Buffalo

11. Buffalo
Semiautobiographical rocker

When I was a lad up in Buffalo
My daddy brought me home a guitar.
I played all night till the rooster’d crow
But Ma thought I was goin’ too far.
She said “Son I like your playin’ and I like your song,
And I wouldn’t have you think you’re doin’ anything wrong,
But when you grow a little higher,
You’ll maybe find out why your
Ma don’t want you playin’ all night long.”

Well I had to find a place where folk’d listen all night,
So I headed for a bar in town,
But they tried to close the place about half past two
When I started playin’ one more round.
We were a singin’ and a clappin’
At a quarter to three
When the man came in and arrested me.
He said “We can’t have people thinkin’
Folk are still in here drinkin’
So you can’t play guitar all night long”

So they took guitar and my fingerprints
And they put me in the county jail.
I got the brothers going on a little song
Cause I had no-one to go my bail.
Well they couldn’t stop the singin’ so they had to set me free,
They threw my guitar out after me,
Got my fingers and my songs so I’m going on the road
And I’m gonna play guitar all night long.

I met a little girl and we bought a little farm
We got everything we need so far.
And Saturdays I take my guitar into town
Just to keep a little money in the cookie jar.
And evenings the kids all join in the song:
I bought ‘em guitars so they could play along,
But my darlin’ and me we stop at half past ten,
So we can take a rest and play it again.