John Hiatt – Old Days lyrics

He was drinkin' that milk
With that Dewar's Whiskey
Said John,
There's nothin'
Written anywhere
Suggests the blues
Will set you free
Old days
Are comin' back to me

I was ridin'
In the back seat,
With Sonny Terry
Little harmonica player
Used to drive him around
I think his name was Harry
Tried to get him to eat tofu,
Raw vegetables, nuts,
And berries
But Sonny
Wasn't havin' any of it

He let me share a room with 'em
For a couple of weeks
Sonny slept with his good eye
Open staring out
From under the sheets
I was young and uncomfortable
I don't mind tellin' ya
Kinda gave me the creeps
Old days
Are comin' back to me

Old days
Are comin' back to me
Don't know what was
So good about 'em
I played practically free
I had nothin'
To live up to
Everywhere to be
Old days
Are comin' back to me

On some dates
With Mose Allison
Somewhere out in the Midwest
Said some of my lyrics
Reminded him
Of the poet Kenneth Patchen
I took it as a compliment
He was referring to the line
About wearin' neon signs
On your wounds
Later on
I knew what he meant
Old days
Are comin' back to me

On a date
With John Lee Hooker
At a packed
Joint up in Washington
He came in
With a gorgeous woman
On each arm
As I was singing my song
Walked 'em right up
And sat 'em
On the edge of the stage
As I went singing along
And that's called
"evenin' son,
I'm the headliner"

Old days
Are comin' back to me
I don't know what was
So great about 'em
I played practically free
But I had nothing
To live up to
And everywhere to be
Old days
Are comin' back to me

Played a gig
With John Hammond Jr.
Up in Vancouver bc
Exotic dancer came
In my dressing room,
Started dancing exotically
They were smoking something
In the audience that night,
Smelled exactly like cat pee
Old days are comin' back to me

Opened up a gig
For Gatemouth Brown
Down in Baton Rouge
He was playing
That Hillbilly, Jazz,
Cajun, Country
Zydeco, and Blues
Throwin' it
Out past the walls
Like some kind
Of musical centrifuge
Old days
Are comin' back to me

Old days
Are comin' back to me

I don't know what was
So good about 'em
I played practically free
But I had nothin'
To live up to
Everywhere to be
Old days
Are comin' back to me

Old days
Are comin' back to me
I don't know what was
So great about 'em
I played practically free
But I had nothin'
To live up to
Everywhere to be
Old days
Are comin' back to me
Old days
Are comin' back to me