I keep dreaming

I need to dream

it's a problem I have

because no matter where I am

I can't be satisfied

I just can't help it

I need it so bad

it's a feeling inside me

that cannot be denied

          so I keep dreaming

          like a natural born fool

          I don't know what else to do

          'cause my dreams 

          always lead me back 

          to you

my story

hopefully I have some good years left

but you can never tell

I could fall off the highest mountain

or jump into a well

but I'm still out here trying

I can still live as myself

and hope that my story is not over

I don't remember much of childhood

but I got through it anyway

everything is still a blur

when it comes to younger days

so I'm out here making memories

what more can I say?

I'm hoping that my story is not over

          because there's so much to see

          friends that I don't know

          grant me just a little time

          we'll see how far I can go

          this planet is a great big world

          with lots of room to grow

          and still my story continues

each day is passing quickly

and old age is not a myth

and if you ask me what it's all about

I'll have to plead the fifth

but I still have the skills and tools

to spend my life with

I hope that my story is not over

          because there's so much to see

          friends that I don't know

          grant me just a little time

          to see how far I'll go

          this planet is a great big world

          with lots of room to grow

          and still my story continues

old man returning

I am an old man returning

to the secrets of my youth

back when my soul was burning

and I could see the truth

I am an old man returning

to the land of my home

it's the sweetest place I have ever known

I live inside my memories

today is not my friend

I cannot do what I please

I see hope growing thin

I live inside my memories

I cry sometimes and laugh

thinking about when I walked a straighter path

          oh, Lord, take me back

          when life was never wrong

          to the hometown of my childhood

          back where I belong

now I live in silence

I spend my days in fear

life has shown its violence

the end is drawing near 

now I live in silence

my future now has passed

I used to believe life would always last

I am an old man returning

to the scene of my youth

back when my soul was burning

and I could see the truth

I am an old man returning

to the land of my home

it's the sweetest place I have ever known

I forgive everyone

I am an old, old man

I live in a hospital bed

I'd rather be in the fatherland

but I'm here instead

now I'm crossing the final river

in a world hard and rough

I used to wish I could live forever

now I feel I've had enough

          but I have one thing to say

          before I see my setting sun

          I have reached the end of my days

          and I forgive everyone

I fought all the fights I found

I never ran afraid

my consequences knew the sound

of choices I have made

three children I have fathered

with my loving wife

I never yearned for anything other

I'm satisfied with my life

          now I have one thing to say

          at this time I can't outrun

          listen before I fade away

          I forgive everyone

          everything I've ever seen

          somehow became a part of me

          everything I've ever known

          has been welcome in my home

all those who have wronged me

I will not think of you now

my heart always belonged free

of the hate that time will allow

but I know before I go

my soul will live forever

I will fly swiftly as the crow

when I cross my final river

          now I have one thing to say

          now that my time is done

          I have no choice, I cannot stay

          and I forgive everyone

          I forgive everyone

my adopted hometown

a cup of good strong coffee

and I'm lost in memory

feeling kind of lonesome

for where I used to be

I was not born and raised there

but I'm always hanging around

in my adopted hometown

sometimes I remember

the faces of old friends

lately in my nightly dreams

I'm seeing them again

I'm counting all my blessings

for the peace that I once found

in my adopted hometown

          in my adopted hometown

          in my adopted hometown

          if I could, I'd settle down

          in my adopted hometown

the sunrise in the country hills

bluebonnets in the wild

musicians everywhere you go

the way the ladies smile

waiting for a moonlit night

just around sundown

in my adopted hometown

          in my adopted hometown

          in my adopted hometown

          if I could, I'd settle down

          in my adopted hometown

I always thought that I would

end up there one day

I cannot fully explain

just why I moved away

I pray someday I will return

to my place of sacred ground

