Lyrics & Stories Tijuana Bible
Track 03
Jolly Johnny Junker
Dustin Welch, Super Rooster Music (SESAC); Mark Germino, Black Rhapsody Music (ASCAP)
You try to measure me, better use a slide ruleA chalked up cue and a case of cold duckI am your junkyard dog, I'm misunderstoodHiding neath the hood of a pickup truck
I can make you smile, lead you down a pathAnd if you do the math, you'd be calling the policeI am your good time man, a simple work of artSet to break your heart and put it back in one piece
ChorusWhen the rain falls down, I'll be washed down the boulevard heading into townWhen the big sky falls, I'll be running for the bunkers with a set of better lawsWhen the tar pits burn, I'll be swallowing the cinders, I'll readily confirmAnd when the church bells chime, I'll still be your Jolly Johnny Junker Two-Time
I am a shit-hot tramp with a burning breaker boxFrom the school of hard knocks I would suffer to admitI peel a wandering eye, it's red and full of sandI'm the type of man you gotta swallow by the bit
Repeat chorus
I pose a question now, it's loaded and it's lacedWith sorrow and disgrace but it's simple and directNow can you walk that walk, go dancing down the trackRaise the Union Jack and then fire for for effect
Repeat chorus
Played by
- Dustin Welchlead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Jeremy Nailelectric guitar, background and gang vocals
- Scotty Bucklinpiano, gang vocals
- Trisha Keeferviolin
- Steve Bernalbass, background and gang vocals
- Eldridge Goinsdrums, percussion, background and gang vocals
- Kayla Welchgang vocals
The story
Mark Germino made sure I could write a song by myself, saw to it personally, but in the four times we've written together, he's really hogged the page. However, it never really bothered me too much because he happens to be my absolute favorite songwriter of all time and I marvel at his imagination and skill. And don't you dare tell him I said that. He called me up after Whisky Priest was released and said something to the effect of, "Listen, I've got a song I started for you, because your set is missing this particular type of thing, and I'm here to solve all your problems." So, the next time I was in Nashville, I went over to his house and we sat down with it. I'd say, "Why don't we put something in there about a burning breaker box?" and he'd write a brilliant line around it. And so it went. He had the title line, and never to this day will tell me what the hell it means. I've got my own private explanation which makes perfect sense to me, but have no idea if it has anything to do with what he meant by it. No matter. I took his chord progression, substituted the 6m for the 1 chord, toughened it up a bit, straightened out the rhythm of the verses while still letting the chorus swing, and made it rightfully my own.