Fowler put together a country band in 1998 and began playing Tuesday nights at Babe's on Sixth Street in Austin. Within two years, he'd begun recording albums and struck big with his self-released Beer, Bait and Ammo (2000). The album sold around 30,000 copies in the Texas area and garnered an impressive amount of airplay, particularly for the album's title track. The song became somewhat of a Texas anthem; Mark Chesnutt made the song part of his live show, and Sammy Kershaw recorded it. Fowler returned in 2002 with his third album, High on the Hog, and boasted some impressive guests, including Willie Nelson and David Lee Garza.
Pound Sign
Kevin Fowler Lyrics
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Yeah, I'm wired
Up-tighter than an a-string
About to break
Tail draggin'
A little ragged
Hangin' by a thread
Just in case there might be
Little ears around
I won't say it
I'll just spell it out
I feel like pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
Don't give a blank
And a whole lot of other
Choice words I can't say
Today I feel like
Pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
Hungover
A lot closer
To ringin' death's door
Than I was yesterday
Head achin'
Hand shakin'
Badly in need
Of a shower and shave
Yeah, I know I'm lookin'
A little rough
The least I can do
Is clean my language up
I feel like pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
Don't give a blank
And a whole lot of other
Choice words I can't say
Today I feel like
Pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
I think I partied
A little too hard last night
Let's see here now
How do I put this right?
I feel like pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
Don't give a blank
And a whole lot of other
Choice words I can't say
Today I feel like
Pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
Don't give a blank
And a whole lot of other
Choice words I can't say
Today I feel like
Pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
Percentage sign, at symbol
Backslash, squiggle thing
Pound sign, question mark
Star, exclamation point
In this song, Kevin Fowler describes a state of exhaustion, hangover, and being overwhelmed. He symbolizes these feelings with various punctuation signs such as pound sign (or hashtag), question mark, star, and exclamation point, to name a few, to depict the complex emotions that he's experiencing. He finds himself in a condition where he needs to hold back the vulgar words, motivated by the presence of kids, and instead spells it out. He feels like he partied too hard and is paying the price for it.
The storyline of the song is quite relatable, especially for anyone who has gone through a night of crazy partying, only to experience the unpleasant repercussions the next day. The use of punctuation signs adds up to the beauty of the song, conveying a depth of emotions in a unique and subtle way. It's a great song that confronts the listener with the reality of the morning after, which is rarely discussed in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Dog tired
I am exhausted.
Yeah, I'm wired
I am awake and alert.
Up-tighter than an a-string
I am really tense and about to break.
About to break
I am close to my breaking point.
Tail draggin'
I am feeling beaten down.
A little ragged
I am looking a bit rough around the edges.
Hangin' by a thread
I am barely holding on.
That's startin' to fray
Things are starting to fall apart for me.
Just in case there might be
I don't want to offend anyone.
Little ears around
I am being mindful of children.
I won't say it
I won't say the curse words that come to mind.
I'll just spell it out
I'll use symbol codes to express my feelings.
I feel like pound sign, question mark
I feel confused.
Star, exclamation point
I feel excited.
Don't give a blank
I don't care.
And a whole lot of other
There are many other words I could say.
Choice words I can't say
There are certain words that are not appropriate to say.
Today I feel like
Right now I am feeling.
Hungover
I drank too much last night and feel awful.
A lot closer
I am dangerously close to dying.
To ringin' death's door
I feel like I might die soon.
Than I was yesterday
I am worse off today than I was yesterday.
Head achin'
I have a headache.
Hand shakin'
I have the shakes.
Badly in need
I really need.
Of a shower and shave
I need to take a shower and shave.
Yeah, I know I'm lookin'
I am aware that I look.
A little rough
I don't look my best.
The least I can do
I should at least.
Is clean my language up
I should stop swearing.
I think I partied
I'm pretty sure I drank too much last night.
A little too hard last night
I drank more than I probably should have.
Let's see here now
Let me think.
How do I put this right?
How can I make things better?
Percentage sign, at symbol
I don't know what to say.
Backslash, squiggle thing
I am at a loss for words.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, CAROL VINCENT & ASSOC LLC
Written by: DAVID LEE MURPHY, JIM COLLINS, TONY MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind