Lyrics to ONLY ALONG FOR THE RIDE

Lyrics from the Album by Hugh Moffatt
www.hughmoffatt.com


Juniper Canyon

By Hugh Moffatt

 

 

Once I was in Juniper Canyon

Very early in the spring

Started out alone

Not to come back home

You can’t be lonely in a dream

 

Nights are cold in Juniper Canyon

The stars are so far away

The moon shines silver

On the river

Like a picture in a play

 

‘Round the campfire glow

The night creeps up and cold

Upon the canyon sits and shows

No mercy

And the wind blows

Oooo 

How cold can heaven be?

Just as cold as a tree

 

I was alone in Juniper Canyon

I climbed her walls and bore her sun

I found the water

The golden daughter

Of the Earth

Caught her where she runs

 

When I go back to Juniper Canyon

I’ll climb right into the sun

When night comes I’ll go down

Build a fire upon the ground

Put out the stars one by one

 

‘Round the campfire glow

The night creeps up and cold

Upon the canyon sits and shows

No mercy

And the wind blows

Oooo 

How cold can heaven be?

Just as cold as a stream

 

How cold can heaven be?

Just as cold as a tree

 

© 2013 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI

 


Tiger’s

By Hugh Moffatt

 

C’mon all you boys when you’re out on the town

There’s a place you can go if you’re messin’ around

It’s just off of Broad in the bus station light

It’s a good time at Tiger’s on a Saturday night

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

Bobby’s gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

There’s a band called The Hardtimers workin’ for tips

Passin’ the kitty and cussin’ the gyps

You can give ‘em a buck, not a five or a ten

If you gave ‘em a twenty you’d never see ‘em again

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

Bobby’s gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

Tex just walked in in his pearl button shirt

He’s foolin’ with Tiger, she’ll put him to work

Drove his rig from the valley to get him some thrills

Till he runs out of money and little white pills

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

Bobby’s gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

(turn)

 

There’s Julie and Jill at that table alone

They’re a rough lookin’ pair in here on their own

Takin’ a break from the streets and the lights

Hell, I’d buy ‘em a beer but I’m flat broke tonight

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

Bobby’s gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

Dave’s getting’ up with his old beat up Strat

Slung down round his knees, yeah, he likes it like that

Lord knows he aint country, he’s pure rock n roll

A little hard on the ears, but it’s good for the soul

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

Dave’s gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

(turn)

 

So the company aint polite the beer aint the best

But step right on inside, let your mind take a rest

You might end up fightin’, drunk, or in jail

But you might have a time worth the price of your bail

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

Bobby’s gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

Set ‘em up Tiger

Got a friend here who’ll pay

I’m gonna sing one

And the band’s gonna play

 

 

© 2013 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI

 


I Knew Her When

By Hugh Moffatt

 

I dropped in on my daddy to pass the time of day

I know he's feeling lonesome since mama passed away

I found him working in the yard, he looked up and smiled

He said, "It's good to see you son, can you stay and talk awhile?"

 

He started telling stories, how it used to be

Laughter in his eyes---not the tears I thought I’d see

I said, "How do you do it, Dad?  My heart's about to break."

He said, "Don't you understand, I've got something time can't take...

 

"I knew her when

She was a beauty she was a pearl

She was the rock I built my life on

All I needed in this world

Through life’s trials and troubles, doubts and dreams

She loved me to the end

I’m a lucky man

I knew her when"

 

All at once a feeling I never felt before

Opened up inside of me like opening a door

My heart was lifted up I felt the pain begin to fade

I looked at daddy smiling and again I heard him say

"I knew her when…

           

"I knew her when

She was a beauty she was a pearl

She was the rock I built my life on

All I needed in this world

Through life’s trials and troubles, doubts and dreams

She loved me to the end

I’m a lucky man

I knew her when"

 

Now I understand…

 

For all my trials and troubles doubts and dreams

She loved me to the end

And I’m a lucky man

Oh, I’m a lucky man

Yeah, I’m a lucky man

I knew her when

I knew her when

 

 

©2010 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI  

 

 


Remembering

By Hugh Moffatt and John Peppard

 

Came across a

Picture book

You know the one that the children loved best of all

And here I am

Remembering

 

Years ago when

Time was young

I guess I thought—no I never thought much at all

Now here I am

Remembering

 

Some of the crazy things we dared to do

Some of the troubles shared

Nothing ever dimmed my love for you

My soul was always bared

I’m still a little scared

Remembering

 

Some say that time will stop my missing you

That’s not the way it is

If you’re not here who am I talking to

You’ve found another way to give

I miss your touch but I can live

Remembering

 

Just a moment

Of my day

And no one notices if a tear or two fall

That’s how it is

That’s just the way it is

I miss your touch but I can live

Remembering

Remembering

 

©2011 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI and Rio Bravo Music Inc BMI/PRS

 


Cover Me

By Hugh Moffatt

 

Cover me with kindness, cover me with love

Things I just can’t get too much of

Treat me right; tell you what I’ll do

Cover me baby and I’ll cover you

 

