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Heartland Feeling Lyrics
[Female voice: I'm totally fucked up. I can barely speak. I'm totally fucked up.
They gave me so many drugs. But, uh...I'm gonna be here...
[Beck speaks]Alright, what we're talkin about here is...is kind of a...it's a heartland
feeling...like, uh, Mellencamp, you know, kind of a Mellen feeling. Ok, what you
gotta get together is a... some...a heartland folk singer. Uh, we're gonna need a real
quick... Uh, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seeger...that type of
feel. A Mellen feeling. You know, real, uh, powerful, approving music, uh...of a
heartland quality, uh, just powerful straight-forward music. And if you can't get just
the right type of feeling, find someone who will pass and change them.]
old man Johnson got his head in his hand
makin' his way across state in a fiddlin' band
with hair all down in his eyes
and the microphone all covered with flies
when he gets done playin', goes back to his room
climbs in the bed in his cowboy boots
and he picks up a magazine, turns on the tv
lights a cigar as he's fallin' asleep
well he's only a person
who doesn't know shit
yea, nothin' happenin'
that's about it
yeeaaaahhh
well little rosanna came from texarkana
had fourteen dollars wrapped in a bandana
came into town not lookin' for much
well she found a hound dog and she named him Dutch
she got a job at the arcade takin' quarters
but she was never too good at takin' orders
so one night she stopped givin' out change
she kicked the boss in the shin and unplugged the games
she's only a person
who doesn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
ooo ooo, yea yea yea
sam got canned at the cannery
she punched out the clock that night
his knuckle was bleeding as he walked home
he was cold and he had a headache
well his wife was cookin canned beans
he took out all the money out of his jeans
and he set it on fire in the kitchen sink
as his wife handed him a drink
he was only a person
who didn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
oh yeah
wooo ooo ooo
smiley was lookin' for handouts
sleepin' in an abandoned lighthouse
down at the mini-mall shakin' his hat
washin' windows with his bare hand
he found a sports car with the keys
in the ignition it just seemed so easy
he took a joyride, drove it into a hedge
came out with the steering wheel wrapped around his head
well he's only a person
who doesn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
ooo ooo yea
well janie was born in a small town
everybody just standin' around
they had bingo games and the raffle
everybody chewin' tobacco
well she grew up kinda restless
all her boyfriends wanted to be dentists
well, she got a job at the truck stop
and she got old fast and never did what she wanted
she's only a person
who doesn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
yea yea yea....oh yea, etc.
They gave me so many drugs. But, uh...I'm gonna be here...
feeling...like, uh, Mellencamp, you know, kind of a Mellen feeling. Ok, what you
gotta get together is a... some...a heartland folk singer. Uh, we're gonna need a real
quick... Uh, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seeger...that type of
feel. A Mellen feeling. You know, real, uh, powerful, approving music, uh...of a
heartland quality, uh, just powerful straight-forward music. And if you can't get just
the right type of feeling, find someone who will pass and change them.]
makin' his way across state in a fiddlin' band
with hair all down in his eyes
and the microphone all covered with flies
when he gets done playin', goes back to his room
climbs in the bed in his cowboy boots
and he picks up a magazine, turns on the tv
lights a cigar as he's fallin' asleep
who doesn't know shit
yea, nothin' happenin'
that's about it
had fourteen dollars wrapped in a bandana
came into town not lookin' for much
well she found a hound dog and she named him Dutch
she got a job at the arcade takin' quarters
but she was never too good at takin' orders
so one night she stopped givin' out change
she kicked the boss in the shin and unplugged the games
who doesn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
ooo ooo, yea yea yea
she punched out the clock that night
his knuckle was bleeding as he walked home
he was cold and he had a headache
well his wife was cookin canned beans
he took out all the money out of his jeans
and he set it on fire in the kitchen sink
as his wife handed him a drink
who didn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
wooo ooo ooo
sleepin' in an abandoned lighthouse
down at the mini-mall shakin' his hat
washin' windows with his bare hand
he found a sports car with the keys
in the ignition it just seemed so easy
he took a joyride, drove it into a hedge
came out with the steering wheel wrapped around his head
who doesn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
everybody just standin' around
they had bingo games and the raffle
everybody chewin' tobacco
well she grew up kinda restless
all her boyfriends wanted to be dentists
well, she got a job at the truck stop
and she got old fast and never did what she wanted
who doesn't know shit
nothin' happenin'
that's about it
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
this song really has a Mellen feel about it, HAHA
I think this is probably my favorite beck song, he's a mighty good leader being a close second
A song that is both hilarious and tragic at the same time, as it narrates the life story of so many who will end up like those in this song. Nothin' happenin'...that's about it.
check out a larry sanders episode where he plays this song it's hilarious! great song!
My God I love this song! The 'nothin happenin.... that's about it..." part is my favorite. I love Beck, and more people should know this song, because this is probably one of the best songs from his career. The older, the better in some cases with Beck. The really rare stuff is really good. Not well known enough.
Sam is the only one who is talked about in the past tense.
he was only a person who didn't know shit
was rather than is, didnt rather than doesnt.
So the question is, did getting fired at the cannery make him realize his shitty life and he then went on to become more than a "person who doesnt know shit"
or, did he kill himself?