LONG TIME COMIN'^©

Live 21 Apr 2005 version

Out where the creek turn shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimmin' away the stars
The wind in the mesquite comes rushin' over the hilltops
Straight into my arms
Straight into my arms

I'm ridin' hard carryin' a cache of roses
In a fresh map that I made
Now I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on it's grave
And dance on it's grave

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
And now it's here

Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
Well when I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around
Somebody I'd see around

Well now down below and pullin' on my shirt
I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kid
It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
Yeah your sins would be your own

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
And now it's here

Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, we're cracklin' like crossed wires
And you breathin' in your sleep
You breathin' in your sleep

Well there's just a spark of a campfire left burnin'
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
I reach beneath your shirt, lay my hands across your belly and feel
Another one kickin' inside
And I ain't gonna fuck it up this time

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', now it's here
And now it's here

The above lyrics refer to the 21 Apr 2005 live performance at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ, during the first warm-up show for the Devils & Dust tour. Bruce dedicated the song to his mother that night. Check also the album's version and the live versions (very similar): 12 Nov 1996, 12 Dec 1996, 12 Feb 1997, and 25 May 1997.

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Spoken intro on 21 Apr 2005 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ:

My kids ??? uh, at an age where they've realized of course that I am not perfect. Damn, I hate that. Uh, they're quite ??? that age ??? passing years. And uh, I'm often ??? to them. Oh yeah, ??? my dad is singing silly songs, you know, he is "silly man". Well they like me anyway. And uh, I suppose I think I should grow up and get a real job. But uh, most of ??? think I'm not gonna do the same mistakes that my folks made one day, you know ???. And uh, uh, who the hell did I think I was tonight (chuckles)? The kids are great because they do give you uh, second chances. It's kind of sorting out stuff from your childhood and we honor our parents by holding on to the good things and setting down the things that we not wanna ???, you know. Uh, that's what this song is about. This song called "Long Time Comin'", and uh, written a while back but it's finally found a ??? on, on a new record. And uh, ??? this one out, my lovely mother, that's for you. ??? are perfect (chuckles).