Cover me, cover me, cover me

Cover me baby and I’ll cover you

           

Hold me close when the night turns cold

Won’t need a blanket with you to hold

Keep me warm the whole night through

Cover me baby and I’ll cover you

 

Cover me, cover me, cover me

Cover me baby and I’ll cover you

           

It’s a jungle out there trying to make my way

Will you watch my back each and every day

Be my bud and see me through

Take care of me and I’ll take care of you

 

Life’s a gamble seven days a week

Will you cover my marker on a losing streak

Cut me slack and I’ll come through

Cover me baby and I’ll cover you

 

(solo)

 

It’s a jungle out there trying to make my way

Will you watch my back each and every day

Be my bud, yeah, see me through

Take care of me and I’ll take care of you

 

Cover me, cover me, cover me

Cover me baby, and I’ll cover you

Cover me, cover me, cover me

Cover me baby, and I’ll cover you

Cover me baby, and I’ll cover you

Cover me baby, and I’ll cover you

 

© 2008 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI

 


Light a Candle

By Hugh Moffatt and John Peppard

 

Somebody’s crying and no one hears

Scared of dying and no one’s near

Somebody’s losing hope

While the wheels of power keep turning

 

Light a candle in the darkness

Shine a light where evil lies

Be a voice for those in silence

Speak the truth – keep hope alive

Light a candle

 

Somebody’s trying to stop the tears

Not giving in to threats and fears

Somebody’s choosing hope

While the wheels of power keep turning

 

(solo)

 

Light a candle in the darkness

Shine a light where evil lies

Be a voice for those in silence

Speak the truth – keep hope alive

Light a candle

 

Light a candle in the darkness

Shine a light where evil lies

Be a voice for those in silence

Speak the truth – keep hope alive

Light a candle

 

 

©2004 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI and Star Street Music Ltd BMI/PRS

 


I Know

By Hugh Moffatt

(2nd verse with acknowledgement to Jorge Luis Borges)

 

Been a carpenter like Jesus

Been a preacher like Paul

Been a fisherman like Peter

Been a liar like Saul

Been all ‘round this ole world

Been uptown and down

I know where I’ve been, Lord

Don’t know where I’m bound

I know                                                                                          

Yes I know

I don’t know

 

They say life is a river

That’s carrying me home

Well, I am the river

So where can I go

Time is a fire

That’s burning me alive

I am the fire

Still unsatisfied

I know

Yes I know

I don’t know

 

I keep rolling along

And singing my song

 

Been a carpenter like Jesus

Been a preacher like Paul

Been a fisherman like Peter

Been a liar like Saul

Been all ‘round this ole world

Been uptown and down

I know where I’ve been, Lord

Don’t know where I’m bound

I know

Yes I know

I don’t know

 

(turn)

 

So if you want answers

You might as well move on

All I have are puzzles

I might have them wrong

I’ll take my puzzles

My questions and doubts

Answers just lock doors

I always want out

I know

Oh I know

I don’t know

 

Just rolling along

I keep singing my song

 

Been a carpenter like Jesus

Been a preacher like Paul

Been a fisherman like Peter

Been a liar like Saul

Been all ‘round this ole world

Been uptown and down

I know where I’ve been, Lord

Don’t know where I’m bound

I know

Yes I know

I know

Yes I know

I don’t know

 

©2011 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI

 


Cloudy

By Hugh Moffatt

 

It’s cloudy

Looks like rain again

Ill winds are blowing strong

Things are going wrong again

There’s rain on the wind

 

It’s cloudy

Feel like turning in

What’s the use in trying

I’ll never win

No my skies are cloudy again

 

Up above the clouds the sun is shining

The air is always light and clear

Maybe there I’ll find that silver lining

That I’ve never found down here

                       

It’s cloudy

Soon the rain will begin

Pouring out tomorrow

Washing all the sorrow away

Leaving a sunshiny day

 

And maybe

Even losers win

I’m gonna fly

High above the clouds, then

My skies won’t be cloudy again

They will never be cloudy again

No, my skies won’t be cloudy again

 

©1995 Universal Music – Careers (BMI)

 


Rock Bottom

By Hugh Moffatt

 

Johnnie made a deal with the devil one day

When she was feeling low

After she got up on her feet again

The devil came to take her soul

She said to him, “You didn’t do a damn thing

I believe you’re cheating me”

The devil said, “Now that it won’t do you no good

I’m gonna give you some advice for free”

Oh…

 

You can’t stand up on a slippery slope

Don’t set your feet in the sand

Every time you fall you got to pick yourself up

It’ll help if you understand

When you hit

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Solid ground

Solid ground

 

Johnnie slipped away to the heavenly gates

The devil hot on her trail

She cried, “St Peter won’t you save me now

I know that the Lord will prevail”

St Peter said, “Johnnie, aint you ever gonna learn?

