PHILIP CLAYPOOL
CIRCUS LEAVING TOWN
(Curb 77755)
November 12/1995
Produced by Jerry Crutchfield
Brent Mason, Carl Perkins - el.guitar
Steve Gibson, Mark Casstevens - ac.guitar
Sonny Garrish - steel
David Hungate - bass
Paul Leim, Kenny Aronoff - drums
Steve Nathan, Matt Rollings - piano
Rob Hajacos, Hank Singer - fiddle
Strings by Carl Gorodetzky
John Wesley Ryles, Curtis Young, Greg Gordon - vocals
1.
SWINGIN' ON MY BABY'S CHAIN
(Philip Claypool - Tom De Voursey - David Steen)
« © '95 Mike Curb Music, BMI »
I remember the phone every evening ringing till it fell off the wall
Seemd like every single guy in town was looking for a buddy to call
It was a honky tonk convention sprucing up to get on down
I thought we had same intention but that ain't what I found
Cause weekend after weekend day after day
My friends call me up and say I'm losing my mind just wasting my life away
But let me tell you something I ain't goin' insane
No I'm just havin' a ball swinging on my baby's chain
I'm just havin' a ball swinging on my baby's chain
I remember that crowded bar room we saw she was headin' our way
Just a lady in a room full of roosters crowing out their line of the day
She didn't hear a word they were saying she just walked right into my life
She took me by the hand like she had it all planned and we danced on into the night
Oh weekend after weekend day after day
Always together two of a kind just dancing life's heartches away
While my friends are growing old and lazy you know I ain't feeling no pain
Cause I'm just havin' a ball swinging on my baby's chain
I'm just havin' a ball swinging on my baby's chain
[ guitar ]
Come on love's for those who make it I'm saying don't sit around and complain
Cause I'm still havin' a ball swinging on my baby's chain
Yeah I'm just havin' a ball swinging on my baby's chain
**********
2.
WALL
(Ed Hill - Stan Munsey)
« © '95 Careers Music, BMI / Music Hill Music, BMI / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
Feels cold to the touch it reaches to the sky
And it's one too many heartaches wide
No cracks no doors no windows at all
I couldn't knock it over with a demolition ball
Yeah I've tried so hard tryin' to break through
Beat my head against it but now it's up to you
Let the wall come tumbling down
Let those mem'ries turn to dust and let 'em crumble to the ground
I hear your heart beatin' on the other side it's such a lonely sound
Let the wall come tumbling down
[ guitar ]
Oh to drop your guard is the hardest thing to do
Cause with every teardrop that fortress grew
I can feel your fear in your trembling kiss
But mow you gotta decide girl if love is worth the risk
I won't hurt or destroy you I promise my love
No need to stay a prisoner just give those doubts a shove
And let the wall come tumbling down...
[ guitar ]
Let the wall come tumbling down...
Just let the wall come tumbling down
Come tumbling down come tumbling down
**********
3.
STRENGTH OF A WOMAN
(Philip Claypool)
« © '95 Mike Curb Music, BMI »
Mama still loves me and daddy don't care
Mama always held me and he was never there
Growin' up a lonely I never had a hand
Or someone to show me how to be a man
But mama loved me tender put the shoes on my feet
She gave me her all and it was all I'd ever need
Oh the strength of a woman the touch of her hand
The comfort of her kindness and the time to understand
Her smile in the morning and when she tucked me to sleep
Oh the strength of a woman is all I'll ever need
School was never easy and daddy didn't care
He said son you better make the grade or you're going nowhere
So late in the evening and deep into the night
Mom would ask the question till finally got 'em right
Mama taught me so much and now I understand
That the key to the answer is always close at hand
It's the strength of a woman the wisdom in here eyes
The comfort of her kind voice that makes you wanna try
And hold on forever and make your own peace
Oh the strength of a woman is all I'll ever need
Well I've known victory and I've known defeat
Seen home fires burning and dead end streets
Seen lone stars falling and the heavens up above
But the thing that most amazes me is a woman's love
Oh it's the strength of a woman in the touch of her hand
It's the strength of a woman that strengthens a man
It's her smile in the morning it's a kiss when I'm weak
Oh the strength of a woman is all I'll ever need
Yeah it's the strength of a woman it's the touch of her hand
Yeah it's the strength of a woman that strengthens a man
**********
4.
