each night you cake the make-up on, stare into your bedroom mirror
slip into your high heels, and feather out your hair
you head on down to the local lounge; and you're always tere by nine
to get a seat close to the stage, where you stay 'til closing time.,,
you'll be making eyes at the guitar man; you're not ashamed to be caught staring
he's like to do the same himself, with those skin tight clothes you're wearing
he\s lonely and bored, out on the road; he slips you an offstage wink
as soon as the band takes their first break, he'll ask to join you fr a drink
and your honky yonk heart keeps bouncing back, time and time again
where a wiser woman might wait a while, you just wade right in...
t's another man, anther country band, one more week long romance
you'll think he's singing just for you...while he's watching all the women dance
you've had your share of shallow affairs; a long string of one night stands\
it's been five years of the night life, since you took the ring off your left hand
ypu'll only half believe the lines, you've heard so many men before
still you look for better times ...behind those swingin' doors...
(and your honky tonk heart keeps bouncing back, time and time again...)
he's been working that backwoods circuit, waiting on that one big break...
wishing there ws some sure fire short cut, to frget a man's mistakes
it's the whisky talkin' when he whispers words of love into your ear
but you're well used to second best; it's all you need to hear...
(and your honky tonk heart keeps bouncing back...(...
...well... this song was my 'take' on the scene that I spent many nights (and afternoons)n playing the taverns and beer parlours where I learned hat little it is I know about \the music business'... my time spent learning and pursuing the 'honky tonk life' mst successfully (and that is a very relative term) wit my country dance band 'Bandanna!'... it could be seen as rather chauvinistic (and I'm sure it would be by some)' t seemed a reasonably accurate amalgam of many people (both audience and band members) that I encounteredi in my travels. I've heard women describe touring bands as \easy pickins' in that a week or two was as long as they would be in town. It was all a little over (or under) whelming for a folkie cowboy such as myself; with a few notable exceptions; and some precious few regrets. Leonard Cohen's line from 'Night in Santiago' comes to mind..."Although I've forgotten half my life; I still remember this...' I do remember a couple of the gals that sparked this lyric. I forgot the middle verse to this song this morning; but then I don't think I'd sung it this century.