Lyrics of Sam Cahoon
From “The Dismal Stars and the Clouds Afar”
Those Dances of So Long Ago
Little Darlin'
Travellin' Blues
‘Til the Day I Die(I’ll Drink No More)
I'll Keep A-wanderin'
Jenny Moore
Cruel Cruel Dove
Outlaw
The Lonesome Piano
For You I Will Yearn
Song to a Child I Don't Have
Those dances of so long ago
James brought the music
In an old Chevrolet
He picked up down in McCool
He hummed a sweet tune
And sped along the way
Thinking of the girls he might pull
Soon the hall would be bouncing
The band would be wailing
To the stomping percussion of feet
The boys would be trying
But the girls would keep on dancing
And sweating in the summer nights heat
Next we’d duck out
To somebody’s pick-up
And pass a brown bottle around
We’d sing a few old songs
And talk bout the girls
Until the bottle was drunk down
We’d strut back in
Practically floating
Much braver than when we had left
On to the dance floor
Heading towards the pretty girls
And thinking bout who looked the best
Some guy would be dancing
His arm round Naomi
The prettiest belle of the ball
She looked like an angel
All dressed in white
As she glided around the dance hall
Yes those were the best days
That I can remember
Those dances of so long ago
The years have gone by me
But I remember them like yesterday
‘cause those were the best days I’ve known
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Little Darlin’
Powerful woman my little darlin’
If there’s a spirit there’s an angel
Deep brown eyes that could bring you to tears
And a smile that brightens up the world
I see you dancing in your sundress
Moving your head to the beat
Just hold me closely my little darlin’
As we swing down the street
every time I felt joy you felt sorrow
every time I felt euphoric you felt pain
But for everyone I’ve loved you’ve loved ten
And I tell you little darlin’ you won’t be burned again
The look you give me my little darlin’
To show me you need love
And for you I’d move a mountain
Or take a star from above
So just hold me closely my little darlin’
As we walk into night
You know I love you my little darlin’
You make everything alright
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Travellin’ Blues
I like to travel like my daddy do
It picks me up when I’m feeling blue
Just hop a freight when no one’s ‘round
And leave my troubles in the last town
Got a gal named Holly Sue
She’s got fiery hair and eyes so blue
Met her down the Mississippi line
Me and her get along just fine
Got a gal named Ana Jean
Met her down in New Orleans
Walked with her ‘round Jackson St.
Got all hot from Louisiana’s heat
Got in trouble up in Tennessee
Dancing with pretty Valerie
A man cut in I broke his crown
Had to leave old Memphis town
Maggie May was my true love
Now she rests in heaven above
Oh how hard I cried that night
When the world lost those eyes so bright
I’ll keep on riding these rusty rails
If I can steer clear of small town jails
A working life is not for me
The open air was meant to be
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‘Til the day I die
I’ll drink no more ‘til the day I die
No more will I hear my mother cry
Son lay off that whiskey you’re just throwing your life away
And I’ll drink no more ‘til the day I die
I started out a fine young lad
I didn’t waste time drinking or being bad
But times got hard and times got tuff
I started drinking and acting ruff
I’ll drink no more ‘til the day I die
No more will I hear my mother cry
Son lay off that whiskey you’re just throwing your life away
And I’ll drink no more ‘til the day I die
In no time I could hold my own
I’d drink out I’d drink alone
I got in fights got 86ed from bars
I made enemies and scars
Think I’ll drink just once more ‘til the day I die
Just once more I’ll hear my mother cry
Son lay off that whiskey you’re just throwing your life away
and I’ll drink just once more ‘til the day I die
I’ll drink a drop on a sunny day
I’ll drink a drop if skies are gray
Sure I’ll repent when eternity’s near
But ‘til then I’ll have no fear
And I’ll drink everyday ‘til the day I die
everyday I’ll hear my mother cry
Son lay off that whiskey you’re just throwing your life away
And I’ll drink everyday ‘til the day I die
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I'll Keep a-wanderin’
I have sailed the seven seas
I have wandered north and south
I have wandered east and west
to earth's four corners
But all I want is you
or at least a bottle of booze
to drown my sorrows
and dry up my tears
Until I meet my end
as a lonely bitter man
or a happy one
I'll keep a-wanderin’
I have wandered with out food
I have wandered with out drink
I have wandered thirty days
with out rest
I've wandered through thick and thin
In agony and sin
In Misery
Happiness and Jest
If I see a shining star
burning brightly from afar
I'll not falter
In my quest to find it
and still if I see none
I shall be the only one
In my days
of weary restless wanderin’
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Jenny Moore
Got around to thinking
I hadn't seen you for a while
I hadn't seen your flowing hair
or your glistening smile
There's a brightness that lights the night
like a full moon on the rise
and it's the spark I used to see
