LYRICS TO JUST A MAN:
All songs written by and copyright Douglas Greer, except “California,” written by and copyright Douglas Greer and Robert Frith.
DAMN SURE GONE
I’m just a man, and I can damn sure bring a good woman down to where she’d never know her friends from her enemies. You should have known. I’ve been doing it for so long. I tried to warn you but you saw something you could change, and now you’re down, damn sure gone.
I know I’m wrong, but I can damn sure bleed. It drops me to my knees; I see the sin inside the lipstick stains and cheating games. A tin foil queen can tear a man at the seams. I tried to tell you but you saw something seldom seen, and now you’re down, damn sure gone. And now you’re down, and I’m damn sure gone.
When I see you at the wrong end of the draw, when I drop and fall and leave, when that curtain calls you’ll read the writing on the wall and find yourself in something more than me.
I know I’m bad; I never said I was a saint. I told you about the games. We talked about those two-way streets you walk and never leave. You should have known. I’ve been doing it for so long. I tried to warn you but you saw something you could change and now you’re down, damn sure gone.
When I see you at the wrong end of the draw, when I drop and fall and leave, when that curtain calls you’ll read the writing on the wall and find yourself in something more than me.
‘Cause I’m just a man, and I can damn sure bring a good woman down to where she’d never know her friends from her enemies…
PEOPLE PERSON
She’s working dog hours at the Embers. He never knew that she’d been dancing there, ’cause inside the smoke and perfume stood an angel who long ago had lost her wings somewhere.
Seeing all the sisters work the pool hall reminds him it ain’t lonely being alone. He don’t need the joints and junkies at the strip mall, while he waits for his good woman to come home…
‘Cause she’s a people person. She’s coming ’round and paying rent. He needs a lot of nursing, and she sees a lot in him. A people person; she shows it when she’s working. Putting down the gin, and coming ’round again, a people person.
He’s living in that La-Z Boy recliner, giving unemployment a bad name. Doing nothing much from his end to make her so proud. But she’s just glad to have a man to blame…
‘Cause she’s a people person. She’s coming ’round and paying rent. He needs a lot of nursing, and she sees a lot in him. A people person; she shows it when she’s working. Putting down the gin, and coming ’round again, a people person.
Putting down the gin, and coming ’round again, a people person.
BLACK TRAIN
Nelda was a loser, lady. She walked outside my life one day, yeah. I was a rock, I was a fighter. I tried to find my life outside hers. But my blues get so bad it just turns black…
I’m on a black train. I’m on a black train. But I’ll find my way outside of my black train, I’ll live again…
Now that I’m alone and I see what you are and what you were to me. Now I’m a stone, I’m cold and I’m clean. And now I’m seeing things I’ve never seen. But my blues get so bad it just turns black…
I’m on a black train. I’m on a black train. But I’ll find my way outside of my black train, I’ll live again…
I’m tired of seeing the sin in me. I’m tired of walking to you on my knees. Tired of seeing the sin in me, tired of walking on my knees, tired of you so baby…
Nelda was a loser, lady. She dropped my pride and lied one day, yeah. Now I’m a flame, I burn but I bleed. And now I’m needing things I’d never need. But my blues get so bad it just turns black…
I’m on a black train. I’m on a black train. But I’ll find my way outside of my black train, I’ll live again…
HEAVEN INTO HELL
Once I was lonely, so I got me a hooker. She was a lady of substance and means. She was my friend until after I took her. Going down from Heaven into Hell…
We threw a few tequilas down outside the old church house. We let the holy rollers see what they all sit and talk about. I threw kisses to her in her velvet underwear. Going down from Heaven into Hell…
As I’m going down, Lord, I know I’ll always love you, as I’m going down from Heaven into Hell. As I’m going down, Lord, I know you’ll always pull through, as I’m going down from Heaven into Hell. From Heaven into Hell.
I wanted some courage so I got me some liquor to take my old lady, to take that whole scene. She beats those dead horses so much they get sicker. Going down from Heaven into Hell…
As I’m going down, Lord, I know I’ll always love you, as I’m going down from Heaven into Hell. As I’m going down, Lord, I know you’ll always pull through, as I’m going down from Heaven into Hell. From Heaven into Hell.
As I’m going down from Heaven into Hell. From Heaven into Hell.
CAPITOL HALL
I think I’ll go away, yeah, to another world, Lord. I think I’d like to find a life that’s not so hollow in my Capitol Hall.
And if I go away, yeah, and see the other side, child. With violins and tambourines I’ll send my heart to you in my Capitol Hall. In my Capitol Hall…
Talking to the teacher, preaching to the choir, ’cause I know, I know now. You’re the queen of yesterday, and I’ll thank you some way. Walking with the weaker, my feet are in the fire, ’cause I know, I know now. In my Capitol Hall, I’ll take you. I’ll take you.
