The world moved in a blank sheet of mist over the torn sands and forgotten lands. No one remembered the days of open sky and campfires burning with adventure underneath a desert moon. Except for this one man who had left the cold and sterile domes to find his desert rose.
Chapter 1 – Old Souls
The world is designated into isolation domes somewhere in the year 3009. Rugged people were increasingly restless in the homogenized civilizations grouped like castrated stallions in domes of crystal and steel. The once adventurous individualists were out of step with the modern world. Only a handful of secret souls, wild and free remained.
Evolution had rounded up the Johnny Cash’s, Belle Starr’s, Sam Houston’s and Mabel Strickland’s. Some say they left the planet for new universe frontiers. For the most part, that was true. But a few decided to stick around earth or come back to rekindle the campfire chats and bust open the deserts and forest once more.
The old museum had been salvaged after the meteor, books and what hadn’t burned, was taken out west of the city and now lay buried in an underground cavern at the far end of the west gate of the dome. There wasn’t much left and little interest over the years in what was. People gathered in pod domes and became self-sufficient. They designed their own atmospheres and shielded themselves from the elements around and above them from then on. Stars were vaguely viewed through glass and exterior landscapes were considered no mans land. The sun was filtered into a dim glaze and there weren’t any gardens as people only ate synthetic foods made in food labs. Water was scarce and rationed though there were many streams and rivers left in the unventured wilderness.
Last Desert Rose
Laura Botsford © all rights reserved (Kitchen Tapes PAu000727463 1985)
Talk intro (Imagine with me a time, centuries from now when all of people live in huge domes, cold and sterile. Outside in the wilderness once was is a barren desert. The mountains still stand but no one ever visits them anymore. Except for this one man, cos you see one day when he was in the old part of the town he came across this old book when the west was wild open and free and cowboys sang underneath a desert moon. So he went out in search of this great wonderland in search of his own desert rose.
Verse 1 (Male)
Am I just one man alone and left behind? Where is the sight of my own common mind?
Am I a lost hero or something like that? I don’t really know I just got to get back
Somewhere there’s a desert with a single cactus rose
It alone knows why I suppose, Oh maybe it’s calling me, maybe she’s hurting too
Maybe she’ll be waiting after this day is through.
Chorus ( male sings)
Take me down to the river; take me down to the stream,
Lead me on out of this lonesome dream
My heart is field of woe and pain
Dusty sand storms and hot falling rain
Verse 2 (female) talk lead intro to song verse
Well coming from another direction there was a woman looking for the very same thing. She headed out on her horse to the desert.
Verse 2- (female sings)
Why does one give up comfort, why does one give up a home? Why does one get the feeling they just have to roam? Bridle in hand, the moon in my face, cold biscuits wrapped up in pieces of lace.
Talk in short instrumental towards the end (Now as they went traveling down the road somewhere their souls came together and their hearts found each other beneath a desert full moon.)
Verse 3 (Male and female sing together)
I’ve got no business back in steel town. I’ve got no business traveling no man’s ground
But there’s a light in the stars that I‘ve never seen
Like something I should remember, like something I dreamed.
Final Chorus (Male and female sing together)
Take me down to the river; take me down to the stream,
Lead me on out of this lonesome dream
My heart is field of wilds and pain
Dusty sand storms and hot falling rain
(Tag) Dusty sand storms and hot, falling, rain.
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