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lyrics

Little Guys
by Slaid Cleaves / Karen Poston

I was in the first grade, I was pumping gasoline
Dad did the wrenchin and Momma kept the books clean
I could rebuild a carburetor
By the time I was twelve years old
I'll have you back on the road, get you back in your machine

B is for Butch, Evelyn is Momma's name
B&E Auto Service, just a block off Main
Coming up on forty years
All in all, not a bad career
But after we lost Dad things began to change

Each day there's a little less I recognize in my hometown
It's hard, watching the little guys going down

Oil and grime in the pores of my skin
Think of all the brake dust I've been breathin' in
I got a stack of new regulations
And high tech specifications
I can't keep up, too old to go to school again

Stop lights we had one, now there's four
And you can't see the shop from Main street anymore
There's a new H.E.B. 'cross town
But over here things are slowing down
As I turn out the lights, lock up my front door

Mom and pops like us don' t have a place in the world today
The little guy shops don' t stand a chance when the big guys start to play

The old men in town meet for coffee every day
If things go smooth I'll take my place come May
Or I could set up the navigation
Head out and see the nation
Instead of watching my old friends fade away

Each day there's a little less I recognize in my hometown
And it's hard, watching the little guys going down.
It's progress so they say but that don't mean I'm hanging 'round
'Cause it's hard, watching the little guys doing down

credits

from Ghost on the Car Radio, released June 18, 2017
drums and percussion: John Chipman
bass: Harmoni Kelley
electric and resonator guitars: Scrappy Jud Newcomb
Wurlitzer piano: David Boyle

produced by Scrappy Jud Newcomb

recorded by David Boyle at Churchhouse, East Austin, Texas

mixed and mastered by Fred Remmert, Austin, Texas

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Slaid Cleaves Wimberley, Texas

Modern day traveling folk singer. He’s telling your story. Writes and records songs that strike people’s hearts and become a part of their lives.

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