Midwestern Saturday Night

Midwestern Saturday Night 1993

Released 1993. Susan’s first recording, made possible by a gift from the late Philadelphia philanthropist Phoebe Valentine. Produced by Grant Macavoy and performed with a cast of Philadelphia musicians, this collection of songs indicates musical styles Susan would continue to explore over the next years of her career.

Highlights include Greg Simon’s The Great Out There, The Satirical Baby Boomer Song, Uncle John, and the first recording of the piano ballad Maybe If I Sang Cole Porter.

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  • 1 So Heavy 3:35 Lyrics

    So Heavy - Lyrics

    My sister Sarah was a straight A student
    Parked her soul behind a Ph.D
    One day Sarah says, "I've never seen Paris"
    I get a postcard from across the sea and she says

    It's so heavy when you're holding up the ceiling
    Ain't it lighter when you let the thing fall
    Ain't it better having something you believe in
    And ain't it heaven when you're never holding back at all

    My brother Benny was a big time lawyer
    A beautiful man in a Brooks Brothers suit
    One day Benny throws his briefcase out the window
    And he sold his car and bought a silver-plated flute and says

    It's so heavy when you're holding up the ceiling
    Ain't it lighter when you let the thing fall
    Ain't it better having something you believe in
    And ain't it heaven when you're never holding back at all

    My brother Benny was a big man in the city
    Benny always knew his way inside
    Sarah always knew her ancient history
    But it never comes to nothing if you never let it slide sometime
    Sometime, yeah

    This morning Richard never made it to the office
    Richard called says he's home sick in bed
    This morning Richard was a Rudolf Valentino
    And I saw his wife tonight
    And she was smiling when she said it to me

    It's so heavy when you're holding up the ceiling
    Ain't it lighter when you let the thing fall
    Ain't it better having something you believe in
    And ain't it heaven when you're never holding back at all

  • 2 Born a Little Late (The Baby Boomer Song) 2:55 Lyrics

    Born a Little Late (The Baby Boomer Song) - Lyrics

    I was four years old in nineteen-sixty-nine
    When everybody had their thing and I had mine
    There were some people smoking weed, there were some others doing speed
    But I was way big into raisins at the time

    And now I'm all grown up and I'm a-writing a-folky songs
    But there are people telling me that I don't belong
    These folk music consumers are Birkenstock-ed baby boomers
    They say, "You're way too young and you dress completely wrong"

    They say, "You showed up just in time to miss the boat
    You slept right through our rendezvous with fate
    And though we're getting old and grey we still can gloat
    Must be a thorn to have been born a little late"
    That's what they say

    Yes they were all at Yasgur's farm in 'sixty-nine
    They all made love to Country Joe and Johnny Prine
    And every one of them adored young Bonnie Raitt
    They love to tell me I was born a little late

    And at folk festivals I've seen them a-hanging around
    I've seen them having sex and sleeping on the ground
    They'll all be sitting around the campfire singing Beatles and The Byrds
    And then they laugh at me 'cos I don't know the words

    And they say, "You showed up just in time to miss the boat
    Yes you slept right through our rendezvous with fate
    And though we're getting old and grey we still can gloat
    Must be a thorn to have been born a little late"
    Rub it in now

    I get upset about Social Security
    It's like the government just steals my cash away
    'Cos by the time I'm sixty-three there won't be nothing left for me
    When all the boomers have retired and bought a house in Santa Fe

    And they'll say, "You showed up just in time to miss the boat
    Yes you slept right through our rendezvous with fate
    And though we're getting old and grey we still can gloat
    Must be a thorn to have been born a little late"
    Yes indeed, must be a thorn to have been born a little late

  • 3 Midwestern Saturday Night 5:21 Lyrics

    Midwestern Saturday Night - Lyrics

    Thanks for the concert, it was quite enlightening
    Although Mahler does tend to make me wanna do myself in
    And now we'll top off the night with some cognac and coffee
    And we'll talk about all the places we've been

    I'm impressed by your French, I'm impressed by your English
    I'm impressed that I'll risk what I've got on my mind
    I would trade all this in and this Burberry jacket
    For a date of a different kind

    'Cos I wanna knit you wool sweaters with little deer all over
    I wanna feed you from my kitchen till your belt feels too tight
    I wanna make love till three and never judge my performance
    On a Midwestern Saturday night

    Now I can see you're confused when confronted with jello
    And I'm certain you're lost when there's four feet of snow
    And you think I'm the kind who could tear down Manhattan
    But I prefer nights with no place to go

    Just a Wisconsin cap and a reliable pickup
    Just a vise-grips and a pair of old dungarees
    Just a set of four seasons and a good long October
    And a good man who's looking at me

    'Cos I wanna knit you wool sweaters with little deer all over
    I wanna feed you from my kitchen till your belt feels too tight
    I wanna make love till three and never judge my performance
    On a Midwestern Saturday night

    Yes my thinking's as straight as the Panhandle's narrow
    Yes my thinking's as straight as the prairie is plain
    Let me fix you some oatmeal, let me talk to your mother
    Let me try one more time to explain

    That I wanna knit you wool sweaters with little deer all over
    I wanna feed you from my kitchen till your belt feels too tight
    I wanna make love till three and never judge my performance
    On a Midwestern Saturday night...

