Music from the Big Pink. The Band.

1. Tears of rage.

We carried you in our arms on Independence Day, but now you'd throw us all aside and put us all away. What dear daughter 'neath the sun could love a father so, to wait upon him hand and foot and always tell him no? Tears of rage, tears of grief, why must I always be the thief? Come to me now, you know we're so low and life is brief.

It was all so very painless for you to run and receive all of that false instruction we never could believe. And now the heart is filled with gold as if it was a purse, oh, but what kind of love is this that goes from bad to worse? Tears of rage, tears of grief, why must I always be the thief? Come to me now, you know we're so low and life is brief.

We pointed you the way to go and scratched your name in sand, but you thought it was nothing more than a place for you to stand. I want you to know that while we watched, you discovered no one would be true, and I myself was among the ones who thought it was just a childish thing to do. Tears of rage, tears of grief, why must I always be the thief? Come to me now, you know we're so low and life is brief.


2. To kingdom come.

Forefather pointed to kingdom come, dadly told his only son. Just be careful what you do, "Robbie Lick", it all comes back on you. False witness spread the news, somebody's gonna lose. Either she or me or you, nothing we can do. Don't you say a word or reveal a thing you've learned. Time will tell you well if you truly, truly fell.

Tarred and feathered, yea! Thistles and thorns, one or the other, he kindly warns. Now you look out the window tell me, what do you see? I see a golden calf pointing back at me. I been sitting in here for so darn long waitin' for the end to come along. Holy roaster on the brink, take a chance, swim or sink.

False witness, cast an evil eye, said I cannot tell a lie, haints and saints don't bother me. I'm not alone you see. Don't you say a word or reveal a thing you've learned. Time will tell you well if you truly, truly fell.


3. In a station.

Once I walked through the halls of a station. Someone called your name, in the streets I heard children laughing, they all sound the same. Wonder could you ever know me, know the reason why I live? Is there nothing you can show me, life seems so little to give.

Once I climbed up the face of a mountain and ate the wild fruit there. Fell asleep until the moonlight woke me and I could taste your hair. Isn't everybody dreaming? Then the voice I hear is real. Out of all the idle scheming, aan't we have something to feel?

Once upon a time they used me indeed, tomorrow never comes. I could sing the sound of your laughter, still I don't know your name. Must be some way to repay you, out of all the good you gave. If a rumour should delay you, love seems so little to say.


4. Caledonia mission.

She reads the leaves and she leads the life. That she learned so well from the old wives, it's so strange to arrange it, you know I wouldn't change it. But hear me if you're near me, can I just rearrange it? The watchman covers me with his remedy, I can't see and it's hard to feel. I think his magic might be real. I can't get to you from your garden gate, you know it's always locked by the magistrate. Now he don't care why you cry, he thinks it's just a lie to get out, I don't doubt that you'd make a try.

If the good times get you through I know the dogs won't bother you. We'll be gone in moonshine time, I've got a place they'll never find. You know I do believe in your hexagram but can you tell me how they all knew the plan? Did you trip or slip on their gifts you know were just a con? You knew it, why d'you do it, I've been hiding in the dawn. Now I must be on my way, I guess you really have to stay. Inside the mission walls, down in Modark, Arkansas.


5. The weight.

I pulled in to Nazareth, was feeling 'bout half past dead. I just need some place where I can lay my head. “Hey mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?”. He just grinned and shook my hand, “No” was all he said. Take a load off, Fanny, take a load for free. Take a load off, Fanny, and you put the load right on me.

I picked up my bag, I went looking for a place to hide when I saw Carmen and the Devil walking side by side. I said “Hey Carmen, come on, let's go downtown”, she said “I gotta go but my friend can stick around”. Take a load off, Fanny, and you put the load right on me.

Go down Miss Moses, there's nothing you can say, it's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on the judgement day. “Well, Luke my friend, what about young Anna-Lee?”, he said “Do me a favour son, won't you stay and keep Anna-Lee company?”. Take a load off, Fanny, and you put the load right on me.

Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog. He said “I will fix your rat if you'll take Jack my dog”. I said “Wait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man”. He said “That's okay boy, won't you feed him when you can?”. Take a load off, Fanny, and you put the load right on me.

Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line, my bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time to get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one who sent me here with her regards for everyone. Take a load off, Fanny, and you put the load right on me.


