Story Behind The Song
Memories of hearing an iconic album for the first time
Song Description
Tribute to Randy Newman
| Song Length |
5:14 |
Genre |
Rock - Americana, Rock - Easy Listening |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Content |
Subject |
History, Past |
| Similar Artists |
Randy Newman |
Language |
English |
| Era |
1970 - 1979 |
| |
Lyrics
Good Old Boys
Verse
Summer of '74 inside an Amsterdam bar
Just me and Richard, Kenny, Lar'
Soaking up the atmosphere Friday night
Just chilling, feeling alright
I heard some haunting, heartfelt tunes
Gradually permeate the room
And, heaven knows, as the saying goes
I saw the light
They were songs of poverty and despair
With a trace of humour here and there
He sang of love and loss and excess
No out of bounds for this singer, I guessed
He sang about Marie and the naked man
And the meanest old dog in Alabam'
He spoke of prejudice and flooded lands
Cherokee County, Birmingham
Chorus
We were young guys from the UK
On a working holiday
Sipping a few lagers of our choice
Scottish through and through, you know
But for the next 30 minutes or so
I first heard "Good Old Boys"
Verse
The songs they stayed up in my head
Of men with bodies browned, necks of red
Destitution, ignorance
People pleading for just one more chance
Anytime I was alone
My mind would wander far from my home
Tales of corruption and temptation
And good and bad across a nation
Felt like a kid as I scurried
To the record shop I did hurry
But the Holy Grail eluded me
I looked but I could not see
My crest was fallen, of heavy heart
Heading towards the door did I start
Till the man at the counter unaccountably
Gave his copy to me
Chorus
We were young guys from the UK
On a working holiday
Sipping a few lagers of our choice
Scottish through and through, you know
But for the next 30 minutes or so
I first heard "Good Old Boys"
Verse
Back then when all my mates would get in a huddle
And groove to Led Zep and Deep Purple
They'd get on down to the sound of
Black Dog, Strange Kinda Woman
But as for me I found my delight
Sitting by my little old self at night
Hypnotised and mesmerised
By the songs of Randy Newman
Chorus
We were young guys from the UK
On a working holiday
Just sipping a few lagers of our choice
Scottish through and through, you know
But for the next 30 minutes or so
I listened to "Good Old Boys"
Time may have come and gone
But more than 40 years on
I'm still listening to "Good Old Boys"
© Robin Grimmond 2020