“Long walk out of the woods” (2024)

1. Long Walk Out of the Woods

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

It's the first day of December, so I roll a joint and think about the year

Did I spend days ignoring problems, drinking blindly, running from my fears

Or am I accustomed to finding the wrong in the right

I do recall, after all, I had a pretty good time

By this time next December, will I reminisce on the ones that got away

Maybe I'll remember to be better with the words I choose to say

That I never needed all this baggage and pain anyway

Maybe the same old shit, but it's a brand new day

But it's a long walk out of the woods, and I need some shelter

Yeah, it's a long walk out of the woods, I might need a little shelter

Well, it's a long walk, baby, getting out of the woods

I ain't got no destination, but I'm leaving for good

It's a long walk out of the woods

I've got no resistance for attraction to the neon lights

Troubles, it has caused a few, next thing I knew, they were reading me my rights

Strike a match and watch these bridges burn

Seems it takes the hard way before I learn

It's the first day of December of the 31st year I've been alive

Though broken and busted and beat down, I have survived

And when my time has come, don't cry for me

Just know that I did it for the story

2. Free

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Well, there's a wolf at the door and a monkey on my back

I keep walking down the road and stepping on the cracks

I couldn't walk a straight line even if I wanted to

I've been three sheets to the wind and down on my luck

I got a F-150 that keeps getting stuck

Long haul truckin' with a heavier load to haul

And everybody tells me that it gets better

The sun's gonna shine after stormy weather

I read the good book and every red letter

Things'll get better for me

Cause I just wanna be free

I got no tread on my tires or gas in my tank

I got a two dollar pistol and none in the bank

Got trouble a mile wide and ten feet tall

I've got my debts still to pay and mountains to climb

Dragging along this old body of mine

That cares for only women and alcohol

And everybody tells me that it gets better

You gotta find the sun in the nasty weather

Give me the rain and I'll do you one better

The ground can get wetter for me

Cause I'm gonna be free

3. Be Here Now

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I got a steady dull pain that still nags at me

Lie awake at night with old memories

I'm in a padded room in the Chino jail

My father's gonna kill me if he posts my bail

There's a devil on my shoulder and he won't depart

And an angel here to fix mama's broken heart

There may be better days down the road I'm on

But every billboard reminds me of the wrong I've done

Cause fools rush in where angels fear to tread

And the truth of that knocked me upside the head

When the world is quiet I wanna scream out loud

Lord, why can't I just be here now

Lord, why can't I just be here now

I got a lot of trepidation for the trail ahead

Will I strike it rich or just wind up dead

I've been rolling for doubles, getting twos and threes

Lost my ass at the tables but still won't leave

Could a love come along to calm this storm

On the dark, cold nights will she keep me warm

If I ain't troubled 'bout the future, I'm stuck in the past

Flying through the present just waiting to crash

The story's better if you don't skip ahead

And there's a couple pages that you'll wish you hadn't read

When the world is quiet I wanna scream out loud

Lord, why can't I just be here now

Lord, why can't I just be here now

4. Ghosts Tell Human Stories

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

We're all good, we're all bad

We've all had a better time than you've ever had

We're all strange, we're all scared

We're all ready to go and ill-prepared

We're all mind, we're all heart

We're all in this together and worlds apart

We're all tough, we're all talk

We're all trying to run before we can walk

And we think we've got it down

We think we've got it down

And we're one big disaster

With nuclear weapons, hold for the laughter

Where days move slow but the years go faster

Working till we die unto the great hereafter

All for a little glory

That's why ghosts sit around and tell human stories

We're all here, we're all now

We're all a little crazy when it comes right down

We're all hurt, we're all healed

We're all praying that our better selves will be revealed

We're all home, we're all gone

And to find our way back, leave the lantern on

We're all low, we're all high

We're all dying to live and afraid to die

We're all lost, we're all found

We all take for granted what is still around

We're all smiles, we're all tears

We all miss the innocence of younger years

We're all wrong, we're all right

We're all living out a story on Saturday night

We're all faith, we're all doubt

Still trying to figure out just what this whole thing's about

5. Farmer’s Son

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Well, I grew up a farmer's son

