Old 97’s: Lyrics and Tablature

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Lyrics

Chords/Tabs

SONGS F-N

Firefly

You look like my mother
Did when she was nineteen
Not afraid to die
I started planning our future
But you were just nineteen
Still a firefly

You got terrible visions
Shoulda seen I was leaving
When I first appeared
But I got bit by the footlights
I got caught in the headlights
Any place but here

Chorus
Never say you'll never leave
Cause you never know till you try
In a jar a firefly
Only lasts for one night

Hateful and heartbroken feelings
come easy as a waitress
on a cool summer night
And I wonder if there's any justice
since theres supposed to be justice
then something aint right
Yeah trains roll like gamblers in slo-mo
Trying to find justice
Cause I couldn't find love
I wanna sleep on the train tracks
Its gonna be peaceful
Its gonna get rough

Chorus
You look like my mother
did when she was nineteen
not afraid to die
for the last time I'm not your mother
Hell I was only nineteen
Still a Firefly

504

I was playing every Monday on Burgundy in some shitty little bar.
I was working on a novel called New Orleans Ain't No City - It's a Scar.
The heroine does heroin, the hero wears his hair just like The King.
He says, "It ain't my job to sweet talk you. My job's just to sing."

I was loved once by a woman, she don't love me anymore.
504. 504.
And I won't never know no woman like the one I'd known
before. 504. 504.
And she don't love me anymore.

Well the hero wears a hair-net,
from the outset he drinks Jax beer from a can.
He says, "There's something 'bout this city always gets me.
I'm a sentimental man."
Well the heroine plays violin and reads her Elmore Leonard everyday.
She's the one that finds the body. He's the one that gets away.

I was loved once by a woman, she don't love me anymore.
504. 504.
And I won't never know no woman like the one I'd known
before. 504. 504.
And she don't love me anymore.

I was loved once by a woman, she don't love me anymore.
504. 504.
And I won't never know no woman like the one I'd known
before. 504. 504.
You know she had me singing gospel out in the kitchen on
the floor. 504. 504.
And she don't love me anymore.

No she don't love me anymore. No she don't love me anymore.
504.

Four Leaf Clover

I got a four leaf clover.
It ain't done one single lick of good.
I'm still a drunk and I'm still a loser.
I'm living in a lousy neighborhood.

I got a real live horseshoe,
And I hung it upside-down above my door.
But it don't do nothing to impress you,
So I don't know what the hell it's for.

Why don't you come over? I'll show you my four leaf clover.
Who'm I trying to kid? I'm not the kind of guy you'd go
for.
I got a four leaf clover, but I ain't got no hope of
getting you.

I got a lucky silver dollar.
My granddad gave it to me now he's dead.
At times like this I wish that I cound join him,
It might just stop this pounding in my head.

Why don't you come over? I'll show you my four leaf clover.
Who'm I trying to kid? I'm not the kind of guy you'd go
for.
I got a four leaf clover, but I ain't got no hope of
getting you.
I ain't got no hope of getting you.

Hands Off

Hands off.
I had a dream they took my hands off.
Although you probably think that I'm soft boiled,
I'm still in love with you.

Girlfriend, don't sit 'round waiting for the world to end.
I'll keep my distance but I won't pretend
I'm not in love with you.

(Chorus)
And it's all your fault. You spiked my malt.
You slipped a mickey in my heart.
And I can't shake free, although I'm shaking like a tree.
I should've never let it, I should've never let it start.

Deep end. I guess I'm going off the deep end.
It's only 'cause you've got a hand to lend
I'm still in love with you.

Crap shoot. You've got the snake eyes and lizard boots.
I like you better in your birthday suit, yeah
I'm in love with you.

2 x Chorus

Hands off. I shot another leaded star ;-P

Holy Cross

You worked for 37 years
Driving trucks, not shifting gears
He never got it in his head
To settle down - he never wed

He liked the river, how it flowed
Unlike the breaker, never to explode
It had no wires running it
It just went on and on and on and until the ocean got to it

Holy Cross Electric Association
It's more than a job, it's more like a damnation
Well it was my life, now it's my loss
Holy Cross

It was a honey of a night
He met his maker, he saw the light
The car was passing on a curve
It never slowed down, it never swerved

And in the hot glare of the lamps
He had regrets, he'd never learned to dance
There was no angel at his side
There was a thermos, it became hopeless when he died

Holy Cross Electric Association
Well it's more than a job, it's more like a damnation
Well it was my life now it's my loss

Holy Cross Electric Association
Oh well it's more than a job, it's more like a damnation
Well it was my life now it's my loss
Holy Cross

Well it was my life now it's my loss
Holy Cross

(repeat)

House That Used To Be

Do you wanna wind up in a graveyard?
Like a number on a scorecard.
They're gonna wrap you up in corn silk
They're gonna cry like you were spilled milk.

