Get all 6 Vicki Lawrence releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Don't Stop The Music, Your Lies, Newborn Woman, Love In The Hot Afternoon, Ships in the Night, and The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia.
1. |
||||
|
He was on his way home from Candletop,
Been two weeks gone, and he'd thought he'd stop,
At Web's and have him a drink 'fore he went home to her.
Andy Warlord said: "Hello."
He said "Hi. What's doing?"
Wo said: "Sit down, I got some bad news and it's gonna hurt."
He said: "I'm your best friend, and you know that's right,
But your young bride ain't home tonight.
Since you've been gone, she's been seeing that Amos boy, Seth."
Now he got mad, and he saw red.
Andy said: "Boy, don't you lose your head,
'Cause to tell you the truth, I've been with her myself."
Chorus:
That's the night that the lights went out in Georgia
That's the night that they hung an innocent man
Well, don't trust your soul to no back woods Southern lawyer
'Cause the judge in the town's got bloodstains on his hands
Well Andy got scared, and left the bar,
Walking on home, 'cause he didn't live far.
You see, Andy didn't have many friends,
And he just lost him one.
Brother thought his wife must've left town,
So he went home and finally found,
The only thing papa had left him, and that was a gun.
He went off to Andy's house,
Slipping through the back woods quiet as a mouse.
Came upon some tracks too small for Andy to make.
He looked through the screen at the back porch door,
And he saw Andy lying on the floor,
In a puddle of blood, and he started to shake.
Georgia patrol was making their rounds,
So he fired a shot just to flag them down.
A big-bellied sheriff grabbed his gun and said "Why'd you do it?"
Judge said guilty on a make-believe trial,
Slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile,
And said: "Supper's waiting at home, and I gotta get to it."
Repeat Chorus
Well, they hung my brother before I could say,
The tracks he saw while on his way,
To Andy's house and back that night were mine.
And his cheating wife had never left town,
That's one body that'll never be found.
You see, little sister don't miss when she aims her gun.
Repeat Chorus and fade
|
||||
2. |
Mr. Allison
02:43
|
|||
|
Won't you come on in?
Sit down in the den
Here's some mail that came for you
Love letters from your friend
Dumb of her to send them here, but worse
Didn't she know I would see them first
Still they remain the same
No, I didn't read her name
There were times I wanted to
It drove me half insane
Wouldn't do no good to know who she is
'Cause I got my hands full just to keep my wits
So hold your head up, Mr. Allison
Just look at me and say
That you don't need me like yesterday
Then you can go to her, Mr. Allison
And not a word I'll say
What puzzles me so
Is the places that you go
Don't know why I brought up
'Cause I really don't want to know
Now you say
She didn't mean a thing to you
And just last night you told her you were through
I thought you'd say that, Mr. Allison
And that your memory of me was so strong
That you couldn't go along
Just couldn't go through with her, Mr. Allison
And you had to come home
What's the matter with me?
Well, it's been a lonely week
I guess I need to go to bed
'Cause I really have missed my sleep
Why the turn-away tear and what's wrong?
Oh, I see you want to come along
So hold your hand out, Mr. Allison
I can bend, so I will mend
There's a little of you in every man
I understand you, Mr. Allison, welcome home
Welcome home
|
||||
3. |
||||
|
I heard he sang a good song
I heard he had a style
And so I came to see him
To listen for a while
And there he was this young boy
A stranger to my eyes
Chorus:
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
I felt all flushed with fever
Embarrassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters
And read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish
But he just kept right on
Repeat Chorus
He sang as if he knew me
In all my dark despair
And then he looked right through me
As if I wasn't there
But he just kept on singing
Singing clear and strong
Repeat Chorus twice
Strumming my pain
Oh, he was singing my life...
|
||||
4. |
Sensual Man
02:41
|
|||
|
You play your tune on me
Like no one ever played before
Touching every chord in me
Then leave me begging you for more
Traces of your touch stay warm inside my mind
And late at night I toss and turn
From wanting you I start to yearn
Sensual man
You build up in me a desire
Much stronger than the sun
I shouldn't be playing with fire
But into the burning flame I run
You make me love you
Like the world is coming to an end
And when I'm through, my love
I don't want the world to start again
But I belong to him, so all that I can do
While he's loving me I close my eyes
And I pretend I'm loving you
Sensual man
You build up in me a desire
Much stronger than the sun
I shouldn't be playing with fire
But into the burning flame I run
You build up in me a desire
Much stronger than the sun
I shouldn't be playing with fire
But into the burning flame I run
|
||||
5. |
Little Green Apples
03:17
|
|||
|
And I wake up in the morning
With my hair down in my eyes and he says "Hi"
And I stumble to the breakfast table
While the kids are going off to school, "Goodbye"
And he reaches out and takes my hand
Squeezes it, says "How you feeling, hon?"
