Sheila

©1975 Andrew Calhoun, recorded onWater Street and Phoenix Envy

wrote this the same night as "Gabriel".


"If I had the chance, I'd leave that bastard"
Sheila said as she folded the steak knife in the mustard
We sat together in her hot, greasy kitchen,
I was eatin' chicken, and Sheila was bitchin'.

She said, "I don't know why I stay around
Working my body down into the ground"
And she looked at the seams comin' apart on her purse
Like it was some great mistake of hers

She said, "You know, he doesn't give a shit about me.
He's got a temper like TNT
If he ain't hot one minute, he's cold
I swear sometimes, he's two years old"

Sheila cussed about the heat and the price of meat
She said, "I'd be better off walking the street,
And I never would worry 'bout the rent no more"
When all of a sudden, there was her husband,
He was lookin' at her through the door.

Rick said, "Look Sheila, I get home from a hard day's work,
And here you are telling your life to this jerk."
And he looked at his wife, and he looked at his kid
Like it was some great mistake of his.

Then the baby started crying, and they both began to yell
That kitchen was one flight up from Hell,
My fingers started shaking and my back turned to wood,
I left just as quiet and graceful as I could.

I watch the light drain from the evening as I walk back down the line
And I still can hear 'em fighting, and the baby crying
And the headlights shine, and I go blind
To some great mistake of mine.


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