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Easy Street Lyrics
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Did you hear the one about the friend of a a friend who tried to end it all
At the last moment he picked up the phone and gave you a call
You thought about letting it ring, but you answered after all
You answered after all
You answered after all
And there you were, put on the spot at the end of the other line
For all questions that you never thought you'd ever have to answer to
Who do you turn to when the ones you always turn to go and turn on you
It leaves you in the dark, feeling for a switch to turn it on again
Turn it on again
Turn it on again
There are no easy answers, the questions remain tough
There's no shortcuts to easy street, no corners you can cut
Can you cut this, can you cut this, diamond in the rough
And it's good to see you alive
Sign your will to survive
A look into your heart before it sees its final hour
Lived each day like there is no tomorrow
Beyond this mess ahead there is a street so very hard to find
Though I have got to lay my head down at this dead end so many times
And if we ever get to easy street, you can say with a smile
I came just for the ride
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
At the last moment he picked up the phone and gave you a call
You thought about letting it ring, but you answered after all
You answered after all
You answered after all
Who do you turn to when the ones you always turn to go and turn on you
It leaves you in the dark, feeling for a switch to turn it on again
Turn it on again
Turn it on again
There's no shortcuts to easy street, no corners you can cut
Can you cut this, can you cut this, diamond in the rough
Sign your will to survive
A look into your heart before it sees its final hour
Lived each day like there is no tomorrow
Though I have got to lay my head down at this dead end so many times
And if we ever get to easy street, you can say with a smile
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
Down Easy Street
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This one has it all.
Kids pay attention: This is what great rock and roll music is supposed to sound like.
In addition, it deals with the heaviest of subjects (suicide) in a very honest but most importantly, positive way in the sense that the person chooses to life due to the support of his friend.
Musically, the song is a celebration. It's full of tension and just keeps on driving and driving until the crescendo at the end where in 2 lines Dave sums up his world view, that you better appreciate the journey.
The lyrics are full of Pirner's patented turn of phrases with lines like, "You always turn to go and turn on you" and "Sign your will to survive". Moreover it's the staccato, off beat passion of the delivery that perfectly matches the tension in the music that gives the song it's soul.
Having never listened to all the lyrics, for a long time I thought this song was about success in the music business. Soul Asylum being one of those bands who busted their rear ends for years and years before achieving what someone would call success.
Finally realizing the song has nothing to do with that, but is much more personal and impactful makes it even better. It's really hard to write a song about this subject and not have it come out sounding trite or depressing. This is the opposite. A great story told brilliantly in three and a half minutes.
This is extremely hard to do and done here with all the passion, commitment and fearlessness that made them one of the best bands of their generation.
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. I'm stunned that not a single person has commented on it. The lyrics are pretty straight forward. A guy talks his friend out of suicide. My favorite line in the song is "There are no easy answers, the questions remain tough. There's no short cuts to Easy Street, no corners you can cut. Can you cut this diamond in the rough?"