I'm Off

[Soron]

Jackie Brown
(John Mellencamp)

Is this your life, Jackie Brown?
Poorly educated and forced to live on the poor side of town.
Is this your daughter, Jackie Brown?
This pretty little girl
In the worn out clothes
That have been hand-me down.
Is this your wife, Jackie Brown?
With sad blue eyes, walking on eggshells so you don't see her frown.
Is this your family, Jackie Brown?

Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream
And giving the world more than it gave you.
What ugly truths freedom brings
And it hasn't been very kind to you.
Is this your life, Jackie Brown?

Is this your meal, Jackie Brown?
Barely enough, I've seen people throw away more than this out.
Is this your home, Jackie Brown?
This three room shack
With no running water
And the bathroom out back.
Is this your grave, Jackie Brown?
This little piece of limestone that says another desperate man took himself out.
Is this your dream, Jackie Brown?

Going nowhere and nowhere fast
We shame ourselves to watch people like this live.
But who gives a damn about Jackie Brown?
Just another lazy man who couldn't take what was his.
One helluva life Jackie Brown.
Forevermore, Jackie Brown
Amen and amen - Jackie Brown?

 

[Soron]

SINALOA COWBOYS
(Bruce Springsteen)

Miguel came from a small town in northern Mexico.
He came north with his brother Louis to California three years ago
They crossed at the river levee, when Louis was just sixteen
And found work together in the fields of the San Joaquin

They left their homes and family
Their father said, "My sons one thing you will learn,
for everything the north gives, it exacts a price in return."
They worked side by side in the orchards
From morning till the day was through
Doing the work the hueros wouldn't do.

Word was out some men in from Sinaloa were looking for some hands
Well, deep in Fresno county there was a deserted chicken ranch
And there in a small tin shack on the edge of a ravine
Miguel and Louis stood cooking methamphetamine

You could spend a year in the orchards
Or make half as much in one ten hour shift
Working for the men from Sinaloa
But if you slipped the hydriodic acid
Could burn right through your skin
They'd leave you spittin' up blood in the desert
If you breathed those fumes in

It was early one winter evening as Miguel stood watch outside
When the shack exploded, lighting up the valley night
Miguel carried Louis' body over his shoulder down a swale
To the creekside and there in the tall grass, Louis Rosales died
Miguel lifted Louis' body into his truck and then he drove
To where the morning sunlight fell on a eucalyptus grove
There in the dirt he dug up ten-thousand dollars. all that they'd saved
Kissed his brothers lips and placed him in his grave

 

[Arden]

How sad... and the worst part is that it may not be fiction.

 

[Soron]

How sad... and the worst part is that it may not be fiction.

I'm sure there's some truth to it. That whole album reminds me so much of Woody Guthrie and his way of telling a story. 'Galveston Bay' and 'The Ghost of Tom Joad' are very much like that as well. And, 'Youngstown' for sure.
All part of human life, I guess. As sad as it is.

 

[Arden]

Living in TX for 22 years, I heard many similar stories about illegal immigrants. Very sad, indeed.

 

[Soron]

Living in TX for 22 years, I heard many similar stories about illegal immigrants. Very sad, indeed.

I've seen it here first hand. Going down through the citrus towns you see price gouging done just to keep the workers from getting ahead. Families living in duplexes and paying far too much for rent. Inadequate schools for the kids. But, people don't care. They get their orange crops picked and the same workers will be back next year at harvest time.

 

[Arden]

We have a large migrant worker influx here in the summertime, and some have decided to stay in the area permanently. The county just built a beautiful school and health facility for the children of the workers, a friend of mine is on the administration staff. It's good to see some places taking the problems of migrant workers seriously.

 

[Soron]

One more...

The Passing Of My Life
(Phil Ochs)

I've seen rivers red with blood,
I've seen valleys filled with mud;
I've seen stormy seas that pound upon the shore.
I've seen mountains strewn with bones,
I've seen people without homes,
And it's all with the passing of my life.

I've seen highways headin' down,
I've seen green grass turn to brown;
I've seen forests burn a couple days or more.
I've seen prairies filled with holes,
I've seen good men sell their souls,
And it's all with the passing of my life.

And as I see the fury of the fire and the flame
I wonder if my children will have to see the same.

I've seen rockets all ablaze,
I've seen dark and deadly days;
I've seen cities bombed and butchered to the ground.
I've seen battles by the score,
I've seen ten too many wars,
And it's all with the passing of my life.

And as I see the fury of the fire and the flame
I wonder if my children will have to see the same.

