of a dying town the one eyed jacks across the railroad tracks
         and the scar on its belly pulled a stranger passing through
          he was a juvenile delinquent never learned how to behave
                  but the cops would never think to look in
                                 burma shave

         and the road was like a ribbon and the moon was like a bone
             he didn't seem to be like any guy she'd ever known
       he kinda looked like farley granger with his hair slicked back
              she says i'm a sucker for a fella in a cowboy hat
           how far are you going he said depends on what you mean
            he says i'm going thataway just as long as it's paved
                     i guess you'd say i'm on my way to
                                 burma shave

                  and her knees up on the glove compartment
        took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
                 and she popped her gum and arched her back
          hell marysville ain't nothing but a wide spot in the road
                some night my heart pounds just like thunder
                      i don't know why it don't explode
     cause everyone in this stinking town has got one foot in the grave
                    and i'd rather take my chances out in
                                 burma shave

           presley's what i go by why don't you change the station
              count the grain elevators in the rearview mirror
                    mister anywhere you point this thing
                  has got to beat the hell out of the sting
        of going to bed with every dream that dies here every mornin
                  and so drill me a hole with a barber pole
             i'm jumping my parole just like a fugitive tonight
                       why don't you have another swig
                    and pass that car if you're so brave
                i wanna get there before the sun comes up in
                                 burma shave

              and the spider web crack and the mustang screamed
                smoke from the tires and the twisted machine
     just a nickel's worth of dreams and every wishbone that they saved
                    lie swindled from them on the way to
                                 burma shave

           and the sun hit the derrick and cast a bat wing shadow
                up against the car door on the shot gun side
            and when they pulled her from the wreck you know she
                           still had on her shades
           they say that dreams are growing wild just this side of
                                 burma shave