Lungs - Townes van Zandt - GuitarTalk Community

Lungs - Townes van Zandt

Squonk

After hearing Darrell Scott that Racman posted the other day.
I somehow remembered Townes van Zandt, who should be a lot more famous than he is.

This song is brilliant and one of the major reasons I never started smoking was the first verse.

Well, won’t you lend your lungs to me?
Mine are collapsing
Plant my feet and bitterly breathe
Up the time that’s passing.
Breath I’ll take and breath I’ll give
Pray the day ain’t poison
Stand among the ones that live
In lonely indecision.

Fingers walk the darkness down
Mind is on the midnight
Gather up the gold you’ve found
You fool, it’s only moonlight.
If you try to take it home
Your hands will turn to butter
You better leave this dream alone
Try to find another.

Salvation sat and crossed herself
Called the devil partner
Wisdom burned upon a shelf
Who’ll kill the raging cancer
Seal the river at it’s mouth
Take the water prisoner
Fill the sky with screams and cries
Bathe in fiery answers

Jesus was an only son
And love his only concept
Strangers cry in foreign tongues
And dirty up the doorstep
And I for one, and you for two
Ai’nt got the time for outside
Just keep your injured looks to you
We’ll tell the world we tried

Bob-Dubery

Squonk wrote:

After hearing Darrell Scott that Racman posted the other day.
I somehow remembered Townes van Zandt, who should be a lot more famous than he is.

Something of a legendary figure, and much respected as a songwriter. He apparently smoked like a chimney. Steve Earle has repeatedly insisted that van Zandt was a better songwriter than Dylan.

I really should check him out.