12 Bar Blues

Album: Silver Tears (2016)
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  • There's only one bar in this town I get drunk at
    Still I have open tabs at two
    Dated the waitress at the third bar that I'm thinking of
    Man, there's four bars in this town I can't even go into

    My friend Kenny used to tend bar at the fifth one
    Still tends bar at the sixth one too
    The seventh bar on this block has a kick-ass jukebox
    The eighth one will let you smoke inside after two

    I've sung songs in about nine bars in east Nashville, Tennessee
    But I know that I've been to at least 10
    I always go back to good old 11th Street Bar in New York City
    When the 12 bar blues has got me down again

    I got the 12 bar blues
    Too many bars to choose
    Well I will drink tonight
    And get me feeling alright

    How many roads must a man walk down
    To find an affordable bar in the city of Los Angeles
    Or even more so to find some affordable company
    Seems like you have to pay for the conversation there in one way or another even if you're not directly involved

    You're always overhearing the story about the one that got away
    Or the movie script the one guy is writing that is going to change everything
    I feel like if writing stuff down really changed anything
    A lot more people would know who Philip Levine is

    He was an American Poet Laureate
    I wonder why my teachers forgot to tell me about him in school
    Probably cause his poems have got bad words in them
    Talk about bored of education; American style

    I got the 12 bar blues
    Too many bars to choose
    Well I will drink tonight
    And get me feeling alright

    So hang some taxidermy up on the wall, mute the TV
    That pool table over there gives out every other game for free
    But don't tell anybody though, the manager doesn't know anything about it
    That's kind of the way it is at our bar; it's a little broken and it's not that great but hell man, it's ours

    One time this guy came in to our bar and sang karaoke-style Hootie and the Blowfish
    We had to ask that guy to leave
    Not 'cause we don't like Hootie though
    Hell man, I hear Hootie is an alright guy

    So Hootie, this beer is for you my friend
    Shine on you crazy diamond
    Don't let the bastards get you down
    Hold my hand; I only want to be with you

    I got the 12 bar blues
    Too many bars to choose
    Well I will drink tonight
    And get me feeling alright

    Don't you know I got the 12 bar blues
    Too many bars to choose
    Well I will sleep tonight
    And get me feeling alright Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

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