TALKING SWEET BYE AND BYE
© Greg Keeler 1987

Death Valley Days

Last night I was watchin the T.V.,
So drunk I was fixin' to nod.
I was watchin' replays of old "Death Valley Days"
And Ronnie that amiable fraud,
When I started to dream about high mountain streams
And meadows of undercut sod.
But I woke to James Watt on the midnight news slot,
And I'd swear that he looked just like God.

He held up a picture of Jesus.
He held up a picture of coal.
He held up a picture of a place in Montana
And asked if we'd sell him our souls.
Well I choked on my Rainer wonderin' what we'd all gain here,
Turnin' our prairies to clods.
James Watt said, "Don't worry, we ain't in no hurry.
It's all in the hands of God."

Well an eagle looks nice when it's climbin',
And water looks great when it falls.
They ain't half as substantial's Great Western Financial
Or a lake climbin' up canyon walls.
Hope you wasn't countin' on some crazy mountain
To keep you from becomin' a pod.
'Caus they're all body snatchers: James Watt, Orin Hatch or
Some fellow who looks just like God.