  • 4 I Still Believe 5:21 Lyrics

    I Still Believe - Lyrics

    Lewis lost his marriage when he lost his illusions
    That it had been the modern-day ideal
    They both worked way too hard and made love way too little
    No surprise she found that San Jose had more appeal
    But last night I saw Lewis walking down by the river
    With a suitcase in his hand
    And Lewis looked at me with eyes that were wiser and said
    "I'm going there to make her understand"

    That I still believe, I still believe
    I still believe, I still believe
    I still believe, I still believe
    I still believe, I still

    Lucy lost her parents when she lost her illusions
    That they had been the family ideal
    Lucy dove into the fast and shiny city
    She found her feet in dancing but she lost the heart to feel much of anything
    But last night I saw Lucy walking down by the river
    With a husband and a brand new son
    And Lucy looked at me with eyes that were wiser and said
    "Who'd have thought that I would be the one?"

    But I still believe, I still believe
    I still believe, I still believe
    I still believe, I still believe
    I still believe, I still

    Laura lost her bearings when she lost her illusions
    That she had nothing much to fear
    She lost her ponytail and six long months of sleeping
    When the big C came to call last fall
    But last night I saw Laura walking down by the river
    And I could hardly hide my tears
    But Laura looked at me with eyes that were wiser and said
    "Wanna go with me to Italy next year?"

    'Cos I still believe, I still believe

  • 5 Rubber Glove Blues 2:44 Lyrics

    Rubber Glove Blues - Lyrics

    Eyes so sharp, hair so dark
    I need a little action, maybe this boy is the spark
    He's got savvy, he's got skill
    Now he's coming my way, moving in for the kill
    He says, "Hey little lady why don't we go upstairs?"
    I said, "Listen up little man before we go anywhere"

    You wanna play in my park, you better follow my rules
    You wanna swing in the dark, I wasn't born no fool
    He says, "But b-b-b-b-baby give me a taste of the best"
    I said, "You can't come to dinner improperly dressed"
    He says, "B-b-b-babe I need to make a little love"
    I said, "You can't do my dishes without rubber gloves"

    Well that man he just turns on his heel and heads right out the door
    But don't you know that I have seen this all before
    They may stay or they may go
    But the one who gets my loving is the one in the know
    So if you're looking to get you a little access
    Get away little man and get dressed for success

    You wanna play in my park, you better follow my rules
    You wanna swing in the dark, I wasn't born yesterday
    He says, "B-b-b-b-baby give me a taste of the best"
    I said, "You can't come to dinner improperly dressed"
    He says, "B-b-b-babe I want to make a little love"
    I said, "You can't do my dishes without rubber gloves"

  • 6 Lullaby For One 4:09 Lyrics

    Lullaby For One - Lyrics

    I am my own big brother
    And I am my own best friend
    I am the songs of my mother
    And I am the one I'm depending on

    So why lie awake over far away fears
    If the good moon should slip out of sight
    I'll just lean down and kiss me
    And turn out the light
    'Cos it's me who can tell me goodnight

    The night comes to call on my troubles
    He asks for the worries I keep
    I give him the weight off my shoulders
    I give myself sweet dreams and plenty of sleep

    I give myself buckets of laughter
    I give myself busloads of kids full of play
    I send myself seventy-six dozen roses
    I send myself night and I send myself day

    So why lie awake over far away fears
    If the good moon should slip out of sight
    I'll just lean down and kiss me
    And turn out the light
    'Cos it's me who can tell me goodnight

    I am my own big brother
    And I am my own best friend
    I am the songs of my mother
    And I am the one I'm depending on

    So why lie awake over far away fears
    If the good moon should slip out of sight
    I'll just lean down and kiss me
    And turn out the light
    'Cos it's me who can tell me goodnight

  • 7 Uncle John 2:32 Lyrics

    Uncle John - Lyrics

    I love you so much Uncle John
    I love to hear about your year in France
    I love the way you put your sneakers on
    And I love the way you make me dizzy when we dance

    I love to tell you about my boyfriend
    And I know you never had a wife
    You never mention any girlfriend
    But still there must be someone in your life

    I think it's time I told you
    That I'm not just a little girl
    And I believe that there's a thousand seven hundred ways
    Of making love in this big world

