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Old Man Kensey Lyrics
Old Man Kensey wants to be a sign painter
First he's got to learn to read
He's gonna be a clown on TV.
Flags at his elbow, time to breath
(That's my folly) I believe
Drink up the lake, Kensey's away
(That's my folly) That's my mistake
Old Man Kensey wants to be a goalie
First he's got to learn to count
He's gonna be a clown on a circus mount
Letters to me signed in sopped up tar
(That's my folly) Kensey's going far
John, Bill and Ted, stand on your head
(That's my folly) I'm ready to go
Old Man Kensey wants to be a dog catcher
First he's got to learn to stand
He's gonna be a clown in a marching band
Letters to me signed ransom greed
(That's my folly) I believe
Drink up the lake, John, Bill and Ted,
(That's my folly) That's my mistake
Kensey's away, stand on your head
(That's my folly) I'm ready to go
First he's got to learn to read
He's gonna be a clown on TV.
Flags at his elbow, time to breath
(That's my folly) I believe
(That's my folly) That's my mistake
First he's got to learn to count
He's gonna be a clown on a circus mount
Letters to me signed in sopped up tar
(That's my folly) Kensey's going far
(That's my folly) I'm ready to go
First he's got to learn to stand
He's gonna be a clown in a marching band
Letters to me signed ransom greed
(That's my folly) I believe
(That's my folly) That's my mistake
Kensey's away, stand on your head
(That's my folly) I'm ready to go
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OK, watching Rockpalast, I think maybe it is "folly."
old man Kensey was supposedly an old man who a lot of people talked about. It was said he would take people's dogs and hold them for ransom.
In 1984 Kensey was a real person who helped the Reverend Howard Finster in Summerville, Georgia (Finster was the cover artist for "Reckoning"). Stipe heard various stories about his odd behaviour, such as kidnapping dogs and holding them for ransom ("wants to be a dog catcher"), and lying in a coffin and then jumping out to scare people.
Stipe used Kensey to create a tale about an eccentric old man who has crazy ideas.
I think it\'s "That\'s my calling." Words are mostly the work of Jeremy Ayers. A local artist, well known around the Athens community. Passed away recently. (2019?)
Also, "flexes his elbows, time to breathe."