A hard-working living in Oregon

If he knew half the things I've done

Growing up a farmer's son

Spent all summer working fields

And half a day off with a rod and reel

I can't explain how sweet that feels

When you spend all summer working fields

But it ain't all easy going between a father and a son

Working in close quarters till the working day is done

But I was always listening even if you never knew

And if I could ever seem to get it right

It's 'cause I learned it from you

But now I'm living states away

With a song to sing and guitar to play

Dad, there's a lot I wanna say

But I'm chasing dreams a thousand miles away

I know I get wild and I get loud

And hang out with a rowdy crowd

But I'll never forget who taught me how

But I hope that I made you proud

Dad, I hope that I made you proud

6. To Be Human

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney - for Grandma ‘Mana’ Nancy)

Look, I know there ain't much time

But just give me a number

A tiny ray of light

When I get tossed asunder

I don't say it enough

But just know that I love you

I pray you hear me now

Though I can hardly speak

And though my heart is crying out

My voice is much too weak

But soon you will be free

And we're all gonna miss you

What a beautiful thing

What a terribly beautiful thing

To be human

The sun again will shine

Someday in the future

When there'll be no more crying

I just wish it would happen sooner

Someday we'll all end up beneath a stone upon a hill

Where wildflowers are growing and the river runs still

All your friends and family gather round

Tell their favorite stories and lay you in the ground

7. Keep the Lantern Burning

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I've got the road stretched out before me

Miles and miles, to go before I rest

With just me and this guitar, goodbye to my home

In the Pacific Northwest

I've put my money down, you can place your bets

We'll see who wins

These four wheels spinning round, round and round they go, we'll see where it ends

Tell my family I won't be gone too long

And keep the lantern burning, help me find my way back home

Know that on my journey, tears may fall sometimes

That just means I'm learning something beautiful about this life

I haven't got all the answers, but Lord knows I try

And act like I do

When I'm feeling lonely, I'll drive out to some old dirt road

And think of you

It's a long road ahead with 22 years behind, and I'm chasing dreams

So far from my hometown to Nashville, but when I feel lost

I know it's closer than it seems

I miss my home, but a man has to be strong

When the night is much too long, I'll pray for the morning sun

And I'll stay strong when the night is much too long

Pray for the morning sun, smile and carry on

8. “Carryin’ On”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Late at night, when the crowd is gone

I sit back in my room, pickin’ a song

And I’ve got, and I’ve got this feeling of moving on

Like a ship out to sea, I’ve been fighting the waves

Taking on water, countin’ the days

And I’ve got, and I’ve got, yeah I’ve got to get to moving on

Then it hits me, been runnin’ on empty for miles

A little bit rattled, but still in the saddle, is just enough reason to smile

But Lord knows the hour is getting late

And I can ride on another little while

‘Cause soon the sun will be risin’

