This is How It Ends
Night time
Up in the air
At the fair
Where you wanted to go
On the old slow
Ferris wheel
Stopped at the top
Where nothing looks real
The stars
Started to spin
When you looked at me
You said
“We can still be friends
Close your eyes
Count to ten
This is how it ends”
Headlights
In her eyes
Butterfly tattoo
Too-tight denim dress
Just a mess
It’s for the best
When the stars start again
Is this really happening?
“We were never friends
Close your eyes
Count to ten
This is how it ends”
“Close your eyes
Count to ten
This is how it ends”
written by Jeff Tweedy
Side with the Seeds
Tires type black
Where the blacktop cracks
Weeds spark through
Dark green enough to be blue
When the mysteries we believe in
Aren’t dreamed enough to be true
Some side with the leaves
Some side with the seeds
The treetops nod
The rain applauds
The park grows dark
And the swings all slowly die
But you and I will be undefeated
By agreeing to disagree
No one wins but the thieves
So why side with anything
The streetlights glow
Comes and goes
When the sun comes back
As we all can plainly see
Embracing the situation
Is our only chance to be free
I’ll side with you
If you side with me
Written by Jeff Tweedy and Mikael Jorgensen
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, electric guitar
John Stirratt – bass
Glenn Kotche – drums
Mikael Jorgensen – piano
Nels Cline – lead electric gutiar
Pat Sansone – Hammond A100 organ, Mellotron
Caught Up In The Past
Ace Hotel
Los Angeles
Rooftop party sounds
Drifting down into my bed
I hear people in love
With a love that just can’t last
No one stands a chance
Getting caught up in the past
I get so far behind
I forget I’m following
That’s the kind of sad
I wallow in
I’m the last in line
And the line’s moving fast
No one stands a chance
Getting caught up in the past
There’s no crown on my head
Golden light instead
In the corner of my eye
You’re still alive
Pull down the gate
Turn out the lights
I’m a rising sun
That only rolls in at night
There’s a fading flag
I keep flying half-mast
But no one stands a chance
Getting caught up in the past
There’s no crown on my head
Golden light instead
In the corner of my eye
You’re still alive
Ace Hotel
Los Angeles
Rooftop party sounds
Drifting down into my bed
I hear people in love
With a love that just can’t last
No one stands a chance
Getting caught up in the past
Oh it’s a race against time
But you’re never gonna be that fast
’Cause no one stands a chance
Getting caught up in the past
No one stands a chance
Getting caught up in the past
written by Jeff Tweedy
Parking Lot
There’s a version of me that hangs out in parking lots
In my brain
…or my subconscious…
Whatever
He has a car, the hood is popped
Talking to some other me’s I don’t recognize
Gathered around
Staring down at the engine block
Milder me’s
But this guy
This show-off showing off
Kinda rules
He obviously knows a lot about cars
I
Or the me I most am
Drives by in the backseat of my parents’ car
Wondering what it’s like
To care that much about chrome
Sincerely
I’d like to teach the world to sing
(fuck)
Anything!
written by Jeff Tweedy
Laminated Cat (Aka Not For The Season)
Springtime comes and the leaves are back on the trees again
Snipers are harder to see my friends
Weeding out the weekends
Summer comes and gravity undoes you
You're happy because of the lovely way the sunshine bends
Hiding from your close friends
Weeding out the weekends
Candy left over from Halloween
A unified theory of everything
Love left over from lovers leaving
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
It's not for the season
When autumn comes you sit in your chair and you stare
At the TV square
Hiding in the deep end
Weeding out the weekends
Winter comes and the days all start late
There's motion on the boughs where the dark shapes prowl
Feeling out the feelings
Feeling out the feeling
Candy left over from Halloween
A unified theory of everything
Love left over from lovers leaving
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
They're not worth reading
Sky Blue Sky
Oh, the band marched on in formation
The brass was phasing
Tunes I couldn’t place
Windows open and
Raining in
Maroon, yellow, blue, gold and gray
The drunks were ricocheting
The old buildings downtown
Empty so long ago
Windows broken and dreaming
So happy to leave what was my home
With a sky blue sky
This rotten time
Wouldn’t seem so bad to me now
Oh, I didn’t die
I should be satisfied
I survived
That’s good enough for now
With a sky blue sky
This rotten time
Wouldn’t seem so bad to me now
Oh, if I didn’t die
I should be satisfied
I survived
That's good enough for now
Written by Jeff Tweedy
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
John Stirratt – bass
Glenn Kotche – drums
Mikael Jorgensen – piano
Nels Cline – lap steel
Pat Sansone – Chamberlin
Please Tell My Brother
Please tell my brothers
I love them still
Over the mountains
On their phone bill
I should call more often
But they know I never will
Please tell my brothers
I love them still
Please tell my sister
I miss her too
My nieces and nepfews
And their swimming pools
When I think about her
Her skies are blue
Please tell my sister
I miss her too
Please tell my father
I love him still
Forget the railroad
And all those bills
Head for the cooler
And drink your fill
Please tell my father
I love him still
Listen dear mother
I miss you the most
And as I travel
From coast to coast
I feel your love
And I feel your ghost
Listen dear mother
I miss you the most
Listen dear mother
I miss you the most
written by Jeff Tweedy
Golden Smog
One By One
One by one the teardrops fall as I write you
One by one my words come falling on the page
One by one my dreams are fading in the twilight
One by one my schemes are fading fast away
One by one the flowers fade here in my garden
One by one the leaves are falling from the trees
One by one my hopes are vanished in the clouds clear
One by one like snowflakes melting in the breeze
One by one my hair is turning gray
One by one my dreams are fading fast away
One by one I read your letters over
One by one I lay them all away
One by one the days are slipping up behind you
One by one the sweetest days of life go by
One by one the moments stealing up behind you
One by one she'll come and find not you or I
One by one I hear the soft words that you whispered
One by one I feel your kisses soft and sweet
One by one I hope you'll say the words to marry
One by one to one by one forever be
Words: Woody Guthrie 1939
Music: Jeff Tweedy 1997
Jay Bennett: piano, organ
Ken Coomer: drums
Bog Egan: pedal steel
John Stirratt: electric bass
Jeff Tweedy: acoustic guitar, vocal
Western Clear Skies
What are you
Made of murder and blue skies
Black and white
Kisses goodbye at the station
I love you
Written in ink and seen through
I don’t need proof
I need some demonstration
Into the shadows we go
Out of the shadows we go
Clear
Blue
Sky
La la la, la la la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la la la
I wish I could light up the room
And explode cold indigo
Kisses goodbye at the station
I can’t so I don’t
I glow in glimpses
Come to me, I say
I’m getting to know salvation
Into the shadows we go
Into and out of the shadows we go
Clear
Blue
Sky
Clear
Blue
Sky
La la la, la la la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la la la
written by Jeff Tweedy
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
Evicted
Oh I can take a joke but
My clothes are all soaked
It’s too late to be unclear
I’d laugh until I’d die
If it wasn’t my life
If it wasn’t me in the mirror
Am I ever going to see you again?
