Black Throated Wind

Lyrics By: John Barlow Music By: Bob Weir

Bringing me down, I'm running aground Blind in the light of the interstate cars Passing me by, the buses and semis Plunging like stones from a slingshot on Mars

But I'm here by the road, bound to the load That I picked up in ten thousand cafes and bars Alone with the rush of the drivers who won't pick me up The highway, the moon, the clouds, and the stars

The black throated wind keeps on pouring in With its words of a life where nothing is new Ah, Mother American Night, I'm lost from the light Oh I'm drowning in you

I left Saint Louis, City of Blues In the midst of a storm I'd rather forget I tried to pretend it came to an end 'Cause you weren't the woman I once thought I'd met

But I can't deny, that times have gone by Where I never had doubts or thoughts of regrets And I was a man when all this began Who wouldn't think twice about being there yet

The black throated wind whispering sin, And it speaks of a life that passes like dew It forced me to see That you've done better by me Better by me than I've done by you

Now what's to found, racing around You carry your pain wherever you go Full of the blues, and trying to lose You ain't going to learn what you don't want to know

So I give you my eyes, and all of their lies Please help them to learn as well as to see And capture a glance, whoa and make it a dance Of looking at you looking at me

The black throated wind keeps on pouring in With its words of a life that could almost be true Ah, Mother American Night, here comes the light I'm turning around that's what I'm going to do Going back home that's what I'm gonna do

Some alternative words were tested out in 1990 but did not last:

Verse 2 Well, it's me and the road, yeah, we're unlocking the code That will lead us to some as yet unforseen bar Alone with the rush of the drivers who won't pick me up The highway, the moon, the clouds and the stars

But I'm here by the road, yeah, unravelling the code That will lead us to some as yet unforseen bar

Verse 3 The black-throated wind keeps on pouring in Like a siren it promises everything new Ah, Mother American Night, invisible light Ohhh, I'm flying in you

The black-throated wind keeps on pouring in With its words of a life where everything's new

Verse 4 I left St Louis, the City of Blues On a screaming blue bender I'd rather forget With no scars that show, the keys to the road A couple of tens and some stale cigarettes

Verse 5 But I can't deny that times have gone by Nothing is left but thoughts of regret When I was a man, with so much in hand That a bird in the bush would be singing there yet

But I can't deny that times have gone by When being with her was as good as it gets

Verse 6 The black-throated wind, whispering sin And speaking of life that passes like dew It's led me to see if you want to be free Have your way with each day as its granted to you

Verse 7 What's to be found, racing around You carry your blues to the edge of the sky Think a coyote could care about birds in the air? Think a raven thinks coyotes should learn how to fly?

We drew lines all around us when I was down So now mine turns out to go right to the sky

Verse 8 So I give you my eyes, they were just a disguise Anyway where I'm going it's too dark to see Yes, and toss me to Chance and watch me dance Choreography certain as bats on the breeze

So I leave you my eyes ...

Verse 9 The black-throated wind keeps on pouring in With it's words of a lie I think just might be true Oh, Mother American Night, here comes the light I'm going right on ahead, that's what I'm gonna do

The black-throated wind keeps on pouring in The prophet that promises everything new Ah, Mother American Night, come wrong or come right I will always go onward in you