One-Footed Bastard

There's this one-footed bastard
that works down by the docks
He says "no bastard ever needed more than one foot to walk"
but he drinks himself to sleep
He dreams two-footed streets for both his feet
'cause nobody gives everything that they need
It's just foie gras and fish plates
and ditches for the weeds
So you lie through your teeth
and pray you'll get by on what you got

He'll get along anyway
He'll go a waltzin' on his one good leg
Gotta work the whole damn night
but he'll make it by alright
'cause his head's too full of the same ol' shit
it makes no difference to him
if he lives or dies and why

They said he got baptised once
but only on the head
They say he believes in communion
but goes with Old Crow instead
He takes the bottle and the blood
and gets saved on just a couple bucks
But he sat in the dark
talked about the trolley track girls
with their diseases and perfume
and fake teeth and curls
He loved 'em most nights
never knew they're loving by the month

He'll get along anyway
He'll go a waltzin' on his one good leg
He's gotta work the whole damn night
but he'll make it by alright
'cause his head's too full of the same ol' shit
it makes no difference to him
if he lives or dies and why

The sun came up
the sky's china blue
stitched together by light walks
eyes are swirling from the booze
"I got to get goin'
got a pretty girl waiting
Old man, can I bum a smoke from you?"

"Son you'll get by anyway
You'll waltz through the goddess
and the cloudless grey
You can't blame it on the moon
if it all goes to shit just 'cause of you
Keep your head clean from the same ol' things
drink hard and never fall in love...
just get by on what ya got."