We Picked a Fine Time to Leave El Nopalito
At a Tennessee truck stop about three a.m.
I was feelin’ real down and alone
When in walked a lady who looked so familiar
Just like a young woman I’d known
I said, “Howdy-do” and she sang, “Same t’you”
Her melody turned on a light
I said, “Years ago, did you go out to El Nopalito
For that open mic on Wednesday nights?”
I asked her to sit and I gave her a hit
From my bottle of Jack Daniel’s Black
We talked of a time that was many years gone
The memories sure took us back
Back to the stage and a fine bygone age
When songs were performed by our gang
We toasted that crew and the tunes that they knew
And these are the words that we sang
CHORUS:
We picked a fine time to leave El Nopalito
I sure loved their chiles and combo burritos
We heard some good songs
And we heard some bad songs
Then we sang, “Adios, muy amigos”
We picked a fine time to leave El Nopalito
Reminicin’ ’til dawn over coffee and yawns
We sang songs until we went hoarse
We swapped juicy stories of yesteryear glories
Who hooked up and who got divorced
We recounted past scenes like when George and Arlene
Used to belt rockabilly full blast
Those nights were the peak of the workaday week
I guess it was too good to last
REPEAT CHORUS
Dell sold the shop and he took to bar hoppin’
Tradin’ a song for a beer
Chris went on a mission to blend drums and fishin’
Larry’s been missin’ for years
Buck Stone and Murray made it big in a hurry
Jeff’s now a YouTube phenom
And Scott and his honey run a posh nudist col’ny
For senile hippies on Guam
REPEAT CHORUS
Our heads were both hurtin’ and we both knew for certain
It was high time to call it a wrap
My spirit revived, I felt strangely alive
But more likely I’d go home to nap
I gave her a hug and I felt that old tug
To go find me some new open mics
Sure, it’ll be great, but it won’t compensate
For the magic we shared Wednesday nights
REPEAT CHORUS
For El Nopalito Grill on the occasion of their last open mic, January 8th, 2014
Thanks for taking such good care of us!
Ross D. Martin, MD, MHA
© 2014 ACMImimi