subterranean homesick blues

Singer:lumineers, the

johnny's in the basement

mixing up the medicine

i'm on the pavement

thinking about the government

the man in a trench coat

badge out

laid off

says he's got a bad cough

wants to get it paid off

look out

kid

it's somethin' you did

god knows when

but you're doin' it again

you better duck down the alley way

lookin' for a new friend

a man in a coon-skin cap

in a pig pen

wants eleven dollar bills

you only got ten

maggie comes fleet foot

face full of black soot

talkin' that the heat put

plants in the bed but

the phone's tapped anyway

maggie says that many say

they must bust in early may

orders from the da

look out

kids

don't matter what you did

walk on your tip toes

don't tie no bows

better stay away from those

that carry around a fire hos

keep a clean nose

watch the plainclothes

you don't need a weather man

to know which way the wind blows

ah

get sick

get well

hang around an ink well

hang nail

hard to tell

if anything is gonna sell

try hard

get barred

get back

write braille

get jailed

jump bail

join the army

if you fail

look out

kids

you're gonna get hit

by losers

cheaters

six-time users

hanging 'round the theaters

girl by the whirlpool is

lookin' for a new fool

don't follow leaders

watch the parkin' meters

ah

get born

keep warm

short pants

learn to dance

get dressed

get blessed

try to be a success

please her

please him

buy gifts

don't steal

don't lift

twenty years of schoolin'

and they put you on the day shift

look out

kids

they keep it all hid

better jump down a manhole

light yourself a candle

don't wear sandals

try to avoid the scandals

don't wanna be a bum

you better chew gum

the pump don't work

'cause the vandals took the handles

Lyric Context: subterranean homesick blues - lumineers, the