Under the Gun (For Jeffery Lee Pierce) (Stein)

I still can picture him, his hands in his back pockets
He wasn't much for words but when the wise kids made a racket
He just had to go downtown, throw his weight around
For starting over

Say did you hear I got a band? Some guys I know from LA
Put in the Rio Grande, I'll pay you back next Friday
You know it sure ain't bug, just some cats I dig
They said they'd do the gig

Oh Desperado why don't you spend your life in Colorado?
Oh Restless Shadow, out in the blue hills you're feeling hollow
Oh El Diablo why did you spend your life in California?
I should have warned ya
No place to go now but falling over

Some guys can't make it on the run
Under the gun
Not for the younger
Oh Jack Daniels I feel your hunger

I know you did your best but you thought that you did not
I wish that I had known before I heard the last shot
You know it's not a sin, that little badge of tin
Just a momento

So sad your love remained
My comrades lost in battle
The music was a din from London to Seattle
We all made you play and all our yesterdays are starting over

Oh Desperado why don't you spend your life in Colorado?
Oh Restless Shadow, out in the blue hills you're feeling hollow
Oh El Diablo why did you spend your life in California?
I should have warned ya
No place to go now but falling over