WILLIE NELSON
ACROSS THE BORDER LINE
(Columbia CK-52752)
March 23/1993
Produced by Don Was
Willie Nelson - vocal/guitar
Grady Martin, Reggie Young, John Leventhal, Ray Phiri, Jody Payne, Fred Tackett, Mark Goldenberg, Paul Simon - guitar
Paul Franklin - steel
Robby Turner - steel/mandolin
Bonnie Raitt - slide guitar/vocals
Mike Leech, Don Was, James Hutchinson - bass
Gene Chrisman, Paul English, Jim Keltner - drums
Bobbie Nelson - piano
Daniel Timms - piano/organ/vocals
David Campbell - harmonium
Johnny Gimble, Mark O'Connor - violin
Eric Bazilian - mandolin
Mickey Raphael - harmonica
Mark Isham - trumpet
Billy Gene English, Paulinho Da Costa, Deborah Dobkin - percussion
Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Sinead O'Connor - vocals
1.
AMERICAN TUNE
(Paul Simon)
« © '82 Paul Simon Music, BMI »
Many's the time I've been mistaken and many times confused
Yes and I've often felt forsaken and certainly misused
Oh but I'm alright I'm alright just weary to my bones
Still you don't expect to be bright and bon vivant
So far away from home so far away from home
Don't know a soul who has not been battered
Don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered or driven to its knees
Oh but it's alright it's alright for we've lived so well so long
Still when I think of the road we're traveling on I wonder what's gone wrong
I can't help it I wonder what's gone wrong
And I dreamed I was dying I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
Looking back down at me smiled reassuredly
I dreamed I was flying high up above my eyes could clearly see
The statue of liberty sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying
We come on the ship they call the Mayflower come on the ship that sails the moon
We come in the age's most uncertain hours and sing an American tune
Oh but it's alright it's alright can't be forever blessed
Still tomorrow's gonna be another working day and I'm trying to get some rest
That's all I'm trying to get some rest
[ guitar ]
**********
2.
GETTING OVER YOU
(Stephen Bruton)
« © '00 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, BMI / Brutunes, BMI »
Why do I still write why do I still call
Why do I still think there's hope for us at all
These are the tings I hate but they're the things I do to get over you
Sunsets make me cry old pictures make me grin
But I don't really care to see your face again
These are the things I say but they're so hard to do like gettin' over you
You gotta believe that there's a reason that we surrender up our hearts
But there's a vantage point and it takes some time to find
Where you can see how all the pieces fit as you watch 'em fall apart
Now I don't think it's right and you don't know what's wrong
My heart keeps asking me just where do we belong
It's not as though my life ain't hard enough to do try gettin' over you
[ guitar ]
You gotta believe that there's a reason...
Now other people say stop living in the past
But when there's nothin' left it's your memory that lasts
It's later than you think but still this isn't through this gettin' over you
Now it's later than you think and still this isn't through this gettin' over you
**********
3.
MOST UNORIGINAL SIN
(John Hiatt)
« © '93 Careers Music, BMI »
What there was left of us was all covered in dust and thick skin
A half eaten apple or the whole Sistine Chapel painted on the head of a pin
A life long love's worth gone up in a smurk and you didn't even see her waltz in
Now this love is a ghost having played host to the most unoriginal sin
At the wedding we smiled as some devil played wild violin
Soon after the chapel she offered me that apple
One bite and I was gone with the wind
And you needed no proof cause the whole naked truth
Was wearin' only an infidel's grin
And a proud schoolboy's boast of having left his post for the most unoriginal sin
[ violin - guitar ]
Now the jukebox is humming all the venial shortcomings of men
Lord I found me this drink that can finally sink
All the skills that I've been wallowing in
Buddy once you get started once true love's departed you do it over and over again
So tonight I will toast just whoever comes close to the most unoriginal sin
So tonight I will toast just whoever comes close to the most unoriginal sin
**********
4.
DON'T GIVE UP
(Peter Gabriel)
« © '92 Pentagon Lipservices Real World, BMI »
[ with Sinead O'Connor ]
In this proud land we grew up strong we were wanted all along
I was taught to fight taught to win I never thought I could fail
No fight left or so it seems I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I've changed my face I've changed my name but no one wants you when you lose
Don't give up cause you have friends don't give up you're not beaten yet
Don't give up I know you can make it good
Though I saw it all around I never thought that I could be affected
I thought that we would be the last to go it is so strange the way things turn
Drove the night toward my home the place that I was born on the lakeside
And as daylight broke I saw the earth the trees had burned down to the ground
Don't give up you still have us
Don't give up we don't need much of anything
Don't give up cause somewhere there's a place there's a place where we belong
Got to walk out of here I can't take anymore
I'm gonna stand on that bridge keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come and whatever may go
That river's flowing that river's flowing
Moved on to another town tried hard to settle down
For every job so many men so many men no one needs
Don't give up cause you have friends don't give up you're not the only one
Don't give up no reason to be ashamed don't give up you still have us
Don't give up now we're proud of who you are
Don't give up you know it's never been easy
Don't give up cause I believe there's a place there's a place where we belong
**********
5.
