john prine – illegal smile lyrics

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

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

last time i checked my bankroll, it was gettin’ thin
sometimes it seems like the bottom
is the only place i’ve been
chased a rainbow down a one-way street, dead end
and all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen

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, 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

- john prine lyrics