Quit Playin' That Guitar
Choosing Chords or Love: The Federales' Tale of Music and Sacrifice
Lyrics
Heading back home from Nashville after 30 days on the road
Returning home from a 30-day tour in Nashville
Too many drinks in the bar each night and too few tickets sold
Experiencing challenges with too many drinks and low ticket sales
Coming back home to my sweetheart and our king-size bed
Coming back to the singer's sweetheart and a king-size bed
But when I walked in the front door, this is what she said
Upon entering home, the sweetheart expresses dissatisfaction
“You'd better quit playin' that guitar
The sweetheart warns to quit playing the guitar
Choose it or me ‘cause I don’t see chords paying for a house and a car
Choosing between the guitar and the relationship due to financial concerns
You'd better quit writin' songs
Advising to quit writing songs
Otherwise, you'll wake up one morning and I’ll be gone”
Warning of a potential breakup if songwriting continues
So I went and sat at a desk in an office, working 50 hours a week
The singer takes a desk job, working 50 hours a week
Drinking bitter, lukewarm coffee in the morning and staring at a screen
Describing mundane aspects of the office job
Then I fell asleep in a 4-hour meeting after a midnight show downtown
Falling asleep in a meeting after a late-night show
I got dragged to the company courtroom and this is the sentence they handed down
Facing consequences in a company courtroom for negligence
“You'd better quit playin' that guitar
Receiving another warning to quit playing the guitar
Straighten up 'cause we don't know where your priorities are
Admonition to straighten up due to unclear priorities
You'd better quit writin' songs
A repeat warning to quit writing songs
One more slip and you'll push us too far and find yourself out of a job”
Threat of job loss if songwriting persists
I went home and I thought a little while, I had myself a beer
Reflecting at home and having a beer
Then I had another, and another to make sure my thinking was clear
Continuing to drink to clarify thoughts
Why am I doing all this workin' if I never get the chance to play?
Questioning the purpose of hard work without the chance to play music
So I’m breaking up with that girl and that day job and this is what I’ll say
Deciding to end the relationship and job to pursue music
“Hey darling, I’m still playin' this guitar
Informing the sweetheart that the guitar playing continues
I'm not sure just how compatible you and me are
Expressing uncertainty about compatibility
Hey bossman, I'm still singin’ these songs
Telling the boss that songwriting persists
And if you don't like it, maybe this job was wrong for me all along”
Suggesting that the job may not be the right fit
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