Vault of lost lyrics, chapter 201

The last few weeks have been tough on people, and even tougher times probably await us. The Pretenders’ Learning to Crawl was the first album I wanted to play last Wednesday, November 9, and this is one of the standout tracks from that still very solid — and angry — record.

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"Middle of the Road" (Chrissie Hynde) as recorded by The Pretenders

The middle of the road is trying to find me

I'm standing in the middle of life with my plans behind me

Well, I got a smile for everyone I meet

As long as you don't try dragging my bay

Or dropping the bomb on my street

Now come on baby

Get in the road

Oh come on now

In the middle of the road, yeah

In the middle of the road you see the darnedest things

Like fat guys driving 'round in jeeps through the city

Wearing big diamond rings and silk suits

Past corrugated-tin shacks full up with kids

Man, I don't mean a Hampstead nursery

When you own a big chunk of the bloody Third World

The babies just come with the scenery

Oh come on baby

Get in the road

Oh come on now

In the middle of the road, yeah

The middle of the road is no private cul-de-sac

I can't get from the cab to the curb

Without some little jerk on my back

Don't harass me

Can't you tell

I'm going home

I'm tired as hell

I'm not the cat I used to be

I got a kid

I'm thirty-three, baby

Get in the road

Come on now

In the middle of the road

Yeah