You Are My Face
I remember my mother’s
Sister’s husband’s brother
Working in the goldmine full-time
Filling in for sunshine
Filing into tight lines
Of ordinary beehives
The door screams I hate you
Hate you hanging around my blue jeans
Why is there no breeze
No currency of leaves
No current through the water wire
No feelings I can see
I trust no emotion
I believe in locomotion
But I've turned to rust as we've discussed
Though I must have let you down
Too many times
In the dirt and the dust
I have no idea how this happens
All of my maps have been overthrown
Happenstance has changed my plans
So many times my heart has been outgrown
Now everybody’s feeling all alone
Can’t tell you who I am
When everybody’s feeling all alone
Can’t tell you who I am
I am looking forward
Toward the shadows tracing bones
Our faces stitched and sewing
Our houses hemmed into homes
Trying to be thankful
Our stories fit into phones
And our voices lift so easily
A gift given accidentally
When we’re not sure
We’re not alone
Written by Jeff Tweedy and Nels Cline
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, electric guitar
John Stirratt – vocals, bass
Glenn Kotche – drums
Mikael Jorgensen – piano
Nels Cline – lead electric 12-string
Pat Sansone – vocals, acoustic guitar, Hammond A100 organ
Jim O’Rourke – feedback
Muzzle Of Bees
There’s a random painted highway
And a muzzle of bees
My sleeves have come unstitched
From climbing your tree
When dogs laugh some say they’re barking
I don’t think they’re mean
Some people get so frightened
The fences in between
The sun gets passed from tree to tree
Silently
Then back to me
With a breeze blown through
Pushed up against the sea
Finally back to me
I’m assuming you got my message
On your machine
I’m assuming you love me
And you know what that means
The sun gets passed from sea to sea
Silently
And back to me
With a breeze blown through
Pushed up above the leaves
With a breeze blowing through
My head upon your knee
Half of it’s you
Half is me
Half of it’s you
Half is me
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy Vocals, Acoustic Baritone 12 String & Lead Guitar
John Stirratt Piano, Background Vocals
Glenn Kotche Drums
Leroy Bach Bass
Mikael Jorgensen Piano & Farfisa Organ
Jim O'Rourke Acoustic Guitar & Piano
A Shot in the Arm
The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you went to bed
With your darkest mind
Your pillow wept
And covered your eyes
And you finally slept
While the sun caught fire
You've changed
We fell in love
In the key of C
We walked along
Down by the sea
You followed me down
The neck to D
And fell again
Into the sea
You changed
Oh, you've changed
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
Something in my veins
Bloodier than blood
something in my veins
Bloodier than blood
something in my veins
Bloodier than blood
something in my veins
Bloodier than blood
The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you went to bed
With your darkest mind
You changed
Oh you've changed
What you once were isn't what
You want to be any more
What you once were isn't what
You want to be any more
What you once were isn't what
You want to be any more
What you once were isn't what
You want to be any more
What you once were isn't what
You want to be any more
Instrumental credits:
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, acoustic and 12-string guitars, synthesizers
Jay Bennett – lap steel, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, drums
John Stirratt – bass
Ken Coomer – timpani
Radio Cure
Cheer up
Honey I hope you can
There is something wrong with me
My mind is filled with silvery stuff
Honey kisses clouds of fluff
Shoulders shrugging off
Cheer up
Honey I hope you can
There is something wrong with me
My mind is filled with radio cures
Electronic surgical words
Picking apples for the kings and queens of things I've never seen
Oh, distance has no way
Of making love understandable
Cheer up
Honey I hope you can
There is something wrong with me
My mind is filled with silvery stars
Honey kisses clouds of love
Picking apples for the kings and queens of things I've never seen
Oh, distance has no way of making love understandable
Oh, distance has no way of making love understandable
Oh, distance has no way of making love understandable
Oh, distance has no way of making love understandable
Cheer up
Honey I hope you can
Impossible Germany
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
Wherever you go
Wherever you land
I’ll say what this means to me
I’ll do what I can
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
(The) fundamental problem
We all need to face
This is important
But I know you’re not listening
Oh I know you’re not listening
If this was still new to me
I wouldn’t understand
Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan
But this is what love is for
To be out of place
Gorgeous and alone
Face to face
With no larger problems
That need to be erased
Nothing more important than to know
Someone’s listening
Now I know
You’ll be listening
Written by Jeff Tweedy and Wilco
Remember the Mountain Bed
Do you still sing of the mountain bed we made of
limbs and leaves: Do you still sigh there near the
sky where the holly berry bleeds: You laughed as I
covered you over with leaves, face, breast, hips
and thighs, You smiled when I said the leaves
were just the color of your eyes.
