girl from a pawnshop

Girl From a Pawnshop is one of those storytelling songs on which Chris' voice just works magic. From Crowesbase, "Originally titled "Girl From The Pawnshop", it was first recorded at Kingsway Studios in New Orleans on 10/11/92. The original Kingsway take and live versions of this song from The High As The Moon Tour have some different lyrics from the final version." Girl From a Pawnshop is off Three Snakes and One Charm, and it's been played 106 times live which makes it moderate by tbc standards.

As I intimated earlier, what I love about this song is its storytelling quality-- it's an entire novel in just over six minutes. And of course, the outro is just stilling, "I said P.S. all my love / P.S. all my love / P.S. all my love," and then a perfect guitar riff. I am more and more beginning to understand Chris' love affair with Three Snakes and One Charm.

With pawnshop eyes and a second hand frown
She sat silent at the table
Her boots were brown, well should she leave town
To play the role of lover expatriate
A nod to the waiter, always her flirty behavior
You know she always gets one on the house
She pulls out a letter
From a bag under her sweater
And before she reads she straightens her blouse

There's a passion in being alone
A grace in a loveless time
There's no new cross, there's no new sign
Only the sun and the changing tide

And out of respect, well really must confess
I never lost your number
I never lost your address
And if we remain friends at best
Sometime later no, no not yet
We'll smile and remember it like this

She put back the letter
One tear falls like a feather
And disappears on the bar room floor
The gratuity included
You know the letter concluded
P.S. with all my love

There's a passion in being alone
A grace in a loveless time
There's no new cross, there's no new sign
Only the sun and the changing tide

I said P.S. all my love
P.S. all my love
P.S. all my love