KEEGAN MCINROE

Neon John

Looking for love in all the wrong windows / His feet hit the brick with a click as the canals glow / Neon red / And as she opens the door he says / Whats the price, what's the price, what's the price / for falling in love? / And she laughs as she whispers / Come in and see what fifty does // Neon John / Neon John / You're all alone / Neon John  / Ah what pleasures you have known / Neon John / Neon John  / Will it fill the hole? / Neon John / All the pleasures that you have known? // Well he's falling in love / And her backs to the table / She called it a bed but there's barely a pillow  / To lay her head / And as she stares at the clock, he says / What's the cost, what's the cost, what's the cost  / For being in love? / And she laughs as he gasps / And she shows him the way back outside. // Neon John / Neon John / You're all alone / Neon John  / Ah what pleasures you have known / Neon John / Neon John  / Will it fill the hole? / Neon John / All the pleasures that you have known? // Now Neon John not looking for a fairy tale story / The same old happy endings just a little too boring  / But when he close his eyes at night he sees / There's just something missing, John  / What could it be?  / What could it be? // Well he's back on the street,  / She's back in the window, / She moved on, but he carries her with him  / Night and day / And as he laughs to himself he says / What's the point / What's the point / What's the point  / Of falling in love? // Neon John / Neon John / You're all alone / Neon John  / Ah what pleasures you have known / Neon John / Neon John  / Will it fill the hole? / Neon John / All the pleasures that you have known? // 

Blackout Beauty
written with Matt Tedder

Ah, what the hell'd I do last night? / I've been driving three hours  / But my mind's somewhere behind / Did I leave it on her old nightstand? / Did it end up in the frying pan / Scrambled with the eggs / Bubbling with the bacon / Strugglin' with the name / Of the woman who was making me breakfast? // She's my blackout beauty / She's my queen / And we don't need to know each other / To know what we need / Yeah she's my blackout beauty / She's my queen // I remember sitting with my friend  / We were knocking em down  / And setting em up again / When I heard my friend say, “Oh dead Lord.” / "Look at what just come through door."  / And then it all went black / And when I came back  / I's in bed and she was bringing me tea // She's my blackout beauty / She's my queen / And we don't need to know each other / To know what we need / Yeah she's my blackout beauty / She's my queen // I remember there's a night I's in Tulsa / But it might not even been Oklahoma  / Couldn't tell ya know / Me and that same damn friend  / We was shooting dice  / And pushing 'em in / When I started seeing double  / So to keep out of trouble  / I shuffled off to bed alone / Well at least that's how I thought it went  / Til I woke up next morning  / With a woman I'd not met / She smiled as she looked up at me / She threw her big leg over  / Started talking real sweet / Said I don't even know ya  / But I sure like to hold ya  / And we stayed in that bed for a week // She's my blackout beauty / She's my queen / And we don't need to know each other / To know what we need / Yeah she's my blackout beauty / She's my queen // Well I been a lot of places  / Seen a lot of faces  / Fell in love with two or three / But if the devil's in the details  / I'll probably never meet him / Though he might say he's seen me / With a black out beauty. / With a queen. // She's my blackout beauty / She's my queen.

 She's a Fighter

She walked into the room  / You thought, “Lord I should meet her.” / While up in Valhalla  / They were placing their wagers / There was sweat from the heavens  / When she laid her hands on ya / And things left unspoken / That should've stayed left unsaid // She's a lover, but she ain't gonna love you / She's a healer, but she's not gonna heal you / She's a fighter, and she'll damn sure fight you / And leave you aching for healing and love somewhere new // Sad men through the ages / Drinking straight from the bottle / Look on with a smile / Understanding the danger / And they're shaking their heads / As she dances around you / They'd cry if they could / But their tears are long gone // She's a lover, but she ain't gonna love you / She's a healer, but she's not gonna heal you / She's a fighter, and she'll damn sure fight you / And leave you aching for healing and love somewhere new // On an island up north / Where the sun begins rising  / The moon makes her way  / Down past that western horizon / Try as he may / The sun ain't gonna catch her / And at the end of all days / It'll still be the same // She's a lover, but she ain't gonna love you / She's a healer, but she's not gonna heal you / She's a fighter, and she'll damn sure fight you / And leave you aching for healing and love somewhere new // She's a lover, but she ain't gonna love you / She's a healer, but she's not gonna heal you / She's a fighter, and she'll damn sure fight you / And leave you aching for healing and love somewhere new.

