Tunes - Volume 5
"We've all got sink holes to fill
But thermal cores are all that's real . . ."
- Cloudbuster
Sitting At Cloudbase
Sitting here at cloudbase
waiting for the wind to turn
yeah, now, sitting here at cloudbase
so many things I've got to learn
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on
Sitting here at cloudbase
waiting for the dice to roll
yeah, now, sitting here at cloudbase
still got some time to search my soul
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on
CHORUS:
I don't know where this will take me
but I know where I have been
I don't know what this will show me
but I know what I have seen
I've had my fill of scraping tree-tops
that is past and gone
and now it's time to move along
Sitting here at cloudbase
like a bird that's flying home
yeah, I'm sitting here at cloudbase
and I know it won't be long (til I make my getaway, now)
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on
INSTRUMENTAL
CHORUS:
I don't know where this will take me
but I know where I have been
I don't know what this will show me
but I know what I have seen
I've had my fill of scraping tree-tops
that is past and gone
and now it's time to move along
Sitting here at cloudbase
like a bird that's flying home
yeah, I'm sitting here at cloudbase
and I know it won't be long (til I make my getaway, now)
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on (gonna lead me on now)
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on
sitting at cloudbase cloudbase cloudbase
sitting at cloudbase cloudbase cloudbase
sitting at cloudbase cloudbase cloudbase
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on
the wind is putting up a resistance
but I know that my faith will lead me on . . .
# # #
(to the tune of "Sitting In Limbo"
written by Jimmy Cliff
sung by Marley's Ghost
more credits when I can find sources...)
Videoflight
If your flights were on video tape
Wouldn't everything be all right
When you crash-land the morning after
You could roll it back to late last night
You could replay all of the good parts
Cut out what you don't like
Oh wouldn't you be in good shape
If your flights were on video tape
If every pilot had ESP
Wouldn't everything be OK
You could see that sinkhole coming
You could swerve out of its way
When that Grim Reaper comes to call
You could arrange to be out of state
Oh wouldn't it be the great escape
And you could put it all on videotape
I don't have a video recorder
And I don't have a crystal ball
When I'm not with my Sky Queen
I don't have very much at all
I can't predict the future
And, Babe, I sure can't change the past
Oh but it would all make real good sense
If you just love me in the present tense
If our flights were on video tape
Wouldn't everything be all right
When we crash-land the morning after
We could roll it back to late last night
We could replay all of the good parts
Cut out what we don't like
Oh wouldn't we be in good shape
If our flights were on video tape
# # #
(from a Steve Goodman song,
more credits when I can find sources)
Skycycle
[A] He flys
With [D] all the guys
[E] Carves his initials all [A] over the skies
[D] I'll be damned
[A] Country ham
[E] Flew all the way to Ala- [A] bam
He cranks
And he banks
To all the Sky Gods he gives thanks
Oh Miss Jenny
Fly so free
Won't you chart the clouds with me
CHORUS:
[D] Hear his story
[A] Pain and glory
[E] What an occu- [A] pation
[D] Free and easy
[E] Warm and breezy
[D] What a great sen- [E] sation
He toots
And he hoots
Flys with a backup parachute
Spends his money
All on grass
Disappearing oh so fast
He's proud
He's vowed
To live his life amongst the clouds
Me oh my
Country pie
Won't stay down until he dies
He eats popsicles
Big dill pickles
Gotta taste air or he sure gets fickle
Bless my soul
Rock and roll
Flew all the way to Tokyo
# # #
(from the song "Dreamsicle"
written and sung by Jimmy Buffet
on the album "Volcano"
released by MCA Records)
Lake McClure Skyways
I'm a high flyin'
Hang glidin'
Ridge soarin'
Thermal corin'
Crankin' bankin' daddy
I ain't got no hair on my head
I got stinkin' winglets instead
For flyin' in them
Lake McClure skyways
Gonna hop out of bed
Stick a cap on my head
Crank and bank in the golden spread
Where the hawk flies
Gonna strap my hide
Into a power glide
And get thermal fried
In the blue skies
I'm a high flyin'
Hang glidin'
Ridge soarin'
Thermal corin'
Crankin' bankin' daddy
I ain't got no hair on my head
I just got feathers instead
For flyin' in them
Lake McClure skyways
# # #
(from the song "Amarillo Highway"
written and sung by Terry Allen
on the album "Lubbock"
released by Special Delivery/Topic Records)
Jesse With the Long Hair
Jesse grabbed his helmet, slicked his long hair back
Put a cartridge in his gun and stepped outside his shack
Rigged up his brand new kite and flew off into town.
