Waitin' for the Bus/ Jesus Just Left Chicago
ZZ Top
~~*~~
Have mercy, been waitin' for the bus all day
Have mercy, been waitin' for the bus all day
I got my brown paper bag and my take-home pay
Have mercy, old bus be packed up tight
Have mercy, old bus be packed up tight
Well, I'm glad just to get on and home tonight
Right on, that bus done got me back
Right on, that bus done got me back
Well, I'll be ridin' on the bus till I Cadillac
----
Jesus just left Chicago
And he's bound for New Orleans
Well now, Jesus just left Chicago
And he's bound for New Orleans
Workin' from one end to the other and all points in between
Took a jump through Mississippi
Well, muddy water turned to wine
Took a jump through Mississippi
Muddy water turned to wine
Then out to California through the forests and the pines
Ah, take me with you, Jesus!
You might not see him in person
But he'll see you just the same
You might not see him in person
But he'll see you just the same
You don't have to worry 'cause
Takin' care of business is his name
~~*~~
My brother Mark was the funniest person I ever knew.
Easily as funny as the funniest big-time comedian.
Many times I'd encourage him to book a date in some comedy
club in Denver and give it a go.
He never did.
He died in 2013 at the age of 50 from advanced cirrhosis of the liver
brought on by a lifetime of acute alcoholism and drug abuse.
His life, from his very first breath, was hell on Earth.
Abused by his father, neglected and abused by his sisters,
he and I never could connect.
I was the athlete, the golden child,
and we locked horns all the time.
I hope that wherever he is, he is free of addiction,
and free of the massive traumas our so-called "father"
inflicted on him.
I think of him all the time.
Where does ZZ Top come into all this,
and more specifically these gritty, top-of-the-line rock/blues
songs by the iconic Texas trio?
Well, Mark would get high, and if these songs came on,
he'd go into serious air guitar mode.
You're not laughing at that,
and maybe you shouldn't.
Everybody does air guitar, right?
Not like Mark they don't.
It was ... something awesome, and hilarious, to see.
I have memories of those moments that are still crystal-clear to me,
decades later.
Mark--wherever you are, brother,
know that I love you.
~~*~~
Digital Art: Signpost by yours truly
Comments ()