{"id":4066,"date":"2022-01-10T22:17:47","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T22:17:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8000\/?page_id=4066"},"modified":"2025-03-06T21:29:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T05:29:23","slug":"dry-dreams-lyrics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-lyrics\/dry-dreams-lyrics\/","title":{"rendered":"Dry Dreams Lyrics"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Cover
Cover Art – Dry Dreams<\/em> (1982) – By The Jim Carroll Band<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dry Dreams<\/em>
The Jim Carroll Band
Atlantic, 1982<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See also:<\/strong> album details<\/a> and Audio Library<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LYRICS INDEX<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

| Work, Not Play<\/a> | Dry Dreams<\/a> | Them<\/a> | Jealous Twin<\/a> | Lorraine opening poem<\/a> \/ lyrics<\/a> | Jody<\/a> | Barricades<\/a> | Evangeline<\/a> | Rooms<\/a> | Still Life<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Work, Not Play<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll and Steve Linsley
<\/strong>*Quicktime video<\/a> – spoken version (I have to figure out how to convert this …)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bell rings . . .
It’s a decade past my decadence
My beast wears rings and he’s waiting
In the shadows of my hesitations, my silent
Hesitations . . . Each image is so clear;
It seems I have no hands
The gestures of the air confuse all my demands<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the beast hears the bell; he comes
Out of the shadows. He rips apart the shadows . . .
And he says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is work and not play”
And he says:
“There’s always more than one way . . .
This is work not play”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refrain:
I see the ghosts of my childhood . . .
Dressed in blue, they trail me in the night
They drive these cars with real upholstery
They trail me until . . . here comes the night<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was standing, standing on the balcony
Her black, black eyes folded over her eyelids
Like sheets on motel beds . . .
She must be eatin’ reds
This place is filled with mirrors
It echoes what she said
And she said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I need a judgement day”And she said:
“I know there’s more than one way,
But I want my judgement day . . .”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repeat Refrain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To sleep without dreams
So distant from the mirror
Imitating clarity, disguising
All the terror . . . I heard a thousand bells
From a thousand old cathedrals
They rang . . . I haven’t heard them since
A decade past my decadence
The beast hears the bell<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m cursed to be a singer
A singer of the flames
A thinker of a fire
And a son without a name<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger Music, BMI (1982)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Dry Dreams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Jealous Twin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll and Wayne Woods<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She moves through the black door
She turns toward the desperate light<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With her breath like iodine
With her filigree design
She summons the fire from her hips
Flamingo blood melts down her lips<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the light would not share her,
From behind the bending mirror, pulling her within,
Like a jealous twin. There was something in her eye
Like a flawed alibi . . . I was just about to ask
When she rips apart her mask<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refrain
But me and my girl
Chase the dragon’s tail
We double lock the room
We innoculate the moon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the light glows from below
Tonight, Tonight
She hears the soft drone,
Like a pearly blade laid in silicone . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the reservoir of sleep
Slides through the morning tube
Like a letter written in a dream
That is answered much too soon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And she lays across the sofa like a gold stick pin
Mascara draining down her specious grin, every notion’s
Loaded motion laced in BOMBAY GIN . . . and the serpent’s
Eyes are bursting as she bites into the skin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Repeat Refrain)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She leaves a trail of broken things:
Knives . . . Lives . . . and wedding rings
And the candle drips its light
Across the fine silk floor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone screams for less
Someone screams for more . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the light would not share her
From behind the bending mirror
Pulling her within
Like a jealous twin
There was something in her eye
Like a flawed alibi
I was just about to ask, I swear,
She ripped apart the mask<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But me
And my girl
We chase the dragon’s tail<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We double lock the room
We innoculate the moon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the light
Glows
From down below . . . Tonight . . . Tonight<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger Music, BMI (1982)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Lorraine (Opening poem)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seven blonde women
They gather in the square
They raise their hands up to the sun
Their skin is so thin and white
You know their fathers must surely be wealthy
I watch the others stand around and form a crucifix
A serpent of vapor
Some stray birds rise
The one on the end, the fine one on the end
She called me over, she pulled me aside
She said, You know, I have to make it all look different
It seems that every time I lay down
On it, and its like a snake in water
And when I look out of it,
It’s like the one from last week
Was breathing again
And she said she had some white light
You know, she said that she had some morphine
But she didn’t have no gimmicks
So she just took this razor
And she laid it on a white vein
And then she took a black orchid
And she just ripped apart that flower
And then she took the white light
Then she said, Hey, later for the morphine
She took the razor and slit open her white vein
She slit open her white vein
She put the flower through the slit vein
She poured the white light through the red stem
She put the white light through the red stem
She just poured it through the red stem
I was talkin’ with my angel
I was talkin’ with my angel then . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lorraine (lyrics)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Jody<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll and Wayne Woods<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jody, what you been doing?
It’s been a long, long time
Since we went dancing in the schoolyard,
With your breasts like bleeding limes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jody, are you still hanging with that latin?
With rabbit fur inside his wheels?