I've seen rockets all ablaze,
I've seen dark and deadly days;
I've seen cities bombed and butchered to the ground.
I've seen battles by the score,
I've seen ten too many wars,
And it's all with the passing of my life --
Yes, it's all with the passing of my life.

(C) 1963 Phil Ochs.

 

[Soron]

Billy The Kid
(Woody Guthrie)

I'll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid,
I'll sing of the desperate deeds that he did,
Way out in New Mexico, long long ago
When a man's only chance was his own 44.

When Billy the Kid was a very young lad
In the old Silver City he went to the bad
Way out in the West with a gun in his hand
At the age of twelve years he first killed his man.

Fair Mexican maidens play guitars and sing
A song about Billy, the boy bandit king
How ere his young manhood had reached its sad end
He'd a notch on his pistol for twenty-one men.

'Twas on the same night when poor Billy died
He said to his friends: "I am not satisfied.
There are twenty-one men I have put bullets through
And sheriff Pat Garrett must make twenty-two."

Now this is how Billy the Kid met his fate,
The bright moon was shining, the hour was late
Shot down by Pat Garrett, who once was his friend
The young outlaw's life had now come to its end.

There's many a man with a face fine and fair
Who starts out in life with a chance to be square,
But just like poor Billy he wanders astray
And loses his life in the very same way.

 

[kayte]

Re: One more...

The Passing Of My Life
(Phil Ochs)

I've seen rivers red with blood,
I've seen valleys filled with mud;
I've seen stormy seas that pound upon the shore.
I've seen mountains strewn with bones,
I've seen people without homes,
And it's all with the passing of my life.

I've seen highways headin' down,
I've seen green grass turn to brown;
I've seen forests burn a couple days or more.
I've seen prairies filled with holes,
I've seen good men sell their souls,
And it's all with the passing of my life.

And as I see the fury of the fire and the flame
I wonder if my children will have to see the same.

I've seen rockets all ablaze,
I've seen dark and deadly days;
I've seen cities bombed and butchered to the ground.
I've seen battles by the score,
I've seen ten too many wars,
And it's all with the passing of my life.

And as I see the fury of the fire and the flame
I wonder if my children will have to see the same.

I've seen rockets all ablaze,
I've seen dark and deadly days;
I've seen cities bombed and butchered to the ground.
I've seen battles by the score,
I've seen ten too many wars,
And it's all with the passing of my life --
Yes, it's all with the passing of my life.

(C) 1963 Phil Ochs.

Hi Soron ~ You know I am a sucker for him. Hope your day was a good one.

 

[Soron]

Re: Re: One more...

Hi Soron ~ You know I am a sucker for him. Hope your day was a good one.

He is right there with Dylan and Woody Guthrie and Springsteen, Kayte. A man who looked at life for what it was, and what he hoped it could be.

 

[Soron]

SMUGGLERS BLUES
(Glenn Frey)


There's trouble on the street tonight, I can feel it in my bones
I had a premonition that he should not go alone
I knew the gun was loaded, but I didn't think he'd kill
Everything exploded, and the blood began to spill
So baby, here's your ticket, and the suitcase in your hand
Here's a little money, now we'll do it just the way we planned
You be cool for twenty hours, and I'll pay you twenty grand
I'm sorry it went down like this, but someone had to lose
It's the nature of the business, it's the smugglers' blues
The sailors and the pilots, the soldiers and the law
The payoffs and the ripoffs and the things nobody saw
Don't matter if it's heroin, cocaine or hash,
You've got to carry weapons 'cause you always carry cash
There's lots of shady characters and lots of dirty deals
Every name's an alias in case somebody squeals
It's the lure of easy money, it's got a very strong appeal
Perhaps you'd understand it better standing in my shoes
It's the ultimate enticement, it's the smugglers' blues

You see it in the headlines, you hear it every day
They say they're gonna stop it, but it doesn't go away
They move it through Miami and sell it in LA
They hide it up in Telluride, I mean it's here to stay
It's propping up the governments in Columbia and Peru
You ask any D.A., man, they'll say there's nothing we can do
From the office of the president right down to me and you
Me and you
It's a losing proposition, but one you can't refuse
It's the politics of contraband, it's the smugglers' blues

 

[Arden]

I used to live in the land of Ross Perot...

