Album Notes

Political, emotional, spiritual, edgy, hopeful, spirited, inspired, mystical, thought-provoking, a living contradiction, Americana, consisting of styles using shades of country/rock/folk/blues and gospel.

The Mystic Cowboys is an eclectic group of various artists spanning a couple of decades and always led by the tunesmith, Dan Johnson. If you like most of what's playing endlessly on the current radio charts, you'll probably hate this original stuff.

Following are the lyrics for this CD:

***No Johnsonville
There’s a crazy man screamin outta here
On sleepless nights and full of beer
There ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

In your sleep there is no rain
Out west there’s no corn or grain
Ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

Tell me you’re on hallowed ground
But the Big Muddy’s goin’ down
Who the hell’s gonna float your boat
He’s turning green at the Palace Lounge
Somebody get him outta town
Ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

Sitting Bull hears your prayers
But he ain’t moved by yellow hairs
And there ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

In a covered wagon or a covered grave
In the 7th Cavalry or a warrior brave
There ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

Tell me you’re on hallowed ground
But the Big Muddy’s goin’ down
Who the hell’s gonna float your boat
He’s turning green at the Palace Lounge
Somebody get him outta town
Ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

Tears are fallin in his sleep
Big muddy ain’t getting deep
Ain’t no way to get him back to Johnsonville

***Slow Children
Waitin for the day to pass
Ain’t goin nowhere I’m out of gas
Don’t want to hear of war today
Slow children at play

If I had a dollar bill
I’d run on up the hill
Have me a drink today
Slow children at play

I’ll take off my workin’ cap
Grab my girl and take a nap
We might roll in the hay
Slow children at play

Let’s plan a jig and shake a dance
Moonlight gives us a chance
To laugh all our cares away
Slow children at play

Glide and me we got the groove
We don’t hardly have to move
Smoke a ham or smoke a jay
Slow children at play

Mi and Chuck are cookin’ in
It’s cold outside but warm within
Let the chips fall where they may
Slow children at play

Waitin for the day to pass
Ain’t goin nowhere I’m out of gas
Don’t want to hear of war today
Slow children at play

Waitin for the day to pass
Ain’t goin nowhere I’m out of gas
Don’t want to hear of war today
Slow children at play

***Bluebird Offer
Break the door and take me on down the road
I’m broken now so take me on down the road
The bluebird offered up his wings
I understand him now when he sings
Break the door and take me on down the road
I’m broken now so take me on down the road

On a Japanese guitar I bought down in Omaha
I wrote me a song that got me out of Omaha
The bluebird offered up his wings
I understand him now when he sings
On a Japanese guitar I bought down in Omaha
I wrote me a song that got me out of Omaha

So break the door and take me on down the road
I’m broken now so take me on down the road

***Jesus’ Promise
When a rose drops its petals
And they fall to the ground
They change and become one with the earth
But they’re still around

I know that you think of me
When you come to this place
Feel the wind and touch the grass
As if it were my face

I was there when your mama cried
Callin’ out your name
And I was there when your daddy tried
To cheer you through a losing game
I’ll be there in the evening air
When you’re thinking about me
I’ll be there
I’ll be there
I’ll be there in the evening air
When you’re thinking about me

So let your tears mix with the rain
There’s nothin’ wrong with that
Don’t cuss the clouds or the wind
Remember where I’m at

I was there when your mama cried
Callin’ out your name
And I was there when your daddy tried
To cheer you through a losing game
I’ll be there in the evening air
When you’re thinking about me
I’ll be there
Oh I’ll be there
You know I’ll be there in the evening air
When you’re thinking about me

***An Early Grave
The simple life belongs to the young
When the sweet songs roll off your tongue
Don’t it seem all the good, fearless and brave
All end up in an early grave

I swim at the river and I swim alone
My thoughts and prayers are smooth and hard as stone
Don’t it seem all the good, fearless and brave
All end up in an early grave

I’m as hard as an old oak tree
The bark and the leaves are fallin’ off of me
Don’t it seem all the good, fearless and brave
All end up in an early grave

***Barbwire Heart
There’s barbwire around your heart
You’re pushin’ us so far apart
I can’t find my way back to you

Times can change when you cannot
Some forget but I will not
Even if I can’t find my way back to you

Let the world know I was your man
Even if they don’t understand why I left you

Let the world know I was your man
Even if they can’t understand why I left you

There’s barbwire around your heart
You’re pushin’ us so far apart
I can’t find my way back to you

***Troubadour
Troubadour I heard you’re headed for the sea
Troubadour is there a place out there for me
Troubadour, Troubadour you sing of love and war

Troubadour is there Irish in your veins
I’m native blood can I ride with you across the plains
Troubadour, Troubadour do you sing of home any more

Troubadour was your true love left behind
Do sad songs bring her to your mind
Troubadour, Troubadour you’re headed for a distant shore

Troubadour do you sometimes sing off key
Troubadour it’s the same thing for me

***That’s Love
Unpredictable you can’t guess which way it runs
Invisible like mist in the morning sun
Irresistible like the best thing you ever ate
Unbelievable it comes so close to hate

That’s love
That’s love
That’s love
That’s love

It’s unattainable the stars are sometimes as near
Unquenchable can’t feed it or soak it in beer
But desirable if it flames try to stand clear
Unbreakable that’s the way we talk around here

That’s love
That’s love
That’s love
Hanny says
That’s love

***Daddy Git Yer Gun
She said he only comes around about twice a year
It’s his anger that you should fear
Don’t ever do me even slightly wrong
I taught my Daddy this little song

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

She said I’m kind of a Daddy’s girl
But boy I’m willing to rock your world
Love me soft and love me long
But remember I taught Daddy my little song

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

Daddy git yer gun
Git yer gun
git yer gun
Daddy git yer gun
git yer gun
git yer gun Daddy

She said he only comes around about twice a year
It’s his anger that you should fear

***A Good Soldier
It’s been a long ride for a good soldier
But he don’t complain
His dressing’s dirty on his belly
And it’s hot ridin’ on that plane

His mama’s gonna cry when she sees him
She don’t know he won’t be walkin’

It’s been a long ride from Baghdad
Purple is his heart
Friendly fire? A guessing game
The night was comin’ apart

His mama’s gonna cry when she sees him
She don’t know he won’t be walkin’
It’s been a long ride for a good soldier
But he don’t complain

It’s been a long ride for a good soldier
But he don’t complain

***Without The Memories
There’s a time in your life
When every cloud brings rain
And yesterday’s rainbows
Can’t bring light to your pain
And you fumble with the future
And forget menial tasks
You can’t answer simple questions
A good friend asks

Are you sleeping at night
The question sounds a little formal
How’s everybody doin’
Is it all back to normal
Man you’re just prayin’
That one fine day
Your pain will soften
Without the memories goin’ away

I’m prayin’ for you
So that one fine day
Your pain will soften
Without the memories goin’ away

***No Perspective
There’s a lighthouse at the harbor
Looks like a candle from the sea
And seems the moon overhead
Is a yellow lantern to me
Those great mountains in the distance
You can paint on a canvas 4X4
All the big things they seem small now
I’ve no perspective anymore

I have a lock of your hair
I hold to the sunshine in the wind
To me it looks like a wheat field
That goes on and on without end
Your cat looks like a lion
On the living room floor
All the small things seem big now
I’ve no perspective anymore
I’ve no perspective anymore

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