John Hiatt

[fox69]

"Wood Chipper"

"Wood Chipper"



Well, I'm from the Midwest
I know enough to cut a path
Around a wood chipper

And be careful
Of any conversation
A man starts by callin' you skipper

'Cause there ain't no ocean 'round here
Though a lotta little lakes where you could disappear
I wonder what the fish are bitin' on today, Jimmy

She told me not
To follow her down here
Said he was crazy about her

I guess I didn't know
What that meant
Just knew I couldn't do without her

Then I seen 'em through the window sash
He had a forty four pistol and a bag of cash
And she was foldin' some kinda pretty note paper into her breast pocket

What some people won't do, to break up a happy home
What some people won't do, to break up a happy home

Well, I got the picture
A temporary love shack
In the middle of no place

They were plannin'
On usin' that cash
To get away bold-faced

Now how long did they think they could stay
The troopers and the Marshall's surely on their way
I ran through the yard and I banged my knee on his wood chipper

I was screamin' like a baby
She appeared at the window
He opened the door

And when I looked up
He said "Skipper
What're you doin' here for"

One bullet to the head
Before I hit the ground I was dead
I guess I'm tellin' you this before you go fishin' now, Jimmy

What some people won't do, break up a happy home
What some people won't do, break up a happy home
What some people won't do, to break up a happy home
What some people won't do, to break up a happy home

Never found my body
But they killed 'em in a shoot out
Five miles down the road

They found that note paper
In her breast pocket
Thought it was somethin' written in code

But it was part of a letter set
I'd got her for Christmas ten years ago I'd bet
She used to just use the paper for her grocery list
(And it read)

Eggs
Hamburger meat
Bread
Funyuns
Orange drink
Toilet paper
Tidy Bowl
Pickles
Little Debbie Snack Cakes

What some people won't do, break up a happy home
What some people won't do, to break up a happy home
What some people won't do, to break up a happy home
What some people won't do, break up a happy home

 

[fox69]

"Wrote It Down And Burned It"

"Wrote It Down And Burned It"



There's a dead girl's body
By the railroad track
She's waiting for a train
Jimmy left town like a fade to black
In his Camero in the rain

She wrote it down and burned it
Jimmy loves who knows who
Well he wasn't from around this town
And mister neither are you

She was listening into that Monon line
For the Wabash Cannonball
Put your head on the rail
And you can hear her whine
Just like a caterwaul

She wrote it down and burned it
She clutched it flaming to her chest
It said Jimmy loves cars
And Jimmy loves trains
Ah but Jimmy, Jimmy loves me best

There's a dead girl's body
By the railroad track
Waiting for a train
Well I guess Jimmy never did come back
In his Camaro in the rain

She wrote it down and burned it
Yeah the only way I know
You could still read some words
In the ashes there
But she could not watch him go

She wrote it down and burned it

 

[fox69]

"You May Already Be A Winner"

"You May Already Be A Winner"



Dry your eyes pretty girl
I just got news from the outside world
I dont know how they got our names
But yesterday this letter came:

Mr. and Mrs. Resident Dweller, your lucky number is
You may already be a winner

I've suspected this for years
Still in all its good to hear
They're pulling for us in the post
To you my dear, I raise this toast

A house of our dreams, an El Dorado, a ten-speed blender
You may already be a winner

Now Ive never counted my chickens before they're hatched
And I know there is always a catch
But I've felt from the start that our hearts were the perfect match

I know you're tired of the same old dress
I know the car's been repossessed
I know this house is just a shack
But there's this love we cant hold back

Would you like a beer with your TV dinner?
Oh, my darling, you may already be a winner

 

[fox69]

"You Must Go"

"You Must Go"


When that howling wind
Comes to carry you again
Just like your next of kin
You must go
To a far away place
Where you don't recognize one face
Don't unpack your old suitcase
Cause you must go

[Chorus:]
You must go and you must ramble
Through every briar and bramble
Till your life is in a shambles
Maybe then you will know
You were born to blunder
Born to wander, born to wonder
Even when you're six feet under
There's place
That you must go

It is something you done
Are you loyal to no one
Turn your back on the sun
And you must go
It it something she said
You keep this all up in your head
Now your face is turning red
And you must go

[Chorus]

Love is in the air
You can smell it everywhere
Its in your clothes, it's in her hair
Ah, you better get out of there
It's gonna take a midnight train
To straighten out your winding brain
Like a snake in the rain
You must go

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"You Used To Kiss The Girls"

"You Used To Kiss The Girls"


I see you singing like a camera
I see you staring from your mouth
I see you spittin' out your algebra
You think you've got it figured out
I saw you on American Bandstand
I saw you on the Mickey Mouse Club
I see your wife has a trash compactor
I see you holdin' two ticket stubs

I see you pushin' out your politics
I see you rifling the machine
I see you dressin' up your party chicks
Lipstick like convertible scenes

I didn't think that you were so much better
You just predicted all the fate in the world
But now you're sitting home knitting sweaters
Tellin' stories to a three year old

[Chorus:]
Ya used ta kiss the girls and make 'em cry
Ya used ta be too young to die
Ya used ta kiss the girls and make 'em cry
Ya used ta kiss the girls, ya used to kiss the girls