MEANING OF LIFE
(Steve Bogard - Duane Steele)
« © '95 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
I hear your heart beat the sound of you breathing
I'm touching your skin amazed at the feeling
I've worn out my body and soul trying to figure things out
Funny how simple it all seems now
A man needs a reason to live and to die
And I've found all my answers right here in your eyes
God's in his heaven and I've seen the lights
To lie here and love you is the meaning of life
It all seems so clear the tears and the laughter
Were leading me here your love's all that matters
So darling let anything come whatever the world puts me through
I won't ask why because I have you
A man needs a reason...
To lie here and love you is the meaning of life
**********
5.
MILE OUT OF MEMPHIS
(Carl Perkins - Rob Crosby - Dottie Moore)
« © '95 Brick Hithouse Music, BMI / Log Rhythm Music, BMI /
Santee River Songs, BMI / Songs Of Universal, BMI »
When she told me she was leaving I told her I'd be fine
I guess I never thought she'd make it to that city limit sign
Lord I waited twenty minutes thinking she'd come running back
But this fool got fooled cause she's already out there making tracks
She's just a mile outside of Memphis and I'm already out of my mind
I must have lost my sesnses to let that little girl leave me behind
I wish that I could stop her but I know that it's too late
Her mind's made up she's headed down that interstate
She's a mile out of Memphis and I'm already out of my mind
You gave her heartaches until she'd enough
She laid her cards on the table and that's when she called your bluff
Oh you never should have gambled what you could not stand to lose
And now you know why they call Memphis the home of the blues oh yeah
She's just a mile outside of Memphis...
[ guitar ]
Lord I wish that I could stop her but I know that it's too late
Her mind's made up boy she's out on that interstate
She's ain't a mile out of Memphis and I'm alreayd out of your mind
Oh I can't stop her this time
She's just a mile out of Memphis and I'm already out of my mind
**********
6.
CIRCUS LEAVING TOWN
(Philip Claypool)
« © '95 Mike Curb Music, BMI »
Before you draw the final curtain before the big top crashes down
Before you pack away my trunkcase I'd like to take a final bow
One last chance to hear the laughter and to see your face there in the crowd
One last moment in the spotlight one last chance to be your clown
I guess you're tired of walking tightropes of settin' up and tearing down
You want a place to call forever and rest your feet on solid ground
Somewhere you lost that sense of wonder but that's still the place I'm bound
Like a storm in search of thunder I'm just a circus leaving town
Once we could fill a room with laughter and fill each other's hearts with joy
Through each trial and disaster till we'd cling to our choice
To take a path so unforgiving a road that waits for no one
We know we chose to keep on living oh tell me where did we go wrong
I guess you're tired of walking tightropes of settin' up and tearing down
You want a place to call forever and rest your feet on solid ground
Don't try and break this spell I'm under or stop these wheels from spinning round
For I'm a storm in search of thunder yeah I'm a cicrcus leaving town
Someday you'll wake up and wonder and your heart will start to pound
And you'll long for the thunder and the kisses of a clown
**********
7.
YELLOW ROSE
(Philip Claypool)
« © '95 Mike Curb Music, BMI »
I take such pride my thoughts are sweet
When I think of you and what you do for me
But deep down inside my soul grows weak
For our lives seem divided incomplete
I'm running full on affection but I don't know what to do
So it's with best intentions I'll give you
A yellow rose for the friendship a dozen red for the passion
I'm gonna bind them together in the best way I can fashion
I need more than a lover or more than just a friend
I need both of you together and I'm gonna give love to the end
[ guitar ]
Deep in your eyes a sea of green oh it's hard to imagine a love so deep
For these tears I cry flow like a stream for a love once pure gone poison mean
A yellow rose for the friendship...
[ fiddle ]
I'm running full affection but I don't know what to do
So it's with best intentions I'll give you
A yellow rose for the friendship...
A yellow rose for the friendship a dozen red for the passion
**********
8.
SHE KICKED MY DOG
(Philip Claypool - Tom DeVoursey)
« © '95 Mike Curb Music, BMI »
Well opeartor operator help me please
We get a war goin' on we can't get no peace
We're either screamin' on the telephone yellin' in the yard
About a whole lotta nothin' and it's gone too far
So can you send out someone like they do on TV I'm talkin' 911-Emergency
Send help quick Lord there ain't much time someone's wrecking this heart of mine
She kicked my dog and slammed the door
Stole my heart and my brand new Ford
No she ain't no lady she's just a rolling stone
You should've heard the things she said
As she ripped the sheets right off of my bed
And I got a bad bad feeling that we ain't seen the end of her yet
Well officer officer it ain't no lie
I ain't good looking I'm a pretty nice guy
At church on Sunday and at work all week
Just tryin' to make a living for the lady and me
And though she may be pretty she's mean as a snake
I need protection for goodness sake
I've done taken as much as I can I ain't Schwartzenegger I'm only a man
She kicked my dog and slammed the door
Stole my heart and my brand new Ford
No she ain't no lady she's just a rolling stone
She killed my lawn and all the trees ripped my big screen color TV
And now there ain't no tellin' what next she'll be doing to me
Well I don't understand how this trouble and strife
Can go hand in hand with the love of my life
But there ought to be a little price to pay
For treatin' a man and his dog that way
She kicked my dog and slammed the door
Stole my heart and my brand new Ford
No she ain't no lady she's just a rolling stone
I still recall the words she said as she ripped the sheets right off of my bed
Keep the lights on honey cause you know I'm coming back for the rest
Yeah and I got a bad bad feeling that we ain't seen the end of her yet
**********
9.
GIVE ME TIME
(Steve Bogard - Rick Giles)
« © '95 Careers Music, BMI / Music Of Stage Three, BMI / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI »
I need fifteen minutes to work up my nerve
Fifteen more to think of what to say to her
I ain't tryin' to win a fight I don't have to be right
I need one thing tonight give me time
I need one more night to show how I feel
One more week to prove that my love is real
I ain't asking for the moon or snowballs in June
I need one thing and soon give me time
Give me time to make amends get back to being friends
Don't let it all run out before she loves me again give me time
[ steel ]
Make it one day later that she quits me for good
One day sooner that I treat her like I should
I ain't just asking for gold or to never grow old
Just to have and to hold give me time
Give me time to make amends...
Give me time
Give me time to make amends...
**********
10.
FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE
(Paul Rodgers - Mick Raplhs)
« © '95 Badco Music, ASCAP »
Baby when I think about you I think about love
Darling I don't live without you and your love
If I had those golden dreams of my yesterdays
I would wrap you in the heaven feel it dying on the way
I feel like makin' feel like makin' love feel like makin' love
Feel like makin' love feel like makin' love to you
Baby if I think about you I think about love
Darling if I live without you I live without love
And if I had the sun and moon we would shine then
I would give you both night and day love satisfying
I feel like makin'...
[ guitar ]
And if I had those golden dreams...
**********
11.
SOUTHERN STYLE
(Philip Claypool - Louisie J. Branch)
« © '95 Mike Curb Music, BMI »
You're like the night life of New York City you keep me up so late
Seeing you sittin' next to me is like a drive across the Golden Gate
Your hair is like fields in autumn neath the brightenin' western sun
Beneath it's your way of loving that makes me come undone
It's your southern style ah nice and slow and easy
I'm deep in southern comfort from morning' through the evening
A little bit old fashioned and just a touch untame
It's your southern style that's got me feeling this way
If I could toss a silver dollar oh down a wishing well
I wish you'd take me for your man and be my belle
For I'd stand there beside you all through the thick and thin
I'd love you all life long over and over again
I'm talking about southern style...
[ guitar ]
I get a taste of honey when you kiss me with your lips so soft and warm
It's heaven when you hold me all wrapped up in your angel arms
It's your southern style...
Yeah it's your southern style and I like your lovin' that way
I like your lovin' that way talking bout southern style
**********