Jerry Jeff Walker - The Ballad of The Hulk (1968)

Artista: Jerry Jeff Walker

Tema: The Ballad of The Hulk

Álbum: Mr. Bojangles

Fecha de lanzamiento: 1968

País: EE.UU (Oneonta, Nueva York)

Género: Folk Rock / Country

LETRA:

"The Ballad of The Hulk"

[Verse 1]

The cycle of life is here to see

In all of its fine simplicity

But the way we live it seems to be

Something very weird to me

And I cry out

Pettiness like lady's chatter

It seems to complicate the matter

I grit my teeth, my senses shatter

As nothing much makes me madder

And I leap out

For big or little, great or small

It really doesn't matter at all

The way we shuffle our feet and hem-and-haw

'Cause everyone's afraid they'll fall

Or else be left out

What's right for me or strange to you

Shouldn't make a damn on what you do

'Cause whether or not you make it through

I thought that you already knew

That I'll keep a-going on

[Chorus 1]

And the World War Three

And the World Series

Will make the same size

Headlines

In the news

[Verse 2]

From all I've seen of politics

It's just a greasy, big money stick

Geared to run on tongues so slick

To make you think this is all there is

You're got Humphrey

How they con the little middle man

Into thinkin' he has got a hand

To play in the future of the Promised Land

He owes himself to the destiny of man

Gets ridiculous

Cheap gangster can hire someone

To do his dirty work with a Tommy gun

While the President points at anyone

Says "I, your country, wants some killing done

"Go do it now boy"

But the war itself is bad enough

It can break you down no matter how tough

But the tragedy of hoopla stuff

It makes you think you can't do enough

For the shiny symbols

[Chorus 2]

And the other countries

They feel the same as we

And regret that I have

One country to give

For my life

[Verse 3]

Preacher stands in his holy shroud

Sayin' "God forgives if you do it now"

You come back when the chips are down

You find that they've all gone underground

To pray for you

And a homosexual, twisted priest

He feels that he can preach to me

The right way to go and raise a family

And I'm forced to look at him and mean to say

"You're guessing"

As the population is getting higher

The poverty poor, the pregnant tired

Are waiting on the Pope to be inspired

For some new contraceptive attire

Saying "It's cool now"

It's a ghost behind a one-way mirror

Listening tip-toed at the door to hear

If someone outside won't speak the year

Then they'll slip a note out how they feel

About pierced ear lobes

[Chorus 3]

But the rules made now

For the changing cows

Are a little late

And will be out of date

By tomorrow

[Verse 4]

Her mother played on virginity

She said it was the holy place to be

The things boys had were evilry

When it came time for matrimony

She froze and died there

Her sister at fourteen, very well known

She thought all kicks came lying there prone

But a fundamental fact not spoken at home

Left her feeling like a chewed-on bone

And why, she wondered

One chick who dug moving about

Very liberal-minded and often spoke out

How she was cool and understood, no doubt

With the blankets up and the lights turned out

And you're condescending

And a couple together for five or six years

A marriage license they'd never been near

But social pressure and loss of job fear

Got them married and divorced in half a year

They couldn't cut it

[Chorus 4]

It's all talked about

And then it's lived around

And what is right for me

Could be perversity

In any state law book

[Verse 5]

I'm told a minstrel at one time

Was allowed to sing and make his rhymes

To comment on the news of the times

Sayin' what's in people's minds

And he made tips for it

But today, try singin' on some street curb

Singin' the news in everyday words

The people pass by and laughin' is heard

Or else they hit you where it hurts

Boy, they keep their ears closed

One man said "Boy, I dig your stuff

"I want you to come play at my club

"I'll put your name in lights up above

"But just remember I got a club to run

"So don't you be too strong"

It's not the writers who sell us out

It's the damn censors who turn about

All your life learned adjectives and vowels

And say that my mouth is much too foul

To clearly speak to you

[Chorus 5]

But try to hit a nail

And if the hammer fails

Then the words you use

To describe that bruise

That's basic language!

[Verse 6]

I hitchhiked and sang the songs

That everybody knew and sang along

To amuse myself I wrote some songs

Speakin' 'bout what's right and wrong

And I'm a little different

So a record company you know well

Wanted to know if my song would sell

I said, "Yes, I like it very well

"If you don't sir, you can go to hell

"Somebody else change"

I kept hobo-ing and bummin' around

Singing to my friends who dig that sound

A few cats said "Won't you come to my town"

I asked fair bread to put me down

Their Caddie's mortgaged

I made one deal, like "It's you and me"

This guy said he'd be lots of use to me

But when I found he's puttin' the screws to me

I made it back out on the street

Singin' new folk songs

[Chorus 6]

And if there's time enough

And the hill ain't too rough

What I wrote today

I might someday play

And make some tips for it

[Outro]

Don't miss the next issue of the Hulk

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