Rosin smells and turpentine smells from
eucalyptus and pine Bitter tastes of twigs we
chewed where tangled woodvines twine Trees held
us in on all four sides so thick we could not see I
could not see any wrong in you, and you saw none
in me.
Your arm was brown against the ground, your
cheeks part of the sky, As your fingers played with
grassy moss, and limber you did lie: Your stomach
moved beneath your shirt and your knees were in
the air Your feet played games with mountain
roots as you lay thinking there.
Below us the trees grew clumps of trees, raised
families of trees, and they As proud as we tossed
their heads in the wind and flung good seeds
away: The sun was hot and the sun was bright
down in the valley below Where people starved
and hungry for life so empty come and go.
There in the shade and hid from the sun we freed
our minds and learned Our greatest reason for
being here, our bodies moved and burned There
on our mountain bed of leaves we learned life's
reason why The People laugh and love and dream,
they fight, they hate to die.
The smell of your hair I know is still there, if most
of our leaves are blown, Our words still ring in the
brush and the trees where singing seeds are sown
Your shape and form is dim, but plain, there on
our mountain bed I see my life was brightest
where you laughed and laid you head...
I learned the reason why man must work and how
to dream big dreams, To conquer time and space
and fight the rivers and the seas I stand here filled
with my emptiness now and look at city and land
And I know why farms and cities are built by hot,
warm, nervous hands.
I crossed many states just to stand here now, my
face all hot with tears, I crossed city, and valley,
desert, and stream, to bring my body here: My
history and future blaze bright in me and all my joy
and pain Go through my head on our mountain
bed where I smell your hair again.
All this day long I linger here and on in through
the night My greeds, desires, my cravings, hopes,
my dreams inside me fight: My loneliness healed,
my emptiness filled, I walk above all pain Back to
the breast of my woman and child to scatter my
seeds again.
Published by Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. (BMI)/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing
Corp./Words-Ampersand Music (BMI)/You Want A Piece Of This Music (ASCAP),
administered by Bug Music
Words: Woody Guthrie 1944
Music: Jeff Tweedy/Jay Bennett 1999
Leroy Bach: piano
Jay Bennett: organ, nylon-string guitar, backing vocal
Ken Coomer: drums
John Stirratt: bass, backing vocal
Jeff Tweedy: vocal, 12-string acoustic guitar
Handshake Drugs
I was chewing gum
For something to do
The blinds were being pulled
Down on the dew
Inside out of love
What a laugh I was looking for you
The saxophones
Started blowing me down
I was buried in sound
And the taxi cabs were driving me around
To the handshake drugs I bought downtown
To the handshake drugs I bought downtown
They were translating poorly
I felt like a clown
I looked like someone I used to know
I felt alright
And if I ever was myself
I wasn’t that night
Oh it’s ok for you to say what you want from me
I believe that’s the only way for me to be
Exactly what you want me to be
Oh it’s ok for you to say what you want from me
I believe that’s the only way for me to be
Exactly what you want me to be
I was chewing gum
For something to do
The blinds were being pulled
Down on the dew
Inside out of love
What a laugh I was looking for you
The saxophones
Started blowing me down
I was buried in sound
And the taxi cabs were driving me around
To the handshake drugs I bought downtown
To the handshake drugs I bought downtown
Oh it’s ok for you to say what you want from me
I believe that’s the only way for me to be
Exactly what you want me to be
Exactly what do you want me to be
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitar
John Stirratt Bass & Background Vocals
Glenn Kotche Drums
Leroy Bach Piano
Mikael Jorgensen RMI Rock-si-chord
Jim O'Rourke Electric Rhythm Guitar
Tim Barnes Percussion
One Wing
We once belonged to a bird
We cast a shadow on this world
You were a blessing, and I was a curse
I did my best not to make things worse
For you
That isn’t true
I always knew this would be your fate
This is what happens when wings separate
This happens to all dead weight
Eventually
We may as well be made of stone
We can’t be flown
One wing will never fly
Neither yours nor mine, I fear
We can only wave goodbye
One wing will never ever fly
Neither yours nor mine
One wing will never ever fly, dear
Neither yours nor mine, I fear
We can only wave goodbye
One wing will never ever fly, dear
Neither yours nor mine, I fear
We can only wave goodbye
Bye, bye
Bye, bye
Bye, bye
Bye, bye
Jesus, Etc.
