The Fugitive (The Man Don’t Forgive)

Early April is just about as far from St. Patrick’s Day as you can get, so it seemed like exactly the right time to release something with our Americana vibe, Today we’re happy to present The Fugitive (The Man Don’t Forgive)

This song ponders the question: after a crime, at what point can one consider their debt to society paid? Some people would be, by nature, quick to forgive, and some would probably never be able to. The singer’s specific crime is never revealed (though a prison term of more than 25 years suggests something serious) because the song is not taking sides. 

Jim, the songwriter for this piece, adds:

From a composition perspective, this song name-checks a few country songs from two of my musical heroes. The name “Willie Lee” was the alias of a Johnny Cash protagonist in Cocaine Blues. And the line “You don’t know me, but you don’t like me” is a line from The Streets of Bakersfield by Dwight Yoakam. Finally, Proverbs 23:7 supplies the line “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”.

Lyrics:

I bet you don’t know who I was back in my younger days
I’m a different man in my old age, a man who’s changed his ways
Changed my ways, my name, my hair, my clothes and all of my ID
Yeah, the world has heard the last of Willie Lee.

You wouldn’t recognize me now if you had known me then
I’ve made the most of my second chance and I won’t go back again
But still some curse the thought of me and their hearts just won’t be swayed
‘Till they’ve satisfied themselves my debt’s been paid.

I walk the line like an angel
I wake every night in a cold sweat
Twenty-five years since the day I climbed that wall
But the man he don’t forgive and he don’t forget

You think it sounds exciting but there’s no real tell to tell,
I just waited for my chance to go, and then I ran like hell
It’s a quiet life I live these days and I do the best I can
To serve the Lord and help my fellow man

And I walk the line like an angel
I wake every night in a cold sweat
Twenty-five years since the day I climbed that wall
But the man he don’t forgive and he don’t forget
You know the man he don’t forgive and he don’t forget

You don’t know me
But you don’t like me
As a man thinks in his heart
So is he

Somewhere they’ve got computers watching every move we make
And maybe you can sleep at night, but you know I lie awake
‘Cause one of them is searching now and I can guarantee
That some day it’s gonna find ol’ Willie Lee

And I walk the line like an angel
I wake every night in a cold sweat
Twenty-five years since the day I climbed that wall
But the man he don’t forgive and he don’t forget

I walk the line like an angel
I wake every night in a cold sweat
Twenty-five years since the day I climbed that wall
But the man he don’t forgive and he don’t forget
You know the man he don’t forgive and he don’t forget

Instrumentation:

Jim: Guitar, vocals
Scot: Banjitar, vocals
Pat: Drums and Percussion
Eric: Bass