That cackle-bobble-head-in-a-box
Must think I'm dumb as a rock
Readin' daily news
While I'm kickin' off my shoes
and it's scarin' me outta my socks...
Another thing I did not know about (nobody tells me anything) but now I do: a year ago Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard released an album titled Django & Jimmie (Legacy Recordings).
It includes a song titled "It's All Going to Pot" from which the above stanza was excerpted. Written by Buddy Cannon, Larry Shell, and Jamey Johnson -- Johnson is also featured on the album cut, along with Messrs. Haggard and Nelson.
This album also has a
Bob Dylan song on it, the finger-picking-ly transcendent "Don't Think twice, It's Alright" -- as well as the dancey "Swinging Doors" and the celebratory "It's Only Money."
"It's All Going to Pot" has a Mexican flavor to the instrumentals -- wistful trumpets, like you're south of the border...if you try singing along, you've got to remember when it comes to "Lynchburg, Tennessee" Tennessee must not be pronounced how we would say it in speech -- with the accent on the third syllable.
In the song, the first syllable must be accented strongest --
"Lynch - burg
Tinnah - see"
This song made me think -- there's another song similar, What is it -- what is it?? I kept hearing another song at the edges of brain, and when I'd start getting into it, it would morph back into "It's All Going..."
Finally, mental breakthrough -- "Cover of the Rolling Stone,"
by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. These two songs are in the same -- "style family," is what I want to say, I think. Both of them, tunes so catchy they simply will not be denied... When you listen to them back to back, you will see what I mean.
Well now it's all going to pot
Whether we like it or not
Best I can tell
The world's gone to hell
and we're sure gonna miss it a lot
All of the whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee
Just couldn't hit the spot
I gotta hundred dollar bill, friend
You keep your pills
'Cause it's all going to pot
That cackle-bobble-head-in-a-box
Must think I'm dumb as a rock
Readin' daily news
While I'm kickin' off my shoes
and It's scarin' me outta my socks
The Red Headed Stranger I'm not
But buddy, let me tell you what
If y' ask ol' Will
He'll say here is the deal
Friends, it's all goin' to pot
Well, it's all going to pot
Whether we like it or not
Best I can tell
The world's gone to hell
and we're all gonna miss it a lot
All the whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee
Just couldn't hit the spot
Gotta hundred dollar bill
You can keep your pills, friend
'Cause it's all goin' to pot
{instrumental}
Well I thought I had found me a girl
Sweetest little thing in the world
But all my jokes went up in smoke
When I caught her makin' eyes at Merle
He said, sweet little honey
With her eye on your money
She's gonna take every penny you got
I said she's never gonna get it
'Cause I've already spent it
Merle, It's all goin' to pot
It's all going to pot
Whether we like it or not
Best I can tell
The world's gone to hell
and we're all gonna miss it a lot
All the whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee
Just couldn't hit the spot
I gotta hundred dollar bill
You can keep your pills, friend
It's all going to pot
I gotta hundred dollar bill
You can keep your pills, friend
Cause it's all goin' to pot
__________________________
-30-
