from the CD "LET DE GROOVE RISE UP"

Turkey Day Rap-So-Dee
(© 1988 Jon Wilcox/Wind River)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

Well, the wind blows wild and the trees are flying,
old Scorpio's rising and the sky's on fire.
I strolled down to the water just to watch the boats capsize.
Well, my spirit's high and my stomach's full,
it's good to feel a little gravitational pull.
And I got a woman bound to make my temperature rise.

I been working at the mill since a-way last August.
Hell, it's better than the Gulf Station back in Saugus.
And the weather's been wet, so there's really nothing better to do.
We were living in a trailer, now we got our own place,
it's a half mile off from the whole human race.
And the crop's coming in just before the payment is due.

(Chorus:)
Whoa - I must say it's been a fine Thanksgiving!
Old Father Time's been smiling on me.
When I hear them old songs I can't keep from singing.
This true love that I've found has turned my world around.

Well, I got an old friend who's a great success
With his name in the paper and his head in a mess.
Spent his youth trying to make the music pay.
Now he wants to be the world's greatest big-time showman,
flashing his stones like a declined Roman.
And I wouldn't trade him if he threw in all the coke in L.A.

(Chorus)

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(Your Love Is Like the) Mountain Water
(© 1988 Dan Wheetman)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

Darlin', I don't want to rope and brand you.
And I don't want to stake a claim.
And I don't want to fence you in.
Darlin', I just want to drink from your stream.

(Chorus):
For your love is like the mountain water:
clear and sparklin' as the dew.
And to love you until my life is over
is all I've ever wanted from you.

I don't want to take the gold out of you heart, love.
And I don't want to take the sparkle from your eye.
But let me rest in the shade of your love
and drink from your stream for awhile.

(Chorus)

Darlin', you are my gold and my silver.
You are my sunshine and my rain.
And I don't want to make you my possession.
Darlin', I just want to drink from your stream.

(Chorus)

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Mexico
(Campbell/Prairieville)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

(1)
I could be in the blue, blue waters of Mexico
'stead of being here with you, feelin' so alone.
Mexico will cure what ails me - Mexico.
Warm tequila, salty nights, oh, Mexico.

(Bridge:)
I can't believe that I've lost you.
That look in your eyes is gone.
Do you take me for a fool?

(2)
Days are long and nights are warm down in Mexico.
I can honestly say I'm hopin' you don 't show.
Mexico will cure what ails me - Mexico.
Warm tequila, salty nights, oh, Mexico.

(Bridge)

(2)
Warm tequila, salty nights, oh, Mexico.

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Shine This Light
(©1976 Dan Wheetman & Jan Garrett)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

(Chorus:)
Shine this light (sufferin' in the night of my....)
Shine this light (sufferin' in the night of my....)
Shine this light, sufferin' in the dark night, in the night of my soul.

Well, you stop and read about Jonah, way down in Canaan land.
He would not do his Lord's will, he was smitten by His hand.
Cast out into the ocean and swallowed by a whale,
three days and nights he saw not light, his strength began to fail.
But he turned his heart to heaven - "Lord, I am in Your hands!"
"Then do My will, you cannot fail". He was delivered on dry land.

Singin'...
(Chorus)

Well, you read about the Hebrew children and their trial in Babylon.
Old Nebuchadnezzar had an idol of gold and he said all must bow down.
He cried unto his people, "Worship my god, you will!"
But when all of Babylon had bowed down, the children stood there still.
They were brought before Nebuchadnezzar and he threw them in the fire.
But the Angel came and cooled the flames and they prayed to God on high.

Singin'...
(Chorus)

Won't you'...
(Chorus)

Well, you read about Paul the Apostle, the one that was called Saul,
sent by the priests from Jerusalem to bind the Christians all.
On his way down to Damascus, cut down by a mighty light;
"Know that I am the Lord thy God, in three days, I'll return your sight."
Those with him could not understand 'cause he could not explain.
He was reborn, he had been shown the power of God's Name!

(Chorus)

Won't you'
(Chorus)

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Seamus OBrien
(Traditional)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

How sweet is the smile of the beautiful morn'
as it peeps through the curtain of night.
And the song of the nightingale singing her tune
and the stars seem to shine with delight.
All nature now lingers in silent repose
and the sweet smell of summer has gone.
And I sit and I wonder if Seamus now knows
how sad and unhappy I am?

(Chorus:)
Oh, Seamus O'Brien, why don't you come home?
Sure you don't know how happy I'd be!
I've got one darling wish and it is that you'll come
and forever be happy with me.

I'll smile when you smile and I'll weep when you weep,
and I'll give you a kiss for a kiss.
And all the fond vows that I make you I'll keep
and what more can I offer but this?
Does the sea have such bright and such beautiful charms
that your heart will not leave it for me?
Oh, why did I let you get out of my arms,
a bird that was caged and is free?

(Chorus)

Oh, Seamus O'Brien I'm loving you yet
with a heart that is trusting and kind.
It was you who first won it and can you forget
for the love of another you'd find?
But if you should break it with sorrow and pain
sure I'll then have a duty to do,
Just bring it to me and I'll mend it again
and give it, dear Seamus, to you.

