Album: Americano! (2004)
Play Video
  • Went down to Mexico on the Fourth of July
    I got a tattoo of a moth and a butterfly
    Had a little time to burn, a little money to spend
    So I bought a switchblade for each of my friends
    Pablo and Dan had a plan say
    "We gonna get rich"
    "Put the double cross
    On a double crossin' narco-snitch"
    "Just a dirty little two-man job,
    But it's a sure-fire win"
    "And brother when we cut him down,
    We gonna cut you in"

    Yeah dumb and drunk as I was
    You know I'd do it all again
    Back when I bought a switchblade
    For each of my friends

    They were sharp enough to stab
    Another hole in the sky
    Hard enough to make the proudest diamond sigh
    Faster than the rockets on the Fourth of July
    Strong and cruel enough
    To make a statue of Mary cry

    They said, "Amigo don'tcha worry
    Now we gonna disappear
    Just for a couple of months"
    Now it's been almost a year
    Yeah if you want that kind of money,
    Man you gotta stay brave
    Federales are pullin' bodies out of shallow graves
    Yeah dumb and drunk as I was
    You know I'd do it all again
    Back when I bought a switchblade
    For each of my friends
    They were sharp enough to stab
    Another hole in the sky
    Hard enough to make the proudest diamond sigh
    Faster than the rockets on the Fourth of July
    Strong and cruel enough
    To make a statue of Mary cry…

    Later in the fall, I got a call, "Boy won'tcha come down."
    "Maybe put a name with a few unlucky faces we found"
    Now no matter what I do, can't get my heart to mend
    Somebody buried a switchblade in each of my friends

    Yeah dumb and drunk as I was
    You know I'd do it all again
    Back when I bought a switchblade
    For each of my friends

    Dumb and drunk as we was I wish I had that time again
    Before I buried a switchblade with each of my friends

    They were sharp enough to stab another hole in the sky
    Hard enough to make the proudest diamond sigh
    Faster than the rockets on the Fourth of July
    Strong and cruel enough
    To make a statue of Mary cry… Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo Lyric

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo LyricMusic Quiz

In this quiz, spot the artist who put Romeo into a song lyric.

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.