SHAWN COLVIN – The Neon Light Of The Saints

The saints all hang their heads
The avenue is long
They’re muffling their voices
In the cold breaking dawn
The saints are in their element
The elements are brave
The voices and the wrecking crew
And the marching of the saints

The saints are playing horseshoes
The flood is in the past
And mercy isn’t critical
Sometimes they even laugh
On their way uptown
So much to do so much to say
In letters red and crystalline
Go marching in the saints

[CHORUS]
The saints, the saints
Gonna meet you once again
The saints, the saints
In the neon light of the saints

The saints are just as relevant
As the old evening blues
The saints wrap ’round the city
They flicker and they choose
Sometimes they are connected
Sometimes they hope and pray
In letters red and crystalline
Go marching in the saints

[CHORUS]

SHAWN COLVIN – Seven Times The Charm

The first rose to rise up in the ruins of the flood
You brought me down like a hawk to your glove
But a poor girl is made out of sorrow and blood
Some hearts survive but mine isn’t one

And we go once down the aisle
Twice ’round the stars
You had all the persuasion of a snake on my arm
And seven times the charm

My dreams grew like feathers and fell all at once
Much too heavy but never enough
To lay down beside you and cover you up
Only God should deserve so much love

And we go once down the aisle
Twice ’round the stars
You had all of the gleam of the jewels on my arm
And seven times the charm

The same way the earth moves under you like it does
And swallows the light of the sun
I didn’t feel you turning didn’t know what it was
But the rains had already begun

I never once saw you smile
As I pulled you into my arms
You had none of the kindness and all of the harm
And seven times the charm

SHAWN COLVIN – On My Own

If I don’t see you
Before I go
Remember what you’ve seen
And what you know
Sunshine, you will be
On my mind eternally
But let’s just you remember you
And I’ll remember me

[CHORUS]
I’m gonna be on my own
It’s a long way home
I feel like a baby boy
Just bein’ born

A captive of your heart I guess I was
You gave no reason for stopping loving me
Just because
You dragged yourself right down
You did not hear a sound
But for the tapping of your teardrops
On the ground

[CHORUS]

If you find your true love
Once again
Please don’t do the same damn thing
To them
Cause even when I was with you
I felt so all alone
I’d just as soon do without you and be
On my own

[CHORUS]

SHAWN COLVIN – Knowing What I Know Now

Out on the road and a refugee
Thinking about it and I cry out loud
I wouldn’t ask you to comfort me
Knowing what I know now

We had a love and it went all wrong
I had a dream and you let me down
I wouldn’t ask you to take that on
Knowing what I know now

Would I ask a seeing man to go blind
Would I ask a sane man to lose his mind
Could I expect you to come back somehow
Knowing what I know now

As much as you are in my heart
As much as I want you around
I wouldn’t ask you to play that part
Knowing what I know now

Would I ask a seeing man to go blind
Would I ask a sane man to lose his mind
Could I expect you to come back somehow
Knowing what I know now

As much as you are in my heart
As much as I want you around
I wouldn’t ask you to play that part
Knowing what I know now

SHAWN COLVIN – I Don’t Know You

Is it me or is it you
Or just the spoils of our little war
You look just like you always do
But I don’t know you anymore

Same time, same place
Same lips, same taste
And the sound of slamming doors
I hear your voice I see your face
But I don’t know you…

[CHORUS]
You were soft and sweet like candy
Kisses warm and wet as rain
Now I’m looking through you baby
You’re not the same

Was it real and was it new
Or just some lines you’d said before
I trace our steps I look for clues
But I don’t know you anymore

Was it me you fell into
Or was it just the clothes I wore
Was it me or was it you
But I don’t know you

[CHORUS]

SHAWN COLVIN – Fall Of Rome

The city is crumbling
Like Rome or Pompeii
And there’s nothing to do
But get out of the way
When you know you can save no one

Like an empty old bottle
The ship has gone down
The Titanic is sinking
And the band plays on
And you know you can save no one

[CHORUS]
Maybe a message is coming to you
In the middle of nowhere from out of the blue
Then cross the dark distance and lay down your guns
For Rome it has fallen
And morning has begun

In anyone’s heartache
And in anyone’s blues
Is the beautiful feeling
Of nothing to lose
When you know you can save no one

[CHORUS]

SHAWN COLVIN – Change Is On The Way

Cold nights, warm hands
Mountains, flat lands
Your face
Nothing gets erased
And I feel like a change is on the way

