[INTRO — upright bass alone, stalking riff] [piano answers with two sharp chords] [xylophone taps a mocking little reply] Well, I came here peaceful, That's the story I'll defend. Had no quarrel with the evening, Had no business with revenge. Then you opened up your mouth Like you owned the damn saloon— Now the bass man's digging trenches And the piano's out of tune. [PRE-CHORUS] Don't fetch the law. Don't fetch the priest. Nobody's dying— Not yet, at least. [CHORUS] I GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU, AND I'VE BEEN SAVING IT ALL NIGHT. YOU CAN DRESS A LIE IN SUNDAY CLOTHES, THAT DON'T MAKE THE BASTARD RIGHT. So pull yourself a chair up, Pour whatever gets you through— I GOT A BONE, A BONE, A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU. [xylophone: bright descending run] [VERSE 2] You say, “Let's be reasonable.” That's rich coming from your chair. You've been throwing little matches Then complaining 'bout the air. Piano man's quit smiling. Bass player's counting four. And that woman on the xylophone Just locked the goddamn door. [INSTRUMENTAL — THE ARGUMENT] [UPRIGHT BASS SOLO — woody, fast, percussive] [Singer]: “State your case.” [PIANO SOLO — barrelhouse rolls, crooked jazz chords] “Objection.” [XYLOPHONE SOLO — nimble, wicked, increasingly aggressive] “Oh, she's got receipts.” [bass and piano interrupt] [xylophone interrupts THEM] [all three collide into the chorus riff] [CHORUS] I GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU, DON'T NEED A KNIFE OR GUN. JUST A BASS THAT KNOWS THE QUESTION AND SOME KEYS THAT KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE. You can argue with the piano— Hell, argue with me too— But that xylophone's been keeping score, AND SHE'S GOT A BONE WITH YOU. [BREAKDOWN — bass + xylophone] [Singer: ]“You finished?” [piano flourish] “Apparently not.” [TRIO SHOWCASE] [bass establishes riff] [piano twists it] [xylophone steals it] [bass steals it back] [piano pounds descending chords] [xylophone races over both] [Singer, laughing]: “Children.” [FINAL CHORUS — FULL BAND] WE GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU, NOW THE WHOLE DAMN ROOM'S INVOLVED. AIN'T SAYING WHO WAS WRONG HERE— BUT WE KNOW WHO STARTED IT ALL. Raise a glass to bad decisions, And another when they're through— EVERYBODY'S GOT A BONE— [hard stop] SOME JUST PICK IT BETTER THAN YOU. [bass: THUMP] [piano: CHORD] [xylophone: ding] “Settled.”
