One of the songs Will recorded solo and posted on Soundcloud (see also “Little Boom Tonight“), written in his “back to the ranch” phase when he returned to West Texas for a while after living in Austin for years.
As I’ve explained before, some of the lyrics I transcribe on the blog here are just my best guesses on Will’s actual phrasings. Hear it however you wish — Will won’t mind. He’s just happy you’re listening.
Went down in the Greyhound station,
Such a sad salutation —
Someone leaving someone for a while…
And there’s just this girl in the line there
And her ribbons and her straight auburn hair
Curve in her eye, an Irish, Irish smile
I could make a move and I consider that.
I see her down the aisle and tip my absent hat.
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Sat with the Irish girl on the bus
I tune in the game, I hear them discuss
The quarterback got banged around on a third down play.
Then he scored on a fourth down run,
The Irish girl asked me if somebody won.
I introduce myself and run out of things to say.
She said a little shyly, “I bet you like getting headphones when it gets cold at night.”
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
She says I shouldn’t smoke
As I did at a break.
I lit a cigarette and said,
“This ain’t a mistake.”
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…
Playing hurt…repeat
Buller's back porch 