Grant Peeples: Music
Down Here In The County (click for lyrics)
(A slap at neo-country music's sentimentality about life in the rural south.)
There's a shopping cart at the new Wal-mart, full of kids and plastic bags
Their mama's buying shit that they don't need, with the money that she don't have
Cutting life close to the bone
With an ass as wide as their mobile home
Screaming at her kids, "better leave me alone
You don't wanna make me mad"
Its like Fellini, but with a creamey shot of Cheez-Wizz
Yea, now that's how it is….down here in the county.
Well the mama's gotta man but he ain't the dad of narin one of them kids
He comes around, they fool around, now she's knocked up again
Runny nose, second hand clothes
Picking up cans on the side of the road
Buy a lottery ticket, see how it goes
Well, you gotta play to win
Its so Faulknarian, though less egalitarian
Yes, now that's how it is….down here in the county
Well I'm only singing bout what I'm seeing, see I ain't been here too long
It's pretty pathetic but its mighty poetic so its good material for song
Its Flannery O'conner, minus humor and redemption
This county's like the country; a republican invention
Well the County Commission's all gone fishing and the Sheriff's cutting the bait
In a quick little while they've all made a pile dealing in the Real Estate
Subdivide an old corn field
Brother-in-law's in on the deal
Just cook the books and cop a feel
Then roll the dice and wait.
Its Reaganomics, with more histrionics
Yes now that's how it is….down here in the county.
God's creation's a fast food nation with everybody's bellyin up
There's burgers, fries and thunder thighs and cellulite and such
Jesus nailed up on the cross
Family values and a mullet toss
A dozen shrines to Dale Earnhardt
And a lot of talk of blood
Kinda Kafkaesque but with that crystal meth
That's just how weird it gets……down here in the county
Well I'm only singing bout what I'm seeing, see I ain't been here too long
It's pretty pathetic but its mighty poetic so its good material for song
Its Flannery O'conner minus humor and redemption
This county's like the country; a republican invention