“Carryin’ On” - Single (2023)

1. “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

“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