Kevin Johnson - Sunday Driver

Lyrics and Album Notes

Imitation of Wife (Kevin Johnson)

A venture into short story fiction, about a guy who has a crush on his wife's best friend. Find the hidden Beatles lick and win a prize. Both Dave and Scott contribute guitar work to this one--Dave does the chunking rhythm throughout, and Scott is manning the electric twelve-string. New pop vistas for the venerable dobro solo as well.

She doesn't walk with her head hung down She doesn't live on the other side of town We both know her very well We take her out to eat sometimes She says she might bring a friend sometime We both know her very well But every night I find it hard remembering her name Or why I build this house of cards again and again So I can sleep at night My imitation of wife She drives to work and I take the train She picked me up one time walking in the rain We both know her very well She has a fight with her ex-boyfriend We say we're not so sure about him We both know her very well I watch her house go burning down in cartoon flames A guilty spouse parked in his car in the fire lane I'd better say goodnight My imitation of wife And every night I find it hard remembering her name So I will build my house of cards again and again So I can sleep at night My imitation of wife

Blue Line Blues (Kevin Johnson)

A venture into short story non-fiction. The past lives on--and on, and on.

A lyric from this one, "full moon in the daytime," was an early choice for an album title, but "Sunday Driver" (a song that hasn't been written yet, but will be, damn it) won out. Find the George Jones lyric and win a prize. This one was a bear to get right in the studio. In performance, it tends to be big, electric and loud, but on record I wanted to go for more of a soul feel. I'm not sure what happened in the end, but I like it.

Are you afraid of me? Maybe you need to be Maybe being scared to death Is an effect you get From the light that's shining down The light that's shining down When did your uptown squeeze Turn into Mister Freeze? When did the sun in the sky Become a full moon in the daytime? And sure as I love the one I'm with I love the one I left behind And sure as I walk this world with you I walk the blue line sometimes Are you afraid to say? Maybe I'm in your way Whistle your lonesome tune The man in the full moon Is the light that's shining down The light that's shining down

Always Raining on My Street (Scott McKnight)

On a regular basis, I like to steal songs from Scott so that people will have a reason to buy our records. Scott's version of this little classic can be found on his solo debut, It Works for Me. Scott was recently delighted to discover an article in The Onion (http://www.theonion.com) titled, "Country songwriter searching for lyric to rhyme with 'shove you.'" Can do! I'm particularly proud that we hauled guitar God Bill Kirchen in to do his favorite thing on this one--play trombone. The Grandsons' Alan MacEwen plays the other part on trumpet, and the horn arrangement is by Scott.

You're looking for an explanation I think I need a long vacation, need a vacation I think I've earned my ration I'm not complaining, I'm just explaining Why it's always raining on my street It's like a job where you get no money It's a joke but it's not that funny, not that funny So why're you laughing, honey? I'm not complaining, I'm just explaining You see, it's always raining on my street You see I need you, but I won't shout about it So what you think now? Now you found out about it I wanna love you, but I won't shove you And I won't put you out about it I'm thinking I could be your fella Do you think you could be my umbrella Think it's amore? Sing faita bella You've got what it takes to dry up the lakes Hey, from all this raining on my street

The Bad Old Days (Kevin Johnson & Dave Chappell)

This is one of the first tunes I ever wrote, way back in 1987. Mary Chapin Carpenter actually recorded it for her first record, Hometown Girl, but it unfortunately never saw the light. I kept it shelved for a long time after that because it really needed a guitar riff. So last year, I told Dave Chappell we could split the writing credits if he could write a good one for it. He came through, as usual, with flying colors. It's nice to finally have it committed, and also to be playing it out again.

Well, I was doing fine, headed home on a Tuesday When that exit of yours pulled me right off the freeway I parked out front and I slept till dawn Turned on the radio and drove on home When I ain't careful, I sure start to miss you When my friends ain't home, or I run out of things to do My heart's starting to stain my sleeve But I don't let it bother me 'Cause I don't need you now I live alone with the sense I've found And I wish you well, baby, but I have to say That I don't miss the bad old days I'll be all right, I'll do what I have to Just to keep my brain ten thousand miles from you I'll cry at night and fall asleep at dawn I'll put another pot of coffee on Guess I fell in love looking over my shoulder And I spent those days in and out of luck with her I gambled my heart every day She beat my hand and I could not pay And I don't need you now I can't follow up for standing down And I wish you well, baby, but I have to say That I don't miss the bad old days

Memphis USA (Kevin Johnson)

I'm particularly fond of this one, because every single word is true and every detail is right. When I was a kid--in Van Buren, Arkansas--we lived in a split-level black & white house, and across the street was a golf course. The corner we lived on was a big thoroughfare, and the headlights would walk across my wall all night long. I had a pair of those giant conical headphones, and after I was put to bed, I would regularly listen in to AM radio from Memphis, to all the stuff that was "weird" back then, like Uriah Heep, Savoy Brown, Ted Nugent, and early Pink Floyd, as well as the soul station, which pumped Rufus Thomas, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and honorary soul man Van Morrison. The reference to the truck stops is the truest of all--if you ever cross the bridge of light from Memphis, TN into West Memphis, AR, you will see the biggest gathering of truck stops in the United States. Prove me wrong, somebody.

Jonathan Gregg took the train down from NYC, fresh from a Jeff Beck concert, and played guitar accordingly.

Turn down the volume on the radio Cross the river on a bridge of light To hear Van Morrison sing 'Domino' Truck stops gather on the western side The house I'm living in is black and white Across the street the grass is mowed-down green My walls are painted on with big headlights And the words are floating way up above me On a wave Through the four-quarter nighttime Far away From the corner of my mind To Memphis USA Here in the land of opportunity I am looking for a better day And along the banks of the Mississippi A pretty lady sings a song for me

Heart of Spanish Leather (Kevin Johnson)

She really does have a beautiful heart. The most beautiful one you ever saw.

