The Cape – Guy Clark
Eight years old with a floursack cape tied all around his neck
He climbed up on the garage, figurin’ what the heck
He screwed his courage up so tight the whole thing came unwound
He got a runnin’ start and bless his heart, he headed for the ground
He climbed up on the garage, figurin’ what the heck
He screwed his courage up so tight the whole thing came unwound
He got a runnin’ start and bless his heart, he headed for the ground
He’s one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms, hold your breath
And always trust your cape.
Spread your arms, hold your breath
And always trust your cape.
All grown up with a floursack cape tied around his dreams
He’s full of piss and vinegar and bustin’ at the seams
He licked his finger and checked the wind – it was gonna be do or die
He wasn’t scared of nothin’ boys, he was pretty sure he could fly
He’s full of piss and vinegar and bustin’ at the seams
He licked his finger and checked the wind – it was gonna be do or die
He wasn’t scared of nothin’ boys, he was pretty sure he could fly
He’s one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath
And always trust your cape.
Spread your arms and hold your breath
And always trust your cape.
Old and grey with a floursack cape tied all around his head
He’s still jumping off the garage, and will be ’till he’s dead
All this time they’ve been telling him he’s acting like a kid
He did not know he could not fly
So he did.
He’s one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath
And always trust your cape.
Spread your arms and hold your breath
And always trust your cape.
This is one of my all-time favorite songs by the late Guy Clark. A master storyteller, artist and luthier. He could write a song, build the guitar to play it and sing the hell out of it.
He wrote one of the best closing line of a song ever: “Second best $100 I’ve ever spent”. Right there you are left hanging – the second best $100? The obvious question takes over your mind, and even though it’s just a song, words and music, it haunts you forever more. It is a question not to be answered, not that Guy is still around to ask or that he would have answered, or maybe he did and I just don’t know about it. Just as well – the mystery would be spoiled by the answer.
Shouter to Dead Parrots 