Above the horizon

And that’s what keeps me carryin’ on 

A truckstop in Boise, broke down in Cheyenne

That girl out in Lynchburg held the loneliest man

But it won’t, no it won’t, keep me from keepin’ on

I can still see the women that I let down

In various places when I’m passing through town

And I know, yeah I know, it’s my fault when it’s all said and done

9. Leaving Reno

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

We pulled into Reno 'round five a.m

Wild-eyed, bloodshot and lookin' to spend

Barkeep pour us a round of cocktails while we hit the ATM

Cause this time the house ain't gonna win

Well, twenty turned to sixty at the Quick Hit Slots

Look out boys, I'm takin' her for all she's got

How 'bout another round of cocktails and break into that Adderall

Here in Reno, where they never say last call

We ain't leavin' Reno, not until they kick us out

We ain't leavin' Reno, in case you had some doubt

The biggest little city in the world, and you know it's true

We ain't leavin' Reno, cause we got nothing left to lose

Well, I was grinding my teeth and counting my cash at the table

Riding a heater, rolling the bones, peeling labels

Throw a hundred down, have a shot of Crown

To make my shaky hands more stable

Cheers to Reno, I think it went straight to my head

A smoke-filled room and I can feel the doom creeping in

I must have blacked out after that last nip of gin

Pockets turned inside out, without a dollar left to spend

Well, I'll be damned boys, I guess the house went and did it again

So we're leavin' Reno, with only stories to our names

We're leavin' Reno, was it a month or only two damn days

The biggest little city in the world, and you know it's true

Leavin' Reno, cause we got nothing left to lose

Leavin' Reno, cause we got nothing left to lose

10. The Trail

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Everyone's watching, so I can pretend

Like I don't feel the weight of the world on my head

So don't believe me when I say I think I've got it figured out

For I speak loudly but my head is filled with doubt

I want to know, am I wrong this time

I want to know, I don't know where this trail is headed

But I can't turn back anymore

I've got my demons and I've got my pride

Found myself waking up on the floor of the darker side

I want to know, am I wrong this time

I want to know, did all those years of struggle find me better down the line

I want to know, am I a fraud this time

I want to know, is this another mask I try to hide behind

No, I could be wrong this time

Oh, but my feet are on the trail and I think it's going to be just fine

“Jimmy” - Single (2024)

1. Jimmy

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I wrote a song for Jimmy when the news had finally come

I never got to thank him, for all the songs he'd sung

To thank him for the memories, to tell a boy to chase his dreams

That you can face life's tragedies with some humor up your sleeve

So raise a glass to the pirate, navigating the stars

Drink one for the islands, and double for the bars

Sing a song for your good friends, and another for family

This one goes out to Jimmy, wherever he might be

I bet his grandfather'd be happy, for all the things he did

The hat that graced the captain, worn proudly by the kid

With a tin cup for a chalice, fill it up with good red wine

The sails they need a-settin', and the sun a place to shine

Mother mother ocean, your son is coming home

I hate to play a sad song, I just can't believe he's gone

He'd want us to throw a party, beneath a lone palm tree

Anchors up compadres, he's headed out to sea

“Ghosts Tell Human Stories” - EP (2023)

1. “Take Me On”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I know, it’s been on your mind

Sanity, is too hard to find

But take me on,

Take me on

Lights flash, then we’re alone

Strike down, like a deer in the road

And take me on,

Take me on

Darling I know,

This comes as a surprise

But can’t you see,

The fire in these eyes

But I ain’t always strong,

So won’t you take me on

Fall down, try to stay low

Enemy, deadly ego

But don’t you run

Don’t you run

Mirror, look in my eyes

Like a ghost, to passerbys

But now you know

Now you know

2. “Drinkin’ Spirits”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I keep my eyes off the mirror

I may not like what I see

It’s funny my reflection often don’t look like me

I tend to avoid the basement

It’s full of old memories

The ghosts of my past only cause me misery

So I reach for any bottle I’ve got left

Don’t know how much I drink, but it’s enough to make me forget

(To those) gathered ‘round, raise ‘em up, let’s make a toast

To the crowd of all my demons, I’m your reluctant host

Of the mistakes I’ve made, I’m not sure which scares me most

Drinkin’ spirits, and I guess that’s why I’m haunted by ghosts

I stay out of the attic

At least the one in my mind

Don’t go out looking for something you don’t want to find

A little wisdom for the ages

It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie

A man can go to hell even if he never bothered to die

3. “I Know You’re Out There”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Hey darlin’ now where are you, if we ever crossed paths I know what I’d do