in my adopted hometown

          in my adopted hometown

          in my adopted hometown

          if I could, I'd settle down

          in my adopted hometown

don't tell me to calm down

I don't want to calm down

don't tell me to calm down

I'm not gonna calm down

I just want to be angry at you

why do you do what you do

I can't believe what you do

I've thought the whole thing through

and I find no use for you

          don't tell me to calm down

          please just stop hanging around

          peace is nowhere to be found

          don't tell me to calm down

don't be hanging 'round my door

just like the ways you did before

I've got no choice but to ignore

the lump of stupid known as you

who the hell do you think you are

all you leave me with are scars

I'm heading to the local bar

because you do not have a clue

          don't tell me to calm down

          please just stop hanging around

          peace is nowhere to be found

          don't tell me to calm down       

one more thing before I go

that I believe you should know

no more putting up a show

leave while the getting's good

I don't like you being here

let me make this statement clear

it's time for you to disappear

leave like you know you should

          don't tell me to calm down

          please just stop hanging around

          peace is nowhere to be found

          don't tell me to calm down

when I get out of prison

when I get out of prison

I'll tell you what I'll do

eat a burger

chug some wine

and make sweet love to you

make sweet love to you

when I get out of prison

I'll tell you what I'll see

I'll look into your pale brown eyes

and you'll look back at me

you'll look back at me

          I'll do away with yesterdays

          and stare straight ahead

          at the destiny that's yet to be

          from the safety of my bed

when I get out of prison

there'll be no one to answer to

the  only one to share my soul

will be the likes of you

and you know that's true

when I get out of prison

I will not be on trial

I'll be living for the future

and the glory of your smile

the glory of your smile

medications

I am held together by medications

pills for my body and my head

I am in a sad situation

I would rather be natural instead

still I take them

every morning

every night

still I take them

they help me work out right

they are my friends, my medications

they help me out when I swallow

lead me not into temptation

help me make it to tomorrow

so I take them

after sleep

when it's time for bed

so I take them

bringing peace to my aching head

they're just like family, my medications

helping me cope through the working day

leading me to pure elation

what more can I begin to say?

I will take them

because I worry

because I care

I will take them

I am so thankful

that they are there

I am held together by medications

pills for my body and my head

chores

all the chores are done

let's go to the river

to see what we can see

there's bound to be excitement

for you and for me

we can rest or we can get wet

but we better not forget

this is our life

it's our one big chance

cry forever (rewrite 3)

I think I will cry forever

when I hear your name

the world is just as you left it

but for me, it isn't the same

the days and nights are lonely here

ever since you disappeared

just like a rapid rolling river

I will cry forever

I will always remember you

when I hear a child laugh

a weed growing through the sidewalk

as I walk along its path

I saw what there was to see

and I keep it in my memory

I will not forget you, never

I will cry forever

          I will think of you

          when the northern breezes blow

          I am so proud

          that it's you I got to know

maybe I'll always be sad

maybe that's the price you pay

and I've paid the price and more

what more can I say

except you will live inside my heart

where we will never be apart

where our bonds will not be severed

I will cry forever

nothing is ever easy

nothing is ever easy

it doesn't matter who you are

one day you're a shining jewel

the next day you're a fallen star

I still wish the best for you

wherever you may go

what I mean is, where you're going

there's no real way to know

you're born naked and fearful

and you don't have a choice

you don't even recognize

the sound of your own voice

you grow into an old man

after many, many years

always asking of yourself

exactly why am I here

but the answers never come

you're as clueless as before

but that has never stopped you

from going out the door

and greeting the new morning

with completely open arms

maybe for once the world

isn't causing any harm

so live inside the moment

you're safe for right now

you're not asking where or when

the only question is how

now it's time to celebrate

the world that you know

by counting all your blessings

until it's time to go

cry forever (rewrite 2)