Talking to the teacher, preaching to the choir, ’cause I know, I know now. You’re the queen of yesterday, and I’ll thank. I’ll thank you.
The dogs are jumping at the moon. Thirty days have brought the fall. But through the night, the pale blue light, I’ll show my heart to you, in my Capitol.
Talking to the teacher, preaching to the choir, ’cause I know, I know now. You’re the queen of yesterday, and I’ll thank you some way. Walking with the weaker, my feet are in the fire, ’cause I know, I know now. In my Capitol Hall, I’ll take you. I’ll take you.
I think I’ll go away, yeah, to another world, Lord…
ROAD TO NEW ORLEANS
Well, the stars are sailing low, ’cause Lord, they know, they see, the blue world around me. And now I’m crying ’cause you’ve been lying. I know, I know…
If you leave me all alone, with no one around me, I’ll just take a little patience, just a little patience, on the road to New Orleans.
When I’m free the Easy speaks. It calls to me. It helps me see the blue birds beside me. But now I’m blind ’cause you’ve been lying. I know, I know…
If you leave me all alone, with no one around me, I’ll just take a little patience, just a little patience, on the road to New Orleans.
Now I’m playing the jaded saint. Like Abel’s Cain, you brought my Heaven down with your games, and rumors surround me. I won’t find my mind tonight. I know, I know…
If you leave me all alone, with no one around me, I’ll just take a little patience, just a little patience, on the road to New Orleans.
On the road to New Orleans…
DRY CREEK CAFE
Hippies and businessmen having a time. Songs on a jukebox that still cost a dime. Elvis’s signature on a back wall. Never had anything like a last call.
Crushed velvet pictures that covered up stains. Cats who were friends with a dog with no name. Everyone welcome and no one turned down. Never saw any policemen around. Never saw any policemen around.
Dollar for a dirty mug of Shiner Bock. People who never had to stop a clock. Hustlers and grandmothers at the same bar, putting money and recipes in a tip jar.
A Sunday School teacher who wore no brassiere. Red Nixon men in high heels drinking beer. Hypocrites reading their Bibles out loud. Innocence never got lost in the crowd. Innocence never got lost in crowd…
Dry Creek Cafe. A place where we all used to play. Dry Creek Cafe. In my mind I just might go there today…
Girls of the night courting men of high rank. Back of a warning sign used to serve drinks. A PTA mother there with a black man. Lord, if they only knew what went on then.
Rusted-out lawnchairs were covered with pain. Old timers playing a domino game. Blind people throwing horseshoes in the rain. I’ll never see anything like that again. I’ll never see anything like that again.
In my mind I just might go there today. In my mind I just might go there today. Touch me and make me feel high on the way, and I will fly. I will fly…
Dry Creek Cafe. A place where we all used to play. Dry Creek Cafe. In my mind I just might go there today…
KILL ME AGAIN
Pour me another bourbon on ice. That’ll make things right, to get me through the night. ‘Cause I see you a bar stool and a cheap dress away, and I don’t know what the hell I should say.
After all we went through, I know all your ways. You’d love me but leave with other men. So I know what you’re thinking from the shape that you’re in: You wish you could kill me again.
You never quite managed to get over the fact, that beer don’t talk back, it don’t give no flack. And just ’cause to the bottle you stood second best, that don’t mean what you did was right.
After all we went through, I know all your ways. You’d love me but leave with other men. So I know what you’re thinking from the shape that you’re in: You wish you could kill me again.
After all we went through, I know all your ways. You’d love me but leave with other men. So I know what you’re thinking from the shape that you’re in: You wish you could kill me again.
You wish you could kill me. Again.
CALIFORNIA
He said come, son, fly away. We’ll have a good run, you’ll love L.A. He said leave now, we need to see you today in California. In California.
We’ll live the high life and see the scene. You’ll trip the live wire and live your dreams. And boy, you’ll see things you never thought you’d see in California. In California.
I see the life, but Lord, a world away. If I fly and falter, would you stay in California…
Mother said, son, “Who are they to take your feelings and walk away?” She said, “Don’t go, but Lord, if you go don’t stay in California.” In California.
“‘Cause people feed on misery, and turn away from honesty. So if you go, son, make me proud of who I see in California.” In California.
I see the life, but Lord, a world away. If I fly and falter, would you stay…
I rode the highway toward the sun. I knew in my mind I had to run. I still need her but I’m far away and all alone in California. I still need her, but I’m far away and all alone in California.
NINETEEN NINETY-NINE
I had a hell of a time in 1999. I let walk away what I’d been leaving behind. You grew a second face, turned into a stranger. You made up my mind in 1999.
I never thought this feeling could fade, but then, I never thought I’d fall for you. But now I know I’ll never fall in love again, the end is too hard to do…
And it died on the vine in 1999. I let walk away what I’d been leaving behind. You grew a second face, turned into a stranger. You made up my mind in 1999.
You made up my mind in 1999.