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American Recordings
by Johnny Cash
ALBUM RANKINGS:
Ratings and rankings are based on all available critic reviews and awards.
Overall Rating:
3.5524
Avg. Critic Score:
3.8000
American Recordings Lyrics
Lyrics
Disc
Track
Title
- Delia, oh, Delia Delia all my life
- If I hadn't have shot poor
- Delia I'd have had her for my wife
- Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone
- I went up to Memphis
- And I met Delia there Found her in her parlor
- And I tied to her chair
- Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone
- She was low down and trifling
- And she was cold and mean
- Kind of evil make me want to Grab my sub machine
- Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone
- First time I shot her I shot her in the side
- Hard to watch her suffer
- But with the second shot she died
- Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone
- But jailer, oh, jailer Jailer,
- I can't sleep 'Cause all around my bedside
- I hear the patter of Delia's feet
- Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone
- So if you woman's devilish
- You can let her run
- Or you can bring her down and do her
- Like Delia got done
- Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone
- I don't want no aggravation
- When my train has left the station
- If you're there or not,
- I may not even know
- Have a round and remember
- Things we did that weren't so tender
- Let the train blow the whistle when I go
- On my guitar sell tickets
- So someone can finally pick it
- And tell the girls down at the Ritz
- I said hello
- Tell the gossipers and liars
- I will see them in the fire
- Let the train blow the whistle when I go
- Let her blow, let her blow
- Long and loud and hard and happy
- Let her blow No regrets, all my debts will be paid
- When I get laid Let her blow, let her blow, let her blow
- You'll be left without excuses
- For the evils and abuses
- Down to today from years and years ago
- And have yourself another toke
- From my basket full of smoke
- And let the train blow the whistle when I go
- Let her blow, let her blow
- Long and loud and hard and happy
- Let her blow No regrets, all my debts will be paid
- When I get laid Let her blow, let her blow, let her blow
- The beast in me Is caged by frail and fragile bars Restless by day And by night rants and rages at the stars God help the beast in me
- The beast in me Has had to learn to live with pain And how to shelter from the rain And in the twinkling of an eye Might have to be restrained God help the beast in me
- Sometimes it tries to kid me That it's just a teddy bear And even somehow manage to vanish in the air And that is when I must beware Of the beast in me that everybody knows They've seen him out dressed in my clothes Patently unclear It it's New York or New Year God help the beast in me
- The beast in me
- I got a friend named Whiskey Sam
- He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam
- He said is my country just a little off track
- Took 'em twenty-five years to welcome me back
- But, it's better than not coming back at all
- Many a good man
- I saw fall And even now,
- every time I dream I hear the men
- and the monkeys in the jungle scream
- Drive on, don't mean nothin'
- My children love me , but they don't understand
- And I got a woman who knows her man
- Drive on, don't mean nothin', drive on
- I remember one night,
- Tex and me Rappelled in on a hot L.Z.
- We had our 16's on rock and roll
- But, with all that fire,
- was scared and cold
- We were crazy, we were wild
- And I have seen the tiger smile
- I spit in a bamboo viper's face
- And I'd be dead , but by God's grace
- Drive on, don't mean nothin'
- My children love me, but they don't understand
- And I got a woman who knows her man
- Drive on, don't mean nothin', drive on
- It was a real slow walk in a real sad rain
- And nobody tried to be John Wayne
- I came home, but Tex did not
- And I can't talk about the hit he got
- I got a little limp now when
- I walk Got a little tremolo when
- I talk But my letter read from Whiskey Sam
- You're a walkin' talkin' miracle from Vietnam
- Drive on, don't mean nothin'
- My children love me, but they don't understand
- And I got a woman who knows her man
- Drive on, don't mean nothin', drive on
- Why me Lord, what have I ever done
- To deserve even one Of the pleasures I've known Tell me Lord, what did I ever do That was worth loving you
- Or the kindness you've shown.
- Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so Help me Jesus I know what I am Now that I know that I've need you so Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.
- Tell me Lord, if you think there's a way I can try to repay All I've taken from you Maybe Lord, I can show someone else What I've been through myself On my way back to you.
- Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so Help me Jesus I know what I am Now that I know that I've need you so Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.