Once you held my hand
Wasn’t long I saw you drift like sand
I guess nothing
Nothing stays the same
And I feel like a change is on the way

Well I fought so hard
Made myself a fool
Like a child I held my breath
Till I was blue
You left me anyway
You could feel a change was on the way

Every sin you confess
The measure of every breath
Rise and fall and then rest
For awhile

The sky will fall
Peace will come
I’ll get over you
And I guess even the sun
Will burn itself out one day
And I feel like a change is on the way

SHAWN COLVIN – Anne Of The Thousand Days

The morning was wet
I wore your jacket
I walked your dog
To go get coffee
Where I ran into
Your last girlfriend
And we said hello

She didn’t like me
I didn’t care
I reeked and glowed
I was smug and tan
You were Henry the VIII
Off with her head
She had to go

[CHORUS]
Anne of the thousand days
They go by fast Anne
Those thousand days
Anne of the thousand days

The ink was still wet
On your love letters
I should’ve known
I wouldn’t last long
And I’m sorry I broke
Into your email
But I had to know

There was the one
From Colorado
She thanked you for
The kissing and dancing
But you hate to dance
Off with her head
She had to go
Then there was the one
Who lived in Boston
And you swore to our friends
There was no connection
But her back launched you to
Your next invention
Then she had to go

[CHORUS]

SHAWN COLVIN – American Jerusalem

New York City rain
Don’t know if it’s makin’ me
Dirty or clean
Went for the subway but there was no train
And the tunnel was grumbling for repairs again
And the sign says welcome to American Jerusalem

I’ve been around
You could spend forever
Makin’ a friend in this town
All you get to do
Is lay your dollar down
Until you’re stumbling drunk up the stairs again
And the sign says welcome to American Jerusalem

In the temples of American Jerusalem
They buy an ounce of South African gold
They don’t care who was bought or sold
Or who died to mine it

In the temples of American Jerusalem
They buy an ounce of Marseille white
Somewhere on a street with no light
Somebody dies tryin’ it

Then somewhere in a crowd
Lookin’ that kinda way
That’ll make you turn around
There’ll be somebody who knows
What it’s about
And he’ll take the ribbons from your hair again
And welcome you to American Jerusalem

In the alleys of American Jerusalem
The homeless lie down at the dawn
The pretty people wonder what they’re on
And how they afford it

In the ashes of American Jerusalem
The prophets live their deaths out on the corner
The pretty people say there should’ve been a warnin’
But nobody heard it

Then shadows lick the sun
The streets are paved with
Footsteps on the run
Somebody musta got double
Cuz I got none
I forgot to collect my share again
So go west to breathe the cleansing air again
Go Niagara for your honeymoon again
Go on the road if you’re gonna sing your tune again
Go out to sea and learn to be a man again
Until you come on home to American Jerusalem

SHAWN COLVIN – All Fall Down

Here I come
Cuz I don’t know better
I’m a thief and a sinner
I’m a fool and a debtor

You got your pushin’ numbers
You got your pushin’ a broom
And what’s lucky to some
Is breakin’ even to you

[CHORUS]
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down…

Well I don’t understand why
And I might never know
But I believe in love
I like to swallow it whole

How come the best of ’em wind up
Sweepin’ dirt off the street
And the worst of ’em end up
Right back up on their feet

Got a heart full of blood
I got muscle and feeling
But I’m flat on my back
I’m starin’ up at the ceiling

[CHORUS]

If I’ve seen it once
I’ve seen it time and again
You don’t know where you’re goin’
Don’t know where you are
You don’t know where you been

[CHORUS]

SHAWN COLVIN – Up On That Hill

The blood that run your veins
Of all that you are made
It didn’t start with you
As much as you would like it to

The path they set you on
Your battles lost and won
The fakin’ and the show
And all you thought you wanted
All them things you think you want

[CHORUS]
And in the land where all are mourning
You hear the band you hear them call
You can be happy
You can be happy

You stood up on that hill
You thought you’d had your fill
Didn’t want no pedestal
But mark my words you will

You heard your story told
You felt you were getting old
You thought it time to go
But you couldn’t find no share of gold
That set you back on down the road

[CHORUS]

So take your hopes and woes
Take your bruised ego
Light a fire here
Where the air is clear

Or take your sorrow, man
To your selfish land
Run your poor mouth there
See if they care

[CHORUS]