The Steel Woods ft. Lindi Ortega - The Secret

 

In the beginning
I was alone but I was free
To roam the earth
All the land and the seas
Now I sit here cursed
Underneath this tree
Starring at a half-eaten apple

It was the secret
She whispered in my ear
The darkness in her heart
She didn't want the world to hear
And when it all fell apart
It was her lips I should've feared
Not the viper in the garden

She said, Satan is a woman
It's not the snake, it was me
That sent that man to hell
Crawling on his knees
And time tells all
So, brother, do believe
That the Devil ain't no dragon
No the Devil ain't no dragon 

 

The Steel Woods - Southern Accents

 

There's a southern accent
Where I come from
The young'uns call it country
And the yankees call it dumb
I got my own way of talkin'
But everything gets done
With a southern accent
Where I come from

Now that drunk tank in Atlanta
Was just a motel room to me
I think I might go work Orlando
If the orange groves don't freeze
I got my own way of working
But everything is run
With a southern accent
Where I come from

For just a minute there, I was dreaming
For just a minute it was all so real
For just a minute she was standing there with me

There's a dream that I keep having
Where my mama comes to me
And kneels down by the window
And says a prayer for me
I got my own way of praying
But every prayer's begun
With a southern accent
Where I come from

I got my own way of talkin'
But everything gets done
With a southern accent
Where I come from 

 

The Steel Woods - The Well

 

Please let me drink a sip from the well of your life
Friend, mine is all but fools
I've seen the world, yeah but I've seen the ending too
And it don't quench my thirst like it does for you

I looked at my life like there was a mountain to climb
And you lived yours like all honest men do
Well I took off to find myself
I got lost and it sure feels swell
To call this place home again, not like it does for you

And I know
The side of the fence that you've only dreamed of
And you know
That you've got me beat with a family that needs you
Well, pull up a seat
If you've got the time
Listen to me think
I bet we'll find
A piece of common ground that we both can stand on

They say there's two fires, two sides to every man's soul
And who knows how we choose?
But we do and we burn. Some wild, and some tame
I've learned the purpose of the flame, well, it's up to you

And I know
The side of the fence that you've only dreamed of
And you know
That you've got me beat with a family that needs you
Well, pull up a seat
If you've got the time
Listen to me think
I bet we'll find
A piece of common ground that we both can stand on

And I know
The side of the fence that you've only dreamed of
But you know
That you've got me beat with a family that needs you
Well, pull up a seat
If you've got the time
Listen to me think
I bet we'll find
A piece of common ground that we both can stand on

Please let me drink a sip from the well of your life
Tell me all about it, man, until I am full 

 

The Steel Woods - Straw In The Wind (Again & Again)

 

He rode in from the west with an eye for a dollar to make
He pitched us a sale about healing and oil from a snake
The barkeep, he warned him, but the man did not comprehend
How strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind

Too young, but in love when she met him in some northern town
He treated her good 'til the sun and the whiskey went down
Did the bruise on her face test the patience of all of her kin?
Or do strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind?

Ol' Jim runs his mouth when he drinks since his wife passed away
But he's good to the kids and the crops that he sells are fair trade
But a travelin' man heard enough and took a pipe to his chin
That traveling man disappeared like straw in the wind

If the mouth of this river could talk, here's what it would say:
"If you come here with good in your heart, you'll be on your way
"But I'm not the one here who judged another man's sin
"Or made strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind"
Strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind 

The Steel Woods - You Don’t Even Know Who I Am

 

She left the car in the driveway
She left the key in the door
She left the kids at her mama's
And the laundry piled up on the floor
She left the ring on the pillow
Right where it wouldn't be missed
She left a note in the kitchen
Right next to the grocery list

It said: You don't even know who I am
You left me a long time ago
You don't even know who I am
So what do you care if I go

He left the ring on the pillow
He left the clothes on the floor
And he called her to say he was sorry
Oh but he couldn't remember what for
He said I've been doin' some thinking
I'm thinking that maybe you're right
Cause I go to work in the morning
And I come home to you every night

And you don't even know who I am
You left me a long time ago
You don't even know who I am
So what do I care if you go

No you don't even know who I am
Oh you left me a long time ago
No you don't even know who I am
So what do you care if I go
Oh, what do I care if you go 

 

The Steel Woods - Straw In The Wind (Up!)

