JOE BONAMASSA: The Ballad Of John Henry (2009)

1. The Ballad Of John Henry
2. Stop!
3. Last Kiss
4. Jockey Full Of Bourbon
5. Story Of A Quarryman
6. Lonesome Road Blues
7. Happier Times
8. Feelin’ Good
9. Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeler
10. The Great Flood
11. From The Valley
12. As The Crow Files

THE BALLAD OF JOHN HENRY
Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints
Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints

Take this hammer carry it to the Captain,
Tell him why I’m gone
Take this hammer carry it to the Captain,
Tell him I’m goin’ home
I don’t want your cold iron shackles round’ my leg
I don’t want your cold iron shackles round’ my leg

Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints
Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints

I’m a long way from Colorado,
A long way from my home
Get the hammer that killed John Henry,
Won’t kill me no more
Gimme the hammer that killed John Henry,
Cos it won’t kill me
Gimme the hammer that killed John Henry,
‘Cos it won’t kill me

Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints
Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints

Take this hammer carry it to the Captain,
Tell him I’m goin’ home
Take this hammer carry it to the Captain,
Tell him why I’m gone
I’m a wanted man with the Captain
I’m a wanted man in the shackles
I’m a wanted man in the shackles
I’m a wanted man ….

Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints
Who killed John Henry,
In the battle of sinners and saints
Ohh

I killed John Henry,

In the battle of sinners and saints

STOP!
All that I have is all that you've given me
Did you never worry that I’d come to depend on you
I gave you all my love that I had in me
Now that I’ve found you've lied, I can't believe it's true

Wrapped in his arms, I see you across the street
I can't help but wonder if he knows what's going on
You talk about that love but you don't know how it feels
When you realize that you're not the only one

You'd better stop before you tear me all apart
You'd better stop before you go and a break my heart
Oh, whoa, you'd better stop

Time after time, I’ve tried to walk away
But it's not that easy when your soul is torn in two
So I resign myself to it every day
Now all I can do is leave it up to you

You'd better stop before you tear me all apart
You'd better stop before you go and a break my heart
Oh, whoa, you'd better stop

You better stop if you love me
Oh, it's time to be sorry
No it won't last forever
I can't believe you walked out on me

You'd better stop before you tear me all apart
You'd better stop before you break my lonely heart
Whoa, whoa, you better, whoa, whoa
Whoa, oh, you better stop

Better stop

LAST KISS
Tell me how high, cotton has to grow
Tell me how high, cotton has to grow
‘Fore you get a man with a rusty blade and a hoe

Tell me who’s that on, when I can get no ride
Tell me who’s that on, when I can get no ride
That’s why I get antsy, and steal a kiss before I die

I’ve been knocked down, stood up, all in the name of goodbye’s
I’ve been locked down, beat up, all in the name of goodbye’s
And I don’t mind stealing the last kiss before I die

Tell me how long, supposed to keep a good man down
Tell me how long, supposed to keep a good man down
‘Fore he packs his suitcase and get’s the hell outta town

Now that I’m gone, who’s gonna work the land
Now that I’m gone, who’s gonna work the land
Just to make sure that this, dirt don’t turn into sand

I’ve been knocked down, stood up, all in the name of goodbye’s
I’ve been locked down, beat up, all in the name of goodbye’s
And I don’t mind stealing the last kiss before I die hey yeah

I’ve been knocked down, stood up, all in the name of goodbye’s
I’ve been locked down, beat up, all in the name of goodbye’s
And I don’t mind stealing the last kiss before I die

And I don’t mind stealing the last kiss before I die

JOCKEY FULL OF BOURBON
Edna million in a drop dead suit
Dutch pink on a downtown train
Two dollar pistol but the gun won't shoot
I'm in the corner on the pouring rain
Sixteen men on a dead man's chest
I been drinking from the broken cup
Two pairs of pants and a mohair vest
I'm full of bourbon and I can't stand up

Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children alone
Hey little bird, you fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children alone

Schiffer broke a bottle on Morgan's head
I'm stepping on the devil's tail
Across the stripes of a full moon's head
All through the bar's of a Cuban jail
Bloody finger's on a purple knife
Flamingo drinking from a cocktail glass
I'm on the lawn with someone else's wife
Admire the view from the top of the mast

Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children alone
Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children alone

Yellow sheets on a Hong Kong bed
Stazybo horn and a slingerland ride
To the carnival is what she said
A couple hundred dollars makes it dark inside
Edna million in a drop dead suit
Dutch pink on a downtown train
Two dollar pistol but the gun won't shoot
I'm in the corner on the pouring rain

Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children alone
Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, children alone
Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, children alone
Hey little bird, fly away home

Your house is on fire, your children alone

STORY OF A QUARRYMAN
Gonna buy me a bucket and a hammer of nails
Board up the windows and head for the trails
And that’s what I get for sticking my chin out
Well a kick in the teeth and a mind full of doubt

I brought this on for my own hands
The precious disgrace from my own hands
If I could freeze time in my own hands
Story of a quarryman

Left my home with the shirt on my back
Built my empire on a dry haystack
To break it down a one by one
And back in Cali and tired and alone

