Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
[verse 1]
Driving with a yellow dog, I95
He's got a smile on his face and big shiny eyes
Up at a decent hour, never ate yet
Got a little Johnny Cash in the ol' tape deck
Nothing in the trunk but some base ball gloves
A pair of jumper cables and a set of golf clubs
Blanket on the back seat, we're in rough shape
Sunroof held on with a bit of duct tape
Looking for a gas station, better make a list
Fill'er up with regular, I need to take a piss
Sexy girl air freshener, snacks and that pinwheel
Top up the fluids, clean the bugs off the windshield
Not a care in the world, not a how and a why
No destination, not a cloud in the sky
Back on the road not a moment too soon
Dish ran away with some other spoon
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
[verse 2]
Hole in the muffler, ghosts on the shoulder
Cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder
To roll down the window, you gotta use a wrench
Been thinking about brushing up on my french
Right there in the glove box, if you should look
You'll find 40 parking tickets and a copy of the Good Book
Don't bother looking, you'll never find me
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
Wicked, wicked, wicked and weird
[verse 3]
Christ Almighty, there's a rattle in the wheel well
Dog fell asleep and man, I don't feel well
But all I need's a half decent breakfast
And I'll be back at it, dirty and reckless
Five o'clock shadow, lips like mudflaps
Hands like eagle's talons, eyes like hub caps
The further I get, I keep goin' faster
Whispers in the wind and cows in the pasture
I have no plans and nothin' to prove either
I eat out of a bag and sleep in a movie theatre
The highway's a story teller, I just write it down
Already been beaten, there's no way to fight it now
I just kick back and keep warm on the cold days
And laugh 'cause it ain't like it was in the old days
I figure when I make it to the Heavenly gates
They'll be working on my car and playing '78's
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
Driving with a yellow dog, I95
He's got a smile on his face and big shiny eyes
Up at a decent hour, never ate yet
Got a little Johnny Cash in the ol' tape deck
Nothing in the trunk but some base ball gloves
A pair of jumper cables and a set of golf clubs
Blanket on the back seat, we're in rough shape
Sunroof held on with a bit of duct tape
Looking for a gas station, better make a list
Fill'er up with regular, I need to take a piss
Sexy girl air freshener, snacks and that pinwheel
Top up the fluids, clean the bugs off the windshield
Not a care in the world, not a how and a why
No destination, not a cloud in the sky
Back on the road not a moment too soon
Dish ran away with some other spoon
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
[verse 2]
Hole in the muffler, ghosts on the shoulder
Cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder
To roll down the window, you gotta use a wrench
Been thinking about brushing up on my french
Right there in the glove box, if you should look
You'll find 40 parking tickets and a copy of the Good Book
Don't bother looking, you'll never find me
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
Wicked, wicked, wicked and weird
[verse 3]
Christ Almighty, there's a rattle in the wheel well
Dog fell asleep and man, I don't feel well
But all I need's a half decent breakfast
And I'll be back at it, dirty and reckless
Five o'clock shadow, lips like mudflaps
Hands like eagle's talons, eyes like hub caps
The further I get, I keep goin' faster
Whispers in the wind and cows in the pasture
I have no plans and nothin' to prove either
I eat out of a bag and sleep in a movie theatre
The highway's a story teller, I just write it down
Already been beaten, there's no way to fight it now
I just kick back and keep warm on the cold days
And laugh 'cause it ain't like it was in the old days
I figure when I make it to the Heavenly gates
They'll be working on my car and playing '78's
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
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Love this song cuz it's so damn random. There's probably hidden meanings all over the place, but hell, I don't wanna figure em out.
Good song, but i dont like the chorus
It's pretty easy to figure out - it's just about jumping in a car and driving somewhere, anywhere just for the hell of it, living life on the road.
I agree with oball, it's just about life on the road, going nowhere, everywhere, anywhere. Great song even though I don't usually like this kind of stuff.
there are some wrong lyrics, i need to make a list, im a rat fish, the rat fish part has a meaning, in one of there albums, he says i was born in the year of the rat and im a pices so i guess that makes me rat fish...i Love this song, so great
Absolutely great lyrics and nice vivid description. I mean, it's obvious that the writter doesn't have any deeper meaning. He's just cruisin', no destination in mind, almost broke, just trying to start a new life and leave the old one behind. It's not the end, it's the journey, sort of speak. I believe that his love has just left him for another man: "back on the road not a moment too soon / dish ran away with some other spoon." But without a doubt, it's the music video that is the real gem! Completely random...
Well, the meaning is simple, its about a so called road hog. Someone whos got a car and just manages to live on the little money they can come up with, always on the road, enjoying life. I think the lyrics and the meaning are just as simple as that life would be. Its an awesome song, never seen the video though, unfortuantly.
the song is about leaving the Atlantic provinces and looking for work (brushing up on my french & rat fish). and remaking yourself on the way.
"Love this song cuz it's so damn random. There's probably hidden meanings all over the place, but hell, I don't wanna figure em "
Um... This song has very little figurative speech most of this is just awesome details we don't realize "Cough drops loose change in the beverage holder"