The Lonesome Jubilee
Album - 24 agosto 1987 - Debaser id 30459

A million young poets screaming out their words
To a world full of people just living to be heard
Future generations, riding on the highways that we built
I hope they have a better understanding

(Check it out) Going to work on Monday
(Check it out) Got yourself a family
(Check it out) All utility bills have been paid
You can't tell your best buddy that you love him

(So check it out) Where does our time go
(Check it out) Got a brand new house in escrow
(Check it out) Sleeping with your back to your loved one
This is all that we've learned about happiness

(Check it out) Forgot to say hello to my neighbors
(Check it out) Sometimes I question my own behavior
(Check it out) Talking about the girls that we've seen on the sly
Just to tell our souls we're still the young lions

(So check it out) Getting too drunk on Saturdays
(Check it out) Playing football with the kids on Sundays
(Check it out) Soaring with the eagles all week long
And this is all that we've learned about living
This is all that we've learned about living

Check it out
Check it out
Check it out
Check it out

A million young poets screaming out their words
Maybe someday those words will be heard
By future generations riding on the highways that we built
Maybe they'll have a better understanding
(Check it out) Hope they'll have a better understanding
(Check it out) Maybe they'll have a better understanding
(Check it out) Maybe they'll have a better understanding
(Check it out) Hope they have a better understanding

Check it out
Check it out
Check it out
Check it out
Check it out
Check it out

Well, I lived on the outskirts of town
In an eight room farmhouse, baby
When my brothers and friends were around
There was always somethin' doin'

Had me a couple of real nice girlfriends
Stopped by to see me every once in a while
When I think back about those days
All I can do is sit and smile

That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
And dancin' meant everything
We were young and we were improvin'

Laughin', laughin' with our friends
Holdin' hands meant somethin', baby
Outside the club "Cherry Bomb"
Our hearts were really thumpin'

Say yeah, yeah, yeah
Say yeah, yeah, yeah

The winter days they last forever
But the weekends went by so quick
Went ridin' around this little country town
We were goin' nuts, girl, out in the sticks

One night, me with my big mouth
A couple guys had to put me in my place
When I see those guys these days
We just laugh and say do you remember when

That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
And dancin' meant everything
We were young and we were improvin'

Laughin', laughin' with our friends
Holdin' hands meant somethin', baby
Outside the club "Cherry Bomb"
Our hearts were really thumpin'

Say yeah, yeah, yeah
Say yeah, yeah, yeah

Say yeah, yeah, yeah
Say yeah, yeah, yeah

Seventeen has turned thirty-five
I'm surprised that we're still livin'
If we've done any wrong
I hope that we're forgiven

Got a few kids of my own
And some days I still don't know what to do
I hope that they're not laughing too loud
When they hear me talkin' like this to you

That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
And dancin' meant everything
We were young and we were improvin'

Laughin', laughin' with our friends
Holdin' hands meant somethin', baby
Outside the club "Cherry Bomb"
Our hearts were really thumpin'

Say yeah, yeah, yeah
Say yeah, yeah, yeah

Drivin' down on a dry summer's day
Old Route 66 and I was just a kid
Met a pretty little Indian girl
Along the way
Got her into my car
And tried to give her a kiss
I'll give you beads and wampum
Whatever it takes girl, to make you trade
She jumped into the back seat
And she kind of flipped her lid
She said you're tryin' to get something for nothing
Like the pilgrims in the olden days

We rode for a while till the sun went away
And I realized it was sort of an honor
Bein' around this girl
I felt embarrassed
Of what I tried to do earlier that day
She was the saddest girl I ever knew
She told me stories about the Indian nations
And how the white man stole their lives away
And although she kinda liked me
She could never trust me
And when the sun comes up
We'd go our different ways

Now everybody has got the choice
Between hotdogs and hamburgers
Every one of us has got to choose
Between right and wrong
And givin' up or holdin' on

So I dropped her off at some railroad crossing in Texas
An old Indian man was waiting there
He smiled and thanked me
But he saw right through me
I could tell he didn't like me
For my kind he did not care
Because to him I was the white man
The one who sold him something that he already owned
And it was like he'd been riding in the car right there with us
And I felt ashamed of my actions
And the way the west was really won
So I drove down the highway
Till I came to Los Angeles
The town of the angels
The best this country can do
I got down on my knees
And I asked for forgiveness
I said, Lord, forgive us for we know not what we do

Now everybody has got the choice
Between hotdogs and hamburgers
Every one of us has got to choose
Between right and wrong
And givin' up or holdin' on

Written by: John Mellencamp

Got my hands on a little bit of dough
So I went to the grocery store
And got some steaks to go
went by and picked up my gal, Teddi Jo
We had ourselves a picnic
Beside a dirt road

Chorus
Rooty toot toot
Rooty toot toot
We had it made in the shade
Like a ball through the hoop
Spinnin' and tumblin' inside this hoola hoop
Livin' and learnin'
Rooty toot toot

We laid out a blanket
And started a fire
Had the radio playin'
From inside the car
I took off my shirt and kicked off my shoes
She read the paper
And told me the news
She said, there's a lot of people out there
Who are at the end of their rope
Sometimes baby
You've got to lay low

Chorus

We stayed there all day
We both got us some real good suntans
I thought that was ok
Sometimes life can be so grand

We were gettin' ready
To shake out of that place
When the Illinois state trooper
Got in my face
He said, You're on private property
But once he cooled down he was ok
Sometimes you're golden, man
That's all I got to say

Chorus