RIDIN' IN A CANOE  (good-timey)  San Francisco  1973 *


 Trippin' and a'slipin' and a'dippin in the river
  Riding in a canoe
 Laughin' and a'splashin' and a'losin' all our cash in
  Credit cards too
 I'll take your clothes off, you take off mine
 We'll lie her together in the sunny summertime
 It's so mellow, like drownin' in hot jello
  Riding in a canoe
 --
 Swishin' and a'wishin' that we'll catch another fish in
  The river bottom goo
 Squalkin' and a'talkin' and I'll throw another rock in
  Water's green and blue
 You touch me here, I'll touch you there
 We'll just lie back a'gaspin' for air
 Sailin' and a'bailin' and a'gettin' little tail in
  Riding in a canoe
 --
 (4 lines instrumental break)
 You look at me, I'll look at you
 We'll just lie here with nothin' to do
 Turnin' and a churnin' and a passin' little urine
  Riding in a canoe


 FEELING BETTER  (fantasy)  Twin Falls ID  July 1973


 You are the music of my songs
 And the night-wind carrying me along
  Like chariots of pure meringue   
 And the hot breeze in the stars
 And the hot breeze in the stars
 --
 You are the sun-bird in the sky
 With feathered hands of joy
  To push the [firefly] clouds on by
 And you're smiling down on me
 And you're smiling down on me
 --
 You swim down rippling crystal streams
 Passing invisibly thru my mind
  On careful cantilevered dreams
 Just laugh and drive away the pain
 Just laugh and drive away the pain
 --
[break] And in the mountain piney river
 You're such a happy happy happy lover
 Where the earth [and sky] grow together
 Feeling better, feeling better, feeling better
 --
 You are the shifting diamond sands
 Filling all the space down inside me
  With your infinite cupped hands
 Shine your golden smile on me
 Shine your golden smile on me


 GATHER IN YOUR DREAMS  (quiet guitar)  Oakland-SF  Sept 1973 *


 You're at my door, please come in love,
  From the icy air
 Lay your rucksack down and shake
  The raindrops from your hair
 You're dripping on the floor, I don't care
 It's better there, you're better here
 --
 Hang your cape up by the fire
  Take this glass of wine
 The cold of your tired arms
  Can cool the heat of mine
 Look, your cheeks are cold and pale, the road was long
 Sit and tell me how it was out there
 --
 Come lie down now to gather in
  Your dreams by shadowed light
 And blow the bedside candle out
  To welcome in the night
 Behind your eyes, in the shadows,
 You're such a happy sight; love, blow out the light


 BALLAD OF DB COOPER  (folk/country)  San Francisco  Oct 1973 **


 O, DB Cooper was a skyjackin' man
 He jumped from a jet plane with 200 grand
 They tried and tried to hunt him down
 But DB Cooper couldn't be found
 --
[chorus] He got away, he made them pay
  No one's seen him since that day
 --
 Back in 1969
 DB Cooper knew he was dyin'
 Cancer was tearin' his body down
 So he went to the airport and he took his gun
[chorus]
 --
 Five miles over the mountain tops
 DB said, "This is where I get off
  I've got a gun and I'll surely shoot
  So give me the money and a parachute"
[chorus]
 --
 The army searched the Oregon woods
 But DB's escape was made quite good
 He sent them a letter, said "Boys, I'm free
  I'm dying, and you Won't catch up with me"
[chorus]
 --
 Yes, DB Cooper was a skyjackin' man
 He jumped from a jet plane with 200 grand
 They tried and tried to hunt him down
 But DB Cooper couldn't be found
[chorus]


 BUS STOP HOTEL  (country)  San Francisco  1973 *


 Just into town, hoping to do well
 Check right into a bus stop hotel
 --
 Out of the grime at the end of the line
 Going out for a bottle of wine
 Checking the streets for a bottle of wine
 Can't live or sleep without my wine
 --
 The end of the bar is where I'll be seen
 The bottle's dusty but the liquor's clean
 --
 Been throwing in nickels all night long
 For the country jukebox windy [honky-tonk] songs
 I got a bar to lean right over
 I don't believe I have ever been sober
 --
 The end of the bar is where I'll be seen
 My mind is dirty but the ladies are clean
 --
 Life runs thru an open door
 A heavy head and a friendly whore
 I got a need for a friendly whore
 I'll try to get her in thru my door
 --
 Going back to my bus stop hotel
 Flying the sidewalk straight to hell


