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A Twenty Something College Graduate's Talkin' Blues

from Sam Steffen (EP) by Sam Steffen

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lyrics

A Twenty-Something College Graduate’s Talkin Blues copyright 2013 sam steffen

A while back I spose it hasn’t been too long
To a certain institution I used to belong
Where I spent four years and learned all the rules
And how to tell between the wise and the fools
I’m not talking about prison
It was a college, of the liberal arts variety

Well we all got told to save the date
As the time was comin for us to graduate
And I guess you could say we were pretty excited
Everyone we knew had been invited
Folks and friends, friends of friends,
Heck, even the neighbors were there

Well until at last the day was come
And our dean was standin up at the podium
And he made this speech it didn’t sound too subtle
He said, I’ll be honest, you’re all in trouble
And I’m not talking about academics
I’m talking about life now, now’s when the learning starts

I can say right now it didn’t feel too good
To have to hear all that I knew I would
But we all went up and we shook his hand
And he said someday we’d understand
And I took my diploma
No secrets, that thing was just a piece of paper

Well somehow I had made the grade,
Had a scholarship for my financial aide
And everyone was saying it would all be fine
You just take it easy, now, and take your time
You’ll have a job soon
Just gotta see what’s there—stay positive

Well before I cleared out they sent me a notice
Said they wanted to see me at the financial office
So they called me in, said Take a seat
Wrote me out this big receipt
I said, what is this?
They laughed at me, said, You’re kidding, right?

Well I told the woman to knock it off
It’ll take me ten years to pay this off
She said that’s right it’s called a ten year plan
That should be easy enough to understand
Aint it? for a smart-looking college graduate like you

She said not to worry though, I’m sure
Youll find a job somewhere with that degree of yours
She said maybe I can help you, say what’s it in
I said 19th century American Literature—she laughed again
A veritable cackle that woman had
I never knew I was so funny

Now in college you can learn to think
To read to write to speak to drink
And all of that can be put to use
As a post-graduate on the career caboose
Especially the drinkin—job huntin
And no luck on account of you’re overqualified

Well it wouldn’t be so bad I guess
Cept the conomy’s broke and the world’s a mess
And you can’t get hired for a minimum wage
And there’s nothing for you on the classifieds page
You just sit around, feeling sorry
Got lots of time to read though

Well, when I was finally through procrastinatin
I filled me out a labor application
Took a little math test, they gave me a cup
Showed me to the bathroom and said, filler up!
I passed that math test
The other one came back inconclusive

Few days later they got a hold of me
Said they had a job waiting for me at the factory
Said to show on up and to be on time
You’ll be standing all day on the ssembly line
And they weren’t kidding—I stood in one place for 8 hours
Didn’t have a productive thought the whole time

Well I did this I guess for about a week
Losing all kinds of time to work and sleep
And one day the foreman says I look like hell
And I says I know it man, he says well—
What can you do? Sometimes life just slips away
You gotta work though, or its hell to pay

He said you know I always meant to go to college
To fill my head up with all kinds of knowledge
I said if I were him, I’d be apprehensive
It’s grand and all, but man, it’s expensive
He looked at me, he said, you mean you been to school?
I said, yeah, of course!

Well I don’t think my comments were appreciated
Next day I found out I’d been terminated
I said what gives he says You wont miss it
You got a diploma—go do something with it

Well I’ve had a couple of jobs since then
Couple of gigs with a couple of friends
Bought a bus ticket, pulled an all-nighter
Moved to Nashville, became a songwriter
It’s a pretty shabby way to make a living
All tips, and not too many of em, either—

credits

from Sam Steffen (EP), released November 21, 2013

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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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