TomFlannery.com

I sent these lyrics to my friend, guitarist and songwriter Neil Luckett from Britian, way back on 2007 (Myself and Neil were both involved in a Warren Zevon tribute CD, and Neil did a version of “Mutineer” that was the highlight of that record for me). 

It’s my favorite songwriting collaboration to date. I hope we can work on more.

Neil Luckett – vocals and guitar

MIA
(Flannery/Luckett)

She went to the cupboard but the cupboard was bare
so she went and cut off her long flowing hair
she laid down between the ground and the sky
looked straight ahead and never asked why
expected little and received even less
her mini-skirt came from cutting her dress
frayed at the edges and torn at the seams
desperation leads to extremes

Discarded bottles a railroad track
fighting that monkey on her back
the conductor smiles then he shakes his head
’cause she left her ticket back under the bed
back where her man’s boots used to be
caked with the sod of another shrill plea
she rolled towards him one night and instead hit the floor
and now she forgets what she needed him for

But what does it matter when you get down to it
a place to lay down, and a soft spot to sit
she tells herself this, then she cries like a child
who’s been left in the dark, scorned and reviled
So take this all down, so the record is clear
the coast might be too…but it may not be near
love’s a backhand across the mouth
as it rolls on away…to points due south

Is she just a collection of assorted loose parts
out of warranty….out of broken hearts
a beat down jalopy…just another used car
always destined to not get very far
this world’s a place that can swallow you whole
scorned for the capture…not for what you stole
tell me what’s she supposed to say
when she gets the news….that he’s MIA

Old Lynn Concerts – 2/8/2014

Mickey Mantle
In Lieu of You
12 O’Clock Whistle
Don’t Kill My Heart
That’s What He/She Said