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When I woke up this morning, things were lookin' bad
Seem like total silence was the only friend I had
Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down... and won
And it was twelve o'clock before I realized
That I was havin' no fun
[Chorus]
But fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
It don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone
No I'm just tryin' to have me some fun
Last time I checked my bankroll,
It was gettin' thin
Sometimes it seems like the bottom
Is the only place I've been
I Chased a rainbow down a one-way street dead end
And all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen
[Chorus]
Well, I sat down in my closet with all my overalls
Tryin' to get away
From all the ears inside my walls
I dreamed the police heard
Everything I thought... what then?
Well I went to court
And the judge's name was Hoffman
Ah but fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
It don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone
No I'm just tryin' to have me some fun
Well done, hot dog bun, my sister's a nun
Seem like total silence was the only friend I had
Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down... and won
And it was twelve o'clock before I realized
That I was havin' no fun
[Chorus]
But fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
It don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone
No I'm just tryin' to have me some fun
Last time I checked my bankroll,
It was gettin' thin
Sometimes it seems like the bottom
Is the only place I've been
I Chased a rainbow down a one-way street dead end
And all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen
[Chorus]
Well, I sat down in my closet with all my overalls
Tryin' to get away
From all the ears inside my walls
I dreamed the police heard
Everything I thought... what then?
Well I went to court
And the judge's name was Hoffman
Ah but fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
It don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while
Won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone
No I'm just tryin' to have me some fun
Well done, hot dog bun, my sister's a nun
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It sounds like he had a bad LSD trip, in the beginning he says he's having a crappy day so he decides to drop acid (which is an obvious mistake for someone experienced with LSD to make) then he gradually progresses through the story ending up in his closet where he experiences irrational paranoia and delusions.
The chorus of the song seems to take defense of the drug
The randomness at the end seems just like an LSD sort of thing too. Hot Dog Bun, My Sister's a Nun. Lots of people tripping their nuts off will say strange things, I've seen people recite their ABC's, list different types of cars for 3 hours, or simply just say anything that rhymes rapid fire.
Also an "illegal smile" moment to Ted Kooser... I read that as "I was stoned out of my mind when I wrote this."
Either way it's a good song...but definitely about drugs whether he'll admit it or not. If it was just vague references within the lyrics it'd be another story but everything is explicitly stated in the song and parallel with a heavy psychedelic intoxication of some sort.
Regarding Prine's denials about this song, does anyone have the verbatim quote? Did he deny that it was about drugs period, or did he make what TVTropes.org calls a "suspiciously specific denial" by saying it wasn't about weed specifically? If the latter, that adds credence to the LSD theory.
you don't think he smoked weed?
He's got an "illegal smile" for a reason...
Well, this song can be interpreted any way you like, but JP never wrote it as a drug song. I know because I share his ideas about "escapism." I often drift into one of many other worlds where I find peace of mind, action, love, or whatever it is I need at the moment - and you can see me with an illegal smile. My gf goes like, "What are you smiling at." And it's an illegal smile because the world is a prett sh*tty place sometimes and I guess you shouldn't smile when the six o'clock news (see, I made a JP reference...) tells of disasters and murders across the globe.
But, by any means, smoke your socks and sing this song if it makes you happy.
you don't think he smoked weed?