Take your hand as we walk beneath the moon

Hey darlin’ from the wildflowers, we’d climb up high atop the watertower

And I’d light the night sky up for you

Hey darlin’ won’t you take my heart, piece it back together where it broke apart

Won’t you run away with me

Hey darlin’ might you answer me? But you’re just another vision in my reverie

But a man can dream

I know you’re out there

I know you’re out there

I know, I know, I know you’re out there

And I’ll keep on searching ‘til they bury me

Sweetheart with the sweetest heart, in a cotton dress like a work of art

Beside a raging sea

Some folks say that the sea is me, I got a lot of old devils that won’t let me be

Sometimes I can’t withstand the heat

I put up walls no one could climb but you’ve got no problem walking through them every time

Honey you’re my wrecking ball

There I go dreaming again, I know you’re just a ghost and I’m a haunted man

And night’s about to fall

4. “The Ghost”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Have I been worried ‘bout where I’m going

As I am flying down this empty road

Yeah I’ll see breakdowns and times of trouble

But that don’t mean that I don’t gotta go

Every man has his temptations, and I’ve got more than most

An image of separation, between us and the ghost

If you’re searching for heaven, you’ll put yourself through hell

Understand his motivation, and you’ll know the man himself

Shine on, ‘cause your back’s against the wall

Stay strong, ‘cause Babylon’s about to fall

Yeah I get tired, from all this running

When I know, it’s no damn good

But I keep driving the same direction

Instead of facing the ghost like I should

A life of occupations, sometimes an identity

Tranformed by salvation, promised eternity

But truth is in the laughter, and the books upon his shelf

Follow his motivation, and know the man himself

If you’re searching for heaven, you’ll put yourself through hell

Follow the motivation, and know the man himself

“The Wild” (2019)

1. “Figure It Out”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I got a big, fat problem that ain’t got a solution

Like a man at a traffic stop who knows he’s been using

And every novel answer causes further confusion

And I don’t know how I feel

We got men on the right who are screamin’ for judgment

Like there ain’t enough already to rise above it

And now you’re making rules based on your assumptions

And I know how that makes me feel

Ladies and Gentlemen, won’t you gather ‘round

And to the congregation, the fire and brimstone crowd

You say it can’t be that easy, well let me tell you it is

Just love on your brother and lean on one another and love is all you need

‘Cause we’re all just tryin’ to figure it out

Why don’t you do what you love and love what you do

For business or pleasure it’s all up to you

I got friends in low places you can bring your gin and juice

And cross more than just the party line 

Ladies and Gentlemen, won’t you gather ‘round

And to the politicians, just like I said to the devout

You say it can’t be that easy, well let me tell you it is

Just love on your brother and lean on one another and love is all you need

‘Cause we’re all just tryin’ to figure it out

I know we need to start making some changes

And not one among us would disagree

Consciousness and lifestyle don’t need Big Brother

To anybody listening don’t just take it from me

Ladies and Gentlemen, won’t you gather ‘round

And to everybody, won’t you come on down

You say it can’t be that easy, well let me tell you it is

Just love on your brother and lean on one another and love is all you need

‘Cause we’re all just tryin’ to figure it out

2. “American Dream”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I took what they gave me ‘cause they said it was good

Locked myself in my house, ‘cause I knew that I should

The come up baby, I know it’s coming up soon

Mixed up a drink and turned up the song

“Spirit in the Sky”, Norman Greenbaum

I’m starting to think this stuff is kicking in too

And we all get a little crazier every day

But in a world that has gone crazy, aren’t the crazy really sane?

Why are we so serious?

Not to ruin it for you, but everyone dies in the end

We’re all fear and loathing, in ‘designer-by’ clothing

Living the American Dream, ‘cause you gotta be asleep to believe

It’s all propaganda and nothing is real

A psychedelic trip that no one can feel

But find a few good friends it’s all gonna be just fine

3. “Damn Fine Time”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I drove out to Vegas, to check out a show

Spend all my money on women and blow

Lookin’ for some answers, answers that I ain’t found yet

But ya know I’m gonna find ‘em, buddy it’s a goddamn bet

A man of temptation in a little situation

And I ain’t got no friends around

When I left California, had to leave no one a warnin’

I wasn’t comin’ back anyhow, why don’t I just end it now?

