Live at the Palais (1978)

?: One, two, three, four.
?: Ladies and gentlemen, Australian Concert Entertainment proudly presents Michael Nesmith.

I was overland tourin’ in my new Ferrari
At just about a hundred and ten
I was on my way home from a sophisticated party
Where I got a little drunk on gin

As the headlights cast
A glow out on the road
I heard a voice inside of me
It said, “You lost the light
Now you’re movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui”

Well, I reached into my pocket and I pulled out the omega
That was never one second behind
I knew the horse I was runnin’ at the southern Talladega
Had won for the twenty-second time

Then the countess I was with
She bent over with a kiss
And she put her jeweled hand on my knee
I knew I’d lost the light
And I was movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui

[break]

Well, that night passed with a blaze of glory
And the countess and the car, both mine
And each day passes, but it’s the same old story
But the countess has a brand new line

Yet still at night
I’m haunted by the fright
And the distant memory
Of the day I lost the light
I was movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui

[break]

I was overland tourin’ in my brand new Ferrari
At just about a hundred and ten
I was on my way home from a sophisticated party
Where I got a little drunk on gin

And as the headlights cast
A glow out on the road
I heard a voice inside of me
It said, “You lost the light
Now you’re movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui
Oh, oh, runnin’ from the grand ennui
Oh, runnin’ from the grand ennui”

Mike: It’s a punk rumba.

Me and my calico girlfriend
Starting a set of new rules
Watching the stars as they drop in
Making the night time a fool

Wandering over a roadway
Changing the signs of the times
Looking for love and a new day
Seeing with more than our eyes

Keeper of men and a shadow
Follow us up to the top
Taking the latch off the window
Giving us more than we’ve dropped

Me and my calico girlfriend
Suddenly stare at the face
Of time and its hope that we’ll win
Then softly drop out of the race

[break]

Keeper of men and a shadow
Follow us up to the top
Taking the latch off the window, whoa
Giving us more than we’ve dropped

Me and my calico girlfriend
Suddenly stare at the face
Of time and its hope that we’ll win
Then softly drop out of the race

I’ve known for a long time the kind of girl you are, thank you
A smile that covered teardrops
The way your head yields to your heart
Of things you kept inside that most girls could not bear
I’ve known you for a long time, but I’ve just begun to care

I’ve known of all the heartache, and I’ve known of all the pain
I’ve seen you when the sun shines
And I’ve seen you when it rains
I’ve seen you make a look of love from just an icy stare
Oh, I’ve known you for a long time, but I’ve just begun to care

I know that I’ve been blind
To not have loved you all this time
But the image of you was unclear
I guess I’ve been standing too near

And it’s taken me a while, but I have finally found
What you are to me, and that’s what really counts
And what you are to me is something we can share
I’ve known you for a long time, but I’ve just begun to care

[break]

I know that I’ve been blind
To not have loved you all this time
But the image of you was not clear
I guess I’ve been standing too near

And it’s taken me a while, oh, but I have finally found
What you are to me, babe, and that’s what really counts
What you are to me is something we can share
I’ve known you for a long time, but I’ve just begun to care
Yes, I’ve known you for a long time, but I’ve just begun to care

Her name was Joanne
And she lived in a meadow by a pond
And she touched me for a moment
With a look that spoke to me of her sweet love
Then the woman that she was drove her on with desperation
And I saw as she went, a most hopeless situation
For Joanne and the man and the time that made them both run

She was only a girl
I know that well, but still I could not see
That the hold that she had
Was much stronger than the love she felt for me
But staying with her and my little bit of wisdom
Broke down her desires like a light through a prism
Into yellows and blues and a tune that I could not have sung

Though the essence is gone
I have no tears to cry for her
And my only thoughts of her are kind

Her name was Joanne
And she lived in a meadow by a pond
And she touched me for a moment
With a look that spoke to me of her sweet love
Then the woman that she was drove her on with desperation
And I saw as she went, a most hopeless situation
For Joanne and the man and the time that made them both run

[break]

Though the essence is gone
I have no tears to cry for her
And my only thoughts of her are kind

Her name was Joanne
And she lived in a meadow by a pond
And she touched me for a moment
With a look that spoke to me of her sweet love
Then the woman that she was drove her on with desperation
And I saw as she went, a most hopeless situation
For Joanne and the man and the time that made them both run
For Joanne and the man and the time that made them both run

She was a lackluster lover
Who thought of another
When I offered her my hand
To help her in out of the rain

She became quite possessive
When I gave her the message
I said, “I’ve got to leave
On the outbound ten o’clock train”

She said, “I thought you were stable
And that I might be able
To talk you into stickin’ around
A couple of years”

I said, “I roll with the flow
Wherever it goes
And it’s rollin’ out of here”

There was this didactic minister
Who told me of sinister things
Which would happen if I were
To do something wrong

He spoke at length about brimstone
And lines that were based on belief
That the bad and the good
Were equally strong

Why I think I undid him
When I started to kid him
’Cause he said, “If you’ll give me some time
I’ll make it quite clear”

I said, “I roll with the flow, pal
Wherever it goes
And it’s rollin’ me out of here”

[break]

Those are two fine examples
Of the way that I handled the pressure
That tried to draw me away from the light

And in the final analysis
It’s foolish if you resist
The changes that come into
Your everyday life

There might be some trepidation
But don’t let hesitation
Deprive you of hope
And try to replace it with fear

You just roll with the flow
Wherever it goes
Even if it rolls out of here

Mike: Come on, James.

