Eric Church: Live at Red Rocks

ERIC: Red Rocks was- there's so much there, that the venue itself, I mean it's a cathedral, it's- it's- it's a church, it's unbelievable.

When I go into a show like that, I had the first couple three songs road-mapped, and then I don't have much, and I'm starting to kinda talk my way through it, or call people up.

And after I'm there I kinda let the show develop.

I enjoy that, because it's a tightrope.

It's a- when you walk out there acoustic in a situation like that, it'll scare you a little.

And I don't get scared a whole lot.

When that happens, I know that it's probably gonna be a pretty good show, because there's a little bit of an element of danger there, that I don't know what's gonna happen.

The fact that it may not work is what intrigues me about it.

It's up to me to trust the music, and to trust the people listening to the music to make it work, and if that happens, and it has every time, always does, well it's magical.

(crowd cheering) CROWD: Eric, Eric, Eric.

(crowd cheering) I still remember Miss Bessie singing Black, wrinkled fingers on ivory keys Just five years old, my church shoes a-dangling Yeah, she's long gone And I'm still singing this song With a guitar full of freedom And a head full of lines That nightlife full of demons Has been a hell of a ride I got a crazy heart, and I was born to lose it Married to a dream with a mistress named music (crowd cheering) No hope and squarely solitary (crowd cheering) Enough whiskey and coke to get me in a bind Amps juiced, the whole damn block could hear me Even that cop car driving past Inside the front door before they hit the back With a guitar full of freedom And a head full of lines That nightlife full of demons Has been a hell of a ride I got a crazy heart, I was born to lose it I'm married to a dream With a mistress named music Da da da, da da da, da da da da Da da da, da da da da, da da da da (laughs) (crowd cheering) (laughs) White calloused fingers on bronze and nylon These same old boots still tapping time Not quite the buzz I used to tie on at the Grizzly Road But til I'm gone, I'll keep chasing this song Chasing this song Stood there boldly, sweatin' in the Sun Felt like a million, felt like number one The height of summer never been that strong Like a rock, like a rock Nothin' ever got to me Like a rock, I was something to see Like a rock I was like a rock Even though we ain't got money I'm so in love with ya honey And everything will bring a chain of love Every mornin' when I rise You bring a smile of joy to my eyes And tell me everything is gonna be all right But I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari Tehachapi to Tonapah I get on every kind of rig that's ever been made Been on the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed But if you give me weed, whites, and wine And show me the sign Then I'll be willin' to be movin', yeah Well, John at the bar is a friend of mine He gets me my drinks for free And he's quick with a joke And to light up your smoke But there's someplace that he'd rather be He says, Bill, I believe this is killing me As the smile ran away from his face Yeah, I'm sure that I could be a movie star If I could get out of this place La da da, da dee da da La da da, da dee da da So play us a song you're the piano man Well, play us a song tonight 'Cause we're all in the mood for a melody And you've got us feeling all right All right, all right, all right I still feel 25 most of the time I still raise a little cain with the boys Honky-tonks and pretty women I'm still right there with them High above the crowd and the noise Sometimes I feel like Jesse James Trying to make a name Knowing no one's gonna change who I am I was a young troubadour When I rode in on a song And I'm gonna be an old troubadour when I'm gone (crowd cheering) With a guitar full of freedom And a head full of lines That nightlife full of demons Has been a hell of a ride I got a crazy heart, and I was born to lose it I'm married to a dream With a mistress named music (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) I tell you this, this will be, maybe more for me than you, but one of the most special nights that we've ever had on a stage anywhere.

So I, I love this place, I revere this place.

I revere the history of this place.

And tonight our set list is going to try to mirror what the history of this place is.

We're gonna play, (crowd cheering) we're gonna play a lot of stuff that if you've been with us a long time, you'll recognize, so.

(crowd cheering) Um... (crowd cheering) And it's just us, so let's go.

