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The Boomerang Song

from Unravelled Tales - Volume 2 by Sam Steffen

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lyrics

Once upon a long-lost time
I knew a girl so fair and fine
We met at a circus where I’d gone to see a show
She was swinging from a big trapeze
Dangling from her bended knee
From so high up it seemed that down was the only place to go
Suddenly a cymbal rang
She pulled out a wooden boomerang
Threw it hard and watched it circle all around the place
She caught it in her teeth and smiled
The audience was a goin wild
In my heart a feelin came I had to give it chase

Well after I had seen her act
I couldn’t help a goin back
I watched her every evening for two whole solid weeks
The ticketman he learned my name
When he saw me, he’d say “You, again?”
Til finally he offered me the chance with her to speak
My opportunity came at last
My heart it was a goin fast
It was after her finale as he was countin up his stubs
He took me to her trailer car
Knocked and said, “Well, there y’are,”
She answered in her bathrobe and she asked me who I was

(alternate)
I met her in an open field
Her name as yet, was unrevealed
But her eyes, they spoke in volumes and her manners, they were kind
She told me of her heritage
While I explained how rare it is
For any lonesome person a sympathetic soul to find
Suddenly it began to rain
She pulled out a wooden boomerang
Threw it hard and watched it sailing whooshing through the air
The lightning struck at it and missed
She caught it, said, “Now make a wish”
I said I wished where she was going that I might follow there

Chorus:
and in a sort of funny way
you might just go ahead and say
that I’m a little like that old boomerang you threw
I make like I’m a gonna go
And then I do, and fore you know
Before I’ve gotten anywhere, I’m just a comin back to you

Her hair was long her eyes were dark
Had a face just like a questionmark
For a time seemed like she only wanted to be rid of me
But I behaved a gentleman,
Fore too long we was like old friends
Who havn’t got agendas or any special place to be
We talked until the sun did rise
Morning took us by surprise
Her manager came by said it was time for getting on
She said I guess this means goodbye
She hung her head and began to cry
I told her if she’d let me, I’d be glad to come along

I followed her from pennsylvane
From Portland, Oregon to Portland maine
Through the plains of Kansas to the scrapers of New York
a couple times I took the lead
we quarreled, fought, and disagreed
and every path we picked just brought us to another fork
so finally we parted ways
somewhere round the frisco bays
she went towards seattle and I to Tennessee
half way there I lost my horse
caught a driver headed west and north
who said, “This time tomorrow, Seattle’s where I’ll be,”

chorus

The next night I was in her town
Askin for her all around
Found a captain who had seen her hangin round the railroad track
I found her huddled round a blaze
Tellin stories of the hell we’d raised
Somebody asked about her partner and if he was comin back?
At this point I was well disguised
Had my hat pulled low down oer my eyes
She said, “if I never see his face again, it’ll be too soon”
She was smiling when she said it tho
I could see it in the fire-glow
And when she was through insulting me, she took me to her room

Next morning, at the break of dawn
I awoke and found her gone
The note upon the doorknob said “please shut me when you leave”
Half-naked, I came down the stairs
An old lady screamed and said, “Who’s there?”
When I said “It’s only me,” she said, “I’m calling the police,”
Well I busted right on out the back
Never thought twice about looking back
The thought to hang around awhile did not to me occur
I ran down to the rail depot
I hopped a train that was movin slow
And was trying to catch my breath when I caught a glimpse of her

chorus

credits

from Unravelled Tales - Volume 2, released July 24, 2021

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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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