West End Lyrics

 Lyrics of songs on West End (STR-715)

West End

© Beasley-Perkins

 I knew her by the seasons
Changing on the run
No rhythm gives a reason
For this new wave yet to come
This new wave yet to come

Got to get out on the street
And meet her when she comes
Feel my heart begin to beat
To this new life on the run
This new life on the run

You say nothing has changed
Well it seems strange but I feel the same
There’s a new wind
They tell me it’s blowing down West End

No apologies
For lives undone
New opportunities
In this new life yet to come
This new life yet to come

Old phase is all but abandoned
The gate post’s the only thing standin’
There’s a new wind
They tell me it’s blowing down West End

__________________________________________________

At the End of the World

© Beasley-Ogdin-Turk

Everything sure is flat here
At the end of the world.
The extraordinaire is matter-of-fact here
At the end of the world.

The air is sweet like opium
Make you forget where you come from
Sometimes the danger is you just get in too deep here
At the end of the world.

You can buy a brand new name here
At the end of the world.
You can hide a measure of fame here
At the end of the world.

And you can dance with anonymity
Won’t see your face on the TMZ
You too can find out you can be replaced, baby,
It’s easy
At the end of the world.

You can
Find a place in the sun
At the end of the world.

Find a place in the sun
At the end of the world.

Find a place in the sun
At the end of the world.

It’s more crowded than you think here
At the end of the world.
It’s a case of swim or sink here
At the end of the world.

I hear your voice on the telephone
Late at night calling me back home
And I hold you close in my dreams alone
Yes, I do
At the end of the world.

I hold you close in my dreams
At the end of the world.

I hold you close in my dreams
At the end of the world.

I hold you close in my dreams
At the end of the world.

I hold you close in my dreams
At the end of the world.

 __________________________________________________

Western Avenue

© Beasley-Ogdin-Turk

Night by night in the clear blue light of the LED
I walk the wire above the net
And I do it so anonymously
With these wheels that became my legs I keep the watchtower view
I can travel the world at will
From my desk on Western Avenue

Only the dead have seen the end of war
Only the dead can feel that pain no more

I can never change the world
Or all the crazy things I do
In this dark I look to the dawn for light
In this night on Western Avenue

Only the dead have seen the end of war
Only the dead can feel that pain no more

Night by night in the clear blue light of the LED
I fly the wire above the web
And I do it so anonymously
Above the mists of the crowded street, I hear the bars close at two
I see the red of the tail-lights’ last glow
In the snows of Western Avenue

Only the dead have seen the end of war
Only the dead can feel that pain no more

 __________________________________________________

Play It by Ear

© Beasley–Perkins

You see the world surround you
Will we ever be free?
The words you hear all confound you
How can love ever be?

You ask me and I say
I don’t know – this could be the real thing
I don’t know – seems nothing is a sure thing
But I’m sure – Baby we could see things so clear
If you learn to Play It by Ear

Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear
Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear
Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear
Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear

Oh I don’t know – this could be the real thing
I don’t know – seems nothing is a sure thing
But I’m sure – Baby we could see things so clear
If you learn to Play It by Ear

A cloud of doubt hangs above you
It turns your day into night
All the boys say they love you
When will you know it’s all right?

You ask me and I say
I don’t know – this could be the real thing
I don’t know – seems nothing is a sure thing
But I’m sure – Baby we could see things so clear
If you learn to Play It by Ear

Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear
Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear
Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear
Play It by Ear (play it play it play it) Play It by Ear

__________________________________________________

The Art of Living

© Beasley-Ogdin-Turk

Have you got me fooled?
The way you act so quiet
You look like an angel with the afternoon light
Silhouetting you – there’s no forgetting you

Are you keener now
For the job you do?
These days are leaner than you’re used to
I want you to sing out
Let your love ring out

For the Art of Living
Just consists in
Wishing – and learning to let go

It doesn’t have to be so hard you know
Life doesn’t have to be so hard
It doesn’t to be so hard you know
Life doesn’t have to be so hard
Life doesn’t have to be so hard
Life doesn’t have to be so hard

Are you in the groove
For a change of plans?
Can you make the move the time demands?
Yeah I want you to rock on
Let your heart grow strong

For the Art of Living
Just consists in
Wishing – and learning to let go

(The following two songs appear on the album as a medley.)

Welcome to … Li’l L.A.

© Beasley-Dees-Ogdin-Turk

After forty days in the desert
Thought I saw a sign
Was I crossing the Jordan,
Or just out of my mind?
A neon rose by any other name
Was pointing the way
And as she poured me another drink
This she did say

Welcome to Li’l L.A. – Babylon on the Cumberland
Welcome to Li’l L.A. – Babylon on the Cumberland

They’s the lucky few who are chosen
To come in from the night
But some of the few are not ready
For their time in the light
This town’s abroad with pilgrims
Who oft lose their way
And as she poured out another tune
This she did say

Welcome to Li’l L.A. – Babylon on the Cumberland
Welcome to Li’l L.A. – Babylon on the Cumberland
Welcome to Li’l L.A. – Babylon on the Cumberland
Welcome to Li’l L.A. – Babylon on the Cumberland

 

Li’l L.A.

