BLUE WING

HE HAD A BLUE WING TATOOED ON HIS SHOULDER
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BLUEBIRD I DON'T KNOW
BUT HE'D GET STONE DRUNK AND TALK ABOUT ALASKA
THE SALMON BOATS AND FORTY FIVE BELOW
SAID HE GOT THIS BLUE WING UP IN WALLA WALLA
AND HIS CELL MATE THERE WAS LITTLE WILLIE JOHN
WILLIE HE WAS ONCE A GREAT BLUES SINGER
AND WAILIN' WILLIE WROTE 'EM UP A SONG

CHORUS

SAID "IT'S DARK IN HERE I CAN'T SEE THE SKY
BUT I LOOK AT THIS BLUE WING AND I CLOSE MY EYES
AN' I FLY AWAY BEYOND THESE WALLS
UP ABOVE THE CLOUDS WHERE THE RAIN DON'T FALL
ON A POOR MAN'S DREAM"

THEY PAROLLED BLUE WING IN AUGUST OF 1963
HE MOVED NORTH PICKIN' APPLES TO THE TOWN OF WINACHEE
AND THEN WINTER FINALLY CAUGHT HIM
IN A RUN DOWN TRAILER BAR
FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF SEATTLE
WHERE THE DAYS GROW GREY AND DARK
AN' HE DRANK AND HE DREAMT A VISION
OF WHEN THE SALMON STILL RAN FREE
AND HIS FATHER'S FATHERS CROSSED
THAT WILD OLD BARING SEA
AND THE LAND BLONGED TO EVERYONE
AND THERE WAS OLD SONGS YET TO SING
AND NOW IT'S NARROWED DOWN TO A CHEAP HOTEL
AND A TATTOOED PRISON WING

CHORUS

WELL HE DRANK HIS WAY TO L A
THAT'S WHERE HE DIED
WHERE NO ONE KNEW HIS CHRISTIAN NAME
AN' THERE WAS NO ONE THERE TO CRY
BUT I DREAMT THERE WAS A FUNERAL
A PREACHER AN' A CHEAP PINE BOX
AND HALFWAY THROUGHT THE SERMON
BLUE WING BEGAN TO TALK

CHORUS