HUNTER, Robert


Black Muddy River

When the last rose of summer pricks my finger,

And the hot sun chills me to the bone,

When I can't hear the song for the singer,

And I can't tell my pillow from a stone,

I will walk alone by the black muddy river,

And sing me a song of my own,

I will walk alone by the black muddy river,

And sing me a song of my own.

When the last bolt of sunshine hits the mountain,

And the stars start to splatter in the sky,

When the moon hits the southwest horizon,

With the scream of an eagle on the fly,

I will walk alone by the black muddy river,

And listen to the ripples as they moan,

I will walk alone by the black muddy river,

And sing me a song of my own.

Black muddy river, roll on forever,

I don't care how deep or wide, if you've got another side,

Roll muddy river, roll muddy river, black muddy river, roll.

When it seems like the night will last forever,

And there's nothing left to do but count the years,

When the strings of my heart begin to sever,

And stones fall from my eyes instead of tears,

I will walk alone, by the black muddy river,

And dream me a dream of my own,

I will walk alone, by the black muddy river,

And sing me a song of my own, sing me a song of my own.


Dark star

Dark star crashes, pouring its light into ashes

Reason tatters, the forces tear loose from the axis

Searchlight casting for faults in the clouds of delusion

Shall we go, you and I while we can

Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds?

Mirror shatters in formless reflections of matter

Glass hand dissolving in ice, petal flowers revolving

Lady in velvet recedes in the nights of good-bye

Shall we go, you and I while we can

Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds?


Friend of the Devil

I lit up from Reno

I was trailed by twenty hounds

Didn't get to sleep that night

Till the morning came around

I set out running but I'll take my time

A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine

If I get home before daylight

I just might get some sleep tonight

I ran into the Devil, babe

He loaned me twenty bills

I spent that night in Utah

In a cave up in the hills

I set out running but I take my time

…..

I ran down to the levee

But the Devil caught me there

He took my twenty dollar bill

And he vanished in the air

I set out running but I take my time
…..

Got two reasons why I cry

Away each lonely night

The first one's named sweet Anne Marie

And she's my heart's delight

Second one is prison, baby

The sheriff's on my trail

And if he catches up with me

I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe

And one in Cherokee

First one says she's got my child

But it don't look like me

I set out running but I take my time

….


So Many Roads

Thought I heard a blackird singing

Up on Bluebird Hill

Call me a whinin' boy if you will

Born where the sun don't shine

And I don't deny my name

Got no place to go, ain't that a shame?

Thought I heard that KC whistle

Moaning sweet and low

Thought I heard that KC when she blow

Down where the sun don't shine

Underneath the Kokomo

Whinin' boy got no place to go

So many roads I tell you

So many roads I know

So many roads, so many roads

Mountain high, river wide

So many roads to ride

So many roads, so many roads

Thought I heard a jug band playin'

"If you don't... who else will?"

From over on the far side of the hill

All I know the sun don't shine

And the rain refused to fall

And you don't seem to hear me when I call

Wind inside and the wind outside

Tangled in the window blind

Tell me why you treat me so unkind

Down where the sun don't shine

Lonely and I call your name

No place left to go, ain't that a shame?

So many roads I tell you

New York to San Francisco

So many roads I know

All I want is one to take me home

From the high road to the low

So many roads I know

So many roads so many roads

From the land of the midnight sun

Where the ice blue roses grow

Along those roads of gold and silver snow

Howlin' wide or moaning low

So many roads I know

So many roads to ease my sou