Counterman
Roger Alan Wade Lyrics


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well i'm a counterman at the auto zone store in
birmingham alabama

we got everything from a to z some miscellaneous and
what have ya

i got the parts to fix all the parts of cars that make
'em all blow smoke

but i ain't got the part for the part of my heart that
woman of mine just broke

well i'm a counterman and i's a countin' on her just to
stay with me the resta my life

i's crazy for wishin' that blond beautician would
settle down and be my wife

i'd bet a set of plugs she's powdered up and painted,
dancin' holes in her high heels

'cause she's purty as a cherry '57 chevy and smooth as
an oldsmobile

i even talked to the fram air filter man about makin'
her miss december
on the calender for the customers and distributors and
vendors

well my mama said it'd probably go to her head and hell
i guess my mama was right

'cause i'm puttin cashews in my coat, she's at the
burgundy room tonight

well i'm a counterman and i's a countin' on her just to
stay with me the resta my life

hell i's crazy for wishin' that wild beautician would
settle down and be my wife

i'd bet a set of plugs she's powdered up and painted,
dancin' holes in her high heels

'cause she purty as a cherry '57 chevy and smooth as an
oldsmobile





ah she's purty as a cherry '57 chevy and smooth as an
oldsmobile

Overall Meaning

The song "Counterman" by Roger Alan Wade tells the story of a counterman who works at an Auto Zone store in Birmingham, Alabama. The counterman knows everything about fixing cars and has all the parts needed to fix a car. However, he cannot fix the broken part of his heart caused by the woman he loves. He is in love with a blond beautician, who he thinks is as pretty as a cherry '57 Chevy and smooth as an oldsmobile. He is counting on her to stay with him for the rest of his life, hoping she will settle down and be his wife. He even talked to the Fram air filter man about making her miss December on the calendar for the customers, distributors, and vendors. However, he knows that his obsession with her may not end well, and he is already putting cashews in his coat, suspecting she is at the Burgundy Room tonight.


The counterman's story is a familiar one that many can relate to, being infatuated with someone and wanting them to be yours while knowing deep down that it may not work out. The song captures the counterman's emotions well, with the use of southern twangy vocals and the country guitar strums that give the song a raw and authentic feel.


Line by Line Meaning

well i'm a counterman at the auto zone store in birmingham alabama
The singer is working as a counterman in the Auto Zone store located in Birmingham, Alabama.


we got everything from a to z some miscellaneous and what have ya
The store has a wide range of miscellaneous auto parts, enough to fix any car's issues.


i got the parts to fix all the parts of cars that make 'em all blow smoke
The Auto Zone store carries all the necessary parts needed to fix cars that are blowing smoke.


but i ain't got the part for the part of my heart that woman of mine just broke
Even though he has all the auto parts, he doesn't have the one thing he really needs - a way to fix his broken heart after his girlfriend left him.


well i'm a counterman and i's a countin' on her just to stay with me the resta my life
The singer is hoping that his girlfriend will come back to him and be with him for the rest of his life.


i's crazy for wishin' that blond beautician would settle down and be my wife
The singer knows it's unlikely, but he still wishes that his girlfriend - the blond beautician - would settle down with him and marry him.


i'd bet a set of plugs she's powdered up and painted, dancin' holes in her high heels
The singer imagines his girlfriend going out, getting dolled up, and dancing around in high heels.


'cause she's purty as a cherry '57 chevy and smooth as an oldsmobile
The singer thinks his girlfriend is gorgeous and smooth like a classic, well-maintained 1957 Chevy or an Oldsmobile.


i even talked to the fram air filter man about makin' her miss december on the calender for the customers and distributors and vendors
The singer wants his girlfriend to be featured in a calendar for the Auto Zone store customers, which he thinks would be a great way to show her off.


well my mama said it'd probably go to her head and hell i guess my mama was right
The singer's mom warned him that putting his girlfriend's picture in the calendar would make her too proud, and the singer now admits that his mom was right.


'cause i'm puttin cashews in my coat, she's at the burgundy room tonight
The singer is so obsessed with his girlfriend that he's hiding cashews (which she apparently loves) in his coat, and she's out at the Burgundy Room tonight, probably without him.


hell i's crazy for wishin' that wild beautician would settle down and be my wife
The singer again acknowledges that he knows it's not likely, but he's still crazy for wishing that his wild and gorgeous girlfriend would settle down with him and become his wife.


ah she's purty as a cherry '57 chevy and smooth as an oldsmobile
The song ends with the singer repeating his previous sentiment that his girlfriend is gorgeous and smooth like a classic car.




Contributed by Kaelyn K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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