Witness
Kevin Welch & the Danes Lyrics
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I only feed him tuna fish and beer
Once we split a 5th of wine
Now he wants wine all the time
I gotta cat named named Midnight round here
I got steel in my knees from the war
I don't go to church anymore
That blood and stuff gets pretty rough
I got steel in my knees from the war
It's true, I get jumpy sometimes
Now and then I might forget my lines
The other day, in the checkout lane
I signed a check with my old name
It's true I get jumpy sometimes
I met a girl out walking last night
I tried to kiss her waiting for the light
She said she went to Beauty School
I told her I thought that was cool
This girl I met walking last night
When that girl and me were talking later on
All my inhibitions were gone
Even a crippled bird will sing
I think I told her everything
When that girl and me were talking later on
These days I keep a watch out for the gun
All because the jury was hung
The jury foreman, he just smiled
The killer tapped danced down the aisle
These days, I keep a watch out for the gun
I lost everything because
I told them who the shooter was
The song "Witness" by Kevin Welch & the Danes is a narrative about a man named Midnight, his cat, his experiences in the war, his struggles with anxiety, and his encounter with a girl. The lyrics are written from the first-person point of view, with a series of short verses that capture various aspects of Midnight's life.
In the first verse, we learn about Midnight's cat, whom he feeds tuna fish and beer. This seemingly lighthearted line takes a darker turn when he mentions that he once shared a 5th of wine with his cat and now the cat wants wine all the time. This hints at Midnight's own struggles with addiction and possibly his inability to handle the consequences.
The second verse talks about Midnight's injuries from the war and his reluctance to attend church due to the memories that it brings back. He admits to being jumpy at times and forgetting things. This could indicate post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety that has resulted from his experiences.
In the next verse, he talks about his encounter with a girl and his attempt to kiss her. He compliments her for going to Beauty School, and they appear to hit it off. However, when they are talking later on, he reveals all of his secrets to her, indicating his vulnerability and openness.
Finally, the song takes a dark turn when he talks about losing everything because he reported who the shooter was. The jury was hung, and the killer got away, leaving Midnight to live with the burden of his decision.
Overall, "Witness" is a poignant and evocative song that captures the complexities of human emotions and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a cat named Midnight round here
I have a cat named Midnight around me.
I only feed him tuna fish and beer
I only feed Midnight tuna fish and beer.
Once we split a 5th of wine
Midnight and I had shared a 5th of wine before.
Now he wants wine all the time
Now, Midnight always wants wine.
I gotta cat named named Midnight round here
I still have a cat named Midnight around me.
I got steel in my knees from the war
I have steel in my knees as a result of the war I fought.
I don't go to church anymore
I do not attend church anymore.
That blood and stuff gets pretty rough
The blood and gore involved in church rituals can be tough to witness.
I guess I've seen blood enough
I have seen enough blood in my lifetime.
I got steel in my knees from the war
My knees have steel in them because of the war.
It's true, I get jumpy sometimes
I have a tendency to get jittery at times.
Now and then I might forget my lines
Sometimes, I forget my lines while performing.
The other day, in the checkout lane
The day before yesterday while waiting to checkout.
I signed a check with my old name
I accidentally signed my old name on the check.
It's true I get jumpy sometimes
I sometimes get nervous.
I met a girl out walking last night
I met a girl while walking last night.
I tried to kiss her waiting for the light
I attempted to kiss her while waiting for the light to cross the road.
She said she went to Beauty School
She informed me that she had attended beauty school.
I told her I thought that was cool
I expressed my opinion by saying that I thought it was cool.
This girl I met walking last night
This girl I met while walking last night.
When that girl and me were talking later on
During our later conversation, the girl and I spoke.
All my inhibitions were gone
I was not inhibited anymore.
Even a crippled bird will sing
Everyone, even the disabled, can sing.
I think I told her everything
I believe I disclosed everything to her.
When that girl and me were talking later on
During our later conversation, the girl and I spoke.
These days I keep a watch out for the gun
These days, I am wary of guns.
All because the jury was hung
Because the jury was undecided, I am constantly on guard.
The jury foreman, he just smiled
The foreman of the jury just smiled.
The killer tapped danced down the aisle
The killer tactlessly danced down the aisle.
These days, I keep a watch out for the gun
These days, I am careful about guns.
I lost everything because
I lost everything due to the fact that.
I told them who the shooter was
I disclosed the shooter's identity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEVIN STEPHEN WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind