Bits & Pieces
bits and pieces
fill those shoes
hard luck city
the wind doesnt know you
conscience of man
ev'ry soul is there
happy wonderland
another sweet deal
bootstraps
eye of a needle
rubbin' elbows-(do me a favor)
all over again
bring to fly
bits and pieces
i was a knock on your door
the bars are all closed
jerk the cutains on down
it's cold here on the floor
that preachin' drunk slumlord
no tables and chairs
cash money for a flop house
two weeks in november
chorus
bits and pieces
empty pockets
travel light in the darkness
another lifetime forgotten
heavy metal next door
third shift radio
no sleepin' this mornin'
bloody screamin' for more
dont 'member your name
your face is missin'
sounds of the shadows
your next of kin
chorus
makin' ends meet alone
loose ends to the bone
burnin' ashes in my lungs
i gotta take it i can run
chorus
chorus
c. gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
fill those shoes
people talk about losin'
runnin' round in circles
wonder who's listenin'
and prayin' for mercy
people get murdered
for no reason
some give up their lives
so others keep breathin'
chorus
i seen lives torn apart
i been there still comin' to
now i believe you're the only one
to fill those worn out shoes
i heard an old man
tellin’ my story
i know he dont know me
but i give him the glory -(for tryin')
chorus
divided history
unrequited love
it aint no mystery
to my God above
chorus
first verse
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcolmbe
hard luck city
tooth and nail
roll up your sleeves
dont forget to breathe
in hard luck city
knees to your shoulders
bad heart's growin' older
time travel's a dirt road
(back) to heart luck city
chorus
i never listened to you
you never listened to me
ev'rybody got in my way
thumbin' down an ol' highway
bullet proof and wastin' away
in hard luck city
hide in your room
dont make a move
tell me who is who
in hard luck city
chorus
days roll on by
goodtimes good bye
see ya by and by
in hard luck city
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcolmbe
the wind doesnt know you
it's an ev'ry day battle wakin up in the mornin'
with the rattle and the hustles of the cars and the warnin'
of the pressure ev'ry measure
of the clock tickin' forward
lock the doors and the windows turn the music up louder
from the eighties to the ninetys from the pills to the powder
breakin' secrets buried deeper
screamin' i am not a coward
bridge
and the wind doesnt know who you are
and the wind doesnt know you at all
this time'll be different this time it wont hurt
to listen to the voices tryin' to throw me in the dirt
scratchin' to the sunlight
waitin' til i get burned
bridge
first verse
bridge
bridge
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
conscience of man
your love for blood and guns and money
aint gonna steal away my country
kennedy dr king and lincoln
gave us tongues to pray and sing
i will not hide form the words of justice
i will not join the cries of liars
i will not keep my heart from climbing
from the dust i swallowed behind
i believe in conscience of man
prodigal son's gonna turn me around
teach me with your open arms
backslidin' i been surely wrong
great spirit lift me from despair
to your bossom sweet and fair
chorus
jesus loves all the little children
all the children of this world
red yellow black and white
they are precious in his sight
chorus
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
ev'ry soul is there
i had a dream about you late last nite
drinkin' beer like the usual rough ol' times
a handful o' notebooks words and rhymes
it was a humblin' heck of a crazy ride
there was meltin' butter on the guitar strings
watchin' others get thru the pourin' rain
now the radio plays familiar tunes
but i heard em first hand on eighth avenue
chorus
he picks up the phone ev'ry now and then
clear and close i remember when
the kids were young stayin' up all nite
hangin down at the bar drinkin coffee awhile
this town's gotta grudge but it makes no matter
as a matter a fact dead brain cells scatter
time stretches a hand up over the years
love comes back around some way or 'nuther
chorus
now they took away the pictures and the tables and chairs
not a dime on the floor not a sound in the air
but there's an empty ol' buildin' full o' ghosts i swear
swappin' songs ev'ry nite ev'ry soul is there
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcolmbe
happy wonderland
cotton mouth cocaine swallowed
sputterin' poetry
i spent a lil' time in the big house
readin' science fiction for real
that phone ringin' numbers in the mornin'
wally world runnin' girls at night
petunia palace was the ol' flophouse
passed out pissed off outta sight
chorus
this and that and the other
stickin' out like a sore thumb
draggin' my knuckles to the bottom
happy wonderland here i come
you gotta butter your bread on the right side
dont whistle at the women 'round here
