Lyrics

MEDICINE RIDE

Jimmy stands alone in the courtyard pointing up his fingers to the sky
He used to be out of his tree… now he is one
Nursie comes around with a platter, colour-coded candy in a cup
Jimmy just lowers his hand and keeps on looking up
And he hears the wind call out his name but he’ll never tell a soul
What would all the other trees say?

Wasting away, nothing to say on the Medicine Ride
Out of my way, have a nice day on the Medicine Ride

Joe is in the snow on the corner with his little tube of Coppertone
He’d give you the shirt off his back if he had one
Asks me for a smoke and I give it
Says to me, “Hey kid, you’re alright.”
Rubs his fat belly and says, “You wouldn’t have a light?”
But I can’t look away from the white crud in the corners of his lips While he says, “The chicks like a guy with a tan!”

Out of my way, have a nice day on the Medicine Ride
Wasting away, plenty to say on the Medicine Ride

Laura’s going away for the weekend, captain of a little paper ship
You’d give the world on a string if you had some
Floats around the room on a whisper, Sinks into the sofa like a stone
Sits at the piano and plays Side Two of Abbey Road
And she paddles through ancient debris in a twisted lullaby
You know the way, I see the flies

Wasting away, nothing to say on the Medicine Ride
Out of my way, have a nice day on the Medicine Ride