Joe Henry — Civilians
Album: CiviliansAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 616
Length: 4:32
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The carriage horses stamp and fume
Until all color's gone
They leave the street in black and white
And bring the evening coming on
Lovers tug their way out of gloves
Out of shoes, and gray chiffon
The driver pulls his blanket high
And pretends to look beyond
Oh, pray for you, pray for me
Sing it like a song
Life is short but, by the grace of God
This night is long
Girls crowd into bathroom stalls
The boys smoke in their cars
The general, he's in civilian clothes
Standing at the bar
He waves at the deaf flower lady
"Come sit by me, sweetheart"
He draws a napkin battle plan
Says, "this is where we start"
Oh pray for you, pray for me
Sing it like a song
Life is sort but, by the grace of God
This night is long
There are no more hummingbirds
Like there used to be
They're fat and slow and careless now
They've turned blue and mean
And the parrots sound like monkeys
Screaming from the trees
As the decent people
Fumble for their keys
We used to spend the night in town
Down by city hall
And the water works of Irish Beach
Just below the falls
We'd walk down to the Park Hotel
Past the Baptist Veteran's Mall
Back then, a man in uniform
Might mean anything at all
Oh, pray for you, pray for me
Sing it like a song
Life is short but, by the grace or cruel heart of God
The night is long
Until all color's gone
They leave the street in black and white
And bring the evening coming on
Lovers tug their way out of gloves
Out of shoes, and gray chiffon
The driver pulls his blanket high
And pretends to look beyond
Oh, pray for you, pray for me
Sing it like a song
Life is short but, by the grace of God
This night is long
Girls crowd into bathroom stalls
The boys smoke in their cars
The general, he's in civilian clothes
Standing at the bar
He waves at the deaf flower lady
"Come sit by me, sweetheart"
He draws a napkin battle plan
Says, "this is where we start"
Oh pray for you, pray for me
Sing it like a song
Life is sort but, by the grace of God
This night is long
There are no more hummingbirds
Like there used to be
They're fat and slow and careless now
They've turned blue and mean
And the parrots sound like monkeys
Screaming from the trees
As the decent people
Fumble for their keys
We used to spend the night in town
Down by city hall
And the water works of Irish Beach
Just below the falls
We'd walk down to the Park Hotel
Past the Baptist Veteran's Mall
Back then, a man in uniform
Might mean anything at all
Oh, pray for you, pray for me
Sing it like a song
Life is short but, by the grace or cruel heart of God
The night is long
Comments (51)add comment
Super interesting and cool guitar
Cynaera wrote:
Super cool
A quote from Joe Henry from his website, regarding his new album out in October:
Reverie is an all-acoustic production, though I will confess to you (as I already have to my parents) that it is a raw and raucous and messy affair. It had to be: the songs animating its body are themselves disheveled and unsettled; stitched together like one living scarecrow made from five...its arms and legs of varying lengths, head held with bailing wire, but still determined to run in the Labor Day picnic's race for charity, poor thing.
Super cool
funky but chic
superfido wrote:
No, no. Tom was born drunk.
EssenceLumin wrote:
It sounds like a sober Tom Waits, that's all.
OK but sounds too much like Tom Waits who has a more interesting voice.
It sounds like a sober Tom Waits, that's all.
No, no. Tom was born drunk.
superfido wrote:
Never really sure about it, but I often hear Sting inflections in the voice.
EssenceLumin wrote:
It sounds like a sober Tom Waits, that's all.
OK but sounds too much like Tom Waits who has a more interesting voice.
It sounds like a sober Tom Waits, that's all.
Never really sure about it, but I often hear Sting inflections in the voice.
WonderLizard wrote:
Funny if I close my eyes and don't apply a gender to the voice, I'm hearing arrangemnets similar to Ella Fitzgerald, or Lena Horne
I have no idea why I'm making this connection, but this particular genre conjures an image as the film noire of rock. Henry, Waits, Cohen, and to a lesser extent McMurtry, spin vignettes of the down-and-out. Like old men in threadbare sport coats, nursing bad coffee in a greasy, ill lit diner.
Funny if I close my eyes and don't apply a gender to the voice, I'm hearing arrangemnets similar to Ella Fitzgerald, or Lena Horne
pray for peace people everywhere
Is that a hammered dulcimer or a tack piano?
A quote from Joe Henry from his website, regarding his new album out in October:
Reverie is an all-acoustic production, though I will confess to you (as I already have to my parents) that it is a raw and raucous and messy affair. It had to be: the songs animating its body are themselves disheveled and unsettled; stitched together like one living scarecrow made from five...its arms and legs of varying lengths, head held with bailing wire, but still determined to run in the Labor Day picnic's race for charity, poor thing.
