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    • Time To Be A Man
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    • Like A River
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    • Ride Again
  • Home
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  • Store
    • Merch
    • Experiences
  • About
    • Who Is Matt butler?
    • Testimonials
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    • Contact Us / Booking inquiries
  • Lyrics
    • Time To Be A Man
    • Good Friday
    • Tell Lucy that i love her
    • Praying For Rain
    • Been Gone So Long
    • Reckless Son
    • St. Christopher's Inn
    • The Wisdom Of A Child
    • Just One
    • Thicker Skin
    • Counting The Days
    • Like A River
    • Justice or Mercy
    • Fear & Desire
    • Ride Again

MATT BUTLER

Time To Be A Man

I grew up in a quiet town where most folks don't wanna stick around
Where most folks don't wanna stick around
Except for guys like my dad
Home town pride's all he ever had

When I was a boy one night he came home
He said I lost my job and your mama's gone
He pressed that bottle into my hand
He looked me in the eyes and he said son,

It's time to be a man
Time to be a man

When I turned fifteen I dropped out of school
I was never any good at following rules
I started selling pills to pay my rent
I started taking them too and I've been doing it ever since

Till I got busted in some parking lot
Cop said guys like you either die or get caught
And he locked those cuffs around my hands
He looked me in the eyes and he said son,

It's time to be a man
It's time to be a man
It's time to choose, boy it's time to take a stand
He said it's time to find out who I really am
It's time to be a man
It's time to be a man

So here I am in this prison cell
and there won't be much of a story to tell
If I let this chance slip through my hands
To look you in the eyes an be the one to say
And be the one to say

It's time to be a man
It's time to be a man
It's time to choose, it's time to take a stand
It's time to find out who I really am
It's time to be a man
It's time to be a man

Good Friday

She said her mama died on the cross, 
Wearing pearls and an albatross 
With Jesus and a benzo in her brain 

On Easter Sunday they laid her down, 
So when I’m broke, that’s when I come around 
To avail myself of all my mother’s pain 

Mama let me in to take a shower 
Mama let me in to clean my clothes 
Mama let me in, to wash away the sin 
But like Good Friday mama, I come and go 

Under a scaffold, far below 
High as hell, nowhere to go 
I watched her sitting with a book between her hands 

Choking on some fresh regrets 
And electronic menthol cigarettes, 
Praying that one day I’d understand 

Mama let me in to take a shower 
Mama let me in to clean my clothes 
Mama let me in, to wash away the sin 
But like Good Friday mama, I come and go 
And I guess that’s why you always tell me no 

Cause you can’t help, 
And I can’t help myself at all 
Your boy is just another junkie on the street 
If this is hell and every angel has to fall 
Then I’ll be crawling home for one more score 
With nails right through my feet 

Mama let me in to take a shower 
Mama let me in to clean my clothes 
Mama let me in, to wash away the sin 
But like Good Friday mama, I come and go 
And I know that’s why you had to tell me no

Tell Lucy that i love her

Don’t try to lie or to pretend
Everybody knew that I would end up here again 
And I might have even felt relieved 
If only Lucy wasn’t counting on me 

But don’t let her see me in this place 
Don’t make me have to see that look on her face 
So here’s what I need you to do 
First tell her that I’m sorry she’s gotta hear this from you 

Tell Lucy that I love her but I’m not what she needs 
Tell her I said she’s better off without me 
Tell Lucy that I love her but I’ve gotta set her free 
Tell Lucy not to worry 
Tell her not to worry bout me 

Then give her everything I own 
Tell her to find someone and try to make a home 
Then tell her everything I’ve done 
All the reasons why I can’t be a father to her son 

Tell Lucy that I love her but I’m not what she needs 
Tell her I said she’s better off without me 
Tell Lucy that I love her but that’s how it’s gotta be 
Tell Lucy not to tell him 
Tell her not to tell him ‘bout me 

Yea I know someday he’ll be grown 
I don’t want him to have the kind of life that I’ve known 
And I’ll be just fine here on my own 
Somewhere in the silence on the end of this phone 

Tell Lucy that I love her but I’m not what she needs 
Tell her I said she’s better off without me 
Tell Lucy that I love her but I’ve gotta set her free 
Tell Lucy not to worry 
Tell her to forget about me

Praying For Rain

How long will this last? 
Oh lord how many times will I ask? 
My well has run dry 
And there ain’t a cloud in the sky 

And my body is aching from all of the years I’ve carried this curse 
And the weather ain’t breaking 
Oh lord I’ve just got to quench my thirst 

I’m praying for rain 
Praying for the purpose in all of this pain 
I’m praying for rain 
And that I’m not shedding these tears in vain 

