I don't mind if a blizzard falls down over us, / And we're holed up in some one-room shack. / Tossing cards as the minutes roll into days, / And the snow falls at such a pace that we're stuck inside…no I don't mind. / Mozelle laughs, and our child moves close to me. / Nowhere I'd rather be. Nah, I don't mind. // When we first met I was rounding out my rougher ways, / Or so it seems since you took their place and changed my life…ah, but I don't mind. / I love to play with you. You're my best friend, ya know? / It makes me feel about three years old just to make you smile. / Some might say that to choose one is to throw away / What comes along on other days, but I don't mind. // When I met you I met the dream I never thought of dreaming. / Forgot myself and poured into you, Love, from floor to ceiling. / Consumed, I breathed your light and danced a rhyme to you the reason. / And I'm dancing still today, and though I'll never be the same, it's ok. I don't mind. // And I don't mind if I never see another girl, / Sail the seas or explore new worlds, save those we find. / The sun don't rise that I don't fall down on my knees, / And gives thanks for the love you've breathed into my life…and I don't mind. / And if you leave, babe, I'll treasure every day / As our little eternities run through my mind…and I don't mind.

If I can't love you, baby, / I don't know what I'll do / 'Cause already I've forgotten / Myself without you. / And if I can't hold you, darlin', / I won't find no one new / 'Cause there's much more in holding / Than simply touching you. // And I've perceived a steady flow / Of dreams and echoes of you. / A song which I have always known / But am only now receiving, so now I'm singing... // If I can't love you, baby, / I don't know what I'll do / 'Cause already I've forgotten / Myself without you. / And if I can't be there, honey, / Know these words are true: / Every road I travel / Leads back to your door. // And I've perceived a steady flow / Of dreams and echoes of you. / A song which I have always known / But am only now receiving, so now I'm singing... // If I can't love you, baby, / I don't know what I'll do / 'Cause already I've forgotten / Myself without you. / But if this ain't right, sweet darlin', / Lets don't push or pull / 'Cause the last thing I would want / Is to keep you from being you.

Fly in from the east coast, baby, / I'll be there waiting, shoot ya straight to Dallas, / Take ya to the finest parts of town. / And we can sing our hearts out thumping' / With both fists raised and our spirits soaring. / Ain't no place I'd rather be. // I said I would marry you / After you woke up and said the same. / We must have moved too fast and scared you / Right back to your old lover's arms again. // And no I guess it don't take long / To fill me up when you're pouring on / Fill my head with fantasies. / You're like some mythic creature / I'd dreamed in dreams, I never thought I'd meet ya. / Oh forgive me for being weak. // I said I would marry you / After you woke up and said the same. / We must have moved too fast and scared you / Right back to your old lover's arms again. // How often can I hope to meet someone like you? / Who captivates like you? And sparkles like you do? / Trying to let go of a thing I never had / It's silly and it's sad…it's silly and it's sad… // I still adore you, baby, like I said I did / Before what you said twisted / And caused me all this misery. / I'd hop the first plane to Boston / If I could only be all ya ever wanted. / It still makes a pretty dream. // I said I would marry you / After you woke up and said the same. / We must have moved too fast and scared you / Right back to your old lover's arms again.

Oh baby don't ya never leave / Oh baby don't ya never leave / Oh baby don't ya never leave / Oh baby don't ya never leave / Oh baby don't ya never leave / Oh baby don't ya never leave.

Joni wasn't happy in Austin so she moved back home. / His 'ol life repeating had got down in her bones. / With those cold words still ringing, she sat down all alone. // She said, "You can keep your drama, you can keep your gun." / Tell me when the hammer falls, to which god will you run? / Tell me when the flooding starts, just which way is up? // Like a big, lone rock above the setting sun / Out amongst the dancing waters, the night falls with a song. / But if she had to sing it now, she just might come undone. // Joni let go a cry but not to anyone. / She knows she is the singer, she knows she is the song. / She knows she is the painter and the canvas painted on. // In her purple silence she sits. / A vision of self-reflection on mirrors starlit / Trying to make sense…of this. // Joni threw away her words and took a long, deep breath. / Leanings of the heart and mind often conflict. / She wondered where leaping falls in common sense. // With her arms flung back and her eyes shut tight, / Joni leaned out into the void, and she listened with all her might. / She felt the rush of fate and her eyes popped open wide. // Joni let go a laugh and threw away her fear, / And though she started singing softly, there were no words to hear. / Floating like a melody, she closed her eyes in prayer. // In her purple silence she sits. / A vision of self-reflection on mirrors starlit / Trying to make sense…of this.

