John Q. Lonely

When I first shook hands with John Q. Lonely
he was sitting in a room that held him only
he said don't feel bad I'm just a regular guy

My life is the way that I want it
with nobody else's riding on it
don't have to waste my time living a lie

Oh, but people like you are never complete
without a ring on your finger, a dog at your feet
and a house on a suburban street named after a tree
not me

I go to work each day in a little white cube
I come home each night and sit in front of the tube
no one to tell me what to do or say
'cause those distractions, I don't need them
and what could I love more than freedom
something you don't have can't slip away

Oh, but people like you, you cry and you cry
when you find out love's just a four letter lie
you say "without her who am I supposed to be"
and you worry about me

On his 50th birthday John bought a cupcake
almost wished that he had a namesake
but thought better of that before he blew out the flame
and on this day, unlike any other
just for a moment he imagined his mother
he thought to himself I could've taken her name

Oh, but people like me are spared the regret
of foolishly giving more than we get
we're not stupid enough to let somebody in
not me, not again

drums: Jim Keltner, bass: Don Was, solo acoustic guitar,
slide electric guitar & bg vox: Mark Addison
acoustic guitar: Linda Taylor, keyboards, bg vox: Maia

John Q. Lonely
Maia Sharp & Mark Addison
© 2005 Crooked Crown Music (BMI) admin. by
Razor & Tie Direct, L.L.C. d/b/a Razor and Tie
Music Publishing (BMI)/Manico Music (ASCAP)