You'd better take another Quaalude
And get yourself corkscrewed.
I understand that you got cold feet
But why'd you have to take 'em down a side street?

I must be dumber than a spit curl
Ôcause I got hung up on a showgirl
Now I look like I'm a scarecrow
I might as well go on a talk show

CHORUS
And this ain't home anymore
ItÕs just four walls and a floor
Home is where you get the goods for free
This is just the house that used to be
Yeah the house that used to be

You're gonna wind up in a graveyard
Like another girl who co-starred
They're gonna wrap you up in corn silks
They're gonna cry like you were spilled milk

And in the far off wail of freight trains
And in the lonely howl of Great Danes
I hear the girl I lost forever
I hear the girl I lost forever

CHORUS

If My Heart Was A Car

I remember the Alamo, I don't recall who won
They had swords, they had horses, I hear we had mighty guns
Like the ones from Navarone last night on Channel 21
It's a long way back to El Paso.

It was early Monday morning in the Central Standard Zone
You were quiet like the TV, hung up like the telephone
You were sleeping next to me, I might as well have been
alone
It's a long way back to El Paso.

CHORUS
And if my heart was a car, you would have stripped it a
long time ago.
And if my heart was a car, you would have stripped it a
long time ago.
And if my heart was a car

You would have stripped it down and sold it off
To the greasy man in the salvage lot
As it is it's just a heart
No, no, it ain't worth nothin'.

I ain't talkin' bout tomorrow, I'm talkin' 'bout tonight
You told me you were drunk already, that don't make it
right
You want at me, well, have at it, 'cause I'm in the mood to
fight
And it's a long way back to El Paso.

And if my heart was a car, you would have stripped it a
long time ago.
And if my heart was a car, you would have stripped it a
long time ago.

And if my heart was a car, you would have stripped it a
long time ago.
And if my heart was a,
And if my heart was a,
And if my heart was a car,

(Repeat Chorus)

Indefinitely

Well the room was Mediterranean and the meaning was two-
fold
We got busted by your mother though you're 29 years old
And the pictures wrapped in cellophane like sandwiches or
stamps
Burned holes in my pockets and in the inseam of my pants

And your graduation date is in absentia today
And you wished you was there with her, but you told her not
to stay
And the redwoods and the oak trees and the double yellow
lines
Although they're in perfect symmetry they keep imperfect
time

I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely
I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely

And the car was Japanese perhaps or Hungarian and blue
And it followed you down highway one, kept almost out of
view
And it symbolizes something although you don't know what it
is
Like loneliness and longing for a future perfect kiss

I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely
I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely

And the second hand's the first thing that you see when you
wake up
It rolls by in slow motion and you rub it for good luck
Time is gonna tell your little secrets to me
There's a frightened girl inside of you, I'm gonna set her
free

I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely
I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely
I don't mean no, I don't mean maybe, I'm indefinitely, I'm
indefinitely

Jack

Gimme a J
Gimme an A
Gimme a C
Gimme a K

What's that spell?
Jack, Jack
What's that spell?
Jack, Jack
What's that spell?
Jack, Jack
Jack, Jack, the necrophiliac

Oh I saw her layin' there
She was dead, but I didn't care
So I rolled her on her back
And that's why I'm a necrophilac

CHORUS:
Oh Jack, Jack, the necrophiliac
Oh Jack, Jack, the necrophiliac
Oh Jack, Jack, the necrophiliac
Jack, Jack, the necrophiliac

She looked so good in her coffin
I got the urge to poke her often
I just love her pale white skin
Now it's starting to cave in

CHORUS
She don't moan, she don't spread
I still like her better dead
She used to be a cock teaser
Now I keep her in my freezer

CHORUS
Now my lovin' days are through
I did what I had to do
Take some advice from deal old Jack
When they're dead they don't fight back

