Joe's Gone Ridin'
Vonne/ LaRoche

Joe's gone ridin, ridin on the rail
Joe's gone ridin, he'll be on your trail
Don't try to fight him , you're only gonna fail
Joe's gone ridin ,ridin' on the rail
From the cotton fields of Tx, down to the Rio Grande
He's a gypsy cowboy who always takes a stand
he hustled pool, hopped the train, headed down to San Antone
a restless heart, he lives life down to the bone
5 card gamble at the Boomtown saloon
he always plays to win while howling at the moon
tequila, wine, fists are flyin' and I'm caught in a mess
but I love to play the part of the damsel in distress
When you plead and you cry and they just won't let you by
But if Joe says then Joe says
Tumbleweed, devil dye & they spit between your eyes
But if Joe says then Joe says
There ain't no openin' band for no wine festival
but if Joe says, Joe says
Don't mess with Texas or a green eyed girl.
Don't penalize my case just cuz I defend my world
gotta speak your mind with every breath, fight for what you believe
I just wanna live a life without that human greed
*Inspired by the generous spirit of Joe Ely.

Texas Burning
Vonne/LaRoche

Texas burning see the heat rising
The fields have withered and the wells run dry
Now my heart is yearning where the home fires burning bright
I'm going home, I'm going home I know
Ageless mother paint me a picture
With shades of sorrow and golden pride
Love will never leave you lonely like a lost child crawling in the night
Who's gonna hold you who's gonna hold you now
Well I don't want wait here any longer
I just want to lay on warm familiar ground
Texas burning until tomorrow it's where they'll lay me down
Texas burning with it's red eyes shining how I miss that comfort
As every day goes by now my heart is yearning where the home fires
Burning in the night I'm going home yeah, I'm going home I know
* I wrote this song in my NY apt when I was feeling homesick for my family back home in Texas.

La Gitana de Triana
Patricia Vonne

La Gitana de Triana
Con la fuerza de las campanas
Sevilla es la cana
La conquista de las almas
Cruza el Guadalquivir
Ella baila por esperanza
al compas de la guitarra
Ay, que noches embrujadas
Con el eco de las palmas
Cruza el Guadalquivir
es la cana, esperanza
Gitana de Triana…cruza el Guadalquivir!
ay, que Guay Vaya la Gitana
Vaya con Dios Vaya alegria
Ay que Guay! Vaya la Gitana
Oye las palmas
Por las calles de adoquin
Las palomas de paz estan volando y mas
Los caballos estan paseando
La gitana sique bailando
Y la gente esta gritando!
Cruza el Guadalquivir
*In Sevilla, Spain, across the River Guadalquivir, is Triana which was once an old gypsy quarter. It is here that my sister decided to run away and become a gypsy dancer. I wanted to capture her passion for flamenco and the haunting magic of the city.

Rebel Bride
Vonne/LaRoche

Slippin on my white lace satin dress string of pearls down my back
Well I'm getting ready my heart's strong and steady
for my one eyed rebel jack
without you my life's a shade of blue and I don't know where I'm at
come on over honey to my land of milk and honey
let's hitch us a ride like Bonnie and Clyde oh yeah!
Rebel Bride Rebel Bride
Come on little honey won't you step inside
Rebel Bride Rebel Bride
I want a piece of heaven my castle of stone
I want to be the queen sitting on my thrown
My love is a rage made of flesh and bone
So let's hit the ground running baby let's tear out of here
Reno won't you play on my wedding day with the mission bells amplified
The walls may shatter but hell it don't matter cuz baby our hands are tied
My love is a flame and babe you know I would forever want you by my side
So I'm getting ready my heart's strong and steady
Let's hitch us a ride while your kissing your bride oh yeah!
*Every bride needs a righteous wedding song!

Lonesome Rider
Vonne/ LaRoche

With blood red boots a shadow stumbled through my door
Throwing matches & flickin' ashes onto my dirt floor
I don't know from where he came I don't care where he's been but
I was lying in my darkness when he saved my skin
I wish that I could let it be instead it's taken over me
And I can't escape it now
Oh Lonesome Rider, Oh Lonesome Rider
Burning down that dusty road of Hwy 59
He's my only lonely outlaw who'd lay it on the line
Well our love was just another faded memory until he came into my garden
Yeah he came and rescued me
I wish that I could just be free instead it's taken over me
And I can't escape it now
There's a strong wind whipping in the distant fire light
One road to freedom I can see the pale moon rise
*Dedicated to the Gotham City Riders of NYC. They were at every show I did in the Big Apple. Each one shared with me their passion for riding Harleys. Their words are woven into this song which is a tribute to them. Thanks boys.

