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Under the Gun Lyrics
I still can picture him
His hands in his back pockets
He wasn't much for words
But when the wise kids made a racket
He just had to go downtown
Throw his weight around for starting over
"Say did you hear I've got a band?"
Some guys I know from LA
Put on Rio Grande
I'll pay you back next Friday
You know it sure ain't big
Just some cats I dig
They said; "They'd do the gig"
Oh Desperado
Why don't you spend your life in Colorado?
Oh restless shadow
Out in the blue hills
You're feeling hollow
Oh El Diablo
Why did you spend your life in California?
I should have warned ya�
No place to go now but falling over
Some guys can't make it on the run
Under the gun
Not for the younger
Oh Jack Daniel�s I feel your hunger
I know you did your best
But you thought that you did not
I wish that I had known
Before I heard the last shot
You know it's not a sin
That little badge of tin
Just a momento
So sad your love remained
My comrades lost in battle
The music was a din from London to Seattle
We all made you play and all our yesterdays
Are starting over
Oh Desperado
Why don't you spend your life in Colorado?
Oh restless shadow
Out in the blue hills
You're feeling hollow
Oh, El Diablo
Why did you spend your life in California?
I should have warned ya�
No place to go now but falling over
Ready to die
No he's ready to die
His hands in his back pockets
He wasn't much for words
But when the wise kids made a racket
He just had to go downtown
Throw his weight around for starting over
"Say did you hear I've got a band?"
Some guys I know from LA
Put on Rio Grande
I'll pay you back next Friday
You know it sure ain't big
Just some cats I dig
They said; "They'd do the gig"
Oh Desperado
Why don't you spend your life in Colorado?
Oh restless shadow
Out in the blue hills
You're feeling hollow
Oh El Diablo
Why did you spend your life in California?
I should have warned ya�
No place to go now but falling over
Some guys can't make it on the run
Under the gun
Not for the younger
Oh Jack Daniel�s I feel your hunger
I know you did your best
But you thought that you did not
I wish that I had known
Before I heard the last shot
You know it's not a sin
That little badge of tin
Just a momento
So sad your love remained
My comrades lost in battle
The music was a din from London to Seattle
We all made you play and all our yesterdays
Are starting over
Oh Desperado
Why don't you spend your life in Colorado?
Oh restless shadow
Out in the blue hills
You're feeling hollow
Oh, El Diablo
Why did you spend your life in California?
I should have warned ya�
No place to go now but falling over
Ready to die
No he's ready to die
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Jeffrey Lee Pierce was actually a huge Blondie fan and was president of their fan club. He went into a coma from liver poisoning and died. There is more to it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Lee_Pierce. After reading that, the song makes sense, especially the last two lines.
I just read this as well. He started punk band "The Gun Club", which appears to be related to the song title. In 1996 (3 yrs before this album), Pierce died from a brain hemorrhage. Pierce was HIV positive, while also suffering from cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, at the time of his death.
I just read this as well. He started punk band "The Gun Club", which appears to be related to the song title. In 1996 (3 yrs before this album), Pierce died from a brain hemorrhage. Pierce was HIV positive, while also suffering from cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, at the time of his death.
This song is really catchy! Maybe one of my favourite Blondie songs. I'm not entirely sure what it was about, but I thought it was about Jeffrey Lee Pierce.
Did you think that or did you read it on the No Exit back cover like I did? ;)