Lyrics: Whistleman

seppy made his money layin' bricks in colorado
he married a maria from outside el dorado
they took a three-day honeymoon in reno
two days for the drivin' and one in a casino

seppy slept light, up above the covers
worryin' about money, his wife, and his mother
he went trollin' thorugh his memories tryin' to find a prayer
but he had to hit the gideon's cuz there weren't one there
he knew they'd soon be flyin' on a white wax wing
for the whistleman was in his dreams, offerin' to sing... whistleman

boolie played the cards like his life depended on 'em
though in truth he'd never ever seen the belly of the bottom
his pop was in construction, and lived out in the suburbs
had an austin healy 3000 under leather covers

boolie slept heavy, underneath the sheets
the only thing showin' was his twitchin' feet
put a dime on his belly in the middle of a dream
and the damn thing'd jump like a mexican bean
he knew his luck with pop was hangin' on a broken string
for the whisteman was in his dreams, offerin' to sing

whistleman, guitar in hand, barefoot in the dirt
cords hung loose on a rope belt noose in his uncle's flannel shirt
he been whistlin' on a brand-new song but you best know one thing
nothing, my friend, will be the same again if you let him sing

boolie left orinda with a grand in traveler's checks
a kerouac book and his favorite lucky deck
he got as far as sante fe before his luck went south
a trucker forced a favor, then smacked him in the mouth

shoved him out the door while he was still semi-conscious
boolie hit the gravel, and quickly got nauseous
he walked, and he limped, and he crawled half-a-mile
and he finally found a ditch and fell asleep in a pile
he dreamt about the sun and white wax wings
and then the whistleman was in his dreams, offerin' to sing

whistleman, guitar in hand, barefoot in the dirt
cords hung loose on a rope belt noose in his uncle's flannel shirt
he been whistlin' on a brand-new song but you best know one thing
nothing, my friend, will be the same again if you let him sing

maria prayed nightly for the arrival of her miracle
but the doctor said the pregnancy was hysterical
then seppy lost his job, maria wouldn't stop weepin'
so seppy got a gun and killed the doc while he was sleeping

he got as far as sante fe before his luck went missin'
he was picked up by some cops at night for vagrancy and hitchin'
couldn't speak english, didn't understand the charges
they shot him twice when he ran away into the darkness
in a ditch he lay bleedin', the leg and the wing
and then the whistleman was in his dreams, offerin' to sing

whistleman, guitar in hand, barefoot in the dirt
cords hung loose on a rope belt noose in his uncle's flannel shirt
he been whistlin' on a brand-new song but you best know one thing
nothing, my friend, will be the same again if you let him sing