Maybe I’m a whistle on a lonely old train
I’m crying all the time
Listen to the sound getting further away
Fading deep
Into the night
Am I ever going to see you again?
I’m evicted
From your heart
I deserve it
Black against the shade
Shadow lovers embrace
I look away, I look away
They say heartache
Always fades
I look away I look away
I’m never gonna see you again
I’m evicted
From your heart
I deserve it
Oh I can take a joke but
My clothes are all smoke
It’s too cold to be unclear
I’d laugh until I’m old
If it wasn’t my life
If it wasn’t me in the mirror
I’m never gonna see you again
I’m evicted
From your heart
I deserve it
I’m evicted
From your heart
I deserve it
I deserve it
I deserve it
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
Wedding Cake
My wrist itches
My head aches
I had my stitches pulled
By the wedding cake
My blood’s in the sink
It’s not what you think
I’ll be OK
I’m a me
More than a we
Is that what you need?
Answer me
Is your uncle gray?
Does he drive into your dreams
And then go away?
A throbbing pulse
We’re all not adults
When we’re alone
written by Jeff Tweedy
The Ruling Class
He resurfaced on the sidewalk on my block the other day
Yeah it's a fact, check it sorry charlie honey he's back from LA
So son you better turn it around, yeah Christ is on his way across town
He was gettin' tired of hangin' around
Yeah he's back jack, smokin' crack, find him if you wanna get found
he's having supper with the upper management of a new regime
He's in a new jacket, tax bracket, sandals and a dark pair of jeans
He's got deductions right on down the line
Dependent claims on all of my mankind
Have no fear he's right here drinking beer just trying to get down
he resurfaced on the sidewalk on my block the other day
Yeah it's a fact, check it--sorry charlie honey he's back from the grave
You better turn your frown upside down, yeah Christ is on his way across town
He was gettin' tired of hangin' around
Yeah he's back jack, shootin' smack, find him if you wanna get down
Yeah he's back jack, smokin' crack, find him if you wanna get found
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
California Stars
I'd like to rest my heavy head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I'd like to lay my weary bones tonight
On a bed of California stars
I'd love to feel your hand touching mine
And tell me why I must keep working on
Yes I'd give my life to lay my head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I'd like to dream my troubles all away
On a bed of California stars
Jump up from my starbed and make another day
Underneath my California stars
They hang like grapes on vines that shine
And warm the lovers' glass like friendly wine
So, I'd give this world
just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars
Published by Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc./Warner-Tamerlane Publishing
Corp./Words-Ampersand Music [BMI]/Titanic Majesties Music [ASCAP]
Words: Woody Guthrie [no date]
Music: Jay Bennett/Jeff Tweedy 1997
Jay Bennett: piano, backing vocal
Billy Bragg: acoustic guitar
Ken Coomer: drums and percussion
Corey Harris: lap steel guitar
Eliza Carthy: violin
John Stirratt: electric bass, backing vocal
Jeff Tweedy: acoustic guitar, lead vocal
Stray Cats In Spain
Oh, what a beautiful day
Following
The mosaic
At an angle
From where we stayed
The Stray Cats
Are playing in Spain
Oh, what a beautiful scene
All the tiger prints set free
I believe
They believe
It’s not what you think
Unless
It’s hot pink
Oh, what a beautiful day
Following
The smell of pomade
At an angle
From today
The Stray Cats
Are playing in Spain
Stray Cats in 2019
Rockin’ in the street
written by Jeff Tweedy
Lou Reed Was My Babysitter
I wanna sweat next to you
Sweat next to you
With a sticky carpet sucking on my shoes
’Cause rock ‘n’ roll ain’t never gonna lose
Nah-ah
I want you to dance into me
Spill my drink
I wanna feel the kick kickin’ in my teeth
My bleeding heart bleeding to the beat
Uh
Look out
I want you to blow smoke in my eyes
Smoke in my eyes
I wanna shake shake shake shake shake until my shoes untie
’Cause rock ‘n’ roll ain’t ever gonna die
Not as long as you and I are alive
’Cause rock ‘n’ roll is dead
But the dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
Whoo!
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
Raooh!
Look out
I wanna feel everything
I wanna feel everything
I wanna listen to the idiot sing
Until I can’t feel anything
’Cause rock ‘n’ roll is dead
But the dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
Whooo!
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
The dead don’t die
Raaaaoow!
Look out
The dead don’t die x16
written by Jeff Tweedy