Story Behind The Song

Here again, no particular one-time experience gave rise to this sone. Rather, it is a picture which is a composite of cheap bars that we had both visited or played in years ago, and plain old Americana . . . from Burt Reynolds to the Blues Brothers.

Song Description

If you haven't been in "Dan's Place," you've heard of it. As the song opens, the cops are called to Dan's parking lot to check on someone who threw a bottle out of the car, and next thing you know someone's doing roadside sobriety tests. The bar serves nothing but long-necked beer and cheap whiskey, and the "Bud" sign is so big that you can see it from a half mile through the woods. You've got the picture, right? "Tight Blue Jeans and Halter Tops Movin' Across the Floor, and Jilted Guys with Jealous Eyes Standin' Around and Keeping Score . . . ." Something's gotta happen here. And, it does. Pool cues, broken bones and the whole enchilada. The patrons are good at two-steppin' on the floor and two-timin' at the tables.

Lyrics

Verse One
Car pulls in the parkin? lot
Skids sideways to a stop
Someone throws a bottle out
And someone calls the cops,
Then you got your Roadside Sobriety tests
And the Parkin? lot?s filled with flashin? red and white
And if it weren?t for all the heat outside
there?d be a hell of a time at Dan?s Place tonight

There?s nothin but long-necks at the bar
And cheap whiskey on the shelves
And the pickups and paramedics
Can all get there by themselves
And Dan?s Bud sign is so big
You can see it ?bout a half mile through the woods
And you can tell by the way it?s flickerin?
That like everyone inside, it?s buzzin? real good

chorus
If you?re goin? out to Dan?s Place
Lock that Four by Four;
And park it out to hell and gone
Cuz? it ain?t insured no more.
And if you?re goin? out to Dan?s Place,
It?s two bucks at the door
they?re two-timin? at the tables
While they?re two-steppin on the floor

Verse Two
Well there?s tight blue jeans and halter tops
Movin? cross the floor
And jilted guys with jealous eyes
Standin? around and keeping score
Some people are still arrivin?
And some are wonderin? why they stayed
And the band keeps playin? somethin?
Outta Willie Nelson?s hit parade

Someone walks into the bar
And he steps into a fist
A Guy breaks off a compliment
And Another guy breaks his wrist
And now the pool cues are being swung around
Hell these guys think they?re Jedi knights
And if it weren?t for all the commotion
There?d be a hell of a time at Dan?s Place tonight

Chorus
If you?re goin? out to Dan?s Place
Lock that Four by Four;
And park it out to hell and gone
Cuz? it ain?t insured no more.
And if you?re goin? out to Dan?s Place,
It?s two bucks at the door
they?re two-timin? at the tables
And they?re two-steppin on the floor

Verse Three
Well the band?s broke down, and bar?s backed up
and the tender?s cleared the til
And old Dan is there at four a.m.
And he?s sortin? through the bills
He looks out over the dance floor
And . . . somethin?s movin? in the faded light
There?s some guy under a table
Who missed out on a hell of a time at Dan?s Place tonight.