-"Austin City Limits" presents a rare, all-acoustic performance from Ryan Adams... - Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and maybe knock me down? Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and knock me down? Come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight -...and an Austin original -- Shakey Graves. - Yeah, well, I got a stick and a bed in the rye Give me the chance, I'll be there by your side It's a long, cold country with nobody home If you want to face it, you can face it alone or with me -Recorded live from the Moody Theater, it's "Austin City Limits". Here is Ryan Adams.
"My Wrecking Ball" plays
- Driving through the streets tonight It's hot, I got the windows down I wish I could call you, I wish you were still around Nothing much left in the tank Somehow this thing still drives Like it forgot what it needed, but somehow still survives And all the walls we built, they must come down But, hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and maybe knock me down? Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and maybe knock me down? Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and knock me down? Come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight Come and knock me down, come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight Lying in the bed at night Feeling like I'm somebody else My thoughts inside my head Get lost inside the haunted house Everyone I used to know Left their dreams by the door I accidentally kick 'em That's how I can tell you're still not sure If you want to throw them out at all But, hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and maybe knock me down? Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and maybe knock me down? Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and maybe knock me down? Hey, you're my wrecking ball Won't you come and knock me down? Come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight Come and knock me down, come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight Come and knock me down, come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight Come and knock me down, come and knock me down Come and knock me down tonight Driving through the streets tonight It's hot, I got the windows down I wish I could call you, I wish you were still around
Cheers and applause
"Oh My Sweet Carolina" plays
I went down to Houston And stopped in San Antone I passed up the station for the bus I was trying to find me something But wasn't sure just what Man, I ended up with pockets full of dust So I went on to Cleveland and ended up insane Bought a borrowed suit and learned to dance I was spending money like the way it likes to rain Lord, I ended up with pockets full of cane Oh, my sweet Carolina What compels me to go? Oh, my sweet disposition May you one day carry me home I ain't never been to Vegas But I've gambled up my life Building newsprint boats I race to sewer mains Was trying to find me something But I wasn't sure just what Funny how they say That some things never change Oh, my sweet Carolina What compels me to go? Oh, my sweet disposition May you one day carry me home
Harmonica playing
Yeah, well, up here in the city Feels like things are closing in The sunset's just my light bulb burning out Well, I miss Kentucky and I miss my family All the sweetest winds blow across the South Oh, my sweet Carolina What compels me to go? Oh, my sweet disposition May you one day carry me home May you one day carry me home
Harmonica playing
Cheers and applause
If you thought that was depressing, you haven't heard anything yet.
Cheers and applause
So get ready for this "summer anthem."
Laughter
"Gimme Something Good" plays
I can't talk My mind's so blank So I'm going for a walk Got nothing left to say I can't see There's a darkness on the rise I'll be waiting here Till the end of time All my life, been shaken Wanting something Holding everything I have like it was broken Give me something good Give me something good Give me something Give me something good Give me something good I was playing dead Didn't make a sound Holding my breath Going underground So I can't talk I got nothing left to say It's like there's no tomorrow Barely yesterday All my life, been shaken Wanting something Holding everything I have like it was broken Give me something good Give me something good Give me something Give me something good Give me something good Give me something good Give me something good All my life, been shaken Wanting something Holding everybody back Demanding ransom Give me something good Give me something good Give me something Give me something good Give me something good Give me something good Give me something good Give me something good Oh, no
Cheers and applause
Thank you. I'll tell you about the first time I played on "Austin City Limits". I was 22 years old, I think. And I remember being so completely and totally confused at the old skyline. Because on television, it looks kind of real. Like, you could kind of b-- I mean...
Laughter
My sense of reality may be completely askew, but it looked on television, like, I thought, honestly, like, I really did -- I really thought that it was filmed outdoors. You couldn't really tell. I wasn't studying the back of the... you know what I mean? You don't really think to look. You don't go, "That's a fake building. I'm not watching the show."
Laughter
I don't know why I never took into account that there wasn't any traffic noise.
Laughter
"Please Do Not Let Me Go" plays
If the walls in the room could talk I wonder to myself, would they lie? It's like some kind of jail with beams of light Fall through the curtains onto the bed I'm all alone now and I can do as I please Don't feel much like doing anything True love ain't that hard to find Not that either one of us will ever know Would you lay here for a while? Please, do not let me go Please, do not let me go You were sweet enough to sing Mm, oblivious to melody Red suitcase full of clothes Washed up on a shore of memory I'm all alone now and I feel just fine I don't feel much like doing anything True love ain't that hard to find Not that either one of us will ever know Would you lay here for a while? Please, do not let me go Please, do not let me go
Cheers and applause
This next song goes out to my manager, maybe the most tolerant man on the face of the planet...
Audience cheers
...and possibly a fool...
Laughter
...'cause he's been with me since I was, like, at my worst. I remember one day, actually, being pretty messed up, and I was like, "Why are you even managing me?" And he was like, "I like a challenge."