I still keep hearing voices in my head

“Run as fast as you want boy, you’re already dead”

I’m just looking for a little happiness, is that some sort of crime?

And now seems like a damn fine time

I tried meditation, to free up my mind

High on psilocybin, I gave it a try

A pinch only reminded me I was in a waking dream

But I guess that’s life sometimes things aren’t just what they seem

There ain’t no real sense in arguments

We’re just… in a void after all

Everyone’s still fighting over who is God

On a rock this small

On a rock this small

We’re just… in a void after all

On a rock this small

4. “One of These Days”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

One of these days is a notion plaguing us all

When the mountains rise high and the high rise begins to fall

But hindsight’s 20/20, and we’re all running out of money

And we fight like the big one ain’t comin’ after us all

Well love is love and it ain’t our business to say

We all walk the same trail but we’ve got to do it our own way

With courage and persistence, we try to justify our existence

But in the end it’s just a silly little game we play

And we, we ain’t gotta fight no more

We, we ain’t gotta fight no more

But where there’s love there’s war

Where there’s love there’s war

One of these days, is a lie we tell ourselves

Stacks of unread books, upon our shelves

The unknown breeds religion, and that only brings division

Instead of fightin’ over heaven let’s lead each other out of hell

One of these days, we’ll see what kind of fools we were

And why the hell were we all ever so concerned

We can cling to our possessions, or open our hands and let them

Fall to the dirt to which someday we’ll all return

5. “Sweatin’ Whiskey”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Oh no, it happened again

Those shots might as well have been bullets from a gun

Sunday night, ain’t no drinkin’ night, as work starts again this morning

And I’ll be out here all day in the sun

Sweatin’ whiskey, more and more and more

Knowin’ that just ‘cause it don’t rain,  don’t mean, that I don’t pour

I got the shakes, my body aches, my head just might explode

Sweatin’ whiskey, only 8 more hours to go

Well I spell trouble with a big ol’ number 7

I figure that if I have one, I might as well have eleven

The night is young, gonna find someone, pour us a round and hold her

But 6 AM is back again, and I start the whole thing over

Sweatin’ Whiskey, only 6 more hours to go

Sweatin’ Whiskey, only a few more hours… to go…

Sun goes down in this little town, work is finally over

I feel every ache that’s in my bones

My phone starts ringing, I hear people singing, and I guess work ain’t til tomorrow

And I suppose that I can have just one…

6. “The Edge”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I live right on the edge of sane and crazy

Some days the edge is crumbling ‘neath my feet

Drinking every night just like this shit’s fantastic

But morning comes too early and it’s screaming at me

I know, that I ain’t really been me lately

But that don’t mean that I won’t make it back

Everybody thinks that they really know me

But don’t we all know just a little better than that?

Try the best we can to hide our motivations

Sometimes it’s best baby if we put it down

I’m probably trippin’, guess I’m part of the problem

So let me do us a favor and get the hell out of town

I’m sorry but I’ve got to go baby

Head on down the road

I know that it probably makes me crazy

And I hate to see you go

Yeah I hate to see you go

But how ‘bout a kiss for the road?

How ‘bout a kiss for the road?