[break]

She was a lackluster lover
Who thought of another
When I offered her my hand
To help her in out of the rain, yeah, yeah

And she became quite possessive
When I, I gave her the message
I said, “I got to leave
On the outbound ten o’clock train”

She said, “I thought you were stable
And that I might be able
To talk you into stickin’ around
A couple of years”

I said, “I roll with the flow
Wherever it goes
And it’s rollin’ me outta here”

I said, “I roll with the flow
Wherever it goes
And it’s rollin’ me outta here”

Whoa, yes, I roll with the flow
Wherever it goes
And it’s rollin’ me outta here

Tell me just one more time the reasons why you must leave
Tell me once more why you’re sure you don’t need me
Oh, tell me again, but don’t think that you’ll convince me

Now you’ve said before fallin’ in love again, you’d rather be dead
’Cause when someone breaks your heart, you cry your eyes red
But there’s nothin’ so hard about the life that you’ve led

As far as I can see, there’s no reason for goodbyes
You’re just runnin’ scared, and that’s something I won’t buy

So you lose, I won’t let you go with nothin’ to show but more blues
And all this talk about leavin’ is strictly bad news
So you settle down and stay with the man that loves you

[break]

As far as I can see, there’s no reason for goodbyes
You’re just runnin’ scared, and that’s something I won’t buy

So you lose, I won’t let you go with nothin’ to show but more blues
And all this talk about leavin’ is strictly bad news
So you settle down and stay with the man that loves you, oh
Yes, you settle down and stay with the man that loves you, oh
Yes, you settle down, stay with the man that loves you, oh
Yes, you settle down and stay with me

Mike: Thank you!

Mike: Now we say goodbye with this song.

See the lazy windmill slowly turning
Cutting up the marble canyons of the sky
See the dust around my feet go churning
Moving with the wind down the highways of goodbye

I’m standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Looking over maps of memories for the road
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home

Half the thoughts that I’m thinking speak in sighs
As that same old wave of loneliness returns
I can see you when I close my eyes
Speaking very softly as you turn

I’m standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Looking over maps of memories for the road
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home

[break]

Now I must go
Go and let go

I’m standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Looking over maps of memories for the road
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home

[break]

Now I must go
Go and let go
Oh, oh

Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Well, looking over maps of memories for the road
Well, I’m standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home
With the unexpected destination of my home
With the unexpected destination of my home
Of my home

Mike: Thank you very much. Good night. David MacKay on the bass. Al Perkins on guitar. James Trumbo on piano. Johnny Ware on drums. And my name is Burt Lancaster.

As I got on the city bus and found a vacant seat
I thought I saw my future bride a-walking up the street
I shouted to the driver, “Hey conductor, you mug
Slow down, I think I see her, come on, let me off this bus”

Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Whoa-oh, Nadine
Honey, where are you?
It seems like every time I catch up with ya
You want-a something new

Mike: [???]

Saw her at the corner as she turned and doubled back
Saw her walking toward and gettin’ in a coffee colored Cadillac
I was looking through the crowd trying to get where she was at
And I was campaign-shouting like a Southern diplomat

Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Whoa-oh, Nadine
Honey, where are you?
It seems like every time I catch up with ya
You want-a something new

Mike: Go, Al!
[break]

Searching for her, looking all around
I seen her getting in this yellow cab, and she’s heading uptown
So I caught a loaded taxi, paid everybody’s tab
With a twenty dollar bill, and told him, “Catch that yellow cab!”

Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Whoa-oh, Nadine
Honey, where are you?
It seems like every time I catch up with ya
You got something new to do

Mike: ???

I got on a city bus, I found this vacant seat
And I thought I saw my future bride, she’s walking up the street
So I shouted to the driver, “Hey conductor, you mug
Slow down, I think I see her, come on, let me off this bus”

Nadine
Honey, is that you?
Whoa-oh, Nadine
Honey, where are you?
It seems like every time I catch up to you
You want-a something new
It seems like every time I catch up with you
You want-a something new
It seems like every time I catch up with you
You got something new to do

Mike: [???]

