Get all 5 Austin & Elliott (Christopher Elliott and Lisa Austin) releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.
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1. |
Rocking the Cradle
02:40
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Rocking the Cradle
Momma’s gone to work in the stable
Whose hand is rocking the cradle?
Who's there singing a lullaby?
Daddy’s cards are on the table
Whose hand is rocking the cradle?
Who's there singing a lullaby?
No one’s home but the crow on the cable
Whose hand is rocking the cradle?
Who's there singing a lullaby?
Whose hand is rocking the cradle?
Whose hand is rocking the cradle?
Whose hand is rocking the cradle now?
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2. |
Victor Kill
04:12
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Victor Kill
It was in November
Victor turned nineteen
His Bible marked at Jezebel
His cuff and collar always clean
Coy as a schoolgirl
Fiery Anna came
Her swinging hips and saltiness
Set his virgin blood aflame
Burn, burn, burn
"Marry me," he said;
She laughed and shook her head.
But when the frosty mirror frowned.
"I should settle down," she said.
April they were married.
She said, "Kiss me, boy."
He held her in his trembling arms,
"Anna, you're my only joy."
Burn, burn, burn
I am to return
I am you will learn
I am love'll burn, burn, burn
It happened in December
The door was left ajar
The clerks were talking loud
"I had her in her husband's car."
Frozen like a statue
Victor stood and heard
Images of all the ways
She lay back and broke her word
Burn, burn, burn
I am to return
I am you will learn
I am love'll burn, burn, burn
I am to return
I am you will learn
I am love'll burn, burn, burn
Slowly he wandered
Barefoot though the snow
"Father, has she love for me?"
The mountaintop answered, "No."
"No," said the forest,
"No, she never will."
"What can I do? What shall I do?"
The river said, "Victor, kill."
I am to return
I am you will learn
I am love'll burn, burn, burn
I am to return
I am you will learn
I am love'll burn, burn, burn
Burn, burn, burn
Burn, burn, burn
Burn, burn, burn
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3. |
Fat Man With a Flower
03:17
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Fat Man with a Flower
Fat man bending over,
Picking up a four-leaf clover,
Leaning down for a flower
In a field in Illinois,
Rows of corn like corduroy,
His momma said, “You're lucky boy.”
A little luck can go a long way,
Making light out of timothy,
A yellow and a white
And a red, red rose in a buttonhole
'Cause you never know.
Next to the swimming pool
They're thin and beautiful,
First dates, affairs, and honeymoons.
A little luck can go a long way,
Making light out of timothy,
A yellow and a white
And a red, red rose in a buttonhole
'Cause you never know.
It's summer, you can try to hide it,
But the colors in the garden riot.
You can't keep a songbird quiet.
Fat man with a flower,
Give it to the girl at the counter.
She's off of work in an hour.
A little luck can go a long way,
Making light out of timothy,
A yellow and a white
And a red, red rose in a buttonhole
'Cause you never know.
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4. |
Lambs Get Slaughtered
03:05
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lambs get slaughtered
on our road to ruin
we stop and we listen
to messengers of peace
and then we kill them
isaac was a son
lilith was a daughter
jesus was a lamb
lambs get slaughtered
there used to be so many
now there's not even one
when the hills are barren
we'll see what we have done
in the cotton fields
the blues began with a holler
jesus was a lamb
lambs get slaughtered
slaughtered
in the cotton fields
the blues began with a holler
jesus was a lamb
lambs get slaughtered
slaughtered
slaughtered
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5. |
Hard Landing
03:06
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Hard Landing
You're coming in for a hard landing.
You're coming in for a hard landing.
I'll be amazed if you're still standing.
You're coming in for a hard landing.
Clarity's calling and caution is one thing
Meant to be cast to the wind.
You're coming in for a hard landing
Out of control in a whirlwind.
You're coming in for a hard landing.
I see your broken wings in a tailspin.
Clarity's calling and caution is one thing
Meant to be cast to the wind.
Remember who you are.
Remember where you been.
Clarity's calling
Clarity's calling
Clarity's calling and caution is one thing
Meant to be cast to the wind.
You're coming in.
Here you come.
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6. |
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If it ain't broke, break it.
If it ain't nailed down, take it.
If it ain't wide awake, shake it.
If it ain't catching fire, rake it.
If it ain't fame and wealth, forsake it.
If it ain't up to ten, crank it.
If it ain't love, fake it.
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7. |
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On the red horizon, ships appeared.