7. “Wild at Heart”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

Between evergreens and the pacific ocean

There’s plenty of hard-earned miles between

And you’ll find me somewhere in the middle

Where I’m who I am, becoming who I want to be

You can scan your eyes over that horizon

You can trace your fingers across the western sky

And know that I’m still out there drivin’

When you go to lay your head down tonight

Oh the wild, it still feels like home

And it’s where I go, where I can be alone

And though I go, I know I’ll return again

‘Cause I’m wild at heart, and I feel it callin’

The rivers they cut deeply through the mountains

Where snow and ice compete with sun and rain

Where the eagle flies above and never wonders

How he’ll feed himself in the coming days

I don’t care if you don’t understand it

From what I’ve found, I bet you could relate

Some things just keep you from going crazy

And no one will ever take that away

8. “Keep the Lantern Burning”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

I’ve got the road stretched out before me, miles and miles, to go before I rest

With just me and this guitar, goodbye to my home, in the pacific northwest

I’ve put my money down, you can place your bets, we’ll see who wins

These four wheels spinning round, round and round they go, we’ll see where it ends

Tell my family, I won’t be gone too long

And keep the lantern burning, help me find my way back home

And know that on my journey, tears may fall sometimes

That just means I’m learning, something beautiful about this life

I haven’t got all the answers, but Lord knows I try, and act like I do

But when I’m feeling lonely I’ll drive out to some old dirt road, and think of you

It’s a long road ahead with 25 years behind, and I’m chasing dreams

So far from my hometown to Nashville, but when I feel lost, I know it’s closer than it seems

I miss my home, but a man has to be strong

When the night is much too long, I’ll pray for the morning sun

And I’ll stay strong, when the night is much too long

I’ll pray for the morning sun, smile and carry on

9. “The Answer”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

In my head I know nobody has the answer

But the soul don’t run beside reality

Statistics for existence seems impossible at best

Yet here I stand losing my sanity

Science wants to understand the conscience

But the universe don’t owe us one damn thing

With time it seems the answer’s getting closer

At least until the next discovery

So raise your glasses high

For tomorrow we may die

But we’re still dreamin’

In a land full of demons

Searching for meaning

But you’ve got somethin’ baby, you’ve got somethin’

If there’s no tomorrow

There won’t be no sorrow

Because I know

That you meant somethin’ baby you meant somethin’ to me

I know we’ve got issues with religion

But really it’s just ideology

When two men come to blows over which ideas they chose

And they both preach that love is all we need

Everybody claims they’re so enlightened

But that don’t shake out psychologically

‘Cause men will make a mess over a woman in a tight dress

We’re all still slaves to our biology

10. “Those Old, Sad Country Songs”

(music and lyrics by Austin B. Sweeney)

It seems the last cowboy has ridden away,

And the skies don’t seem so dark,

And the sunshine has come to stay,

But it don’t seem to warm my heart, 

Because beyond the rivers and the pickup trucks,

Nothing is what it seems,

Because people only sing about loving and laughing,

And not about broken dreams,

(‘Cause there’s) pain in the smile of a man down the road,

‘Cause they’re closing down his old country store,

But we’re too busy singing bout Friday night,

That we’ve forgotten just what we stand for,

Doesn’t anyone sing them old sad country songs anymore?

Women have a way to teach us to be a good man,

And often make our world go ‘round,

But too much time is spent scheming and dreaming,

‘Bout how you’re gonna lay her down,

The times of our youth won’t last forever

And life has a way of knocking us down,

A little moonshine loving won’t be on your mind,

When you lay your love in the ground

Because you’re thinking bout those times you two were dirt poor,

But love was all you needed to weather the storm,

And the fights that ended with you asleep on the couch,

Refusing forgiveness you should’ve begged for,

Doesn’t anyone sing them old sad country songs anymore?

And no, it ain’t all bad,

There’s tougher lives, we could’ve had,

But with red solo cups and pickup trucks,

No one’s getting knocked down so they can learn to get up,

‘Cause smooth seas never made a good sailor,

And you can’t know victory, ‘til you’ve known failure

But there’s a silver lining in the black cloud above,

And you’ve got to push a lot harder when you want to give up,

There are prisoners of love, and prisoners of war,

And a man becomes a man once he can’t see the shore,

So let’s sing them old sad country songs once more