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Grateful Dead lyrics
Album: Dead Set [1981]
| Samson and Delilah | |
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If I had my way, I would tear this old building down.
Well Delilah was a woman, she was fine and fair,
She had good looks, God knows, and coal black hair,
Delilah she gained old Samson's mind.
When first he saw this woman, you know he couldn't believe his mind.
Delilah she climbed up on Samson's knee,
Said tell me where your strength lies if you please.
She spoke so kind and she talked so fair,
Well Samson said, Delilah cut off my hair.
You can shave my head, clean as my hand
And my strength will become as natural as any old man.
If I had my way, if I had my way, if I had my way,
I would tear this old building down.
You read about Samson, all from his works,
He was the strongest man that ever had lived on earth.
One day when Samson was walking along,
Looked down on the ground, he saw an old jawbone.
He stretched out his arm, God knows, chains broke like thread,
When he got to moving, ten thousand was dead.
If I had my way, if I had my way, if I had my way,
I would tear this old building down.
Now Samson and the lion, they got in a tack,
Samson he crawled up on the lion's back.
You read about this lion, he killed a man with his paws,
But Samson got his hands around that lion's jaws.
He ripped the beast till he killed him dead.
The bees made honey in the lion's head.
If I had my way, if I had my way, if I had my way,
I would tear this old building down.
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| Friend of the Devil | |
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I lit out from Reno
I was trailed by twenty hounds
Didn't get to sleep that night
Till the morning came around.
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I might get some sleep tonight.
I ran into the Devil, babe
He loaned me twenty bills
I spent that night in Utah
In a cave up in the hills.
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I might get some sleep tonight.
I ran down to the levee
But the Devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill
And he vanished in the air.
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I might get some sleep tonight.
Got two reasons why I cry
away each lonely night
First one's named sweet Anne Marie
and she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
the sheriff's on my trail
If he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail.
Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me.
I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I might get some sleep tonight.
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| New Minglewood Blues | |
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I was born in a desert, Raised in a loin's den
And my number one occupation is stealing women from their men
If your down in Memphis, you best stop down minglewood
When I take a walk down there, all the women sure look good
If you can't believe me, it'll make it hard to believe in you
Cause we all need each other, well you know it's true
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| Deal | |
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Since it costs a lot to win, and even more to lose,
You and me bound to spend some time wond'rin' what to choose.
Goes to show, you don't ever know,
Watch each card you play and play it slow,
Wait until that deal come round,
Don't you let that deal go down, no, no.
I been gamblin' hereabouts for ten good solid years,
If I told you all that went down it would burn off both of your ears.
Goes to show you don't ever know
Watch each card you play and play it slow,
Wait until that deal come round,
Don't you let that deal go down, no, no.
Since you poured the wine for me and tightened up my shoes,
I hate to leave you sittin' there, composin' lonesome blues.
Goes to show you don't ever know
Watch each card you play and play it slow,
Wait until that deal come round, don't you let that deal go down.
Wait until that deal come round, don't you let that deal go down,
Wait until that deal come round, don't you let that deal go down,
Don't you let that deal go down, don't you let that deal go down.
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| Candy Man | |
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Come all you pretty women
with your hair hanging down
Open up your windows 'cause
the Candyman's in town
Come on boys and gamble
Roll those laughing bones
Seven come eleven boys
I'll take your money home
Look out
Look out
The Candyman
Here he come
and he's gone again
Pretty lady ain't
got no friend
till the Candyman
come round again
I come in from Memphis
where I learned to talk the jive
When I get back to Memphis
be one less man alive
Good Mornin Mr. Benson
I see you're doin well
If I had me a shotgun
I'd blow you straight to Hell
Look out
Look out
The Candyman
Here he come
and he's gone again
Pretty lady ain't
got no friend
till the Candyman
come round again
Come on boys and wager
if you have got the mind
If you got a dollar boys
lay it on the line
Hand me my old guitar
Pass the whiskey round
Want you to tell everybody you meet
the Candyman's in town
Look out
Look out
The Candyman
Here he come
and he's gone again
Pretty lady ain't
got no friend
till the Candyman
come round again
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| Little Red Rooster | |
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I'm a little red rooster, too lazy to crow for days
Just a little red rooster, too lazy to crow for days
Keep everything in the barnyard people, upset in every way
Dogs begin to bark now and the hounds begin to howl
Dogs begin to bark now and the hounds begin to howl
Watch out stray cat people the little red rooster is on the prowl
If you see the little red rooster, won't you please drive him home
If you see my little red rooster, won't you please drive him home
Been no peace in the barnyard people, since the little red rooster's been gone
[ brent rap ]
Yeah and the little red rooster, well you ain't shit to me
Think you're a stud boy, well I doubt you'll ever be
While your away I'm gonna fuck with your hens, boy
I'm just bein' neighborly
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| Loser | |
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If I had a gun for every ace I have drawn,
I could arm a town the size of abilene
Don't you push me baby,
Cause I'm all alone and you know I'm only in it for the gold
All that I am asking for is ten gold dollars
And I could pay you back with one good hand
You can look around about the wide world over
And you'll never find another honest man.
