Boy With No Soul * Mirror With Me * In My Time of Dyin' * Centripetal Force * It's Not Real * Cold and Cynical *
My Window * The Girl at the Video Store * By Your Door * Wanderin' Man * Babylon * Forget About Me

Boy With No Soul

The boy with no soul is walking restlessly around,
he tumbles to the ground and finds a solace there.
The girl with no eyes is wandering aimlessly today,
up on the bridge to jump, she says she thinks she may.
And you are not so wise to look beyond the veil;
the wizard shines the lights and we believe his tale.

And I would not be swayed by all the things he sends at me,
and let the boy within without, without a cause.

As we begin act two, the boy grins sheepishly at you;
his mother screams awhile, she don't trust him.
The boy without a soul has left the rest of us in town,
the stereo's are on, we're trapped inside the sound.
And you are not so ignorant to look beyond the veil,
the wizard shines the lights and we believe his tale.

And I will fade, and you will fade, and we will disappear;
the boy without a soul will not come home this year.

Mirror With Me

There's a way in which we imagine ourselves to be,
and then there's the way we really are.
The mirror tells the truth to me,
but sometimes I don't listen.
When you see me can you tell what I'm thinking?
I think more of myself than I ought to.

Sometimes I just need acceptance,
other times I want much more;
if only I had a mirror with me all the time.
Sometimes I just want the recognition,
and other times I need the power;
if only I had a mirror with me all the time.

There's a way in which I imagine you to be,
but then I see you, and you're always much more beautiful.
If only I could have you right here with me
if only I was there with you.
Sometimes I can't remember your face
and that's the worst thing about it.

Sometimes I want to feel your presence
and other times I need your words;
if only I could have you here with me.
Sometimes I need your comfort,
other times I want your truth;
if only I could have you with me all the time.

There's a way I like to see the world,
but all I have is today.

In My Time of Dyin'

In my time of dyin'
don't want nobody to cry,
all I want for you to do
is feed me to the sky.

Well, well, well
so I can die easy.
Well, well, well.
Well, well, well,
so I can die easy.
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make up
my dyin' bed.

In my time of dyin'
don't want nobody to moan,
all I want for you to do
is take my body home.

Well, well, well
so I can die easy.
Well, well, well.
Well, well, well,
so I can die easy.
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make up
my dyin' bed.

Meet me, Jesus, meet me,
meet me in the middle of the air.
And if these wings should fail me, Lord,
meet me in my dyin' prayer.

Well, well, well
so I can die easy.
Well, well, well.
Well, well, well,
so I can die easy.
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make up
my dyin' bed.

Traditional Folk Song
Arrangement © 1996 S.W.B. Music/Robert Rottet

Centripetal Force

They went to the circus and she was bored
but he loved it for the physics
Now watch how he balances the thing on his nose
and the elephant braves the tightrope
and the saber-tooth tiger sends a trainer through the fire
or he eats up the president’s children
and the beautiful lady is just a beautiful lady
so she exits out the tent

and meanwhile somewhere out there in the universe
laws are shifted, stars are gifted
planets give up on centripetal force

They went to the carnival and he was bored
but she loved it for the philanthropy
the three-ton woman and the little two foot man
and the girl who had eight noses
throwing knives at all those beauty queens
oh well, around on circles
don’t forget about the Ferris wheel
roller coaster where I lose my meal

It's Not Real

“Don’t cry,” the magician told the little girl
though not altogether earnestly
“It’s not real,” he insisted
and perhaps not quite so honestly

Hanzel and Gretel are standing by the furnace
the Wicked Witch is waiting in the wing
Genghis Kahn has promised not to hurt us
should we believe a thing?

            DON’T CRY, IT’S NOT REAL
                        NEVER GONNA FIND REALITY
                        NEVER GONNA FIND REALITY
            DON’T CRY IT’S NOT REAL . . ., TO ME

“Don’t laugh,” the seductress told the little boy,
“don’t you know that I’m tryin’ to tempt you?”
“Please stay,” she insisted,
“and I promise that I won’t kiss you.”

Porgy and Bess are riding on a skateboard
Little Boy Bleu is floating out to see
Karl Marx has promised not to hurt us
Should we believe a thing?

CHORUS

Bridge:    This is the part I call the bridge
               It’s just a way to break up the song
               Just watch the chords go back and forth
               I’ll make it end before too long

“Don’t stop,” the Enchanted Weeping Willow sang,
“don’t you know what you’re doin’ to me?”
“I can’t stop,” I apologized
But she still let the wind see through me

CHORUS

“3-2-94, Upland, IN”
© 1994 S.W.B. Music/Robert Rottet

Cold and Cynical

Don't believe a word that I say to you
Don't believe a word 'cause ain't none of it true
Don't believe a phrase, don't believe a moan,
never trust a poet, don't believe a word.

Don't believe a song that I sing to you
Don't believe a song 'cause ain't none of them true
Don't believe a sound, a melody or tone,
never trust a singer, don't believe a song.

I 'm sorry if I hurt you
and for ending it this way.
Sorry that I met you,
but you had to learn some day.
Maybe you'll be wiser
as you start to walk along.
If you learn to live like I do
and you turn your heart to stone.

