New Non-Fiction 2001
Performing Songwriter Magazine’s Editor’s Choice, top 10 DIY records of the year. Washington Post: “always an impressive songwriter, Werner continues to compose sharp, funny, compassionate lyrics, a gift rare enough to set her apart…”
Released 2001. Recorded in Nashville in the summer of 2001, NNF was produced by colin linden (producer of the bruce cockburn’s charity of night and breakfast in new orleans cd’s) and features richard bell on keyboards (from janis joplin’s pearl album), dave roe on bass (johnny cash’s gut-string bass player) and colin playing tasty slide solos and rollicking electric guitar parts.
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1
Stationary
3:16
Lyrics
Stationary - Lyrics
Hold on both hands, don't let go
Don't lean too far back or too far in
And don't get fancy
You might hurt yourself or someone else
Sun up overhead is spinning
All the trees and sidewalks turning 'round
And those familiar faces
Smiling and then disappearing
Loneliness in love propels you
All the world is moving very fast
And everybody tells you
Find one thing that's stationary
Dizzy, dizzy, palms are sweating
All the blood is rushing to your head
And you begin to wonder
If you've had a bit too much
Still you can't resist the ride
You've loved it since you were a child in school
And you were looking for that
Something sure and steady out there
Loneliness in love propels you
All the world is moving very fast
And everybody tells you
Find one thing that's stationary
And baby is that you
'Cos I want it to be you
But you keep moving too
Yeah you keep moving too
And nothing does stand still
Nothing ever will
At least until the world stops turning altogether
Hold on both hands, don't let go
Don't lean too far back or too far in
And don't get fancy
You might lose yourself in someone else
Everywhere the signs are posted
And they say you play at your own risk
But break your heart or something
You'll be back again tomorrow
Loneliness in love propels you
All the world is moving very fast
And everybody tells you
Find one thing that's stationary
Loneliness in love propels you
All the world is moving very fast
And everybody tells you
Find one thing that's stationary -
2
Shade of Grey
3:50
Lyrics
Shade of Grey - Lyrics
God forbid you ever mention that you're looking for love
Mention it to anyone
And you'll be gettin' more advice than you could ever dream of
Cheap advice, ain't it fun
Hey, let everybody have their say
And at the end of the day
All you really get's another shade of grey
And everybody's gonna tell you 'xactly what you oughta do
If you're thinking 'bout a family
Have a baby, don't have any, really gotta have two
If you wanna live happily
Hey, let everybody have their say
And at the end of the day
All you really get's another shade of grey
And time just ticks away
With the whole world holding sway
While the sun goes down on one more twenty-four hours and
Everybody yippin' yappin' in the interview chair
Hawking their philosophy
Be a Christian, be a Buddhist, be a billionaire
Be like me, can't you see
Hey, let everybody have their say
And at the end of the day
All you really get's another shade of grey
So get up and walk away
Walk away
So don't tell me the answers
I'd rather learn them for myself
And don't sell me your answers
Put your book back on the shelf
With the new non-fiction and
When everybody's making weather in your overworked brain
Drizzlin' on your picnic
Just take a step in one direction and you're out of the rain
And your road's yellow brick
And hey you're off to see
Hey, let everybody have their say
And at the end of the day
At the end of the day
At the end of the day
All you really get's another shade of
Grey
All you get's another shade of grey
So get up, get up, get up
Get up
Get up and walk away -
3
Blue Guitar
2:55
Lyrics
Blue Guitar - Lyrics
Oh my famous heartache
Here you are at my door
Half a year it's been over
Here you come hoping for more
More of that beautiful tension
More of that sweet release
Oh together we did make a lovely and true masterpiece
But given time we all move on
Grieve awhile then let go
Let the new light come shining in
Let the new colours show
'Cos we can't go back to someplace
Someplace we've already been
That's why I know my darling
We can't paint that blue guitar again
Maybe we're still feeling lonely
Maybe we're still feeling sad
But we gave each other
Everything we had
May well have been the best loving
Best loving I've ever known
But the secret to getting it right
Is to know when to leave it alone
And given time we all move on
Grieve awhile then let go
Let the new light come shining in
Let the new colours show
'Cos we can't go back to someplace
Someplace we've already been
That's why I know my darling
We can't paint that blue guitar again
'Cos we can't go back to someplace
Someplace we've already been
That's why I know, why I know my darling
We can't paint that blue guitar again -
4
Yellow House
2:14
Lyrics
Yellow House - Lyrics
This little yellow house has too many rooms
Too many rooms, too many rooms
This little yellow house has too many rooms
And I sit all alone and cry
I had me a good man, lord I let him go
He went back to St Paul and I let him go
I had me a good man, lord I let him go
Now I sit all alone and cry
And my sister's baby boy has learned to say my name
Learned to say my name, he's learned to say my name
My sister's baby boy has learned to say my name
And I sit all alone and cry
And the sands in the hourglass gather down below
Gather below, they gather below
