Lyrics I'm a Mess - Rodney Crowell, Mary Karr

I'm a Mess

Once in a while I can feel the whole world spinning
My hair twist in the wind, I can’t find the brake
The clock on the dashboard is coiled like a snake
There’s years flying by me aAnd a wide open cliff
On wheels made of lightning, just barely a blip
If there’s room at the top for a loser, look out
The radio’s blasting a mean twist and shout
I’m a mess, at times like these
A man should take a blind-fold and smoke
Take a walk, take a drive
Take a kneel, take a dive
Take a month, take a year
Take a hike, disappear
Take it on faith, whatever you get
You just close your eyes, it won’t hurt a bit
The firing squad’s gathered, the Captain grins
All the change in my pocket won’t pay for my sins
I’m a mess, when I woke up
They’d strapped me in an MRI
Black dye in my veins, head Velcro-ed down
Foam happy slippers and a blue paper grown
The banging went on for an hour or more
Then they slipped me out like a boat onto shore
The technician with coffee was sporting a smile
That said, «God gave me wisdom but the devil’s got style»
I’m a mess, nothing less
I confess I’m a mess
Now I live in NY
The Babylon of neon fire
The rats on the third rail is smoking like char
The thunder storm hits and I flag down a car
On the screen in Times Square, I look like a wreck
And we lunge out of traffic tricking down through the spec
The hooded girl turns and says, «Look at who’s alive»
I say, «Boy you can’t scare me, just shut up and drive»
I’m a mess, oh god, yes
I confess, I’m a mess, I’m a mess