ASHES AND GLASS
(Lyrics: Bob Weir, Andre Pessis / Music: Bob Weir)
Bob Weir


What if all tomorow brings is ashes and glass
And I can't tell you child, "this too shall pass"
If all the world were windswept, cold and gray (note 1)
And in the end there's nothing left to say

If all the silicon and best laid plans (note 2)
Became the master, and the fall of man
If all the earth were baked to hard red clay
Not so far from where we are today

Ah well anyway

Come on darlin', swing and sway
Daddy gonna find us a better way
And if that better way don't float
Daddy gonna find us a tighter boat

And if that tighter boat don't sail
Grab a bucket babe, and start to bail
And if that bucket spring a leak
Little miss, we're up the creek

What if fire came raining on the hills
And mountains made of rusting Coupe De Villes
And all God's children find themselves alone (note 3)
And all the poets took to throwing stones

Guess we're on our own
No way out and no way home

Come on baby, it's time to sing
Daddy gonna grab that old brass ring
And if that old brass ring don't fit
Daddy gonna get to fixin it

And if that old brass ring stays broke
Daddy gonna buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat don't bark
Gonna give that goat the old kick start
Old kick start

What if all that was left was ashes and glass
And I can't tell you child, "this too shall pass" (note 4)
And if those four horsemen can't be turned away
And everyone's too paralyzed to pray

Too paralyzed to pray
And the jury's out on judgement day
And there ain't nothing left to say
Nothing left to say

Come on baby we can fly
Daddy's got a stack of alibi's
Alibi's shot full of holes
Come on child, let's rock and roll

And if that roll takes us to France
Teach them Froggies how to dance
Keep on dancin', sing the tune
We'll be dancin' all around the moon

And if that big old moon go bust
Well ashes to ashes, baby, dust to dust
Baby it's time for one last rave
Keep on dancin' on our own graves

On our own graves
Keep on dancing
On our own graves
Keep on dancing
Keep on dancing

Notes
(1) an earlier version was "And what we had were shades of grey"
(2) this verse wasn't included in early versions
(3) an earlier version was "And former lovers find themselves alone"
(4) earlier versions of this line were "Well it sure seems like a distant past" and "Well it sure seems headed this way fast"