He came to town, about thirty years around
For the show, and we were hopin’ we could go

We ran to buy our tix, that very day
Told our green-eyed friends, we couldn’t wait

We found our seats, and we got somethin’ to eat
That jam-packed crowd, they were so damn loud

Heard the call as he stood there, in the lights
Struttin’ out to the sounds of starry nights
Rhinestone-wrapped head to toe, in 15 grand
Mess with that and you’ll get, the back of his hand

On the attack up until they broke his back
What the heck – they went and broke his neck

Hurry up, sit on down – don’t be late
A barn-burnin’ classic, right out the gates
Didn’t miss a single trick, he had all the moves
Right on down to the paintjob, on his boots

Five-fingered slap and the fans begin to clap
Another chop, he ain’t never gonna stop

Doesn’t ever really seem, like time has past
Even when he wears, that crimson mask
Yeah, he’ll always be, a friend of mine
Fought his way to the top, 16 times

Fought his way to the top, 16 times
Fought his way to the top, 16 times

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

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David Allan Coe
performed by Brian Sofer

My name is David Allan Coe
I grew up down in Ohio
That’s my big bus there don’t ya know
I’ll take my ass to my own show

Got that leather on my hands
And a list of state demands
Now a free man I can stand
and drive across this blessed land

My name is David Allan Coe
My shiny beltbuckle says so
And I did time on ole death row
I’d rather die than have to blow

I wore a mask upon my head
I drink my bourbon from a sled
My favorite B-side says I’m dead
‘cause-a that marriage that I shed

My name is David Allan Coe
Since ‘39 the word was go
In ’67 I was paroled
I won’t discuss that anymo’

Yeah sometimes I drove a hearse
But I guess it could be worse
So when you hear me drop a verse
Please forgive me when I curse

My name is David Allan Coe
I’m gettin’ older from the road
Some say I let my body go
What do all them bastards know?

Yeah an outlaw’s who’ll I be
so Johnny Paycheck sang for me
taught the workin’ man to see
there’s nothin’ else but bein’ free

My name is David Allan Coe
I grew up down in Ohio
That’s my big bus there don’t ya know
I’ll take my ass to my own show
My name is David Allan Coe
My shiny beltbuckle says so
And I did time on ole death row
I’d rather die than have to blow
My name is David Allan Coe
Since ‘39 the word was go
In ’67 I was paroled
I won’t discuss that anymo’
My name is David Allan Coe
I’m gettin’ older from the road
Some say I let my body go
What do all them bastards know?

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

Drive up real slow, papers out and windows down
I kept my thumbprints and my eyeballs, another day
It’s brother Sam again, what does he want, that he don’t know?
Glad to see my money’s bein’ well spent, while they go and manufacture consent

I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
Eyes all around

Waved on by, look up above, and there they are
Two logoed birdies in formation, hidin’ in the clouds
I need some time alone, stop the car, slide off the grid
Duck into momma’s store in smalltown, try to keep my buzzcut-head down

I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
Eyes all around

Yes sir
No ma’am
I’m just passin’ through

Tank is low, stop at dusk, and get a room
Sweet hostess waitin’ in the lobby, cyclops tipped her off
I’ll pay in cash alright, lest my clearance be denied
Shake off the bloodhounds on the moneytrail; don’t wanna wind up in a Cuban jail

I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
Eyes all around

Wake up late, I’m out the door, back on the road
I got some cliffbars and a facemask, 4 hours left
Gone are the days of old, brushed aside, by 213
I ain’t disheveled in Montana man, thought I was still an American

I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
Eyes all around

Yes sir
No ma’am
I’m just passin’ through

No I’m not paranoid, how many wrongs for my rights?

Fooled me once, while they grabbed ‘em undercover of the night

Don’t forget, you and I, we are still the human race,

I want my freedom not surveillance, get that camera out my face

I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
I can see ‘em now
Eyes all around

Copyright © 2005 – Brian Sofer

Where were you when you finally heard the truth about
the greatest story ever sold
Check their facts, hit your macs, open up the gates
and watch it all unfold

The oldest trick in the book since the dawn of man
is how to keep ‘em down
It’s not enough to rob ‘em of their dignity
You gotta make ‘em all feel proud

One day
We’ll find a way
To rise above
Fear and love

Shuffled in, dealt and cut out once again
by the top of the deck
The kings and queens will thank you for your loyalty
While puttin’ the rope ‘round your neck

We weren’t sent here to be merely stepping stones
Quit layin’ down to make ‘em strong
They’ll gain your trust by gobblin’ up your purity
but spit you out before too long

One day
We’ll find a way
To rise above
Fear and love

Fear and love
Fear and love
Fear and love

I ain’t talkin’ bout black helicopters,
or that fringe-a-noia stuff
They lay it out, every night right in front of you
It’s on us to call their bluff

Always tryin to dress up the greedy pig
Don’t give in to what feels wrong
And I’ll be waitin’ for the knock on my door at night
For all the red flags in this song

One day
We’ll find a way
To rise above
Fear and love

Fear and love
Fear and love
Fear and love

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

There was this town in northeastern Alabama
About 50 people and the chief of police
Now they’re all singing the same tune
Guess they all had a crazy dream

And back in 1947
Over the desert of New Mexico
They say it’s all top secret
Whole lot of fuss over army balloons

Another place
Another face
Another tale about the
Fire in the sky

But nevermind,
You’ll be fine
Just forget about the
Fire in the sky

Remember Travis in Arizona
You know the guy they made a movie about him
left his crew to check something in the road
now his life won’t ever be the same