(crowd cheering) Turn the quiet up, turn the noise down Let this ol' world just spin around I wanna feel it swing, I wanna feel it sway And put some feel good in my soul And drink a little drink, smoke a little smoke (crowd cheering) I want a little more right And a little less left A little more right now A little less what's next Act like tomorrow's 10 years away And just kick back and let the feelin' flow And drink a little drink, smoke a little smoke Set my sails for a new direction (laughs) But ah, hey I changed my course, but my definition of change Just ain't the same I'm gonna sit right here Stay away from there I'm gonna make pretend I just don't care And I could get up Go get her back Or maybe I'll just let, just let her go And just drink a little drink Smoke a little smoke (crowd cheering) Yeah, do you wanna drink a little drink (crowd cheering) Or do you wanna smoke a little smoke (crowd cheering) Do you wanna drink a little drink Or do you wanna do both (crowd cheering) Yeah, kick back, gives the blues a spin Break out the wine, forget again Dig down deep, find my stash Fire it up, memory crash Yeah, I said, kick back, gives the blues a spin Break out the wine Break out the wine, forget again Dig down deep, find my stash Fire it up, memory crash Yeah, break out that old rock and roll And drink a little drink, smoke a little smoke (crowd cheering) Yeah, early Monday morning to Friday at 5:00 Man, I work, work, work But I don't climb, climb, climb Boss man can shove that overtime up his can All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand Now, fill 'em up or throw it down I got a 40-hour week worth of trouble to drown No need to complicate it, I'm a simple man All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand, ah Yeah, the parking lot is muddy Can't get to the door I take my jacked-up and drop er down in 4x4 Chill down a long neck, warm up the band All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand Now, fill 'em up or throw it down I'm about to tear a new one in this old town Five, four, three, two, one I'm gonna be your rocket man All you gotta do is put a drink in my, yeah (crowd cheering) You got that little tattoo Playing peeky-boo on your back (laughs) (crowd cheering) All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand Fill it up or throw it down When you drive me home take the long way around You be my Lois Lane, I'm gonna be your Superman All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand My head Monday morning, that alarm clock sings It goes bang, bang, bang while it ring-ring-rings Yeah, I'm ready to roll if you wanna rock again All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand Now fill it up or throw it down I got a little hungover still hanging around Yeah, that hair of a dog is howling Hey there, man All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand Yeah, that hair of a dog is howling Hey there, man All you gotta do is put a drink in my hand Ah, hooooo (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) I love this place man, I just love it.

(crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) What you think, Jo?

JO: Loving it.

ERIC: You wanna do one?

JO: Let's do it.

Turn on a neon light At least make it feel like night Put on some this or that And maybe I won't feel so bad I need a little background noise To drown out this little voice Running circles 'round my brain Screaming louder than the pain My head is spinning My resolve is reeling I can tell by the heavy in my heart I'm going down soon No use fighting the fight It's no contest tonight My figured out has never been more confused Having mixed drinks about feelings and you Turn off the bedroom light Put on a brave face and face the night It's either get used to this dread Or the cold spot in our bed The bottle helps, but the memory burns The whiskey soothes, still I toss and turn I'll find sleep til dreams relent Wake up tired and try again My head is spinning My resolve is reeling I can tell by the heavy in my heart I'm going down soon No use fighting the fight It's no contest tonight My figured out has never been more confused Having mixed drinks about feelings and you (Eric laughs) Having mixed drinks about feelings and you Turn on a neon light At least make it feel like night (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) These boots have counted off many a band Playing one night roadhouse stands For tips in empty rooms These boots have stood toe-to-toe With the biggest, baddest Joe Like they had some things to prove These boots Oh, these boots more than once have saved my *** Like the night they hid that grass From those cops in Tupelo These boots have danced with the devil And nearly lost that battle To a wild Irish Rose I wore out more soles than I care to count Done more stupid things than most would dare to I've kicked myself more times than not For the roads they led me down But the damnedest thing I've ever seen them do Is walkin' out on you These boots had to see California And a gorgeous Arizona morning Where God paints the sky, and these boots Had to spur that beast in Cheyenne Thought that bull'd make me a real man But I still drag my right leg sometimes I wore out more soles than I care to count Done more stupid things than most would dare to I've kicked myself more times than not For the roads they led me down But the damnedest thing I've ever seen them do Is walkin' out on you (crowd cheering) Now these boots are one step from the door They walked out of years before I can almost see her now These boots oughta kick that door aside Stomp out my foolish pride But they just turn around Damn these boots Yeah, damn these boots Damn these old tired-out boots Yeah, these boots, ah (crowd cheering) ERIC: Yeah.

