The Desert Babbler

It's New Year's Eve

And California's gonna kill you soon

The Barstow boys

Buckeyes in the shadow of the moon

Black houses in the hills and roadside hearts

Dying for a place to fall apart

Who knew what you could learn to live without

Mother Mary's lying in your mouth, now

Back home the kitchen's warm with Christmas wine

And every girl has got an axe to grind

You live to look for heaven

But you're far from that hard light tonight

So quietly we've lost another year

The desert put a babbler in your ear

Mean fireweed and I miss you again

Barstow boys are spit into the wind

Back home the hammer always has to fall

Crosses barely hanging on the wall

Someday I know you'll never leave me

But we're far from that hard light tonight