A TALE OF TWO AMERICAS song lyrics: ray and ron, terror, missing, the governator, my beloved enemy, smoke, treat you right, i'm your dad, the lucky ones, don't let your dim light die, sacrifice, peace, here i stand, true love, a tale of two americas, love is the common ground, i am bob dylan ray and ron © 2004 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) ray and ron died the same week i knew them most of my life their stories filled the tv news that's what happens when you die ray was a musician ron was a president when ray sang where'd the money go ron knew where it went ray came from poverty was blind his adult life ron came from california with his cowboy hat so white ray played with an orchestra and a voice that'd make you cry ron never met a weapons system he didn't want to buy when ray sat down at the piano bobbing 'round the microphone every word came from the heart and spoke to you alone ron spoke on television in a voice you'd always known so well he could sell you things you knew were completely wrong ron said "ketchup is a vegetable we need more bombs in space trees pollute more than people nuclear power is safe lower taxes on the rich will benefit the poor below" ray got busted for drugs ron said "just say no" i wonder what ron would have to say if you asked him about ray he'd probably make a great speech that would be his way he'd say "ray had so much soul it filled him to the brim instead of naming all this stuff after me they oughta name it after him." return to top terror © 2003 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) you want to say who can and who can't fly you want to say who has and has no rights you want to make some people disappear give no explanation, year after year you want to say what i can and cannot know and always where i can and cannot go what's the reason for it all, haven't you heard terror is a very magic word you tell me i should just do what i'm told it's been going on this way since days of old you tell me i have to live in fear and it's going to keep goin' on like this for years you want to keep me in a constant state and always give me somebody to hate you've reasons for it all, i've been assured terror is a very magic word if there's a danger that some passing stranger means violence instead of love using fear for advantage you're doing more damage than even your enemy does you want the power to say who lives and dies the power to say what's true and what is lies the power to keep yourself in power when the people want to have your power end you want to play the god and wield the fire and always without questioning your own desires how long until this disease is cured terror is a very magic word are you sure there's no reason for the rise this season in threats from distant lands what is it in your actions that breeds dissatisfaction with the work of your hired hands you want to give the orders and be obeyed you want to be supported in a luxurious way you want it to be someone else's health jeopardized for the sake of your own wealth you want to be the one who's in control and always tell me what's good for my soul when you're so far from knowing, it's absurd terror is a very magic word return to top missing ©2002 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) I get a card every couple days a smiling face looks at me and says have you seen us, we're missing here's one from 1995 ten years she's been alive and already she's missing here's another 1994 red hair, brown eyes, five feet four, and already she's missing where do the missing go with who and do they even know they're missing it says right here on this card 135 children have been recovered from what i believe was missing i haven't seen you but if i did i'd look you in the eye and say hey kid are you missing well if you're out there and lost telephone home at whatever cost and say hey remember me i'm missing return to top the governator © 2003 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) let me tell you why i love america it's a place where a guy can rise so high i started out with nothing but my brains and some muscles now i'm reaching right up to the sky hey look at me i'm the governor of california they say i've no experience but they'll see in my last picture i saved the world from aliens how hard can a simple budget be? everybody wanted to be governor of california that's why i'm honored the voters elected me all i had was friends and 30 million dollars and the networks showing my movies every night on tv hey look at me i'm the governor of california they say i've no experience but they'll see in my last picture i saved the world from aliens how hard can a simple budget be? some people say i'm no friend of women just because i groped a few along the way that's why i brought my wife here to say a few words not like that one in total recall i had to blow away hey look at me i'm governor of california they say i've no experience but they'll see in my last picture i saved the world from miami how hard can a simple budget be? here's my program to deal with all those taxes those deficits and blackouts and all that stuff since every story deserves a happy ending i'm gonna light a big explosion and blow everything up hey look at me i'm governor of california they say i've no experience but they'll see in my last picture I saved the world from myself how hard can a simple budget be? now who's gonna save the world from me? return to top my beloved enemy © 2004 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) if