I think I will cry forever

when I hear your name

the world is just as you left it

but for me, it isn't the same

the days and nights are lonely here

ever since you disappeared

just like a rapid rolling river

I will cry forever

I will always remember you

when I hear a child laugh

a weed growing through the sidewalk

as I walk along its path

I saw what there was to see

and I always will in my memory

I will not forget you, never

I will cry forever

          I will think of you

          when the northern breezes blow

          I am so proud

          that it's you I got to know

maybe I'll always be sad

maybe that's the price you pay 

of all people in your past

begin to pass away

but you will live inside my heart

where we will never be apart

where our bonds will not be severed

I will cry forever

need for the unknown

where fireflies light up the sky

like fireworks on the fourth of July

mom and daddy standing by

this is where you grew up

and you know you love it and always will

the place where time always stands still

the faraway call of the whippoorwill

you could never get enough

so why did the city cry out for you

people to know and things yet to do

it felt so much like home

it's the need for the unknown

self-conscious

I will try not to be self-conscious

but here's the honest facts

yes, I'm the one you read about

and his heinous acts

it's true I killed the Mrs.

but listen to my side

you will soon tell

why it cannot be denied

secret to my dreams

of all the miles I've traveled on

all the lessons I have learned

all I've set my eyes upon

all the bridges I have burned

I long to kiss your fingertips

like a tender mountain stream

out of everyone I've ever known

you're the secret to my dreams

love is an everlasting thought

that lives inside your soul

it has its own body and mind

and it's beyond your control

I fight my best against it

but it brings me to my knees

don't take me down a troubled road

you're the secret to my dreams

and now our time is ending

and the hour's drawing near

for you and I to vanish,

if we were to disappear

are you the cure for all my problems

or are you the disease

either way it does't matter

you're the secret to my dreams

the cheating kind

there are a million ways to say I love you

this here is a million and one

I will always be dreaming of you

after all is said and done

I always hold you in my thoughts

you occupy my mind

is it true what they say about you

that you're the cheating kind

          the cheating kind

          that's what you'll find

          when she has left your sorry ass behind

          when she's gone and you're alone

          the answers will remain unknown

          it happens every time

          she's the cheating kind

          

cry forever (rewrite one)