When are you coming back home, babe? / It's getting ugly on my own. / I can hear your song, love / Lighting my way from your honeyed throat. // All the strings are cut, babe. / The aprons fallen to the floor, / And there it burned to ashes. / Ashes, ashes, now the roofs the floor. // Home don't have to be Texas, / Home don't have to be the u.S.A. / Home is where our love is, / Long as we're together, it'll be okay. // Stop wasting, stop wasting our time. / Ten years is too long, and even if you had nine lives, / You'd never find a home like mine. // Lost a lot last year, babe. / Don't have much left to my name, / But as long as I got breath and a heart that beats / I'll sing your name. // Some folks search for riches. / Some folks search for fortuned fame. / But I've found all my treasure. / Yeah the light in your eyes is gold to me. // Each new days a blessing. / Ain't no breath that's guaranteed. / Don't you think we both have / So much to learn, so much to teach. // Stop wasting, stop wasting our time. / Ten years is too long, and even if you had nine lives, / You'd never find a home like mine.

You can come home anytime you want to / I'll have your supper sitting on the stove / And you can come home when He calls you yonder / I'll be here waiting like you hoped I would. // I heard my song and I came a'running / I stood beside you but you couldn't see / While there I lay in the dress you bought me / Outshone the diamond on my wedding day. // Hear those church bells ringing / Like every sad song that you know / Does it help you to know that I'm singing? / Does it help you to carry the load? // I heard ya saw me and began to wonder / If it was me or something on the wall / Hard to tell with the shadows falling / Hard to know when your baby's gone. // I missed your talking so I went to find you. / I didn't find you where I thought you'd be. / A thousand dreams just to flash before you. / A thousand dreams now which one was me? // Hear those church bells ringing / Like every sad song that you know / Does it help you to know that I'm singing? / Does it help you to carry the load? // So dream of me my sweet, sweet darling. / Dream of me my only one. / Dream of me and beg my pardon / For leaving you before your race was run. // Goodnight my love I hope you sleep well. / Goodnight my love when the day is through. / Goodnight my love and goodbye my darling… / Which one was meant when I last kissed you? // Hear those church bells ringing / Like every sad song that you know / Does it help you to know that I'm singing? / Does it help you to carry the load? // You can come home anytime you want to. / I'll have your supper sitting on the stove, / And you can come home when He calls you yonder. / I'll be here waiting like you hoped I would. / I'll be here waiting like you knew I would.

How long, Lord, must I lay here / While this old body slowly dies? / And how long, Lord, must I stay here / Staring up into the pain in my loved ones' eyes? / How long, Lord, must I wait here / While my love calls to me from the other side? / And how long, Lord, must I grieve here / 'Til I walk with her along that golden shore? // It's a long hard life if you're lucky. / You live and learn just to die and forget it all. / But as I take these shallow breaths, / And this strong, old heart slows in my chest, / I look back on life with no regrets. / I'm just ready. // How long, Lord, must I lay here / While this old body slowly dies? / And how long, Lord, will you let me / Fight this battle when I've lost the war? // It's a long hard life if you're lucky. / You live and learn just to die and forget it all. / But as I take these shallow breaths, / And this strong, old heart slows in my chest, / I look back on life with no regrets. / I'm just ready. // How long, Lord, must I suffer, / Suffer along with those I'll leave behind? / And how long, Lord, must I wander / Through this shadowed land between their world and Yours? // It's a long hard life if you're lucky. / You live and learn just to die and forget it all. / But as I take these shallow breaths, / And this strong, old heart slows in my chest, / I look back on life with no regrets. / I'm just ready.

