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Tombstone


Written by Jules Shear.

The Jericho outtake "Tombstone" was originally recorded in 1991 by The Band as a demo with an amazing vocal from Rick Danko, and it also appears on the 1999 album Kings of Love by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. Colin Linden writes in the notes from Kings of Love: "I have a great demo of this Jules Shear song by The Band with an amazing Rick Danko vocal. For some reason, it never made it to one of their records. I remembered it real well, but forgot the words to the second verse. Unfortunately, so did Jules. Lucky for me though, my pal Jimmy Weider found a copy of the demo and sent it on to me." The line-up for the 1999 version of "Tombstone" is: Colin Linden - lead vocals (verse 1), electric guitars, Stephen Fearing - lead vocals (verse 2), resonator guitar, Tom Wilson - acoustic guitar, harmony vocals, Richard Bell - piano, John Dymond - bass, Gary Craig - drums, and John Whynot - tambourine.

Lyrics copyright © 1991/1998 Jules Shear.


It’s impatience that’s holding back the clocks
It’s a life of dates and documents
The soul searchers wheel and deal
If you’re looking for repentance
They’ll hand you down a sentence

Far away in Pittsburg or Paris
Love’s for sale and so reasonably priced
The answers are few and far between
It just bed sheets, my friend
They’re blowin’ in the wind

Chorus
Tombstone, Tombstone I know your face
One day I’ll meet you down at that special place
The hard-earned wisdom of the night is all for hire
And I can’t tell a shooting star from a bird on fire
Tombstone, Tombstone
Tombstone, Tombstone

There’s a pump organ that lives on air
I can hear it from the market place
Pallid mourners in the crowd
Some are withered but alive
Where a burnin’ past can find

The parishioners pour into the square
Thinking there before his grace go I
By they are mum with deafened ears
The neediest of sinners
Will forget it before dinner

Chorus
Tombstone, Tombstone
I know your face
One day I’ll meet you down at that special place
The hard-earned wisdom of the night is all for hire
And I can’t tell a shooting star from a bird on fire
Tombstone, Tombstone
Tombstone, Tombstone

Are you the jailer or will you set me free
How many misdemeanors can one felony
Tombstone

Chorus
Tombstone, Tombstone
I know your face
One day I’ll meet you down at that special place
The hard-earned wisdom of the night is all for hire
And I can’t tell a shooting star from a bird on fire
Tombstone, Tombstone
Tombstone, Tombstone
Tombstone, Tombstone


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