12 Bar Blues

There's only one bar in this town I get drunk at
Still I have open tabs at two
I dated the waitress at the third bar that I'm thinking of
There's four bars in this town I can't even go into

My friend Kenny used to tend bar at the fifth one
Still tends bar at the sixth one too
The seventh bar on this block has a kick-ass jukebox
The eighth one will let you smoke inside after two

I've sung songs in about nine bars in east Nashville, Tennessee
But I know that I've been to at least ten
I always go back to good old Eleventh Street Bar in New York City
When the twelve bar blues has got me down again

I got the twelve bar blues
Too many bars to choose
Well I will drink tonight
And get me feeling alright

How many roads must a man walk down
To find an affordable bar in the city of Los Angeles
Or even more so to find some affordable company
Seems like you have to pay for the conversation there in one way or another even if you're not directly involved

You're always overhearing the story about the one that got away
Or the movie script the one guy is writing that is going to change everything
I feel like if writing stuff down really changed anything
A lot more people would know who Philip Levine is

He was an American Poet Laureate
I wonder why my teachers forgot to tell me about him in school
Probably cause his poems have got bad words in them
Talk about bored of education; American style

I got the twelve bar blues
Too many bars to choose
Well I will drink tonight
And get me feeling alright

So hang some taxidermy up on the wall, mute the TV
That pool table over there gives out every other game for free
But don't tell anybody though, the manager doesn't know anything about it
That's kind of the way it is at our bar; it's a little broken and it's not that great but hell man, it's ours

One time this guy came in to our bar and sang karaoke-style Hootie and the Blowfish
We had to ask that guy to leave
Not 'cause we don't like Hootie though
Hell man, I hear Hootie is an alright guy

So Hootie, this beer is for you my friend
Shine on you crazy diamond
Don't let the bastards get you down
Hold my hand; I only want to be with you

I got the twelve bar blues
Too many bars to choose
Well I will drink tonight
And get me feeling alright

Don't you know I got the twelve bar blues
Too many bars to choose
Well I will sleep tonight
And get me feeling alright