I think I will cry forever

when I hear your name

the world is just as you left it

but for me, it isn't the same

the days and nights are lonely here

ever since you disappeared

just like a rapid rolling river

I will cry forever

I will always remember you

when I hear a child laugh

a weed growing through the sidewalk

when I walk along its path

 I saw what there was to see

and I always will in my memory

I will not forget you, never

I will cry forever

          I will think of you

          when the northern breezes blow

          I am so proud

          that it's you I got to know

maybe I'll always be sad

the price you pay for being close

of all the people in my past

I will miss you most

but you live inside my heart

where we will never be apart

where bonds are never severed

I will cry forever

cry forever

I think I will cry forever

whenever I hear your name

the world is just where you left it

but for me, it isn't the same

the days and nights are lonely here

ever since you disappeared

just like a rapid rolling river

I will cry forever

I will always know you

when I hear a child laugh

a weed growing through the sidewalk

when I walk along its path

I'm so glad I saw what there was to see

and I always will in my memory

I will not forget you, never

I will cry forever

          I will think of you

          when the northern breezes blow

          I am so proud

          that it's you I got to know

maybe I'll always be sad

the price you pay for being close

of all the people I have lost

I'll miss you the most

but you live inside my heart

where we will never be apart

where bonds are never severed

I will cry forever

the future's wide open

I'm always waiting

anticipating

the worst to happen to me

I'm always trying

but not denying

to see what I can see

where I'm going

there is no knowing

it's just around the bend

but I'm not prepared

there's nothing there

to place my hopes within

          I  keep hoping

          the future's wide open

          though time is running out

          when it's my time to go

          I still won't know

          what this life was about

I've stopped my silence

it's like a science

learning to be me

I've come to ignore

who I was before

I set my own self free

it would upset me

if you left me

I don't want to be alone

I am unraveling

I believe I'm traveling

closer to my home

          I  keep hoping

          the future's wide open

          though time is running out

          when it's my time to go

          I still won't know

          what this life was about

I keep forgetting

what I'm regretting

remind me of my cause

I've had enough

I won't give up

until I hear applause

this world turns

and I'm trying to learn

how to live in this time

I'm broken and scarred

but still I try hard

to find something that's mine

          I  keep hoping

          the future's wide open

          though time is running out

          when it's my time to go

          I still won't know

          what this life was about

I am here

I have a secret

and I can't tell you

you'll have to figure it out

for yourself

all my life

I've been so lonely

I just want

to be somebody else

someone who

sees the silence

in a blade of grass

someone who

feels so sad

but knows its time

will surely pass

          I am here

          will you accept me for who I am

          I am here

          trying hard to understand

another day here on earth

there's a howling wind on the prairie tonight

I watch it from the safety of my TV

all around the world right now

there's lots of folks like you and me

fighting fiercely for their lives

trying hard to just survive

fright and fear in all their eyes

as they defend themselves from hurt

it's just another day here on earth

there are rich folks out on the town tonight

they haven't got a care

all inside their own little worlds

no worries are found in there

or maybe that's the way it seems

living someone else's dreams

do you have the ways and means

do you know what it's worth

it's just another day here on earth

what does this mean for you and me

working for our daily bread

with lives that question and explain

what it could be like instead

joy and sorrow coexist

pain may be in a flying fist

answers lie inside the mist

we've been searching since birth

it's just another day here on earth

all things considered

I'm doing the best I can,

all things considered

I walk and talk and make my plans

but still my dreams

they have all withered

try as I might

I still don't understand

but enough of self-pity

you try and try again

always pay attention

to the place you are in

time is no monster

time is your friend

and you are its assistant

'

you'll get through this (rewrite one)

you'll get through this

I know you

you can do this

you know it's true

every decision that you make

isn't always a mistake

it's occured to you

and you believe

that time has something 

hidden up its sleeve

it's up to you to fill that space

with something time can't erase

          I know you're hurting inside

          it's something that you can't hide

you're feeling weak

but you are strong

but you've known that 

all along

it's now your chance to be yourself

you are not somebody else

you'll get through this

you know you will

you can do this 

time never stands still

you'll simply do the best you can

and hope someday to understand

you'll get through this

you'll get through this

you'll get through this

you'll get through this

I know that about you

you'll get through this

you know it's true

every decision that you make

isn't always a mistake

it's occured to you

and you believe

that time has something 

up its sleeve

it's up to you to fill that space

with something time can't erase

          I know you're hurting inside

          it's something that you can't hide

you're feeling weak

but you are strong

but you've known that 

all along

it's time for you to see what you've become

waiting to be born

you'll get through this

you know you will

you can do this 

you know that time

never stands still

you'll get through this

you'll get through this

drowning

don't tell me what to feel

I've known myself my whole life

and I know what I know

you're not a big deal

I don't trust your eyes

and I want you to go

away from me

can't you see

I'm drowning

it's a long way down

when the wind is blowing

and you're starting from the top

it's not safe and sound

it's interrupting my day

and I want you to stop

being around here

isn't it clear

I'm drowning

asking for permission

you have spent your entire life

asking for permission

you deserve some input

if you're making the decision

to stand up on your own

to find your way back home

you're only skin and bones

in your body and mind

you're trying to convince yourself

that you're a winner

don't forget as you move along

you are only a beginner

hope can be your closest friend

it's the crack where the light shines in

it happens every now and then

it's not left behind

escape

I decided to escape last night

and now I'm at your door

begging you to take me in

the way you did before

when I was a younger man

dumb and filled with pride

I know you remember me

can we go inside?

you know that I'm an honest man

but I'm not free from sin

that is how i found myself

time and time again

fooled by love and honor

I cast aside your love

to plan a certain meeting

that I was not proud of