- Bad luck wind been blowing at my back
- I was born to bring trouble to wherever
- I'm at Got the number thirteen tattooed on my neck
- When the ink starts to itch, then the black will turn to red
- I was born in the soul of misery
- Never had me a name
- They just gave me the number when I was young
- Got a long line of heartache
- I carry it well
- The list of lives
- I've broken reach from here to hell
- Back luck been blowing at my back
- I pray you don't look at me, I pray I don't look back
- I was born in the soul of misery
- Never had me a name
- They just gave me the number when I was young
- I was born in the soul of misery
- Never had me a name
- They just gave me the number when I was young
- They just gave me the number when I was young
- Like a bird on a wire Like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free Like a fish on a hook Like a knight from an old fashioned book I have saved all my ribbons with thee
- And if I have been unkind I hope that you will just let it go by And if I have been untrue I hope you know it was never to you
- Like a baby stillborn Like a beast with his horn I have torn everyone who reached out for me
- But I swear by this song By all I have done wrong I'll make it all up to you
- I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch He called out to me " Don't ask for so much " And a young man leaning on his darkened door He cried out to me " Hey, why not ask for more "
- Like a bird on a wire Like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free
- Back about eighteen and twenty-five
- I left Tennessee very much alive
- I never would've made it through the Arkansas mud
- If I hadn't been riding on the Tennessee Stud
- Had some trouble with my sweetheart's Pa
- One of her brothers was a bad outlaw
- I wrote a letter to my Uncle Spud And
- I rode away on the Tennessee Stud
- On a Tennessee Stud
- The Tennessee Stud was long and lean
- The color of the sun and his eyes were green
- He had the nerve and he had the blood
- There never was a horse like Tennessee Stud
- Drifted on down into no man's land
- Across the river called the Rio Grande Raced my horse with the Spaniard's foe
- Til I got me a skin full of silver and gold
- Me and the gambler, we couldn't agree
- We got in a fight over Tennessee Pulled our guns and he fell with a thud
- And I rode away on a Tennessee Stud
- The Tennessee Stud was long and lean
- The color of the sun and his eyes were green
- He had the nerve and he had the blood
- There was never a horse like the Tennessee Stud
- I rode right back across Arkansas
- I whipped her brother and
- I whipped her Pa
- I found that girl with the golden hair
- She was riding on a Tennessee Mare
- Pretty little baby on the cabin floor
- Little horse colt playing round the door
- I loved the girl with the golden hair
- And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare
- The Tennessee Stud was long and lean
- The color of the sun and his eyes were green
- He had the nerve and he had the blood
- There was never a horse like the Tennessee Stud
- There's a place I know where the train goes slow
- Where the sinner can be washed in the blood of the lamb
- There's a river by the trestle down by sinner's grove
- Down where the willow and the dogwood grow
- You can hear the whistle, you can hear the bell
- From the halls of heaven to the gates of hell
- And there's room for the forsaken if you're there on time
- You'll be washed of all your sins and all of your crimes
- If you're down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there where the train goes slow
- There's a golden moon that shines up through the mist
- And I know that your name can be on that list
- There's no eye for an eye, there's no tooth for a tooth
- I saw Judas Iscariot carrying John Wilkes Booth
- He was down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- He was down there where the train goes slow
- If you've lost all your hope, if you've lost all your faith
- I know you can be cared for and I know you can be safe
- And all the shamefuls and all of the whores
- And even the soldier who pierced the side of the Lord Is down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there where the train goes slow
- Well, I've never asked forgiveness and I've never said a prayer
- Never given of myself, never truly cared
- I've left the ones who loved me and I'm still raising
- Cain I've taken the low road and if you've done the same
- Meet me down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there where the train goes slow
- Meet me down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there by the train
- Down there where the train goes slow
- From the hands it came down
- From the side it came down
- From the feet it came down
- And ran to the ground
- Between heaven and hell
- A teardrop fell In the deep crimson dew
- The tree of life grew
- And the blood gave life
- To the branches of the tree
- And the blood was the price
- That set the captives free
- And the numbers that came
- Through the fire and the flood Clung to the tree
- And were redeemed by the blood
- From the tree streamed a light
- That started the fight 'Round the tree grew a vine
- On whose fruit I could dine
- My old friend Lucifer came
- Fought to keep me in chains
- But I saw through the tricks
- Of six-sixty-six
- And the blood gave life
- To the branches of the tree
- And the blood was the price
- That set the captives free
- And the numbers that came
- Through the fire and the flood Clung to the tree
- And were redeemed by the blood
- From his hands it came down
- From his side it came down
- From his feet it came down
- And ran to the ground
- And a small inner voice Said "You do have a choice."
- The vine engrafted me
- And I clung to the tree
- With the twilight colors falling
- And the evening laying shadows
- Hidden memories come stealing from my mind
- As I feel my own heart beating out
- The simple joy of living
- I wonder how I ever was that kind
- But the wild road I was rambling
- Was always out there calling
- And they said a hundred times I should have died
- But now my present miracle
- Is that you're here beside me So,
- I believe they were roads that I was meant to ride
- Like a soldier getting over the war
- Like a young man getting over his crazy days
- Like a bandit getting over his lawless ways
- Every day is better than before
- I'm like a soldier getting over the war
- There were nights I don't remember
- And there's pain that I've forgotten
- Other things I choose not to recall
- There are faces that come to me
- In my darkest secret memory
- Faces that I wish would not come back at all
- In my dreams parade of lovers
- From the other times and places
- There's not one that matters now, no matter who
- I'm just thankful for the journey
- And that I've survived the battles
- And that my spoils of victory are you
- There once was a man who just couldn't cry
- He hadn't cried for years and for years
- Napalmed babies and the movie love story
- For instance could not produce tears
- As a child he had cried as all children will
- Then at some point his tear ducts ran dry
- He grew to be a man, the feces hit the fan
- Things got bad, but he couldn't cry
- His dog was run over, his wife up and left him
- And after that he got sacked from his job
- Lost his arm in the war, was laughed at by a whore
- Ah, but sill not a sniffle or sob
- His novel was refused, his movie was panned
- And his big Broadway show was a flop
- He got sent off to jail; you guessed it, no bail
- Oh, but still not a dribble or drop
- In jail he was beaten, bullied and buggered
- And made to make license plates
- Water and bread was all he was fed
- But not once did a tear stain his face
- Doctors were called in, scientists, too
- Theologians were last and practically least
- They all agreed sure enough; this was sure no cream puff
- But in fact an insensitive beast
- He was removed from jail and placed in a place
- For the insensitive and the insane
- He played lots of chess and made lots of friends
- And he wept every time it would rain
- Once it rained forty days and it rained forty nights
- And he cried and he cried and he cried and he cried
- On the forty-first day, he passed away
- He just dehydrated and died
- Well, he went up to heaven, located his dog
- Not only that, but he rejoined his arm
- Down below, all the critics, they loot it all back
- Cancer robbed the whore of her charm
- His ex-wife died of stretch marks, his ex-employer went broke
- The theologians were finally found out
- Right down to the ground, that old jail house burned down
- The earth suffered perpetual drought
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