Dove With ClawsāThe Melvin James Session
LyricsĀ
All Across America
She called him up on the telephone
She said to him, āIām feeling alone.ā
All night long you could hear them moan
All across America
Late that night she did dream
That he would marry me
Few things are what they seem
All across America
Ā
Love aināt bad
Love is good
Love her like
You know you should
Be loving him
If you could
All across America
Early morning, crack of dawn
Holding him in her arms
Poof like smoke, love is gone
All across America
Love aināt bad
Love is good
Love her like
You know you should
Be loving him
If you could
All across America
Sure was fun, wish you well
Making him feel like a cheap hotel
Blinking lights, love for sell
All across America
Ā
Love aināt bad
Love is good
Love her like
You know you should
Be loving him
If you could
All across America
What is real aināt ideal
I donāt know what it is I feel
Everythingās a business deal
All across America
Was it her or was it him
I just want to be your friend
Letās not do this again and again
All across America
Ā
Love aināt bad
Love is good
Love her like
You know you should
Be loving him
If you could
All across America
Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long Publishing 2016 / BMI
Lay Me Down Easy
Sun shining down on
The pines in the forest
Down on this cabin
Made of log
Last night I swore that
I heard a choir of angels
Singing so loudly
Down by the shore
Lay me down easy
Lay me down slow
I donāt want to gamble
With this life anymore
All that I need now
Is a woman beside me
Food for my body
Food for my soul
Looking for work
I couldnāt find any
To make me feel worthy
To call it my own
So many friends now
Iāve seen go under
From the work they do
That I no longer know
Spring in the meadow
Purple and yellow
Greener than velvet
Greener than green
Sharpen my axe now
To cut down the timber
To feed the fire
At night round the stove
Ā
Lay me down easy
Lay me down slow
I donāt want to gamble
With this life anymore
All that I need now
Is a woman beside me
Food for my body
Food for my soul
Words & Music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1977; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Mississippi Levee
Working on the levee all day long
Leaning on a shovel with my bare feet on
One of these days Iām going to be gone
Working on the Mississippi levee
I miss my momma; I miss my paā
When the day is done I can barely crawl
They treat them mules better than I
Working on the levee is suicide
One by one I watch men fall
Then I hear the boss-man call
Make it quick you better not stall
Working on the Mississippi levee
I wasnāt my fault because they built
Their homes on the ground and not on stilts
Should have known better to build their homes
On the banks of a river that overflows
When I see a paddleboat
Out on the river kicking up smoke
Lately Iāve been filled with hope
Working on the Mississippi levee
If they shoot when I run
Iād rather die by their bullets and guns
Then to work for the rest of my life
Shoveling dirt on a river dike
Late at night I often dream
Of the woman I love; sheās a Cajun Queen
Skin so dark part Cherokee
Working on the Mississippi levee
If by chance again we meet
Iām going to pick her up by her feet
Love her until my well runs dry
Then Iām going to hang my head and cry
Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1986; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Living In A Rich Manās World
When I was a child
I was raised to believe
My mother told me son
Practice humility
Now that Iām older, itās compete
Everybody wants me to play that game
Lord knows Iām going crazy
Iām looking for a change
Living in a rich manās world
With the morning paper
In my hand
With the headlines reading
Weāve got trouble across this land
With myself standing
Iāve got no income
Riding on the L-Train
Through the South Chicago slums
Living in a rich manās world
Looking out the window
Down at my feet
Looking straight ahead of me
Hoping my eyes donāt meet
Somebody staring
Feeling the same as me
Both scared to death
Afraid to stand up for what we believe
Living in a rich manās world
Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1981; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Walking Like Rain
Sometimes I like to go inside of some old rusty pipe
To find out whatās on the other end
Will it be the same blue sky
Will it be Godās only eye
Will it be love of some old friend
Sometimes I like to dream of new realities
That take us far away from here
Into a place that has no time
Into a song that has no rhyme
Free from these walls filled with fear
Walking like rain
Sometimes I like to think about nothing at all
Except for what comes drifting through my brain
Where judgment has no call
Where babies never fall
Where thereās no need to call out your name
Sometimes I do believe weāre nothing more than energy
Wrapped up inside of skin
That feels good next to yours
That keeps this body warm
That keeps me loving you again
Walking like rain
Words & Music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1990; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Ā
Ā
Circle Time
At a time of great despair
White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared
She was beautiful and pure
Itās the right song
Itās the Pipe Song
Itās circle time
With a bundle in her arms
She said, āDonāt not be alarmed.
Your people will be kept from harm.ā
Itās the right song
Itās the Pipe Song
Itās circle time
When she turned around to go
She became the White Buffalo
Always follow the Red Road
Itās the right song
Itās the Pipe Song
Itās circle time
Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1981; Renewed 2020 / BMI
*Collectively written with children from Heart of the Earth Survival School.
