wanting
Your kingdom was divided, it can't stand
Your weighed in the balance and found wanting
Your houses were built upon the sand"

Don't call my name out your window, I'm leaving
I won't even turn my head
Don't send your kin folks to give me no talkin'
I'll be gone like I said
You'd say the same old things that you've been saying all along
Lay there in your bed and keep your mouth shut 'til I'm gone
Don't give me that old familiar cryin' cussin' moan,
Understand your man (I'm tired of your badmouthin')
Understand your man.

You can give my other suits to the Salvation Army
And everything else I leave behind.
I ain't takin' nothing that'll slow down my travelin'
While I'm untanglin' my mind.

I ain't gonna repeat what I said anymore
While I'm breathin' air that ain't been breathed before
I'll be as gone as a wild goose in winter
Then you'll understand your man (meditate on it)
Understand your man (you hear me talkin')
Understand your man (remember what I told ya)

WIDE OPEN ROADWell, you said you had enough
You said that you were leaving
I said, shove off honey, baby I ain't grieving
Pack your bags and pull out this evening
There's a wide open road
Early this morning you were nowhere about
And so I seached the town, but you had done pulled out
I looked north, east and west and then a-leading south
I saw a wide open road

There's a wide open road
It's leading south from my abode
If you stick a round and turn your damper down
There's a wide open road

Well, the reason I was looking for you all over town
Was to tell you that your kitty cat is still around
And you left your wedding ring when you went down
That wide open road
If you're gonna stay away, then honey let me know
How to cook hot biscuits, how to roll the dough
Everything's gone crazy since I told you to go
Down the wide open road

There's a wide open road
And honey, I want you to know
You can look down south or you can turn back home
And there's a wide open road

CRY, CRY, CRYEverybody knows where you go when the sun goes down.
I think you only live to see the lights of town.
I wasted my time when I would try, try, try.
When the lights have lost their glow, you're gonna cry, cry, cry.

I lie awake at night and wait 'til you come in.
You stay a little while and then you're gone again.
Every question that I ask, I get a lie, lie, lie.
For every lie you tell, you're gonna cry, cry, cry.
You're gonna cry, cry, cry and you'll cry alone,
When everyone's forgotten and you're left on your own.
You're gonna cry, cry, cry.

Soon your sugar-daddies will all be gone.
You'll wake up some cold day and find you're alone.
You'll call to me but I'm gonna tell you: "Bye, bye, bye,"
When I turn around and walk away, you'll cry, cry, cry,

When your fickle little love gets old, no one will care for you.
You'll come back to me for a little love that's true.
I'll tell you no and you gonna ask me why, why, why?
When I remind you of all of this, you'll cry, cry, cry.

You're gonna cry, cry, cry and you'll cry alone,
When everyone's forgotten and you're left on your own.
You're gonna cry, cry, cry.

You're gonna cry, cry, cry and you'll want me there,
It'll hurt when you think of the fool you've been.
You're gonna cry, cry, cry

DON'T TAKE YOUR GUNS TO TOWNA young cowboy named Billy Joe
Grew restless on the farm
A boy filled with wanderlust
Who really meant no harm
He changed his clothes and shined his boots
And combed his dark hair down
And his mother cried as he walked out;

Refrain:
"Don't take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill
Don't take your guns to town."

He sang a song as on he rode,
His guns hung at his hips
He rode into a cattle town,
A smile upon his lips
He stopped and walked into a bar and laid his money down
But his mother's words echoed again;

Refrain:
"Don't take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill
Don't take your guns to town."

He drank his first strong liquor then to calm his shaking hand
And tried to tell himself at last he had become a man
A dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down
And he heard again his mother's words;

Refrain:
"Don't take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill
Don't take your guns to town."

Bill was raged and Billy Joe reached for his gun to draw
But the stranger drew his gun and fired before he even saw
As Billy Joe fell to the floor the crowd all gathered 'round
And wondered at his final words;

Refrain:
"Don't take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill
Don't take your guns to town."

HOME OF THE BLUESJust around the corner there's heartache
Down the street that losers use
If you can wade in through the teardrops
You'll find me at the Home of the Blues

I walk and cry while my heartbeat
Keeps time with the drag of my shoes
The sun never shines through this window of mine
It's dark at the Home of the Blues

Oh, but the place is filled with the sweetest mem'ries
Mem'ries so sweet that I cry
Dreams that I've had left me feeling so bad
I just want to give up and lay down and die

So if you've just lost your sweetheart
And it seems there's no good way to choose
Come along with me, misery loves company
You're welcome at the Home of the Blues

Just around the corner there's heartache
Down the street that losers use
If you can wade in through the teardrops
You'll find me at the Home of the Blues
Yeah, you're gonna find me at the Home of the Blues

I GOT STRIPESOn A Monday I Was Ar-rested (Uh Huh)
On A Tuesday They Locked Me In The Jail (Oh Boy)
On A Wednesday My Trial Was At-tested
On A Thursday They Said Guilty And The Judge's Gavel Fell

I Got Stripes. Stripes Around My Shoulders
I Got Chains... Chains Around My Feet
I Got Stripes... Stripes Around My Shoulders
And Them Chains... Them Chains They're About To Drag Me Down

On A Monday My Momma Come To See Me
On A Tuesday They Caught Me With A File
On A Wednesday I'm Down In Solitary
On A Thursday I Start On Bread And Water For A While

I Got Stripes. Stripes Around My Shoulders
I Got Chains... Chains Around My Feet
I Got Stripes... Stripes Around My Shoulders
And Them Chains... Them Chains They're About To Drag Me Down

I Got Stripes... Stripes Around My Shoulders
I Got Chains... Chains Around My Feet
I Got Stripes... Stripes Around My Shoulders
And Them Chains... Them Chains They're About To Drag Me

:: :: :: :: 'til the next! :: :: ::