You got everything that you need

You don’t need the devil and you don’t need me

On this Ol’ Scratch and I agree

Yeah…

 

You can’t stand up on a slippery slope

Don’t set your feet in the sand

Every time you fall you got to pick yourself up

It’ll help if you understand

When you hit

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Solid ground

 

The devil was breathing down Johnnie’s neck

She said, “I don’t really know what that means

But if this aint rock bottom then sure as hell

It’s as close as I want to be”

So she turned to the devil, set her feet on the ground

Said, “I aint going nowhere with you

You’re a liar and a cheat, we aint got no deal

And there aint a damn thing you can do”

 

As those long skinny arms came reaching for her

The devil vanished in a puff of smoke

Johnnie looked up at Peter, and they both started laughing

Just like it was some kind of joke

And they were saying…

 

You can’t stand up on a slippery slope

Don’t set your feet in the sand

Every time you fall you got to pick yourself up

It’ll help if you understand

When you hit

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on

Solid ground

 

When you hit

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on…

Rock bottom, you’re on

Solid ground

Standing on

Solid ground

 

©2010 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI

 


Last Quarter Moon

(for Jaime)

By Hugh Moffatt

 

Last quarter moon shining low in the dark morning sky as she quietly waits for the dawn

Light that so stubbornly stays with the day still outlasting the stars for a while

 

Day by day it fades away

Nights she fights to find the light

Drifting, drifting towards the day

She no longer lies awake

 

Last autumn leaves barely seen by the light of the moon through the trees as I watch from her room

Leaves that so faithfully cling to a branch that is empty unable to give

 

Day by day they fall away

Nights she waits for day to break

Drifting, drifting towards the day

She no longer lies and waits

 

New moon tonight and the stars fill the sky giving light where it seemed there was no light at all

Night like a sea swallows all of her world bringing peace where there used to be pain

 

Day by day she fades away

Nights I fight to find her light

Drifting, drifting towards the day

Time has turned her light away

 

First quarter moon riding high in the bright evening sky as I finally rest from the day

Light that so youthfully glows in the twilight outshining the stars after dark

 

Waxing quickly day by day

Soon the night is all alight

Drifting, drifting towards the day

Time again, it dies away

 

©2013 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI

 


What I See

By Hugh Moffatt and John Peppard

 

Verse 1

All of us are blind in one way or another

Some can’t see to cross the street, some can’t help each other

When I look around, it’s not the trouble I see

I see hope and love and wonder, I don’t think that it’s just me

 

Chorus

What I see is all the beauty shining through

Look at me, tell me can’t you see it too

We can change the world; just believe in what I see

 

Verse 2

People hurting people, turning a blind eye to

Simple needs that wouldn’t take a lot to rectify.  You

See it all the time, and sometimes it’s you and me

Still we get to choose the things we do, one day we all can be

 

Chorus

What I see, all the beauty shining through

Look at me, tell me you can see it too

We can change the world; just believe in what I see

 

(solo)

 

Bridge

I see things that people do each day to show their love

For others in their lives, never asking very much

Things they don’t think twice about, just doing what is right

There is so much more to see if you open up your eyes

 

Chorus

What I see is all the beauty shining through

Look at me, I know you can see it too

What I see, all the beauty shining through

Look at me, tell me can’t you see it too

We can change the world; just believe in what I see

What I see

 

©2012 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI and Rio Bravo Music Inc BMI/PRS

 


Only Along for the Ride

By Hugh Moffatt

 

Sometimes I take a line from my life

And stake everything that I have

Next moment I’d give the world and its gold

If I could have that moment back

Sometimes I live on the edge of a knife

No place to run rest or hide

And sometimes I feel like it’s not me at all

I’m only along for the ride

 

Only along for the ride

Only along for the ride

Sometimes I feel like it’s not me at all

I’m only along for the ride

 

When I’m successful, ahead of the crowd

Having the time of my life

Carried away, I feel like a king

Above all the trouble and strife

I hear a small voice calling to me

Whispering down deep inside

“Enjoy it now as long as it lasts

You’re only along for the ride”

 

Only along for the ride

Only along for the ride

Enjoy it now as long as it lasts

You’re only along for the ride

 

(solo)

 

I have a dream I’m driving at night

Something goes wrong with my lights

Rolling alone toward the bends and the curves

Can’t see to the left or the right

Suddenly I find that someone is there

I’m on the passenger side

A friend at the wheel who knows every turn

I’m only along for the ride

 

Only along for the ride

Only along for the ride

A friend at the wheel who knows every turn

I’m only along for the ride

 

Under the bridge and over the dam

The river runs by and rolls on

Bringing tomorrows for better or worse

Replacing the yesterdays gone

Till all of our days and all of our nights

Drift out to sea with the tide

We rise to the stars on invisible wings

We’re only along for the ride

 

Only along for the ride

Only along for the ride

We rise to the stars on invisible wings

We’re only along for the ride

 

Only along for the ride

Only along for the ride

Sometimes I feel like it’s not me at all

I’m only along for the ride

 

©2013 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI