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I take pleasure, in the simple tastes of life.
And I treasure, twice, before I cut them with my knife.
I don't waste what I've got,
sliver or slice,
sliver or slice.
Make a sandwich, put some meat between some bread.
I might hand stitch, say, with a needle and a thread.
I don't waste what I've got,
leather or filet,
leather or filet.
bridge
I can't live a life that takes away from others.
I'd be living a lie if I stole from my brothers and sisters,
fathers and mothers, why even bother, why even bother,
why even bother.
Take a breath in, let the air fill your lungs.
Life and death friend, time, finds the old and the young.
So don't waste what you've got,
common or sublime,
common or sublime.
© 2004 Michael J. Richard
Excess Baggage
Got my bags, I'm ready to go.
Flight leaves a quarter to four.
Honey says "Excuse me, please...
you need that stuff in the tropical breeze?"
chorus
Excess baggage, leave it behind.
Excess baggage, get out of my mind.
Excess baggage, the very worst kind.
Excess baggage, I don't need mine.
Excess baggage, all my rages, leave 'em behind.
Why do I carry this crap around?
When all it's done is bring me down.
I brought here from my last lifetime.
It isn't worth a nickel or dime.
chorus
You know baby, you may be right.
I've been lugging these day and night.
They don't belong here, in our home.
I don't need them to travel and roam.
chorus
I'm feeling better, now it's in the trash.
I'm finished with that painful rehash.
It's just us, and our two backpacks.
We travel light, we don't look back.
chorus
© 1999 Michael J. Richard
Crossed The Mississippi
I crossed the Mississippi,
in my automobile.
I crossed the Mississippi,
in my automobile.
Didn't take but a minute,
behind the steerin' wheel.
They call it Big Muddy,
and why's, clear to me.
They call it Big Muddy,
it sure look good to me.
It never stops flowin',
on the way to the sea.
You got to me baby,
how much, you'll never know.
Crossed that muddy Mississippi,
fast as I could go.
You know, there's one thing that's clear,
I drive away from you,
like that muddy water.
that muddy water...
flow.
© 2005 Michael J. Richard
Lazy Heads
It's afternoon, we're sittin' outside,
lazy heads,
on the porch.
Leaves are all green, on long summer day,
we're laughin'
the hours away.
bridge
Don't have a care, have to be anywhere.
Few words spoken, but glances they're smokin'.
One small touch, I think I'm explodin'.
Insects abuzz, temperature's high,
birds singin'
'bout you and I.
© 2006 Michael J. Richard
Cash Cow
My butt's half off the bench.
my back's against the wall.
It's a reality pinch,
when you can't have it all.
I want a million dollars,
and I want it right now.
I'm tired of my squalor,
I want my own cash cow.
chorus
My own cash cow, she'll be a beauty.
She'll give me milk and money.
My own cash cow, she'll be on duty,
weather raining or sunny, my own cash cow.
I've got a stack of bills,
covering up my desk.
I take a bunch of pills,
to cope with all the stress.
I'd like a flush account,
that would make me say "wow!".
I'd pay you and amount,
to have my own cash cow.
chorus
bridge
I can see her now, my little cash cow.
In a dream she gave me gold and cream,
my little cash cow, moo-lah, my little cash cow.
My wallet's on a fast,
it's looking lean and thin.
It had money in the past,
now it's empty again.
To lead a life that's full,
don't need to hoe or plow.
So don't give me that bull,
I need my own cash cow.
out chorus
My own cash cow, she'll be a beauty.
She'll give me milk and money.
My own cash cow, she'll be on duty,
weather raining or sunny, my own cash cow.
My own cash cow, she'll be a cutie.
A real bovine honey, my own cash cow, moo-lah,
my own cash cow, moo-lah, my own cash cow.
© 2003 Michael J. Richard
Sittin', talkin', drinkin' that coffee.
Sittin', talkin', drinkin' that coffee..
With you, late at night.
With you-oo, late at night.