I was overland tourin’ in my new Ferrari
At just about a hundred and ten
I was on my way home from a sophisticated party
Where I got a little drunk on gin

As the headlights cast
A glow out on the road
I heard a voice inside of me
It said, “You lost the light
Now you’re movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui
Yeah, you’re runnin’ from the grand en—”

So I reached into my pocket and I pulled out the omega
That was never one second behind
I knew the horse that I was runnin’ at the southern Talladega
Had won for the twenty-second time

Then the countess I was with
Bent over with a kiss
And put a jeweled hand on my knee
I knew I’d lost the light
And I was movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui
Yes, I was runnin’ from the grand en—

[break]

That night passed in a blaze of glory
And the countess and the car were both mine
Each day passes, but it’s the same old story
But the countess has a brand new line

Yet still at night
I’m haunted by the fright
And distant memory
The day I lost the light
I was movin’ through the night
Runnin’ from the grand ennui
Yes, I’m a-runnin’ from the grand ennui

Mike: Well, this is a song off of the uh, Infinite Rider album called uh, “Capsule”. It is a message to the future.

Set the mood
Set the groove
Check out what’s on the tube
Close the day
It’s time to play
Put some sounds on the stereo
And drift away
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away

Hello people a hundred years from now
May not make much difference, but I’ll say it anyhow
Let me tell you of the planet and what we’re doing now
It really is bizarre enough to make me take it slow

There are cartoon creations made of people and of lines
They dance around the T.V., and they dance around our minds
There are a bunch of different holy men pointing different ways
They say don’t think, do think, watch out what you say
We all tried
Yes, we tried

We all kept pluggin’ like a salmon up a stream
Some of us were dancin’
But some of us were screamin’
While we tried
Oh, how we tried

A bunch of different funny people livin’ by the sea
Trying to get to other planets, tryin’ to start another scene
Their leaders said, “Come pay us, we’ll show you what we mean”
But I learned not to trust them, they were not what they seemed, hot!

All tried
Yes, we tried
We all kept pluggin’ like a salmon up a stream
Some of us were dancin’
Some of us were screamin’
Well, we tried
Oh, how we tried

Marie, she looked like Linda with fifty extra teeth
And Linda made the cover of a family magazine
But Bonnie was the singer that made both of them dream
But they all lost to disco, the current mating theme

Well, I’ve never been a hero
But I’ve got five million dreams
And I’ve never been to Harlem, but I been somewhere in between
And as long as I can keep movin’, I guess I’ll keep up with the scene
’Cause I’m dancin’ to the rhythm of the road
Yes, I’m dancin’ to the rhythm of the road

Set the mood
Set the groove
Check out what’s on the tube
Close of the day
It’s time to play
You put some sounds on the stereo
And drift away
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away

Slowly I walk through the gently falling rain
I know that I will never pass this way again
Never wondering why
Teardrops chafing my eyes

Longing to be where the noted kisses fall
Lingering and still, while quietly they tell their all
Blue is the color of the sun
And nothing stops when everything is done

Now my whole world opens up in different rhymes and tunes
With highways making up the verse
And then suddenly I see the light of something called the moon
And though my path is planned, it’s not rehearsed

So I move along to the next thing on the list
Knowing full well that some of them just don’t exist
But I am finally alone
Where my foot steps down is where it’s home

[break]

Now my whole world opens up in different rhymes and tunes
With highways making up the verse
Then suddenly I see the light of something called the moon
And though my path is planned, it’s not rehearsed

So I move along to the next thing on the list
Knowing full well that some of them just don’t exist
But I am finally alone
And where my foot steps down is where it’s home
And where my foot steps down is where it’s home

Mike: I don’t play much, but I’ll tell ya, it’s a great pleasure to be able to play with guys of this caliber, and it’s also a lot of fun to uh, be able to play a song like this with ’em. This’ll give ’em all a chance to shine, and I’d like to wish you all a very good night.

Hey, hey, mercy woman
Plays a song and don’t nobody listen
I need help, I’m falling again

Yeah, play this song a little louder
Tell me I can live without her
If I only listen to the band
Listen to the band

Wasn’t that good?
That made me happy
I think I can make it alone

Oh, mercy woman
Plays a song and don’t nobody listen
No, I need help, I’m falling again

Yeah, play the steel a little bit louder, J.D.
And tell me I can live without her
Now that I have listened to the band
Listen to the band

Yeah, mercy woman
Plays a song, but ain’t nobody listenin’
I need help, I’m falling again

Yeah, play the piano a little bit louder
And tell me that I can live without her
If I only listen to the band
Listen to the band

Oh, yeah, mercy
Nobody listenin’
I need help, I’m falling again

Ah, gonna listen to the bass this time
I know I can live without her
If I only listen to the band

Yeah, mercy woman
We gonna play the song, nobody listen
I need help, I’m falling again

Play the drums a little louder, Steven
Tell me I can live without her
Now that I have listened to the band

Weren’t they good?
That made me happy
I think I can make it alone

Yeah, mercy woman
Let’s play, nobody gonna listen to us
I need help, I’m falling again

Play it all louder now
Let ’em know we been here
You listening to the band
Play

Mike: And thus ends the Gretsch concert. Good night, my friends.