Before The Sirens

Banana For Scale

Wayne 2

Banana For Scale

Southern hard rock, blues rock

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# BEFORE THE SIRENS

[Intro — fast, dirty guitar riff; rolling bass; sharp snare pickup]

[Verse 1]
Grey wool suit in the Indiana heat,
John checked his watch halfway down the street.
A bank guard yawned by the polished door;
His driver kept the engine running outside the store.
Then shoes scraped marble and a woman cried,
John cleared the counter with the gun at his side.
Filled up the bag while the seconds dragged—
Ran for the car with a torn coat flapping.

[Pre-Chorus]
Door slammed hard; tyres bit down—
The first alarm rang as they cleared the town.

[Chorus]
Go, Johnny, go—before the sirens!
Foot to the floor and the whole car sliding.
Cash on the back seat, sweat in your eyes,
Don’t lift now at the county-line sign.
Go, Johnny, go—keep the wheels turning!
You can smell that stolen engine burning.

[Verse 2]
Crown Point iron and a locked steel door,
Guards said his running days were over for sure.
John watched the keys and the changing shifts,
Kept his mouth shut and his cards held close.
Then a gun in his hand and a guard turned pale,
One frightened man opened up the jail.
Out in the sheriff’s car, grinning alone—
By noon they were shouting down the telephone.

[Pre-Chorus]
The papers sold out with his face on the front;
He bought himself a copy at a roadside pump.

[Guitar Solo — rapid blues runs; second guitar answers; twin leads climb over the driving riff]

[Bridge — heavy bass pulse; drums drop to half-time]
Every cheap room had a chair against the door,
A suitcase open on a cigarette-burned floor.
Slept in his clothes with the curtains pulled tight,
Woke at the plumbing in the middle of the night.
All of that money, and nowhere to stay—
He checked the street before he stepped away.

[Final Chorus — full speed; urgent, ragged vocal]
Go, Johnny, go—before the sirens!
Foot to the floor and the whole car sliding.
Cash on the back seat, sweat in your eyes,
Don’t lift now at the county-line sign.
Go, Johnny, go—keep the wheels turning!
You can smell that stolen engine burning.

[Outro — ominous riff; vocal close and low]
Chicago heat.
The picture show was done.
He stepped beneath the lights
And saw a stranger’s gun.

No driver at the corner.
No open passenger door.
His hand went for his pocket—

[Band stops on a sharp snare crack]

[Exposed vocal]
The car won’t wait no more.

[One low guitar chord rings out]

2609/7500

# BEFORE THE SIRENS [Intro — fast, dirty guitar riff; rolling bass; sharp snare pickup] [Verse 1] Grey wool suit in the Indiana heat, John checked his watch halfway down the street. A bank guard yawned by the polished door; His driver kept the engine running outside the store. Then shoes scraped marble and a woman cried, John cleared the counter with the gun at his side. Filled up the bag while the seconds dragged— Ran for the car with a torn coat flapping. [Pre-Chorus] Door slammed hard; tyres bit down— The first alarm rang as they cleared the town. [Chorus] Go, Johnny, go—before the sirens! Foot to the floor and the whole car sliding. Cash on the back seat, sweat in your eyes, Don’t lift now at the county-line sign. Go, Johnny, go—keep the wheels turning! You can smell that stolen engine burning. [Verse 2] Crown Point iron and a locked steel door, Guards said his running days were over for sure. John watched the keys and the changing shifts, Kept his mouth shut and his cards held close. Then a gun in his hand and a guard turned pale, One frightened man opened up the jail. Out in the sheriff’s car, grinning alone— By noon they were shouting down the telephone. [Pre-Chorus] The papers sold out with his face on the front; He bought himself a copy at a roadside pump. [Chorus] Go, Johnny, go—before the sirens! Foot to the floor and the whole car sliding. Cash on the back seat, sweat in your eyes, Don’t lift now at the county-line sign. Go, Johnny, go—keep the wheels turning! You can smell that stolen engine burning. [Guitar Solo — rapid blues runs; second guitar answers; twin leads climb over the driving riff] [Bridge — heavy bass pulse; drums drop to half-time] Every cheap room had a chair against the door, A suitcase open on a cigarette-burned floor. Slept in his clothes with the curtains pulled tight, Woke at the plumbing in the middle of the night. All of that money, and nowhere to stay— He checked the street before he stepped away. [Final Chorus — full speed; urgent, ragged vocal] Go, Johnny, go—before the sirens! Foot to the floor and the whole car sliding. Cash on the back seat, sweat in your eyes, Don’t lift now at the county-line sign. Go, Johnny, go—keep the wheels turning! You can smell that stolen engine burning. [Outro — ominous riff; vocal close and low] Chicago heat. The picture show was done. He stepped beneath the lights And saw a stranger’s gun. No driver at the corner. No open passenger door. His hand went for his pocket— [Band stops on a sharp snare crack] [Exposed vocal] The car won’t wait no more. [One low guitar chord rings out]

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