Laughter
Women cheer
And, ironically, he, like, still skates. He still skates his ass off. Like, I'll like try to call the office. It'll be, like, Monday and they'll be like, "Oh, he's at a meeting." So I'll text him. I'll be like, "Oh, what meeting are you at?" And I'll get this picture back of him doing like a frontside air on like a half-pipe. The irony being he loves this song and it is probably, like... like, this song could be like a 1-800-Flowers song.
Laughter
I don't know what he's skating to... but I know that there's some Anne Murray in there.
Laughter
Yeah, I don't even think Anne Murray would touch this song. Do you know what I mean? She would go
smacks lips
"Too soft rock."
Laughter
Seriously, I'm being -- but I'm gonna sing it anyway.
Laughter
Laughing
Sorry, John.
"Desire" plays
Two hearts fading like a flower And all this waiting for the power For some answer, what is this fire? Sinking slowly, the water's higher Mm, desire With no secrets, no obsession This time I'm speeding in no direction Without a reason, what is this fire? Burning slowly My one and only Mm, desire Desire You know me, you know my way You just can't show me, but, God, I'm praying That you'll find me, you'll see me You'll run and never tire Mm, desire Desire Desire Desire Desire Mm
Cheers and applause
-Next, from Austin, the distinctive sound of Shakey Graves.
"Roll the Bones" plays
- Oh, yeah, well, so it goes Yeah, so it goes Oh, that sweet heirloom Them abbey stones Yeah, let's take a chance, oh, and roll the bones Yeah, go and cut that hair unplug that phone Yeah, and sell your belongings all them clever drawings Try to make a dollar from the grave Yeah, sell them belongings All them clever drawings Yeah, try to make a dollar From the grave
Audience cheering
Oh, yeah Ohhhhhhhhhh Well, who's to blame? Oh Yeaaaaaah Whoa-oa-oa-oa-oa-oa-oa-oa Yeah, ooh, well, so it goes Yeah, so it goes Oh, them city boys In country clothes Yeah, let's take a chance, oh, and roll the bones Yeah, go crash that car burn down your home Yeah, and try to forget all them enemies and debts They'll just chase you 'round and give you sour dreams Yeah, and try to forget all them enemies and debts Well, they'll just chase you 'round And give you sour dreams Whooooooooooooooa Ohhhhhhh Well, so it seems Whooooooooooooooo Yeah Oooooooooooooooh Well, so it seems Well, so I say you go and struggle all you like Yeah, and go and put up the good fight They say that someday everybody dies alone Ooh Well, and I say go struggle all you like Yeah, go and put up the good fight They say that someday Everybody dies alone But I say, hey, who really knows? Yeah, hey, who really knows? Ooooh Ohhhhhhhhhh Oh, oh, oh, oh Hey, hey, hey
Cheers and applause
Thank you. Everybody welcome to the stage my good friend Boo.
Cheers and applause
Let me also introduce the ever-magnificent Pat From the Pit! Hey!
Cheers and applause
"Family and Genus" plays
If If I If I ever wander on by Could Could you Flag me down and beg me to Drop what I'm doing and sit beside you, oh Yeah, oh, ho Well, did Did they Ditch us and leave us with nothing to say Where Where we Wait around for friends and family To pass away or come in handy Oh Yeah Oh Yeah Well, oh Yeah, oh, dear Oh, a rotten summer, rotten whole year Yeah, where Oh, where we Wait to lose our friends and family Yeah, to fame and fire, to dame or dandy To pass away or come in handy Oh Oh Oh Yeah, oh Ooh, ooh Ooh Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh Ooooh, ooh, ooh
Audience cheering
Ooooooooooooooooh
Cheers and applause
Thank you.
"The Perfect Parts" plays
Well, this city's put me through the wash Oh, yeah, well, I've been living here for you Well, I used to take my women on the rocks Yeah, they used to wear out my ballroom shoes Well, you know that I had one too many drinks Well, I found hope on your machine Well, you didn't answer my request You left my whole world on your string Well, I guess that's your thing Da-da-do-do da-li-da-do-do Da-da-do-do da-da-do-do Whoa, oh Oh, oh, oh Yeah Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Well, so I see the words left on the screen Oh, yeah, well, they're bursting just for me Well, you know that I've known you since we were 3 Yeah, we fell in love at 17 Well, so I say, what have I learned? What have I learned? Except to love needs a heart Well, your lies will burn in alcohol To sterilize the perfect parts Well, I guess that's a start Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh Ohhhhhhhhhh Yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Whoa, oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh Whoa, oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh Whoa, ohh Yeah Ha! Hey!
Cheers and applause
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the boys.
Cheers and applause
They'll be back in a little while.
Whispering
Oh, we're alone now.
Guitar plays
All right, confession time. So I'm a born-and-raised Austinite. I've been lucky and lazy enough to be here my whole life, which is...
Audience cheers
That's right. Those are two huge merits. I mean that with the utmost respect and heart, 'cause you know, sometimes the world could use a little more laziness, honestly.
