By: jimmy buffett
1970
Straight-laced leather-faced he rolled
In like he owned the two-bit town
Dollar bills bulging from his bell-bottomed jeans
The population they gathered ’round
Nothing this exciting since a fertilizer truck
Blew a front tire and landed in the creek
Everybody talkin’ everybody strainin’
Tryin’ to get a little peek
Chorus:
It’s just the world they’ll never know
Not a country fair side show
Reality they’ll somehow never see
He’s what they’ve tried to kill
With their bibles and their stills
But he’s not weird just a man that’s bein’ free
Payin’ for the gas he wickedly shouted thanks
And continued on his journey all once again
Just about the time a siren fast-approached and
The pot bellied sheriff he whizzed right in
With his self inflicted grammar started shoutin’
Accusations at the long haired greasy looking ape
While a local d.j. from the fifty watt station got
The whole damn thing on tape
Chorus:
It’s just the world they’ll never know
Not a country fair side show
Reality they’ll somehow never see
He’s what they’ve tried to kill
With their bibles and their stills
But he’s not weird just a man that’s bein’ free
The holy roller preacher told the eager congregation
That the devil had passed right through their nest
But the teenage girls with their locks in curls were
A talkin’ ’bout that hair upon his chest
Now the kids got their cookies while the preacher
Saved some souls and the story spread to everyone in sight
Commotion was the word and everybody heard
He was gone before the night
Chorus:
It’s just the world they’ll never know
Not a country fair side show
Reality they’ll somehow never see
He’s what they’ve tried to kill
With their bibles and their stills
But he’s not weird just a man that’s bein’ free