Now you've got one wife, two kids, three cars
Four eyes, five suits, six mortage, seven midnight deals
Lotsa time lotsa cash, feed your son take out the trash
Do what you're told, you're gettin' old, we did not think you'd last

She only told you that the party was over
She didn't tell you that the bedroom was locked
And when she took your key and started up your motor
You should have taken that spin around the block

[Chorus]

Ya used ta kiss the girls and make 'em cry
Ya used ta be too young to die
Ya used ta kiss the girls and make 'em cry
Ya used ta be too young to die

 

[fox69]

"You're All The Reason I Need"

"You're All The Reason I Need"


I get up and I go to work
Filthy mind and a dirty shirt
Just like a million other jerks
I don't know what else to do

I wouldn't say I have a plan as such
Tryin' not to burn the clutch
Every little thing used to mean so much
Now it's all about you

[Chorus:]
You're all the reason I need
You're all the reason I need
This love is what I believe
You're all the reason I need

Sometimes the day crawls by
Slow enough to make you cry
I catch my breath and I wonder why
Then I think about you

[Chorus]

I'm just a man now baby
When you cut me I bleed
I do it all for your love baby
You're all the reason I need

Sunset and there's no excuse
For all the hell that I break loose
Honey I'm runnin' out of juice
Comin' home to you

Just another day of strife
One man one wife
I hope I bring something to your life
Cause' you know you do

[Chorus]

 

[fox69]

"You're My Love Interest"

"You're My Love Interest"



Your hair is brown
Your eyes are brown
Your skin is white
Two out of three
OK with me
Come over here tonight
I believe, I believe
I believe in you
I see your body, I see your body
And I know what to do-

Cause you're my love interest
You're my love interest
You're my love interest
You're my love interest

Your mouth works
Your mind works
You're a real suprise
You tell me this
With just one kiss
You're the actual size
I say some words
They are heard
You move in closer to me
Bip, bip, bip, bip, bip bip bip, bip
Baby one two three
You're my love interest
You're my love interest
You're my love interest
You're my love interest

My heart is beating
Your heart is beating
There is no one around
I'll make a sign
You read my mind
We are safe and sound
I believe, I believe, I believe in you
I see your body, I see your body
And I know what to do

Cause you're my love interest
You're my love interest
You're my love interest
You're my love interest

 

[fox69]

"Your Dad Did"

"Your Dad Did"



Well the sun comes up and you stare your cup of coffee, yup
Right through the kitchen floor
You feel like hell so you might as well get out and sell
Your smart ass door to door

And the Mrs. wears her robe slightly undone
As your daughter dumps her oatmeal on your son
And you keep it hid
Just like your did

So you go to work just to watch some jerk
Pick up the perks
You were in line to get
And the guy that hired you just got fired,
Your job's expired
They just ain't told you yet

So you go and buy a brand new set of wheels
To show your family just how great you feel
Acting like a kid
Just like your dad did
And

You're a chip off the old block
Why does it come as such a shock
That every road up which you rock
Your dad already did

Yeah you've seen the old man's ghost
Come back as creamed chipped beef on toast
Now if you dont get your slice of the roast
You're gonna flip your lid
Just like your dad did, just like your dad did

Well the day was long now, supper's on
The thrill is gone
But something's taking place
Yeah the food is cold and your wife feels old
But all hands fold
As the two year old says grace
She says help the starving children to get well
But let my brother's hamster burn in hell
You love your wife and kids
Just like your dad did

 

[fox69]

"Your Love Is My Rest"

"Your Love Is My Rest"



These are the words
That cry out of me in the night
Like a buffalo herd
From a shotgun blast scattered in flight
I got a one track mind
Going down a one train line
Living on dreams half the time
Going West

I gotta pick up speed
Just to get what I need
The end of the line guaranteed
Your love is my rest

The coal catches fire
I'm down the wire in a flash
That big old smoke stack
Is belching out black smoke and ash
So sad to think of
Hurting the one you love
But surely that's what leaving does
You'd know best

I gotta pick up speed
Just to get what I need
The end of the line guaranteed
Your love is my rest
Your love is my rest

We pass through the land
Of Custer's last stand
And I grin
So this is where old Yellow Hair's
Ghost dance begins
I got the blood on my hands
Can't even live where I stand
I'm just a traveling man
Cursed or blessed

I gotta pick up speed
Just to get what I need
The end of the line guaranteed
Your love is my rest
Your love is my rest
Your love is my rest

 

[fox69]

"Zero House"

"Zero House"



You took my pride and I want it back
No more loving on the torture rack
No more running when you call my name
The things we've done, baby make me feel ashamed

Minus me, minus you,
Smoke out, ghost lovers, burn down the zero house

Seven rooms for seven long years
Till only dead people livin' here
Maybe I should mutter this under my breath
But honey I think love scared us to death

Opposites subtract
Smoke out, ghost lovers, burn down the zero house

We're so stupid that it makes me want to scream
Baby I think dogs have better dreams
Would you look at what we try to live up to
Baby I don't want this memory of you

Bad boy, bad girl
Smoke out, ghost lovers, burn down the zero house

We both came here perfectly tempted
And now we're leaving it perfectly empty
Nobody lived here, no woman, no man
Just a couple of flies circling a garbage can
Think about it, buzz a while

Smoke out, ghost lovers, burn down the zero house
Burn it down
Burn down the zero house
Burn, Burn