Came up on a worried man
Asked him if he had a light
He reached on down, dug in his shoe
Figured in his sock he might
He asked if he could come and join
At what we was partakin' in
I says, "Ol' soul if you got a match
You also got yourself a friend"
The smoke drew hard but laid in good
The neon gave us extra shine
We passed around a flask of Knockando
And a half litre bottle of wine
The worried man dropped down to his knees
And let out with a somber groan
He looked up to me and when I asked, he said
"I'm just restin' my bones"
I looked down at him, and him up at me
Then a smile rose above his chin
He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me down
Said, " Listen to me now my friend"
When I was your age I did it all
More than many men could do
Now my possessions are the ones I wear on my back
And this lighter I keep in my shoe
That's why I'm restin' my bones
I'm restin' my bones for the times I fell
Fell and hit myself on the ground
Restin' my bones for the loneliness
Of being the only genius around
I'm restin' my bones for prosperity
In hopes that it'll do me some good
I'm restin' bones from amphetamines
See they turned teeth to balsa wood
I'm restin' bones for Johnny Cash
'cause for me and mine he's wearin' black
I'll be restin' my bones for Elvis
I seen him last week at the track
If I'm restin' bones and you come along
Just try and tippy toe on by
Cause when I'm restin' bones I hope to sleep
And maybe slip away and die