Story Behind The Song

This song came out of my first experience of marriage, joined with legends of the old American West.

Song Description

Avenging Annie begins with a quote from Woody Guthrie's Pretty Boy Floyd, then turns into it's own song. Pratt's crisp virtuosic repetetive piano and bass parts carry the song, as do Rick Shlosser's drums and the rest of the excellent production. A classical-rock classic.

Lyrics

we ran through the hills and forests, as two under a spell
he was a city boy Floyd the Outlaw
but I thought I knew him well
long after that great summer
when I first came into my fame
and the Avenger from Oklahoma
was added to my name
the Avenger I became

well they call me Avening Annie
I'm the Avenger of womanhood
I spend my whole life telling lies
lead you on and mess you over good

I take all you spoiled young hippies
running round playing games
mess around in your bed I blow your head
I put you through a change
what you done to others
I do unto you

But then I met my sensitive outlaw
he was the best thing I had ever seen
I want to be his wife want to give him my life
he was the best thing I had ever seen
so I joined up with my outlaw
and headed for California

He treat me worse than I ever imagined
he even say he don't want me around
kept it up so long I couldn't be strong
he run me right into the ground
for five long years he picked me up and then he slap me down

well I told my friends about him
they all were on my side
when I could see through the haze he looked so crazy
I put my head right down and I cried, for my poor lover
cried like a mother for my poor lover

well I felt so sad about him
but I knew I couldn't do him no good
he was so far gone well standing on the lawn
when I left him I knew I should
I knew I couldn't do him no good

and now I live out on a mountaintop
and I'm almost thirty-five
and I found my peace obtained my release
and I'm happy just to be alive

and I might go back to my Floyd
If I think it's the thing to do
he gave up murder and theft long after I left
and you know I still love him too

just like your woman loves you.....