FAMOUS 

I was born to change the world  
            through the genius of my art  
But lately I have realized  
            that time is running short  
I'd rather get the glory now,  
            while I can revel in the accolades  
But it's looking more and more  
            like I am gonna miss my own parade  

                       I'll be famous when I'm dead. 
                       I'll be famous when I'm dead  
                       When you hear it on the news,
                       you'll remember what I said  
                       I'll be famous when I'm dead  

Someone will write a book  
            about this visionary man  
How I could take a simple truth  
            and make it hard to understand  
There'll be a special on PBS  
            and a chair at LSU  
Beyonce and the Boss'll say  
            that I was all they ever listened to  

                       I'll be famous when I'm dead.  
                       I'll be famous when I'm dead   
                       When you see it on the TV, 
                       you'll remember what I said   
                       I'll be famous when I'm dead 

I guess there's still a chance I will get my props  
            before my final bow  
But just in case, I have hedged my bets  
            I guess you know that by now  
So thanks again for dropping by  
            I really hope you'll come back soon  
I gotta run, I guess you heard  
            there's a cleanup on aisle two  

                       I'll be famous when I'm dead.  
                       I'll be famous when I'm dead   
                       When you hear about the movie, 
                       you'll remember what I said   
                       I'll be famous when I'm dead  

When you hear about the all-star, Grammy-winning  
box set tribute DVD, you'll remember what I said  
I'll be famous when I'm dead  

© 2018 Steve Conn  
Conn Artist Music | BMI

FLESH AND BONE

There's not a lot of water 
under the bridges I've burned 
There's not a lot of lessons 
that I've really learned 
I'm making the most 
of this dubious loan 
But sooner or later 
we all gotta go home

         I'm just borrowing this flesh and bone 

It's a bad neighborhood 
but I keep coming back 
Searching for mercy 
in spite of the facts 
I'm on a mission 
I don't understand 
I know who I'm not 
but not who I am 

        I'm just borrowing this flesh and bone 
        I'm just borrowing this flesh and bone 

            The wheel never stops and we scream and we pray 
            but we'll get it right maybe one of these days 

I'm a little bit happy 
I'm a little confused 
I'm a little bit crazy 
but it keeps me amused 
I came for the sermon 
I stayed for the show 
I've forgotten the question 
but here's what I know 

I'm just borrowing this flesh and bone 
I'm just borrowing this flesh and bone 

 © 2018 Steve Conn  
Conn Artist Music | BMI

DOING THE BEST I CAN 

I wish I had listened to my second thoughts 
Before sharing my first 
I might have remembered that sometimes the truth 
Just makes things worse 

I'm so sorry I have hurt you 
Please allow me to explain 
I'm just a human doing the best I can 

I’d like to believe my intentions are good 
More often than not 
I know I’m not perfect or anything close 
But I’m all I’ve got 

I'm no hero, I'm no saint 
Got no halo, got no cape 
I'm just a human doing the best I can 

I get tired of being the best I can be 
When it's less than enough I feel worse about me 
It's hard to accept that I'm not superman 
I'm just a human doing the best I can 

I'm no hero, I'm no saint 
Got no halo, got no cape 
I'm just a human doing the best I can 
I'm just a man doing the best I can 

© 2018 Steve Conn 
Conn Artist Music | BMI

YOU DON'T KNOW

It’s cold this morning, there’s rats in the walls 
There’s pigeons in the attic, it happens every fall 
I told my landlord but he don’t care 
He’s just biding his time until I’m out of his hair 

He even suggested that the problem ain’t the pigeons 
It’s bats in the belfry and roaches in the kitchen 
Well let me tell you something, he can kiss my ass 
It’s not my fault the world moves so fast 

         You don’t know what it’s like 
         You don’t know what it’s like to be me 

I had crackers for breakfast, I had crackers for lunch 
I would love some bacon and a big piece of fudge 
But there’s nothing left, I just looked again 
And it’s four more days until my check comes in 

         You don’t know what it’s like 
         You don’t know what it’s like to be me 

Before I ran out of pills I was splitting the dose 
Now my blood pressure’s up and I can’t feel my toes 
If I make it to Friday I’ll buy out the store 
Get my prescriptions filled and cheat death once more 

         You don’t know what it’s like 
         You don’t know what it’s like to be me 

Once upon a time life was good 
I worked in the movies out in Hollywood 
I had a brand new car and a beautiful wife 
I don’t know what happened to my beautiful life. . . . 

I know I ought to shave, I ought to take a bath 
I’ve been wearing this shirt for a week and a half 

         You don’t know what it’s like 
         I hope you never find out what it’s like to be me 

© 2018 Steve Conn 
Conn Artist Music | BMI

ANNALEE

She never told me she loved me 
But we were much more than just friends 
She was out of my league but she needed someone like me
Every now and again 

When she called, I would come running 
If you’d known her, you would have too 
She was beauty and brains and worth all the pain
That she put me through 

         Annalee, Annalee  
         We were lost, we were free 
         Was it love? I don’t know Annalee 

It sounds like a lie but it happened 
I climbed in her window one night 
While her parents were sleeping, we lay in her bed
And held on for dear life 

Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands 
Played over and over again 
It was a midnight mass, with an unholy ghost
And the most unoriginal sin 

         Annalee, Annalee  
         We were lost, we were free 
         Was it love? I don’t know Annalee 

I grew up in a house on the corner 
With azaleas and sweet gum trees 
Now there’s nothing left but the crumbling steps
That’s the last place I saw Annalee 

We were sitting out there on her birthday
We kissed in the October chill 
I asked her if she ever thought about me
She said someday I will 

