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Midnight On Main Street

from Quarantine Kitchen by Jim Ballard

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about

Originally written for my third album, Into The Heartbeat, I rethought this one and we made a new studio version of it on GOOD BONES. This is our coffee house basement version. Its a mini tour of my childhood neighborhood, including some of the characters who lived there.

lyrics

Midnight On Main Street © Jim Ballard 1982, 2018

On the rainsoaked ransacked hardpacked street
where the steamin stone sidewalk pounds hard against your feet
and the words of love lie forever in concrete
and a thousand different sounds all make one drivin beat

In the oilcan blackness in the neon glare
where the buses crawl by leavin diesel in the air
and the ladies on the corner make you stop and stare
its alright its alright its alright there

Its midnight on main street
gotta sing it right gotta play it sweet
its midnight on main street
midnight
midnight

Now the king’s cruisin losin everything on four wheels
the joker is a smoker and the queen isn’t real
the jack and his smack says he’s ready to deal
while the sidewalk saviour’s bout to help you to heal

And Whiskey Dick the Fatman is glad to take your bet
you can get rich quick but you ain’t rich yet
and a handful o wishes boy is all that you get
when you’re clean outta jack he won’t let you forget

Its midnight on main street
gotta sing it right gotta play it sweet
its midnight on main street
midnight
midnight

Now the vacant lot ladies in the backroom bars
cling to the tails of the sidewalk stars
the saxophone sounds on the car radio
and the dragsters wait for the greenlight go

they explode in the night like a magnum ’45
you gotta move fast if you wanna survive

Sally’s in the alley and she’s dressed for killin
lookin for young Johnny who’s ready and willin
he’s leavin in the mornin goin back to oil drillin
but tonight he’s breakin all the hearts like a B movie villain

And the Chubby Kid walks with a pistol on his hip
he knows where its at but he don’t let it slip
gettin lost in the crowded sea on the concrete strip
till the dawn breaks water like the prow of a ship

Its midnight on main street
gotta sing it right gotta play it sweet
its midnight on main street
midnight
midnight

credits

from Quarantine Kitchen, released February 8, 2021
Piano~Tim Longfellow
www.paypal.me/typhoonmacpro

Bass~Bill Watson
paypal.me/BillW65P

Guitar/Vocal~Jim

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about

Jim Ballard Akron, Ohio

Jim Ballard
A native of NE Ohio, Jim Ballard has been, for many years a part of the recording/performing community. After touring and performing all over the country with artists from 10,000 Maniacs to Gordon Lightfoot,The Mekons to Pete Seeger, he moved into his studio, Skylyne. There, he has recorded and worked with artists from Michael Stanley to Don Dixon and Alex Bevan. ... more

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