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Take Your Coat Off and Stay Awhile

from Wet Match by Sam Steffen

/

lyrics

Your eyes look heavy, your shirts stained with tears
You look like you aint had a good night’s rest in years
The evening is young yet, but the morning, she nears
All that lies in darkness soon will be made clear—
you can lose the burden, add your complaints to the pile
Why don’t you take your coat off and stay awhile?

You look like you just seen the worst part of a brawl
I’d hate to see the other guy, if he even made it out at all
Youre on your last legs, with your back gainst the wall
If you try to move you know you’re just gonna fall
But seeing you try, man, you know it just makes me smile
Why don’t you take off your coat—and stay awhile?

I got friends in low places, I got enemies close-by
I could tell you some stories that’d make you laugh til you cry
You can’t win em all, but you know you can try
But I ain’t sellin nothing that you don’t wanna buy
I ain’t gonna pressure you out of your own denial
Why don’t you take your coat off and stay awhile

Can I fix for you a cup of something warm
While you dry off, take shelter from the storm?
The sails right off of their riggings have torn
Anything that needs doing’ll have to wait til the morn
your troubles out there are lined up in single file
why don’t you—take off your coat, and stay awhile?

Wipe your muddy boots off, hang up your dusty hat
You’re makin me nervous pacing the floor like that
the bus is busted, the wheels have gone flat
there engine’s been burned up, along with the map
even if we were able, I wouldn’t drive one more mile
why don’t you—take your coat off, stay awhile?

you can make yourself at home, here, do just as you please
it’ll be morning fore the jailer gets back with the keys
the guards have gone home, soldiers stand at ease
You can do whatever you like—anything except leave
Ain’t nobody in here gonna put you on trail
Why don’t you—take off your coat and stay awhile?

You don’t need to get angry, we’re all in the same boat
It’s not like anyone put our fates to a vote
It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and that’s all that she wrote
If it don’t make a good story, it’ll make a fine anecdote
I’ll even tell it to you, long as you don’t touch that dial
Why don’t you—take your coat off, and stay awhile?

I also have struggled, I ain’t no different from you
Had all of my money strung up in my shoe
Had everything stolen from me a time or two
Had to start over, and relearn all that I knew
Be not afraid of me, honey, be reconciled—
Why don’t you—take off your coat, and stay awhile?

credits

from Wet Match, released October 13, 2019

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Sam Steffen Boise, Idaho

Sam Steffen is a Pennsylvania-bred, Boise-based singer-songwriter whose songs are the torch-wood for a new generation of folk music that has learned from the best stuff in the tradition and aims in spite of everything to keep the human spirit alive and kicking. A versatile musician and skilled finger-picker, Sam is at heart a story-teller, and a prolific one. ... more

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