With his Gilbert Roland piece,
And his glove department deals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uptown, we watched the debutantes skating
Across the reservoir ice
Dressed in tweed and leather flags . . .
And you whispered six words twice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jody, look what time has done
To people who live on the run
Jody, look what time has done<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jody, I spent years living at the movies
I really hated you awhile
I wrote so many incantations
Lord, I had to keep a file . . . you said<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Uptown . . .” and I said, “Downtown.”
Downtown the rooftops are wide
I was sinking in the tar, I screamed,
“This City is on my side”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jody, go to any window;
Raise your eyes up to the sky . . .
Is that our destiny of yesterday
Or just a vault of lies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But jody, look what time has done
To people who live on the run
Jody, look what time has done<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jody, all the lay-down promises
They were just a trading of scars
But I remember the wild nights;
Hey, we changed mountains into stars<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uptown, the buildings are syringes
They’re all just glass and dreams
One thing about Manhattan, it’s always
Just what it seems<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Jody,
Remember the part
And how we entered at the zoo
That’s when I told you that the cheetah
Walked as fine as you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But jody, look what time has done
To people who live on the run
Jody, look what time has done<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger
Music, BMI (1982)<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Barricades<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should have left at once
We should have never stayed
Now they have drawn the line
Now there is a barricade
Now there’s a barricade
A barricade<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who makes promises?
Who makes promises through a thick lead door?
Through an intercom on the 23rd floor?
Who makes promises and then promises more?
Who makes promises for El Salvador?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bobby’s getting called. Billy’s getting called
Juan’s getting called, John’s getting called . . .
They get a letter in the mail, they get a telephone call<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It says, “Come on, Come on . . .”
It says, “Come on . . .”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the American boys
Asleep beneath American shade
Awake on foreign soil
They awake inside the barricades
Inside the barricades<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sun curves over the jungle
And trees grow from the dead nun’s lungs
But when the ship is in the harbor
Then the cyanide pill’s on their tongue
Inside the Barricade, inside the barricade<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls, no more going out dancing
And boys, there’s no more getting laid
You’re gonna parachute to the holy land
And you will drop into the barricades
Inside the barricades, inside the barricades<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who makes promises for the Neutron bomb?
It will sign your lungs to death
And leave the corporate walls unharmed . . .
Who makes promises with such insidious charm?
But it would have made things cleaner
In old Vietnam . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s when Kevin got called up
Ritchie got called . . .
And Kevin never came back
Ritchie never came home<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their folks got a letter in the mail
THEY GOT A LETTER IN THE MAIL . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ain’t gonna die for Standard Oil
I.B.M. . . . I wouldn’t die for them!
G.E.? Not me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Come on,” they say, “Come on”
They say “Come on,”
And you say, “ahh” . . .
You just say “LATER!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger Music, BMI (1982)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Evangeline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll and Wayne Woods<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evangeline
My first lady,
She wears satin gloves
Since her hands got dirty<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She travels here
She travels there . . .
She’s on the “A” list
Everywhere<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can’t take it anymore
If she calls back,
Tell her I went uptown to the downtown store<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evangeline
With her lips like curtains,
But you best know
And it’s for certain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all her money
You and I got none
She’s got a satin pillow
Covering her pearly gun<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can’t take it anymore
If she calls back,
Tell her I went down to the liquor store<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refrain
She’s a diver
And the ladder’s getting taller
She’s a diver
And the pool is getting smaller
If she takes one more step higher
Then the water will turn to fire<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All our monies was all that held her
She should learn to respect her elders<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her boys grab your hands
Her boys lift your feet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord, my whole building is out in the street<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can’t take it anymore
If she calls back,
Tell her I went uptown to the downtown store<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Repeat Refrain)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger Music, BMI (1982)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Rooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll and Steve Linsley<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re passing,
I hear your shadow through the door
It’s outlined on my shade
Like a map of some foreign shore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I could keep that shadow,
I could live forever in these<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rooms, the rooms inside my dreams . . .
And dreams have kept me in these rooms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve never seen her face
But I’ve memorized each sound . . .
The way the wind m eets grace
When its shadows pull her gown<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I could never hear the whispers,
Voices cannot reach my room<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I live inside my dreams, and dreams
Have locked me in these rooms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have no sense of time,
Or even night and day. I left my body
Somewhere, somehow it
Just got in the way<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I guess I always knew
These rooms would all lead back to you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger Music, BMI (1982)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Still Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Carroll and Lenny Kaye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t believe in sin
But maybe I’ll begin
A vagrant evil’s climbing up my skin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shadows from last week
Are dancing in the street
In homage to the darkness closing in<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s hard to say what’s different each new morning
I need some clue to tell me when or where<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it seems I must believe
Night wears it on its sleeve
A warning that the time’s come to prepare . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I owe so much to someone
I’ve watched her teardrops fall
Like wings that melted reaching for the sun<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need her to be near
To clarify the dangers
I didn’t come this far to die with strangers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can’t explain exactly what I’m saying
But you’re the only reason I still care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But things become so clear
When the spider licks her tears
A warning that the time’s come to prepare . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I beg you not to leave me
With these warnings in the air . . .
