Fooled Me Once - Greg Brown
My Mama died when I was sixteen
She was shitfaced behind the wheel
They made me go to the graveyard
I would not pray or kneel
I don't pray to no god who takes your Mama
and leaves you in a house full of junk
with a stepdad who gets all lovey dovey
every time that he gets a little drunk
They fooled me once--I took it on the chin
But I'll be damned if they fool me again
Took off out of high school and joined the army
People said that ain't no place for a girl
People 'round here don't know what's going on
I wanted to see the world
All I saw was a hot flat field
and a sergeant the size of a sow
The only thing they taught me was how to run
Well let's see 'em try to catch me now
I met a guy and he talked real nice
and he looked good down on his knees
but now I'm the one who had the kid
and the one that lost the car keys
Now every time I fall in love
I only fall so far
Well they can have a piece of me
but they shouldn't try to take my car
So now I come dancing up to you
shaking 'em in your face
If you got a dollar, fish it out
and stick it in the right place
I need some things the same as you
and my expenses run high
Soon as I pay off this guy I owe
me and my kid are gonna fly
They fooled me once--I took it on the chin
But I'll be damned if they fool me again