Tuesday Blues

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Bob Weir/Ratdog/Robert Hunter

Robert Hunter performed this in 2002 which he commented about it in his Road Journal for 30 April 2002:

"Last night was blues night. Got into some rhythms that were very satisfying. Superb audience. I got creative and, with their permission, did a song I wrote last year but never set to music, Tuesday Blues, and invented changes on the spot. Seemed to work. Fun."
Lyrics:
Tuesday blues, had them all week long
Started easy then they come on strong
Call me baby like you know you should
It ain't so bad it won't never get good
Brush off the [dust] and follow down
Like the green ashes in a tin can crown

Tuesday blues like a pistol chime
In an outdoor movie at the edge of time
So many choices, who can choose
Ain't just a question of win or lose
If you never find another like the other before
That's because they don't make them like that no more

Tuesday blues, walked all day with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues, still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Sweet Marguerita from the inner city
You're too smart and much too pretty
Sentimental lightning spins your wheels
But you won't explain just how that feels
Chop down the attitude, grant it fine
Lay it on the table, you're mine, oh mine

Locked in the attic with a ball and chain
Singing Tuesday blues to the tune of rain
Underneath the ocean with a rag-skin doll
On top of old Smokey where the four winds howl
Nothing in my heart never rang so true
No nothing except my love for you

Tuesday blues, walked all day with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues, still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round and round and round and round

Tuesday blues in a moment of doubt
When the stuff in the middle has inside out
Finds me sitting in a French cafe
High on the hill on Bulldog Day
Well the truth of matter, either is or seems
Like a red-headed tiger from the land of dreams
Something in the wine made me kneel and pray
Like a frightened sinner on judgement day
All the stars fell down from an angry sky
And the roof collapsed and the well went dry
Well I could not rise and I could not stand
Then your dog come up and bit my hand

Tuesday blues, walked all day with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues, still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round and round

I didn't complain till the fit was passed
Thinking each moment would be my last
Made me appreciate the Tuesday blues
And the black and blue color of a perfect bruise
Made me thank my lucky stars
For random scratches and well-healed scars

I was dozing in the trough like a basket case
When the Tuesday blues dropped in my face
Never saw them in the travel ad
You get them in paradise just as bad
As you do in the heart of a restless town
With a backstreet girl hanging upside down

Tuesday blues, walked all day with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues, still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round and round
Tuesday blues going round and round

Well the best damn music that I ever heard
From the passing window of a Thunderbird
I never learned the name of that song
But I remember the back beat all night long

Tuesday blues
Tuesday blues, walked all day with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues, still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Tuesday blues
It was then played by Ratdog on 14 October 2002, as a fragment sandwiched within "The Last Time":
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Monday morning, Tuesday blues
Word round here is the same old news
It was re-introduced by Ratdog in 2006 in a fuller version. Here is my stab at the lyrics, based on several slightly different versions - more recent versions are shorter and drop and re-order some verses:
Tuesday blues
Had them all week long
Take it easy
Come on, come on
Come on so strong
Come on so strong

Said, call me baby
Like you know you should
Feel so bad
Can't never get good
Never get good
Can't never get good

So brush off the [desert], let me follow you down
Like the cool flashes
In a tin can crown
In a tin can crown

Tuesday blues
Like a pistol chime
In a drive-in movie
At the edge of time
Edge of time
Edge of time

So many choices
Who can choose
Ain't just a question
Of win or lose
Win or lose
Win or lose

You can never find a lover like the other before
That's because they don't
They don't make them like that no more

Tuesday blues
Walked all the way with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues
Still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Something in the wine
Made me kneel and pray
Like a frightened sinner
On judgement day
On judgement day
Judgement day

Well the stars fell down
From an angry sky
Roof collapsed
And the well ran dry
Well ran dry
Well ran dry

Well I could not rise and I could not stand
'Cause when your dog come up
And it bit my hand

Tuesday blues
Walked all the way with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues
Still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Locked in the attic
With a ball and chain
Singing Tuesday blues
To the tune of rain
Tune of rain
Tune of rain

Uderneath the ocean
With the black-skin doll
On top of old Smokey
Where the four winds howl
Four winds howl
Four winds howl

Nothing in my heart never rang so true
Nothing except my love
My love for you
Love for you

Tuesday blues
Walked all the way with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues
Still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Best damn music I ever heard
From the passing window
Of a Thunderbird
Of a Thunderbird

Never did catch the name of that tune
Hear that back beat all night long

Tuesday blues
Walked all the way with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues
Still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Well I didn't complain
Didn't complain till the fit was passed
Thinking each moment
Could be my last
Be my last
Be my last

Made me appreciate
Tuesday blues
Black and blue color
Of a perfect bruise
Perfect bruise
Perfect bruise

Made me thank my lucky stars
For random scratches
Yes and well-healed scars

I was dozing in the trough
Basket case
With the Tuesday blues
Locked on my face
Locked on my face

Well they never showed
The travel ad
Get them in paradise
Or just as bad
Just as bad
Just as bad

As you do in the heart of a restless town
Backstreet girl
Hanging upside down

Tuesday blues
Walked all the way with a nail in my shoes
Tuesday blues
Still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round

Tuesday blues
Tuesday blues
Still looking for an offer I can't refuse
Open the paper
Same old news
Turn on the TV
Evening news
[?] with the Tuesday blues
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Broken hearts, dollar a pound
Tuesday blues going round and round
Going round and round
Going round and round

Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography

 


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