we didn't have you we'd have to invent you it surely wouldn't do to have no one like you don't the people need someone, someone to be afraid of and that's you that's why i love you like i do my beloved enemy you're the one who makes us rally, ready for the fight the one who makes us rise up sure that we are right to use our might and target someone who is just like you that's why i love you like i do my beloved enemy you strike fear in our hearts it's important to our leaders that we keep on believing you would kill us if you could still i wonder if you would is that really you why do i love you like i do? my beloved enemy children hide under your desks, someday you'll study napalm better ways to hit the target when you're dropping bigger bombs raise that flag on high boys, god must be on our side, boys they're hiring and daddy's got a job to do that's why i love you like i do my beloved enemy send the soldiers overseas, take the taxpayers' money we're making making profits you won't believe get it back in contributions to keep us re-elected, it's a wonderful solution thanks to you no wonder i love you like i do my beloved enemy listen there it is again, that face up on the screen the voice says there's a danger, someone no one has seen is going to try and hurt us, we must strike before they do it doesn't matter who there will always be a you my beloved enemy return to top smoke © 2004 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) while you were outside having a smoke some guy walked in the back way gave everybody a $100 bill bought a round of drinks and after he paid he slipped out again by the back door i tell ya, this ain't no joke you missed a free drink and $100 while you were outside having a smoke while you were outside having a smoke you wouldn't believe what went down a playboy playmate and her lesbian lover got out on the dance floor with each other and everybody stared as chrissie and cheryl got down to the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald for the whole song nobody spoke while you were outside having a smoke while you were outside having a smoke they had a two-for-one special on gin that was sloe passed out free meatballs and glasses of beer some guy hit a home run, everybody cheered the guitar player tuned for what seemed a half hour played two notes and a string broke they had to sing some thing called a capella while you were outside having a smoke while you were outside having a smoke some guy was watching tv took a piece of paper out of his pocket said "hey everybody i won the lottery!" he bought this bar and fired the band just so he could sing karaoke i had to buy it back with my tip jar money while you were outside having a smoke while you were outside having a smoke they paid everybody back for enron cleaned up all the air and water disarmed all the nuclear bombs taxed the billionaires to feed the hungry made health care so cheap you could croak that's when world peace broke out all over while you were outside having a smoke return to top treat you right © 2004 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) what's that you're saying baby, why don't i treat you right don't love you anymore like i did that night we checked into that motel after driving all day had a couple drinks and got carried away well here i am baby spread eagled on the bed wearing nothing but a smile and the words you said why don't i treat you right, how 'bout i treat you right i'm gonna treat you right right now you can pull my leg, baby, you can count my toes you can touch my forehead trace my lips and nose you can scratch my back send me deep into the zone you can tickle me behind the knee and work my funny bone you can cover me with kisses and see if i reply you know there's so much more to me than meets the eye you know i got up early, i been working all day you stand there staring at me til i just got to say baby take your shoes off, leave 'em on the rug give your hair a little shake and give me that shoulder shrug prepare to fight the good fight and go the extra mile if we don't make it back alive let's leave here with a smile i'm your dad ©2005 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) hello there little girl, welcome to the world i'm the one who's driving you backwards down the road you were born with your eyes open soon enough you cried them closed it's a mean old world, yes i know and who am i to say it's all right, don't be sad hello there little girl, i'm your dad hello there little girl, welcome to the world i'm the one who's checking you when you're sleeping you're lying there so quiet in the middle of the night i just want to make sure you're still breathing and who am i to say hush now, don't be scared hello there little girl i'm your dad i'm the one who sang to you so your mom could get some sleep when you were kicking her so hard we could almost see your feet hello there little girl, welcome to the world i'm the one who's singing you this song it's 3 a.m., your mom's asleep you're wide awake here next to me i will remember this my whole life long And who am i to say this ol' life ain't so bad hello there little girl i'm your dad and who am i to say these are the best times ive ever had hello there little girl i'm your dad return to top the lucky ones © 2004 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) we lost a fence and the power's out they say it'll be down for days our favorite tree's been stripped of leaves but the windows and