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Released
on Places I’ve Been, 2008, backed
by Johnny Harper (electric guitar), Marty Holland (electric
bass), and John
Hall (drums).
This is a true story about a rite-of-passage
experience that happened to me at the age of 21. It took
fifteen years before I could put it into a song, and another
six months to finish it. (Previously released in a condensed
version on the Storm Coming album Mitch
and I made in 1979 and now available on CD.) This new arrangement
by Johnny
includes all the lyrics.
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I’ll
tell you all the story of my first time on the road
And the bad guy is a good ol’ boy by the name of Jimmie
Lee Wood
He picked me up near Reno in a topless ’51 Ford
And said that he could shelter me in Fort Smith, Arkansas
I’d seen things happen that way at the Saturday matinee
I did my share of the driving, spent my cash for food and
gas
Two days of snow in an open car — I like to froze my
ass
Now the good guys in the movies don’t get bogged down
in the blues
They face a bum trip with a stiff upper lip and keep a good
shine on their shoes
It seemed to work OK at the Saturday matinee
He dumped me east of Tulsa when I was half asleep
My Dobro and my bag of clothes went speeding down the street
I want to a policeman — he didn’t give a damn
Salvation Army here I come — sweet Jesus take my hand
Roy never let ‘em treat him that way at the Saturday
matinee
I hitchhiked back to Tulsa and sold a pint of blood
Toothbrush, socks, and cigarettes — nobody had a job
I was riding my luck in a westbound truck when something set
me free
No matter what mistakes I make, nobody knows but me
It’s not like some damn play or the Saturday matinee
Oklahoma City, Lord, Reno Avenue
Tramps and whores and liquor stores — a city’s residue
But I found a job pearl-diving in a little greasy spoon
And I went to bed contented in a six-bit hotel room
And I spent my holiday at the Saturday matinee
Third Saturday I drew my pay and I started out to hitch
I made my way to the Arkansas hills and found that son of a
bitch
I got me back my suitcase and satisfied my pride
I faced him down, then turned around and took a Greyhound ride
Like a man I saw one day at the Saturday matinee
Like a man I saw one day at the Saturday matinee
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