Don't believe the love that I gave to you
Don't believe the love 'cause ain't none of it true
Don't believe the lies I told you on the phone,
never trust a dreamer when he's cold and cynical

My Window

My day dawns
and I think of you
and all of the light
that you bring

The thunder roars
and I desire you
‘cause you bring me joy
through the rain

the rain . . . (Bridge)

A child’s born
a mother cries
a father prays
and I look through the window

The city stirs
the people dance
the trumpets blast
and I think of you . . ., of you
(every time I think of you)

Light comes from my window
Shining the light in my eyes
Light comes from my window
Light from the sky . . .

(Bridge #2): And I’m alive again
The autumn has come
with the feelings of my youth
that I thought were done
And so I wait for the light in my window;
please say that you will

A bird flies south
and I think of you
Cause you will be gone
in an hour

But as you go
I’ll write another song
You’re too good for my
world to hold

“Camden, NJ.”
© 1991 S.W.B. Music/Robert Rottet

The Girl at the Video Store

There’s a girl at the video store
And she stands at the check out desk
Oh, she looks divine I must confess

And for a couple few weekends or more
I’ve been goin’ to the video store
And tonight I’m goin’ to make my move,
just wait and see

So I walk thru the aisles of tapes
And I wait for the patrons to leave
And then I’ll ask her about a movie
that I hope she’s seen

“No, I didn’t see that one.”
Yes, it’s very clean.”
Do you think my Mum would like it;
do you know what I mean?

And, by the way, what's your name?
Oh, that’s very nice
Are you from around these parts?
Yes, it does get kind of dull around here

Well your store is the best in the town
and you’ve got the best selection around
Oh no, I’d never say a word I didn’t mean

guitar solo, bridge:
Ah, Betty Davis
Ah, James Dean
Oh, Bogart movies
I’ve already seen

Well I think that I’d better stop there
Cause you don’t want to move in too fast
Just lay the ground for your second chance

By Your Door

I don’t know
‘bout the future
I don’t know
what’s in store
I can’t feel
what you’re feelin’
I can’t walk
thru your door

All I want
is to help you
stand with you
thru the storm
be your raincoat
I’ll protect you
if your cold
keep you warm

I don’t know
why you’re frightened
I can’t see
in your mind
I don’t know
much about you
but you’re one
of a kind

solo, diminished thing

I don’t know
where you’re hurting
I don’t know
where you’re sore
But I know
I’ll be waiting
waiting, by your door

Wanderin' Man

Fell in love with the pastor’s daughter
sailed away on across the water
tried to call but I got her father
left a note and no one saw her
so I’ll go over the mountain

Found my fate in Oedipus Rex
can’t escape the oracle’s hex
missed the cruise on Noah’s ark
and I can’t see rainbows in the dark
so I’ll go over the mountain

Over the mountain
and across the land
and thru the valley
cause I’m the wanderin’ man

Frosty came but it wasn’t winter
his corn cobbed pipe gave me a splinter
he waved goodbye sayin’ don’t you cry
with his button nose and his two coal eyes
and he said, I’ll be back some day

From over the mountain
and across the land
and through the valley
cause he’s a wanderin’ snowman
over the mountain
and across the land
and through the valley
cause I’m a wanderin’ man

            Think of all the people cryin’
            our town, our town
            think of all the people draggin'
            their town down
            think of all the manuscripts
            and cases of disjointed hips and now
            where ya goin’ to now
            where ya goin’ to now
            tell me why, why

Tried to climb up Jacob’s ladder
but the angel said that it didn’t matter
then you came and you plowed me under
someone up there made a blunder
please, could you hold your thunder

Ya never learn much if you don’t ask why
but I like peanut butter on my pumpkin pie
the sphinx won’t speak without a riddle
gotta leave you for some vitals
so I’ll go over the mountain . . .

Babylon

By the rivers of Babylon
there I left my soul
there we took the toll
someone took my woman
now she’s gone

By the rivers of Babylon
here I wear these chains
here we go insane
someone took my sister
now she’s cryin’

My master told me I must dance
My captor told me I must sing
but I laid down my guitar
I can’t even sing the blues
so change my name
and call me what you choose

By the rivers of Babylon
Lord I pray my enemy would die
I can barely find the strength to cry
When will these days
come to an end?

Home sweet home, they can’t
take that away from me
You’ll always be inside of me,
I’ll be damned if I forget you

Home sweet home, it the one
that God has made for me
And he will one day let me see
that place again

Forget About Me

Mud on your dress
lady don’t cry
give it some time
let it dry, brush it off

I am no good
for you or me
push me away
the you’ll see
you’ll be fine

You gave me your love
you didn’t know why
when things that I say
hurt you inside
and you cry

Those are my thorns
stuck in your hand
lady I’m not the right
man –not the man

So forget about me lady
sail across the sea
put the flowers on my
tombstone and
forget about me

Forget about me woman
the clock ran out of time
forget about me girl
and you’ll be fine

Mud on your dress
scars on your soul
count up the cost
take up the toll –damage done

It’s for your own good
don’t disagree
one day you’ll wake up
then you’ll see –what I am