Papa’s In The Backroom
Papa’s in the backroom
plucking on a string bass
Used to play the trombone
but he gave it up so
he could keep backbeats
with the fellas up the street
He meets with them once a week
just to give the folks at home a treat
and play that cowboy music
it feels good when you’re working hard
playing that cowboy music
it’s what we do, it’s who we are
Out there in the barnyard
dancing in the food shed
Harvesting is over
Now it’s time to party
I got a pretty little girl
I met her back in grade school
That’s before I dropped out
Who needs school anyhow!
cause we’re playing that cowboy music
it feels good cause we’re working hard
Playing that cowboy music
It’s what we do, it’s who we are
We ain’t got no
technological
AM/FM radios
No record stacks
nor phonographs
just old guitars
and pots and pans
Papa’s in the backroom
he’s still plucking on his string bass
while I play the piano
just trying to keep it so
everybody here is singing
and no one here’s a singer
some of us are shouters
and some of us are screamers (yeee haw!)
playing that cowboy music
it feels good when you’re working hard
playing that cowboy music
it’s what we do, it’s who we are
We ain’t got no
technological
am/fm radios
No record stacks
no phonographs
just old gee-tars
and pots and pans
Everyone knows the words
Everyone sings along
Everyone sees the morning
cause we’ll go all night long
Everyone knows the words
Everyone sings along
not cause it’s a hit
just cause it’s a real good song
February 26th, 2006
This tune really reminds me of just the beautiful, simple message that music can hit you with. There are so many superficial bands and songs out there, and these are often what get deemed “radio hits.” But regardless of what those hits are, I’m going to know the words and sing along to what’s truly great in Tea Leaf Green, not because they’re some kind of radio hit, but because they play real good songs.
June 10th, 2006
Tab
Papa’s in the backroom:
C Dm Em F C Dm Em F
Playin that cowboy music:
Am F C G Am F C G
We aint got no:
C E Am G C E Am G
Keyboard Jam:
C Dm Em F C Dm Em F
Ending Jam: (complex, maybe when Im a little more bored)
January 24th, 2007
This is usually played in A (as opposed to C here)
August 16th, 2007
I prefer C better, it sounds smooth.
November 22nd, 2007
love this song, especially josh’s solo at ~4.20 on the “compliments of Tea Leaf Green” promo CD :-D
April 21st, 2008
Josh’s solo in this song is where the hook came for me, especially when he just works the strings around the ~ 5:30 minute mark.
August 21st, 2010
guitar solo-
hes fast picking some chords from 4:20+, it might be the main theme C-Dm-Em-F—not sure, it ends on C–>at 4:48 he goes G mixolydian….the C on fret 17 is the beginning note- the G on fret 20 or high15 is used for as I’d say “the climax of beauty”—there’s some fancy pulloffs and a couple bends- all right within the notes of G mixolydian—-G mix ends the song