 

He rode in from the west with an eye for a dollar to make
He pitched us a sale about healing and oil from a snake
The barkeep, he warned him, but the man did not comprehend
How strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind

Too young, but in love when she met him in some northern town
He treated her good 'til the sun and the whiskey went down
Did the bruise on her face test the patience of all of her kin?
Or do strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind?

Ol' Jim runs his mouth when he drinks since his wife passed away
But he's good to the kids and the crops that he sells are fair trade
But a travelin' man heard enough and took a pipe to his chin
That traveling man disappeared like straw in the wind

If the mouth of this river could talk, here's what it would say:
"If you come here with good in your heart, you'll be on your way
"But I'm not the one here who judged another man's sin
"Or made strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind"
Strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind 

The Steel Woods - Rock That Says My Name

 

I talk to the people that lie beneath these stones
Imagining they listen makes me feel less alone
I pick up the broken flowers, sometimes I dig a hole
Welcome in the new ones, introduce 'em to the old

I can use a chisel and polisher the same
I'll put anything you'd like to say under a name
I'll put on my suit, make sure my tie is straight
Lend a hand to the mourning, send the loved ones on their way

Well I ain't afraid to die 'cause I know where I'll go
There I'll live forever on the streets made of gold
'Til then I'll keep on working, you won't hear me complain
And every day I'll tip my hat to the rock that says my name

Well I hired on out of high school in 1968
My wife and I picked out a spot right up by the gate
It ain't much but every morning the sun shines on that ground
One of these days when I clock out, that's where I'm a-layin' down

Well I ain't afraid to die 'cause I know where I'll go
There I'll live forever on the streets made of gold
'Til then I'll keep on working, you won't hear me complain
And every day I'll tip my hat to the rock that says my name

Born in Alabama
Year 1-9-5-0
Throw the dirt on top of me
Sow the seeds and let it grow

Well I ain't afraid to die 'cause I know where I'll go
There I'll live forever on the streets made of gold
'Til then I'll keep on working, you won't hear me complain
And every day I'll tip my hat to the rock that says my name

Some day when I'm under it I hope you'll do the same
Stop by sometime, tip your hat to the rock that says my name

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth
Where moth and rust doth corrupt
And where thieves break through and steal
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt
And where thieves do not break through nor steal
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also 

 

The Steel Woods - The Man From Everywhere

 

I know how I got here
But I can't tell you why
And if I could
Neither one of us have got the time

I blame it on my habit
Blame my habit on the road
But my girl of 30 years
Said I'm just reaping what I've sowed

This old town is full of money
It's been pretty good to me
But by now the ground is gettin' kinda warm beneath my feet

No, I ain't in trouble
Not as far as I can tell
It's just the longer I sit still
The closer I can feel to hell

So I run and I hide
I see what I can find
But I'm never satisfied
Maybe I'm just bad at chasing dreams
All the good I've ever had's a memory
I can't pack it up so I just up and leave it there
The man from everywhere

Well, I started out in Georgia
It seemed like a pretty good place to leave
Everywhere I've been ever since then seems like it's leaving me

Oh, the sun will always find me
When I'm wakin' up with the moon
Singing yesterday's wine
Like tomorrow's lonely tune

And I'll run and I'll hide
I see what I can find
But I'm never satisfied
Maybe I'm just bad at chasing dreams
All the good I've ever had's a memory
I can't pack it up so I just up and leave it there
The man from everywhere

So I'll run and I'll hide
I see what I can find
But I'm never satisfied
Maybe I'm just bad at chasing dreams
All the good I've ever had's a memory
I can't pack it up so I just up and leave it there
The man from everywhere 

 

The Steel Woods - Straw In The Wind

 

He rode in from the west with an eye for a dollar to make
He pitched us a sale about healing and oil from a snake
The barkeep, he warned him, but the man did not comprehend
How strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind

Too young, but in love when she met him in some northern town
He treated her good 'til the sun and the whiskey went down
Did the bruise on her face test the patience of all of her kin?
Or do strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind?

Ol' Jim runs his mouth when he drinks since his wife passed away
But he's good to the kids and the crops that he sells are fair trade
But a travelin' man heard enough and took a pipe to his chin
That traveling man disappeared like straw in the wind

If the mouth of this river could talk, here's what it would say:
"If you come here with good in your heart, you'll be on your way
"But I'm not the one here who judged another man's sin
"Or made strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind"
Strangers 'round here disappear like straw in the wind