Black and White Picture

I’VE GOT A BLACK AND WHITE PICTURE

OF THE MAN I USED TO BE

FEATURES THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME

BUT I SWEAR IT AIN’T ME

I WAS YOUNG AND ALWAYS READY

BUT I NEVER UNDERSTOOD

SOMETIMES THE THINGS I WANT

WELL THEM THINGS AIN’T NO GOOD

HER HAIR WAS LONG AND CURLY

AND HER EYES SPARKLED AND SHINED

AND WHEN I WALKED DOWN THE BOULEVARD

I HELD HER HAND IN MINE

WE WERE SET TO MARRY EARLY NEXT SPRING

SO I WENT INTO TOWN

AND I BOUGHT A GOLDEN RING

WHEN FROM THE PAWN SHOP WINDOW

I COULDN’T BELIEVE MY EYES

THERE WALKED MY WIFE TO BE ARM IN ARM

WITH ANOTHER GUY

I TRADED THAT GOLD RING

FOR A SILVER .44

I LOADED IT RIGHT AT THE COUNTER

AND I WALKED OUT THE DOOR

I KEPT MY DISTANCE

AS I FOLLOWED THEM DOWN

TO A LITTLE HOTEL

ON THE WRONG SIDE OF TOWN

I WAITED IN THE LOBBY

WHILE THEY HAD THEIR FUN

AND WHEN THEY MADE THEIR WAY DOWN THE STAIRS

I PULLED OUT MY GUN

THE MOMENT THEY SAW ME

THERE WAS FEAR IN THEIR EYES

I LEVELED MY .44

AND I PULLED THE TRIGGER TWICE

AS HER AND HER YOUNG LOVER

LAY BLEEDING ON THE STAIRS

I TURNED MY GUN ON EVERYONE

‘CAUSE I NO LONGER CARED

I SHOT THE OLD PORTER

AND THE BELL CAPTAIN TOO

THE FRONT DESK CLERK

AND A HOTEL GUEST

ALL BEFORE I WAS THROUGH

WHEN THE GUN NO LONGER FIRED

I THREW IT AT THE REST

AND WENT AND SAT DOWN NEXT TO MY LOVE

AND AWAITED MY ARREST

AS THE SIRENS GREW LOUDER

AND A CROWD GATHERED ‘ROUND

I NOTICED SOMETHING CLENCHED

IN HER FIST

THAT I HADN’T SEEN ‘TIL NOW

I PRIED HER FINGERS OPEN

WONDERING WHAT IT COULD BE

WHEN TO MY HORROR I SAW

IT WAS A PICTURE OF ME

I GOT A BLACK AND WHITE PICTURE

OF THE MAN I USED TO BE

FEATURES THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME

BUT I SWEAR IT AIN’T ME