Misc Your Songs - Jim jacobsen - hard times howard

^AmI arrived at the icehouse just before dawn ^GSouth side of Chicago nineteen and Eighty One ^FThe sky was ablaze but not from the sun ^EmBut the spinnin red sirens on ambulance one

^AmSteam blew from his mouth as the medic explained ^G“a body in a dumpster but we don’t have a name ^FWould you kindly indulging us and see if you know ^EmThis old man cuz we’d rather not call him john doe”

^AmI looked down with trepidation at the freezing cold bag ^GAttached to the zipper was the empty name tag ^FAnd as he pulled down I could clearly make out ^EmIt was my old friend Hard Times I hadn’t a doubt

^CHard Times Howard was his name and it ^Gwas his claim to his fame ^FCataracts had taken both eyes just a f^Gew teeth remained ^CBut he always had a story a t^Gale he would spin ^FAnd he was never ever found without his Half pint of gin

^AmI thought what a way for old Howard to go ^GI’ll miss those stories that he told nice and slow ^FBut Into the meat wagon that gurney did slide ^EmMy friend Hard Times Howard frozen solid inside

^AmMaking their way to the cook county morgue ^GThe medics warmed up with the coffee they’d poured ^FWhen something occurred that to this very day ^EmHas never since happened no never I say

^AmAs he peered into his rear-view the driving medic informed ^GHis partner that something seemed out of the norm ^FAnd though it’s not something he wanted to prove ^EmHe could swear that when he looked back he saw that bag move.

^GThey pulled that wagon over and ^Amboth jumped in the back ^GAnd Pulling down that zipper they both^Am opened upon the sack ^FCussin’ and screamin’ and ^Gthrashin’ about ^AmIt seems Hard Times Howard had^E7 thawed himself out

^AmThey said when they found him he was frozen to touch ^GBut it was obvious that neither knew Howard that much ^FCuz Howard’s anti-freeze was always present within ^EmAlways keepin him warm was that half pint of gin

^CHard Times Howard was his name and it^G was his claim to his fame ^FCataracts had taken both eyes just a^G few teeth remained ^CBut he always had a story a^G tale he would spin ^AmAnd he was never ever more thankful for that^E7 Half pint of g^Amin