Lyrics

There are some songs I listen to over and over again. Some are written by rock musicians, others by folk singers, others are country and western singers. I guess it really doesn't matter who writes the song, but that the words are just something that stick with you for any reason. Sometimes you can hear the intro and it sucks you back into your mind to a different time and space.

Most of us in the family have those songs.We are a family of singers. Not that we have great voices, a few of us do, well, when I say that I mean everyone but myself. However, sometimes when I sing, I hear my brother's voice and that's a whole different kind of memory. But what I'm talking about mostly are those songs that take you back to a road trip, or a silent evening alone in thought or trauma of some sort.

We're also drivers. For entertainment we'd get in the car and drive. Stop at a local 7-11 or AM/PM and grab a soda, juice, a box of little chocolate donuts or some pork rinds, you know all that junk no one really ever eats, but seem to sell... Well, we'd hop in the car and go for a drive. Long drives. Like all the way to Calexico and back in a days drive. Start out early, pop some songs int he casette player and we're off. Singing loud and proud. My bro-in-law is different, he makes up the songs as he drives. But not us. We sing to anyone and everyone. Except of course, Nine Inch Nails. Does anyone really sing to Nine Inch Nails?

So for you memory pleasure here's a list of some groups we'd sing with for the drive.

Heart - INXS - Uriah Heep - Kansas - Beatles - Steve McDonald - Nickel Creek - Deep Purple - Led Zepplin - Alan Parsons - Asia - Bad Company - The Cars - Pat Benetar - Dwight Yoakum - Alan Jackson - Brooks and Dunn - Cheap Trick - Colors - The Cure - Don Maclean - Eiffel 65 - Faith No MoreHoobastank - Jimmy Eat World - Judas Priest - Donavn - Rammstein - Loreena McKennitt - Soggy Bttom Boys - Sister Hazel - Sara Evans - Sara Mclaughlin - Queen -

Just to name a few. That list is not inclusive of everything we've sung in the car. A few whose lyrics I'll list are those that will take you someplace. A place different for most of us in emotion, but usually in the same car ride to anywhere but here right now.

Phil Collins Long, Long Way to Go

While I sit here trying to think of things to say
Someone lies bleeding in a field somewhere
So it would seem we've still got a long long way to go
I've seen all I wanna see today

While I sit here trying to move you anyway I can
Someone's son lies dead in a gutter somewhere
And it would seem that we've got a long long way to go
But I can't take it anymore

Turn it off if you want to
Switch it off it will go away
Turn it off if you want to
Switch it off or look away

While I sit and we talk and talk and we talk some more
Someone's loved one's heart stops beating in a street somewhere
So it would seem we've still got a long long way to go, I know
I've heard all I wanna hear today

Turn it off if you want to (turn it off if you want to)
Switch it off it will go away (switch it off it will go away)
Turn it off if you want to (turn it off if you want to)
Switch it off or look away (switch it off or look away)

Switch it off
Turn it off

This one is on a long drive back to California. Each of us knows this song all too well. We all think the same thing. Mike and Michael. We'll never forget that drive.

Dwight Yoakum - Back of Your Hand

When you give it up for gone
but your still digging in the mind
and your staring out the window
saying everything wil be just fine
keepin with the whole affair
every word seems out of line
no matter what angle you get
its polished till it shines

(chours)

Take a guess at where i stand
pick a number one to two
take a look at the back of your hand
just like you know it
you know me too
and when you say who the hell am i living with
what just went down
where did this come from
why are all my colors faded brown
when did it change
whats with the rage
whos the dude with the extra roll
whats the verse the line the chapter the page

(chorus)

Take a guess at where i stand
pick a number one to two
take a look at the back of your hand
just like you know it
you know me too

You think your alone without any place left to go
like you need one of those kisses ..long and slow
first glance is not what it seems
but theres some things i just know
like you take two sugars with a splash of cream
you take a guess

Where i stand oh pick a number one to two
then take a look
back of your hand
just like you know it
you know me too
yeah like you know it
you know me too
just like you know it
you know me too

I love that song. It's a beach drive. Along PCH in Encinitas. You stop somewhere near San Elijo State Beach and watch the waves for a few minutes. People, walking in the sand, some alone, some with another, and then the kids following along running up t the approaching surf and quickly darting away.

Beatles - Back in the USSR

dn't get to bed last night
Oh, the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR, yeah

Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it's good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the US
Back in the US
Back in the USSR

Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the west behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
They Georgia's always on my my my my my my my my my mind
Oh, come on
Hu Hey Hu, hey, ah, yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boys
Back in the USSR

Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the west behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
They Georgia's always on my my my my my my my my my mind

Oh, show me round your snow peaked
mountain way down south
Take me to you daddy's farm
Let me hear you balalaika's ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm
I'm back in the USSR
Hey, You don't know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR
Oh, let me tell you honey

Oh yeah, everyone but me was supposed to be on a drive. I was back home. Working on the computer. With the headpones on. Singing my heart out. Suddenly the front door flew open. Panicked looks on all eyes as they came in. Hah, Hah, hah. They thought I was being attacked, with all the crazy shouting going on. I was just enjoying an afternoon of singing to myself. Or so I thought. We still laugh about it. None of us hears the song without giggling.

Steve McDonald - Somerled

Through an age of fighting men
When sword was mightier than pen
There lived a clansman bold and true
The very one our name came through

Born of blood line dating from
The hundred battles warrior Conn
Gaelic viking in his veins
Testify his battle fame
For three hundred and fifty years
The western highlands lived in fear

Fighting to regain the Isles
Down to Islay and Argyle
From the Dalriadan line
Through the centuries there we find
A Scotsman born with Viking name Born to rule through love and pain
Hail to ye sons of Somerled Hail to ye sons of Somerled

Ruling from the Isle of Man
lslay was the place they'd ...make their stand
After almost twenty years
He rid the Isles of Norsemen
..then and there

Hail to ye sons of Somerled
Hail to ye sons of Somerled
Through the timeless history,
Fighting for their destiny
Images fly through my head,
Images of Somerled... chorus

The warrior kings lived by the sword
From hill to loch and dark fjord
Battling 'til his life he shed
Leaving the throne
To the sons of Somerled

This one could take us through the back road through Idyllwild to Anza. A nice twisty road with plenty of coutryside to enjoy. We could all pretend we had gone to Ireland.

Offspring - Keep 'em Separated

Like the latest fashion
Like a spreading disease
The kids are strappin' on their way to the classroom
Getting weapons with the greatest of ease

The gangs stake their own campus locale
And if they catch you slippin' then it's all over pal
If one guys colors and the others don't mix
They're gonna bash it up, bash it up, bash it up, bash it up...

(Chorus)

Hey - man you talkin' back to me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated

Hey - man you disrespecting me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated

Hey they don't pay no mind
If you're under 18 you won't be doing any time
Hey come out and play

By the time you hear the siren
It's already too late
One goes to the morgue and the other to jail
One guy's wasted and the other's a waste

It goes down the same as the thousand before
No one's getting smarter
No one's learning the score
Your never ending spree of death and violence and hate
Is gonna tie your own rope, tie your own rope, tie your own...

This one's down the main street of town with the cd player at about 9.5 and the windows rolled down. Just me and the girls after school most afternoons. We were a crazy bunch.

Last but not least is Offspring again, Pretty Fly

Untem, gliben, glaussen, glauben

Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
And all the girlies say I’m pretty fly for a white guy

Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinquo, senco, ses

You know, it’s kinda hard just to get along today
Our subject isn’t cool, but he fakes it anyway
He may not have a clue and he may not have style
But everything he lacks, well, he makes up in denial

So don’t debate, a player straight
You know he really doesn’t get it anyway
Gonna play the field, and keep it real
For you, no way, for you, no way

So if you don’t rate, just overcompensate
At least, you’ll know you can always go on ricki lake
The world needs wannabes
So hey hey, do that brand new thing

Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
And all the girlies say I’m pretty fly for a white guy

He needs some cool tunes, not just any will suffice
But they didn’t have ice cube, so he bought vanilla ice
Now cruising in his pinto, he sees homies as he pass
But if he looks twice, they’re gonna kick his lily ass

So don’t debate, a player straight
You know he really doesn’t get it anyway
Gonna play the field, and keep it real
For you, no way, for you, no way

So if you don’t rate, just overcompensate
At least, you’ll know you can always go on ricki lake
The world likes wannabes
So hey hey, do that brand new thing

Now, he’s getting a tattoo, yeah, he’s gettin’ ink done
He asked for a 13, but they drew a 31
Friends say he’s trying too hard and he’s not quite hip
But in his own mind, he’s the, he’s the dopest trip

Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Give it to me, baby, huh huh, huh huh
Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinquo, senco, ses

So don’t debate, a player straight
You know he really doesn’t get it anyway
Gonna play the field, and keep it real
For you, no way, for you, no way

So if you don’t rate, just overcompensate
At least, you’ll know you can always go on ricki lake
The world needs wannabes
The world loves wannabes
Let’s get some more wannabes
And hey hey, do that brand new thing

Oh yeah, we were pretty hip, uh huh!