A Coat of Butterflies

There's a lighthouse on the water
Throwing light back at the shore
I heard you died trying to swim towards it
Now you're living on the river's floor
I heard the mighty Mississippi took you out with just one punch
I heard you had the voice of a sweetheart
But the sweetheart was out getting drunk

And hey man, have you heard Buckley singing Hallelujah?
He did what Leonard never could to it, gave it wings then away it was
Number two in England, and they say you're your daddy's son
But Jeff, if you're anything like me, you only care about America
Where you're always in someone's wake
Or you're singing while you're sinking in sand
In the river still from far away
But if you touch her, she will pull you in
'Cause she's violent and she's stubborn
And she's ugly but I love her, goddamn
Goddamn

When I was young, love drunk, and dreaming
I'd dream of singing in some kingdom
And just like birds, my words would fly
As they'd take flight then so would I

I feel like Valens on a Cessna, flying through the fog
There's a lighthouse on the water
It's not a lighthouse, that's just Arkansas
Yeah, the sky can lift the river and spread it out over the farm
Life's just one long day, babe, but I've been awake all day long
And I, one day too, plan to be king
Put some gloves on me, oh, and put me in the ring
And oh, just to be a fighter, big black boots strapped to my feet
To be so young but so tired and still prettier than anything

Caterpillar in the winter, 'til wings come in the spring
'Til then, settle down in some shotgun shack
Where the wallpaper unlocks your dreams
And hey man, have you heard him sing
With a voice like a symphony weeps?
Seen him staring back at the camera
And I swear to God he looked at me

And if you wanna settle down, then you came to the right town
To close your big brown eyes and wear a coat of butterflies
But if you wanna live forever, jump in deep with the mysteries sweet
Wade into the water, close your eyes boy, and sing

Want a whole lot of love
Want a whole lot of love
Want a whole lot of love
Want a whole lot of love

When I was young, love drunk, and dreaming
I'd dream of singing in some kingdom
And just like birds my words would fly
As they'd take flight then so would I

Upstream
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Upstream