Lonesome Joshua Tree
Too young to know the reasons for
The sadness In their eyes
She spends her days inside herself
At loss with herself she cries
He sees himself as someone that
He doesnāt care to be
Their children are her way of life
Their life his responsibility
Like the hail in the north country
That hammers down each early Spring
Dust blown sands circle round
This lonesome Joshua Tree
Their love it bloomed in the early Spring
Their goal was the wedding ring
Their children became the reason for
Their forsaken dreams
Sky of blue beneath silver wings
Is it truth or vanity
Or just a different way of life
That separates you now so far from me
Like the hail in the north country
That hammers down each early Spring
Dust blown sands circle round
This lonesome Joshua Tree
Words & Music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1981; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Ā
Seven Strong Women
My name itās Linda on the sewing machine
Some call me Rover, if you know what I mean
My nameās BJ, I mangle and iron
Folding sheets all day
My name is Marge with eleven grandkids
Untying knots in the laundry bin
My name is Mary, just call me Mom
On the picket-line
My name is Betty, Iām now forty-eight
I love to make quilts and love to bake cakes
My name is Linda Perry, you know
Iām the youngest on the line
My name is Ruth, telling the truth
Itās been a long hard climb
Seven strong women on the Iron Range
We want our pension not their I.R.A.
Trying to break us, but weāre not afraid
To walk the picket-line
We clean the mops, we clean the shirts
The uniforms covered with dirt
The roller towels, six in a sling
Round and round all day
Fed for two hours, folded two more
Went off to lunch, then back on the floor
We got tossed like an old apple core
When all was said and done
Seven strong women on the Iron Range
We want our pension not their I.R.A.
Trying to break us, but weāre not afraid
To walk the picket-line
Divide the young with those up in age
The old need the pension; the young want to play
In the long run the company saves
By tearing the union down
Voting to strike; out in the cold
In snowmobile suits; thirty below
Before the strike we didnāt know
Each other on the line
Look at us now weāre the best of friends
Not one of us will go back in
Sisters now until the end
Long after we have won
Seven strong women on the Iron Range
We want our pension not their I.R.A.
Trying to break us, weāre not afraid
To walk the picket-line
If we donāt fight, who are we
To our kids and family
In these times just to be
Iāve got to take a stand
Words & Music by Larry Long
Ā© Larry Long Publishing 1992 ; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Ā
Old Ways
Individualistic ego
Materialistic circle
Round peg in a square hole
Iām on my way home
I love to ride my pony
Iām sick and tired of phonies
Making me lonely
Iām on my way home
Donāt think to contain my rage
Like a wolf in a cage
In these times of the new age
Automatic liar
Always getting higher
From a spark to a fire
I believe in the old ways
Honesty, self-respect
Donāt want to be no reject
While living in the projects
I believe in the old ways
Donāt think to contain my rage
Like a wolf in a cage
In these times of the new age
Tears are blinding me
Hearts of misery
Set this spirit free
In the old way
Run like a river
Soar like an eagle
Burn like a fire
In the old ways
Donāt think to contain my rage
Like a wolf in a cage
In these times of the new age
Ā
Words & Music by Larry Long
Ā© Larry Long Publishing 2010 / BMI
Collectively written with students from Heart of the Earth Survival School
Ā
Lay Hatred Down
(Honoring Leonard Peltier)
Hopes eternal spring
Will make justice ring
Truth will prevail
Is it you or I in jail
Beauty all around
Love will lay hatred down
You can throw me in the hole
But you can never break my soul
My love grows and grows
With the eagle it does soar
Beauty all around
Love will lay hatred down
Beauty before
Beauty behind
Beauty above
Beauty below
Beauty all around
Love will lay hatred down
Words & Music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1987; Renewed 2020 / BMI
Uncle Mel
It donāt take much to go to school
It donāt take much to be fooled
By someone hard to find
Anyone who aināt been bribed
By someone itās hard to tell
Not even my Uncle Mel
Ā
Uncle Mel, Uncle Mel
Aināt no one like my Uncle Mel
Heāll tell you things you wonāt forget
Like cement stuck between a brick
And honey if you donāt believe itās true
Just wait til Uncle Mel gets a lone with you
Heāll pick you up when you donāt feel well
Thatās why everybody loves Uncle Mel
Ā
Uncle Mel, Uncle Mel
Aināt no one like my Uncle Mel
Ā
Some like whiskey, some like beer
I donāt know what Iām doing here
Yes Iām scared, it aināt no lie
So much to do and so little time
If by chance we all do fail
We can all go see my Uncle Mel
Uncle Mel, Uncle Mel
Aināt no one like my Uncle Mel
All are good and all are bad
There aināt nobody here who aināt been had
By someone called a friend
Who just turned around and done in
What more to you can I tell
Cept I sure do love my Uncle Mel
Ā
Uncle Mel, Uncle Mel
Aināt no one like my Uncle Mel
Words & Music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1976; Renewed 2020 / BMI