EssenceLumin wrote:
It sounds like a sober Tom Waits, that's all.
OK but sounds too much like Tom Waits who has a more interesting voice.
It sounds like a sober Tom Waits, that's all.
I started praying for your parents again...
EssenceLumin wrote:
just thinking the same thing
OK but sounds too much like Tom Waits who has a more interesting voice.
just thinking the same thing
OK but sounds too much like Tom Waits who has a more interesting voice.
Very nice!!
Louche.
IMHO, Joe Henry is a songwriter/poet on the level of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
I like this.
WonderLizard wrote:
Well said.
I have no idea why I'm making this connection, but this particular genre conjures an image as the film noire of rock. Henry, Waits, Cohen, and to a lesser extent McMurtry, spin vignettes of the down-and-out. Like old men in threadbare sport coats, nursing bad coffee in a greasy, ill lit diner.
Well said.
I have no idea why I'm making this connection, but this particular genre conjures an image as the film noire of rock. Henry, Waits, Cohen, and to a lesser extent McMurtry, spin vignettes of the down-and-out. Like old men in threadbare sport coats, nursing bad coffee in a greasy, ill lit diner.
a_genuine_find wrote:
Tom Waits like?
Mos-Def, "Waitsesque".
Tom Waits like?
Mos-Def, "Waitsesque".
very cool!
Why so much airplay?
..."life is short but by the grace of god this night is long" - yeah, like that one too
I agree..this type of music has been playing all morning and I am dying
EDIT......IT'S STILL PLAYING!.....ARG!
EDIT2....this song is too long
EDIT......IT'S STILL PLAYING!.....ARG!
EDIT2....this song is too long
Please, no more.
*Sigh* this guy is getting really tiresome. He's decent, but the overexposure on RP has completely turned me off of his music.
Lyndra_Ski wrote:
Reminds me of Tom Waits
yes, just thinking same.
Excelsior wrote:
Is it really necessary to hear this guy 4x daily?
Yeah, it's starting to get kind of relentless. He doesn't repeat well.
Reminds me of Tom Waits
Why can't I fast forward to the next song?
As an average hard working Civilan I support this song 100%.
Is it really necessary to hear this guy 4x daily?
The more I hear Joe Henry on RP, the more I like him. Really good song. Reminds me of New Orleans.
joanie wrote:
The lyrics are great...insightful...reminds me of some of Leonard Cohens material.
Yes, with a little Tom Waits thrown in for color.
The lyrics are great...insightful...reminds me of some of Leonard Cohens material.
Agree with the TW lyrical similarity, which has to be a very good thing, very nice music indeed for thoughtful adults!
The lyrics -- I listened closely this time, it's still new to me -- KICK ASS! and his singing style is cool, if slightly tune-less...my early impressions are that this is good, solid songwriting!
Finally Joe Henry's getting some play. Thanks RP.
I was turned on to Joe Henry 10 yrs ago, but felt somewhat alone in my listening to his stuff.
Much of the earlier stuff is somewhat downbeat & some would say droning, but his uniqueness has always come through.
His lyrics are very visual, IMO.
Give King's Highway a listen. Not the brightest subject, but it is thought provoking, that's for sure.
Listen to "Trampoline" and you'll think Tom Petty rather than Tom Waits. Not bad artists to emulate.
Tomesque and Winehousish, too.
Might have to get the cd.
ThePoose wrote:
Yeah--decidedly Tomesque.
I like Tom. But Joe is as original as any songwriter out there. On par with the great Costello. Music that requires repeated play and concentration.
Tomesque?
Hmmm... A bit.
This is what I love RP for: hearing artists I never would have otherwise. Artists that don't suck, like Radiohead. (Snap! Had to get that in there....)
mefrombrazil wrote:
WHAT'S THE MEANING OF 'TOMESQUE'
Tom Waits like?
mefrombrazil wrote:
WHAT'S THE MEANING OF 'TOMESQUE'
It's a play on words. He means Joe Henry reminds him of Tom Waits.
ThePoose wrote:
Yeah--decidedly Tomesque.
WHAT'S THE MEANING OF 'TOMESQUE'
sirrus wrote:
"Henry..."
"Joe Tom Waits Henry."
Yeah--decidedly Tomesque.
"Henry..."
"Joe Tom Waits Henry."
seems like SPOON.
I like this Joe Henry guy - livin the life I'm sure
First impression was, ick!
But then after listening to the whole thing, I kind of like it.
It sounds like a much less interesting voice than Tom Waits' to me, but he's a good singer. Cool instrumentation and production too.