Wild and Free

Seems like every time I start to think / There might be someone here for me  / The whole damn thing just blows up in my face / But I'd rather be here by myself / Than be with someone like yourself / Go on be wild and free // Hey that's the way things go / That's the thing you say / When you're all alone  / And it stays that way
 / And the pain's so deep  / You can barely breathe / And your stomach aches  / As your heart it breaks again // Well, it ain't no kind of mystery / I'd had a bit of history / With women who have tried to tie me down / But when I pick up the rope myself  / And offer it to someone else  / It always seems to wind up on the ground // Hey that's the way things go / That's the thing you say / When you're all alone  / And it stays that way
 / And the pain's so deep  / You can barely breathe / And your stomach aches  / As your heart it breaks again // I must I confess I's a bit surprised  / Things went south so quick this time / It sure seemed the stars aligned / Screwdriver mornings make for funny nights / I guess you never really know someone / Until you do  // Hey that's the way things go / That's the thing you say / When you're all alone  / And it stays that way
 / And the pain's so deep  / You can barely breathe / And your stomach aches  / As your heart it breaks again // Well to lose a woman's hard enough / But I swear there's harder stuff  / And ways to kick a man around / Like when the one you're falling for / And your friend and two more girls  / Congress while you're nowhere to be found // Hey that's the way things go / That's the thing you say / When you're all alone  / And it stays that way
 / And the pain's so deep  / You can barely breathe / And your stomach aches  / As your heart it breaks again // Hey that's the way things go / That's the thing you say / When you're all alone  / And it stays that way
 / And the pain's so deep  / You can barely breathe / And your stomach aches  / As your heart it breaks again / I'm heartbroken again. 

Either Way or In Between

Waiting 'round for you to find me / Said you would but I ain't found yet / Perhaps your man got to feeling lonely / Laid ya down across his big brass bed / I bet you look so pretty / Lying in his  bed // Said you'd find me, here I am / Bound to be where you'd think I'd be / But where are you, and can you feel me? / Is that why you stay away? / Oh you really ought to / Stay away // Is this something that we need? / Are you just something that I crave? / Well either way or in between / You can always come to me / Either way or in between // Go down south, see your family / Go down south, see your friends / Go down south, make a little money / I'll go down when ya say I can / I'll go down  / Anytime I can // There I am, winking at ya / From your hand, to my eye / We sure shared a bit of magic / Now I want more, not gonna lie / Oh no / I won't lie // And I see that you see me / At least the me I hope to be / Either way or in between  / You can always come to me / Either way or in between // And in the stillness / Of a summer night / We got all out of order / To see me now  / May not  / Be right / And, baby, that's alright / Baby, that's alright // Cause my chair's still waiting in the kitchen / Here I am still waiting too / This old house kinda came together / You can come a callin' anytime you're through / Come on by / Anytime you choose // And, baby, now you have me too / At least the pieces that seeped through / Either way or in between  / You can always come to me / Either way or in between / Either way or in between.

 Post Wedding Weekend Blues

I left London on a train / To see my friends get married  / Up on the southeast coast of Scotland  / And it wasn't even raining / Just three days of sunshine, blue skies, / Taddy scones and bagpipes / Tequila, tea, and whiskey, too / But now I'm back down south in London / Recovering and struggling / Moaning and groaning  / These post wedding weekend blues // I think I fell in love  / But I can't quite tell / If it was her or the magic of the wedding weekend  / Has me under this spell  / With her soul's shine, soft eyes  / Scottish tongue and playful smiles / Fireball and deja vu / Guess I's born to play the fool / Cause she's got a man / All I've gots the muse / What's a poor Texas boy to do  / But grab a guitar and write a tune  / Bout these post wedding weekend blues // Have you been so happy that it made you sad? / Or missed somebody that you'd only met? / Well, I have. // Now my friends are on their mini-moon / And I'm here in their flat  / The muse is back with her man in Scotland / And I'm singing to a cat / Missing those sea views, church ruins,  / Jaeger shots and full moon,  / Margaritas, keg beers,  / Bloody Mary's, kilts, and flowers, / Banging, booming primal drums  / Gran got in the hot tub /Old friends, new friends, / What a lovely weekend / To celebrate the bride and groom  // But now I'm back down south in London / Romantically suffering / Groaning and moaning  / These post wedding weekend blues // Yes I'm back down south in London / Lovesick and struggling / Groaning and moaning  / These post wedding weekend blues.

