Wilco

I Am My Mother

Dangerous dreams have been detected
Streaming over the southern border

As bad as it seems it’s worse than expected
Fleeing through the night corridor

Oh I’ve done the math
With a stick in the sand
I’ve kicked the can
Into a dead end

Oh I can’t mend
Every broken fence
I’m a new man
But I am still my mother

If it was up to me I would have rejected
The idea that money could keep you poor

And as dark as it seems it’s worse than neglected
When you need the one who loves no more

Oh I’ve done the math
With a stick in the sand
I’ve kicked the can
Into a dead end

Oh I can’t mend
Every broken fence
I’m a new man
But I am still my mother
written by Jeff Tweedy

Cruel Country

I love my country like a little boy
Red
White
And blue

I love my country stupid and cruel
Red
White
And blue

All you have to do is sing in the choir
Kill yourself every once in a while
And sing in the choir

All you have to do is sing in the choir
Set yourself on fire every once in a while
And sing in the choir
With me
With me

I love my country like a little child
Red
White
And blue

I love my country stupid and cruel
Red
White
And blue

All you have to do is sing in the choir
All you have to do is sing in the choir
All you have to do is sing in the choir
With me
With me

written by: Jeff Tweedy

Art of Almost

No!
I froze
I can’t be so
Far away from my wasteland
I never know when I might
Ambulance
Hoist the horns with my own hands
Almost
Almost

I heard a faint olé
True love but
I had other ways to hurt myself
Like calling
I could open up my heart
And fall in and
I could blame it all on dust
The Art of Almost
Almost
Almost
Almost

I’ll hold it up
I’ll shake the grail
Disobey across the waves
Tomorrow
I’ll have all the love I could ever ache
And I’ll leave almost with you
All of almost
Almost

Art of almost
Almost

Art of almost
Almost

Hearts Hard to Find

I don’t mind
When certain people die
I can’t cry
I wonder why
I could lie and say
It makes me sad
There’s something wrong with me
Maybe I’m just bad
My heart’s hard to find
Sometimes
Oh I lose it
All the time

Reality
Ruins everything
I like a breeze
Gently shaking a tree
That’s a coin that’s real
Mine to spend
I like a ghost I can feel
Hold out your hand
My heart’s hard to find
Sometimes
Oh I lose it
All the time

That’s a coin that’s real
Mine to spend
I like a ghost I can feel
Hold out your hand

My heart’s hard to find
Sometimes
Oh I lose it
My hearts hard to find
Sometimes
Oh I lose it
My hearts hard to find
Sometimes
Oh I lose it
All the time

written by Jeff Tweedy

Please Be Wrong

Please
Be wrong
About everything
Getting you down
Let it be
Misunderstood
One word
One word misheard
Can change
The whole wide world

Please
Be strong
When I am weak
Weighing you down
Let me be
Someone good
You deserve
Someone good
We were on the verge
Of something beautiful

Throwing my heart in the ring
Watching it beat
For no one
No one but you
No one but you
No one but you

Please be wrong
About me
Being the one
Causing all of your pain
I can change
We were on the verge
Of something so beautiful

Please
Be wrong

written by Jeff Tweedy

Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull

There was a man with a double deed
Who sowed his garden full of seed
When the seed began to grow
Was like a garden full of snow

When the snow began to melt
Was like a ship without a belt
When the ship began to sail
Was like a bird without a tail
When the bird began to fly
Like an eagle in the sky
When the sky began to roar
Was like a lion at my door
When my door began to crack
Was like a stick across my back
When my back began to smart
Was like a penknife in my heart
When my heart began to bleed
Was death and death indeed

When my heart began to bleed
Was death and death indeed

written by Jeff Tweedy

Tired of Taking It Out On You

I’m tired of taking it out on you
Tired of needing to
Freeze my warmth away
Tear the tears out of your quiet face

I can’t face
The way I am with you
Or replace
The bite I’m chewing through
Oh I’m tired
Of taking it out on you

