1. |
The Action
03:35
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You are what you are
But you aren’t worth a damn
That’s the message tumbling
From the palm of my hand
Every bridge I walk across
Seems a fitting place
To toss this little telephone
Into a wet embrace
Caught up in the action
But the action it ain’t happening
You’re either in the spotlight
Or in the audience clapping
Putting on a song and dance
For every and no one
Waiting for the roses
But the roses never come
I learned long ago
That there’s a sickness in this land
It isn’t in the rocks below
But our hearts, thoughts, and hands
Some blame it on the superstores
Others on the church
I for one feel we forgot
How easy it is to hurt
Caught up in the action
But the action it ain’t happening
You’re either in the audience
Or on the stage acting
Putting on a song and dance
For every and no one
Waiting for the roses
But the roses never come
And you can string up your senators
And burn down the bank
Tear it down brick by brick
But hear what I must say
It starts a little smaller
And you can start today
By learning to think about
The words you type and say
Caught up in the action
But the action it ain’t happening
The movie ends in tragedy
And there’s no redacting
So if these words speak to your ears
Then my friend you’ve got a friend
We’ve got a chance to write another end
We’ve got a chance
Just maybe there’s a chance
We’ve got a chance to write another end
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2. |
No Return To Sender
02:59
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I’m past an oil change
A few miles on the fuel range
And where I’m going to lay my head I do not know
But what’s got me feeling down
I should be missing you right now
And I can say that I absolutely don’t
And it feels so very wrong
After running together so long
Towards the finish line we’ve already missed
And you know it’s a lie
Why I’m stopping in my hometown tonight
To seal our parting deal with another’s kiss
I could call you on the telephone
If I had something to say
I’d drive on through the midnight
If I felt it would make a change
I’d buy you an airplane ticket
But I’d only be buying time
So I’ll write it in a letter, no return to sender
And head on down the line
A different town every night
Making good friends and great times
Like the times that we haven’t had in years
And it makes me blue
The only thing that we ever do
Is eat our takeout dinner and fall asleep in tears
I know I share the blame
On the road fighting for my name
It’s hard to love the cold side of the bed
I feel just as alone
But only when I’m at home
The only thing colder is a love that’s been long dead
I could call you on the telephone
If I had something to say
I’d drive on through the midnight
If I felt it would make a change
I’d buy you an airplane ticket
But I’d only be buying time
So I’ll write it in a letter, no return to sender
And head on down the line
So I’ll write it in a letter, no return to sender
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Clayton Ryan Minneapolis, Minnesota
"Soul Music with Twang"
Raised in Iowa and South Dakota, now Twin Cities native Clayton Ryan’s resonanant
baritone voice reverberates with a nostalgic sound and powerful songwriting from the Heartland. His words have been featured in American Songwriter, GemsOnVHS, B-Sides & Badlands, and Americana Road Show, and he has performed with Canaan Cox, Liam St John, and many others.
... more
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