that corn fed bible belt mama's
gotta skillet made for your head
she sewed me up in a blanket
I was passed out cold as a wedge
that's the last time i took to drinkin'
when 'er fryin' pan beat me half to death
chorus
now you can lead an ol' mule to the water
but ya cant make him drink a drop
you can play with matches in your pocket
but the downside's gonna get hot
chorus
chorus
c. gypsy eyes music bmi
malcolm holclombe
another sweet deal
i gotta mem'ry that brings me
right on your mind
throw away your troubles
from darkness to light
i gotta pocket full o' keys
to fit ev'ry lock
to the doors of your heart
and safe deposit box
i gotta cowboy hat
and cowboy boots
i sing about drinkin'
and losin' my cool
i gotta blonde on my arm
and hands on the wheel
my eyes straight ahead
for another sweet deal
chorus
another sweet deal
one more for the road
another sweet deal
for me doncha know
another sweet deal
around ev'ry corner
another sweet deal
for a heart broken colder
i gotta friend with a truck
a truck and a trailor
he loads up my junk
and owes me a favor
i sit on my ass
and move money around
i talk double fast
and roll back outta town
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
bootstraps
time's borne a better man
a man i know not many
to color up the sand
i washed away for plenty
i washed away for plenty
i dabbled into shiny deals
fate's tally for the liquid blues
lost souls beneath the wheels
always room for one more fool
always room for one more fool
blood bleedin' in your stomach
saline flowin' in your veins
i know the grace of God's among us
but the doctors turned away
the doctors turned away
pourin' water from the table
pourin' more water down your throat
daddy's hand shakin' unstable
still alive when mornin' broke
still alive when mornin' broke
so stay afoot ready to lend
a lovin' hand and mark my words
i come up short the best i can
to fill the bootstraps of a man (pull)
fill the bootstraps of a man
first verse
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
eye of a needle
when the nickle's right
i'm gonna jump on the wagon
no water in the desert
like it use to be
fickle milllion dollar deals
make a poor man stagger
them thirsty daggers
make a rich man bleed
chorus
there's an eye of a needle
for a golden camel
i suffered a quarter
for a telephone call
aint nobody home
i was stuck to ramble
panhandlin' daylight
branded for a fall
you burn a hole in my pocket
lock stock and barrel
if there's a will there's a way
crooked straight and narrow
the moon slipped on by
didnt turn up a dime
not a drop in the bucket
turnin' sixty-five
chorus
if that's the way it is
make your bed with decision
dont look keep listenin'
dont pray keep wishin'
chours
chorus
c.2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
rubbin' elbows-(do me a favor)
dont quit your day job
gone above your raisin'
he was a bigshot
nuthin's worth savin'
a lil' botox
alotta heel and toe
adidas sneakers
stashin' dorritos
chorus
rubbin' elbows
kissin' babies
snubbin' poor folks
lovin' favors
thunderbird ol' man
in a hornet's nest
do the best ya can
moppin' up the rest
woncha grease my palm
slap me on the back
meet my younger sister
and kiss my ass
chorus
keepa hungry eye
on your hands and knees
listen for the cries
of a soul in need
chorus
first verse
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
all over again
you can make a silk purse from an ol sows ear
you can polish a turd with some elbow grease
there's a flim-flam floozy full o' booze and boobies
i know i been there all over again
you can change my mind when i'm poor and hungry
you can rob me blind with a suit and tie
there's a special place for a face with a crooked smile
i know i been there all over again
chorus
all over again you keep pullin' my leg
all over again i'm a stick sucker man
i'm gonna follow the crowd hoop and holler real loud
i know i been there all over again
you can preach to the choir sober up for awhile
try to sell me a bridge put my feet to the fire
but what goes around's gonna come around
i know i been there all over again
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe
bring to fly
God has the power to the people
under the towers under the steeples
babylons of ruin call
the humble victims stumble and fall
the hypocrites of poisoned concrete
grow taller in their clay feet
the one room shacks of my childhood
now just mem'ries of the wildwood
chorus
still the hope of one will rise
to bind the wounds and hear the cries
of precious souls he wont deny
the wings of goodness bring to fly
the masterminds of the misdeeds
the wolves among us so many sheep
stay hungry never satisfied
slaughter poor and blinded eyes
the seeds of reason block the sun
the sunlight of my faith comes undone
the twisted steel i need and crave
will turn to dust and wash away
chorus
chorus
c. 2021 gypsy eyes music, bmi
malcolm holcombe