    I thought I'd tell you Uncle John
    That I don't think you've got a thing to hide
    If you get tired of these holidays
    At least you know there's someone on your side

    I love you so much Uncle John
    And here's the way I think it oughta be
    That you can love whoever you wanna love
    And you can call anytime at all to dance with me

  • 8 The Great Out There 3:42 Lyrics

    The Great Out There - Lyrics

    Catherine flew out to Senegal
    In her Malian motley robes
    In her voice were more colours than the rainbow she wore
    And her cheeks were sweet Irish rose
    She talked of dancing in bars in Dakar
    To that African high-life jive
    Her ma said, "Girl you're gonna get yourself killed"
    She says, "I'm going just to be alive"

    Oh when you get there, is there a there there
    Do people care there, are people aware there
    Do the boys and girls do more than
    Break their toys and perm their hair there
    Send an update Kate to your old roommate
    From your big round world to my small flat state
    Tell me what do you find when you open your eyes and your mind
    To the great out there

    She sent me a card from Zanzibar
    From Khartoum and Marrakesh
    And then later that year some letters appeared
    From Nepal and Bangladesh
    At first the words were laughter
    The strange ways we live in peace
    The next, the words were blurred with tears
    The war, the famine, the disease

    Oh when you get there, is there a there there
    Do people care there, are people aware there
    Do the boys and girls do more than
    Break their toys and perm their hair there
    Send an update Kate to your old roommate
    From your big round world to my small flat state
    Tell me what do you find when you open your eyes and your mind
    To the great out there

    I was born in Iowa
    And that's where they'll bury me too
    And the sacred things I hold near and dear
    Are probably the same for you
    So I'm glad I got my friend Catherine
    'Cos she needs to know the new
    Oh I spend my time wrapped up in my tribe
    Well she brings the world into view

    Catherine came back from India
    With malaria in her veins
    But the fire returned to her clear blue eyes
    Just as soon as it whirled from her brain
    I said, "Catherine who will you be
    When you're finally who you are?"
    She just smiled and said, "We'll see won't we
    But there'll be more to be by far"

    Oh when you get there, is there a there there
    Do people care there, are people aware there
    Do the boys and girls do more than
    Break their toys and perm their hair there
    Send an update Kate to your old roommate
    From your big round world to my small flat state
    Tell me what do you find when you open your eyes and your mind
    To the great out there

  • 9 Maybe If I Sang Cole Porter 4:37 Lyrics

    Maybe If I Sang Cole Porter - Lyrics

    Maybe if my heels were higher
    Maybe if I grew my hair
    Maybe if I wore those Spanish earrings
    Maybe you would see I care

    Maybe if I snuck up on a rainbow
    Maybe if I snared the stars
    You'd maybe turn your head in my direction
    And see the perfect pair we are

    But my heart's begun to sink again some
    I've had these kinds of dreams before
    I drank your favourite drink and then some
    But that just made me want you more

    I'd balance candelabras on my forehead
    Disrupt the royal family at tea
    I'd swim Niagara falls, swim any falls at all
    To make you fall in love with me

    Maybe if I spoke some football
    Maybe if I waxed my car
    Maybe if I chewed tobacco
    Believe me I would go that far

    But maybe if I sang Cole Porter
    Sang those ballads tenderly
    Then maybe you would see
    How happy we could be
    And maybe fall in love with me
    And maybe fall in love with me

  • 10 Shadow Dancing 4:01 Lyrics

    Shadow Dancing - Lyrics

    Friend it's good to see you
    But have you seen yourself today
    You got a bad thought brewing in the back of your head baby
    You got a big fear written all over your face

    The little tiny worry looking over your shoulder
    Be a big tall worry by the afternoon
    The sun goes down and you think you've outrun it
    But it'll come around and catch you by the light of the moon

    So you better go shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)

    You say you couldn't name it
    But you think you got the same old blues
    Well they've been rattling around like a string of old tin cans
    Darling put on those dancing shoes

    'Cos the little tiny worry looking over your shoulder
    Be a big tall worry by the afternoon
    The sun goes down and you think you've outrun it
    But it'll come around and catch you by the light of the moon

    So you better go shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)

    A little heap of trouble be a mountain of regret
    And the longer you ignore it the bigger it will get, yeah

    You got an old ghost chasing round you
    You better put him six feet underground
    And those bad thoughts brewing in the back of your head baby
    Just pour a cup and drink them down

    'Cos the little tiny worry looking over your shoulder
    Be a big tall worry by the afternoon
    The sun goes down and you think you've outrun it
    But it'll come around and catch you by the light of
    The moon

    So you better go shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    Shadow dancing (shadow dancing)
    You better go, you better go shadow dancing (shadow dancing)