Painting by Numbers | James McMurtry

Painting by Numbers - Written by James McMurtry
Recorded Live June 3, 2023
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Lyrics:
The gates of the schoolyard
are padlocked and chained
to keep all the children in out of the rain
the art teacher's preaching
the virtues of pastel shades
you pay no attention but it won't hurt your grades
'cause you're painting by numbers
connecting the dots
they don't have to tell you
you don't call the shots
you jump when they say jump
and you don't ask how high
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by
painting by numbers they know you'll get by
you take a position
in the old man's firm
he signs all the papers
you agree to the terms
they ley you run errands
and you don't get days off
you take off the garbage and hope it pays off
'cause you're painting by numbers
connecting the dots
you work from neck down
you might be in grad school
up ut M.I.T.
you might be down in the canal zone
being all that you can be
you might get to thinking you're ahead of the game
but when you break it all down
it all comes out the same
'cause you're painting by numbers
connecting the dots
you work from neck down

[@joannehack7588]

Guess I’ll try posting my loving comment to James,one more time. He is truly one of the finest singer songwriters of the 20th centuries

[@joannehack7588]

AMEN

[@blakegregory969]

Beautiful...

[@joannehack7588]

Always one of my musical heroes. Not that anyone really cares, ‘cept me

[@LIVEfromNorfolkStreet]

I care. I care the most.

[@debrahobson2208]

Saw you perform it back in bloominton indiana back in 1984-ish or so. You hit the mark so unequivocally Jimmy. You rang my bell. But you didnt play Terry that nite. I wanted to hear that masterpiece too. I fell in love w you that night ... some more. Damn boy ...

[@debrahobson2208]

I got backstage thru one of your bloomingon boys and ran my fingers thru your hair and called you Jimmy. You said only your mother called you that. That was the first time i had ever been back stage vip. One of my greatest memories.

[@julesotis13]

He's def a quack quack