Selected Lyrics from Black Eyed Man by Cowboy Junkies

"Black Eyed Man"

Black eyed man he took the blame 
For the poisoning of the well.
They found his shoes by the pulley.
They found his fingerprints all over the pail.

Black eyed man I'm warning you 
The people around here will not be fooled 
By a simple line or two.

Yes your honour I do solemnly swear 
That I saw him late that night, 
Dancing barefoot, bathed in light 
And reaching for every star in sight.  
Yes I did go to him, 
But completely against my will
And yes he did things to me,
Things of which I dream of still.

Black eyed man I'm warning you,
What I say is what you'll do,
To hell with love and truth.

I always meant to say I'm sorry for the things I said and did.
I'm Sorry; I feel better now, do you?  
But you promised me the sky, and fell short a star or two.  
What else did you expect me to do?

Black eyed man he took the blame 
For the poisoning of the well.
They found his shoes by the pulley.  
They found his fingerprints all over the pail.  

With a noose around his neck,
Cicadas trilling everywhere, 
He says to the people gathered round him,
"It ain't the water that's not right around here."

Black eyed man I'm thirsty dear, 
Be a love and bring some water here
Drawn fresh from the well.

"Cowboy Junkies Lament"

Baby hit the back door breathin' real heavy
said the boys in the alley wouldn't leave her alone.
Mama did her make-up in a terrible hurry,
She finally got ready but the boys were gone.  

Mama don't you worry, night's approachin'
There's a hole in heaven where some sin slips through
Just close your eyes and dream real steady
Maybe just a little will spill on you.

Dark don't lie, dreams come true, could be a few will see you through.

Old lady Rose, lookin' down her nose 
At lonely Miss Lily hiding in the hall.  
Lily's just praying for the trial to be over,
Lady Rose just waiting for the axe to fall.

Show me off on the way to town,
The sky's still shinin' and the earth's still brown.  
Tell the judge I'm ready for the vases
Gonna dance in their faces when the guitar sounds...

Won't be long, I won't be gone
Been leaning toward the shadows all along.

Those in the know say so it goes 
You plan on reapin', you better sow.
You plan on sleepin', you better kepp movin',
Sleepin' ain't allowed around here, you know.  

Tell me please when the rollin's over
Me and my baby gonna have some fun.  
Bury our backs in a bed of clover,
Smile in style while the sun goes down.

Snake eyes cry, boxcars sigh
Seven's stuck in the middle just wonderin' why.

Dark don't lie, dreams come true, 
All it takes is one or two,
Maybe just a few will see you through.

"To Live Is To Fly" (by Townes Van Zandt)

Won't say I love you babe.  Won't say I need you babe.
But I'm gonna get you babe and I will not do you wrong.
Living's mostly wasting time, and I waste my share of mine,
but it never feels too good so let's not take too long.

You're as soft as glass and I'm a gentle man
we got the sky to talk about and the world to lie upon.

Days up and down they come 
Like rain on a conga drum, 
Forget most, remember some, but don't turn none away.  
Everything is not enough, nothing is too much to bear.
Where you been is good and gone, all you keep's the getting there.  

To live is to fly
Low and high,
So shake the dust off of your wings 
And the sleep out of your eyes.

It's goodbye to all my friends.  
It's time to go again.  
Think of all the poetry and the pickin' down the line.  
I'll miss the system here, the bottom's low and the treble's clear,
But it don't pay to think too much on the things you leave behind.  

I may be gone,
I won't be long, 
I'll be bringing back the melody 
And all the rhythms that I find.

We all got holes to fill,
And them holes are all that's real,
Some fall on you like a storm, sometimes you dig your own.
But choice is yours to make, and time is yours to take, 
Some dive into the sea, some toil upon the stone.  

To live is to fly 
Low and high,
So shake the dust off of your wings 
And the sleep out of your eyes.