Bound For Outta Town

Brother Long John and Sister Annabelle
downtown by the handout and the hollowed out hotel
bought a one way ticket from the old soldier
went walkin’ down the skidway with a bag across their shoulder

they were bound for Ketchikan
bound for out of town

Dangerous Dan, the one they call Hard Nose
with his underwater eyes and a mortgage on his clothes
asked Fat Albert for a phone booth and a dime
Albert said he’d like to help him but he did not have the time

he was bound for Ketchikan
bound for out of town

the pawnbroker foreclosed, runnin’ over time
the poet and the reptile done clean run out rhymes
rock and roll and hard turpentine
make the loose professional walk the crooked line

bound for Ketchikan
bound for out of town

multi sexual, anything goes
eyeshade makeup and carnival clothes
hunger unappeasable and never satisfied
keep you always on the run with never no place to hide

not even in Ketchikan
or bound for out of town

private prejudicial clubs keep outsiders in their place
everything from bad manners to the language of your face
those who know the value are those that’ve been denied
respecting all but the dead for they’ve already died

and be buried in Ketchikan
down and out of town

hail to the hero, a long time
come home to meet the stranger woman, mother of his son
honor and salute you with 21 shots of lead
if you get lucky hero you might catch one with your head

and be bound for Ketchikan
bound for out of town

contract licensees and ID cards
they check the hotels, they check the railroad yards
and the refugees, their first time on the street
all sell their shoes to make it easy on their feet

they are bound for Ketchikan
bound for out of town

now the dangerous majority are tired of all this talk
guards don’t help, don’t trust no padlock
those that want to get out better get out while they can
better start walkin’ while you still got a leg to stand on

and be bound for Ketchikan
bound for out of town