(crowd cheering) Thank you.

(crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) **** I'm ripping up, ripping it up.

No set list, no set list.

(crowd cheering) It was the summer before the real world started And the deal was we would get to go If we cleaned it up, and got it running Daddy's old Winnebago Wing and a prayer down 65 Five best friends on four bald tires And I can still see Billy smiling When we finally made it To Talladega, boys raise the Whiskey in your glass Here's to turn it up, slowing down And cars that go real fast And we were laughing and living Drinking and wishing And thinking as that checkered flag was waving Sure would like to stay in Talladega (crowd cheering) Like a stone, time rolls on You can't hit pause, that's just the deal Most days in life don't stand out But life's about those days that will Rockin' Randall, gettin' rowdy Shooting roman candles at the man in the moon Til the Alabama sun was breaking Over Talladega, raise the The whiskey in your glass Here's to turn it up, slowing down And cars that go real fast We were laughing and living Drinking and wishing And thinking as that checkered flag was waving Sure would like to stay in Talladega (crowd cheering) And when the wind grows cold and it blows October I think about us shoulder to shoulder Like those cars My thoughts roll over and over and over In my mind Tonight I'm in Talladega, boys raise the Whiskey in your glass, here's to turn it up Slowing down and cars that go real fast We were laughing and living Drinking and wishing And thinking as that checkered flag was waving Sure would like to stay in Talladega (crowd cheering) Talladega (crowd cheering) Damn, I used to love this view Sit here and drink a few Main street and the high school Lit up on Friday night Down there it's another touchdown Man, this year's team is stout I can hear them goin' crazy And up here so am I Thinkin' about you sittin' there sayin' I hate this, I hate it If you couldn't stand livin' here Why'd you take it, take it Give me back my hometown This is my hometown (crowd cheering) All the colors of my youth The red, the green, the hope, the truth Are beatin' me black and blue 'Cause you're in every scene My friends try to cheer me up Get together at the Pizza Hut I didn't have the heart to tell them That was our place These sleepy streetlights On every sidewalk side street Shed a light on Everything that used to be Give me back my, my hometown This is my hometown Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah Yeah ooh, oh yeah, yeah You can have my grandma's locket The knife out of my grandpa's pocket Yeah my state champion jacket I don't care you can have it Every made memory every picture Every broken dream Yeah, everything, everything, everything Just give me back my hometown This is my hometown (crowd cheering) Yeah!

(crowd cheering) Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah Ah ooh, oh yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah Ah ooh, ooh (laughs) Sounded good.

Ah ooh, ooh Said ah (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) Always been a fighter, a scrapper and a clawer Used up some luck in lawyers Like Huck from Tom Sawyer, jumped on my raft And shoved off chasing my dreams Reeling in big fishes I, I had some hits and a few big misses I, I gave 'em hell and got a few stitches And these days I show off my scars With one arm around my baby And one arm around my boys A heart that's still pretty crazy And a head that hates the noise If the world comes a-knockin' Tell 'em I'm not home I'm finally holdin' my own I've burned up the fast lane Dodging drugs and divorce Just the one thing to do (crowd cheering) Sometimes late at night I miss the smoke and neon Sneak out of bed grab this six-string Play what's still turnin' me on Like that tight old time rock 'n' roll Or that right down home country gold I miss blues and soul But not more than I miss being home With one arm around my baby And one arm around my boys A heart that's still pretty crazy And a head that just got sick of the noise If the world comes a-knockin' Tell 'em I'm not home I'm finally holdin' my own Until I run out of time I'm gonna spend the rest of mine, ah With one arm around my baby And one arm around my boys A heart that's still pretty crazy And a head that just hates the noise If the world comes a-knockin' Tell 'em I'm not home I'm finally holdin' my own And when my time on Earth is done I want they write it on my stone I lived, loved and died holdin' my own I lived, loved and died holdin' my own (crowd cheering) Thank you, Red Rocks.