You're supposed to think that's me playing the harmonica, but I'm afraid it's not. Charlie Chesterman stopped in to do the honors, and man am I glad he did.

She has the eyes of an angel And a heart of Spanish Leather Worn down by a thousand towns Run ragged on the rail It beats in time with the ages And it reads 'forsake me never' But I've forsaken and I have gone And I will stay far gone away There on the border by her house I used to wait And from the corner of her mouth I used to run away But trouble don't last for long now Not like the days we were together You know, it stays awhile then goes And she will speak not of the pain The hands that tore that heart in two Can't put the pieces back together Of the heart of Spanish leather

Going to See Louise (Kevin Johnson)

Dedicated to anyone who's ever taken the long way home.

The performance on this one was a single live take, with only the organ and guitar flourish added later.

I took the long way home South on Highland, and west on Lee And twice around the stadium You know, she still turns me on I go to sleep standing up on my feet But I'm falling down all day Falling down I sing to you so sweet He's going to see Louise You always welcome me home Little kisses and words of love Shaking down my martyrdom You write it out in neon And if the rain is turning into sleet I would stand out there all day Standing down I'm sinking into sleep He's going to see Louise

Baby, Let's Go Downtown (Kevin Johnson)

Dedicated to those who still believe that drinking can solve problems. Give me a call and let's go have one.

Recorded Beatles-style with single takes until we got one right. It was Take Number 4.

Baby, let's go downtown You're talking on and on Lord, and I don't care Just a bag of improper nouns Let's leave 'em on the porch and get out of here I want to put a shot of Maker's Mark Down into the bottom of my wrecked-up heart Breathe the smoke in with the air Hand 'em all my money and we're out of there And baby, let's go downtown This house is like a boat on a lake of fire And we're frying, baby, while we drown Bleeding all around from some bad barbed wire I want to show you how you ain't so smart When you tell me how we got where we are Pull you over to me dear And tell you all the things I can't tell you here And baby, let's go downtown We'll do the avenue up and down real slow We can let our demons run around Run 'em down low Come on, let's go I want to put a shot of Maker's Mark Down into the bottom of my wrecked-up heart Pull you over to me dear And tell you all the things I can tell you there

Good for Nothing (Peter Gilstrap)

It was such a pleasure to record this tune, which has lingered undeservedly in obscurity for much too long. Penned by one-time D. C. resident Peter Gilstrap, who started in The Neighbors (with Scott McKnight and John Moremen), and who is now in Los Angeles and can be experienced as the cartoon voice (and writer) of Adventure Men (http://www.ifuse.com/adventuremen) and creator of Jesus of the Week (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/extra/gilstrap/jesus.html). Peter also played for awhile with Mother May I, whose drummer Rob LeBourdais can be found singing backing vocals. We stole a song from Peter in support of our first record, Memphis for Breakfast ('Dig') as well.

Jonathan Gregg went to lunch, came back and channeled some Al Anderson for the guitar solo.

When you read what I've written Is what I read, she wrote You'll know why I left In case you don't So I got my reading glasses And I got my reading drink And I've read it now, I'll tell you what I think You say I'm good for nothing Honey, since you're nothing Honey, I must be good for you Refrigerator's cold and empty Like her words and like my heart And I feel like crying, but I don't know where to start And I ain't no child molester Though I ain't nobody's pope But the same thing goes for her And that's no joke If I could bend your ear Then I would say what you should hear If you could read my mind Then you would know what I had hoped you'd always find One day I hope I'll wake up And I hope you'll be right there But I'm sure you won't Just as sure as you don't care

Daddyville (Kevin Johnson & Chris Hart)

I wrote this one with Baltimore friend and writer Chris Hart. No matter what I tried, it kept turning out to be really short. Hopefully you will find the acceptance with its length that I eventually did. Marshall Crenshaw used to say that the perfect song would be 45 seconds long--mission accomplished.

I wish it was easier I wish I knew the first thing about pleasing her We'd go back to Daddyville Fly down bicycle hill Don't worry, I've got the bill You've been working hard all day

Rocks for Dinner (Kevin Johnson)

This one came from a stray thought that fell from Scott McKnight's brain while driving down to Richmond some years back. His lyric had more to do with monkeys and fish, and fun hijinx at sea. Of course, I had to turn into a really serious relationship song. I would have given Scott co-writing credit, but his name is just all over the place these days, and I fear for him being over-exposed. There is a live version of this tune on The Purple CD, but I wanted to get it on this record because it fit so well.

I work all day and you do too My mouth ain't got the strength to move Into a smile or a way to say I sure do love you, baby Still, I ain't so sure What your plans for me are I know that you love me But you love in a twisted way And I'm sinking without a sound Rocks for dinner every day Bring a good man down I reckon that this day will bring Another day of reckoning Of raising hands up to the sky And watching sacrifices fry At the altar of the queen Of the way we're feeling It's of thee I sing While Hollywood falls to its knees We're making movie history Comfortable shoes, laced up and tied Nobody cares, nobody tries And in the story so far What a chapter we are

Alright (Scott McKnight)

Dedicated to working musicians making excuses everywhere.

Yes, my dear Alright, alright I can hear all right, all right I've got to go hang up the phone 'Cause I've been here all night And when I'm gone all night, all night For a song, all night Sometimes you know, there's hell to pay And still I say, alright I'm coming home, Alright, alright? Go and hit the sack now Sleep tight, sleep tight Don't be mad and don't be scared I'll get there all right