Big Mouth Blues
Gram Parsons Lyrics


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Oh,
Well, I was born in a little bitty tar hut
And they called me a man 'cause I couldn't
Keep my big, big mouth shut
So what's the sense of me sitting here leaving
When any ole day I might be even
And Lord knows that New York City's got
A lot to do with it
I wish someday I could find the way
To get it out of my grain
This dirty old town's gonna sink right down
And I don't want to go with it
Well I wish there was a way that
I knew to get even
A way to get a lick in
A bobbin' and a weavin'
Any ole thing besides goin' and a leavin'
You can do on a train

Well, I once knew a man who sailed around
The world twice
He would have made it three but he took
A lot of bad advice
So you just tell me what's the sense of me
Sittin' here leavin'
When any ole day I might get even
And Lord knows New York City's got
A lot to do with it
I wish someday I could find a way to get it out
Of my brain
This dirty old town's gonna sink right down
And I don't want to go with it
I wish there was a way that I knew to get even,
Way to get a lick in
A 'bobbin' and a'weavin'
Any ole thing besides goin' and a'leavin'
You can do on a train
Oh, yes

Well, I once knew a man who sailed around
The world twice
But his motor cooled down and now he's
Deliverin' ice
Tell me what's the sense of him
Sittin' here leavin'
When any ole day he might get even
And Lord knows New York City's got
A lot to do with it
I wish someday he could find a way to get it out
Of his brain
This dirty old town's gonna sink right down
And I don't want to go with it
I wish there was a way that I knew to get even
Way to get a lick in
A 'bobbin and a'weavin'
And all the things besides goin' and a'leavin'




You can do on a train
Oh, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Big Mouth Blues" by Gram Parsons is a bluesy, country-style tune that touches on themes of frustration and restlessness. The lyrics describe the singer's feeling of being trapped in a small town and wanting to escape to the larger city of New York. He laments the fact that he can't seem to keep his mouth shut, which might be holding him back from achieving his dreams. The repetition of the phrase "any ole day I might get even" suggests a desire for some kind of revenge or justice, though it's not clear what form that might take.


Throughout the song, the singer compares himself to other men who have traveled the world and seen more than he has. He wonders if there's any point to staying put in this small, dull town when he could be out exploring and experiencing life. However, he also seems to acknowledge that he's not sure what he wants or how to get it. The final lines of the song suggest a kind of resigned acceptance of his situation, as he wishes for a way to get even but ultimately concludes that leaving might be the only option.


Overall, "Big Mouth Blues" is a haunting and evocative song that captures the frustration and longing of a person who's stuck in a place they don't want to be, with no clear path forward.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh,
An expression of realization or surprise.


Well, I was born in a little bitty tar hut
I come from a small, humble background.


And they called me a man 'cause I couldn't Keep my big, big mouth shut
I was seen as mature at a young age because of my outspokenness.


So what's the sense of me sitting here leaving When any ole day I might be even And Lord knows that New York City's got A lot to do with it
I see no point in leaving when I could succeed at any time and know that New York City is a place of opportunity for me.


I wish someday I could find the way To get it out of my grain This dirty old town's gonna sink right down And I don't want to go with it
I wish I could rid myself of this feeling that this town is doomed and I don't want to suffer the same fate.


Well I wish there was a way that I knew to get even A way to get a lick in A bobbin' and a weavin' Any ole thing besides goin' and a leavin' You can do on a train
I wish there was a way to settle scores or overcome obstacles that doesn't involve running away, something that can be done on a train ride.


Well, I once knew a man who sailed around The world twice He would have made it three but he took A lot of bad advice
I knew a man who traveled around the world multiple times but failed to make the third trip because of bad judgments.


So you just tell me what's the sense of me Sittin' here leavin' When any ole day I might get even And Lord knows New York City's got A lot to do with it
Why should I leave when there's a chance things could turn around and New York City has the potential to help me do that?


I wish someday I could find a way to get it out Of my brain This dirty old town's gonna sink right down And I don't want to go with it
I wish I could shake off this feeling that the town is headed for disaster and take steps to avoid being dragged down with it.


Well, I once knew a man who sailed around The world twice But his motor cooled down and now he's Deliverin' ice
I knew a man who traveled around the world multiple times but is now down on his luck, delivering ice.


Tell me what's the sense of him Sittin' here leavin' When any ole day he might get even And Lord knows New York City's got A lot to do with it
Why should he leave when there's a chance things could turn around and New York City has the potential to help him do that?


I wish someday he could find a way to get it out Of his brain This dirty old town's gonna sink right down And I don't want to go with it
I hope he can overcome his pessimism and find a way to avoid being dragged down with the town if it falls.


I wish there was a way that I knew to get even Way to get a lick in A 'bobbin and a'weavin' And all the things besides goin' and a'leavin' You can do on a train
I wish there was a way to overcome obstacles that doesn't involve running away - something that can be accomplished on a train ride.


Oh, yeah
An expression of agreement or emphasis.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRAM PARSONS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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