The sands in the hourglass gather down below
And I sit all alone and cry
In this little yellow house with too many rooms
Too many, too many, too many rooms
This little yellow house has too many rooms
And I sit all alone and cry
Yes I sit all alone and cry -
5
(It's OK to) Feel Good
3:55
Lyrics
(It's OK to) Feel Good - Lyrics
Yes I've seen you here before
Standing just inside the door
'Cos you'd never wanna take up any room
And everybody's slow dancing in the hall
But you just hold tight to the wall
'Cos a little pleasure, that would be too much to presume
Yes and that's the way it's been
But you'd love to join on in
You'd join in but you just don't think you should
Well now come on along with me
Let me help you see
That baby it's okay to feel good
'Cos you're the kind to stand out in the rain
Never tap on a windowpane
'Cos you wouldn't want to trouble anyone
And when they call your name for the parade
You always step back in the shade
'Cos you wouldn't want to inconvenience the sun
No you never ask for much
But you miss that tender touch
And you'd reach out, oh you'd reach out if you could
Well now come on and take my hand
Let me help you understand
That baby it's okay to feel good
Yeah baby it's okay
Let down your guard
Life's too long
Life's too hard
Baby it's okay
To enjoy yourself
To lean your head
On someone else's shoulder for a while
And all you have to say is yes
To a little tenderness
And your heart and soul are just wishing that you would
'Cos the night's still plenty young
And it's okay to need someone
Baby it's okay to feel good -
6
All of The Above
3:41
Lyrics
All of The Above - Lyrics
I'm makin' my list, checkin' it twice
Looking for a lover who is naughty and nice
Looking for an innocent with schoolboy charm
Looking for a kinky little French gendarme
Looking for a felon with a tattooed arm and a leather glove
And I want all of the above
All of the above, that's right
All the above and all of this too
Want me a nature boy paddlin' a canoe
A Wall Street wizard in a pinstripe vest
A doey-eyed Bowie in a little black dress
I once settled for so much less, what was I thinking of
Now I want all of the above
All of the above
All of the above is what I need
All of the aforementioned yes indeed
Feelin' pretty lonely and I must concede
That I need some love
And I want all of the above now
All of the above
Yeah I want all of the above but none of the below
None of what's to follow now no no no
An old man gettin' by on schoolboy charm
A dirty and perverted little French gendarme
A felon with a fully loaded firearm, headin' to Mexico
I want none of the below now
No no no no no no no no
None of the below, none of these please
Nature boy kissin' all the Christmas trees
A Wall Street wizard in a junk bond mess
A doey-eyed Bowie wearin' my black dress
I'm never gonna meet with any real success in that scenario
I want none of the below now
None of the below, nothin' of the kind
None of that was really what I had in mind
True true lovin' baby's hard to find but I know I know
That I want none of the below
And hey, hey
Everybody looking for a Tom Terrific
Hey hey
North Atlantic to the South Pacific
Hey hey
I've done my study and it's scientific and the numbers showed
Take none of the below
And get all of the above
Hey hey hey
All of the above and none of the below
Line up all my candidates in one long row
Line up all my candidates if anybody comes
So far it's just me twiddlin' my thumbs
So far it's just me
Livin' off crumbs
And I want some love
And I want all of the above -
7
Everybody's Talking
4:06
Lyrics
Everybody's Talking - Lyrics
(by Harry Nilsson)
Everybody's talking at me
I can't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stop and stare
But I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast wind
Sailing on summer breeze
Skipping over the ocean
Like a stone
(Everybody's talking at me
Everybody's talking at me
I don't hear a word they're saying)
Yeah
(Only the echoes of my mind)
(I'm going where the sun keeps shining) I'm going where the sun keeps shining
(Through the pouring rain) Through the pouring rain
(Going where the weather suits my clothes) Going where the weather suits my clothes
(Banking off the northeast wind) Banking off the northeast wind
(Sailing on summer breeze) Sailing on summer breeze
(Skipping over) Skipping over the ocean (skipping over, skipping over the ocean)
Like a stone
'Cos everybody's talking (everybody's talking)
Everybody's talking at me -
8
Misery & Happiness
4:44
Lyrics
Misery & Happiness - Lyrics
Misery
Misery sings at the Hilton
Steps into the purple spotlight
Leans into the microphone
Misery
Sways his hips and smooths his hair back
Winks at you and gets you thinking
He is handsome from a certain angle
Happiness
Slips in and takes a seat
At a table in the corner
And watches you with real concern, yeah
Happiness
Walks up and taps your shoulder and says
"Call me when you wanna come back home"
Misery
Woos you when his show is over
Buys you drinks and keeps you laughing
While he's looking down your shirt
Misery
Says, "I believe in destiny"
Says, "Destiny says brought us together"
Says, "Who's that asshole in the corner?"
Happiness
Doodles on a cocktail napkin
And waits for you to figure out
That you should really lose this loser
And Happiness
Smiles a sympathetic smile that says
"Call me when you wanna come back home"
Misery
Says, "Oh I know life can be too hard to bear sometimes, yeah"
Misery
Says, "So why don't we go get a room upstairs
'Cos I never disappoint"
Misery
Says, "Hey baby where you going?
