POUR WHISKEY OVER SCOURN

 

 

BEEN TENDIN’ BAR

IN THIS OLD TOWN

SINCE 1863

SINCE ALL THE DUST

FROM OFF THE TRAIL

BLEW OFF A YOUNG MAN DOWN

N’ I FOUND A PLACE TO BE

 

FROM RUSH OF GOLD

TO GUSH OF OIL

AND GHOSTS LAID IN BETWEEN

DESPITE THE DIRT

N’ ALL THE HURT

N’ ALL THE BLOODY TOIL

N’ ALL THE PAIN I SEEN

 

BEHIND THREE FEET OF STURDY WOOD

I PLY MY TRUSTED TRADE

A WELCOME FACE

FRIEND STRANGER FRIEND

WHILE SOME JUST STAY FOR GOOD

WE ALL FLICKER AND FADE

 

HOW MANY TIMES

YOU POLISH BRASS

STILL MAHOGONY’S WORN

STILL RUN A COMB

OVER MY HAIR

STILL WIPE THE SPOTS FROM GLASS

POUR WHISKEY OVER SCORN

 

OLD GRIZZLY BOB

AND RAGGER JIM

STUD UNDER THE TABLE

MANGEY MICKEY

AND HIS PRARIE DOG

LICK OUT A BOWL OF GIN

THEN GO HOWL AT MABLE

 

UP CREEKY DICK

WITH PICK AND PAN

STILL DIGGIN’ FOR THE DREAM

SHERIFF BILLY

WILL HE EVER

GROW UP IN TO THE MAN

HIS PAPPY’D WISHED HE’D BEEN

 

PARTY HAPPENS

ALL DAY AND NIGHT

SIGHT FOR ALL TO SEE

WHAT ONCE WAS FUN

NOW SEEMS TOO YOUNG

CHRIST I MUST LOOK A SIGHT

WHAT MUST YOU THINK OF ME

 

NOTHING HAPPENS

ALL DAY AND NIGHT

DON’T SPEAK OF THE UNSEEN

DRINK IN YOUR DRUG

SHOOT UP YOUR SOUL

NO LONGER NEED TO FIGHT

TO WIPE THE BAR SLATE CLEAN

 

THEN SLINGER JOE

CAME IN ONE DAY

THE BAR BECAME A TOMB

HIS SOULLESS STARE

ALWAYS A THRILL

DARES YOU TO LOOK AWAY

HE STRIDES ACROSS A ROOM

 

HE TOOK HIS PLACE

IN FRONT OF ME

I POURED HIS USUAL BREW

HE LOOKED AROUND

AND BACK AGAIN

IT’S JUST NOT MEANT TO BE

AND SOMEHOW I JUST KNEW

 

HE LOOKED INTO

HIS SOOTHING SOURCE

MUSING ETERNITY

HE TOOK A SIP

HE BREATHED SOFT YET HOARSE

AND HE SPOKE FINALLY

 

FURST MAN AH KILLED

STEEL JEST AH BOY

DUN TEN B’FOR FEFTINE

BAH TWENNYWUN

AH’D JEST LAHST COWNT

N’VER T’K ME NO JOY

DITNT MEAN T BE MEAN

 

YE THANK YE KNOW

BOUT WHO YE ARE

B’T THAT JEST AINT THE CASE

IF ONE MAN SAYS

THAT HE KNOWS YOU

N GOES TELLS TALES TOO FAR

WELL TELL ME TO MY FACE

 

EACH MAN AH KILLED

WANTED ME DEAD

N WOULDA DUN THE SAME

AH CAYNT MEMBER

NOW WAT A’H FELT

WAT WUS IN MA’H HED

MY HEART IT FELT NO SHAME

 

Y’ MAKE A NAME

N’ IN RETURN

REPUTATION’S GIVEN

IT’S LAID ON YOU

BY THOSE AROUND

WHO JEST DON’T WANNA LEARN

HOW A MAN IS DRIVEN

 

HE DRAINED HIS GLASS

ONE LAST NECK THROE

ROCKED HIM BACK ON HIS STOOL

UNSTEADY PALE

I LEANED FORWARD

LOOKED OVER DOWN AND BELOW

THERE WAS THE GROWING POOL

 

I SAW HIS FROWN

HE POINTED DOWN

AND OPENED UP HIS SHIRT

NEAR TO HIS HEART

THE KNIFE HE WORE

CLEAR AS DAY TO ME

THIS WAS THE END OF HURT

 

HE REACHED ACROSS

AND KISSED ME HARD

AND OPENED UP MY EYES

HE HELD ME TIGHT

AND ONE LAST TIME

SLIPPED IN HIS SHARD

THIS WAS THE END OF LIES

 

I GASPED HE SMILED

ALWAYS HIS WAY

TO END THE WANDERING

I LAID MY HEAD

ON HIS SHOULDER

AND DREAMED ANOTHER DAY

WE DIDN’T FEEL A THING