HEARTLAND
(Willie Nelson - Bob Dylan)
« © '92 Act Five Music, BMI / Special Rider Music, SESAC »
[ with Bob Dylan ]
There's a home place under fire tonight in the heartland
And the bankers are taking my home and my land from me
There's a big achin' hole in my chest now where my heart was
And a hole in the sky where God used to be
There's a home place under fire tonight in the heartland
There's a well where the water's so bitter nobody can drink
Ain't no way to get high and my mouth is so dry that I can't speak
Don't they know that I'm dyin' why's nobody cryin' for me
My American dream fell apart at the seams
You tell me what it means you tell me what it means
[ guitar ]
There's a home place under fire tonight in a heartland
And bankers are taking the homes and the land away
There's a young boy closin' his eyes tonight in a heartland
Who will wake up a man with some land and a loan he can't pay
His American dream fell apart at the seams
You tell me what it means you tell me what it means
My American dream...
There's a home place under fire tonight in the heartland
There's a home place under fire tonight in the heartland
There's a home place under fire tonight in the heartland
There's a home place under fire tonight in the heartland
**********
6.
ACROSS THE BORDERLINE
(John Hiatt - Ry Cooder - James Dickinson)
« © '92 Songs Of Universal, BMI »
There's a land where I've been told every street is paved with gold
And it's just across the borderline
When it's time to take your turn here's a lesson that you must learn
You could lose more than you'll ever find
When you reach the broken promiseland every dream slips through your hand
You'll know it's too late to change your mind
Cause you paid the price to come so far just to wind up where you are
And you're still just across the borderline
Up and down the Rio Grande a thousand footprints in the sand
Reveal the secret no one can define
The river flows on like a breath in between our life and death
Who's the next to cross the borderline
[ guitar ]
Hope remains when pride is gone and it keeps you moving on
Calling you across the borderline
When you reach the broken promiseland...
And you're still just across the borderline
**********
7.
GRACELAND
(Paul Simon)
« © '92 Paul Simon Music, BMI »
The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar
I am following the river down the highway through the cradle of the Civil War
I'm going to Graceland Graceland in Memphis Tennessee I'm going to Graceland
Poorboys and pilgrims with families and we are going to Graceland
My traveling companion is nine years old the child of my first marriage
But I've reason to believe we both will be received in Graceland
She comes back to tell me she's gone
As if I didn't know that as if I didn't know my own bed
As if I'd never noticed she way she brushed her hair from her forehead
And she said losing love is like a window in your heart
Everybody sees you're blown apart everybody feels the wind blow
I'm going to Graceland Graceland in Memphis Tennessee I'm going to Graceland
Poorboys and pilgrims with families and we are going to Graceland
My traveling companions are ghosts and empty sockets ghosts and empties
But I've reason to believe we both will be received in Graceland
There is a girl in Austin Texas and she calls herself the human trampoline
Sometimes when I'm falling flying tumbling in turmoil I say this is what she means
She means we're bouncing into Graceland
And I see losing love ss like a window in your heart
Everybody sees you're blown apart everybody feels the wind blow
And I'm going to Graceland in Memphis Tennessee I'm going to Graceland
For reasons I cannot explain some part of me wants to see Graceland
And I may be obliged to defend every love every ending
Or maybe there's no obligations now
Maybe I've a reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland
Oh oh Graceland I'm going to Graceland
**********
8.
FARTHER DOWN THE LINE
(Lyle Lovett)
« © '86 Michael H Goldsen Inc, ASCAP »
Let's have a hand for that young cowboy and wish him better luck next time
I hope we'll see him up in Fargo or somewhere farther down the line
This time he sure drew a bad one one that nobody could ride
By the way he pulled his hat on you know he'd be there for the fight
And it's the classic contradiction the unavoidable affliction
And it don't take much to predict son the way it always goes
Cause one day she'll say she loves you and the next she'll be tired of you
And push'll always come to shove you on that midnight rodeo
[ guitar ]
He almost made it to the buzzer somehow he gave up in the end
He put one hand around the other and let that pick up man on in
It was his last chance to ride it now he'll have to move along
But he knows back in his mind that he won't be away for long
And it's the classic contradiction...