And I look across at smiling lips
That warm my heart and see my morning sun
And if that's not loving me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And when my self is feeling low
I think about his face aglow and ease my mind
Sometimes I call him up at home knowing he's busy
And ask if he could get away and meet me
And maybe we could grab a bite to eat
Don't you know that he drops what he's doing
And hurries down to meet me and I'm always late
And he sits waiting patiently
And smiles when he first sees me, 'cause he's made that way
And if that's not loving me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
There's no such thing as make-believe
Puppy dogs, autumn leaves, no BB guns
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis...
|
||||
6. |
He Did With Me
02:30
|
|||
|
Look at you, girl
Walking down the street
For all the world to see
And if it seems you walk on air
Well, who wouldn't be?
You're closer to your brand new love
With every step you take
And I can almost tell you
Every little move he'll make
Chorus:
Does he hold you
Till you're sleeping softly every night?
Does he wake you with a kiss
To share the morning light?
And when he loves you, does he close his eyes
And reach for you each time you rise?
Has he told you yet he'll never set you free?
He did with me
I used to smile at how he'd leave
His clothes all scattered on the floor
And leave the shower running
And forget to close the door
The way he said each Sunday
Let's have breakfast here in bed
And all the toast that used to burn
While we'd make love instead
Repeat Chorus until fade
|
||||
7. |
||||
|
Remember when I saw you standing
Slightly crying and empty-handed
With no one that you could call your own
Looking up to something somewhere
Praying for life with no despair
Begging that the world leave you alone
Well, I guess I shouldn't have butted in
But it looked as though you could use a friend
And I'd lost one myself and was looking about
Remember it was kind of crazy
I held my hand out; you took it, baby
And for a while we helped each other out
Remember how I dried every tear that you cried
And I gave you love to trust beyond a doubt
Whenever I was down
You made me laugh, brought me around, baby
For a while we helped each other out
Then early one day in the morning sun
That time came we knew would come
When in our hearts, there was love no more
I guess we're just two of that kind
That look for love, but never find
The love in mind that we were looking for
But I'll always have a warm spot for you
'Cause at one time I adored you
And if I pass this way again, I'll shout
It may be a year before I come through
But when I do, I'll call on you
'Cause at one time we helped each other out
It may be a year before I come through
But when I do, I'll call on you
'Cause at one time we helped each other out
|
||||
8. |
It Could Have Been Me
02:52
|
|||
|
Organ music softly playing
Sounds of people's whispers saying
"She's a pretty bride; you're such a lucky man"
I smile and blink the tears away
And find the proper words to say
While aching with the pain they just can't understand
It could have been me
Wearing that dress of white
It could have been me
Holding you close tonight
It could have been me
Giving your children life
Why can't it be me who'll be your wife?
Now we're all gathered together
You vow your love for worse or better
Lift her veil and kiss her with a tender glow
Then leading her back up the aisle
I try to meet your eyes and smile
But all the time my heart is breaking so
It could have been me
Wearing that dress of white
It could have been me
Holding you close tonight
It could have been me
Giving your children life
Why can't it be me who'll be your wife?
