Mike Mangione

Girl From the Midwest

When autumn comes
With the leaves’ last breath
We’ll walk the orchards
At dusk we’ll rest
In all my times, I’ve had the best
Beneath the willow tree
With my girl from the midwest

When winter’s touch
Rests upon the land
We’ll blaze the fire
I’ll hold your hand
In the warmth of lovers
We’ll fall back and nest
With my little girl from the midwest

You’re my little girl

When spring comes rising
In the fields of birth
We’ll go walking
Through the luscious earth
I’ll lay you down
From heaven I’m blessed
You’re my little girl from the midwest

You’re my little girl

When summer’s sun
Warms the sweat it takes
We’ll dip our bodies in the Great Lakes
Our lips touch lips
Your love I ingest
You’re my little girl from the midwest

Miles On My Mind

With the sunset clear and glowing
Water’s keen reflection
Pines fresh and breathing
Eyes set in north’s directions
In a world so far in beauty
I feel so far behind
Even five hundred miles away
She’s miles on my mind

It’s the northern refuge of nature
That can hold my soul so deep
Although this force is so strong
It’s in her arms I sleep
With all the riches it sets for me
I feel there’s nothing to find
Even five hundred miles away, she’s miles on my mind

When day comes, dreams are over
And truth stands by my side
Roads I’ve walked through
Lips I’ve talked to
Say that I’m alone tonight
Just give me your sweet touch
I won’t ask too much
Heal the wounds so bare
Outside’s haunting, beauty’s flaunting
Five hundred miles I stare

The road will lead me farther
It’s lessons always roll
This trip will mark its scars on me
And truth will take its toll
With all there is to learn from it
And the great path it will wind
Even five hundred miles away
She’s miles on my mind

Even five hundred miles away
She’s miles on my mind

Tonight

Tonight
It’s been us two
Not just you
I’ll try
There’s only so much I can do
And it’s hard to drop the piece of you
But I’ll try, no I won’t I lie tonight
Right next to you
And In the wind that blew
You didn’t know that was me
I’ll always be along with you
Along with you
Along with you

And I know I got to
I go to go
But it’s hard to say goodbye
And every day that shines
Ends in a darkened time
But I, I don’t wanna sleep yeah

So tonight
Don’t you close your eyes
Don’t you realize
That it’s been us two
Not just you
I’ll try
But there’s only so much I can do
And it’s hard to drop that piece of you
But I’ll try, no I won’t I lie tonight
Right next to you
In the wind that blew
You didn’t know that was me
I’ll always be along with you
Along with you
Along with you

I know I got to
I got to go
But it’s hard to say goodbye
And everyday that shines ends in a
A darkened time
But I don’t wanna sleep yeah

So tonight
I’ll realize
Close my eyes

Closer

I’m leaving this town
There ain’t much behind me
Except my name and those I spoke it to
With the lights all around
I leave back through the alley
Past the filth and mistakes I shouldn’t do

Oh no, with the twilight comes the night
It’s easier to do in the dark
What’s not right in the light
But I need something closer
So much closer to me

With the cars going by
My head up high hands to my side
There’s no need for a taxi
They wouldn’t know where to go
Past the whores and the trade
The drunks and the smack grenades
You can hear salvation’s whisper
Drowning death on the latest show

Oh no, with the twilight comes the night
It’s easier to do in the dark
What’s not right in the light
But I need something closer
Yeah so much closer to me

I need something closer to me
Wrap me up and take me home tonight
Sleeping eyes can’t see
I’m bruised by the things in front of me
Set me up on my knees tonight

Heres my gift from me to you

The midnight calls my name
I catch it with the AM train
To keep from going insane
So I’m leaving this town
And there’s so much behind me
With the day, a chance to redeem my name

With the twilight comes the night
It’s easier to do in the dark
What’s not right in the light
But I need something closer
So much closer to me

Moonshiner

I’ve been a moonshiner
For seventeen long years
I’ve spent all my money
On whiskey and beer
I go to some hollow
And set up my still
And if whiskey don’t kill me
I don’t know what will

I go to some bar room
And drink with my friends
Where the women can’t follow
To see what I spent
God bless them pretty women
I wish they was mine
Their breath is as sweet as
The dew on the vine

Let me eat when I’m hungry
Let me drink when I’m dry
Lend me dollars when I’m hard up
Religion when I die
Cause the whole world’s a bottle
And life is but a dram
When the bottle gets empty
It sure ain’t worth a damn

Exordium

Moonshine dances round this room
With her golden skin and silver neck
With her gypsy feet she’ll dance round this world
With Shiva hands she’ll pull it all down
And then she’ll mold you into the shape you’re in
With her lotus mind and Beatrice lip
With your pirate mouth you speak stolen words
She says to me you aim to wound but you scratch the surface
and only coughs and love
You cannot hide
The rest is tattooed on the dark
And then she’ll join the sky
Shine brighter than the stars

Moonshine dances round this room
With her golden skin and silver neck
With her gypsy feet she’ll dance round this world
With Shiva hands she’ll pull it all down
And then she’ll mold you into the shape you’re in
With her lotus mind and Beatrice lip
With your pirate mouth you speak stolen words
She says to me you aim to wound but you scratch the surface
and only coughs and love
You cannot hide
The rest is tattooed on the dark
And then she’ll join the sky
Shine brighter than the stars