Guitarras and Castanuelas
Vonne/Rodriguez

En la distancia se pueden oir
Lamentos de guitarra llorando su sufrir
Siguiryas se bailan, hasta el fin
La bella gitana el cantar es su vivir
Choque de mano, choque de palillos
Con la fuerza de pasion es su destino
El compas de la guitarra con sus manos esculpidas
Anda castanuelas heridas OLE!
La juega sagrada por dias duraria
Poemas de Lorca cante jondo asi
La bella gitana el cantar es su vivir
Con las castanuelas heridas hasta morir
*Dedicated to Alejandro Escovedo. Another hero of mine who has been so supportive, and of whom I've had the pleasure of dueling guitars and castanets!

Long Season
Vonne/ LaRoche

It's been a long season it's been a long ride
But you plead treason with all of your lies
You've been selling me dreams that never ring true
Can't afford patience I'm running out of time
True desperation I'm losing my mind
You've been playing these games well I can play too
But you walked out without a sound and let me wander
Alnoe in the crowd
I knew when you said it you wouldn't let me go
But you didn't mean it your heart didn't show
Baby what went wrong let's make it right
My head's all hazy and I'm feeling like a fool
But love's never easy did black turn to blue
Baby what went wrong don't shoot out the lights
Can't avoid the rain storm's coming down don't let me wander
Alone in the crowd
*Relationships… need I say more?

Fiesta Sangria
Vonne/Reina

Tenemos que vivir y amar en harmonia
cuando tu vida esta llena de temor y angustia
canta la cancion del lobo
de la luna y el rio
Fiesta, Fiesta Sangria Andaluz!
Debemos tartar de olvidar las penas negras
no vale la pena esta vida si la desperdicias
aprovecha las cositas buenas
y salud a la manzanilla
Fiesta , Fiesta Sangria Andaluz!
Cuando el camino te lleva a un laberinto
y te sientes perdido cada dia y cada momento
sigue bebiendo la vida
y no sientas esta humana sequia
Fiesta, Fiesta Sangria! Andaluz!
olvida tus problemas, todos tienen soluciones!
*The Spaniards are a life embracing people. In Sevilla, on Wednesday nights in my favorite cantina, there were 'Fiesta Sangria' parties. It was an invitation to celebrate friendship and life.

Blood on the Tracks
Vonne/LaRoche

Give me one more day I'll be walking in the sun
Finally had to leave that world behind
We ain't ever going back we ain't ever going back
Well they talk about our wicked lives
Whispered that we never should have come here
Caught us in a trap gonna tear us down at last I hold you close dear
Hear me when I say I can't spend another night
hangin' on the edge of that line
we ain't ever going back we ain't ever going back
our hearts have been scarred there's blood on the tracks
time after time we keep hoping just to find our fields of gold here put your hand in mine honey cross that borderline our of a dark year
*This song is about survival, resolve, & redemption…

Sax Maniac
Vonne/LaRoche

He's a sax maniac with a devils eye
Hair slicked ba ck and head cocked high
He can rattle and play any club in town
& revel and level it to the ground
Running down the streets in a a Hitchcock haze
running for cover thru the alley ways
The junkyeard dogs are howling tonight
rippin' and rockin' round the factory lights
oh bee bop baby gonna blow your top hey oh hey o
gonna rip it rock it rattle & hide
bee bop baby gonna blow your top better keep running
down at the diner where the records spins
feel the third degree w/ a 5th of gin
the hotrod cars are revving up tonight
big rockin' daddy's gonna start a fight
gotta meet Jimmy at the 5 & dime
with a soda pop grin and a rhubarb pie
cool cat cryin' on the microphone
to the sound of a dirty saxaphone
*The first live show I ever saw in my hometown of San Antonio was Johnny Reno and the Sax Maniacs. I was too young to get into the club so I did what any determined fan would do. I took my dad along with me!