roof are ok there's a curfew in town from dusk to dawn to keep would-be looters at bay and down in the tropics another hurricane's coming they say it's only days away and we're the lucky ones say a prayer for those who lost their homes thank you for asking, yes we're fine we're the lucky ones this time it's too hot to sit in the house and sweat so we went across town a few streets sat in a bar with air conditioning watching the news on tv there's a woman standing in her living room with the water up over her knees and all she has left is a photograph album and a box of old jewelry we're the lucky ones raise a glass to those who've come undone thank you for asking, yes we're fine we're the lucky ones this time some sun-drenched morning we'll cross the bridge to the island we'll go down and try on the ocean for size turn 'round in the water, watch the palm tres swaying and we'll say "so this is paradise" we ran out of groceries and had to go shopping in the middle of the afternoon traffic was crawling around trees that had fallen on the six lane avenue we pulled up to a crossing where the lights were broken wondering who'd make the first move twelve lanes of drivers eye-balling each other and every single one of us knew we're the lucky ones raise a glass to those who've come undone lend a hand on down the line we're the lucky ones this time don't let your dim light die © 2003 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) was that you i saw in the rain last night at the ball and chain when i went outside and got down on my knees that's when you went drivin' by you looked so warm and dry you said "don't let your dim light die til you hear from me." out back by the dry canal the deputy took three-ring sal and he polished his badge til she did her trick for free me, i melted into the woods watching them would've done me no good and i seen that trick so many times it's killing me the trucks and the tents unload on down this back country road and the people come out looking for some mystery but me i'm barely alive strapped to the wheel where the gypsy's knives say "don't let your dim light die til you hear from me." the owner he's got his cane the snake charmer drives him insane he sleeps with her wrapped around him like he was a tree but me i got to hide the fat lady says i must be her guy i say "don't let your dim light die til you hear from me." now the moon is full they say but it's been rainin' here for days i play poker with the gypsy and the girl from the trapeze i took her for two barrel rolls but the gypsy, he won my soul he says "don't let your dim light go til you hear from me." so was that you i saw in the rain last night at the ball and chain when i crawled outside and raised up on my knees that's when you went driving by you didn't even say goodby just "don't let your dim light die til you hear from me." return to top sacrifice © 2003 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) i'm just as patriotic as the next guy i love my country, want to look after my family and i understand that freedom isn't always free no you sometimes have to sacrifice to fight for what you believe in and i believe in freedom, toleration, peace and liberty ah but those who say you have to go and fight never send their own to battle, it's always someone else's sacrifice that makes the system go as long as there's enough poverty there'll be volunteers for the military while the ones who run the show sit back and watch their millions grow and sacrifice the young to feed the old sacrifice the hot to serve the cold sacrifice the patriotic for the gold sacrifice the truth for the story being told i'm all right, i'm just looking through the eyes of my patriotic heart i'm just as angry as the next guy i don't want to see suicide bombers over me or breathe toxic microfibers in the hall so they tell you to strike first before the other guy can hurt you what if the other guy was never going to strike you at all ah but then it all gets marketed like a movie some great adventure across the world, some documentary and compared to wars in history fought for real causes againsty slavery, tyranny, extermination camps how could there ever be enough oil wells to justify the losses? i'm just as likely as the next guy to drive the kids to school or heat the house with fuel but it makes for strange relations with tthe world to suck up to the countries that sell it to us cheap while their people hate us and want to kill us in our sleep and now no one is afraid to bomb civilians from so high above the soil you can't even see the oil or alone in marketplaces with bombs strapped on their chests one side kills the other in return for killing them til you look on the down the road, time and time again all you do is is sacrifice the future for the past return to top peace ©2003 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) peace now there's a concept is it something to maintain coddle, feed, love or does it just exist on its own terms a verb and our job is to get out of its way and let it shine let it shine all over the world let it shine peace here in the real world that's what we're talking about not just some fantasy, ideal, wishful-thinking well-intentioned delusion but a real thing alive and kicking up its heels in the face of war and all you can do is let it shine peace peace i even love the sound of the word peace peace what if the very next sound you heard was peace now there's an idea think of all you could give away what would