Until We Meet Again

So far away yet as close as a candle
A door is to handle
A child is born
She says to me I always come to you
But it’s not just what I do
I said I will I will I will

Don’t lie to me
You lied to me
Why?
You ride with me
You ride with three
It’s I Am
I’m dying to see
I’ve died to see until we meet again

It’s hard to swim
In books littered with pages
Sleepy eyed rages
Through a blaring night sky
She kisses my lips and says
Before I speak I kiss you
But if you kiss back you must speak too
And I said I will I will I will

Don’t lie to me
You lied to me
Why?
You ride with me
You ride with three
It’s I Am
I’m dying to see
I’ve died to see until we meet again

And in her light I am awoken
There is only one shown
And I’m not alone
And in the night I’ll be the moon
And reflect his sun’s rays
Til the new day

Take heed
Take heed
To my lukewarm tan
Righteous man
A king, a king grows
a family tree equally

Don’t lie to me
You lied to me
Why?
You ride with me
You ride with three
It’s I Am
I’m dying to see
I’ve died to see until we meet again

In the light I’m awoken
There is only one shown
And I’m not alone
And in the night I’ll be the moon
And reflect his sun’s rays until the new day

Diamond Eyes

Oh diamond eyes
How I wanna see you tonight
Draped across my beating heart’s valley
So our eyes can meet again
Oh beautiful sun
How I bask in the rays of one
You dry my tears form falling
Every time our eyes meet again

How I wish to feel your hands on mine

Have your hair wrap the shades of time
Watch the morning paint across your face
As the crazy world rushes by
We’ll stand there in place

Oh angel dear
You give flight to all my fears
It’s through you grace touches my morning
Every time our eyes meet again
Ohhh my love
How I hate to say bye tonight
Every step I’ll always be thinking
Of when our eyes will meet again

How I wish to feel your hands on mine

Have your hair wrap the shades of time
Watch the morning paint across your face
As the crazy world rushes by
We’ll stand there in place

Now it’s time for me to go
There’s so much for you to know
But for now hush and don’t you worry
For our eyes they will meet again

Going to Be With You

You ask me are you going on the road again
Will we have time to spend?
Don’t you get lonely for a friend?
I said baby, I’m going to be with you
You ask me you think we’ll make ends meet
Have something good to eat
Or swallow our defeat
I said baby, I’m going to be with you
You ask me do I look ok tonight
Saying everything alright?
Should I just stay out of sight
I said baby, I’m going to be with you

And you ask me have I changed at all with time
Seen the passing of my prime
What’s in store down the line
I said baby, I’m going to be with you
And you ask me what if your dream runs out
Are you able to go about
Will you just fizzle out
I said baby, without a doubt
Because I’m going to be with you

Down the Road

Down the road
I’ve walked my share of footsteps down the road
Covered my own ground down the road
And I’ll cover so much more
Down the road

Down the road
I’ve seen the stories of many passing down the road
Heard the deafness of being lonesome in the cold
Between the snowy banks I walk
Down the road

Down the road
I’ve been warmed by the golden rays of a summer sun
Felt the love of several hundred and the heart of one
That my soul will always know
Down the road

Down the road
I’ve been stung by the sweeping hollow needles of the wind
Felt the helpless shameful guilt of being pinned
As I watched the truth unfold
Down the road

Down the road
I’ve been Drenched by the soaking rain of other’s hate
Dried by the wise words of one so great
That my mind attempts to mold
Down the road

Down the road
I tasted a sweet tongue of a devil down the road
The pain and sweat of working for my gold
And the truth with growing old
Down the road

Tears of joy
Came with my meeting of a mother and her boy
With a father whose wife’s flaws could not annoy
As my eyes flood big and bold down the road
Walk with me
Come on take my hand
Show me sights to see
Through the biggest cloud and the deepest bluest sea
With the Lord’s hand we’ll hold down the road
Shine on light
Shine in to the latest hour of the night
With your gleaming power my feet will soon take flight
As my body moves pushed and pulled
Down the road

Persistence

My heart speaks persistence
To its muse in the distance
But truth shows up
And messes hope up
Cause I know your next word will be goodbye
Under streetlights I cry

With the sun I rise
And pray when I open my eyes
It’s you asleep
Your touch warms me
But I know
Your next word will be goodbye
Under streetlights I cry

And though you resist
it’s you that I miss
With the days gone by
Comes my pain

Cold street, Chicago
Under dirt, grime and black snow
Lies a young man’s dream
Of what love can bring
Cause I know your next word will be goodbye
Under streetlights I cry

And I
And I
I love
I love
I love
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you

Bow Down To You

There it goes again
You’ve done your best
You shine through your darkened tide
The rose across your breast
I do bow to you in this time of need
But there’s no sympathy
It’s your fighting light
I wanted to address

So I do bow to you
I bow down to you

I have walked the earth
For such a short time
But the weeds of fate
They know my legs
And Pulled off the perfect crime
I’ve fallen down in the dirt I know
But when stricken down
You turn it upside-down
From there it’s where you grow

So I bown down to you
I bow down to you
I bow down to you
I bow down to you

When you feel small
And nothing at all
And the rain seems to drench the things
You hold so deep inside
I saw the water soak
And I saw pride choke
In the dripping rain
You grew from pain
Your beauty cannot hide

So I bow down to you
I bow down to you
I bow down to you
I bow down to you

I bow down
I bow down to you
I bow down
Bow down to you
Bow down to you
I bow down
I bow down to you