Traeme Paz (Patricia Vonne/Israel Rodriguez)
(from the motion picture "Once Upon a Time in Mexico")
No quemaras mi corazon
No me desangres ladron
Porque no hay nada en este mundo
o mas pr0fundo que el amor
noche tras noche yo lloro
y tantos dias pasaron
como el cielo encendido ay mi querido te espero
no me traigas tu pesar
no quiero atravesar
porque amor es la verdad
y canto la realidad
Cuando quieres regresar
a mi tierra de lagrimas
como la rosa encendida
Ay mi querido
Traeme paz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Won't Fade Away (Patricia Vonne)
I get the feeling that the end is near
by your cold kiss and the lingering fear
of just the thought of losing you
but your heart is empty and mine is full
I’m feeling useless I feel estranged
I want to save you, save you from the change
you gotta take it baby day by day
don’t wanna stand and watch you dig your own grave
oh I want to believe that you’re in love with me
but if you leave I won’t stand in your way
cuz my love won’t fade away
chorus:
Fade Away, baby don’t call it a day, baby don’t throw us away
for my love won’t fade away
Don’t you remember baby, don’t you even care
the love we built together my love was always there
You chose to walk straight through the crossfire
you chose to walk it alone
yeah it killed the pain but it killed your desire
and now you lie on your bed of stone
oh I want to make you see that you belong to me
but if you leave I won’t stand in your way
cuz my love won’t fade away
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shine a Light (Patricia Vonne/ David Garza)
You’re the one in a million you’re the one life to live
You’re the heart beating thunder and your spirit’s wearing thin
The tide pulls me under the flood swallows me whole
can we stay above the water
chorus:
Shine a light on me Shine your light on me
the truth is hard to see so shine your light on me
You’re the devil on my shoulder
you’re the writing on the wall
you’re the fight that’s never over
nothing left to do but crawl
And your memories all that smolder
When you haunt me noon and night
Will you wake me when it’s over?
chorus:
Shine a light on me Shine your light on me
the truth is hard to see so shine your light on me
but don’t get too close with your sweet stuff
reminds me of the hell of love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dance in the Circle (Patricia Vonne/Robert LaRoche)
Black eagle speak 500 nations weep
they tore your world apart with a cold clear rifle round
oh spirit rise, heal our wounded soul
protect the life we know as we dance on hallowed ground
~ dance in the circle ~
With guns they came to ravage and to fight
Lord, hear the battle cry of our sons and daughters
red rivers flow across the spirit land
united we will stand hear the children cry out loud
~ dance in the circle ~

Land of the free behold our destiny
our blood is of the earth now the sky is crying
oh spirit rise, set our souls free
don’t deny our liberty as we dance on hallowed ground
~ dance in the circle ~
(dedicated to the Native Americans...inspired by Leonard Peltier)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOLEDAD (Patricia Vonne/Robert LaRoche)