Jesus, don't cry
You can rely on me honey
You can combine anything you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun
Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Don't cry
You can rely on me honey
You can come by any time you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun
Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Our love
Our love
Our love is all we have
Our love
Our love is all of God's money
Everyone is a burning sun
Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Misunderstood
When you're back in your old neighborhood
The cigarettes taste so good
But you're so misunderstood
You're so misunderstood
There's something there that you can't find
You look honest when you're telling a lie
You hurt her but you don't know why
You love her but you don't know why
Short on long term goals
There's a party there that we ought to go to
If you still love rock and roll
If you still love rock and roll?
It's only a quarter to three
Reflecting off of your CD
You're looking at a picture of me
You're staring at a picture of me
Take the guitar player for a ride
'Cause he ain't never been satisfied
He thinks he owes some kind of debt
It'll be years before he gets over it
There's a fortune inside your head
When all you touch turns to lead
You think you might just crawl back in bed
With a fortune inside your head
I know you're just a mama's boy
You're positively unemployed
So misunderstood
So misunderstood
I know you've got a god-shaped hole
You're bleeding out your heart full of soul
You're so misunderstood
You're so misunderstood
You're so misunderstood
You're so misunderstood
I'd like to thank you all for nothing
I'd like to thank you all for nothing at all
I'd like to thank you all for nothing
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing at all
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing at all
Pot Kettle Black
Crazy rides rockets
Waves a magic wand
Empty out your pockets
Words without a song
I myself have found a real rival in myself
I am hoping for the rearrival of my health
Sleeping eye sockets
Baby suck your thumb
I'll keep you in my locket
A string I never strum
It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself
I'm tied in a knot
But I'm not
Gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later
Lazy locomotives
Wherever you may roll
I think you have no motive
I know you have no home
It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself
I'm tied in a knot
But I'm not
Gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later
Every moment's a little bit later
Every moment's a little bit later
Every moment's a little bit later
I'm tied in a knot
But I'm not
Gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
I'm not
Gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Poor Places
It’s my father's voice trailing off
Sailors sailing off in the morning
For the air conditioned rooms
At the top of the stairs
His jaw's been broken
His bandage is wrapped too tight
His fangs have been pulled
And I really want to see you tonight
There's bourbon on the breath
Of the singer you love so much
He takes all his words from the books
That you don't read anyway
His jaw's been broken
His bandage is wrapped too tight
His fangs have been pulled
And I really want to see you tonight
Someone ties a bow
In my backyard to show me love
My voice is climbing walls
Smoking and I want love
My jaw's been broken
My heart is wrapped in ice
My fangs have been pulled
And I really want to see you tonight
It makes no difference to me
How they cried all over overseas
When it's hot in the poor places tonight
I'm not going outside
They cried all over overseas
It makes no difference to me
When it's hot in the poor places tonight
I'm not going outside
It's hot in the poor places tonight
I'm not going outside
I'm not going outside
I'm not going outside
Reservations
How can I convince you it's me I don't like
Not be so indifferent to the look in your eyes
When I've always been distant
And I've always told lies
For love
I'm bound by these choices so hard to make
I'm bound by the feeling so easy to fake
None of this is real
Enough to take me
From you
O I've got reservations
About so many things
But not about you
I know this isn't what you were wanting me to say
How can I get closer and be further away
From the truth
That proves it's beautiful
To lie
I've got reservations
About so many things
But not about you
I…reservations
About so many things
But not about you
Not about you
Not about you
Not about you
Not about you
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
Spiders are singing in the salty breeze
Spiders are filling out tax returns
Spinning out webs of deductions and melodies
On a private beach in Michigan
Why can’t we wish their kisses good
Why do they miss when their kisses should
Fly like winging birds fighting for the keys
On a private beach in Michigan
This recent rash of kidsmoke
All these telescopic poems
It’s good to be alone
Why can’t they say what they want
Why can’t they just say what they need
Come clean, listen and talk
Hello private caller
ID blocked
The sun will rise, we’ll climb into cars
The future has a valley and a shortcut around
Who will wear the crown of drowning award
Hold a private light
On the Michigan shore
Fool me with a kiss of kidsmoke
From a microscopic home
It’s good to be alone
I’ll be in my bed
You can be the stone
That raises from the dead
And carries us all home
There’s no blood on my hands
I just do as I’m told
Hate It Here
I try to stay busy
I do the dishes, I mow the lawn
I try to keep myself occupied
Even though I know you’re not coming home
I try to keep the house nice and neat
I make my bed I change the sheets
I even learned how to use the washing machine
But keeping things clean doesn’t change anything
What am I gonna do when I run out of shirts to fold?