in the corners of your eyes
there's one thing I have to know
I haven't seen you in so long
Jenny Moore how are ya
I saw a rose that was dying
I saw an empty swing
I saw a young boy who was crying
and a finger less ring
but I also saw the roses bloom
around young girls at play
and I saw the young man join them
on his aunts wedding day
still there's one thing I have to know
I haven't seen you in so long
Jenny Moore how are ya
Well I hope you rest well
As you fall to sleep
ever more I'll mourn for you
and pray that you’ve found peace
There's a brightness that lights the night
like a full moon on the rise
and it's the spark I used to see
in the corners of your eyes
there's one thing I have to know
I haven't seen you for so long
Jenny Moore how are ya
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Cruel Cruel Dove
The blues and yellows of the buildings
The browns and yellows of your hair
The blacks and blues of my eyes
And your relentless lack of care
All the times I said I love you
All the time I made you cry
The hard loves good fights and new beginnings
Are forgotten now without goodbye
Cruel Cruel Dove
Caged innocence and fantasies
Cruel Cruel Dove
Your razor tongue is lilting
The dreams of love and words of children
The empty promises found in the street
The sinking low in a bed of lies
The rushing fool’s coward’s retreat
How could I ever forget
How couldn’t you remember me so
How could we pass in the street
Without sighs without hellos
The only loss in love that’s lost
Are the memories that we can’t keep
The selfless gifts the wordless words
The loving silence in body heat
There’s no goodbye that I could say
No reason that you could understand
No gift no word no amount of love
That could lure me back to your command
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Outlaw
He’s an outlaw
He’s an outlaw
He’s an outlaw
He Just rode in
At the dead of night
He’s looking for a drink
He’s looking for a fight
He’s an outlaw
Just an outlaw
He’ll take your daughter
He’ll take your wife
He’ll take out a gun
And he’ll take your life
He killed his wife
Shot her to the ground
Now he takes to the bottle
His sorrows for to drown
You could deal ‘em straight
You could rig the pack
But either way
You better watch your back
You could live with god
You could live with sin
But there’s no chance of living
When you’re dealing with him
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The Lonesome Piano
If you want a story I’ll tell you a tale
That might keep your troubles at bay
If you want to hear singing I’ll sing you a song
And they might just go away.
If you want to be smiling then go right ahead
And let your smile shine
Don’t let anyone take away your love
Cause you’re sure not getting mine
The lonesome piano Scaling chords
As I feel the warmth of your breath
The majors and minors Ring through your spine
As I pull you close to my breast
The sinners and saints Who we adore
Coming alive on the screen
Keeping our minds Up in the stars
With realities that we need
Kicking a can Down the road
Talking with our eyes
The skip and stutter The pause and blush
The lust in our eyes
President’s die And money expires
So nothing is for sure
But happiness is there In memories shared
In the times we endure
Sound rings out Smoke flies up to the clouds
Far above the dim street light
Live not for tomorrow Not in the past
Live only for tonight
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For you I will yearn
I’m just sitting here
Darkening in my gloom
Cursing at the devil
And thinking of you
How I wish that you’d come back
And this time you might stay
You could take your magic finger
And wipe my tears away
But I know that you are gone
Never to return
Always in my heart
For you I will yearn
I see your fragile frame
Lying in the mirror
Wasting away to nothing
But depression and fear
A ghostly pale body
That’s jaundiced on life
Dwelling on your sorrow
Falling backwards in stride
So stand up now my boy
Throw some water on your face
Try to fake a smile
And get out of this place
You are only young
Soon you will be grown
You’ll find love in a wife
And have kids of your own
The future will always be there
It won’t run out like today
So start thinking about tomorrow
And don’t dwell on yesterday
No one is perfect
Just be the best that you can be
Raise your head up high my boy
And walk tall for me
I’ll pick my self up
From down upon the floor
Throw some water on my face
And walk out of the door
I’ll try to fake a smile
And get rid of my blues
I’ll keep my head held high
And I’ll walk tall for you
For I know that you are gone
Never to return
But always in my heart
For you I will yearn
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Song to a Child that I Don’t Have
There’s some who believe
In a heaven
There’s some who pray
That there’s no hell
There’s some who think
They’re better than others
I don’t know
Maybe you could tell
In your breath
There is life
In your smile
There is joy
In your eyes
There is the future
And in your ears
Don’t listen to their lies
There’s some who say
That I’m crazy
That I’m insane
A raving loon
But I know
Nothings worth nothing
If you don’t
Have a little fun
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