One night I drove to the mall to pick up my son Jarod from work. When I reached the intersection to enter the mall, I happened to be listening to Dave Matthews Band's new CD...the song was "Snow Outside."

The song was new to me so I had no lyrics to associate with it. The opening and primary acoustic guitar riff stuck in my head, but the words that made their way in with it ended up as the title of the lyrics below. Listen to the song while reading the title and I think you'll see they fit well together.

I wrote the lyrics into a journal I keep in my car. I had to wait only 10 minutes for Jarod, but had it completed by the time he got into the car.

I like the idea of turning 10 minutes of otherwise mindless time sitting in a car waiting, into a trip down a mental path on a treasure hunt and finding a gem.

Tryin’ To Shake The Devil Outta Me
9.17.2012

Hey now…
Tell me why my feet are swinging
Tell me why I can’t shake loose
Tell me why I hear angels singing
And why my head’s on
The wrong side of the noose

(chorus)
They’re just tryin’ to shake the devil outta me
They’re just tryin’ to shake the devil outta me
And the birds…
They’re tryin’ to eat all that I’ve seen
Take my eyes…
But they don’t know all that it means
I’m like the birds
And I don’t know all that it means

Tell me why I pay the hangman with my boots
Tell me why I can’t stop the pissin’ booze
Tell me why I’ve got no voice to sing the blues
And why my head’s on…
My head’s on the wrong side of the noose

I’ve got no fight in me left
My song began with a “Trouble” Clef
But now it ends here with this rope…
Here with this rope around my neck
Not even a rope can save me
The story of my life
Is old noose now
No, not even a rope can save me
Unless…

(repeat chorus)

I needed saving
They threw me a rope
But over a branch
Then around my neck
Still I don’t know all that it means
Must be tryin’ to shake the devil outta me

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