I don’t know what to say 
So just name your price I’ll be happy to pay 
I don’t know what to do 
Can you hear me lord? I’m talking to you 

Cause nothing is changing 
And I still feel like I’m alone 
And the soil is baking 
And there’s no water for all of the seeds I’ve sown 

I’m praying for rain 
Praying for the purpose in all of this pain 
I’m praying for rain 
And that I’m not shedding these tears in vain 

Cause Lord you know me and you know that I’m not a humble man 
But you’ve shown me life can only come from your hands 
I understand 

I’m praying for rain 
Praying for the purpose in all of this pain 
I’m praying for rain 
And that I’m not shedding these tears in vain

Been Gone So Long

Last time I was on these streets I was only 17 years old 
But in the eyes of the law that was old enough to be tried as an adult 

Now after all these years the folks round here still remember who I am 
Sometimes I catch them watching me close or they just act like they don’t give a damn 

Cause lord I’ve been gone so long 
Now this place don’t feel like home 
I’ve been gone so long 
And all I want is to move on 

Early in the morning I go looking for work, I bum rides since I lost my car 
Hitch a couple miles to my PO Just to tell him no luck so far 

I served my time and I paid my debt but there’s always something more I owe 
Seems like all I can do is what I’ve always done and just go back to what I know 

Cause lord I’ve been gone so long 
Now this place don’t feel like home 
I’ve been gone so long 
And all I want is to move on 

At night I lay awake and wonder how else to make amends 
But can’t help but start to think they’re never gonna let me start again 

Cause lord I’ve been gone so long 
Now this place don’t feel like home 
I’ve been gone so long 
And all I want is to move on

Reckless Son

I’ve been trying to talk with my old man 
Says he knows me better then I’ll ever understand 

But still he can’t explain the things I’ve done 
Or what it’s like to be the father of a Reckless Son 

And for all the years I made sure I was numb 
All the liquored up conversations where I played deaf and dumb 

For all the screaming angels in my heart and in my head 
Not a word was spoken until my father said 

I can’t hide you from your own hands 
Or lift you from your knees 
But I’m preparing myself to have to dig your grave 
We’ll both be humbled by the will of God 
And the wrath of your disease 
But how could any man have to be so brave 
To know that nothing can be done 
For the father of a Reckless Son 

Alone inside a family where we pass around the blame 
You can keep your interventions, all you gave me was my name 

Waiting for the moment where I can meet you with my fists 
But punishing myself was the only thorn that I could twist 

Cause you can’t hide me from my own hands 
Or lift me from my knees 
But you’re preparing yourself to have to walk away 
We’ll both be humbled by the will of God, 
And the power of our needs 
And all that’s left for you to do is pray 
For all the battles that you’ve won 
You’re the father of a reckless son 

And I know you’ve had to see me walk into the rain 
And you knew you couldn’t pull me back 
But your love was never shown to me in vain 
You put your arms around me and the walls begin to crack 

But I know I’m the only one 
Who can do what must be done 
So with every breath in my lungs 
Hear the promise of a Reckless Son

St. Christopher's Inn

There’s ash in my mouth and dust on my skin 
Mud on my knees and blood on my shins 
And another dead end means it’s time to begin 
The road back home to St. Christopher’s Inn 

Now folks look at me like I’m destined to lose, 
With my track marks and Jesus Christ tattoos 
But I’m too tired to tell them to walk in my shoes 
So I’m going where a man is never refused 

Oh but I fear I’ll never feel free 
And sick and tired is all I’ll ever be 
And it grips me so tightly I barely can breathe 
Oh merciful lord please take this from me 

And now every time that I rise from the dead 
St. Anthony’s cross hangs over my bed 
And the prayer of St. Francis is stuck in my head, 
I’ve been there before and I’m going again 

Oh but I fear I’ll never feel free 
And sick and tired is all I’ll ever be 
And it grips me so tightly I barely can breathe 
Oh merciful lord please take this from me 

But the hope that sustains me comes deep from within 
And God loves the sinners cause God’s in the sin 
And I am who I am cause of where I have been 
On the road back home to St. Christopher’s Inn 
Yes I’m going back home to St. Christopher’s Inn

The Wisdom Of A Child

On deck aboard a pilot boat 
We waited for the light 
Huddled close we warmed our hands breathing fog into the night 
Through ancient ways of navigation, following a star 
Oh brother I can't tell you where you’re going but I know just where you are 

Cause every time I close my eyes 
And sink into a sleep 
Or stare across the sky 
I hear the sound of your heart beat 
I see the man that you've become 
Following a dream 
Dream dream 