Intimate conversation, no hesitatin'.
Intimate conversation, no hesitatin'.
With you, late at night.
With you-oo, late at night.
Sensual, sexual, always emotional.
Sensual, sexual, always emotional.
With you, late at night.
With you-oo, late at night.
Sittin', talkin', drinkin' hot choc'late.
Sittin', talkin', drinkin' that coffee.
With you, late at night.
With you, late at night.
with you-oo,
you-oo,
you-oo,
late at night.
© 1999 Michael J. Richard
Camelback Pete
Walkin' along the top of the dune,
camels are groovin' to a humpity tune.
Movin' along to that bumpity beat,
being layed down smooth by Camelback Pete.
chorus
Hey, hey, Camelback Pete,
Hey, hey, he's the man with the beat.
Hey, hey, Camelback Pete,
Hey, hey, he's the man with the beat.
Hey, hey, Camelback Pete,
he's the one, he's the one for me.
Hey, hey.
Don't blink twice, it's no mirage,
it's just camels in camel camouflage.
Sneakin' along in that deserty heat,
Movin' along to that bumpity beat.
chorus
Late at night, down at the oasis,
jockey's are groovin' on guitar and basses.
Camels are dreamin' 'bout that bumpity beat,
being layed down smooth by Camelback Pete.
chorus
The very next day on top of the dune,
camels are groovin' to that humpity tune.
Movin' along to that bumpity beat,
being layed down smooth by Camelback Pete.
chorus
© 1998 Michael J. Richard & Fred W. Nethery
I Take You
I take you, ev'ry where I go.
I take you, in my mind and soul.
refrain
When you're not really with me,
you're always with me, you know.
I take you with me, in my mind and soul.
I see you, in my mind's eye.
I see you, waving goodbye.
refrain
bridge
I used to think bein' with someone
meant giving up on dreams.
You've helped silence
my inside screams.
And I no longer feel like
runnin' away,
ever since I met you,
I just gotta stay.
With you, ev'ry where I go.
I take you, in my mind and soul.
refrain
I see you,
in my mind's eye.
I see you,
waving hi.
refrain
When you're not really with me,
you're always with me, you know.
I take you with me,
in my mind and soul.
I take you with me,
in my mind and soul.
I take you with me,
in my mind and soul.
© 2006 Michael J. Richard
When I'm In That House
I've been out on the road, man what a view
Can only get better in a mile or two
When I see that house today, I won't be blue
When I see that house, I'm almost home to you
I drove all night to the mornin' sun
As the full moon sets, my trip is done
When I reach that house okay, I won't be blue
When I reach that house, I'll be home to you
bridge
Well, we built that house with our own four hands
Got a four poster bed and a baby grand
We painted it gray and the shutters blue
And that's where I make sweet love with you
Well, you're in the house baby, so don't be blue
You're in that house and I'm headed home to you
Oh, it feels so right bein' in your arms
Showerin' me with your lovin' charms
When I'm in that house that's gray, I won't be blue
When I'm in that house, I'm layin' next to you
I've been out on the road, man what a view
Can only get better in a mile or two
When I see that house that's gray, I won't be blue
When I see that house, I'm almost home to you
When I reach that house, I'll be home to you
When I'm in that house, I'm layin' next to you
© 2003 Michael J. Richard
Walk With The Spirits
I want to walk with the spirits,
over the sacred ground.
Don't need to fear it,
when they are around.
They're always around, yeah,
they're always around.
They guide me through life's canyons,
show me the holy way.
They're my steady companions,
ev'ry single day.
Ev'ry single day, yeah,
ev'ry single day.
bridge
Now some folks joke about invisible friends.
You know, they would choke if a spirit spoke to them.
Wispy as smoke, or solid as a wall.
A wizard in a cloak, or a giant ten feet tall.
Gotta listen to the spirits,
it's their words that heal.
Don't need to hear it,
what the soul can feel.
The soul can always feel, yeah,
the soul can always feel.
© 2004 Michael J. Richard