(repeat chorus)

Jagged

What remains of the day remains to be seen
By the TV that we never turn on
Each other's enough I never had it so rough
Ever since I been gone

White noise swells in my head
Making me worry it's the summertime
But itÕs the dead of the fall itÕs the dead of the night
Hell yes I mind

CHORUS:
I would give anything not to feel so jagged
IÕd give anything not to feel so jagged
IÕd give anything not to feel so jagged

I couldn't drink enough to make this make sense
But I think I'm gonna give it a try
There's no settling down there's only driving downstate
So I drive

REPEAT CHORUS

OUTRO:
I'd give anything not to feel so jagged

Just Like California

Just like California was not even there
Since it's gone I'm so withdrawn
I ain't got no one nowhere

Right beside the ocean my darlin' Clementine
Well the water got high and she never got dry and
She was a water sign

CHORUS:
Time is on my bad side
Halfway there just wouldn't be fair
So I'm goin' all the way tonight
Halfway there just wouldn't be fair
So I'm goin' all the way tonight

Just like California to make a fool of me
Steal the sideshow, burn the disco
Slide into the sea

I'm a thinking person, and I think that it's wrong
To keep on saying true love's waiting
When true love is long gone

(repeat chorus)

Let The Train Blow The Whistle
by Johnny Cash

I don't want no aggravation
When my train leaves the station
If you're there or not, I may not even know
Have a round and remember
things we did that weren't so tender
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

On my old guitar sell tickets
so someone can finally pick it
Tell the girls down at the Ritz
I said Hello
Tell the gossipers and liars
I will see them in the fire
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

Let her blow... let her blow...
Long and loud and hard and happy
Let her blow
No regrets all my debts will be paid
when I get laid
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

You'll be left without excuses
for the evils and the abuses
Down to today from years and years ago
Have yourself another toke
from my basket full of smoke
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

repeat chorus...

Lonely Holiday

It was a lonely holiday
I was alone -- you were away
In Fayetteville or in another state
There's so many towns I hate

When you leave me, it breaks me like a bone
But it's never as bad as when you come home
Thought so much about suicide
Parts of me have already died

CHORUS:
Lonely -- baby I'm not lonely
Baby I'm not -- I've got my imaginary friends
Happy -- baby I'm so happy
Baby I'm so -- I've got my imaginary friends
And if you don't love me, would you please pretend?

It was a lonely holiday
I was alone -- I was afraid
The bedroom walls were closing in
It must be closing time again

When you leave me, it breaks me like the note
That you said got stuck in your throat
Thought so much about suicide
Parts of me have already died

CHORUS

Mama Tried

Merle Haggard, Bluebook Music (BMI)
First thing I remember knowin' was a lonesome whistle blowin'
And a young-on's dream of growing up to ride
On a freight train leaving town, not knowing where I'm bound
And no one could change my mind, but Mama tried

One and only rebel child, from a family meek and mild
Mama seemed to know what lay in store
'Spite of all my Sunday learnin', toward the bad I kept on turnin'
'Til Mama couldn't hold me anymore

CHORUS:
And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole
No one could steer me right, but Mama tried, Mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading I denied,
That leaves only me to blame, 'cause Mama tried

Dear old Daddy rest his soul, he left my mom a heavy load
She tried so very hard to fill his shoes
Working hours without rest, she wanted me to have the best
She tried to raise me right, but I refused

CHORUS

Melt Show

In the front row at the Melt show
I fell in love with you and that was three weeks ago.
We fooled around, you let me have it for free.

Yeah it worked out real nice
I showed you how to and you showed me paradise.
Now you're killing time, and it's killing me.

Is this more than some old summer fling?
And this thing we have, will it mean anything?
When October rolls around will you sober up and let me down?
Will you sober up and let me?

There's a schoolyard out the back door.
I used to love it but I don't believe in school no more.
You don't learn anything, you're just waitin' around.

With your big brains and your know-how,
If there's a reason you'd have figured it out by now.
A little gettin' some's good, while you're waitin' around.

Is this more than some old summer fling?
And this thing we have, will it mean anything?
When October rolls around will you sober up and let me down?
Will you sober up and let me?

Now my bad dream is my best friend,
You were here last night but now you're gone again.
I'm getting tired of you getting tired of me.