They toast the lovely bride and groom
And as you leave the noisy room
They say that it's my turn to catch the bride's bouquet
And as the crowd goes streaming past
And someone says "He's hers at last"
I hold my pretty flowers and slowly walk away
It could have been me
Wearing that dress of white
It could have been me
Holding you close tonight
It could have been me
Giving your children life
Why can't it be me who'll be your wife?
|
||||
9. |
Dime A Dance
02:18
|
|||
|
I came to the city cause the folks back home
Thought I was pretty enough to make it
They bought me a ticket on a star-bound greyhound
I was on my way
But I landed in a dance hall
Part time money was all I could make
Saying hey mister, take a chance
It only costs you a dime a dance
And if you're looking for romance
I'll be nice to you
Hey mister, it's so cold
When you don't have someone to hold
I'll do anything I'm told to do
Baby, I want you
At the time he was living with his wife and kids
She wasn't giving him the love he needed
He poured out his troubles at the Sleepwell Motel
As I poured the wine
He said that he was gonna marry me
If she'd only let him go
So a worn-out promise
And a party gown keeps me in this town
Saying hey mister, take a chance
It only costs you a dime a dance
And if you're looking for romance
I'll be nice to you
Hey mister, it's so cold
When you don't have someone to hold
I'll do anything I'm told to do
Baby, I want you
|
||||
10. |
||||
|
I was born in the wagon of a traveling show
Mama used to dance for the money they'd throw
Papa would do whatever he could
Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of doctor good
Chorus:
Gypsies, tramps, and thieves
We'd hear it from the people of the town
They'd call us gypsies, tramps, and thieves
And every night
All the men would come around and lay their money down
We picked up a boy just south of mobile
Gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal
I was sixteen, he was twenty-one
Drove with us to Memphis
And papa would've shot him if he knew what he'd done
Repeat Chorus
I never had schooling but he taught me well
With his smooth southern style
Three months later I'm a gal in trouble
And I haven't seen him for a while
Oh, no, I haven't seen him for a while
She was born in the wagon of a traveling show
Mama had to dance for the money they'd throw
Grandpa'd do whatever he could
Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of doctor good
Repeat Chorus
|
||||
11. |
How You Gonna Stand It
03:28
|
|||
|
And you just pulled in your driveway
And you get out of your car
And the next-door neighbor's Collie
Stomps across the big backyard
And it looks a little different now
When you know it's missing love
And everyone knows how you feel
And no one really does
Baby, how you gonna stand it?
How you gonna live
When there's no one left to live for
And there's no love left to give?
When there's no one to put in with you
Like I did for so long
Baby, how you gonna stand it when I'm gone?
Don't forget to taste the wine, love
While your young and it's still warm
Don't forget your sense of humor
In the sunshine and the storm
Don't forget to give the world a smile
As it goes passing by
Don't forget to hide your face, love, when you cry
Baby, how you gonna stand it?
How you gonna live
When there's no one left to live for
And there's no love left to give?
When there's no one to put in with you
Like I did for so long
Baby, how you gonna stand it when I'm gone?
You could call them up and have a party
Everybody knows that parties end
Then who will sit with you after the party?
You're gonna find no one's that good a friend
And at four o'clock some morning
When the silence wakes your mind
And your eyes see something in the room
That I have left behind
And it's too early then to call a friend
So you got to sit alone
And reality confronts you that I'm not coming home
Baby, how you gonna stand it?
Who you gonna call when the memories surround you
From the bedroom to the hall
When there's no one there to cling to you like I did for so long
Baby, how you gonna stand it?
How you gonna stand it?
How you gonna stand it when I'm gone?
|
||||
Vicki Lawrence Inglewood, California
Vicki Lawrence is an American actress, comedian, and pop singer known for the many characters she originated on The Carol Burnett Show, where she appeared from 1967 to 1978, for the entire series run. One such character, "The Family" matriarch Mrs.Thelma Harper, later was the central character of the television situation comedy series Mama's Family on NBC and, later, in first-run syndication. ... more
If you like Vicki Lawrence, you may also like:
A bike accident left vocalist McIntyre-Bader with 2 broken elbows, but inspired new, expansive, folksy pop.
go to album
Avant-garde pop with soulful and colorful psychedelic influences sounds like nothing else you'll hear today.
go to album
Exclusive top-drawer album that sways from funky beat driven folk to spaced out and dreamy pop.
go to album
featured on Bandcamp Radio May 21, 2013
go to album
The debut album from Maria Basel is electronic-tinged chamber pop centered around the artist's gorgeous piano playing.
go to album
All Those Things I Thought I Knew
by emzae
Singer-songwriter and producer's debut album is filled with '90s and Y2K-era influenced pop tracks.
go to album
A snarky dispatch from NYC's downtown underbelly that skewers hipster lotharios, malicious models, and other indie-sleaze tropes.
go to album
