Eagle on a Pole
I love the lyrics to this song from Conor Oberst’s new self-titled CD.
For the record, I love the entire CD. Glad to see his voice lost most of its somewhat annoying wavering quality. I’ve always thought he was an extraordinary artist.
These particular tunes are on high rotation lately and probably will be for some time now: Cape Canaveral, Lenders in the Temple, I Don’t Want to Die (in a hospital), Eagle on a Pole, Moab.
Saw an eagle on a pole,
I think it was an eagle.
Watched its’ shadow fly ‘cross the cement.
And I woke up in the snow,
All the trees, and crowds, and people.
No shirt, no shoes, no idea where they went.
I followed the fenceline thin,
Back where the yard begins
My woman, she stood crying like a man.
Said, where have you been?
Where have you been?
I thought you said that all of that was done.
El Cielo es azul,
Just don’t go telling everyone
Thought the kettle was a train.
Thought that Monday was a doorframe.
Tried so hard to finally settle down.
Heard the fire pop and snap.
Like a tack piano rag.
I never could get used to happy sounds.
Yeah, I hope the world’s exposed.
A cruel and elaborate hoax.
It convinces me to walk without a cane.
But what can you do?
Child, what can you do?
I always heard that what is done is done.
El Cielo es azul,
Just don’t go telling everyone
The past don’t ever quit.
There’s boxes in the attic.
Baby shoes and taxidermy dream.
While the ashes of the dead, like a dandelion head,
Explode and then are scattered by the breeze.
We’re such a long way back to all the fun that we had.
When nothing ever seemed to bother me.
But what can you do?
Brother, what can you do?
Sleep with the stars, and toil in the sun.
El Cielo es azul,
Just don’t go telling everyone
El Cielo es azul,
Just don’t go telling everyone
