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Tips & Compliments

from Tips & Compliments by Matt Harlan

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lyrics

Last night I dreamed again about North Carolina,
Coming down from the mountains, coming in from the cold.
I had me a hound dog & I had me a banjo,
We could lay it down double time, & play all night long.

Singing songs about old John Henry, & all those rails that he had to drive.
& all of the while there's a steam engine rolling behind.
Then the sirens, they caught me sleeping to their long & moaning sound.
& I'm just living on tips & compliments in a dive on the east side of town.

Well the bars are all closing, But I ain't quite tired.
So I packed up my banjo, & lit out for a drive.
I rolled down the dirt road. I rolled down the window.
“Swing Low” on the radio – I was humming along.

I pulled right up to our old houses, & lord, everything had changed.
But it struck me so funny, 'cause I sure do look just the same.
I try hard not to blame all this running around, it's just how these things pan out, When you're living on tips & compliments in a dive on the east side of town.

Last night I dreamed again about North Carolina.
I had me a new name, & just to pass it around
I lied to the waitress, & told her I was from Texas.
With the tip of my hat, I tipped her a twenty & rolled out of town.

Singing songs about old John Henry, & all those rails that he had to drive.
Then one day he found a strong woman to lay down beside.
Then the crickets, they caught me sleeping to their soft, staccato sound.
& I'm just living on tips & compliments in a dive on the east side of town.

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from Tips & Compliments, released October 19, 2009

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Matt Harlan Houston, Texas

Matt Harlan is a troubadour of the first degree, bringing songs of bus-stops, coffee-shops and lives overlooked to stages across his home-state of Texas, the USA and Europe. His expressive vocals recall Chris Smither and Chris Knight, shading his poignant songs with soaring heart and aching grit. ... more

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