Up to Me (Take 1)

Everything went from bad to worse

Money never changed a thing

Death kept following and tracking us down

At least I heard your bluebird sing

Now somebody's got to show their hand

Time is an enemy

I know you're long gone

I guess it must be up to me

If I'd thought about it I never would've done it

I guess I would've let it slide

If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinking

The heart inside me would've died

But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity

Someone had to reach for the risin' star

I guess it was up to me

Oh, the union central is pulling out

The orchids are in bloom

I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume

In fourteen months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously

Somebody's got to find your trail

I guess it must be up to me

It was like a revelation

When you betrayed me with your touch

I'd just about convinced myself nothing ain't changed that much

The old rounder in the iron mask he slipped me the master key

Somebody had to unlock your heart

He said it was up to me

Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers' club

I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub

So I waited all night till the break of day, hoping one of us could get free

When the dawn came over the river bridge

I knew it was up to me

The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk

Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work

Was I a fool or not to try to protect your real identity

You looked a little burned out, my friend

I thought it might be up to me

I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat

She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that

It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be

But she ain't a-gonna make me move, I guess it must be up to me

Now we heard the sermon on the mount and I knew it was too complex

It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects

When you bite off more than you can chew you pay the penalty

Somebody's got to tell the tale

I guess it must be up to me

Dupree came in pimping tonight to the Thunderbird cafe

Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way

Now, I just can't rest without your love, I need your company

But you ain't a-gonna cross the line

I guess it must be up to me

There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle

She's the one you been wondering about, but there's really nothing much to tell

We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history

Somebody's got to cry some tears

I guess it must be up to me

So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime

The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time

And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property

One of us has got to hit the road

I guess it must be up to me

If we never meet again, baby, remember me

How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody

And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free

No one else could play that tune, you know it was up to me