What am I gonna do when I run out of lawn to mow?
What am I gonna do if you never come home?
Tell me, what am I gonna do?
I hate it
I hate it here
When you’re gone
I caught myself thinking
I caught myself thinking once again
Have to try to keep my mind out of this
Try not to pretend
I’ll check the phone
I’ll check the mail
I’ll check the phone again and I call your mom
She says you’re not there and I should take care
I hate it here
When you’re gone
I hate it
I hate it here
When you’re gone
I try to stay busy
I take out the trash, I sweep the floor
Try to keep myself occupied
Cause I know you don’t live here anymore
Written by Jeff Tweedy and Wilco
Walken
I’m walking
All by myself
I was talking to myself about you
What am I going to do
I was singing
This song about you
I was thinking about singing
This song for you
The more I think about it
The more I know it’s true
The more I think about it
The more I’m sure it’s you
Honey I think you’re just right
You’re just right
I was walking
Like I said by myself
I was talking
To myself about you
Like I always do
The more I think about it
The more I know it’s true
The more I think about it
The more I’m sure it’s you
Honey, I think you’re just right
You’re just right
The more I think about it
The more I know it’s true
The more I think about it
The more I’m sure it’s you
Honey, I think you’re just right
You’re just right
Written by Jeff Tweedy and Wilco
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, electric guitar
John Stirratt – bass
Glenn Kotche – drums
Mikael Jorgensen – piano, Hammond B3 organ
Nels Cline – lap steel
Pat Sansone – electric guitar
I'm the Man Who Loves You
All I can see
Is black and white
And white and pink
With blades of blue
That lay between
The words I think
On a page
I was meaning
To send to you
I couldn't tell
If it would
Bring my heart
The way I wanted
When I started
Writing this letter to you
But if I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you
All I can be
Is a busy sea
Of spinning wheels
And hands that feel
For stones to throw
And feet that run
But come back home
It makes no difference
Ever known
Makes no difference
Ever known to me
But if I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you
All I can see
Is black and white
And white and pink
With blades of blue
That lay between
The words I think
On a page
I was meaning
To send to you
I couldn't tell
If it would
Bring my heart
The way I wanted
When I started
Writing this letter to you
If I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you
If I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you
If I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you
I'm the man who loves you
I'm the man who loves you
I'm the man who loves you
Monday
Choo-choo Charlie had a plenty good band
But he couldn't understand why no one would go
The World Record Players on a tour of Japan
Charlie's fixing his van with a left arm tan
He said
Monday, I'm all high
Get me out of FLA
In school, yeah
I fooled ya
Now I know I made a mistake
Blister on a turnpike, let me by
I only want to wonder why when I don't die
Oooh, I shot ya, yeah, I know
I only want to go where my wheels roll
Monday, I'm all high
Get me out of FLA
I fooled ya
In school, yeah
Now I know I made a mistake
Everybody's wondering, "Where'd he go?"
He must be down in Pensacola
Hiding from the snow
The World Record Players on a tour of Japan
Charlie's fixing his van
He's waiting for a postcard
And he said
Monday, I'm all high
Get me out of TLA
Well I cut class
In school, yeah
Now I know I made a mistake
I made a big mistake
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
I know we don't talk much
But you're such a good talker
Oh-whoa
Well I know we should take a walk
But you're such a fast walker, oh-whoa,
Well alright
I know where I'll be tonight, alright
Outta mind outta site
Well okay
I know you don't love me
But you'll still be thinking of me, oh-whoa
Well alright
I know you probably hate me
That's okay with me
Alright!