 NUMB  (guitar jazz)  San Francisco CA  1973


 you're not meant for me to touch
  in the way I feel and
  though it's not real
  I reach out so much
 --
 you cry out
  and my world falls back
 you cry out
  and it all dies down
 --
 you're too far away for me to reach
  in the way I feel and
  I can't feel a thing
  I reach out too much


 ALL NATURAL SPEED  (bouncy pop)  Oakland hills CA  1973 *


 I woke up with a happy song this morning
 A brand new day has hit me without unneeded warning
 I think I've found exactly what I've needed
 I'm going to check my theory out with all natural speed
 --
 My lover's eyes are shining brown and bright
 We just might not leave this bed before tomorrow night
 She's lying back, so hot and slack, she's freed
 I'm going to pursue that thought with all natural speed
 --
  O, what a lover
  so much to discover
  I'm going undercover
  O, what a lover
 --
 I woke up with my happy love this morning
 A fooling feeling sneaking up without unneeded warning
 Her smile is full of laughing loving greed
 We're going to pursue that thought wih all natural speed


 TANGIER  (slow jazz)  San Francisco, CA  Nov 1973


 I thought that maybe
  I was following you
 Into a black room in Tangier
  Where dark dusty girls
 Brought warm African beer
  And they laughed and sang
 And laughed before us
  And we sat there near
 We sat there near
 --
 I thought that maybe
  The smoky air
 Was ganja and sweet incense
  I didn't think I was here
 No
 --
 But Tangier was just Brooklyn
  The smoky air
 Is foul and gray
  Like everything here
 The beersign glow-worms
  Crawl up the walls
 Tracing their patterns
  On my smoky eyes
  On my smoky eyes
 --
 So I followed you
  Out the bar door
 Back down the avenues
  Back down the avenues
 Into night


 RED BIRD  (jazz/trance bass)
music: Rohnert Park CA    1981
words: San Francisco  Dec 1973 *


 Red Bird in the wind, a messenger of the air
  telling his stories, to the open clouds
  crimson vandal in the air, Red Bird
 -
 I'm a thief in the day, a wanton waster of time
  taking my pleasure, to fill myself
  crimson vandal in the city, a thief
 --
 I'll wrap my words in stories, to fool your heart and mind
  I'll steal your thoughts and dreams, you've held in close
  crimson vandal in the world, Red Bird

 
 LEAVE NOW  (slow pop)  San Francisco  Dec 1973


 I thought I must be dreaming
  I thought I couldn't see such things
 I thought that maybe time had turned around
  and left me young again
 I didn't think you'd come to me
  from last year's memories
 To see you standing there like that
  your smile on fire and eyes so clear
 I didn't think I'd ever see you standing there again
 --
[chorus]: Move back; get back in your car
 Drive back; to your new life, good life
 Stay back; don't come any closer, closer
 Don't try to take me again; don't try
 --
(dum da dum da dum  / needs another verse)


 TAKE ME HOME  (mad rock)  Ft Bragg CA 1973 - SF 1974 *


 It's true, it's true
  A sponge-rubber heart in your soft, soft breast
 You're a modern marvel
  But when will you take me home, take me home?
 --
 Hunger calls loud
  For your pale, pale legs
 You're a jigsaw puzzle
  But when will you take me home, take me home?
 --
[instrumental break]
 --
 But then I see you there
  With that son-of-a-bitch you know I hate the most
 And you take him home
  But when will you take me home, take me home?
 --
 And the very next time I'm at your door
  I know you'll scream, I'll hear you scream
 What're you doing with that gun, Ric
  With that gun? (huh) With that gun, with that gun?