I never felt that look in someone else's eyes, 'til I felt it / And I'd always wondered why, so I guess I should thank you. / But then I heard you wrote 'bout when I cried / Probably wrote several clever lines. / Well I could hardly blame you, I do it all the time / It's just funny to see it happening to me. / And I can't say I never been good at goodbyes / I say 'em all the time and then I keep on moving / And time goes by…and time goes by. // And time goes by and finds me wrestling with myself. / Seems the sun won't set unless I got spiders on my shelf. / Heartache and tragedies 'bout to strangle my last breath, / And here comes that condescending train roaring down the tracks. / Yeah I guess I would have been fine / Leaving closed what you opened up in me. / I guess I need more time to go by / 'Cause each tomorrow still greets me with your smile. // Now ya tell me ya got somebody new, / Well that makes two you chose over me / And everybody is wondering why I can't see…I don't know why. / I guess I must be thinking 'bout those times / We sat staring into each others' eyes, and you spoke to me / And I spoke to you things I never wanted to say to no one new. / But I'll put on my biggest smile, / Guess there's really only two things left to do, / Get up and fly or lay down and die, either way, time goes by… // And time goes by and finds me wrestling with myself. / Seems the sun won't set unless I got spiders on my shelf. /Heartache and tragedies 'bout to strangle my last breath, / And here comes that condescending train roaring down the tracks. / Yeah I guess I would have been fine / Leaving closed what you opened up in me. / I guess I need more time to go by / 'Cause each tomorrow still greets me with your smile. / And I can't say I never been good at goodbyes / I say 'em all the time and then I keep on moving / And time goes by…and time goes by.

We flew to Amsterdam singing our songs / Cross hazy canals we walked arm in arm / When we met in Dublin, I'd never have dreamed / What started that evening would lead to today / What started that evening would lead to this day. // Through city and country our footsteps would fall / Through rain and through sunshine, winter and snow / You didn't move that my shadow would feel. / You were my angel, other people my hell / You were my angel, other people my hell. // The weeks passed as minutes on a dusty old clock / That no one dared look at lest the good times might stop / And I lived a lifetime each day in your arms / Born new every morning, we spent our nights in the stars. / Born new every morning, we spent our nights in the stars. // Flew into New York from shores far away / We bought an old van and toured round the States / We lived in our senses and got carried away / Our vagabond living paving the way, / Our vagabond living paving our way. // Adventure and romance led to Old Mexico / To a dusty cantina long forgotten by roads / And save for the bartender we were alone / 'Til a handsome young stranger stepped into the room / A handsome young stranger stepped into the room. // The stranger and bartender nodded and grinned / And the stranger moved close, laid his hand on your leg / Then I took your hand and we made for the door / But the stranger was quicker, and I hit the floor / The stranger was quicker, and I hit the floor. // With a knife that he carried, he opened my throat / And I heard you scream as you clung to my clothes / The last thing I felt were your lips on my face / As the handsome young stranger took you away / As the handsome young stranger took you away. // We flew to Amsterdam singing our songs / Cross hazy canals we walked arm in arm / When we met in Dublin, I'd never have dreamed / What started that evening would lead to this day / What started that evening would lead to this.

Ain't there always someone else? / Well ain't there always someone else? / Ain't there always someone else to show you a good time? // Big, full moon flood the tide / Diamond-sparkling batted eyes. / Who mentioned love? Whose got the right? / Swept under the rug to enjoy tonight. // Ain't there always someone else? / Well ain't there always someone else? / Ain't there always someone else to show you a good time? // The cards were dealt to divine the truth, / And multiple readings eerily stayed in tune. / What is this magic? What will the Spirit do? / I couldn't believe it, looks like neither can you. // Ain't there always someone else? / Well ain't there always someone else? / Ain't there always someone else to show you a good time? // Blacker the night, Blacker the song I sing. / Blacker than coal or fallen angels wings. / To cure the lonely such an easy thing. / A fleeting moment might just last all week. / Just an object, just a pill to take. / Just a reason to self-medicate. / A savage release will keep the dogs at bay. / Leave for tomorrow whats wrong with today. // Ain't there always someone else? / Well ain't there always someone else? / Ain't there always someone else to show you a good time?

Oh what a year… / Ushered in with such a sin. / To sit with children and then spin. / Not the father I would be, / But just a friend whose tongue refused to speak. // I felt it then, / But how could I have ever known / What scars my heart would show / After walking that hard road, / Covered in new sorrows head to toe. // A precious gift / That I prayed the Lord to take / If it wasn't He who gave. / Deny myself and have Your way, / But still she haunts me in the home she made. // But I'm still here / Through all these tears / With so much less, yet so much more of me / Stripped back and open bare. / Yes, I'm still here. / No worse for wear, / With so much less, yet so much more of me / To face the coming years… / Yes, I'm still here. // My oldest fear / Played out while I napped unaware, / After he prepared our last meal. / When needed most during his hell / I was fast asleep and late to help. / The greatest man / That I will ever know on earth. / A teacher, father, friend and more, / Who blessed me with his final breath. / Oh how I wish I could have eased his death. // Our family home / For over fifty years stood strong. / Whose walls saw each year of my mom's, / Caught fire and burned down to the ground. / Charred brick and ash is all there is left now. // But I'm still here / Through all these tears / With so much less, yet so much more of me / Stripped back and open bare. / Yes, I'm still here. / No worse for wear, / With so much less, yet so much more of me / To face the coming years… / Yes, I'm still here.

