John's Garage Tape

They like to get you in a compromising position
They like to get you there and smile in your face
They think, they're so cute when they got you in that condition
Well I think, it's a total disgrace

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

So I call up my preacher
I say: "Gimme strength for Round 5"
He said: "You don't need no strength, you need to grow up, son"
I said: "Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun"

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins
Oh no
Oh no
I fight authority, authority always wins

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

Suzanne divorced her husband
She got the keys and the car and the home
But her friends were really his friens
No one stops by to see her much any more
So one night, she goes back down to
The old haunts
That once upon a time were her own
She didn´t know nobody out there no
More
And the whole experience just made her
Feel so old
She says...

I want to live the real life
I want to life my life close to the bone
Just because I´m middle-aged that
Don´t mean
I want to sit around my house and watch TV
I want the real life
I want to live the real life

Jackson Jackson was a good kid
He had four years of college
And a bachelor´s degree
Started workin, when he was 21
Got fed up and quit
When he was forty three
He said, "My whole life
I´ve done, what I supposed to do
Now I´d like to maybe do something
For myself
And just as soon, I figure out what
That is
You can bet your live
I´m gonna give it hell"
He says...

I want to live the real life
I want to life my life close to the bone
Just because I´m middle-aged that
Don´t mean
I want to sit around my house and watch TV
I want the real life
I want to live the real life

I guess, it don´t matter, how old you are
Or how old one lives to be
I guess, it boils down to what we did
With our lives
And how we deal with our own
Destinies
But something happens
When you reach a certain age
Particularly to to those ones, that are
Young at heart
It´s a lonely proposition when you realize
That there´s less days in front of the horse
Than riding in the back of this cart
I say...

I want to live the real life
I want to life my life close to the bone
Just because I´m middle-aged that
Don´t mean, I want to sit around my house and watch TV
I want the real life
I want to live the real life.

Don't look at me don't touch me
Keep your mind straight ahead
Don't get no funny ideas about we
Or you'll wish you were dead
That's what I am thinking she must be thinking
The girl I spent fifty three bucks on last night
She give me a look from the corner of her eye
That says, "Boy, keep acting right"
How surprised was I
When she leaned over and whispered in my ear

Get a leg up
Get a leg over boy
Get a leg up
What's the matter
Are you shy, shy, shy?

I'm pretty good with first impressions
But sometimes I'm not always right
I pulled the car to the shoulder of the road
To see what she had in mind
Want me to spend the night
Hey lover boy you know I will
And my best girlfriend lives down the road
Together we will thrill ya
And I'm thinking to myself
I could be lucky Pierre tonight

If I could get a leg up
If I could get a leg over boy
You know I ain't that handsome
But you know I ain't shy, shy, shy

The rest of the night we went on and on
And the moral to this song
Don't go making hasty judgements
Because sometimes they could be wrong
Nothing wrong with a good time
Just keep yourself protected make a list
And you can bet your life that the women don´t know
The little girls are acting like this
So the next time a young one moves up
And she whispers in your ear

Get a leg up
Get a leg over boy
Get a leg up
What's the matter
Now don't you be shy, shy, shy?

Get a leg up
Get a leg over boy
Get a leg up
What's the matter
Now don't you be shy, shy, shy?

She had a dream
And boy it was a good one
So she chased after her dream
With much desire
But when she get too close
To her expectations
Well the dream burned up
Like paper in fire

Paper in fire
Stinking up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smoking up the alleyways
Who's to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire

He wanted love
With no involvement
So he chased the wind
That's all his silly life required
And the days of vanity
Went on forever
And he saw his days burn up
Like paper in fire

Paper in fire
Stinking up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smoking up the alleyways
Who's to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire

There's a good life
Right across the green fields
And each generation
Stares at it from afar
But we keep no check
On our appetites
So the green fields turn to brown
Like paper in fire

Paper in fire
Stinking up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smoking up the alleyways
Who's to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire

She calls me home
She says baby it's a lonely ol' night
I don't know
I'm just so scared and lonely all at the same time
Nobody told me
She was gonna work out this way no no no no no no
I guess they knew
We'd work it out in our own way

[Chorus]
It's a lonely ol' night
Can I put my arms around you?
It's a lonely ol nigh
Custom made for two lonely people like me and you

Radio playin' softly
Some singer's sad sad song
He's singing about
Standing in the shadows of love
I guess it feels awfully alone
She says I know
Exactly what he means yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
And it's a sad sad sad sad feeling
When you're living on those in betweens
(But it's OK)

[Chorus]

She calls me baby
She calls everybody baby
It's a lonely ol' night
But ain't they all?

[Chorus]

Girl like me and you
Yeah like me and you

Little ditty about Jack and Diane
Two American kids growin' up in the heartland
Jacky's gonna be a football star
Diane debutante backseat of Jacky's car

Suckin' on a chili dog outside the Tastee Freeze
Diane's sittin' on Jacky's lap
He's got his hand between her knees
Jacky say "Hey Diane lets run off
Behind a shady tree"
Dribble off those Bobby Brooks slacks
Let me do what I please.
And Jacky say

Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah say life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone, they walk on

Jacky sits back reflects his thoughts for the moment
Scratches his head and does his best James Dean.
Well you know Diane, we oughtta run of the city
Diane says "Baby, you ain't missing' no-thing"
Jacky say a

Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah say life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone,

Gonna let it rock
Let it roll
Let the Bible belt come down
And save my soul
Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
Changes come around real soon
Make us women and men

Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah say life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone,


Little ditty about Jack and Diane
Two American kids doing the best they can

Scarecrow on a wooden cross blackbird in the barn
Four hundred empty acres that used to be my farm
I grew up like my daddy did my grandpa cleared this land
When I was five I walked the fence while grandpa held my hand

[Chorus]
Rain on the scarecrow blood on the plow
This land fed a nation this land made me proud
And son I'm just sorry theres no legacy for you now
Rain on the scarecrow blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow blood on the plow

The crops we grew last summer weren't enough to pay the loans
Couldn't buy the seed to plant this spring and the farmers bank foreclosed
Called my old friend schepman up to auction off the land
He said john its just my job and I hope you understand
Hey calling it your job ol hoss sure dont make it right
But if you want me to Ill say a prayer for your soul tonight
And grandmas on the front porch swing with a
Bible in her hand Sometimes I hear her singing take me to the promised land
When you take away a mans dignity he cant work his fields and cows

There'll be blood on the scarecrow blood on the plow
Blood on the scarecrow blood on the plow

Well there's ninety-seven crosses planted in the courthouse yard
Ninety-seven families who lost ninety-seven farms
I think about my grandpa and my neighbors and my name and some nights
I feel like dying like that scarecrow in the rain

[Chorus]

Rain on the scarecrow blood on the plow
This land fed a nation this land made me so proud
And son I'm just sorry they're just memories for you now
Rain on the scarecrow blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow blood on the plow