Damien Jurado Holding His Breath





I Am the Greatest of All Liars

I'm the suicide with blanks
I am fire in the tank
I'm the dishes in the sink

I'm the silence you can hear
I'm a voice inside your head
I'm a word that's never said

I'm the blood upon your sheets
I'm the air you cannot breathe
I'm the darkness you can see

I'm the pain inside your back
I'm the joke that you don't get
I'm the razor at your neck

I'm the lie that you will tell
I'm the soul that you will sell
I'm the vomit on your sleeve

I'm the reason you all fell




Oh Death Art With Me

I was courted by Death today
In an attempt to take my life
He showed up with a nice bouquet
Of flowers for my grave

He said, "Come with me now
And we can take my horse and carriage"
He led me six feet underground
Where the worms will eat my skin

"You will not need your body, son
For the devil he just wants your soul
He has had his eyes on you
Since the day you stepped in this world"

I was courted by Death today
In an attempt to take my life
He showed up with a nice bouquet
Of flowers for my grave

He said, "Come with me now
And we can take my horse and carriage."
He led me six feet underground
Where the worms will eat my skin




Big Let Down

Here comes that big let down
It anchors your soul
In sadness she left you
Standing alone

One more time, he promised
Not this time
Where is the love that binds us
Not this time

Here comes that big let down
It anchors your soul
Holding hands she left you
Holding your own

One more time, he promised
Not this time
Where is the love that binds us
Not this time
Could you please forgive us
Not this time




Now You're Swimming
(written by 764-hero)

Now you're swimming
It don't even feel right
You hate your body
You know it shows

They're acting crazy
Out there in the deep end
They're shouting curse words
And acting crazy

You got to cop for a dad
And you don't want any more
Off-duty advice now

You got a saint in the eye
And you don't want any more
Guilt-tripping advice now

They'll figure it out
And they can keep you in the dark
Afternoon is your own time
Alone time

We'll figure it out
And then we'll keep you in the dark
Afternoon is the wrong time

And now you're painting
And you don't even feel right
You hate the colors
And you know they'll bleed

They're acting foolish
Out there in the darkroom
Rolling quarters
Going wild

You got a cop in your face
And you don't want any more
Time left alone with him

You got a saint for a mom
And you know all the ways out
The back door and on out

They'll figure it out
And then they'll keep you in the dark
Afternoon is your own time
Alone time

We'll figure it out
And then we'll keep you in the dark
Afternoon is the wrong time




Butcher's Boy
(written by Peggy Seeger)

She went upstairs to make her bed
And not one word to her mother said
Her mother she went upstairs too
Saying, "Daughter, oh daughter, what troubles you?"

"Oh mother, oh mother, I cannot tell
That butcher's boy I love so well
He courted me my life away
And now at home he will not stay"

"There is a place in London town
Where that butcher's boy goes and sits down
He takes that strange girl on his knee
He tells her things he don't tell me"

Her father he comes home from work
Saying, "Where is my daughter, she looks so hurt"
He went upstairs to give her hope
Found her hanging from a rope

He took his knife and he cut her down
In her bosom these words were found
"Go dig my grave both wide and deep
Place a marble slab at my head and my feet

And on my stone, place a snow white dove
To warn this world I died for love"

Oh mother, oh mother
Mother me

Oh Lord, oh Lord
Lord in me