BURIED OUT BACK [ONE FEMALE ALTO THROUGHOUT. ALL DIALOGUE SUNG BY SAME FEMALE. NO MALE VOCALS OR DUETS.] [INTRO — 84 BPM, smoky honky-tonk, short instrumental] [VERSE 1 — SOLO FEMALE, LOW AND MYSTERIOUS] His truck pulled in 'round half past eight, We had some business that couldn't wait. Mrs. Johnson peeked through her blinds, Lord knows that woman ain't hard to find. A few choice words, a slamming door, Some things ain't worth fighting for. He pulled away a little past ten, And nobody's seen him around here since then. [PRE-CHORUS — FEMALE, RESTRAINED] By midnight I was out back digging, Moonlight shining on the ground. Funny how a little dirt Can keep a whole lot of trouble down. [CHORUS — FEMALE, DARKLY PLAYFUL] Some things are better buried out back, Where the weeds grow tall by the railroad tracks. No flowers, no preacher, no tearful goodbye, Just a shovel, some dirt, and a clear midnight sky. Let the neighbors whisper, let the whole town talk, I ain't losing sleep over what I lost. Some things are better left right where they're at, Six feet of goodbye buried out back. [VERSE 2 — SAME SOLO FEMALE VOICE AS VERSE 1] Walked in the bar with dirt on my boots, Ordered bourbon, didn't offer excuses. Old Joe leaned over, lowered his voice, Said, "Honey, you look mighty pleased with yourself tonight." I said, "Joe, I've been carrying that weight for years, Through broken promises and wasted tears. Finally found a place to lay it down, And I don't aim to go digging around." [PRE-CHORUS — SAME FEMALE VOICE] He said, "Folks been asking questions, Sheriff stopped by here today." I said, "Well, Joe, if he wants to talk, He knows where I stay." [CHORUS — SAME FEMALE VOICE] Some things are better buried out back, Where the weeds grow tall by the railroad tracks. No flowers, no preacher, no tearful goodbye, Just a shovel, some dirt, and a clear midnight sky. Let the neighbors whisper, let the whole town talk, I ain't losing sleep over what I lost. Some things are better left right where they're at, Six feet of goodbye buried out back. [BRIDGE — SAME FEMALE VOICE, SPARSE, INTIMATE REVEAL] Joe said, "Woman, what'd you bury?" I said, "Something I once held dear. Kept it safe for far too long, Even after love disappeared." A wooden box of faded letters, Old photographs from way back when. My wedding band lay tucked inside, With promises that didn't stand. Wrapped it all in that white satin dress, The one I wore when I said yes. Laid it down beneath that tree, Buried everything he used to mean to me. [SHORT PEDAL STEEL TURNAROUND] [FINAL CHORUS — SAME FEMALE VOICE, CONFIDENT] Some things are better buried out back, Where the weeds grow tall by the railroad tracks. No flowers, no preacher, no tearful goodbye, Just a shovel, some dirt, and a clear midnight sky. Let the neighbors whisper, let the whole town talk, I ain't losing sleep over what I lost. Some things are better left right where they're at, Six feet of goodbye buried out back. [OUTRO — SAME FEMALE VOICE, SPOKEN, DRY HUMOR] Joe said, "So where's your husband?" [PAUSE] "Alive and well in Tennessee." [PAUSE] "But I ain't told Mrs. Johnson yet." [SHORT BARITONE GUITAR STING — END]