I thought we had an understanding
You shouldn't really lead me on like that"
Misery
Says, "Well lady I know your kind
You'll settle down with someone boring
And then you will come looking for me"
And Happiness
Says, says, "Misery leave her alone
'Cos I know you get your share of girls
But I prefer a full-grown woman"
Happiness
Says, "Honey you know the number
Call me when you wanna come back home -
9
Barbed Wire Boys
3:20
Lyrics
Barbed Wire Boys - Lyrics
Well I come from the rural Midwest
It's the land I love more than all the rest
It's the place I know and understand
Like a false-front building
Like the back of my hand
And the men I knew when I was coming up
Were sober as coffee in a Styrofoam cup
There were Earls and Rays, Harlans and Roys
They were full-grown men
They were barbed wire boys
They raised grain and cattle on the treeless fields
Sat at the head of the table and prayed before meals
Prayed an Our Father and that was enough
Pray more than that and you couldn't stay tough
Tough as the busted thumbnails on the weathered hands
They worked the gold plate off their wedding bands
And they never complained, no they never made noise
And they never left home
These barbed wire boys
'Cos their wildest dreams were all fenced in
By the weight of family, by the feeling of sin
That'll prick your skin at the slightest touch
If you reach too far, if you feel too much
So their deepest hopes never were expressed
Just beat like bird's wings in the cage of their chest
All the restless longings, all the secret joys
That never were set free
In the barbed wire boys
And now one by one they're departing this earth
And it's clear to me now 'xactly what they're worth
Oh they were just like Atlas holding up the sky
You never heard him speak, you never saw him cry
But where do the tears go, that you never shed
Where do the words go, that you never said
Well there's a blink of the eye, there's a catch in the voice
That is the unsung song
Of the barbed wire boys -
10
Big Car
3:08
Lyrics
Big Car - Lyrics
Don't want style
Don't want speed
I want size, size is what I need
I don't need handling or a fancy name
Just want a humongous mother of a frame
I want a leather power seat
Want you to move when I come down the street
I want a big big car
'Cos size is righteous
Size is good
Piece of steel size of Utah for the hood
Gigantic windows
Gigantic doors
Square corners so I win all the wars
Ain't like the Bible
Ain't that a crime
But you know Goliath takes 'em every time
I want a big big car, yeah
So you can keep your stupid SUV
Give me a big old ugly LTD
A Lincoln Town Car
Or a Grand Marquee
And I'm a woman driving destiny around
Because almighty is how it feels
Driving a one-storey building on wheels
I feel passion
I feel romance
I feel like Patton rolling over France
So tell me mister
Tell me what you got
I want the biggest lemon on the lot
I want a big big big big big big car
I want a big big big big (big big) mother of a car (car)
I want a big big big big big big car -
11
Nefertiti's Dream
3:38
Lyrics
Nefertiti's Dream - Lyrics
Time
Can bring on seven years of rain
Wash the rushes from the plains
But it can't touch us
And time
Can turn a mighty river's course
Break its will and bend it north
But it can't touch us
So let the forces of nature pull
Let the sea's rise fill the deserts full
There's still just one thing immovable in this world
In this world
Just one thing stronger than
Time
Can run its fingers through our hair
Paint us white and silver there
But it can't touch us
And time, time, time
Can steal the light from out our eyes
But something shining still survives
'Cos it can't touch us
No
They'll lay us down in the warm soft earth
A thousand rounds of death and birth
One day they'll uncover what we're worth and they'll see
They'll see the truth of it
That kingdoms come and the kingdoms go
Lost cities in the sands below
One day they'll all learn what we both know
Only love can live forever after
Only love
Only love
Only love
Time
Can take this moment, make it end
Win the game of make-pretend
But it can't
Touch us
No it can't touch us
Only love -
12
Epilogue: May I Suggest
3:28
Lyrics
Epilogue: May I Suggest - Lyrics
May I suggest
May I suggest to you
May I suggest this is the best part of your life
May I suggest
This time is blessed for you
This time is blessed and shining almost blinding bright
Just turn your head
And you'll begin to see
The thousand reasons that were just beyond your sight
The reasons why
Why I suggest to you
Why I suggest this is the best part of your life
There is a world
That's been addressed to you
Addressed to you, intended only for your eyes
A secret world
Like a treasure chest to you
Of private scenes and brilliant dreams that mesmerise
A lover's trusting smile
A tiny baby's hands
The million stars that fill the turning sky at night
Oh I suggest
Oh I suggest to you
Oh I suggest this is the best part of your life
There is a hope
That's been expressed in you
The hope of seven generations, maybe more
And this is the faith
That they invest in you
It's that you'll do one better than was done before
Inside you know
Inside you understand
Inside you know what's yours to finally set right
And I suggest
And I suggest to you
And I suggest this is the best part of your life
This is a song
Comes from the west to you
Comes from the west, comes from the slowly setting sun
With a request
With a request of you
To see how very short the endless days will run
And when they're gone
And when the dark descends
Oh we'd give anything for one more hour of light
And I suggest this is the best part of your life
