Story Behind The Song
Narrator tells the story of his carpe diem philosophy- how "you gotta be quick around here" - describing some near misses in his life that ultimately led him to embrace life for what it is.
Song Description
Old style rockabilly / Bo Diddley rhythm track with period backing vocals lend irony to the hard luck lyric. The narrator bemoans his bad choices that led to a suicide attempt, an almost-leap off a bridge that was interrupted by strains of the rockin' band that down the road that brought him to his senses. Chorus is catchy: "The clock is ticking in high gear / time runs out faster than picnic beer..."
| Song Length |
4:22 |
Genre |
Country - Rockabilly, Blues - Country |
| Tempo |
Medium Fast (131 - 150) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Sociable, Worried |
Subject |
Failure, Life |
| Similar Artists |
Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave Edmunds |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
CHORUS
THE CLOCK IS TICKING IN HIGH GEAR [oooooooooooh]
TIME RUNS OUT FASTER THAN PICNIC BEER [oooooooooooh]
GOES OFF LIKE A TERRORIST BOMB [oooooooooooh]
NEVER GET A CHANCE TO CALL YOUR MOM [oooooooooooh]
YOU SHOW UP ON THE RADAR THEN YOU DISAPPEAR
YOU GOTTA BE QUICK AROUND HERE [harmonize]
1
I'M ALWAYS RUMINATING ON THE THINGS I DONE WRONG
LATELY I'M LAMENTING HOW I USED TO GET ALONG
SLIPPING ROUND TOWN IN A NEW OLDSMOBILE
THROWING ROUND THE CASH LIKE LETS MAKE A DEAL - YEAH LETS MAKE A DEAL
NOW I WAS YOUNG AND DUMB WITH A CRIMINAL MIND
NEVER GAVE A DAMN BOUT LEAVIN NO ONE BEHIND
NEVER THOUGHT I'D MAKE IT PAST 25
BUT LOOK AT ME NOW MAN, I'M STILL ALIVE - YEAH I'M STILL ALIVE - STILL ALIVE (5)
CHORUS
2
THE WHOLE ENCHILADA WENT DOWN IN A FLASH
SOME SUITS CAME ALONG AND TOOK AWAY ALL MY CASH
OUT ON THE STREETS I MET MISS ANGELA MAY
SHE FRIED ME A CHICKEN MOST EVERY DAY - YEAH, EVERY DAY
SHE HAD LONG RED HAIR AND A KNOWING SMILE
AND I SHOULD HAVE WALKED HER DOWN THE AISLE
IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW
I WOULD HAVE POPPED THE QUESTION BEFORE THE THE CHICKEN RAN OUT - BEFORE THE CHICKEN RAN OUT
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT
CHORUS
3
I WENT DOWN TO THE RIVER WITH A PLAN OF JUMPING IN
SHAKING AND SHIVERING, TEARS DRIPPING OFF MY CHIN
I CLIMBED ONTO THE RAILING THINKING THIS IS THE END
I'LL NEVER MAKE ANOTHER DUMB MISTAKE AGAIN - AIN'T MESSING UP AGAIN [jump jump jump, jump jump / jump jump jump, jump jump]
JUST THEN IT HIT ME, IF I WAS DOING NOTHING RIGHT
HOW'D I MAKE IT THROUGH THE WEEK TO SATURDAY NIGHT
HEARD THE BAND ROCKING IN A NEARBY HONKY TONK
AND JUST BEFORE I JUMPED THEY STARTED PLAYING MY SONG - YEAH THEY WERE PLAYING MY SONG - I STARTED SINGING ALONG
CHORUS