(Chorus)

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Streets of Babylon
(© 1988 Dan Wheetman)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

(Chorus:)
On the streets of Babylon - on the streets of Babylon,
on the streets of Babylon, I found love - oh, love.

(Chorus)

In the midst of the city, in the world of push and shove,
in the buying and selling, I found love - oh, love.

(Chorus)

And who can tell me that I am wrong, look what I've found here inside:
when the world is its darkest then, surely the light cannot hide.

(Chorus)

Babylon, your towers are burning, all things must change or pass away.
Now I have fallen in love with what I first believed was my slave.

On the streets of Babylon - on the streets of Babylon,
On the streets of Babylon, I found love - oh, love.
I found love - oh, love - I found love - oh, love.

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Meet De Boys On The Battlefront
(Landry/Rhinelander)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

(Chorus:)
Oh, meet de boys on the Battlefront.
Meet de boys on the Battlefront.
Meet de boys on the Battlefront.
Yeah, the wild Tchopatoulas gonna stomp some rump!

Prettiest little thing that I ever seen -
Mardi gras Injuns in New Orleans.
Sew all night and they sew all day;
Mardi gras mornin' went all the way.

(Chorus)

Injuns comin' from all over town
They drink firewater, gonna bring 'em down.
A Jackimo feeno, hey-la-hey,
have some fun on a holiday.

(Chorus)

I'm an Injun ruler from the thirteenth ward,
A big Chief Kahuna and I can't be bought.
I walk through fire and I swim through mud
Snatch a feather from an eagle, drink panther blood!

(Chorus)

Mardi gras comin' and it won't be long,
Injuns comin', gonna carry on.
They sew all night and they sew all day;
Mardi gras mornin' went all the way.

(Chorus)

Yes, it's a Rudy Poopalina and a hoo-na-no!
Big Chief Jolly everywhere I go.
Don't you touch my flag, yeah, steal my queen,
You have more trouble than you ever seen.

(Chorus)

(Chorus)

Oh, the wild Tchopatoulas gonna stomp some rump!
Yeah, the wild Tchopatoulas gonna stomp some rump!

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No Place As Lonely As Texas
(© 1988 Dan Wheetman)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

When there is no rose in San Antone,
when there is no Red River Love.
When Dallas is dark and you're all alone
just like the Lone Star above.

When you long to waltz across Texas,
and there is no one to dance;
you would treat them so right if they'd spend the night,
but no one will give you the chance.

There's no place as lonely as Texas
when your arms have been empty so long.
And your heart is just wide-open spaces
and your dreams are just sad country songs.

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from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up
Sunrise Over Big Muddy
© 1988 Jon Wilcox

You got yer Huckleberry Finn, you got yer crocodile smile,
gotcher red beans and rice on yer green radio dial.
You got old Luke the Drifter, like a voice from beyond
in a scene I recreate.

Back in that room on a long afternoon
and a kid of six or eight,
I acquired a taste for that deep Southern sound
while them sad old steels whined.
And my mind rolls on like Big Muddy
back to that slow-moving time.

Well, I never got down to Looziann' till I was twenty-nine.
When I fell in love with a Creole girl, she stole this soul of mine.
With her deep brown eyes and her beautiful breasts
and her lips like rare French wine.
And we drank our fill of the warm night air
while the Cajun fiddles whined.
And watched the sun rise over Big Muddy
once upon a wonderful time.

No engineer can take me there - it's lost like a beautiful dream.
But someday I'll be gone, following a song,
Pretty Mama, won't you come along with me?
For if you close yer eyes you can't help but harmonize -
It's as easy as laughter and tears.
On dit que Plus ça change, toules les choses restent al meme.
That old river keeps a-rollin' while she's restin' in her bed,
and the music runs on like Big Muddy through my head
in that lazy old three-quarter time.

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A Pirate Looks At Forty
(Buffet/Duchess Music)
from the CD Let De Groove Rise Up

Mother, Mother ocean, I have heard you call.
And I wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall.
You've seen it all...
you've seen it all.

Watched the men that rode you switch from sail to steam
and in your belly you hold a treasure that few have ever seen.
Most of them dreams..
most of them dreams.

Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred years too late.
But the cannon don't thunder, there's nothing to plunder,
I'm an over-forty victim of fate.
Arriving too late...
arriving too late.

Well, I go for younger women, I lived with several a while.
And though I ran 'em away they all come back one day
We still have managed to smile.
It just takes a while...
just takes a while.

And I've done a bit of smuggling, I've run my share of grass.
And though I made enough money to buy Miami,
I pissed it away so fast.
It was never meant to last...
never meant to last.

Well, I have been drunk now for over two weeks.
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks.
But I gotta quit wishin', I gotta go fishin',
I'm down to rock bottom again
with just a few friends...
just a few old friends.

Mother, Mother Ocean, after all the years I've found
the occupational hazard being, the occupation's just not around.
I feel I could drown.
Goin' to head uptown.
I feel like I've drowned.

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