Big Rude Jake Speak Easy
Cattin’ around after hours, Speak Easy, my friend, Speak Easy: I heard a cadence in the rhythm, And in the rumble down in the street. And sweet chorus comes to mind: Speak Easy, my friend, Speak Easy, As the swaggered slack in my staggered step Gives into a melody.
(Chorus)
And it ain’t ‘cause I’m lazy, baby:
It’s just there’s nothin’ that I wanna do.
‘Cause nothin’ seems worth doing,
If I gotta do it without you.
And I know your angry and I know you ache,
But Speak Easy, my friend, Speak Easy,
And an ember glows inside your coat,
And Sizzles next to your heart.
You’re just like all the rest of us,
In this Speak Easy, my friend, Speak Easy,
Hang dog blue and out of breath,
Beat down and out, clear right the start.
Chorus
Throw back your head,
And swing wild at the moon:
Eye-tothes and crazy,
And torn up in rage.
Ring out your guts like a dirty old rag,
‘Till the tears burn furrows
from your eyes down you face.
(Then) Pull up and chair and raise a glass,
And Speak Easy, my friend, Speak Easy.
Some day, some day, we’ll be happy again,
For tonight we rest fallow in the blues.
And I know and old whiskey barrel
Speak Easy, my friend, Speak Easy,
And a song we used to sing there,
And a girl that I once knew.
And a song we used to sing there,
And a girl that I once knew.
And nothing seems worth doing,
If I gotta do it without you.