(crowd cheering) To this day when I hear that song I see you standing there on that lawn Discount shades, store-bought Flip-flops and cut-offs Somewhere between that setting Sun "I'm on Fire" and "Born to Run" You looked at me and I was done We're just getting started I was singing to you, you were singing to me I was so alive, never been more free Fired up my daddy's lighter and we sang oh Stayed there 'til they forced us out And took the long way to your house I can still hear the sound Of you saying, don't go When I think about you I think about 17 I think about my old Jeep I think about the stars in the sky Funny how a melody Forgot how to play the damn thing.

Felt like a melody And a soundtrack to a July Saturday night Springsteen (crowd cheering) I bumped into you by happenstance You probably wouldn't even know who I am But if I whispered your name I bet there'd still be a spark Back when I was gasoline And this old tattoo had brand new ink And we didn't care what your mom would think 'Bout your name on my arm Yeah baby, is it spring or is it summer A guitar sound or the beat of that drummer You hear sometimes late at night on your radio Even though you're a million miles away When you hear "Born in the USA" You relive all those glory days so long ago When you think about me Do you think about 17 Do you think about my old Jeep Think about the stars in the sky Funny how a melody sounds like a memory Like a soundtrack to a July Saturday night Springsteen (crowd cheering) I remember going oh, oh, oh Whoa, whoa, whoa Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa Just like that oh, whoa, whoa Oh, whoa, whoa, oh, whoa When you think about me Do you think about 17 Do you think about my old Jeep Think about the stars in the sky Funny how a melody Sounds like a memory Like a soundtrack to a July Saturday night Yeah, like a soundtrack To a Red Rocks Wednesday night (crowd cheering) Springsteen, Springsteen Yeah, I remember "Born to Run" I remember Springsteen (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) ERIC: Yeah.

(crowd cheering) Now two miles east of the Chickamauga Just over the hill and across the holla End of the path leading from the water There's a one-room, A-frame house A hot-pie, potbelly stove When she workin' the flame, it never get cold The only place on Earth I know It gets hotter when the Sun goes down Oh my, my Chattanooga Lucy Woman, what it is you do to me Forbidden fruit, it sure is juicy Now you got me comin' around, comin' around Oh my, my Chattanooga Lucy Break me easy or bend me bluesy Hold on tight or hold on loosely Keep me comin' around, comin' around I post my bail and pay my bounty Anything to get me down to Hamilton County Up and down and all around me Every time I hear the sound Every time I hear the sound Oh, oh, oh, yeah, Jo Oh, oh, oh, yeah Oh my, my Chattanooga Lucy Woman, what it is you do to me Forbidden fruit, it sure is juicy You got me comin' around, comin' around And oh my, my Chattanooga Lucy Break me easy or bend me bluesy Hold on tight or hold on loosely Keep me comin' around, comin' around Yeah, I come undone Every time I get some Kickdrum, guitar strum No matter where you come from Oh, let me hear.

