Steve Conn: The Lyrics

Lyrics from Steve Conn

If I Were King

If I were king some things would change, let there be no doubt
Heads would roll and fur would fly and I'd kick all the scoundrels out
If I were king, that's where I'd start
And then I'd move along to bigger things, if I were king

I'd rob the rich and feed the poor and throw all the guns away
I'd pay the teachers ten times more and make the army beg from the NRA
If I were king, that's the least that I could do
I'd be Newt's nightmare and Martin's dream, if I were king

I would join the whole white race down on our knobby knees
To ask all those who we enslaved if they'd forgive us please
If I were king, we'd come together
And I would ask James Brown to sing, if I were king

If I were king you'd find someone to make your life complete
You'd have a job you love and a cozy home on the sunny side of the street
If I were king, I would step up to the plate
And I'd take a few more crazy swings, if I were king

I'd kill the monster called TV and save the human race
Enlightenment would surely come if we never saw Jerry Springer's face
If I were king, I'd go down swinging
Well I might be crazy but I had this dream...if I were king
I said I might be crazy but I had this dream...if I were king

Great Big Beautiful World

Well it's a great big beautiful world, much to my surprise
I was walking around in the dark and I just opened my eyes

And there's a big red sun on the hilltop, and a big blue sky overhead
It looks so much like Heaven, I'm afraid I might be dead

I've spent so much of my life like a swine that was staring at pearls
But sometimes I wake up, and it's a great big beautiful world

There's a fog coming up from the river, there's crows in the apple tree
Sometimes I feel like God is talking to me

He's saying now is the time, and love is the word
She's saying sit right here in the morning sun and listen to the mockingbird

Maybe these voices I hear are the way that I wish that it were
But all I can tell you is it's a great big beautiful world

I could be climbing the ladder at Wal-Mart
But something keeps telling me life is way too short

I feel like Mother Teresa, without all the dirty work
I hope it's not, but it could be true that I'm still just the same old jerk

Maybe it's all just a dream of the way that I wish that it were
But what can I tell you? It's a great big beautiful world

It's a great big beautiful world ...

Somebody Gotta Make a Move

This time I'm leaving -- don't stand in my way
This time I'm leaving you, baby, and there's nothing you can say
There's been plenty of time for talking -- that time has come and gone
Somebody gotta make a move even if it's wrong

You look so surprised -- baby, how can this be?
After all these years, you really don't know me
You say you never saw it coming -- I guess that 'bout says it all
Lord, a blind man could have seen the writing on these walls

You gave me too much room to think things through
When I found myself there wasn't room for you
God knows I might regret it, but I won't know 'til I'm gone
Somebody gotta make a move even if it's wrong

So goodbye, baby -- baby, baby bye-bye
I got to try to make Memphis before I change my mind
God knows I might regret it but I won't know 'til I'm gone
Somebody gotta make a move even if it's wrong

Eliana

I see this child lying in your arms, laughing at our crazy world
Everything's funny and bright and new to this little angel-girl
She doesn't care if the phone don't ring, she doesn't care if it rains
She couldn't care less if Pope John Paul runs off with the King of Spain

Eliana, lend me your eyes, let me see what you see
Oh ... Eliana

No one has told her she ought to be thin, and no one has broken her heart
No one has told her that she's just a woman, and she's not afraid of the dark
No one has told her that love can't last, or that dreams don't ever come true
And no one has told her that people are strange if they don't look just like you

Eliana, lend me your eyes, let me see what you see
Oh ... Eliana

We learn our lessons early on and then we close our minds
We see what we expect to see -- we might as well be blind

There's so much to know about life on Earth, such a delicate balance to find
You want to be ready for all the pain without leaving the joy behind
I guess we should tell her it ain't all roses -- there's plenty of heartache and lies
How 'bout if you give her all the bad news and I sing her sweet lullabies

Eliana, lend me your eyes, let me see what you see
Oh ... Eliana
Oh ... Eliana

All the King's Horses

Once upon a long, long time ago, in the Land of Broken Dreams
There lived a gentle princess who hoped to be the queen
She was as beautiful as moonlight on a rose in Buddha's yard
But her perfect smile could not conceal the sadness in her heart

'Cause all the king's horses and all the king's men
Can't fill up the canyon where love should have been
It all looked so easy, but it goes by so fast
And all the king's horses can't make it last

