Delbert McClinton

Victim of Life's Circumstances

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Victim of Life's Circumstances Lyrics

6 05 on Sunday mornin'.
I was supposed to left for Memphis late last night.
I stopped at one of them ol' highway places.
And because of it I sleep in Tarrant County Jail tonight.

I started out tonight with good intentions.
But I ended up gettin' sideways drinkin' wine.
Well the last thing I remember we was roarin'.
Then something hit my head and knocked me from my conscious mind.

I'm a victim of life's circumstances
Raised around bar rooms, Friday night dances.
Singin' them old country songs.
Half the time ending up some place I don't belong.

I said, "Jailor, hey, what y'all got me charged with?"
He looked at me and he halfway closed one eye.
He said, "You mean to say you don't remember?
Cuttin' up some honkey with that bone handled knife."

I'm a victim of life's circumstances.
Raised around bar rooms, Friday night dances.
Singin' them old country songs.
Half the time endin' up some place I don't belong.

Submitted by

jcevans On Mar 30, 2018

When Rita Leaves

You Were Never Mine

Giving It Up for Your Love

I'm Dyin' as Fast as I Can

Take It Easy

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jcevans

2018-03-31 16:54:51

jcevans

Submitter

2018-03-30 00:06:59

1 Meaning

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by jcevans

8y ago

Personal opinion: this is Delbert's masterpiece. Objective analysis: The voice is the voice of someone we all know. Cheerful, full of life, attractive...and with an uncanny talent for getting himself into trouble. Delbert's classic recording of the song is itself a masterpiece. It drives along like the events it narrates. But best of all, at the end of each line there is an instrumental motif, from a different instrument each time, that makes a musical comment on the line. Pay attention to the way these riffs both express, enhance, and comment on (often ironically) to the line. Just wonderful.

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