Another place
Another face
Another tale about the
Fire in the sky

But nevermind,
You’ll be fine
Just forget about the
Fire in the sky

Then there’s that writer from NY state
An upscale skeptic type
Now he believed he was taken every 5 years
Didn’t remember a damn thing til he was under
(Had to go under to dig that out)

Another place
Another face
Another tale about the
Fire in the sky

But nevermind,
You’ll be fine
Just forget about the
Fire in the sky

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

Had all the change I could scrounge,
headed in town
Need myself some Gatorade before I hit the ground
Walk up to the store
Grab that lemon lime
Get up to the counter find I’m still a nickel shy

Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck
Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck

Call my new girl for a date
Hate to make her wait
Wound up gettin’ off my shift at least 3 hours late
Knock on her door
Evening, pretty thing,
Look down at her hands that’s when I saw her diamond ring

Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck
Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck

Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck
Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck

Been a while now
I gotta find out
Why this hex is on me like a rain cloud

Been so long yeah
I’m gettin’ nowhere
But I know
My luck’s about to change

Slink on down to the bar
I’m glad it wasn’t far
That damn repo-man towed away my only runnin’ car
Look to my left
Look to my right
Turns out that I’m caught between two apes before a fight

Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck
Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck

Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck
Man alive…
Ain’t that just my luck

Been a while now
I gotta find out
Why this hex is on me like a rain cloud

Been so long yeah
I’m gettin’ nowhere
But I know
My luck’s about to change

Copyright © 2005 – Brian Sofer

Modern day philosopher, all dressed in black
Spread the word, said his peace, before going back
Joked about how he went through two, lighters a day
And the quake that would spawn Arizona Bay

Billy Boy, you saw a lot
Showed us one collective mind is all we got
Sacred cowboy ride away at last
Go and never stop

All he ever tried to do was teach us well
How I wish I could hear his barking hounds of hell
Wonder what he thinks about this latest war
Nevermind, I heard him say it all long before

Billy Boy, you saw a lot
Showed us one collective mind is all we got
Sacred cowboy ride away at last
Go and never stop

Just when we thought the mighty elephant was finally dead
A new improved, Corporate Christ, reared its ugly head
Moral hippos toast themselves and praise their greedy flock
They don’t seem to mind at all the taste of Satan’s cock

Billy Boy, you saw a lot
Showed us one collective mind is all we got
Sacred cowboy ride away at last
Go and never stop

Sacred cowboy ride away at last
Go and never stop

Sacred cowboy ride away at last
Go and never stop

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

Hitchin a ride
on the bench of a
sun-splattered rag top,
draped in dusted, muddy whites

Gone are the knights,
chargin’ in
when the moon hits the ocean
Hope awaits while time decides

Let ‘em both collide
sparkin’ dreams
in a ghost town of black hearts
risin’ up before the fall

He stood ten feet tall
shook the ground
leavin’ smokin’ burnin’ footprints
walkin’ strong, fist held high

into the night…

Kickin’ their fear
To the curb
Shakin sand out the next pair
Hidden eyes relearn to see

Who will it be
Step right up
Fight alongside our goodguy
Go and bring the darkness down

He gathered them around
Passion called
The baddest filed in behind him
Turnin’ loose their rusty chains

Throwin back their pain
For too long
Would they suffer in silence,
Now marchin’ strong, fists held high

into the night…

Smashin’ the gates
To the earth
With a blood-spattered ragdoll
Now they’ll answer for their crime

So get yourself in line
Take your mark
Put a clown in the crosshairs
Let him know his time has past

Then kick his greedy ass
Off the hill
Watch the vile henchmen scatter
Gonna save their worthless hides

And Bantam Ace survives
Once again
Led the purest to glory
Standin’ strong, glass held high

Into the night…

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

I woke up tired
I didn’t get much sleep
No surprise,
Like every night this week

I turn around
As you call my name
But you were gone
Ain’t that a shame

Off to work
Punch in and out my day
they’ll take a week
and I’ll get their pay

I gotta job
And my piece of the grind
Thoughts of you
I’ll keep the good ones in mind

Stop and look
At all the creatures strollin’ by
You were there
I heard your silent cry

Drivin home
Pull off for a drink
Your favorite joint
Or so I used to think

Pour the wine
Let it dry up all the tears
Here’s to you
Keep wishin’ you were near

Hold me now
Tell me it’s okay
Miss you babe
Miss you every single day

Back to bed
Another pointless waste of time
I need my Zs
I guess I’ll keep on tryin’

I turn around
as you call my name
But you were gone
ain’t that a shame

Yeah you were gone
ain’t that a shame
Yeah you were gone
ain’t that a shame

Copyright © 2004 – Brian Sofer

Yes they say it ain’t the same
Guess it’s all part of the game
They’re even usin’ their own names
It only takes ‘bout half a brain

To connect those crazy dots
Age-old conflicts tied in knots
Poor lambs givin’ all they’ve got
to the ones callin’ the shots

When the worlds came crashin’ down
tore the heart out of my town
Silence was the loudest sound
‘bout the tunnels underground

Same old misery and strife
Treat us like a beaten wife
Yet we’ll live under the knife
for our blessed way of life

Rainin’ fire from the sky
Shock and awe and my oh my
Another bunch of reasons why
Tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye

We don’t wanna understand
Just put ‘em under our command
Grab the oil, carve up the land
Fits into the master plan

Gotta hand it to the Dick
He knew they’d fall hard for his trick
We’ll wash up someday in his slick
Whole damn thing just makes me sick

We decide what’s right or wrong
Who’ll live on and who’ll be gone
And we say ‘what’s goin on’
when ELFies drop their firebombs?

Same old misery and strife
Keep on twistin’ that big knife
how many more will have to die
for our blessed way of life

Copyright © 2003 – Brian Sofer