I brought this on by my own hands
The precious disgrace from my own hand
If I could freeze time in my own hands
Story of a quarryman

Traces of life blowing in the sand
The cornerstone of my piece of dry land
So hand me that hop and some of that wine
I’ll drink you away by the end of this line

I brought this on by my own hands
The precious disgrace from my own hands
If I could freeze time in my own hands
Story of a quarryman

Story of a quarryman

LONESOME ROAD BLUES
I don’t need your constant heartache
All I have is my guitar and you
I turned thirty one years old today
All you gave me was that store bought blues
And I know how that lonesome
Lonesome road blues can be
Like a devil race car baby
Lonesome road comfort me

I long for those days of simple times
Day’s when guitar strings a cost a dime
I’m the only one for you there is
Help me down baby, hell that is yeah
And I know how that lonesome
Lonesome road blues can be
Like a devil race car baby
Lonesome road comfort me

I sold my soul for a pack of cigarettes yeah!
Mississippi is where I think my best
My string is crazy, I keep her sane
After me baby there’s no one to blame
And I know how that lonesome
Lonesome road blues can be
Like a devil race car baby
Lonesome road comfort me
Like a devil race car baby

These ol’ blues comfort me, yeah

HAPPIER TIMES
Shape that I’m in
Never let her down a day in my life
Tree’s all around me
As I see the time pass me by
Never trade you for the world
Never do the things I used to
I guess it’s not good enough this I see

But I’ll remember happier times

Life it hits me
Comes faster now day by day
Places that I’ve been
Are not the place I wanna be
Never trade you for the world
Never do the things I used to
I guess it’s not good enough this I see

And I’ll remember happier times

Friday comes and goes
I guess I won’t talk to you anymore
So many things unsaid
So many things I wanna say
Never trade you for the world
Never do the things I used to
I guess it’s not good enough this I see

But I’ll remember happier times

And now remember happier times

FEELIN’ GOOD
Birds flying high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze drifting on by, and you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me
And I'm feelin' good

Fish in the sea, you know how I feel
River runnin' free, you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree, you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me
And I'm feelin' good

Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean dont'cha know
Butterflies having fun, you know what I mean
Sleeping peace when the day is done, that's what I mean
It's an old world
It's a new world
It's a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of a pine, you know know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine, and I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me
And i'm feelin' good

Yes I'm feelin' good oh oh
Mmmmmmm

And I'm feelin' good

FUNKIER THAN A MOSQUITO’S TWEETER
You're nothin' but a dirty, dirty old man
You do your thinkin' with a one track mind
Keep talkin' 'bout heavens glory
On your face is a different story
Clean up your rap, your story's gettin' dirty
Wash out your mouth, your lies are gettin' rusty
Can't believe nothin' you say
I'm around and I see what you do
You know you're funkier than a mosquito's tweeter
You got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils
Same ol' game, same ol' thing
You never changed, always rappin'
'Bout the same ol' thing, yeah

Blowin' minds is a thing of the past
You blew your chance that's why it never last
You wanna be a graduated mother
But in reality you're just another brother
You think you're slick
You can't stand a lot of greasin'
Things you do ain't never really pleasin'
Can't believe nothin' you say
I'm around and I see what you do
You know you're funkier than a mosquito's tweeter
You got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils
Same ol' game, same ol' thing
Always rappin', always rappin'
'Bout the same ol' thing, yeah

You put yourself upon a big stool
There's nothin' worse than an educated fool
Talkin' sex is your favorite conversation
Peace and love is a famous generation
What's in your head has really, really started
Showing your conversation's all gettin' boring
Can't believe nothin' you say
I'm around and I see what you do
You know you're a funkier than a mosquito's tweeter
You got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils
Same ol' game, same ol' game
Same ol' thing, same ol' thing
Always rappin', always rappin'

'Bout the same ol' thing, yeah

THE GREAT FLOOD
It’s been too long since I said I loved you
It’s been too long since I cared
It’s been too long since I said I loved you
It’s been too long since I cared
Well my conscience is finally clear
I been waiting all these years

Well it’s raining all day and night
The great flood has come around
Well it’s raining all day and night
The great flood has come around
‘Cos when my house is about to wash away
Rain is such a lonesome sound

Well you said you might be receiving
Oh I could tell it was all a bunch of lies
Well you said you might be receiving
Oh I could tell it was all a bunch of lies
Well I know there’s been a lot’s of heartaches
I’ve been suffering all my life

Suffering...

FROM THE VALLEY

(Instrumental)

AS THE CROW FLIES
As the crow flies, baby
And I ain't so far from you
As the crow flies, baby
And I ain't so far from you
Well, I don't have a wing
And I can't get home like I want to

In a dream last night
Well, I heard you call my name
In a dream last night
Well, I heard you call my name
Well, I took it as an omen
And I jumped on that next train

Well, you don't know, baby
How I miss your sweet caress
Well, you don't know, baby
How I miss your sweet caress
When I'm in your lovin' arms
And I swear I'm at my very best
As the crow flies, baby