Odette

There the leaves go  / And the fires burn  / Here the snow comes  / And the flowers bloom / And then it's hot as hell in Texas  / Way too soon  / Odette is the sunshine  / I'll be the moon // All of the explosions  / Sparkle in her eyes  / A smile in a red dress  / That holds her body tight  / Odette taps a white boot / One, two, three, four / She says / “You don't sing like Conway,” / “But you can twirl me round the floor.” // Odette is dancing / She's lighting up the room  / And if there's a / darkness in her  / She won't let it be known / Shine on Odette / Shine on // They say age is just a number / Sometimes that is true / Sometimes love's the impact  / And sometimes love's the bruise / Odette lets her hair down / And all her callers swoon / Odette is the sunshine  / I'll be the moon // Clocks in steady motion / Counting down our days / Only ticking so long / Be you a rascal or a sage / Odette taps her white boot / One, two, three, four / She says / “You don't play like Waylon,” / “But you can twirl me round the floor.” // Odette is dancing / She's lighting up the room  / And if there's a / darkness in her  / She won't let it be known / Shine on Odette / Shine on // There the leaves go  / And the fires burn / Settle in the lowlight  / Watch her suitors swarm / While Odette taps her white boot  / One, two, three, four / She says
“Well, it ain't quite country,” / "But you can twirl me round the floor." // // Odette is dancing / She's lighting up the room  / And if there's a / darkness in her  / She won't let it be known / Shine on Odette / Shine on.

Chago's Blue Lament #1

She like it rough / And she like it tumble / He leaves his heart / Out on a line / They made love  / And then they cuddle / But she won't be his valentine / She won't be his valentine. // Now Chago says  / She calls him brother / But they still do  / What lovers do / So Chago hangs his head  / And shudders / It's a sibling lovers afternoon / Such a lovely afternoon // She fancy him  / As Eli Wallach / Good for a shovel / And a rope / She strike a match / And he sweat bullets  / And with a wink / She'll cut him loose / With a bang  / She cut him loose // She like to shake  / And she like to hustle / He's good for a razor / Good for a line / They made love  / And then they cuddle / But she won't be his valentine / She won't be his valentine / She won't be his valentine.

Big Year

They said it's gonna be a big year / They threw a party out on Sundance Square / I took a trip while I was standing  / And the clock struck twelve / I hitched a ride to the Twilite Lounge / I saw some friends, was asked to settle down / But I was flying so she drug me out / And then things got weird. // Yeah it's gonna be a big year / Whatever's coming it can meet me here / I ain't brave, but I ain't scared. / Come what may.  / I'll face it with an open heart / An open mind and my broken art. / There's no future written in the stars / That cannot be rewritten. // Bad news started pouring down / It kept on raining, it's still raining now / But here and there the sun peaks out / Behind the clouds. / And there were places that I thought I'd see / Some lovely faces that I'd planned to meet  / Some music-making and songs to sing  / In harmony // Still, it's gonna be a big year / Whatever's coming it can meet me here / I ain't brave, but I ain't scared. / Come what may.  / I'll face it with an open heart  / An open mind and my broken art. / There's no future written in the stars / That cannot be rewritten. // And off into the night we went  / And the walls came down / What could be and what exists  / Are ours to create as we choose. // Yeah they said it'd be a big year / They threw a party out on Sundance Square / I took a trip while I was standing there / And then things got weird.

The Lonesome Friends of Science 
written by John Prine

The lonesome friends of science say / The world will end most any day / Well, if it does then that's okay / 'Cause I don't live here anyway / I live down deep inside my head / Where long ago I made my bed / I get my mail in Tennessee / My wife, my dog and my family / Uh-huh. // Now, poor ol' planet Pluto now / He never stood a chance no how / When he got uninvited to / The interplanetary dance / Once a mighty planet there / Now just an ordinary star / Hanging out in Hollywood / In some ol' funky sushi bar. // The lonesome friends of science say / The world will end most any day / Well, if it does then that's okay / 'Cause I don't live here anyway / I live down deep inside my head / Where long ago I made my bed / I get my mail in Tennessee / My wife, my dog, my kids and me / Uh-huh // The Vulcan lives in Birmingham / Sometimes he just don't give a damn / His head is full of bumble bees / His pride hangs down below his knees / Venus left him long ago / For a guy named Mars from Idaho / The Vulcan sent a wedding gift / A three-legged stool and a wheelchair lift / Uh-huh. // The lonesome friends of science say / This world will end most any day / Well, if it does then that's okay / 'Cause I don't live here anyway / I live down deep inside my head / Where long ago I made my bed / I get my mail in Tennessee / My wife, my dog, my kids and me / Uh-huh, uh-huh// Those bastards in their white lab coats / Who experiment with mountain goats / Should leave the Universe alone / It's not their business, not their home / I go to sleep and it never rains / My dog predicts hurricanes / She can smell a storm a mile away / That's all the news we have today / Uh-huh. // The lonesome friends of science say / This world will end most any day / Well, if it does then that's okay / 'Cause I don't live here anyway / I live down deep inside my head / Where long ago I made my bed / I get my mail in Tennessee / My wife, my dog, my kids and me / Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Dusty Passports & Empty Beds