I crave
Crazy times again
Our nights, our nights
Would never end
I’m ashamed
Of who I am
When I’m in pain

So I strive
To the nearest star
Street light
Over an idling car
Move across the seat
I’m going to need
You to drive these last few miles
‘Cause I’m tired of taking it out on you

Ooo
Ooo
Freeze my warmth away
Tear the tears out of your quiet face

I can’t take
The way I am with you
Or recreate
Things we used to do
I’m tired
Of taking it out on you

Ooo
Ooo
Ooo
I’m tired of taking it out on you

written by Jeff Tweedy

Ambulance

Once just by chance
I made a friend in an ambulance
I was half man half broken glass
She had a needle but I wasn’t afraid

I’d slap the cuffs right on my wrists
I’d get so high I’d arrest myself
For honeysuckle on a buckle
Broken teeth biting on my belt

High in a trance
My life smeared right past
In a blue light
I thought she was dancing
But she was just holding my cold hand

Cause everything can shine
Even the devil sometimes
And while I was busy dying
My lord she made some other plan

Traveling salesmen carrying trunks
You can smell them coming like skunks
In the distance, if your eyes can focus
That’s how God once spoke to us

Trying not to laugh
They pronounced me dead at half past
And that priest he pissed his pants
When he heard me start to say hello

Everything can shine
Even the devil sometimes
While I was busy dying
My lord she made some other plan

written by Jeff Tweedy

New Madrid [Uncle Tupelo]

All my daydreams are disasters
She's the one I think I love
Rivers burn and then run backwards
For her, that's enough

They all come from New York City
And they woke me up at dawn
She walked with me to the fountain
And she held onto my arm

Come on, do what you did
Roll me under New Madrid
Shake my baby and please bring her back
'Cause death won't even be still
Caroms over the landfill
Buries us all in its broken back

There's a man of conviction
And although he's getting old
Mr. Browning has a prediction
And we've all been told

So come on back from New York City
Roll your trucks in at dawn
Walk with me to the fountain
And hold onto my arm

Come on, do what you did
Roll me under New Madrid
Shake my baby and please bring her back
'Cause death won't even be still
Caroms over the landfill
Buries us all in its broken back

originally appears on Anodyne / Uncle Tupelo written by Jeff Tweedy

Someone to Lose

Where you gonna go in your winter coat

I wonder what you’re hiding cause it’s not too cold

It’s already too late

Somebody’s gonna get you

And if I hold you to tight, someone else won’t get to

Ohhhh wouldn’t you know it, I keep it rolling

Considering no one punching a path

Facing the blast and the moon and the math

But you still never know where your soul is attached

Oh, wouldn’t you know it, ah wouldn’t you know it

I’m so confused

I can’t move

I can’t even try

I hope you find 

Someone to lose, someday

Now where you gonna go like a cobra coiled

Sweating in sweater, you’ve got too much style

But you’re never alone, someday they’re gonna get you

I hope you find

Someone to lose, someday

I hope you find

I hope you find 

Someone to lose, someday

She's My Rock [Sharon K Dobbins cover]

Falling Apart (Right Now)

Now don’t you fall apart
While I’m falling apart
Why don’t you get in line
Behind the tears I’m crying
I know our hearts
Aren’t very smart
But you’re gonna have to learn
Learn when it isn’t you turn
Somehow

‘Cause I’m gonna be the only one
Falling apart right now

Now don’t you lose your mind
While I’m looking for mine
You’re gonna have to stay strong
A little longer this time
I know our hearts
Aren’t a la carte
But baby being blue
When it comes to me and you
It’s always on the menu
So sit down

Because I’m gonna be the only one
Falling apart right now

Now don’t you fall apart
When you’re breaking my heart
Why don’t you get in line
Behind the tears I’m crying
I know our hearts
Aren’t very smart
But you’re gonna have to learn
Learn when it isn’t you turn
Your gonna have to keep it together
Somehow
‘Cause I’m gonna be the only one
I’m going to be the only one
I’m going to be the only one
Falling apart right now

written by Jeff Tweedy