The Tinge

Now life can get you down

it can leave you tired and worn

it can make you sometimes

sorry you were ever born

but the blues will lift you up

and that’s an offer that you can’t refuse

so when you’re down, down and troubled

you better go back home to the blues

Now people will put you out

in nothing but your torn-up cloths

and your friends and your relations

can let you down when you need them most

but the blues will take you in

and give you shelter that you can’t lose

so when they put you out on the street

you better go back home to the blues 

Now love will twist you up

it’ll make you lose control

and you’ll find you can’t move a muscle

from all the knots tied up in your soul

but the blues will ease your worries

and that’s a comfort you can always choose

so when love leaves you tied up

you better go back home to the blues

Something you don’t see will send you back to me

something you don’t know is gonna make you go

something you won’t do gonna do it to you

Just wait and see.

Something you won’t try is gonna make you cry

something you can’t be will let you be with me

something you won’t say you gonna say anyway

Just wait and see.

                        We try to find our way around in the dark

                        what will the future be?

                        But we’ve already started playing our parts -

                        it’s just something that you don’t see

 Something on your mind you can’t leave behind

something on your track that isn’t turning back

something in your soul make you lose control

Just wait and see.

I hear the Cold War is over

but you can’t prove that by me

until you take down the wall between us

my world will never be free

                        now everything that’s mine

                        is trapped so far behind the line

                        I gotta airlift my heart

                        to keep my love from dyin’

I try to find the arms

yeah, that can take your place

and my spies keep bringing word

that you are winning that race

                        and what used to be mine

                        is trapped so deep behind the line

                        I gotta airlift my heart

                        to keep my love from dyin’

You know all my secrets

and that’s trouble for certain

I can’t see a way out darlin’

since you pulled down that curtain

                        my very soul I find

                        is trapped so far behind the line

                        I gotta airlift my heart

                        to keep my love from dyin’  

You see me smiling cause I’m such a happy man

you see me smiling cause I’m such a happy man

I found me a woman who loves me just the way I am

She’s no clinging vine, she likes her time alone

she’s no clinging vine, she likes her time alone

but she’s happy to see me the minute that she gets home

                    She’s not the wrong woman

                    not the wrong woman

                    I‘ve met the wrong woman - she’s not the wrong     woman for me

I asked for a Jackson, she gave me three bighead Bens

asked her for a Jackson, she gave me three bighead Bens

she said take this baby, go out, have a time with your friends

                    (stops)

                    Now she’s got something, she likes to keep it hid

                    but she says I got something I can find it with -

                    She’s not the wrong woman

                    not the wrong woman

                    I love that woman, she’s not the wrong woman for me

Can I trust you with a kiss

or will you laugh and run away

if I can’t give you more than this

I haven’t very much to say

Can I trust you with a kiss

or will you squander it somewhere

it isn’t something I would miss

unless you show me you don’t care

                        Others trade their careless kisses

                        empty-handed from the start

                        keeping what each lover misses

                        I could never be that smart

If I trust you with a kiss

will you secret it away

and let it linger on your lips

to remind you I will stay?

Give me the rainbow

keep your pot of gold

if I can go where the rainbow bends

I don’t need to know where the rainbow ends

so give me the rainbow

keep your pot of gold

I’ll take a treasure

that can’t be bought or sold

gold has its place but I have found

the more you hold it, the more it holds you down

gold has a lustre like the sun

but I can hear the colors call

and I want them all, not only one

so give me the rainbow

keep your pot of gold

I like your car baby

but you drive it much too slow

You’re always holding up traffic

and you won’t get off the road

              too slow, too slow - why don’t you just get out of my way

              I got places to get to baby

              and I sure can’t take all day

When I come up behind you

you’re clogging the fast lane

you won’t let me get around you

and it’s giving me a pain

              too slow, too slow - you know you’re much too slow

              the way you drive now baby

              I can’t get where I want to go

I got up on your bumper

I thought it would do me good

you stopped short in a hurry

now look what you did to my hood

               too slow, too slow - I’m gettin’ nowhere fast

               you better use that accelerator

               or this ride ain’t gonna last

(stops)

Now you’re creeping like a turtle -

you’re crawlin’ like a snail -

you’re inching like an inchworm -

and I can’t get off your tail

                too slow, too slow - you’re way too slow for me

                you better pick up speed now, baby

                or I’m gonna have to let you be

I want to touch you while we’re dancing

I want to hold you close

though people say that it’s passe

it’s what I really want the most

I want to hold you while we’re dancing

I need to feel you near

let others keep their distance

but I want to touch you dear

                        When we chose partners so long ago

                        how could we know how times would change?

                        But to stand apart and call it dancing -

                        that’s something I find strange

I’d rather hold you while we’re dancing

and cling together here

let all the others stay away

I just want to touch you dear

Daddy got a problem - mama won’t play

Daddy got a problem - mama might stray

mama won’t talk, and mama won’t eat

but mama can walk, and mama might cheat

Daddy got a problem - mama won’t play

Daddy got a problem - mama won’t try

mama won’t argue - and she don’t cry

nothing gets said, and nothing gets better

afraid she’s writin’ a dear daddy letter

Daddy got a problem - mama won’t try

Daddy gettin’ worried - mama won’t sta

she gonna up and tell him - she goin’ away

mama can wish, and make it come true

ain’t a damn thing that daddy can do

Daddy got a problem - mama won’t play

She’s in love with losing

it’s a secret that she keeps from herself

so she blames it all on someone else

she’s in love with losing

She understands commitment

and losing’s never let her down

so she’s always gonna keep it around

she’s in love with losing

                  (she says) Why does everything have to happen to me?

                   I don’t deserve this pain

                   then she brings it on herself again

                   she’s the only one who doesn’t see

When it comes to choosing

she doesn’t need anybody’s help

‘cause it’s a secret that she keeps from herself

she’s in love with losing

You know me - through and through

just about as well - as I know you

we know our habits - both good and bad

we should have had so much more than what we had

now you got what you wanted all along

you’re still right - and I’m still gone

We used to argue - most every night

and no matter what - you had to be right

whatever I said - you’d disagree

and tell me everything that was wrong with me

now you got what you wanted all along

you’re still right - and I’m still gone

We can’t be together - and that’s a doggone shame

you can have all the credit - I’ll take the blame

we had a foundation - I thought it was strong

I thought we were all right, but I must have been wrong

now you got what you wanted all along

you’re still right - and I’m still gone

The wrong women try to catch my eye

just don’t move me, but how they try

I just ignore those powers of persuasion

don’t have time for a bad situation

                        They couldn’t catch me

                        and all of them willing

                        and none of them foolish

                        but I kept my cool

                        They couldn’t touch me

                        I kept my distance

                        minded my business

                        I was nobody’s fool

                                     But I’m losing my cool over you

                                     think I’m gonna be a fool for you

                                     oooo, whatcha do, whatcha do, whatcha do

                                     losing my cool

So many times love has come on strong

so many times it’s still gone wrong

I learned the hard way to walk on by

“look but don’t touch” was always my guide

                        They couldn’t tempt me

                        and none of them timid

                        and all of them waiting

                        I’d just walk away

                        They couldn’t sway me

                        and all of them trying

                        I never wavered

                        not ‘til today

                                   But I’m losing my cool over you 

                                   think I’m gonna be a fool for you

                                   oooo, whatcha do, whatcha do, whatcha do

                                   losing my cool