Live 12 Nov 1996 version
[Spoken intro:] Yeah. I'm always curious as to why uh, why people sort of cheer out whenever they hear the name of their city, state, or country. This is something that either pleases or dulls entertainers all around the world. So uh, I mean I'm wondering when they sit at home and when they hear it like "Buffalo. Yeah! Yeah!" Turn the TV up and get a jump up off the couch. Give a little... yeah (chuckles). Maybe they... I don't know. I'm just gonna like, I'm just gonna start writing songs and forget all about all the other words, just name those cities and states.
I'm in Buffalo, feels real good in Buffalo, whoa! Buffalo
Yeah! Buffalo gets real cold, Buffalo
Whoa! Freezing my ass off, Buffalo
It's a blast though, Buffalo
(Cheers) Hey, it works (chuckles). I got it, a concept album, all 50 states... and cities. Alright (chuckles). God damn it that will sell some records (chuckles). Alright, this is a song about uh, getting in the car all the way I guess, you know. All I got a... strange note there. Yeah. It's alright. This is called "Long Time Comin'".
Out where the creek turns 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
And a fresh map that I made
Tonight I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on its grave
And dance on its 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
Yeah I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish for you in this god forsaken world, kid
It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
That 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 you and me, Rosie, 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 lift your shirt, put my hands across your belly and feel
Another one kickin' inside
But 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', but now it's here
And now it's here
The above lyrics are for the live 12 Nov 1996 performance of LONG TOME COMIN' at Shea's Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY, during The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour.
Thanks Timmy Peterson (Terry at Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.
List of available versions of LONG TIME COMIN' on this website:
LONG TIME COMIN' [Album version]