         Annalee, Annalee 
         We were lost, we were free
         Was it love? I don’t know Annalee  

© 2018 Steve Conn
Conn Artist Music | BMI

LET ME CRY

Today was not a good day
I really don't know why
Today was not a good day
It really doesn't matter why
Tomorrow will be better
Tonight just let me cry 

When I woke up this morning
I was so glad to be alive
When I woke up this morning
It felt so good to be alive 
I might feel like that tomorrow
But tonight just let me cry 

The storm came out of nowhere
And took me by surprise 
The storm came out of nowhere
Fire fell from the sky 
I’m sure the sun will shine again someday
But tonight just let me cry 

I wrote myself a letter 
I filled it full of lies 
I wrote myself a letter 
I filled it full of lies 
Sometimes I just can’t help myself
So please just let me cry 

You know how much I love you
I will until the day I die 
You know I love you darling 
I'll love you till the very day I die
But right now I don't like you 
So go away and let me cry 

© 2018 Steve Conn
Conn Artist Music | BMI

AROUND AND AROUND 

Mennonite, Shiite, Sufi and Sikh
Zionist, Quaker and Hindu
Nazarene, Philistine, infidel
Catholic, cunyun and hoodoo 

     What’s the truth?
     God only knows
     Around and around and around we go 

Khomeini, Krishna and Jesus
Mohammad, Moses and Abraham
Ned Flanders and Brigham Young
Will D. Campbell and Billy Graham 

     What’s the truth? 
     God only knows 
     Around and around and around we go 

The Koran, the Torah, the Tao Te Ching
The Bible, the Bhagavad Gita 
Priests and prophets, rabbis and popes
Heavenly wheeler-dealers 

     What’s the truth? 
     God only knows 
     Around and around and around we go 

I believe what I believe 
I do not want to fight 
For all I know I got it wrong
And you got it right 

     What’s the truth? 
     God only knows 
     Around and around and around we go
     Around and around and around and around we go

© 2018 Steve Conn
Conn Artist Music | BMI

SING ME TO THE OTHER SIDE

It’s time for me to go 
I’ve exhausted my appeals
Saint Peter’s got my resumé
And the devil’s at my heels 

I tell myself I’m ready 
But we all know the truth 
So many things I meant to say
And so much left to do 

Nothing lasts forever 
So darlin’ please don’t cry 
Let me hear your sweet, sweet voice
Sing me to the other side 

       Sing me to the other side
       Sing me to the other side
       Meet me at the river 
       And sing me to the other side 

I had my share of good times
I’ve got a few regrets 
I didn’t set the world on fire
But I sure did my best 

I don’t know where I’m headed 
I just know the water’s wide 
So raise your voice in a joyful noise
And sing me to the other side 

       Sing me to the other side 
       Sing me to the other side 
       Meet me at the river  
       And sing me to the other side 

I will miss this old piano 
And the cool, blue days of fall 
But of all the wonders of this old world
I will miss you most of all 

But nothing lasts forever 
So darlin’ don’ t you cry 
Just raise your voice in a joyful noise
And sing me to the other side 

       Sing me to the other side 
       Sing me to the other side 
       Meet me at the river  
       And sing me to the other side 

Meet me at the river 
And sing me to the other side 

© 2018 Steve Conn
Conn Artist Music | BMI

SATISFIED

It’s a beautiful morning
It’s a wonderful life 
It’s a beautiful morning
It’s a wonderful life
So maybe you can tell me why I’m still not satisfied 

I’ve got everything I need
I got nothing to hide 
I’ve got everything I need
I got nothing to hide
It’s a mystery to me, why I’m still not satisfied 

I’ve seen the Mona Lisa, I’ve been to Big Mamou,
And I’ve laughed until I’ve cried 
Sackcloth and ashes, ten thousand naps, 
There’s not a lot I have not tried
I don’t understand why I’m still not satisfied 

I’ve been up on the mountain 
And I’ve seen the other side 
I’ve been up on the mountain 
And I’ve seen the other side 
But seeing’s not believing – and I’m still not satisfied 

I live in Tennessee 
Colorado’s on my mind 
I live in Tennessee 
Colorado’s on my mind 
My heart’s in Louisiana and I’m still not satisfied
My heart’s in Louisiana and I’m sure not satisfied 

© 2018 Steve Conn
Conn Artist Music | BMI

FOREVER SEVENTEEN  

I can’t believe I burned up all her letters  
It didn’t do a thing to ease the pain  
I knew I would regret it even as I did it  
But my broken heart would not believe my brain  

          The only thing I saved was this picture  
          She’s standing on a street in New Orleans
          We’ve both gotten old now, that’s what happens
          But to me she’ll be forever seventeen  

The summer after high school was freedom  
We did all the things they told us not to do  
We stole a watermelon in broad daylight,
     we got sunburned and we got high
We made crazy love on Spring Bayou

Then autumn came and I went off to college
She wrote me such sweet letters for awhile
Then one day she wrote about some new guy
And I threw all her letters in the fire 

          The only thing I saved was this picture   
          The bluest eyes that I have ever seen
          We’ve both gotten old now, that’s what happens 
          But to me she’ll be forever seventeen  

If I could read her words again 
I don’t know what I’d hope to find
A glimpse, I guess, of who we were
When all we had was love and time 

The other day I heard she was at her mama’s 
I came so close to picking up the phone 
But sometimes the memory is better than reality
So I just let well enough alone 

          The only thing I saved was this picture    
          The bluest eyes that I have ever seen 
          We’ve both gotten old now, that’s what happens  
          But to me she’ll be forever seventeen  
          To me she’ll be forever seventeen 

© 2018 Steve Conn
Conn Artist Music | BMI