If hindsight is 2020 / I hope to never look back again / Cause my eyes have done seen plenty / And my heart's about as heavy as it can stand.  // We had to say goodbye to John Prine / And Paul English / Billy Joe and Jerry Jeff / Said hello to hard times / And lean living / Dusty passports / And empty beds. // Dusty passports and empty beds  / This old world / Tilts and spins.  / And makes it's way around again.  // Had to face some demons / Tried to break some chains  / Only to find ourselves tied up again.  / And as the year was ending / When it seemed we'd made it through / Charley Pride died with three more weeks to go. // Dusty passports and empty beds  / This old world / Tilts and spins.  / And makes it's way around again.  // If hindsight is 2020 / I hope to never look back again / Let this old world keep on spinning  / As it makes it's way around again / Again and again.

Ey Brother 

It's a wild world ey brother  / Yes I saw the news today  / Guess we've said it every day / But it's a wild world ey brother // Just gets wilder every day  / Just gets wilder every day  / Hard to see how things could change for the better / Yeah it's a wild world ey brother // And if it all goes to hell / Or if we wind up in jail / For not doing as we're told  / At least we'll be standing with each other  / Yeah it's a wild world ey brother. // It's a wild world ey brother  / Yes I saw the news today  / Guess we'll have to wait and see / It's a wild world ey brother  // Probably always been this way   / Probably just the human race / If the world's a stage and life's a play / It's probably always been this way // And if they merge us with machines / Or we're blown to smithereens  / And this life on earth is done / At least we'll have stood by each other  / Yeah it's a wild world ey brother  // But if this crazy world don't end  / If somehow love and reason win  / Then we can smile at each other and / Say it's a wild world ey brother  / Yeah then we'll laugh with each other  / Say it's a wild world ey brother.

Thanksgiving Night

It's Thanksgiving night / Had my dinner in a diner / It's Thanksgiving night / Had my dinner in a diner / I worked all day / Gonna sleep alright. // The coffee was cold / But it got warmer / The coffee was cold / But it got warmer / The food weren't from home / But it cured my hunger // We can't stay eight years old forever  / It's just like you're told / The years each pass faster.  // So thankful to be with you tonight  / Though it ain't like old days / We still got our choice of pies / Yeah we're alright. / All we know to do is make it. / Yeah, I'm so thankful for tonight.  // Couldn't see her face / But I think she was smiling  / Couldn't see her face / But I think she was smiling / And as she turned away / She said she'd be there 'til morning. // Saw a truck driving man / In a corner booth with his family / Saw a truck driving man / In a corner booth with his family / But the man at the bar, he was alone.  // We can't stay eight years old forever  / It's just like you're told / The years each pass faster / So thankful to be with you tonight  / Though it ain't like old days / We still got our choice of pies / Yeah we're alright. / All we know to do is make it. / Yeah, I'm so thankful for tonight.  // It's Thanksgiving night / Had my dinner in a diner.

Only To Be Songs

Were you singing bout me  / When you were pouring out your sad heart?  / Said you don't want to stop  / And the sad songs keep flowing from your pen  / With the falling each teardrop. / And were you thinking of me / When you were singing bout that dark room? / Oh how I hate to presume / I know I'm not the only one / Who's fallen at least a little from  / A morning, evening, afternoon, or night with you.  // We went walking / Talking 'bout the beauty and the magic  / Of the natural world around us.  / Sat on an old park bench / Deeply breathed each other in / Made love on the kitchen floor past dawn.  / And now it's broken / Choking on the madness, 'neath the weight  / Of the heavy days we're living / What a shame to think  / That you and I are / Only to be songs. // Were you winking at me  / When you were standing neath those bright lights? / With that smile so wide / And me grinning like a fool / And falling a little more for you  / Eaten up and tryng to hide this lovesick. // We went walking  / Talking 'bout the beauty and the magic  / Of the natural world around us.  / Sat on an old park bench / Deeply breathed each other in / Made love on the kitchen floor past dawn.  / And now it's broken / Choking on the madness, 'neath the weight  / Of the heavy days we're living / What a shame to think  / That you and I are / Only to be songs.  // Will you write about me  / Like you wrote to me this morning / There's no play at all / And all the warmth is gone / And I don't know who you are  / And you don't know me.  // Yeah now it's broken / Choking on the madness, 'neath the weight  / Of the heavy days we're living / What a shame to think  / That you and I are / Only to be songs.