Begin the Millennium Rhyme: Lyrics 1973-2017

by Eric K Richardson

Overview

Begin the Millennium Rhyme presents the author’s original song lyrics over five decades, at the end of the twentieth century, into the new millennium. Raised in the American West in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Richardson chronicles a personal narrative in 124 song lyrics, the internal and cultural shifts, tenor, and style of his era, reflecting the influences of folk-rock and Americana songwriting. His writing takes the reader on a journey of short stories in rhyme, of time and place. These crafted stories are married to rhythm and melody, as sung on guitar, solo, or performed in band arrangements and sound recordings.

This collection offers autobiographical and social observations of an American songwriter in the late twentieth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781458221483
Publisher:	Abbott Press
Publication date:	12/12/2017
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.48(d)

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

1970's

Love Is Winning

Time makes clear that love is winning I'm wondering why?
Friends say I'm a changed man since you said hello I suppose friends really ought to know,
A story told of suffering, we linger with the loss;
Time makes clear that love is winning I'm wondering? why, life's out of sight When the right one sees you tonight.

Time makes clear that love is winning I'm wondering why?
Tread, Tread

I asked my girl what she wanted to do,
But in the dark with groggy eyes,
I asked my girl what she wanted to feel And she wants tickets to a life that's real
And there's some unknown forces pounding down That can't be given names,
And there's some unknown forces pounding down That can't be given names,
Katie Wheeler

Katie Wheeler was a hardship case,
I caught her in a corner of my eye,
Katie Wheeler, KKK Katie Wheeler,
I had the money and she knew the place We drank our booze and cheers like we were in a race,

Through the mirrors of age I saw into her face the lines;
The Fox and the Goose would run to the top, on Poverty Hill It's too late to stop; I couldn't get my fill when things got hot and burned We grew refined, it fell apart, but it wasn't sad The end followed the start, so we drew deep breath and traded hearts for good.

Katie Wheeler, KKK Katie Wheeler,
Two years now have skipped on past I'm in a different town since I saw her last,
Round your neck?
It's Not Easy To Be This Free

There's a place in the faraway Northland A place you've never seen,
In the high Arctic Country, feel your senses come in tune Others have lived here before you and the oil it will follow soon;
Moving down the valley now the hunter comes to view;
Through the long winter's night, through the long winter's night.
Anchorage Bound

Rambling around, moving on down Come sing my song, well there ain't nothing wrong;
Come take my hand, don't make no plans We're leaving today for the sunshine,
So many years I've traveled alone, and now it's my time To step out of the cold; I've rambled and raved and it's a mistake The way I've behaved towards you; you, you,

The tears in your eyes they warn me, that you're gonna try To ignore me, Well kick it around, I'll be waiting uptown Or Anchorage bound in the morning, I'll be mourning,
Kicking Down The Streets

I'm running down this neighborhood, it just ain't for my health There's eyes starring out the window, now watch out for yourself;
Oh yeah, kicking down the streets of my hometown Oh yeah, kicking down the streets of my hometown

There's girls standing on the corner and she's asking for a light I walk past the tattoo parlors trying to put it down right;
Oh yeah, kicking down the streets of my hometown Oh yeah, kicking down the streets of my hometown Shade from the sun in a darkened room, grow up, go away, come back,
You say it's cause I'm 21 and I'm too young to know That I'll mature a little bit and won't feel so alone

Well I've seen the old get infantile and the younger ones get old,
Cardboard Highway Song

Walkin' down the highway, I've got cardboard in my shoes To fill the worn out places so the rainwater don't come through.
I still can't quite figure out just what you saw in him Was it his orangutan or just his jungle jim?
Well now that you are rid of me I hope you're satisfied With the way that he mistreats you with his beatings and his lies I ain't gonna say I told you so, it would all turn out this way I'm running out of cardboard, and I've got nothing left to say.

Former Friends And Lovers

Former friends and lovers, meeting once again Greeting once again for all to see.
Glassy eyes, the talker, she's the social butterfly Never could get by on her own, she's on her own.
Milky (High)Way

The young girl and the drifter left from California,
He said "Don't burn up your options,
The road bums turned philosophers And let intensity escape them.
Yeah it can.
He said "Don't burn up your options,
Wrap me up in Grandma's quilt, It's as cold as the stars are bright;
Here I Am 17 (Journey Through The Highland Green)

Here I am 17, 5,000 miles from home With a whole lotta wonder and a little bit scared Traveling on my own..
And it's a long way to travel when it's time to find yourself,
Desert boots are getting worn beating roadside for 20 miles Look what ya got yourself into boy, kicking rocks and wearing a smile.
Soaked to the skin, seems I just can't win, got ta get this body into some town.
Caledonia Highlands are such a sight to see Hear the bagpipes down in the valley marching(blowing) on through history;
All My Dead Friends

All my dead friends come talk to me On gentle terms as it should be,
And yes I guess we'll go back down and raise a little hell Before you leave town; for what it's worth our heads Bend to the sound, spring around and go again.