© Beasley-Ogdin-Turk

I awoke from a dream of childhood
To find myself in Li'l L.A.
Where my house was full of lawyers
And all my friends had moved away
Sold out
Baby it's cold out
In Li'l L.A.

In Li'l L.A. they’s some fine distractions
The men are pretty and the women sing
The music scene is the main attraction
Stay long enough you'll see everything ...
In Li'l L.A.

Whoa the ground don't shake
But the hits keep a-comin'
Hard to catch a break
But the folks come a-runnin'
Runnin’ up the river frozen in June
Burnin' up in winter by the light of the moon
By the light of the moon

I was born on the 5th of August
Behind the beat in Li'l L.A.
I'd go back but it's always movin'
Moves so fast I can't find my way
Back to Li'L L.A.

 __________________________________________________

Thin Soup

© Beasley-Perkins

Thin Soup — I can see through your illusions
Thin Soup — I won’t drink of your confusions
All my friends are getting off the ground
I’d love to join them
But I can’t get around with you
Thin Soup
Thin Soup

Thin Soup — I hear you talking but there’s no one there
Thin Soup — I reach for something but I get thin air
On my best nights I can walk through walls
But on my bad nights I just take a fall for you
Hey babe it’s true
Thin Soup
Thin Soup

Thin Soup — I can see through your illusions
Thin Soup — I won’t drink of your confusions
Did you say you were invincible?
Or did you really mean invisible? It’s true
I see right through you
I’ve been sippin’ Thin Soup
I’ve been bathing in Thin Soup
I’ve been wearing thin …

__________________________________________________

Dodge City

© Beasley-Fuqua-Ogdin-Turk

It's yo' contribution for retribution
The air's a-burning tonight
This situation breeds confrontation
You all spoiling for a fight
Every woman and man
In this neighborhood is wary
The only peace in the land
Is for them that's dead and buried

Dodge Dodge Dodge Dodge City
This Saturday, ever' Saturday night
Dodge Dodge Dodge Dodge City
This Saturday, ever' Saturday night
Click click
Click click

There ain't no lawman, there ain't no order
This conflagration is a sin
No sense running for the border
Y'all done got us fenced in

This ain't fantasy land
Like some TV Western
Matt Dillon's not in command
Damn straight I ain't Chester

Dodge Dodge Dodge Dodge City
This Saturday, ever' Saturday night
Dodge Dodge Dodge Dodge City
This Saturday, ever' Saturday night
Click click
Click click

It's yo' contribution for retribution
The air's a' burning tonight
This situation breeds confrontation
You all spoiling for a fight

So play the scene life gives us
On this urban canvas
Dodge Dodge this ain't Kansas
Damn straight I ain't Festus

Dodge Dodge Dodge Dodge City
This Saturday, ever' Saturday night
Dodge Dodge Dodge Dodge City
This Saturday, ever' Saturday night
Click click
Click click 

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Business as Usual

© Beasley-Ogdin-Turk

This fast pace is a rat race
And I fear the rats are winning
From my solitary vantage place
Fear what I see beginning

And I don't know what to do
But I might know what to say
Can I wake and write it down
Before this image slips away

As the world turns I see
Business as Usual

There's a new breed of Pharisee
Hiding in the halls of power
And I can tell that his time is short
Though I do not know the hour

For the one is yet to come
To cleanse the temple once again
Now he just shakes his head
At the vanity of men

As he looks round he sees
Business as Usual

And it's brother against brother
And friend against friend
The sky's on fire while the Sunday choir
Sings torch songs at the end

And the world turns ...
Business as Usual

O man man how can you sleep
When the whole world is burning
O man man how can you sleep
When the whole world is burning
O man man how can you sleep
When the whole world is burning
O man man how can you sleep
When the whole world is burning
O man man how can you sleep
When the whole wide world keeps churning, yearning, turning, burning
Business as Usual 

 __________________________________________________

Surreality

© Beasley-Ogdin-Turk

If you're not living like a hermit
Up some distant cove in Tennessee
All you hear and all you see
Resembles Surreality

Can you not smell it as it's burning?
Can you not taste it on your tongue?
Do you remember something better,
Maybe once when you were young?

Up is down and black is white
Surreality
The truth can't weather overnight
Surreality
The facts are what we say they are
Surreality
Who says it has gone too far?
Surreality

Now you may hope that you've been dreaming
You may say that it's not real — (so real!)
All you hear and all you see
Resembles Surreality

The truth ain't out there anymore
Nor in here that's for certain
Pay no attention to
The man behind the curtain

Up is down and black is white
Surreality
The truth can't weather overnight
Surreality
The facts are what we say they are
Surreality
Who says it has gone too far?
Surreality

Now you may hope that you've been dreaming
You may say that it's not real — (so real!)
All you hear and all you see
Resembles Surreality