Is this more than some old summer fling?
And this thing we have, will it mean anything?
When October rolls around will you sober up and let me down?
Will you sober up and let me down?

Will you sober up and let me?

Miss Molly

Oh have you seen Miss Molly. Her cheeks are rosy red.
Her lips are soft as satin and they taste like ginger bread.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Me oh my Miss Molly, I'm in love with you.
Me oh my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too.

Now when Miss Molly smiles, the sun is dim a spell.
And when she laughs her voice is like a little silver bell.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Me oh my Miss Molly, I'm in love with you.
Me oh my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too.

I'll trade my horse and saddle, my drivin' I'll resign,
if only Miss Molly would say that she'll be mine.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Me oh my Miss Molly, I'm in love with you.
Me oh my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too.

Now listen here Miss Molly, I've told you once before.
But even though I've told you so, I'll tell you just once
more

Oh. Oh. Oh. Me oh my Miss Molly, I'm in love with you.
Me oh my Miss Molly won't you say you love me too.

repeat

repeat

Murder (Or A Heart Attack)

And the hole
In the screen is barely big enough for you
And not near enough for me to go

And the whole damn complicated
Situation could've been
Avoided if I'd only shut the window

CHORUS:
And I may be leavin' myself open
To a murder or a heart attack
But I'm leavin' the back door open
'Til you come back, 'til you come back

And I may be movin' myself closer
To a real untimely end
But I'm leavin' the back door open
'Til you come home again, 'til you come home again

And I told
The neighbors, I put pictures up
And handed out some flyers at the show

And the whole town speculating
Situation could've been
Avoided if I'd only shut the window

CHORUS

REPEAT CHORUS

Nervous Guy

In the court of our friends' opinion
In the righteous? eyes of all our friends
in the way the phone goes dead
in the way you use your head
i can see how this thing is gonna end

in the darkest hours of my depression
in the rocks it takes to end
in the way you cross you legs
in the way my right hand shakes
i can see how this thing is gonna end

Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy

When the smoke pours into the bedroom
When the man comes 'round collecting all our friends
When the loved one finally learns
that the fire no longer burns
I can see how this thing is gonna end

Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
from a nervous guy

Nineteen

Nineteen
Is not the age of reason.
I didn't have a reason
For setting you free.

I've seen
A lot of love go sour.
But that's not our love.
You see the problem was

I was only nineteen.

Yeah, I was only nineteen.
Finished up with high school.
Headed for a state school.
Wandered into you.

Big screen
Kissing in a movie.
God, you moved me around.
We got seriously down.

But I was only nineteen.

Chorus:
All I ever wanted to do
Was lie around in bed with you.
I was only nineteen. I was only nineteen.
I was only nineteen. I was only nineteen.

I've seen
A lot of love go bad now.
That's not how our affair
Would've wound up I swear.

But I was only nineteen.

Chorus

I was only nineteen.

Niteclub

Eighteen-hundred miles from this old nightclub
A girl is turning 22 today.
How am I supposed to entertain you?
My fingertips are useless when my mind's so far away.

Eighteen-hundred miles from Manhattan
The nightclub yawns and opens up it's doors.
Thank god that I don't have to pay the cover,
'Cause every night I'm broker than I was the night before

Yeah this old nightclub stole my youth,
This old nightclub stole my true love,
It follows me around from town to town.
I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down,
I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down.

Telephones make strangers out of lovers,
Whiskey makes the strangers all look good.
Well my angel of the morning is in mourning.
My life was misspent, don't let me be misunderstood.

And this old nightclub stole my youth,
This old nightclub stole my true love,
It follows me around from town to town.
I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down,
I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down.

Northern Line

Opal, Salley Gardens Music (BMI)
I'm dreaming on a night train
It's only been a light rain, and a darkened sky and a starry night
I'm humming on a cold train
I'm singing about the wreck of the Old 97

CHORUS:
And I'm walking through this city
I'll tell my story to the rain
And I won't come back no matter what you say

I'm feeling no pain
I don't care if I ever see your face again
I'm riding on a Northern Line
I got my money - but I got a lot of time to spend

CHORUS:
And I'm walking through this city
I'll tell my secret to the sky
And I won't come back no matter what you say

And I'm walking through this city
Yeah I'll tell my story to the rain
And I won't come back no matter what you say
No I won't come back no matter what you say