Ballad of Billy Jo McKay
Escape from Small-Town Blues: Billy Jo's Journey
Lyrics
My name's Billy Jo McKay
Introduction of the narrator, Billy Jo McKay
I just turned 16 yesterday
Noting Billy Jo's recent 16th birthday
I'm gonna get the nerve one day to get outta here
Expressing the desire to leave the current situation someday
My ma passed on 3 years ago, they said it was cancer and it took her slow
Detailing the passing of Billy Jo's mother due to cancer
And ever since then I've been sayin' no to my daddy and my tears
Rejecting authority from the father since the mother's death
Now when you come down our road
Describing a particular location on the road
You gotta watch the bump right there across from the garbage dump
Highlighting a specific bump near the garbage dump
You can find me out back
Informing where to find the narrator
Jumpin' on the trampoline
Describing recreational activity on the trampoline
And in the springtime
Referring to a season and potential school skipping
We'll be skippin' scholl
Sharing a secret trip to Cantrell's swimming pool
We sneak off to the Cantrell's swimming pool
Introducing a friend, Darlene
Man, you can't get much cooler than me and my friend Darlene
Describing the narrator's coolness with Darlene
Now my grandaddy's hands are worn from 50 years of growin' corn
Depicting the physical toll on the grandaddy's hands
Back behind the house where I was born before he had to sell
Highlighting the family's agricultural background
And my cousin Eddie,
Mentioning a cousin, Eddie, who was shot in a parking lot
He got shot in the Walmart parkin' lot
Expressing the changes in the town
Yeah this little town's changed a lot,
Quoting Eddie's painful experience
He said it hurt like hell
Repetition of the narrator's name
My name's Billy Jo McKay
Setting the scene of a hot summer Saturday
It's a hot Mississippi summer Saturday
Describing the father and uncle drinking beer on the porch
Daddy's on the front porch with Uncle Dave drinkin' dixie beer
Reflecting on 16 years of boredom
16 years of being bored
Describing the narrator's readiness to leave
My window's open, forget the door
Open window symbolism, indicating a desire for change
Hope there's some gas in the
Expressing hope for gas in the old man's Ford for a getaway
Old man's ford cause I'm outta here
Reiteration of the narrator's decision to leave
I'm outta here, I'm outta here
Emphasizing the determination to leave
Maybe I'll go down to biloxi
Considering potential destinations (Biloxi)
Or maybe to new orleans
Considering other destinations (New Orleans)
Or maybe hotlanta
Considering another destination (Hotlanta/Atlanta)
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