6. We can talk.

We can talk about it now, it's that same old riddle only starting from the middle. I'd fix it but I don't know how, well, we could try to reason but you might think it's treason. One voice for all echoing along the hall. Don't give up on father clock, we can talk about it now. Come, let me show you how, to keep the wheels turning you've got to keep the engines churning. But did you ever milk a cow? I had the chance one day but I was all dressed up for Sunday.

Everybody, everywhere, do you really care? Well then, pick up your heads and walk; we can talk about it now. It seems to me we've been holding something underneath our tongues, I'm afraid if you ever got a pat on the back it would likely burst your lungs. Stop me if I should sound kinda down in the mouth, but I'd rather be burned in Canada than to freeze here in the south.

Pulling that eternal plough, we've got to find a sharper blade or have a new one made. Rest awhile and cool your brow, don't you see there's no need to slave, the whip is in the grave. No salt, no trance, it's safe now to take a backward glance because the leaves have turned to chalk. We can talk about it now, we can talk about it now.


7. Long black veil.

Ten years ago on a cool dark night there was someone killed 'neath the town hall light. There were few at the scene and they all did agree that the man who ran looked a lot like me. The judge said “Son, what is your alibi? If you were somewhere else then you won't have to die”. I spoke not a word although it meant my life, I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife. She walks these hills in a long black veil, she visits my grave where the night winds wail. Nobody knows, no, and nobody sees, nobody knows but me.

The sky froze high and eternity neared. She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear, but sometimes at night when the cold wind moans, in a long black veil she cries over my bones.


8. Chest fever.

I know she's a tracker, any scarlett would back her. They say she's a chooser, ooh, but I just can't refuse her, she was just there, but then she can't be here no more. And as my mind unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees. But just before she leaves, she receives.

She's been down in the dunes and she's dealt with the goons. Now she drinks from a bitter cup tryin' to get her to give it up. She was just here, I fear, she can't be here no more. And as my mind unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees. But just before she leaves, she receives.

It's a long, long when she's gone. I get weary holding on. Now I'm coldly, fading fast, I don't think I'm gonna last very much longer. “She's stoned”" said the Swede, and the moon calf agreed. I'm like a viper in shock, with my eyes in the clock. She was just there, somewhere, and here I am again. And as my mind unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees. But just before she leaves, she receives.


9. Lonesome Suzie.

Lonesome Suzie never got the breaks. She's always losing and so she sits and cries and shakes, it's hard just to watch her and if I touch her. Oh, poor Suzie, I'm wondering what to do. She just sits there hoping for a friend, I don't fit here but I may have a friend to lend. Maybe I mistook her but I can't overlook her. Must be someone who can pull her through.

Anyone who's felt that bad could tell me what to say, even if she just got mad she might be better off that way. And where is all the understanding? Her problems can't be that demanding, why is it she looks my way every time she starts to cry.

Lonesome Suzie, I can't watch you cry no longer, if you can use me until you feel a little stronger. I guess just watching you has made me lonesome too, why don't we get together, what else can we do?


10. This wheel’s on fire.

If your memory serves you well, we're going to meet again and wait, so I'm going to unpack all my things and sit before it gets too late. No matter what, we'll come to you with another tale to tell and you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well. Wheels on fire, rolling down the road, just notify my next of kin, this wheel shall explode.

If your memory serves you well, I was going to confiscate your lace and wrap it up in a sailor's knot and hide it in your case. If I knew for sure that it was yours, and it was oh so hard to tell and you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well.

If your memory serves you well, you'll remember that you're the one who called on them, to call on me, to get you your favours done. And after every plan had failed and there was nothing more to tell, and you know that we shall meet again, if your memory serves you well.


11. I shall be released.

They say everything can be replaced, they say every distance is not near. So I remember every face of every man who put me here. I see my light come shining, from the west down to the east, any day now, any day now, I shall be released.

They say every man needs protection, they say that every man must fall. Yet I swear I see my reflection, somewhere so high above this wall. Now yonder stands a man in this lonely crowd, a man who swears he's not to blame. All day long I hear him shouting so loud, just crying out that he was framed.

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Año: 1968.
Procedencia de la banda: Toronto (Ontario), Canadá.
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