So let's have a hand for that young cowboy and wish him better luck next time
I hope we'll see him up in Fargo or somewhere farther down the line
**********
9.
VALENTINE
(Willie Nelson)
« © '90 Act Five Music, BMI »
Valentine won't you be my Valentine
And introduce your heart to mine and be my Valentine
Summertime we could run and play like summertime
With storybooks and nursury rhymes so be my Valentine
Candy heart if anyone could you could have a candy heart
You're the sweetest of all sweethearts won't you give your heart to me
Can't you see
I love you valentine won't you be my Valentine
And won't you share your space with mine and be my Valentine
[ guitar ]
Candy heart if anyone could...
**********
10.
WHAT WAS IT YOU WANTED
(Bob Dylan)
« © '89 Special Rider Music, SESAC »
What was it you wanted tell me again so I'll know
What's happening in there what's going on in your show
What was it you wanted could you say it again
I'll be back in a minute you can get it together by then
What was it you wanted you can tell me I'm back
We can start it all over get it back on the track
You got my attention go ahead speak
What was it you wanted when you were kissing my cheek
Was there somebody looking when you give me that kiss
Someone there in the shadows someone that I might have missed
Is there something you needed something I don't understand
What was it you wanted do I have it here in my hand
Whatever you wanted slipped out of my mind
Would you remind me again if you'd be so kind
Has the record been breaking did the needle just skip
Is there somebody waitin' was there a slip of the lip
What was it you wanted I ain't keepin' score
Are you the same person that was here before
Is it something important maybe not
What was it you wanted tell me again I forgot
[ harmonica ]
Whatever you wanted what could it be
Did somebody tell you that you could get it from me
Is it something that comes natural is it easy to say
Why do you want it who are you anyway
Is the scenery changing am I gettin' it wrong
Is the whole thing going backwards are they playing our song
Where were you when it started do you want it for free
What was it you wanted are you talking to me
[ harmonica - guitar ]
**********
11.
I LOVE THE LIFE I LIVE
(Willie Dixon)
« © '60 Hoochie Coochie Music, BMI »
**********
12.
IF I WERE THE MAN YOU WANTED
(Lyle Lovett)
« © '92 Michael H Goldsen Music, ASCAP »
They all sat around in a circle laughing and all telling lies
Then the tall one he bumped in a dollar se said boys I've got nothing to hide
The King and the Queen stood together then the ace he would not be to blame
And if the cards were all laid on the table then love could be more than a game
And if the stars didn't shine on the water then the sun wouldn't burn on the sand
And if I were the man you wanted I would not be the man that I am
And I have seen my share of long nights and I have told my share of lies
And I have run into the darkness when I saw the look in your eyes
But if the night didn't lie in the darkness then the daylight would be hard to find
And if the truth didn't turn to a weakness I would have never have spoken my mind
And if the stars didn't shine on the water...
[ guitar ]
So if you're going out to Carolina then don't linger in New Mexico
And if you think of the one there behind you then you might not feel so alone
And if the stars didn't shine on the water...
And if I were the man you wanted I would not be the man that I am
**********
13.
SHE'S NOT FOR YOU
(Willie Nelson)
« © '62 Tree Publishing, BMI »
Pay no mind to her she only wants to play
But she's not for you she's not for you
And I'm the only one who would let her act this way
But she's not for you she's not for you
So she told you she found heaven in your eyes
Well I think it only fair to warn you that sometimes she lies
But it's your heart I can't tell you what to do
But she's not for you she's not for you
[ guitar ]
She just looks for greener pastures now and then
And when she grows tired she knows Old Faithful will just take her back again
So just leave her here I'm used to feeling blue
She's not for you she's not for you
She's not for you she's not for you
**********
14.
STILL IS STILL MOVING TO ME
(Willie Nelson)
« © '89 Full Nelson Music, BMI »
Still is still moving to me and I swim like a fish in the sea all the time
But if that's what it takes to be free I don't mind
Still is still moving to me still is still moving to me
And it's hard to explain how I feel
It won't go in words but I know that it's real
I can be moving or I can be still but still is still moving me
Still is still moving to me
And it's hard to explain how I feel it won't go in words but I know that it's real
I can be moving or I can be still
But still is still moving me still is still moving to me
[ guitar ]
And it's hard to explain how I feel...
Still is still moving to me still is still moving to me still is still moving to me
**********