Laughs
Just chill out. Chill out, man. But so this song was written by me when I was at the very wise age of about 16, and I was pretty sure, as we all are, that we had it together. You know, "I've got it down." And I especially figured I had the whole "girl" thing kind of covered. But I thought I would write a song about something which would never happen, which was growing up and having a great girlfriend and then not showing up because, you know, some reason. It wouldn't happen. And then I grew up and I had some great girlfriends and I didn't show up for totally ridiculous reasons. And I was like, "Little me was a witch. Little me was a terrible witch and he knew all this stuff was gonna happen." So be careful what you write about, because it might just come true. So this song is dedicated from the 16-year-old turd that lives inside of me to the 16-year-old turd that lives inside of you to this very day.
Audience cheers
That's right. May we drown them in alcohol and yoga or however you choose to handle that.
Laughter
This is a song called "Tomorrow".
"Tomorrow" plays
Well, I'm tired of losing I used to win every night of the week Yeah, back when sex and amphetamines Were the staples of our childhood physique You used to tell me we'd turn into something You said life was much better than this But the closest I come to perfection's When you turned around to steal a kiss Yeah, but you never trusted tomorrow Baby, is that any way to live your life? You love this heart and this six string, girl But they've been out of tune Yeah, for some time Remember I had no idea what I was talking about when I wrote this song, at this point.
Laughter
Educated guess, though. So I figured my woman would be all like -- "Oh, well, you love so many women" And I'd be like -- "Well, only so many women love driving me wild" Yeah, 'cause I get lost in complexion And the structure of a well-placed smile 'Cause, baby, you Yeah, oh, you never smile I figured it would look a little bit better that way, 'cause you can't really mess up not smiling too much. And then I got a little older and I figured out you can really mess up anything you put your mind to in the whole world.
Laughter
That's true. Work at it.
Clicks tongue
Scoffs
It's horribly true.
Chuckles
Oh, especially if you never trusted tomorrow Baby, that's just a problem of mine Well, I been thrown around by some bad ones, girl And a good one was a new thing this time Yeah, but you showed me that I couldn't be farther From the truth of the problem at hand I could never say, "Baby, tomorrow Well, I'll be right there
Clicks tongue
I swear." "I'm serious this time, though. I swear." Yeah, you guys don't really believe me, either.
Laughter
Ooh "Yeah, I'll be your man" Yeah, I'll be your man No. Well, hey, I'll be your man. Oh, no. Good luck to us all out there. Mmm-mm-mm
Cheers and applause
-Boo!
Crowd cheering "Boo!"
"Pansy Waltz" plays
Well, he's out of season, out of sync Oh, Lord, what must his family think? "And he must be getting his feathers wet" Well, she always seems to be the top Until she drops you like a rock You should've been a better friend to him Well, I dusted all the bones out in my yard I fixed the screen door, raised the barn But still you call me from the moon every single afternoon Tell me all about the astronauts you've come to love And how the earth looks from above And how I should've been a better friend to you Yeah, but I've never seen life as a chore A treasure for a find Well, I've read the news, abused the booze And often wondered why Yeah, my smile remains, the thinking pains The average passerby Well, they'll sink like stones into their homes Away from teeth like mine Ohh, wah!
Audience cheering
Ooh, ooh, oo-oo-ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh And so I came to hate my skin And all the holes are getting in the way You let my legs waltz the weeks away By your side Yeah, when you should've been a better friend of mine Well, I saw in you a brand-new bird The song of which I'd never heard A melody so fine the whole world would pine It's a tune to give the boys the blues And turn the horses into glue I should've been a better friend to you Yeah, I should've been a better friend to you Yeah, but I've never seen life as a chore A treasure for to find Well, I've read the news, abused the booze And often wondered why Yeah, my smile remains, the thinking pains The average passerby Well, they'll sink like stones into their homes Away from teeth like mine Ah! Whoo-oo-ooh Whoo, ooh, ooh Well, you should've been a better friend of mine You should've been a better friend of mine Yeah, you should've been a better friend of mine
Cheers and applause
"Where a Boy Once Stood" plays
Yeah, well, I got a stick and a bed in the rye Give me the chance, I'll be there by your side It's a long, cold country with nobody home If you want to face it, you can face it alone or with me Yeah, but if you don't watch me closely I'll flee to the woods Leave a gap in your heart where a boy once stood Well, cut it off and still it grows Back in all the places you don't want it show the most Ow! Well, so, if you're still having trouble Go call up your priest Tell him there's a fella giving you grief It's that lanky, old loner on the outskirts of town Telling you lies and wearing you down Yeah, and if he can't help you, go call up the judge Tell him that you're afraid you've fallen in love There's nowhere to go but down from here So come along, baby, you got nothing to fear But I forgot her Moment that I saw her Scream and shout And wake the silent mountains It's perfect at large, perfect at large Perfect at large with nothing to do When no one at all, no one at all No one at all is searching for you
Cheers and applause
Cheers and applause
Cheers and applause
Thank you.
Smooches
-Tune in to Peabody Award-winni Oh Yeah Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh Yeah, well, so it goes And so it goes Them city boys in country clothes Yeah, let's take a chance, oh, and roll the bones Yeah, go crash that car Burn down your home And try to forget all them enemies and debts They'll just chase you around and give you sour dreams
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