Call Of The Wreckin' Ball

by Dave Alvin and John Doe

The Knitters, "Poor Little Critter On The Road", Slash Records, 1985

X, "Live At The Whiskey A Go Go On The Fabulous Sunet Strip", Elektra, 1988

The Knitters are: Exene Cervenka (vocals), John Doe (vocals, acoustic

guitar), Dave Alvin (acoustic and electic guitar), D.J. Bonebrake (drums),

Johnny Ray Bartel (bass)

E-type barre chords (top four(?) strings) G F# F E

Well I woke up this morning, lookin' for kicks

Went out to the barnyard to stomp on some chicks

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

I got a bullet head and one stray eye, my back's been broken twice

Wear overalls and big ol' boots, my pants is filled with lice

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

I'll stomp on an egg, or I'll stomp on a duck

Geese or cornish hens, I don't give a fuck

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

Roosters and hens,

And all their feathered friends,

They know it's time to fly

When I come stompin' by

Well cockle-doodle-doo,

I'm gonna put my tread on you,

That's the call of the Wreckin' Ball

Well everybody asks why I'm such a bastard

Well wringing their necks ain't no fun and stompin' kills 'em faster

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

If your fowl's gone foul, you can't count on loafers

Just look me up and I'll stomp right over

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

The life I lead is mighty slim pickins

There ain't much call for stompin' on chickens

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

(repeat chorus)

Well every night I pluck the feathers from my shoes

And sing a little bit of these chicken stompin' blues

They call me Wreckin' Ball, 'cause I'm the baddest of 'em all

Yeah, they call me Wreckin' Ball

(no chord) E

Cause I'm the baddest of 'em all!

--Justin T. Broderick

SLC, Utah

jtb@xmission.com