Song Description

Midtempo country-folk story-song, following the events of Tracy Chapman's classic "Fast Car" from the male perspective, in the vein of Brandon Flowers or Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics

"Leave Tonight (Or Live And Die This Way)"
©2016 Capers Simmons (ASCAP)

VERSE I
She calls it a "fast car",
Not by it's proper name.
It's a slick, black, Pontiac Trans-American,
Chrome-wheeled sex machine.
She went through half box a tissues dealing with her daddy issues
In the passenger seat,
I shifted gears to drive, blew the tears from eyes and onto the Interstate.

PRECHORUS
We punched it zero to tomorrow in five-point-flat
Burning rubber, burning bridges, and we never went back
My wheels, her plans, we'll steal this chance
To "Be someone," she said.

CHORUS I
"Leave tonight or live and die this way,"
Is all she ever says
So I'll lie and spend my life just trying to pretend.
"Leave tonight or live and die this way,"
The ultimatum ends.
So, baby I will live and die along with you, my friend.

VERSE II
I guess the supermarket's fine for her,
But I can't work for that wage.
And if we tie the knot, then the taxes go up.
Do the math--it's better this way.
But I can't stand fighting when I know she's right
So I leave her with the kids, stay out all night
Driving in a real fast car
Could pass anything by but a bar

PRECHORUS II
We punched tomorrow in the kisser, but it punched us back,
Now I'm punch-drunk and she's fighting mad.
We were both have-nots--she got the better half
Of the worst of me, my friends.

CHORUS II
"Leave tonight or live and die this way,"
She said to me, my friends.
And so I lied and said I'd try, but I just can't pretend.
"Leave tonight or live and die this way,"
The ultimatum ends.
But they'll be fine. I'll live and die
Alone, with you my friends.

BRIDGE
Now a home ain't nothing I can use.
She always knew the truth from start
So I'm gone, with nothing to left to lose
But the bottles and the booze and the car.

~ CHORUS II ~