Skate across the ocean like a figure on the ice 
But waves will come a crashing down like tumbling dice 
Place no faith in destinations, be they near or far 
Oh brother I can't tell you where you're going but I know just who you are 

Cause I've watched you as you've grown up tall 
Humble in your rising 
And gracious in a fall 
You'll see the world, you'll see it all 
As the man that you've become 
In service of a call 
Just listen for your call 

And when the night begins to fall for days 
Soon you'll ask what makes this world this way 
Inside the silence if you start to pray 
You will hear, 
A voice will say 

That patiently the water's waiting there for you and me 
A thousand miles of ocean only leads into the sea 
But your hands will trace the state of Grace, a map from up above 
Cause brother I can tell that where you're going 
You're bringing light and bringing love 

So I'll follow as you light my way 
With the wisdom of a child joyously at play 

I'll find you as you find your own way 
As the man that you've become 
The man you are today

Just One

I think I ask too many questions 
And I know I’ll never understand 
How to help all those around me 
When I am just one man 

And there’s so many who feel helpless 
That there’s just too much to be done 
But I know that it makes all the difference 
That revolution has begun 

If I can help just one 
And he can help just one 
And she can help just one 
If we can help just one 

I’ll put my heart into my labor 
And I’ll burn my back under the sun 
I’ll share the harvest with my all my neighbors 
I’ll work until my hands are numb 

If I can help just one 
And he can help just one 
And she can help just one 
If we can help just one 

I always gave to the collection 
Always hoping I’d get something back 
So now I’ll offer this reflection 
To all the mourners dressed in black   

Lord knows it’s so hard to pray 
When mercy only comes to some 
But we seek forgiveness when we rise each day 
Because our work is never done 

If we can help just one 
If we can help just one 
If we can help just one 
If we can help just one 
Just One

Thicker Skin

Hello young man, won’t you come in and sit for a little while 
I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen you smile 
And I remember days you laughed more than you cried 
Can you tell me what it was that hurt you?  Who it was that lied? 

And tell me why you spend all your time alone 
And why you turn away from all the love that you’ve been shown 
I don’t know where you think you’re going to go 
You lost your confidence, and it seems you lost it long ago 

Boy you need a thicker skin 
Sometimes even the best of us have to take it on the chin 
Boy you need a thicker skin 
And maybe you’re the one you need to learn how to forgive 

Cause you’ve always had it in your head you had to be the best 
And now you’ve failed so many times all you feel is uselessness 
You blame the world for shattering your dreams 
But it’s clearly your own guilt that has you bursting at the seams 

And no one has the time to hear all your regrets 
Or stories about tragedies that haven’t happened yet 
And it’s only in your mind you still can’t seem to win 
But you’re life will pass you by while you’re waiting for it to begin 

Boy you need a thicker skin 
Sometimes even the best of us have to take it on the chin 
Boy you need a thicker skin 
And I hope you start to see you’ve still got so much to give 

Cause I promise you that someday soon you’ll hear a knocking at your door 
And faced with someone just like you you’ll know what all of this was for 
And for every morning you wake up afraid to face the day 
The gift that you receive will be someone else to show the way 

Boy you need a thicker skin 
Sometimes even the best of us have to take it on the chin 
Boy you need a thicker skin 
You gotta give yourself a chance to truly love 
And truly live

Counting The Days

Sound of the flies buzzing like a drill 
Blood pooling on the table with the beer he spilled 
I was frozen still 

Too hot outside to dig a hole in the sand 
And too tired to hide the gun in my hand 
There was never a plan 

But when I saw him sitting there watching TV 
I knew he wasn’t planning on letting me be 
One of us was always gonna end up dead 
But he never saw it coming when he got up and said 

Alright, did you come around here looking for a fight? 
Okay, cause boy you look like you got something to say 
Well I just might, are you ready old man to say goodnight? 
God be praised, now I’m locked in here 
I’m just counting the days 
It was always gonna be this way 

All summer long he was always around 
Had a job painting houses in another town 
But couldn’t hold it down 

So I’d go out at night and I’d come home late 
He’d have the lights turned off but he was wide awake 
He was happy to wait 

But I didn’t mind the hits I took 
If it got my little sister off the hook 
I can still hear the sound of her screams 
And I can hear him shouting every night in my dreams 

Alright, did you come around here looking for a fight? 
Okay, cause boy you look like you got something to say 
Well I just might, are you ready old man to say goodnight? 
God be praised, now I’m locked in here 
I’m just counting the days 
It was always gonna be this way 

I’ll tell you right now I always knew I was gonna end up in these prison blues 
And if I had a choice, I’d do it again 
When I hear that voice I say Amen 

