A Dead Man's Vest

Sometimes i think about my father
Empty shadow that he was
Running out on me like he did
Fucking up my only life
But then i don't know the influences
And pressures that he was under
What his trip was
I hear he was a drinker
So i'm a little hard-pressed
In a black leather jacket
And a dead man's vest

Found his ass after 30 years
Of being misplaced
Called him on the phone
He was pretty cool.
But the cancer had him
Said he heard i was some
Kind of musician
Surprised, "i can't carry a tune in a bucket", he says.
I had a lot to get off my chest
In a black leather jacket and a dead man's vest.

It was like talking to a ghost
Or some kind of past-life regression
Hypnotherapy new-age shit.
He was very gracious.
He did not complain
And he did not confess.
And i'm in a black leather jacket
And a dead man's vest.

You should of been there
You should of been there for me.

Last time we talked
He was very ill
I said, "you don't sound so good."
He said, "son, you win some,
You lose some."
And died

Made a striking figure lying in his box.
Whole town came to pay
Their respects.
They said he was a good man.
I barely knew him.
I'm sitting with his widow
And he's gone to rest
And i'm in my black leather jacket
And my father's vest

I'm a little pissed off these days
About death in general
This is a mean world to try and live in
And there are no winners in this test
And i'm getting weary of
Digging out my black leather jacket
And my funeral vest

My black leather jacket
A new pair of shoes
And a dead man's vest

"the boys got that look in their eyes"
(farren/kramer)

Strange television distortion
Rumors of things in the skies
Dogs start in howling
Cops are out prowling
And the boys got that look in their eyes

The good guys cutting and running
The bad guys are telling the lies
And the girl dressed in lace
Has a smile on her face
And the boys got that look in their eyes

The boys got that look
The boys got that look
The boys got that look in their eyes

Too delicately balanced for comfort
One jolt and everyone fries
Poised for the fall
It's anyone's call
And the boys got that look in their eyes

No mistake, something is coming
The tension cuts like a scythe
You better beware
Hellfire in the air
And the boys got that look in their eyes