Wasted Town

Blind Bob Quinn was a man who couldn't sin Out all night drunk 'n rilled, hooting' hollering Gettin wild. I bet one day he'll go Up to heaven and cut a rug for us all His foot-fall thunder'll make you roll Get back up, don't you fall down flat Blind Bob jives with a cane and a hat He'll knock you down just to pick you back on up Just to knock you down again 'n call you a friend 'n say, "you looking mighty ugly these days," But he loves ya smile, can't get enough Every cig he smoked is a stolen puff That Blind Bob Quinn got the blues I'll tell ya a story about Blind Bob's soul The lost-and-found of the Soo folklore He lost it way back before he knew he had it To a parkin' lot pirate on a tricycle When he gambled away Sault. Ste. Marie That town with the locks, speckled 'n chicken-pocked Ore-frieght industry ticked the tock That ain't steam it's coal fumes As a child Bob cursed the plumes He wished that town would burn So he read the books and he learnt the words Talked 'bout traveling like a mocking bird Never had no whip, no wheels to spin He always hitched rides from the trouble he in Never got caught, but that shit got old So he walked down to the Co-Op grocery store Where a pirate on a tricycle out the door said "I bet you think you know what real trouble is, boy." But Blind Bob, man, he ain't no fool Bob said, "You sure are right, I know how to lose a fight But I always win at this gamblin thing. So, If I guess What's under that eye-patch, old man You gotta buy my way 'Cross the country with this here guitar All I wanna do is travel far. An if I lose I'll give ya my soul, old man I'll even throw in my clean record, too." Well the parkin lot pirate thought it musta been a joke He leaned right back 'n drew a long toke 'n said, "If you guess what's 'neath my eye-patch, boy I'll lay a curse on all this land That when you play your guitar wherever you are Folks'll drop money down on the floor You won't go hungry but you might get blue If you're wrong, I get your soul And clean record, too." The bet was fit 'n they both was smitten The devil never been this north of the mitten The pirate grewed horns 'n got out his pitch fork A crowd had gathered to see it all happen Bob had till the freighter passed to place his guess The fudgies all watched the boat go by Townsfolk looked at Bob 'n cried No one ever knew what's under The Devil's old eye-patch So, Blind Bob was sure to lose But he'd hear this story before in a book 'n he recognized the Devil's stanky look He said, "I know what's under your Greasy ol' eye-patch: The stink-sack of a skunk That's why your eyes burn when you laugh so loud And you stink so bad you can never keep a crowd You a bad boweevil, you always been evil But I lock the lakes and I shake the gates I got six bullets and they're all for you Rock 'n roll, motherfucker The Devil hung his head away in his hands Blind Bob exposed all his plans He channeled the smokestacks 'n cursed the lands Lightnin struck 'n the world shut up He said, "Blind Bob, go, man. Play Wherever you will, just don't sit still Play your guitar to empty a till Keep your soul 'n clean record, too I don't need 'em anyway." The townsfolk all hoorayed Finally, Bob could lit outta town No one wanted to see his face around All the nasty jokses 'n no-good hoaxes Left town with Bob And that's how Sault Ste. Marie lost it's charm