James McMurtry
The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy
The black and the wandering boy
Come around every night
The wandering boy never gets any older
The black dog doesn't bite
He just sits on the floor at the corner of the bed
Watching for the things that hunt
They oughta both go away when I take my meds
But they don't
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
The sun's coming up, and it's seven in the morning
Another drink wouldn't hurt
Sitting outside on Mama's front porch
Watching the squarеs go to work
Then another one's on and anothеr one's on
And another one rides the bus
Jammin' that old Weird Al song
And they ain't got time for us
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
There's somebody hiding
In that space beneath the stairs
I say I'm writing
But these old folks just don't care
Dinner time and I'm looking in the mirror
I'm sure enough getting old
Mom's down there, yelling up the stairs
Come on now, your food's getting cold
I'll come down when I'm damn good and ready
Won't you just let me be?
Leaning on the sink and I can't get steady
You're staring right back at me
I see my father with his patience wearing thin
Sometimes it bothers me, you look so much like him
There's something hiding in that space beneath the stairs
I try to find it, but my memory won't go there
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
The black and the wandering boy
Don't ever do any harm
They make no messes and they make no noise
They're no cause for alarm
Kinda got used to 'em being round the place
I don't care what Mama don't allow
I'm gonna miss 'em if they ever go away
They're such a part of me now
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me
Hey, somebody lie to me