In the mountains to the east, there lived a lonely frog
Who spent his whole life croaking in some hot and smoky bog
He had a dream that he was different and that even frogs can fly
But his dream had cost his kingdom and love had passed him by

And all the king's horses and all the king's men
Can't fill up the canyon where love should have been
It all looked so easy, but it goes by so fast
And all the king's horses can't make it last

We thought we'd all be rich, we thought we'd rule the world
Just a little more might be enough
The hunger never stops, it all turns into dust
The only thing left standing is love

The details aren't important -- the princess kissed the frog
Merlin snapped his fingers and Cupid did his job
And I'd like to thank the princess -- you made my dreams come true
And if I ever get my kingdom back, I'll give it all to you

'Cause all the king's horses and all the king's men
Can't fill up the canyon where love should have been
It all looked so easy, but it goes by so fast
And all the king's horses can't make it last
All the king's horses can't make it last

Down on Rigolette

No one ever said where Billy came from
He was there one day when we came home from school
Daddy introduced him as a cousin from town
Mama slowly walked into the other room

When I was a child, there were angels in the trees
There were roses in the kitchen and a river full of dreams
Down on Rigolette

It wasn't Billy's fault, but still it happened
The love and the laughter slipped away
Our home became a house of silence and stone
By April we were digging Mama's grave

Daddy leaned the shovel on her headstone
He took Billy by the hand and they disappeared
He came back in a week, oh so quiet and alone
He didn't mention Billy's name for thirty years

Then he called to me one morning, he said, "I've seen my last sunrise
It's time I told you how I destroyed our paradise
Down on Rigolette

"Your mother's younger sister used to live here
She and I, we made a big mistake
She ran away to Natchez, where Billy was born
Then she drowned herself in Catahoula Lake

"My shame overcame me some years later
That's when I found the boy and made my grim confession
But it broke your mother's heart and I came to hate the sight
Of the proof of my egregious indiscretion

"I know you've heard the stories of how I took the boy to town
And left him at the courthouse when no one was around
That's not exactly true, but it doesn't matter now
I just hope you will remember when there was love in this old house
I hope you will remember when there were angels in the trees
When there were roses in the kitchen and a river full of dreams
Down on Rigolette..."

Comfort Me

Some days I'm so happy -- some days my whole life makes so much sense
I feel like the poster child for love and happiness
Yesterday the sunlight looked like something God had saved just for me
But yesterday is over and I'm down here on my knees

It's all the same old questions -- there's nothing you can say
The sun will rise tomorrow and these tears will fade away
But tonight there are no answers -- this pain goes down so deep
Tonight I need you darling, to hold me in your arms and
Comfort me ... just comfort me

Sometimes it ain't easy -- you realize that God had different plans
And if I weren't so crazy I'm sure that I would understand
Someday I'll meet Jesus and he and I will laugh at all my dreams
But this ain't someday and I'm down here on my knees

I know how much you love me -- most times that's enough
But sometimes I've got questions about everything but love
And tonight there are no answers -- this pain is all I see
Tonight I need you darling, to hold me in your arms and
Comfort me ... just comfort me

It's all the same old demons -- there's nothing you can say
The sun will rise tomorrow and these tears will fade away
But tonight there are no answers -- this sadness goes so deep
Tonight I need you darling, to hold me in your arms and
Comfort me
I need you more than ever, to hold me in your arms and
Comfort me ... just comfort me ...

Don't Ask Me

It's a world full of beauty, it's a world full of pain
It's a strange little trip on a runaway train
I hear the whistle, but I don't see no engineer
Don't ask me to explain it -- I don't know what I'm doing here

But I'm going to the river, and brother so are you
This train don't stop for no one -- you might as well enjoy the view
I get this feeling there ain't nothing else that we can do
Don't ask me to explain it -- that little detail's up to you

You don't have to take a train, you can drive your Cadillac
You can walk if you want to, you can ride on a donkey's back
But you're going to the river, that much I know is true
Don't ask me to explain it -- that little detail's up to you

So I'll see you at the river, and I know you'll be on time
We'll roll on down to Canaan where the water tastes like wine
I never read the book, but I've read quite a few reviews
Don't ask me to explain it -- that little detail's up to you

I've Got Your Dog

Your new boyfriend thinks I'm crazy, just because I've done some time
Well, you tell him, as long as I take my medicine I feel fine
For your sake, baby, I sure hope I get the proper dose
'Cause I've got your dog, and I plan on watching him real close

