Story Behind The Song

On the self-titled Zero album

Song Description

Rock song about pot laws...lyrics by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter

Lyrics

eight to ten years for possession
I'm living at the state hotel
I guess I've learned my lesson
I guess I've learned it well

judge said "I got no discretion-the law on the point is clear
either put you up at state expense or let you walk away from here

"I see you got a prior conviction
just about ties my hands
they took away my power of decision
got to honor what the law commands

you were indicted for conspiracy to obstruct the right of way
your plea was civil liberty but I wasn't your judge that day"

Possession 9 tenths of the law they say
Possession take that boy & salt him away
Possession teach him how to obey,
we'd rather have a killer out on the streets any day

I go a wife and a kid on the way
I never had a nose for crime
some one passed me a joint one day
and now I'm doing federal time

got a letter from my wife that read
I just met another man
it ain't that I don't love you, it said,
I hope you'll understand

I can't say that my luck's that bad
I'm smiling through my tears.
Seems that the DA knew my dad
or I mighta got twenty years

a killer comes and a killer walks
while I sit rotting here
the scene of the crime is the ballot box
and people who vote from fear