Alright, did you come around here looking for a fight? 
Okay, cause boy you look like you got something to say 
Well I just might, are you ready old man to say goodnight? 
God be praised, now I’m locked in here 
I’m just counting the days 
It was always gonna be this way

Like A River

At night I pray to rise before the sun is up 
For a moment to myself and the fading memory of my dreams 

I wipe my eyes and I fill my cup 
And try to pray for someone else, cause I have everything I need 

Then daylight spills across the room and the work of yesterday resumes 
Mistakes are made in every plan to face all that the day demands 
I can only hope to grow and learn to let it go 

And live like a river flows 
And let love be like water flooding everywhere I go 
And give with all my heart and soul 
Surrendering to everything I know I can’t control 
And know my life is not my own 

I step into the air and I hold my breath 
One foot before the next, and make my way on down the streets 

And ask myself why I just can’t connect 
Because I see myself in every stranger that I meet 

The drifters and the orphan boys 
The businessman collecting toys 
The outlaws with their smoking guns 
The princes and the favorite sons 
It’s who I am, it’s what I’ve done 
So for each and every one 

I’ll live like a river flows 
And let love be like water flooding everywhere I go 
And give with all my heart and soul 
Surrendering to everything I know I can’t control 
And know my life is not my own 

Oh it’s a promise I’ve made 
But will I do anything to keep my word? 
Or will I just be too afraid to free the voice inside me that’s dying to be heard 

Singing live like a river flows 
And let love be like water flooding everywhere I go 
And give with all my heart and soul 
Surrendering to everything I know I can’t control 
And know my life is not my own

Justice or Mercy

Surviving in the silence and dying to be heard 
I know if I come clean I’ll get what I deserve 
But I want you to know 
I want you to know my heart 

Justice or mercy, what will it be? 
Lord don’t give me justice 
Just have mercy on me 
Mercy on me 

Days are getting shorter and my time is running out 
Light is disappearing in the shadow of my doubts 
How far can I run? 
‘Til I’m back at the start? 

Justice or mercy will set me free 
Lord don’t give me justice 
Just have mercy on me 
Mercy on me 

There’s no other answer 
I tried every other way 
No matter what I do there’s a price I’ve gotta pay 
So I’m coming to you before I fall apart 

Justice or mercy, do as you please 
I don’t need forgiveness 
I just need some relief 
Mercy on me

Fear & Desire

Sophie lies naked on the edge of the bed 
The clip in the ashtray is smoldering red 
She stares out the window but turns when she says 
Fear and Desire’s all I’ve got in my head 
Fear and Desire make me wish I was dead 

She lights a green candle and runs her fingers through the flame 
And says now that you’ve had me things will never be the same 
Take what you want but it won’t take away the pain 
Cause Fear and Desire’s all we’ve got besides shame 
Fear and Desire’s all we’ve got left to blame 

And there’s nothing left you can say 
Don’t you try to tell me boy that everything is ok 
Cause you know I know the truth 
And now Fear and Desire’s all we’ve got left to lose 

You see my Jack is old fashioned and he hates it when I’m sad 
Says I’m nothing but a child when he takes me like a man 
But the baby inside me wasn’t part of his plan 
Cause he’ll never leave his woman, never ask for my hand 
Fear and Desire’s all my Jack understands 

And there’s nothing you can do 
Don’t lie and say you love me, you’ll take care of us two 
You knew you were my only friend 
Now Fear and Desire’s brought that all to an end 

She rose from her bedside 
And she started to pray 
She warned me I should leave 
But didn’t mind if I stayed 
Always kept her windows open 
Said it let in the day 
I was too scared to move as I watched her fall away 
Fear and Desire always leaves us betrayed

Ride Again

I was praying, almost every night 
To a little St. Francis that I won in a fight 

Still running, 
On and off of the streets, 
But keeping it clean since I got back east 

And that’s where we met, on the lower east side, 
And you told me all about the horses you used to ride 

I already knew you had taken a fall, 
In the dust of the summer, when the nighttime calls 
You landed here with us all 

With your shattered heart you’re coming of age, 
You’re not falling down, no you’re turning the page 
You’re gonna ride again 
Ride again 
Ride again 

Racing, 
With the wind in your hair, 
A feeling just like that, nothing could ever compare 

We’re chasing things we think that we need, 
When we never even bothered with all the things we could be 

Kissing the scars across my chest, 
Kissing the tears running down your neck 

Don’t cover it up or wipe it away
We take a little pride in taking the pain 
Cause there’s so much that remains 

With your shattered heart you’re coming of age, 
You’re not falling down, no you’re turning the page 
With your trembling hands you’re taking the reins 
With the strength to stand and surrender the shame 
You’re gonna ride again 
Ride again 
Ride again

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