I dropped by your house, you know I've still got a key
It took some strong persuasion, but he came along with me
I just want to talk to you -- is that too much to ask?
Well I've got your dog -- you better think of something fast

Meet me at midnight at the Café des Amis
Back at that corner table where you proved your love to me
I know things can change, I just hate it when they do
Now I've got your dog, but what I really want is you

All I ever wanted was to be in love with you
It started out so easy, then it all got so confused
Sometimes I feel like I've got snakes inside my head
I can't tell if I'm in my car or lying in my bed
I've got your dog ...

These little pills they seem to work, but sometimes I forget
Sometimes I don't realize just how much I regret
I always thought you understood, and maybe now you will
'Cause I've got your dog, and I think he likes my pills

All I ever wanted was to be in love with you
It started out so easy, then it all got so confused
Sometimes I feel like I've got snakes inside my head
I can't tell if I'm flying or lying in my bed
I've got your dog ...

Love Everybody

You've got to love everybody -- that's all you've got to do
You've got to love everybody -- that's all you've got to do
One day you might just wake up with the whole world in love with you

You've got to love the TV preachers and the Muslims and the Jews
And the Baptists and the Buddhists and the Episcopalians too
You've got to love everybody -- that's all you've got to do
One day you might just wake up with the whole world in love with you

You've got to love your nosy neighbor and the girl that broke your heart
And the boss that drives you crazy and the kid that wrecked your car
You've got to love everybody -- that's all you've got to do
One day you might just wake up with the whole world in love with you

You've got to love the dirty beggar and the killer and the thief
And the racist and the rich man getting rich off you and me
You've got to love everybody -- that's all you've got to do
One day you might just wake up with the whole world in love with you

You've got to love everybody -- that's all you've got to do
One day you might just wake up with the whole world in love with you
With the whole world in love with you

Polishing Chrome

Thanks for the ride, my friend -- they're few and far between
I ain't used to walking, but there's no one to blame but me
I got drunk one night and they took my truck away
They say they'd love to give it back, but there's this fine I got to pay

Now I am a carpenter -- Lord, I love the smell of wood
That's what I'd be doing right now, if I only could
But a carpenter's gotta have his tools and my tools are on my truck
But I ain't got time to sit around and cry about my luck
'Cause I've been working my fingers to the bone

Polishing chrome on the big rigs -- I love to see 'em shine
I can tell when they're rolling down the highway which ones are mine
Most guys just laugh at how I treat 'em like I would my own
But those guys are just washing trucks -- I'm polishing chrome

All the truckers like me 'cause I work cheap and I work quick
When I get through you can see your face in every lug nut on that rig
If the weather holds just one more month and I can keep from getting drunk
I might just have enough money to go rescue my old truck

Sometimes I think I drink too much, but really who's to say?
I only drink enough to help me get through the day
I don't mind working hard and I take pride in what I do
But I'd sure give anything to be back in Baton Rouge
And this might be my only ticket home

Polishing chrome on the big rigs -- I love to see 'em shine
I can tell when they're rolling down the highway which ones are mine
If I had a hammer, I'd be halfway home
But I'll do what I got to do, and right now that's polishing chrome

Thanks for the ride my friend -- I know you gotta go
I do too, I got work to do -- I'll be right here, though, polishing chrome
Yeah, I'll be here when the sun comes up and when it goes back down on another day
Polishing chrome on the big old rigs, there's this fine I got to pay
I'll be polishing chrome ...

Beautiful

She said sometimes I feel like I am going to explode
Sometimes even Jesus turns away
Sometimes I am paralyzed by everything I know
Most times I just make it through the day

You stand there screaming that I'm stupid and I'm weak
Why do you have to be so cruel?
I don't need someone to tell me what I already know
I need someone to tell me that I'm beautiful

I'm going crazy in this lousy little room
I'd run away but there's nothing for me there
I blew up all the bridges and I set my past on fire
I guess I traded one hell for another

There's cows up on the hillside, there's rain on the wind
The sky is crying with the devil's feathered jewels
I need a drink, I need a dream, I need some hope, I need some love
I need someone to tell me that I'm beautiful

I need a drink, I need a dream, I need some hope, I need some love
I need someone to tell me that I'm beautiful