Jethro Tull - Rocks On The Road Lyrics

There's a black cat down on the quayside
Ship's lights, green eyes glowing in the dark
Two young cops handing out a beating:
Know how to hurt and leave no mark
Down in the half-lit bar of the hotel
There's a call for the last round of the day
Push back the stool, take that elevator ride
Fall in bed and kick my shoes away
Rocks on the road

Can't sleep through the wild sound of the city
Hear a car full of young boys heading for a fight
Long distance telephone keeps ringing out engaged:
Wonder who you're talking with tonight
Who you talking with tonight?
Rocks on the road

Tired plumbing wakes me in the morning
Shower runs hot, runs cold playing with me
Well, I'm up for the down side, life's a bitch
And all that stuff:
So come and shake some apples from my tree
Have to pay for my minibar madness
Itemised phone bill overload
Well now, how about some heavy rolling?
Move these rocks on the road

Crumbs on the breakfast table
And a million other little things to spoil my day
Now how about a little light music
To chase it all away?
To chase it all away

There's a black cat down on the quayside
Ship's lights, green eyes glowing in the dark
Two young cops handing out a beating:
Know how to hurt and leave no mark
Down in the half-lit bar of the hotel
There's a call for the last round of the day
Push back the stool, take that elevator ride
Fall in bed and kick my shoes away
Kick my shoes away, kick my shoes away
Rocks on the road

There is a Dire Straits flavour here, am I the only one to notice?

Definitely with the finger-picking.

@Nathan Ritzo - Martin Barre was really an excellent guitar player, hardly ever mentioned.

Maybe if Mark Knoffler played the flute but otherwise nope it's just you.

My first concert experience was Jethro Tull in my home town Kolkata.
I heard before their most popular songs like "Aqualung", but when I heard them perform this one I knew it this is my most favourite tune by them. Ian Anderson, simply magical.

canzone eccezionale

Positivity

This album is magnificent, a callback to 70s Tull

in the minimalism yes, in the sound not at all, this, catfish screams american, its very different kind of blues than that of this was and stand up.

tcoudi and is there anything wrong with ‘American?’ Where the Blues and rock n roll were born.

This Was and Stand Up were a whole different period. Aqualung was completely different than TW and SU.

Great song this is tho. Wish the jam lasted longer at the end! Tull since Christmas Day 1972.

@Tom Mittemeyer nothing wrong, on the contrary, i would say its last great tull album.

Ray Lomas and Rocks on the Road always reminds me of the album ol’ Ray Lomas was chasing and burning and begging lil Salamander to give it up. He eventually got his toad in the hole!

91 tull doesn't necessarily equal 70s he's always changing and progressing

Brilliant song!