power, fear, desire and greed have to say? if all over the world everyone took a moment's peace and passed it on here i stand ©1981, 2005 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) i've been trying to find a way to climb this mountain all day a trail out on the sand i'm overwhelmed by what i see carved out by the centuries barely touched by man and here i stand before you my two legs in your wind i bring my song before you just to see your face again i'm not a man who'll often try to climb on a place this high but here i'm not afraid things that go more high i know, the clouds make shadows down below where my shadow stays and if i've got a tale to tell i must sing my song so well you will hear it somewhere for just another man am i who stands here pressed against this sky raising his voice on high to you out there but i must go back to where i came, mind the wind, heed the rain sing a song that's true but if this moment in the sun could be shared by everyone they'd see the work you do return to top true love ©1985 rod macdonald (polygram international) when i first met her she moved right in turned around and moved out again left here sayin' i don't feel that way about you i'd have let her leave, i'd have said farewell how was i to know she'd ring my bell stand there sayin' i just can't do without you yeah true love, true love must be a miracle to find true love, true love or is it just a state of mind? then i had a woman who would have stayed there i was in my own place shrunk in a corner, avoiding her conversation i asked her to leave she went away i was hurting bad in a couple of days sick of myself and my lonesome situation and i've heard it said for everyone there's another soul under the sun who'll always know you, just want to be in your future you have some lovers when you're young you have some others and when you're done you go on looking for someone who'll never lose you ah but i grow weary of starting again gonna find a lover who'll be my friend reach across the night and try to find me some lonesome highway, some crowded street i know someday we're going to meet i know sometime, you're gonna walk beside me a tale of two americas ©2004 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) it was the best of times it was the worst of times in my tale of two americas one side basking in the glare of self-congratulation everywhere in my tale of two americas "and for what" cried the other "you reward yourselves like thieves with your guns and your greed" there were those who thought a military could be used to keep the peace there were those whose thirst for war would never cease there were some who say god wants laws based on their religion in my tale of two americas there are those who say religion is a personal decision in my tale of two americas some dream of a country where they could choose their partners freely and have their love recognized some dream of wilderness where wild animals roam free and there's not a single oil well in sight you can buy up all the tvs newspapers and radios tell a lie til you convince yourself it's true you can spend a billion dollars to attack the other guy hire some writers to report it like it's news and those who never knew war sent other people's kids to battle in my tale of two americas they called each other warriors sat real high up in the saddle in my tale of two americas those who never knew peace looked for someone to attack hunted terror, left no child alone they said to stand against them was an unpatriotic act there are those who say "freedom starts at home" you can steal a million votes, you can fill the air with lies in the end you know it's you who's gonna lose if i could have one question i could ask the wise: what kind of future are you gonna choose? return to top love is the common ground ©2004 rod macdonald, susan flaherty, dan grove, walt michael, scott ainslie, bob green (blue flute/ascap) if money is power why can't it buy passion? if might is power why can't it stop these dreams? if truth is power then truth leads to knowledge knowledge to wisdom and wisdom to peace love is the common ground the place we stand together here's the truth I've found love is the common ground and when we teach the children who we are and what we know we're the ones who must remember each of us is born naked to the boundaries and the fears of our teachers so let the children teach us to share the warmth of the sun it's not a simple journey don't know when we'll meet again here's one thing I'll carry with me in memory of you, my friend love is the common ground the place we stand together here's the truth I've found love is the common ground return to top i am bob dylan © 2001 rod macdonald (blue flute/ascap) in the last ten minutes five people have asked me are you bob dylan? are you bob dylan? so i thought i'd come clean in case it was you who asked me i am bob dylan i am bob dylan and all i need to know is what are you lookin' at? yeah, what are you lookin' at? in the last two weeks ten people have asked me are you somebody? are you anybody? do ya think i look like bob dylan for nothin'? i am somebody yes, i am anybodyand all i need to know is what are you lookin' at? yeah, what are you lookin' at? in the new milennium, the people will ask you are you with somebody? are you with anybody? so if anybody asks you, you can just tell them you're with bob dylan say you're with bob dylan and all i need to know is what are you lookin' at? yeah, what are you lookin' at? return to top