Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Rolling stones - Far away eyes

I was driving home early Sunday morning through Bakersfield
Listening to gospel music on the colored radio station
And the preacher said, "You know you always have the
Lord by your side"

And I was so pleased to be informed of this that I ran
Twenty red lights in his honor
Thank you Jesus, thank you lord

I had an arrangement to meet a girl, and I was kind of late
And I thought by the time I got there she'd be off
She'd be off with the nearest truck driver she could find
Much to my surprise, there she was sittin in the corner
A little bleary, worse for wear and tear
Was a girl with far away eyes

So if you're down on your luck
And you can't harmonize
Find a girl with far away eyes
And if you're downright disgusted
And life ain't worth a dime
Get a girl with far away eyes

Well the preacher kept right on saying that all I had to do was send
Ten dollars to the church of the sacred bleeding heart of Jesus
Located somewhere in Los Angeles, California
And next week they'd say my prayer on the radio
And all my dreams would come true
So I did, the next week, I got a prayer with a girl
Well, you know what kind of eyes she got

So if you're down on your luck
I know you all sympathize
Find a girl with far away eyes
And if you're downright disgusted
And life ain't worth a dime
Get a girl with far away eyes

"In a 1978 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jagger said, "You know, when you drive through Bakersfield on a Sunday morning or Sunday evening - I did that about six months ago - all the country music radio stations start broadcasting black gospel services live from L.A. And that's what the song refers to. But the song's really about driving alone, listening to the radio." On influences, Jagger stated "I wouldn't say this song was influenced specifically by Gram (Parsons). That idea of country music played slightly tongue in cheek - Gram had that in 'Drugstore Truck Drivin' Man', and we have that sardonic quality, too." Asked by the interviewer if the girl in the song was a real one, Jagger replied, "Yeah, she's real, she's a real girl."

2 comments:

M.'s Ramblings said...

When Tom and I were driving down to Phoenix from Seattle in March, we decided to stop and spend the night in Bakersfield. We were pushing it, till the gas tank was nearly empty, just assuming we'd get to a gas station wherever the signs said there'd be one. Big mistake. They need to update some of those signs along the freeway! I thought we were gonna end up stranded on one of those dusty roads....like in a horror movie!!!

Good thing my Matrix has kick ass gas mileage.

Fashion Serial Killer said...

oh man, that's always one of my biggest fears.. running out of gas in the middle of nowhere.. i'm so glad you guys made it back ok. ;o)