25 to Life

 

Been a while since I've talked about a song on this blog, so I thought I'd share this one...

If you have Apple Music, you can hear it here - 25 to Life

If you don't have it, you can also hear it here - YouTube

So - on to the lyrics... The hook absolutely caught me!

Momma wouldn't let me be a cowboy Couldn't pass in medicine and such

So here I am counting barrels Good ol' West Texas sludge

Okay - my first thought was he wanted to be a cowboy but, as we know, "Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys..." So he's working an oil field, right?

(side note - that link is to Ed Bruce, the original writer, along with his wife. As a songwriter myself, I like to hear the original intent... Remind me to share Poncho and Lefty with you sometime...)

But I'd rather be an outlaw Riding like Bonnie and Clyde

Instead I'm in this here high rise Doing 25 to life

Wait - he's in an office!?!?

This room is feeling like a cage Counting the numbers of my long and lonesome days

I punch out in fits of rage I gotta get out of this place

Yep - sounds like he's trapped for sure!

I could be out on the prairie Under the stars at night

Sitting with a guitar round a campfire Singing devil wears a suit and tie

My first thought is something like Roy Rogers sitting around a campfire. I've been known to play my guitar around a fire, too, back in the days when we used to go camping with friends. I'm a little old and broken for it now, but I very much enjoyed tent camping! Now we have a fire pit we can sit at out in the back yard, and I always have a guitar with me...

But I'd rather be an outlaw Riding like Bonnie and Clyde

Instead I'm in this here high rise Doing 25 to life

I pull this mask up on my face I'm back in my happy place

Riding again with the old gang Stealing hearts and taking names

Chorus again then a note about being an outlaw. Does he truly want to be a Bonnie & Clyde bank robber? I think it's more about the feeling of being free. Riding again with the old gang could just be old friends remembered in a more carefree time. The mask might not be an outlaw mask, but the 'face' he wore so long ago. Stealing hearts instead of money, taking names instead of jewelry. So many ways to 'read' that!

Then he changes the Chorus/Refrain...

But I'd rather be an outlaw Darlin', oh you'd be my side

We'd ride off into the sunset Doing 25 to life

You could be my Bonnie I would be your Clyde

We would not worry for money Into the sunset we'd ride

Doing 25 to life

It's clear he has a love interest, or at least the memory of one. Either way he's longing to just get out and away. Man! It's deep! The feeling of being trapped in an office building is very, very real.

Any interest in hearing the stories of some songs I've written? Comment and let me know...