James McMurtry - Memorial Day Lyrics

Mama keeps tryin? to get the game on the radioDaddy?s gotta know the score

There?s a big yellow thing on a flat bed trailer

Wonder what that thing?s forWe got towels rolled up in the back seat window

Keeping us out of the sunJust a hundred more miles and we?ll be at grandma?s

Sure is gonna be fun

Maybe she?ll take us fishin?

Maybe she?ll bake us a pieRemember like she did that one time

Back before grandpa died


It?s Memorial Day in America

Everybody?s on the road

Let?s remember our fallen heroes

Y?all be sure and drive slow


Ninety eight degrees in the shade of the tool shed

Can?t go back in the house

They?re all in the kitchen yellin? ?bout something

Don?t know what it?s about

Joey ?n Mary said not to worry

Said it?s just the same old figh

tHappens whenever they all get together

Everything?s really alright


It?s Memorial Day in America

This is how it?s supposed to be

Let?s remember our fallen heroesIn the land of the free


Daddy?s in the big chair sippin? on a cold beer

Grandma?s cuttin? a switch

She overheard Mary cussin? her brother

Called him a son of a bitch

She got a good green limb off a sweet gum sapling

Man that?s bound to sting


But Mary don?t cry just stands there and takes it

Doesn?t seem to feel a thing

No Mary don?t cry, you know she?s a big girl

Wonder what made her so mad

She takes those licks looking in through the den door

Staring right straight at her dad


There?s a big yellow thing on a flat bed trailer

Daddy nearly hit that bird

They?re both in the front seat

Starin? right straight ahead

Neither one saying a word

The sun?s going down in the rear view mirror

Gonna be driving all night

Wonder if the neighbor?s fed the canary

Wonder if the cat?s alright