Oh how the pawnbroker roared
And it was so good for the landlord
To see me so crazy, wasn't it?
They both were so glad
To see me destroy everything I had
Pain sure brings out the best in people, doesn't it?
Why didn't you just leave me
If you didn't want to stay?
Why'd you wanna hurt me so bad?
Did it have to be that way?
Now you stand here sayin' is there anything I got left to say
And you, I see you're still with her, well
That's fine but she's comin' on so strange, can't you tell?
Take off her iron chain
I think ya better explain
I'd do it, but I just can't remember how
Talk to her
You're her lover now.
I've already assumed
That we're in the felony room
But I ain't the judge, you don't have to be nice to me
Will you please tell that
To your friend with the cowboy hat
He keeps on sayin' ev'rythin' twice to me
You know I was straight with you
You know I never tried to change you in any way
You know that if you didn't want to be with me
That you didn't have to stay.
Now you stand here sayin' you forgive me. What d'ya expect me to say?
And you, you just sit around and ask for ashtrays, can't you reach?
I see you kiss her on the cheek ev'rytime she gives a speech
With her postcards of the pyramid
And her snapshots of Billy the Kid
(They're all so nice, but why must everybody bow?)
Explain it to her
You're her lover now.
Ev'rybody that cares
They're all goin' up the castle stairs
But I'm not up in the castle, honey
I just can't recall
San Francisco at all
I can't even remember El Paso, honey
You knew you never had to be faithful
I never wanted you to grieve
Why was it so hard for you
If you don't want to be with me, just to leave?
Why must you stand there now with your fingers goin' up my sleeve?
An' you, just whatta you do anyway?
Isn't there anything you can really say?
When she's standin' on the bar soon
With her fish head an' her harpoon
An' a fake beard plastered on her brow
You better do somethin'
She's your lover now.
Must I be in so sadness?
Do I look like Charles Atlas?
Do you think I still got what you still got, baby?
My voice is really warm
It's just that it ain't got any form
It's like a dead man's last pistol shot, baby
Aw, your mouth used to be so naked
Your eyes used to be so blue
Your hurts used to be so nameless
Your tears used to be so few
Now your eyes cry wolf while your mouth cries I'm not scared of animals like you
And you, there's really nothing about you I can recall
I just saw you that one time and you were just there, that's all
But I've already been kissed
I'm not gonna get into this
I couldn't make it anyhow
You do it for me
You're her lover now.
© Dwarf Music 1971, 1976
Original title: "Just a Little Glass of Water"
Transcribed from bootleg CD: The Lonesome Sparrow Sings
Boldface text highlights variations from the official Lyrics book version (verses 1-3) and
the full band version (verse 4) as released in The Bootleg Series and its companion booklet.