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

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.