THE ROSS PEROT GUIDE TO ANSWERING EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS
Performed by Arlo Guthrie
words by Calvin Trillin, music and adaptation by Pete Seeger

When something in my history is found
Which contradicts the views that I propound
Or shows that I perhaps am not the guy I claim to be
Here's what I usually do

Chorus:
I lie
I simply boldly falsify
I look the other feller in the eye
And just deny, deny, deny
I lie

I don t apologize. Not me. Instead
I say I never said the things I said
Nor did the things some people saw me do
When confronted by some things they know are true

Chorus

I hate those weasel words some slickies use
To blur their past or muddy up their views
Not me. I'm blunt. One thing that makes me great
Is that I'll never dodge nor obfuscate

Chorus

words ©1992 Calvin Trillin
music ©1993 Sanga Music. Inc (BMI)

 

[Soron]

I used to live in the land of Ross Perot...

It's amazing to me how so many people believe that guy's schtick, ya know?

 

[Arden]

I used to live in the land of Ross Perot...

It's amazing to me how so many people believe that guy's schtick, ya know?

He's such a character... perfect fodder for comedians and political cartoonists.

 

[Soron]

Speaking of comedians...

KING TUT
Steve Martin

You know, one of the greatest art exhibits ever to tour the United
States is the treasures of Tutankamen or King Tut!
(King Tut)
(King Tut)
Now when he was a young man,
He'd never thought he'd see,
(King Tut)
People stand in line,
To see the boy king.
(King Tut)
How'd you get so funky?
(Funky Tut)
They said you do the monkey.
(Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, King Tut)
(King Tut)
Now if I'd known,
They'd line up just to see him,
(King Tut)
I'd've taken all my money,
And bought me a museum.
(King Tut)
Buried with a donkey,
(Funky Tut)
He's my favorite honkey.
(Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, King Tut)
Dancing by the Nile,
(Disco dancing)
The ladies love his style.
(Fox Tut)
Rockin' for a mile,
(Rockin' Tut)
He ate a crocodile.
He gave his life for tourism.
(King Tut)
(Tut, tut. Tut, tut . . .)
Golden idols!
He's an Egyptian!
They're selling you.
(King Tut)
Now when I die,
Now don't think I'm a nut.
(King Tut)
Don't want no fancy funeral,
Just one like old King Tut.
(King Tut)
He could'a won a Grammy,
(King Tut)
Buried in his 'jamies.
(Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, he was born in Arizona)
He's got a condo made of stone-a. . .
(King Tut)

 

[Arden]

(King Tut)
He could'a won a Grammy,
(King Tut)
Buried in his 'jamies.
(Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, he was born in Arizona)
He's got a condo made of stone-a. . .
(King Tut)


I wish he'd make another really funny movie like he used to. We need more good comedies...

 

[Soron]

(King Tut)
He could'a won a Grammy,
(King Tut)
Buried in his 'jamies.
(Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, he was born in Arizona)
He's got a condo made of stone-a. . .
(King Tut)


I wish he'd make another really funny movie like he used to. We need more good comedies...

He probably wishes he'd make another really funny movie, too.
"Planes, Trains and Automobiles" might be my favorite of his.

 

[Arden]

Too bad so many are gone from the original SNL cast... I can remember rolling on the floor laughing at them for years. It just isn't the same any more.

*Walks out of the post to go consume mass quantities*

 

[Soron]

Too bad so many are gone from the original SNL cast... I can remember rolling on the floor laughing at them for years. It just isn't the same any more.

*Walks out of the post to go consume mass quantities*

Ah yes...mass quantities
Unborn chicken embryo's
shreaded swine flesh
and...
Beer

 

[Arden]

Ah yes...mass quantities
Unborn chicken embryo's
shreaded swine flesh
and...
Beer

*Places her order at the counter*
"Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger... pepsi, pepsi..."

 

[Arden]

Darn, I miss having your company here.

 

[Soron]

Darn, I miss having your company here.

I know, pretty girl.
Look at it this way. It'll just make us appreciate each other that much more when we are together.
My arms sure feel empty not having you in them.

 

[H'venlee]

For Soron & Arden

Valentine
Martina Mcbride


If there were no words no way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no tears no way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you
And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart
Until the end of time
You're all I need, my love,
My valentine

All of my life
I been waiting for all you give to me
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love unselfishly


I've dreamed of this a thousand times
Before but in my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love,
My valentine


And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart
Untill the end of time
Cause all I need is you
My valentine
You're all I need, my love,
My valentine


http://www.citycyber.com/ecard/images/birds.gif

 

[Arden]

Thank you, Lee... that was just beautiful! It didn't dawn on me that it was Valentine's day yet!

{{{{{LEE}}}}}