The missionaries came and spoke behind their beards:
"We admire the Indian, the pure and simple fawn,
But your soul must book a seat on the final voyage on."
An Indian girl heard and felt the Christian fear.
She tried to fly away but was surrounded by those beards.
The preachers' tongues were cocked, the righteous muskets roared,
And her naked back felt the mercy of the Lord.
She became a perfect Christian white man's wife.
She loved her children faithfully and led a stainless life.
Then one sunny afternoon she felt her dying come.
She felt her heartbeat stop, and her spirit began to run.
She ran and ran and ran and ran to an open door.
A voice inside said, "Sorry, there is no either or."
It said, "No no no no no no no you can't come in—
This is Indian heaven, we don't take no Christians."
She ran and ran and ran and ran to another door,
But a voice inside said, "Sorry, there is no either or.
No no no no no no no you can't come in—
This is Christian heaven. We don't take no Indians."
She fell and fell and fell and fell to the gates of Hell--
But the devil sighed, "Why'd you ring my bell?"
He said, "No no no no no no no, you can't come in--
Hell is just for sinners, and you're guilty of no sins."
The only door left for her was the second birth:
Her only choice was to come alive again on Earth.
She didn't come back as a Christian or an Indian, no no no,
But a beautiful feathered bird the color of blood and snow.
Now she soars forever with her children in the clouds,
And if you listen now, you can hear her sing it loud:
"No no no no no no no, you can't come in—
The sky is just for birds. We don't take no humans."
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8. |
Don't Go Away Mad
03:08
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9. |
Bleak
02:16
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10. |
Rose On Your Grave
03:02
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Rose on Your Grave
Speaking of the storm
You're the lightning, I'm the thunder
Speaking of the lightning
You're the flash I follow after
Speaking of the thunder
I'm the echo moments later
Speaking of the storm,
You're the lightning, I'm the thunder
Speaking of the land
There's a track and there's a train
One of us will move
While the other must remain
If you die before me, speaking of the day
I'll be the rose that lays upon your grave
Speaking of the storm
You're the lightning, I'm the thunder
Speaking of the lightning
You're the spell that I fall under
Speaking of the thunder
I am I and not another
Speaking of the storm
You're the lightning, I'm the thunder
Speaking of the sea
In a night of wind and rain
We wish we were water
We're only just a wave
If you die before me, speaking of the day
I'll be the rose that lays upon your grave
Speaking of the sky
There's an arrow there's a bow
Either you were aiming high
Or I was aiming low
If you die before me, speaking of the day
I'll be the rose that lays upon your grave
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11. |
Shake Off the Snow
03:04
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Shake off the Snow
Shake off the snow
Stamp your boots
Into the pub out of the cold
She had a way with a warm glow
Even with the wind chill nine below
I can't complain about the cold
I like the winter better
Than the long hot days of summer
A shot of rye was all it took
Shall I hang your coat on yonder hook?
No, I'll keep it on
It wrapped around our shoulders in the dawn
I can't complain about the cold
I like the winter better
Than the long hot days of summer
On the way to the border
We would lay by the water
I don't know the Spanish tongue
But with the Spanish boys I see she does
From Sante Fe to Portland Maine
Her mood like the weather changed
On an icy hill we had a wreck
Her scarf wrapped around my neck
I can't complain about the cold
I like the winter better
Than the long hot days of summer
I watch the door in a glow
Guinness please, Dos Equis no
It's July in Buffalo
I'm still shaking off the snow
I'm still shaking off the snow
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12. |
Drowning Song
03:58
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13. |
We Had Our Run
03:26
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We Had Our Run
The lights were low, the stakes were high
It wasn’t fair for either side
A line was drawn, what’s done is done
But for a time we had our run
We had our run of summer days
Every step, one and the same
Careless speed with wind and sun
For a time we had our run
We had our run of hail and heather
Willows where shivering we lay
Was it you or was it me
Was it you or was it me
Was it you or was it me that pulled away?
Now is now and not forever
We had our run of days so fast
Wild streams of ribbon passed
Colors turned, we were undone
But for a time we had our run
We had our run of hail and heather
Willow where shivering we lay
Was it you or was it me
Was it you or was it me
Was it you or was it me that pulled away?
Now is now and not forever
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Austin & Elliott (Christopher Elliott and Lisa Austin) Montague, Massachusetts
Partners in harmonizing from Western Mass. Also, solo Christopher Elliott releases.
Contact Austin & Elliott (Christopher Elliott and Lisa Austin)
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