Last fair deal in the country,
Sweet suzie, last fair deal in the town
Put your gold money where your love is baby,
Before you let my deal go down
Don't you push me baby, cause I'm all alone
Well I know a little something you won't ever know
Don't you touch hard liquor, just a cup of cold coffee
I'm gonna get up in the morning and go
Everybody prayin' and drinkin' that wine
I can tell the queen of diamonds by the way she shines
Come to daddy on the inside straight,
Well I got no chance of losin' this time
Last fair deal in the country,
Last fair deal in the town
Put your gold money where your love is baby,
Before you let my deal go down
Everybody prayin' and drinkin' that wine
I can tell the queen of diamonds by the way she shines
Come to daddy on the inside straight,
Well I got no chance of losin' this time.
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| Passenger | |
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Firefly, can you see me?
Shine on, glowing, brief and brightly
Could you imagine? One summer day,
That same night be on your way
Do you remember? Hearts were too cold
Seasons have frozen us into our souls
People were sayin' the whole world is burning
Ashes have scattered too hard to turn
Upside out or inside down
False alarm, the only game in town
No man's land, the only game in town
Terrible, the only game in town
Passenger, don't you hear me?
Destination seen unclearly.
What is a man deep down inside,
What a raging beast with nothing to hide.
Upside out or inside down
False alarm, the only game in town
No man's land, the only game in town
Terrible, the only game in town
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| Feel Like a Stranger | |
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Inside you're burnin' I can see clear through
Your eyes tell more than you mean them to
Lit up and flashin' like the reds and blues
Out there on the neon avenue
Well I, feel like a stranger (feel like a stranger)
Well the music's thunderin', restless and hot
You keep firin' me glances across the room
And I can't stop wonderin' just what you got
Get the feeling I'm going to find out real soon
But I feel like a stranger (feel like a stranger)
So let's get on with the show, let's go
Yes, and the wheels it's smokin 'round midnight
You show me a look that says "Let's go"
Yes, and it feels about like running a red light
Now there ain't no point in looking behind us, no!
Still I feel like a stranger (feel like a stranger)
You know It's gonna get stranger, let's get on with the show
If this were love now how would I know? How would I know?
Feel like a stranger
Gonna be a long, long, crazy, crazy night
Silky, silky, crazy, crazy night
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| Franklin's Tower | |
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In another times forgotten space
Your eyes looked from your mother's face
Wallflower seed on the sand and stone
May the four winds blow you safely home.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
It can ring, turn night to day
It can ring like fire when you loose your way.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
God save the child that rings that bell
It may have one good ring, baby, you can't tell
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused listen to the music play.
(instrumental)
Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice you're gonna harvest the wind.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
In Franklin's tower the four winds sleep
Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep
Wildflower seed on the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
You'd better roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
You'd better roll away the dew - roll away.
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| Rhythm Devils | |
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This song is instrumental -- it has no lyrics
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| Fire on the Mountain | |
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Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?
Get up, get out, get out of the door
Your playin' cold music on the barroom floor
Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core.
There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town
Takes a whole pail of water just to cool him down.
Fire! Fire on the mountain!
Almost ablaze still you don't feel the heat
It takes all you got just to stay on the beat.
You say it's a livin', we all gotta eat
But you're here alone, there's no one to compete.
If Mercy's a bus'ness, I wish it for you
More than just ashes when your dreams come true.
Fire! Fire on the mountain!
Long distance runner, what you holdin' out for?
Caught in slow motion in a dash for the door.
The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor
You gave all you had. Why you wanna give more?
The more that you give, the more it will take
To the thin line beyond which you really can't fake.
Fire! Fire on the mountain!
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| Greatest Story Ever Told | |
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Moses come ridin' up on a quasar
His spurs were jingling, the door was ajar
His buckle was silver, his manner was bold
And I asked him to come in out of the cold.
His brain was boiling, his reason was spent
His motto is nothing is borrowed, nothing is lent
He ask me for mercy, I gave him a gun.
He said these things just got to be done.
Abraham and isaac sitting on a fence
You'd get right to work if you had any sense
You know the one thing we need is a left-hand monkey wrench.
Gideon come up with his eyes on the floor
Said you ain't got a hinge, you can't close the door.
Moses stood up above his six foot and ten
Said you can't close the door when the wall's caved in.
Ask him for water, he poured me some wine
We finished the bottle and broke into mine.
You get what you come for, ya ready to go
Well, it's one in ten thousand that come for the show.
Abraham and isaac diggin' on a well
Mama came quick with the water witch spell
Well cool clear water well you can't ever tell.
Abraham and isaac sitting on a fence
You'd get right to work if you had any sense
You know the one thing we need is a left-hand monkey wrench.
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| Brokedown Palace | |
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Fare you well my honey
Fare you well my only true one
All the birds that were singing
Have flown except you alone
Goin to leave this Broke-down Palace
On my hands and my knees I will roll roll roll
Make myself a bed by the waterside
In my time - in my time - I will roll roll roll
In a bed, in a bed
by the waterside I will lay my head
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul
River gonna take me
Sing me sweet and sleepy
Sing me sweet and sleepy
all the way back back home
It's a far gone lullaby
sung many years ago
Mama, Mama, many worlds I've come
since I first left home
Goin home, goin home
by the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul
Goin to plant a weeping willow
On the banks green edge it will grow grow grow
Sing a lullaby beside the water
Lovers come and go - the river roll roll roll
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul
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