I'm a Mess - Rodney Crowell, Mary Karr

Once in a while I can feel the whole world spinning

My hair twist in the wind, I can’t find the brake

The clock on the dashboard is coiled like a snake

There’s years flying by me aAnd a wide open cliff

On wheels made of lightning, just barely a blip

If there’s room at the top for a loser, look out

The radio’s blasting a mean twist and shout

I’m a mess, at times like these

A man should take a blind-fold and smoke

Take a walk, take a drive

Take a kneel, take a dive

Take a month, take a year

Take a hike, disappear

Take it on faith, whatever you get

You just close your eyes, it won’t hurt a bit

The firing squad’s gathered, the Captain grins

All the change in my pocket won’t pay for my sins

I’m a mess, when I woke up

They’d strapped me in an MRI

Black dye in my veins, head Velcro-ed down

Foam happy slippers and a blue paper grown

The banging went on for an hour or more

Then they slipped me out like a boat onto shore

The technician with coffee was sporting a smile

That said, «God gave me wisdom but the devil’s got style»

I’m a mess, nothing less

I confess I’m a mess

Now I live in NY

The Babylon of neon fire

The rats on the third rail is smoking like char

The thunder storm hits and I flag down a car

On the screen in Times Square, I look like a wreck

And we lunge out of traffic tricking down through the spec

The hooded girl turns and says, «Look at who’s alive»

I say, «Boy you can’t scare me, just shut up and drive»

I’m a mess, oh god, yes

I confess, I’m a mess, I’m a mess