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
Luann fixed her makeup, straightened out her dress
Picked up a photograph and held it to her breast
How could she ever love him? He was never on the ground
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
CHORUS:
Flesh and blood it turns to dust
Scatters in the wind
Love is all that matters in the end.
Sheriff Paul was sleepin', his hat off in his lap
When he got a package that woke him from his nap
He unrolled a poster, couldn't help but frown
It was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
They'd been flying buddies many years before
Jesse saved his life one time back before the war
Now he was an outlaw, he flew from town to town
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
CHORUS
Mr. Brown the banker hid the money in his case
It was time for him to leave this God forsaken place
His true love loved the outlaw who hated Mr. Brown
That was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
Mr. Brown had repossessed a kite that Jesse owned
The banker claimed that Jesse had not repaid his loan
Truth and lies were tangled but when the truth unwound
There was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
Mr. Brown was all alone Luann came walking in
She pulled a pistol from her purse and pointed it at him
When the door blew open she turned to look around
It was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
Mr. Brown grabbed Luann's gun and held it to her head
"I'll blow her to Kingdom Come" is what the banker said
In that fateful moment Jesse stood his ground
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
CHORUS
The bullet that killed Mr. Brown came through the windowpane
It put a hole above one eye and lodged down in his brain
He never saw a puff of smoke, no flash, no fire, no sound
From Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
Sheriff Paul was fast asleep his hat down on his eyes
When he got a letter and much to his surprise
A picture of the sweet Luann flying tandem in her wedding gown
And Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.
CHORUS
# # #
(from the song "Jesse With the Long Hair"
written and sung by Robert Earl Keen
on the album "A Bigger Piece of Sky"
released by Sugar Hill Records)
Swervin' in my Airspace (Honey, Get Out of the Way)
Sometimes I don't know what I'm doin
Sometimes all my flights are filled with wrath
As I travel through life's skyways
Things ain't goin my way
Cuz there's always someone swerving in my path
CHORUS:
You keep a'swervin in my airspace
And it's causing lots of danger
I'm a'honkin on my horn
I'm a'shootin you the finger
I keep a'switchin on my strobe light
But you're just to dim to see
When you're swervin on life's skyway
You're keepin me from flyin free
The day you flew away I thought I never
Could love another, how else could I feel
But now when you fly near to me
I can't believe I could not see
You're flyin fast but no one's at the keel
CHORUS:
You keep a'swervin in my airspace
And it's causing me to lose faith
I'm a'crankin and a'bankin
I'm wondering what you could be thinkin
I keep a'switchin on my strobe light
But you're too far gone to see
When you're swervin on life's skyway
You're keepin me from flyin free
When and if I ever finally ditch you
Or when I do and if I'm still alive
I won't ever miss you
Can't believe I used to kiss you
So I'll shift my kite on into overdrive
CHORUS:
You keep a'swervin in my airspace
And it's causing lots of anger
I'm a'cussin to your face
I'm a'shootin you the finger
I keep a'switchin on my strobe light
But you're just to dim to care
When you're swervin on life's skyway
You're trashin someone else's air
# # #
(from the song "Swervin' In My Lane"
written and sung by Robert Earl Keen Jr
on the album "No Kinda Dancer"
released by Philo/Rounder Records)
Sailing Away
I'm leaving my family, leaving all my friends
My body's at home when my heart's in the wind
Where the clouds are like banners on the 4th of July
My heart's pumping and jumping when the lapse rate is high
I know Orville and Wilber would've been proud to fly
With the many I know who've been called by the sky
To be up in the hawk's nest flyin' all day
Crankin' and bankin' I'm sailing away
CHORUS:
And the wind's shifting
Fog's lifting
So clear I can see
Old mother nature's got nothing on me
Don't follow me
Don't swallow me
I'm travelling alone
Don't know where I'm going, but I know where I've flown
Please call my lady, tell her not to cry
Cuz my goodbye's been written by the clouds in the sky
Hey, and nobody knows me, can't fathom my style
Crankin' and bankin' I'll be flying awhile
CHORUS
I'm leaving my family, leaving all my friends
My soul is at home when my heart's in the wind
To be up in the hawk's nest having my way
Crankin' and bankin' I'm sailing away
# # #
(from the song "Sailing Away"
written and sung by Tom Waits
on the album "The Heart of Saturday Night"
released by Asylum Records)
*******