John Hiatt - Slug Line Lyrics






I went to the marketplace
They said they liked my face
Better than a digital watch
You got it, we're pros and we can spot it
So I thought it was some disease
But they were all on their knees
Shakin' hands with my picture
First we sterilize it
Then we merchandise it
Everybody tries
Everybody buys it

Well that's fine
Put me on the slug line
Punch a pretty hole in my mind
Show me where to sign
And put me on the slug line

They told me how to behave
Like any other public slave
Keep a smile on the face of the consumer
Or you'll become a rumor
So I got a band of angry sons
Now we're havin' so much fun
Tearin' up the nation
Weapons out of mic stands
Bitin' on the glad hand
They still don't understand
That they were marketing a madman

And that's fine
Put me on the slug line
Punch a pretty hole in my mind
Show me where to sign
And put me on the slug-
Well that's fine
Put me on the slug line
Punch a pretty hole in my mind
Show me where to sign
And put me on the slug line

You made one mistake
You made me wait

That's fine
Put me on the slug line
Punch a pretty hole in my mind
Show me where to sign
And put me on the slug-
Well that's fine
Put me on the slug line
Couldn't lay a glove on my mind
So show me where to sign
And put me on the slug line





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John Hiatt Slug Line Comments
  1. j.... B....

    Dan Hedaya ! Blood simple !

  2. j.... B....

    Bitter new wave razorblade song

  3. K.... K....

    Just read about his new album which reminded that I needed to hear this again...have loved this song since first hearing it around about the time...

  4. B.... B....

    Thanks for posting!!   They cut "You made one mistake - you made me wait" ... this is a great song from a great album.  I lived in Hollywood in the 70's and 80's and saw John in concert maybe 30 times - including a tremendous afternoon show at the John Anson Ford Ampitheatre that I wish was on tape somewhere!!

  5. J.... R....

    This is about a minute shorter from the album (2:03 instead of 3:02), so yeah, some edited obviously happened. It's a 70s album (1979), so it's not going to sound like the 80s albums. So cool (and a bit weird) to see him in these younger days, being more familiar with the Perfectly GG live period.

  6. C.... D....

    Doug Yankus, a great, great guitarist, plays on the "Slug Line" album, as well as on Hiatt's first solo record, "Hanging Around the Observatory" (1974). Before that, Hiatt and Yankus played in a band together in Nashville called White Duck, which recorded at least one LP, "In Season" (1972). I was fortunate to see White Duck live the summer of '72 in Nashville. That was a very cool and original band. Doug Yankus was a monster player.

  7. R.... R....

    Incredible- I was the cameraman on this video.
    Shot 2 in one day- Poco was the first- John #2.
    Way before MTV

  8. C.... Y....

    CHECK OUT HANGIN AROUND THE OBSERVATORY/ HOT BABIES BAND

  9. C.... Y....

    MY BRO PLAYED WITH JOHN STILL HAVE THE LP'S

  10. j.... l....

    what a mix of emotions in this one ,i can hear Procol Harum,Joe Jackson and Graham Parker in this wonderful song !

  11. A.... f....

    And as the song fades out, my mind goes straight to the next song, Madonna Road. I listened to Slug Line a lot back then. That and Joe Jackson's I'm the Man.

  12. w.... ....

    Simply brilliant ! ... Slug Line was the first John Hiatt song I ever heard, and it remains my favourite to this day ... His first 2 albums ( Slug Line and Two Bit Monsters ) are all-time classics, in my opinion, and I much prefer this period of his career to the slicker more produced sound that progressively followed ... They were still good ( being by JH, they couldn't be otherwise ) ... but didn't have the edginess, individuality, or spark of those first 2 albums ... Wayne

  13. s.... ....

    Bowbow bow!!!!!! great song!!! indeed!

  14. J.... O....

    I went to the market place
    They said they liked my face
    Better than a digital watch, you got it
    We're pros and we can spot it
    So, I thought it was some disease
    But they were all on their knees
    Shaking hands with my picture
    First, we sterilize it
    Then we merchandise it
    Everybody tries it
    Everybody buys it

  15. J.... O....

    They told me how to behave
    Like any other public slave
    Keep the smile on the face of that consumer
    Or you'll become a rumor
    So, I got a band of angry sons
    Now, we're having so much fun
    Tearing up the nation
    Weapons out of mikestands
    Biting on the glad hand
    Still don't understand
    That they were packaging a madman

  16. R.... ....

    Thank you so much. I wish there were so many songs from Slug Line. This is awesome! Yer right, no bridge.... actually i think that's were it cuts off. It should say: You made one mistake, You made me wait.... well that's fine..... radio edit ;) Rad! 5 and 1/2 stars!

  17. L.... ....

    SLug Line and 2 bit Monsters are 2 great albums!!! Espacially 2bM! It has a great punkvibe to it and the drumer is awsome. Songs like Fact The Nation and Cop Party are among Hiatts bests song ever!

  18. C.... ....

    Costello was friends with Hiatt and wrote this song for Costello. You would be blown away if you knew how many people have made Hiatt songs famous. Songs that he wrote !

  19. m.... ....

    It's not a Costello cover, but yes, it's a very similar sound. I bought this album when it first came out in 1979, but I'll be damned if I can find it now.

  20. w.... ....

    I've got this song on a CD but it's never been on eof my favorites, but that's OK because everything he does is interesting. He was so young in this video! Don't miss him in the Little Village videos!!

  21. S.... ....

    curious but catchy