Focusing primarily on instrumental composition and playing, Kottke also sings sporadically, in an unconventional yet expressive baritone described by himself as sounding like "geese farts on a muggy day".[1] In concert, Kottke intersperses humorous and often bizarre monologues with vocal and instrumental selections from throughout his career, played solo on 6- and 12-string guitars.
Husbandry
Leo Kottke Lyrics
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Kind of objectionable
With a heart like a fist
She stood on a street in Norfork in a pea-coat and a headache
watching the traffic splash by
When a four day clown in a pick-up truck drove her out to the woods
Down a gravel lane, down a dirt road, down some dust on the grass
Near a pecan tree, near a boulder, near a dog, near invisible
He dobbed his hat and scuffed his heel
And puffed real hard on his cheap cigar
And he spewed the smoke out in the air
And asked her if that was a wig on her head
Or if it was real hair
He laughed real loud and said she was cute
And then he leaned over and said "excuse me"
And put the cigar out in the dog's face
"I live here" he said
He went inside
She turned around and walked past the dog
Back up the dust on the grass, past the pecan tree
Back up the dirt road, back up the gravel lane
And back to Norfolk
Back there at his place late at night, when the owls congregate
And the snakes sleep, when the trucks hit the spacers in the overpass
And the storm drains cough up dust and cigarette filters
purge like frogs at the side of the road
Back there, down the gravel lane, down the dirt road
Down some dust on the grass, past the pecan tree to the shadow
With some bricks around it
Back there, late at night, back there in the dark
Back there in the dust, back there
The dog burst into flame
Anyhow, time went by, anyhow snap crackers and stone soup
Walking on cornflakes and stopping blocks
Anyhow, she went back to where the dog blew up
She tried her luck, she went back, maybe she could paint the porch
Maybe she could fix the roof, maybe she could build a roof
She told him "you can't smoke cigars, though, I'm too damn frail"
And he said "I won't"
Then he lit a cigarette and dropped his hat
He said, "It's OK, I have a cat
The lyrics of Leo Kottke's song "Husbandry" tell a peculiar story of a sixty-one-year-old woman who finds herself in a school bus, hiding and seemingly out of place. The description of her having a "heart like a fist" suggests that she may be guarded or closed off emotionally. The scene shifts to her standing on a street in Norfork, possibly feeling overwhelmed and detached from the world as she watches the traffic pass by, burdened by a pea-coat and a headache.
A man driving a pick-up truck, who is described as a "four day clown," approaches her and takes her to a secluded spot in the woods. The setting is depicted vividly through the gravel lane, dirt road, and dust on the grass. Here, near a pecan tree, a boulder, and a dog, the man exhibits strange behavior, asking if the woman's hair is a wig and cruelly putting out his cigar on the dog's face.
The woman decides to leave and walks back to Norfork, only to return to the man's place at night. In this eerie setting, with owls, sleeping snakes, and trucks hitting the spacers in the overpass, the woman's persistence brings her back to the shadowy spot with bricks around it. Here, in the darkness and dust, something inexplicable occurs: the dog bursts into flame.
Time passes, and the lyrics shift to a more fragmented and abstract narrative. Snap crackers, stone soup, walking on cornflakes, and stopping blocks suggest a surreal and disjointed reality. Nevertheless, the woman goes back to the place where the dog had exploded, trying her luck, perhaps with the intention of fixing the porch, painting, or even building a roof. She requests that the man not smoke cigars due to her frailty, but he dismisses her concern and proceeds to light a cigarette, dropping his hat. Yet, he reassures her, claiming that his smoking is alright because he has a cat.
Overall, the lyrics of "Husbandry" paint a bizarre and enigmatic story that presents themes of isolation, strange encounters, resilience, and the acceptance of peculiarities.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LEO KOTTKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind