Talkin' Money Tree

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Robert Hunter

Often paired with Friend Of The Devil in Hunter's solo performances. Introduced on at least one occasion in 1978 as "This is a song my cat wrote".

Late last night layin' in bed
I found an answer to all my ills
A great big tree growing green and free
Full of ten thousand dollar bills

Well, I went downtown to buy some wheels
Bought every car in town
Bought all the gas and all the oil
So we could all drive around

I bought ever big department store
And everything inside
You could back up your truck and fill it up
The doors were open wide

It was company policy
We did it all the time

I bought the park and I hired a band
To play every day for free
I bought the bars and the trolley cars
And the telephone company

You could call all day, say "How's it going?"
And never have to pay
Send telegrams to your wife and friends
Saying "You don't have to work today"

But after a while I got so bored
I just gave the whole thing back
All I kept was a bar and grill
By the northbound railroad track

You can fall by here any time of night
Or any time of day
The second cup of coffee's free
But the first one, you got to pay