Hey Baby It's the Fourth of July

On of the most under rated bands of the American Punk movement was X, the quintessential lost souls of the new West. Perhaps the reason for this lack of prominence is that while that put together great individual songs their albums (with the exception Much More Fun In the New World (or whatever it is really called) were hit and miss affairs. For me their defining X moment other than singing “Devil Doll” on Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve was a cover of the Blasters/Dave Alvin tune “4th of July”. It is a heartbreaking affair. Every year around this time I pull it out and listen to it. It stills just hits me hard, just like the first time I heard it. Here are the lyrics. Go find the song on the web and give it a listen.

She's waitin' for me
when I get home from work
oh, but things ain't just the same
She turns out the light
and cries in the dark
won't answer when I call her name

On the stairs I smoke a
cigarette alone
Mexican kids are shootin'
fireworks below
Hey baby, it's the Fourth of July
Hey baby, it's the Fourth of July

She gives me her cheek
when I want her lips
but I don't have the strength to go
On the lost side of town
in a dark apartment
we gave up trying so long ago

On the stairs I smoke a
cigarette alone
Mexican kids are shootin'
fireworks below
Hey baby, it's the Fourth of July
Hey baby, it's the Fourth of July

What ever happened I
apologize
so dry your tears and baby
walk outside, it's the Fourth of July

On the stairs I smoke a
cigarette alone
Mexican kids are shootin'
fireworks below
Hey baby, it's the Fourth of July
Hey baby, Baby take a walk outside