All my dead friends explained to me How love and death could set us free;
Ah but sing through yer blues;
And yes I guess we'll go back down and raise a little hell before you leave town; for what it's worth our heads bend to the sound, spin 'round and go again.

Riverboat

The riverboat bore a daughter and he sent her down the line She was caught begging for her quarters the cops picked her up now she's doing time;
Her jailer slung his chains around, he had so many then he lost the key Riverboat scratched his eyes out, busted out of jail, now she's looking for me;
I've run into the jungle where mosquitoes ate my flesh Got lost on the equator, fought the gators and all the rest,
The riverboat bore a daughter and he sent her down the line She was caught begging for her quarters the cops picked her up now she's doing time;

Drug her through the mesquite and cactus till she began to grin,
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Begin the Millennium Rhyme"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Eric K. Richardson.
Excerpted by permission of Abbott Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

1970'S,
Love Is Winning, 1,
Tread, Tread, 2,
Katie Wheeler, 4,
It's Not Easy To Be This Free, 7,
Anchorage Bound, 8,
Kicking Down The Streets, 9,
Cardboard Highway Song, 10,
Former Friends And Lovers, 11,
Milky (High)Way, 12,
Here I Am 17 (Journey Through The Highland Green), 14,
All My Dead Friends, 16,
Riverboat, 17,
More Than Laugh, 18,
Ex-Old Man, 19,
Falling Blue, 20,
Cranberry Jam, 21,
Total Obscuration, 22,
Four Seconds Later, 23,
Sounds Is Getting Louder, 24,
North Alaska Way, 25,
Cutting Up A Little Slice Of Life, 26,
Eloise, 27,
I'm Not Going To Work Today, 29,
You're Dead On Rock And Roll, 30,
1980'S,
Harvest, 35,
Little Aches And Pains, 36,
Song For A Feel, 38,
People's Choice, 39,
Under The Impression, 41,
Morning Blue, 43,
Goat Roast Blues, 45,
Snowshoe Racer, 46,
Six Figures, 47,
Middle Ages, 48,
Love, Peace And You, 49,
Memo From Eagle Lake, 50,
Three Long Rows, 51,
Esperanca, 53,
Eyes Of Age (Nothing But Love), 54,
Remembering, 55,
Hot Day August, 56,
Ashley Marie, 57,
Eagle Lake, 58,
Slow Ye Down, 60,
You've Left Me Hangin' Too, 61,
1990'S,
Grange Hall Girl, 65,
The One I've Come To See, 67,
Walk Away, 69,
Chester, 71,
In My Opinion, 73,
Murmurs Of A Songwriter, 74,
Reno In The Rearview Mirror, 75,
Angel On The Town, 76,
Jewel, 77,
Rivers Of Joy, 78,
Steppin' Out, 79,
Third World Girl, 80,
The Longest Time, 83,
Tie Up The Rain (With A Bow), 84,
A Long Ways From Home (Chicago), 85,
Coo Coo And The Mole, 86,
Pop Daddy, 87,
El Nino High Water Waltz, 88,
Cal-Vada, 89,
Father, 90,
Central Valley Boyz, 92,
After I Retire, 93,
Five Shades From Nowhere, 94,
I Brake For Jesus, 95,
Warning Sign, 96,
Blue Is The Color (Of This Life), 97,
2000'S,
Old Mexico, 103,
My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own, 104,
Six String Love, 106,
Prairie Town, 107,
Rebel Around, 108,
Undecided Voter, 110,
Spine Highway, 111,
Sweet On Her, 113,
Primordial Ooze Blues, 114,
Swami Beach, 115,
Yogananda, 116,
Gone On, 117,
Would You Like To Dance?, 120,
A Little Break, 121,
Jane, 122,
Coral, 123,
Quake of '02, 124,
Beige Age, 126,
Embracing The Blues, 127,
Bring It On, 128,
Curious Love, 129,
The Ballad Of Alice Hall, 130,
Fall Away, 132,
Come Down Sweet Angel, 133,
Presents Under The Tree, 134,
Rumor Has It, 135,
Hold My Soul, 136,
Middle East Outer West, 138,
Not Too Far, 139,
No More Matter of Fact, 140,
Big Water, Big Wind, 141,
We've Had A Life, 142,
2010 - 2017,
I Will Miss, 147,
Livin' On The Edge, 148,
2:14, 149,
What Would You Have Me Do?, 150,
Unrequited Love, 151,
Blind, Deaf, and Dumbstruck in Love with You, 152,
When You Get That Way, 154,
Limelight's Edge, 155,
Resplendent, 157,
BK, 158,
Winter Blues, 159,
Scars And Stripes, 160,
The Day will Come Kim Jung Un, 162,
Love And Complication, 164,
Roastin', 165,
Red Red Rain, 168,
Nonetheless, 170,
The Bible And The Gun, 171,
Running Days, 173,
Since The 49er Days, 174,
We Disappear, 176,