The Song in His Head by Russell Cushman

He could have been a roughneck, or worked the docks.
Done most anything, an’ would’ve made more.
Should’ve gone to college, like his brothers did, or
Won over that rich girl who showed him the door.
But he never wanted those things - not bad enough.
Besides he could never take the foreman’s guff.
Obsessed by beauty, the poems he’d read, an’
He couldn’t stop that song, soaring in his head.

Chorus: The song stole his heart when he was young,
The song in his head that had not been sung.
He had to pic, twas his daily bread, an’
Couldn’t stop the music, in his head.


Now they call him old Bag Man, “Bags” for short,
odd jobs at a dance hall, he’s always around,
pitchin’ songs by the door till his finger’s numb.
Stage life, tunin’ bass, sure loves the sound, of
mic tests n’ longnecks clinking in a rusty drum…
Sometimes? He hears the music in neon buzz,
The distant way a long-gone addict does,
But still he hears, that song in his head.

Chorus: The song stole his heart when he was young,
The song in his head that had not been sung.
He had to pic, it was his daily bread, an’
Couldn’t stop the music, in his head.


One pick-up night the Rock gods came.
Tuned his old guitar in the parking lot,
Waited with a grim smile, for his one big shot.
The band went long, the beer was cold,
An’ ol’ Bags, he starts feelin’ real old.
The sounds inside throb and quake his guitar,
Like a war so deafening it rocks the dead.
Still he hears that music louder in his head.

Chorus: The song stole his heart when he was young
The song in his head that had not been sung
He had to pic, it was his daily bread, an’
Couldn’t stop the music, in his head.

The rockers finally blew out the door,
Over a drunk or somethin’ on their way out.
Crushed the guitar - laughed with a shout.
The crowd inside stomped and begged for more,
But it was a long, cold drive back to Dallas.
The old man lay still, in fact he was dead.
He looked so peaceful, some woman said,
Like there was still a song soarin’ - in his head.

Chorus: The song stole his heart when he was young
The song in his head that had not been sung
He had to pic, it was his daily bread, but
could never catch the music in his head.

The song stole his heart when he was young.
The song in his head that had not been sung.
Now he’s the Star, where angels tread
An’ he plays the song soarin’ round in his head…

They are the song , singin’ round, in his head...