Annie…Annie…. // Annie you grew into quite a woman, child. / How I hate to see you cry. / Annie we'll see you in the bye and bye. / Dry your eyes. // I know you've had your doubts, / And Lord knows it wasn't easy, / But I had you right there by my side. / So don't you ever doubt. / I watched you try and save me. / But it was time for this old man, / So Annie…live… // Annie you gave all there was to give. / Your love was our greatest gift. / Annie you brought such joy into our home. / You lit our faces with your own. // I know you've had your doubts, / And Lord knows it wasn't easy, / But I had you right there by my side. / So don't you ever doubt. / I watched you try and save me. / But it was time for this old man, / So Annie…live… // I still remember, Annie, when you were just a girl. / You followed me all over, staring up in wonder. / But as you grew, child, the roles reversed, / And it was our turn, to stare up in wonder and in hope… // Annie…Annie… // Annie you learned all I had to show, / So don't be scared you're not alone. / Annie I'm so proud you are my own. / You'll come through this fire pure as gold. // I know you've had your doubts, / And Lord knows it wasn't easy, / But I had you right there by my side. / So don't you ever doubt. / I watched you try and save me. / But it was time for the old man, / So Annie…live…

It's Christmas time in Levelland / And snows been falling on the ground / And that don't happen too often here / Had to write a song before it disappears. / It's Christmas time in Levelland / Got my Christmas Bell close at hand / Waggin' her tail like a fuzzy dog / And that's what she is so you can't go wrong. / And little brothers stuck up north, ya know, / Where the cables out and it hadn't even snowed / While way down south in this level land / We got snow drifts rising from the level ground. // Merry Christmas, I hope you've had a good year. / Merry Christmas, pass the bottle, spread the cheer. // It's Christmas time in Levelland / Got the little baby Jesus in his manger bed / And a big 'ol star on the Christmas tree / With Christmas lights and Christmas wreaths / And we might even have a little mistletoe / But it wouldn't really matter cause don't ya know / I ain't got no one here to kiss or hold / Just a fuzzy little dog and a yard full of snow. // Merry Christmas, I hope you've had a good year. / Merry Christmas, pass the bottle, spread the cheer. // It's Christmas time in Levelland / And the sun's come out but the snow is sticking 'round / And with any kind of luck when the sun goes down / And the temperature drops more snow'll drop down. / It's Christmas time in Levelland / And my momma's coming over and I got the old man, / Sitting in the living room watching Fox News / Moaning 'bout the government, whatcha' gonna do? // Merry Christmas, I hope you've had a good year. / Merry Christmas, pass the bottle, spread the cheer.

Well I love ya, baby, gonna be my bride. / Love ya, baby, gonna be my bride. / I love ya, baby, gonna be my sweet, sweet wife, / And I'd sacrifice myself to have you by my side. // There ain't no part to your body I love anymore / Than any other part I might find next door. / I've searched you over, I love to explore / Every inch of my love and there's always more / Every inch of my love and there's always more. // Well I love ya, baby, gonna be my bride. / Love ya, baby, gonna be my bride. / I love ya, baby, gonna be my sweet, sweet wife, / And I'd sacrifice myself to have you by my side. // There ain't no flaw in ya, baby, not a blemish one. / You're distinct, unique, and it's my heart you've won. / You'll make a spotless bride, I'll wash you in my blood. / So don't ya never worry there's no end to my love / No don't ya never worry there's no end to my love. // Hard to wait so long with you so close to me, / But waiting on your love is sweet, babe. / And when I think of you the whole world fades away / 'Cause it could never hold my love for you, babe…hold my love for you babe. // Well I love ya, baby, gonna be my bride. / Love ya, baby, gonna be my bride. / I love ya, baby, gonna be my sweet, sweet wife, / And I'd sacrifice myself to have you by my side. // When I come to meet ya on the air we'll soar / On lovers' wings above the whole wide world. / Then I'll bend to kiss the one I adore, / And pour my love out on ya forevermore. / And pour my love out on ya forevermore.