I never thought I’d say it
But for once I’m truly scared<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We create every lie
In order to survive
To mirror all the terror in our souls<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With nothing left to steal
Lies make our lives seem real
It slows down all the madness like a shield<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t know why I need to understand it
I don’t know if there’s anyone who cares<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t know how or why
It could be something in the sky
That makes it seem it’s best to be prepared . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t know where it will be
Two by land . . . One by sea
Sleep with one eye open
Be prepared<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spectres ride the stallions of my ruin
The shifting of my blood tell me it’s soon . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t know how
Or why . . . it could be
Something in the sky
That makes it seem the time says to beware<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little boy,
Looking at the sky,
Tell me what you see?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little boy
Looking at the sky,
Tell me what you see???<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 Earl McGrath Music\/Jim Carroll Music, ASCAP\/Missing Finger Music, BMI (1982)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dry DreamsThe Jim Carroll BandAtlantic, 1982 See also: album details and Audio Library LYRICS INDEX | Work, Not Play | Dry Dreams | Them | Jealous Twin | Lorraine opening poem \/ lyrics | Jody | Barricades | Evangeline | Rooms | Still Life Work, Not Play By Jim Carroll and Steve Linsley*Quicktime video – … Continue reading Dry Dreams Lyrics<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":4476,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"folder":[47],"class_list":["post-4066","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P9VlUH-13A","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4058,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-music-and-spoken-word\/music-jim-carroll-jim-carroll-band\/dry-dreams\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":0},"title":"Dry Dreams","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Cover Art - Dry Dreams (1982) - By The Jim Carroll Band Dry DreamsBy The Jim Carroll BandAtlantic, 1982 Get this on Amazon.comSee also: Lyrics and Audio Library SONGS Work, Not Play Dry Dreams Them Jealous Twin Lorraine Jody Barricades Evangeline Rooms Still Life Liner Notes Jim Carroll: VocalsWayne Woods:\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover Art - Dry Dreams (1982) - By The Jim Carroll Band","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ddreams.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4056,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-music-and-spoken-word\/music-jim-carroll-jim-carroll-band\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":1},"title":"Music by Jim Carroll & The Jim Carroll Band","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Runaway EP Released: 2000 By: Jim Carroll Label: Kill Rock Stars Get this recording on Amazon Pools of Mercury Released: 1998 By: Jim Carroll Label: Mercury Get this recording on Amazon A World Without Gravity: The Best of the Jim Carroll Band Released: 1993 By: The Jim Carroll Band Label:\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover Art - Runaway EP (2000) - by Jim Carroll","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/runaway.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5893,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/music-reviews\/cmj-dry-dreams-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":2},"title":"Review of Dry Dreams","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"January 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Review by Suzan CraneCMJ New Music Report24 May 1982 There are two schools of thought on the merits of including a lyric sheet with an album. Some feel that drawing direct attention to the words detracts from the whole musical package; others find it enlightening (or laughable, depending on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4476,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-lyrics\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":3},"title":"Lyrics","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Runaway EP Album Info Lyrics:Runaway (by Del Shannon) | Hairshirt Fracture | I Want the Angel | It's Too Late | Falling Down Laughing Pools of Mercury Lyrics \/ Album Info | Falling Down Laughing | Desert Town | Pools of Mercury | Hairshirt Fracture | The Beast Within Catholic\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4635,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/works\/jim-carroll-music-and-spoken-word\/rare-jim-carroll-albums-live-recordings-videos\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":4},"title":"Rare Jim Carroll Albums, Live Recordings, & Videos","author":"catholicboy.com","date":"January 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This page represents some of LaVerne Kreklau's collection of primo recorded rarities and ephemera. If you have anything unusual or any audio or video tapes not listed here, please contact me! Rare Vinyl One World PoetryMilkway Records & Giorno Poetry Systems, 1981Giorno Poetry Systems Records GPS 028-029 This album seems\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover Art - One World Poetry - Giorno Poetry Systems (1981)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/giorno-one-world-poetry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/giorno-one-world-poetry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/giorno-one-world-poetry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10046,"url":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/research\/jim-carroll-biographies\/jim-carroll-the-complete-marquis-whos-who-1999\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":5},"title":"Jim Carroll: The Complete Marquis Who’s Who 1999","author":"Cassie Carter","date":"June 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"James Dennis CarrollBorn: August 1, 1951 in N.Y.C.Occupation: poetFamily: s. Thomas Joseph and Agnes (Coyle) C.; m. Rosemary Klemfuss, 1978 (div.) Addresses: Office, c\/o Penguin USA, 375 Hudson St, New York, NY, 10014-3658 .Awards: Recipient young writer's award Random House Books, 1970.Positions Held: writer, poet, spoken word performer, writing instr.,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4066"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8644,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4066\/revisions\/8644"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicboy.com\/WP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/folder?post=4066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}