I saw you baby dancin' in your x-ray gingham dress
I knew you were under duress
I knew you were under yer dress
Just keep comin', Jesus, you're the best dressed
You look dandy in the sky but you don't scare me
'Cause I got you here in my eye
In this lifetime you got my human gets me blues
With your jaw hangin' slack and your hair's curlin'
Like an ole navy fork stickin' in the sunset
The way you were dancin' I knew you'd never come back
You were strainin' to keep your old black cracked patent shoes
In this lifetime you got my human gets me blues
Well, the way you been, old lady, I could see the fear in your windows
Under your furry crawlin' brow a silver bow rings up in inches
You were afraid you'd be the devil's red wife
But it's all right, God dug your dance
And would have you young and in his harem
Dress you the way he wants cause he never had a doll
'Cause everybody made him a boy
And God didn't think to ask his preference
You can bring your dress and your favorite dog
And your husband's cane, and your old spotted hog
'Cause in this lifetime you got my human gets me blues


Lyrics submitted by Screwjack

My Human Gets Me Blues Lyrics as written by Don Van Vliet

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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My Human Gets Me Blues song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    According to John French, Van Vliet wrote the lyrics about him (Drumbo) as a way of poking fun. Some of the recording/transcribing sessions for the songs were brutal and took a physical and psychological toll on Drumbo - and Beefheart would tease him for it. I'm sure he'll mention it in his upcoming book. Also, John is a Christian, and Van Vliet was apparently very condescending about his religion (preferring Eastern religion himself) so a lot of religious imagery in the lyrics may be jabs - perhaps good natured jabs in Beefheart's own mind - towards Drumbo. Who knows.

    Anyway, with that in mind, some of the lyrics do make a lot of sense: "i knew you were under duress", "jaw hanging slack", "fear in your windows (eyes)", etc. If Drumbo was physically and emotionally spent after some of these harrowing marathon sessions, he could have had his religion to fall back on and give him strength - which Van Vliet would of course know about (I don't think there were too many secrets in that house) and goad him for.

    This is all speculation of course - from one man's own account (well, two men if you count Harkelroad's own book and interviews) of the TMR sessions. Still, I see no reason why he would make anything up. He is still very respectful and really complimentary about Don's genius and clearly wishes that they could have remained friends.

    Hawkeye2008on March 13, 2009   Link

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