I know where I'll be tonight, alright
Outta mind outta site
Outta mind outta site
You don't see me now
You don't want to anyhow
Look out
Here I come again
And I'm bringing my friends
Look out
Here I come again
I'm bringing my friends
Okay, alright, okay alright!
I know where I'll be tonight, alright
Outta mind outta site
Outta mind outta si-ite
Outta mind outta si-i-i-ite
The Late Greats
The greatest lost track of all-time
The Late Greats’s “Turpentine”
You can’t hear it on the radio
Can’t hear it anywhere you go
The best band will never get signed
The Kay-Sette’s starring Butcher’s Blind
So good you won’t ever know
They never even played a show
Can’t hear ‘em on the radio
The greatest singer in Rock-n-Roll
Would have to be Romeo
His vocal chords are made of gold
He just looks a little too old
The best songs will never get sung
The best life never leaves your lungs
So good you won’t ever know
You’ll never hear it on the radio
You can’t hear it on the radio
Heavy Metal Drummer
I sincerely miss
Those heavy metal bands
I used to go see
On the landing in the summer
She fell in love with the drummer
She fell in love with the drummer
She fell in love
Shiny shiny pants
Bleached blond hair
A double kick drum
By the river in the summer
she fell in love with the drummer
another
then another
she fell in love
I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned
Unlock my body
And move myself to dance
Into warm liquid
flowing blowing glass
classical music blasting
masks the ringing in my ears
Oh I sincerely miss
Those heavy metal bands
I used to go see
On the landing in the summer
She fell in love with the drummer
She fell in love with another
She fell in love
I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned
I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned
Red-Eyed and Blue
We've got solid-state technology
Tapes on the floor
Some songs we can't afford to play
When we came here today
All I wanted to say
Is how much I miss you
Alcohol and cotton balls
And some drugs
We can’t afford on the way
When we came here today
We all felt something true
Now I'm red-eyed and blue
I Got You (At the End of the Century)
I got you and that's all I need
I got you and that's all I need
I got you and that's all I need
I got you
I got you and I still believe
That you are all I will ever need
It's you, oh
All the way back in the seventies
You were my little TV queen
Tarzan and your friend Janine
I got you
I got you and I still believe
That you are all I will ever need
It's you, oh
It's the end of the century
And I can't think of anything
Except you
It's the end of the century
And I can't think of anything
But you, oh
All, I, need
I got you
I got you, babe
I got you
You
You, ooh ooh
I got you
I got you
Oooh
I got you
Hoodoo Voodoo
Hoodoo voodoo, seven twenty one two
Haystacka hostacka, A B C
High poker, low joker, ninety nine a zero
Sidewalk, streetcar, dance a goofy dance
Blackbirdy, bluejay; one two three four,
Trash sack, jump back E F G,
Biggy hat, little hat, fattyman, skinnyman,
Grasshopper, greensnake, hold my hand
Hoodoo voodoo, chooka chooky choochoo,
True blue, how true, kissle me now
Momma cat, Tommy cat, diapers on my clothes line
Two four six eight, I run and hide
Pretty girl, pretty boy, pony on a tincan,
I'll be yours and you'll be mine
Jinga jangler, tingalingle,
picture on a bricky wall
Hot and scamper, foamy lather, huggle me close
Hot breeze, old cheese,
slicky slacky fishy tails
Brush my hair and kissle me some more
Published by Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. [BMI]/Warner-
Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Words-Ampersand Music
[BMI]/Titanic Majesties Music [ASCAP]/Poeyfarre Songs
[BMI]/500 Ft. Toe Music [BMI]/BMG Songs/Koolhot Muzik [ASCAP]
Words: Woody Guthrie [no date]
Music: Wilco/Bragg/Harris
Jay Bennett: organ, Farfisa bass pedals
Billy Bragg: electric guitar
Ken Coomer: drums
Corey Harris: electric guitar
John Stirratt: electric bass, piano [bass]
Jeff Tweedy: vocal