The Ballad Of The Farm Dogs

My Version Inspired by the Farm Dogs Concert

(Julie Webgirl)

It was down in a bar in Seattle you know
Not more than a couple of months ago
I seen ’em walk out on the stage that night
Martinis in hand, it was all so right
They took the stage lookin’ two-ton cool
Especially Bernie, he was ready to rule
I thought I’d died, I was in such a fog
But it was Bernie Taupin and the rest of them dogs

They gave it their all, they burned up the stage
I was one lucky flea at the foot of that stage
They was singin’ ’bout life and the things they’d seen
They rapped about Hopper and Harry Dean
Those dogs played on into the night
Playin’ all their greatest, it was such a sight

Well, Tony was burning the skins with his sticks
While Jim, Robin & Tad was playin’ killer licks
Bernie was wailin’, he was so intense
They was playin’ so tight, yeah it all made sense
…
…

Well seen ’em, been there, I want MORE!
They’re in my head now, hard to ignore
They’re a killer band, the great Farm Dogs
With Bernie Taupin and the rest of them dogs

And the songs kept comin’ thick and fast
As Bernie’s cinematic words relived the past
And those raunchy smooth voices told a tale
Of innocence lost along the trail

They’d bonded, hell now they sure could play
From Me and My Friends through to Bird of Prey
They ‘d felt the stage lights as bright as the sun
They’d hooked the crowd, they were havin’ such fun

There’s a line here that puts me into a spin….
“Like bacon grease on a trucker’s chin”?!?
There’s no one like ’em but there’s those that try
There’s the great and the good and the ones that die
There’s David Crosby, don’t even try
There’s the ones that stall and the ones that fly

Well they fell over backwards pleasin’ the fans
It was just about more than I could stand
Drawin’ us in with every single song
I was wishin’ they’d play on until dawn
…
…

Well seen ’em, been there, I want MORE!
They’re in my head now, hard to ignore
They’re a killer band, the great Farm Dogs
With Bernie Taupin and the rest of them dogs

It was way past midnight, it was hard to gauge
When they grabbed their martinis and slid off the stage

After a bit, they all came back out front
To sign some autographs, what more could I want?
I could see in the eyes of the fans in line
They had just experienced the time of their lives

There’s two-fisted singers and two-fisted players
There’s incompetant writers and there’s great music makers
It’s hard these days to spot the real thing
But in that downtown bar I saw a stageful of kings.

While the Farm Dogs and talent go hand in hand
They’ll get bigger and better, just ask their fans!!
They’re still the men with guts and roots
Who look better in leather than a three piece suit

So you can build your stage the size of a field
Make a volume knob the width of a wheel
‘Cause for power and presence there’s no damn stage
Big enough for Bernie Taupin and the rest of them dogs

Well seen ’em, been there, I want MORE!
They’re in my head now, hard to ignore
They’re a killer band, the great Farmdogs
With Bernie Taupin and the rest of them dogs

This is all I can write, the original song…
Well, Bernie you wrote it so damn long!

The Ballad Of Dennis Hopper & Harry Dean

The ORIGINAL

(Jim Cregan/Robin LeMesurier/Bernie Taupin/Dennis Tufano)

It was down in a bar in the barrio
Not more than a couple of years ago
I seen ’em sittin’ on a couple of stools
Slicked back hair lookin’ two ton cool
Two desperadoes of the silver screen
A couple of legends lean and mean

I thought I’d died I thought it was a dream

But it was Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean

They was chain smokin’ Camels and throwin’ back shots
While a go-go girl peeled her fishnets off
They was talkin’ ’bout life and the things they’d seen
They rapped about Peckinpah and Jimmy Dean
Them sons-o-bitches had up and died
But hell these two were still alive

Well, Hopper wigged out but he’d come to grips
From “Giant” to “Apocalypse”
And Harry Dean he’d poured his guts
Into blue collar roles for all of us
Hollow and haunted you could read his face
From “Cool Hand Luke” to outer space

Well, they’d seen it, been there, done it all
Necks in a noose, backs o the wall
It’s a straight “A” line, no in between
For Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean

And the drinks kept comin’ thick and fast
As their cinematic eyes relived the past
And those gnarly faces told a tale
Of innocence lost along the trail

They’d bonded, hung in tooth and nail
Through Peruvian nights and Mexican jails
They’d felt the dust and the dirt and the sun
They’d beaten the jungle and slept with a gun

The mood in that place was thicker than sin
Like bacon grease on a trucker’s chin
There’s no one like ’em but there’s those that try
There’s the great and the good and the ones that die
There’s the straight and the gay and the bad and the bi
There’s the ones that stall and the ones that fly

Well they fall over backwards for the big fat man
But Brando’s lookin’ like he ate Japan
And Bobby DeNiro, well he’s too fuckin’ weird
And Pacino’s all method up to his ears
Jack’s real cool but he’s too laid back
And the Brat Pack sucks but ya all know that

Well, they’d seen it, been there, done it all
Necks in a noose, backs to the wall
It’s a straight “A” line, no in between
For Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean

It was way past midnight maybe one or two
When they grabbed their smokes and slid off them stools

And as the neon hit ’em with reds and blues
I could see in their eyes that slow burnin’ fuse
No pissy damp cracker no sad little flame
Just a couple of missiles on a downtown train

There’s two-fisted fighters and two-fisted drinkers
There’s the ignorant masses and the competent thinkers
It’s hard these days to spot the real thing
But in that downtown bar I saw a couple of kings

And while money and crap go hand in hand
And bigger is better is the law of the land
There’s still some men with guts and roots
Who can sniff out a weasel in a three piece suit

So you can build your screens the size of a field
Make the volume knob the width of a wheel
‘Cause for power and presence there’s no damn screen
Big enough for Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean

Well, they’d seen it, been there, done it all
Necks in a noose, backs to the wall
It’s a straight “A” line, no in-between
For Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean

And the two just vanished the way they came
Like a couple of chainsaws in a hurricane