lifeblood: songs: lyrics: christmastime in washington

it was christmastime in washington
the democrats rehearsed
gettin' into gear for four more years
of things not gettin' worse

the republicans drank whiskey neat
and they thanked their lucky stars
they said "he can not seek another term
they'll be no more f.d.r.s"

i sat home in tennessee
just starin' at the screen
an uneasy feelin' in my chest
just wonderin' what it means

so come back woody guthrie
come back to us now
tear your eyes from paradise
and rise again somehow
if you run into jesus
maybe he can help us out
come back woody guthrie
to us now

i followed in your footsteps once
back in my travelin' days
somewhere i failed to find your trail
now i'm stumblin' through the haze

there's killers on the highway now
and a man can't get around
so i just sold my soul for wheels that roll
now i'm stuck here in this town

so come back woody guthrie
come back to us now
tear your eyes from paradise
and rise again somehow
if you run into jesus
maybe he can help us out
come back woody guthrie
to us now

see there's foxes in the henhouse
and there's cows out in the corn
the unions have been busted
and their proud red banners torn

but if you listen to the radio
they'll tell you all is well
but you and me and cisco know
it's goin' straight to hell

so come back emma goldman
rise up old joe hill
the barricades are goin' up
they cannot break our will
come back to us malcolm x
and martin luther king
we're marchin' into selma
while the bells of freedom ring

and come back woody guthrie
come back to us now
tear your eyes from paradise
and rise again somehow

words and music steve earle
as performed april 12, 1999 at the ryman auditorium in nashville, tennessee by steve earle, indigo girls, emmylou harris, and jackson browne