Still Dusty

DUSTY by Fred Eaglesmith

Across the mesa, the daylight shines

in your eyes, and it makes you blind

And in your head, sirens wail

They just let you out of jail

-

-(refrain) You're just dusty now / There's flies on you

Your guns are rusty / and your soul is too

The Texas is wearin' off of your leather boots

You're just dusty / There's flies on you

-

There's tobacco inside your cuffs

and you drink too much

but it's never enough

People stare at you

as you stand and cough

Might be the weather / Might be the dust

-refrain

-

(bridge) Rain, rain, rain, in a western sky

Teardrops in your heart and gravel in your eye

-refrain

-

the project is "songs inspired by the Fred Eaglesmith album 'Dusty'", but i thought the title song should be more of a direct response and tribute. "Still Dusty" was the project's working title, but i had a fair idea from the start that the title song would relate more literally to its forbear. i changed the perspective to the first person, and with the phrase "I'm still dusty", realized it could be in waltz time, rather than the original 4/4.

-

i started jamming on lyrical ideas, with that 3/4 rhythm, and soon came up with three ideas for verse, bridge and refrain. looking at those, it seemed they might be too different to fit together. but i trusted that they were coming from the same place of inspiration, and settled in to bring some sense to the disparity.

-

the song fits a familiar pattern for me, where i start with an image that may get a laugh before the audience realizes it's a sad song. c'est la guerre.

-

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STILL DUSTY

i was reading the Peanuts, wondering "which one am i,

Linus or Charlie Brown, philosopher or clown,

dark or daylight?"

-

-(refrain) I'm still dusty / It's what it must be

I'd never be free / if it weren't for the dust

My guns are rusty / it isn't just me

I'd shoot me something / if it weren't for the dust

-

Now, sitting ain't easy / when you've walked the world 'round

Canyons and hillsides, / alone or by her side,

Upsides and downs

-(refrain)

-

-(bridge) She was the nurse, when i banged up my knee

in that bang-up rodeo i did for free

she said "fool, that's no kind of deal"

i said it's better to feel

something

-

She kept calling me "fool" 'til the day that she died

I guess i'm Charlie Brown. I miss her even now

in dark or daylight

-(refrain)

-

Well, that's song two, early on February 4th. i'm beginning to think this idea might not be so crazy after all. i have no idea what the next song will be. first plan is to listen to Fred's album this morning, and get whacked upside the head with a phrase or idea. so far, it's working...