Ay, mi vida no es la vida
te fuiste sin despedida
y aparte de ti no existo mas
tu eres mi vida cuando me mirabas
en el fondo de mi alma
ahora siento la inmensa soledad
como una dura almadana
coro:
Soledad nunca te olvido
que te he querido
deseo lo mejor a ti adios, adios.
tu eres mi vida el sol y la luna
y hasta la madrugada
despierto pero tu no existes mas
existes solo en mis lagrimas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUDPIES and GASOLINE (Patricia Vonne/Robert LaRoche)
Mama told you not to play by the fire
and now you’ve gone and wrapped yourself in barbed wire
everytime I see a red light you say go
sun’s burnin’ on a hot summer day
I’m in a hurry honey clear the way
Daddy still ain’t home and the baby’s cryin’
chorus:
Mama’s cookin’ up the rice and beans
while we’re makin’ mudpies with gasoline
We’re on a hellride! we’re on a hellride! oh yeah!
An honest man with a lack of greed
workin’ night and day 10 mouths to feed
Mama’s all alone and the chicken’s fryin’
sun’s burnin’ on a hot summer day
I’m in a hurry honey clear the way
Daddy still ain’t home and the baby’s cryin’
chorus:~~~~~~
Jumpin’ fences losin’ your senses
this ain’t your first rodeo
Like a hellcat causin’ every train wreck
Johnny better run, better run for sure!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEVOTION (Patricia Vonne)
You want to swear your loves devotion
you want to light the fire in my eyes
Our hearts are raging like the ocean
as our emotions running high
Our love was driven by the thunder
and like a hunger leads me back to you
Everytime I feel your passion
I could not imagine living without you
chorus: ~~~~~~~~
wrap your angel eyes around me
your arms are sweet as shelter from the rain
through every storm we try to run free
like horses in a hurricane
so many times our faith has withered
so many promises we just can’t make
when we cross that frozen river time will only trigger
the ice is gonna break
Chorus: ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love is the reason we keep it together
and love is the reason we’re still around
love is the reason let’s keep it together
don’t give me a reason to run
So now we’re standing at the crossroads
staring down both roads that seem to never end
why can’t we ever go the distance
why can’t we ever make amends
you wanna swear your love’s devotion
you wanna light the fire in my eyes
our hearts are raging like the ocean
tangled by emotions burning deep inside
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BANDOLERA (Patricia Vonne/ Robert LaRoche)
Viva Bandolera!
arriba duena, arriba duena
alza la bandera la vaquera, la vaquera!
Era la mexicana buscando su corazon
Diego de la Chapa cautivado en perdicion
Vinieron pistoleros su amor lo prendieron
por eso se vengara su amado El Alacran
Defiende con fiereza Bandolera hasta el fin
con talisman en su mano sin pistolas que hagan sufrir
Ay, rinches cobardes sin honra ni compasion
con pistolas y las dagas se matan sin razon
Cruz en la montana desea la libertad
cubierta de las flores de sangre y lagrimas
Ay, rinches cobardes
sin honra ni compasion
con pistolas y las dagas
se matan sin razon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can You Hear Me (Patricia Vonne)
Can you hear me calling out your name
since your love has gone my roof can’t hold your rain
why should our love have to end this way
you can’t tell me there’s nothing left to say
Chorus:
Can you hear what I’m saying can you hear me at all
because I feel the pressure weighing I feel I’m talking to a wall
you’ve always had trouble saying that your sweet love is true
baby hear what I’m saying It’s killing me it’s killing you
I won’t apologize for loving you
I might as well apologize for living too
for all those times that you’ve walked out my door
you never fail to leave me wanting more
baby all our friends are saying that true opposites attract
and baby you’re the man I married
what do you have to say to that
you say it’s your way or the highway
and that I best make up my mind
baby hear what i’m saying
I’m getting off this hopeless ride
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MORNING AFTER (Patricia Vonne/ Robert LaRoche)
Sunday morning night is dawning
over the mountains through the clouds
I’ve been waiting my heart’s breaking
I was lost but now I’m found
chorus:
If you lead me to the water
will you save me if I drown
will we see the morning after
will our tears melt the ground
Lord and Savior dressed in velvet
are you my angel whose eyes I trust
I’ve had wishes melt and crumble
and I’ve seen true eyes turn to rust
chorus:~~~~~~
Run through the fire, run through the trees
would you run through the desert just to be with me
run across the river swept to the sea
or will you try and bury me
Chorus:~~~~~~~~~
night is dawning cold moon rising
phantoms blowing in the wind
Well I’m still standing and I’m still waiting
as I slowly shed my skin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
El Cruzado (Patricia Vonne/ Robert LaRoche)
Last night I saw you again out of the corner of my eye
young an reckless my friend tell me what’s keeping you alive
5 years gone by in misery without a clue if you’re alive or history
somehow I knew that you’d come back for me
Chorus:
He’ll be waiting for me down in Mexico
5 miles to the border, yeah....
I know where I’m going where my love will flow
5 miles to the border, El Cruzado
He blazed across the Rio Grande left me his gun and indian stones
I held his cross inside my hands and I prayed till the red sun rose
there’s just one more that I can bare just to feel your sweet lips kiss my hair
I swear I still can feel you standing there
chorus:
He’ll be waiting for me down in Mexico
5 miles to the border , yeah...
I know where I’m going
where my blood will flow
5 miles to the border, El Cruzado
We’ll be dancing on the moon
he’ll be coming home, coming home soon
Last night I saw you again
out of the corner of my eye
are you a ghost from the dead
are you the love of my life
black fever clouds are rolling in
and I will run till I’m soaked to the skin
and now my heart is wearing thin
but I’m not giving in
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severina (Patricia Vonne/Robert Rodriguez)
No hay razon por besos Quiero ese cielo rincon
Severina Corazon
Ay, vida mia eres mi dulce inspiracion
Severina Corazon
ay, sin razon
madre, llena de vida del amor, canta divina
la reina, de castilla por las calles de Sevilla
gitana bailarina, la pasion, la alegria
estrellas escondidas en el cielo maravilla
*(dedicated to Severina Rodriguez)
(1912-2002)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dead Eyes Shine (Patricia Vonne/ Robert LaRoche)
Stay with me spirit lay beside me now
the evil that we’re facing burns us to the ground
unholy darkness how can I begin
answer to our maker a life that’s filled with sin
who will quench the fires that rage beneath my sheets
haunt me when I’ve waken taunt me when i sleep
a lover’s whisper pierce the hollow night
while vampires wait to taste their warm delight
chorus:
black gates have opened ground is falling through
How long will it take to save myself from you
Lord, I’ve been searching to find the strength within
my love that once surround me has turned to skeleton
grey disilusion plague my weary mind
oh spirit won’t you bring back life where dead eyes shine
life where dead eyes shine
spirit won’t you bring back life where dead eyes shine
I’m the one who wants you I’m the one who cares
Don’t leave me in this darkness baby all alone to bear
haunt me when I’ve waken taunt me in the night
oh spirit won’t you bring back life where dead eyes shine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SONG NOTES:

Won’t Fade Away (Vonne)
I was once dating a man who loved his liquer more than he did me. The lyrics were stream of conciousness and the music took on a cyclical frustration that mirrored our one day at a time struggle. Ultimately it is a song about the strength of love in the worst of times with the full realization that you cannot save a person from themselves.

Shine a Light: (Vonne/Garza)
I was playing guitar at David Garza’s studio when he asked if I had any songs I wanted to work on. The collaboration was magical. I had a couple skeletal verses and where I lacked lyrics, he simply chimed in. He wrote the melody for the chorus and what had become my favorite part the B verse which begins- “but don’t get... to close... with your... sweet stuff” and with that “Shine a Light” was born.

Dance in the Circle: (Vonne/LaRoche)
I have always held a special place in my heart for the American Indian. My great-grandmother was Indian. I wanted to write a prayer -like battle cry which tapped into the spiritual strength and undying courage her people possessed. This song was greatly inspired by the books “500 Nations” written Alvin M. Josephy Jr. and “Prison Writings” by Leonard Peltier.

Soledad: (Vonne/LaRoche)
It took me about a year to figure out that this was not meant to be sung in English. LaRoche brought me the music. I was inspired by Federico Garcia Lorca’s poetry and I attempted to invoke his spirit through my music.
Mudpies and Gasoline: (Vonne/LaRoche)
Hellride! I was reminded of this pyrotechnical practice by my older brother. I was horrified to say the least, but it sure made a great title! LaRoche came up with the music and we both integrated the lyrics. Don’t try this at home!

Devotion: (Vonne)
For the first time ever did I wake up with a melody in my head. I grabbed my guitar which I kept by my bed and began to play the chunky muted chord progression. The chorus originally had lyrics but last minute I pulled them out and opted for a lonesome lament. I love to quote movies so in this song I used “ the ice is gonna break” from Stephen King’s gripping novel the “Dead Zone”.

Bandolera: (Vonne/LaRoche)
I started writing this song in Nuremberg, Germany while on tour with “Tito and Tarantula”. Indpired by the Mexican corridos, this is a fictional story about a female bandit who avenges her husbands death.

Can You Hear Me (Vonne)
This isn't a song that requires a lot of explanation. It's about a woman desperate to connect with her man on a very basic level and never quite doing so. There's frustration and intense love. In the end however, after years of "talking to a wall" she eventually has enough love for herself to escape the cycle and jump the wall. “ you say it’s your way or the highway and I best make up my mind... well baby, hear what I’m saying...I’m getting off this hopeless ride.”

Morning After: (Vonne/LaRoche)
When I was 19 I bought a one way ticket to Milan, Italy where I spent 6 months soaking up the culture. Something that I did not anticipate was the numerous encounters I would be having with certain lascivious Lotharios who seemingly took fiendish delight in spanking their women in the streets and subways of that fair city. If you’ve ever seen the famous photo by Ruth Orkin titled “American Girl in Italy” that would have been me. Robert brought me the music and it stirred in me those same feelings of longing for trust in the midst of extreme loneliness.

El Cruzado: (Vonne/LaRoche)
Written as a tribute to my mentor and musical hero Tito Larriva of the Cruzados. The song is about a woman in search for her lost love south- of- the border whom she believed she would inevitably reunite with.

Severina (Vonne/Rodriguez)
Written with my brother Robert for our beloved grandma “Momo” who had 11 children of her own and lived modestly in the border town of Rio Grande City, Texas. My brother’s and sisters spent our summers there and woke up every morning to the sound of roosters crowing and the smell of her homemade tortillas. To our happiness, she lived to hear the song before her passing.

Dead Eyes Shine (Vonne/LaRoche)
When LaRoche played me the drop D tuning, it conjured up ghostly dark images and the longing for salvation. The lyrics were inspired by one of my favorite scenes in Emily Bronte’s classic Wuthering Heights when Heathcliff loses his beloved Cathy and delivers a heartwrenching prayer over her deathbed.