Well out of southern Illinois come a down home country boy
He's gonna make it in the city playin' guitar in the studio
Well he hadn't been there an hour, when he met a Broadway flower
You know she took him for his money and she left him in a cheap hotel
Oh well it's easy for you to see that that country boy is me
Sayin' how am I gonna ever break the news to the folks back home
Well I was gonna be a great success
Things sure ended up a mess
But in the process I got messed up too
Hello Mamma and Dad I had to call collect
'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name
Well I'm sleepin' in the hotel doorway
And tonight they say it's gonna rain
And if you'd only send me some money
I'll be back on my feet again
Send it in care of the Sunday Mission
Box number ten
Well back in Southern Illinois they're still worryin' 'bout their boy
But this boy's goin' home soon's he get's the fare
Because as soon as I got my bread
I got a pipe upside my head
You know they left me in an alley
Took my money and my guitar, too
(Chorus)
He's gonna make it in the city playin' guitar in the studio
Well he hadn't been there an hour, when he met a Broadway flower
You know she took him for his money and she left him in a cheap hotel
Oh well it's easy for you to see that that country boy is me
Sayin' how am I gonna ever break the news to the folks back home
Well I was gonna be a great success
Things sure ended up a mess
But in the process I got messed up too
'Cause I ain't got a cent to my name
Well I'm sleepin' in the hotel doorway
And tonight they say it's gonna rain
And if you'd only send me some money
I'll be back on my feet again
Send it in care of the Sunday Mission
Box number ten
But this boy's goin' home soon's he get's the fare
Because as soon as I got my bread
I got a pipe upside my head
You know they left me in an alley
Took my money and my guitar, too
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
this song is amazing
The pattern of this song, with misfortunes keep happening to this potential troubadour every time he gets access to money, has always reminded me of the stories junkies have told me when trying to bum money for a score.
I believe this lad went to the city and quickly fell into drugs. He burned through his cash, wired for more money, burned through that and wound up selling his axe. He's creating a story for his folks so they'll send funds without him feeling guilty about the ruse.
Great song on many levels, but I relate to it as a Country Boy who didn't realize it until he was living in the city (mind you near New York, Hoboken) and realizing I was out of place. Jim Croce is the man!!
I think Jim details what goes wrong simply being out of place, he can probably do no right in New York, since it is not his home.
greatest song he ever wrote
Totally agree it's one of his very best. He's totally captured the despair of trying to make it yet failing, but fortunately having a good family to catch you
Totally agree it's one of his very best. He's totally captured the despair of trying to make it yet failing, but fortunately having a good family to catch you