Oh my, my Chattanooga Lucy Woman, what it is you do to me Forbidden fruit, it sure is juicy You got me comin' around, comin' around Yeah, oh my, my Chattanooga Lucy Break me easy or bend me bluesy Hold on tight or hold on loosely Keep me comin' around, comin' around Comin' around, comin' around Yeah, I come undone Every time I get some Kickdrum, guitar strum She's everything but a shy one (crowd cheering) If I could kill a word and watch it die I'd poison "never," shoot "goodbye" And beat "regret" when I felt I had the nerve Yeah, I'd pound "fear" into a pile of sand Choke "lonely" out with my bare hands And I'd hang "hate" so that it can't be heard If I could only kill a word Yeah, I'd take "brokenness" out back And break "heartbreak," stand there and laugh Right in its face while shootin' it the bird I'd put "upset" down in its place Squeeze the life out of "disgrace" Lay "over" under six cold feet of dirt If I could only kill a word Now give me sticks, give me stones Break my body, break my bones Use staff and rod to turn me black and blue Cause you can't unhear, you can't unsay But if it were up to me to change I'd turn "lies" and "hate" To "love" and "truth" If I could only kill a word Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah Yeah, I'd knock out "temptation's" teeth I'd sever "evil," and let it bleed Light up "wicked," stand and watch it burn I'd take "vice" and I'd take "vile" And tie 'em up there with "hostile" I'd hang 'em high and leave 'em for the birds If I, if I could only kill a word Give me sticks, give me stones Bend my body, break my bones, break my bones Use staff and rod to turn me black and blue Black and blue Cause you can't unhear, you can't unsay But if it were up to me to change I'd turn "lies" and "hate" To "love" and "truth" If I, if I could only kill a word If I, I could only kill a word Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (crowd cheering) Since you turned the tables on me I've been steady and learnin' lonely Keepin' this turntable spinnin' Everything from Jones to Jennings Slowly plannin' my survival In a three-foot stack of vinyl Since you had to walk on outta here I've been havin' a record year, yeah I bet you thought before you left I'd just sit in silence by myself Turn this house into a jail Dyin' slow in a livin' hell But love's got a funny way of keepin' score And your leavin' lit up my scoreboard I usually make it through side A sober All bets are off when I flip her over One bourbon, one scotch, one beer I'm havin' a record year Quarter notes and Hank's half-time Are poundin' on this heart of mine Song to song, I pass my time With these speakers on 10 Your good and gone keeps me up all night Along with Songs In The Key Of Life I'm either gonna get over you Or I'm gonna blow out my ears Yeah, you're out there now Doin' God knows how, and I'm stuck here Havin' a record year (crowd cheering) Your leavin' left me goin' crazy I'm countin' on a needle to save me I drop it in the groove And we go 'round and 'round And down in a spiral I guess I really oughta call and thank you I rediscovered Red Headed Stranger Got down with old James Brown And found New Grass Revival If you find your way back, I owe you a beer For my record year Quarter notes and Hank's half-time Are poundin' on this heart of mine Song to song, I pass my time With these speakers on 10 Your good and gone keeps me up all night Along with Songs In The Key Of Life I'm either gonna get over you Or I'm a-gonna blow out my ears Yeah, you're out there now Doin' God knows how, and I'm stuck here Havin' a record year (crowd cheering) Havin' a record year (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) Yeah.

(crowd cheering) I remember standin' by the curb with Mr. Murphy When Daddy picked me up from school His eyes were red We drove to the hospital in a hurry Where my family gathered 'round my grandpa's bed He was my best friend He taught me how to fish And I cried listenin' to my daddy pray For one of those I've loved along the way She had a ribbon in her hair the day I met her That whole next year we couldn't get enough After graduation she took off for Denver And for a while we tried to keep in touch She was my best friend And it broke my heart But I don't regret the day that she became One of those I've loved along the way And I hope they know I never woulda made it this far on my own Where would we all be without those Fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers The friends I've made, the long lost lovers I wouldn't be who I am today If not for those I've loved along the way Yeah, along the way Now I'm just a country boy with a guitar (crowd cheering) Lookin' back down this old road I've been travelin' on It was never about tryin' to be some big star No, for me it's always been about these songs You see they're my best friends They're the life I live And I hope they put a smile on the face (crowd cheering) Of those that I've loved along the way 'Cause I wouldn't have the songs I sing today If not for those I've loved along the way (crowd cheering) Thank you Red Rocks, I love you very much.

(crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) Hey to the weird kid in your high-top shoes Sitting in the back of the class I was just like you Always left out, never fit in Owning that path you're walking in Mr. Misunderstood, I understand Mr. Misunderstood ERIC: That's the one I hear.

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