Sunday's Junior Brown Lyrics

The first time I heard this song, I was pretty puzzled. 12 Shades of Brown is the third CD by Junior that I bought, and the first one that has one of his socially conscious songs on it. As we review his career in subsequent weeks, you will see what I mean. You can divide Junior's lyrics into Straight Country, (which turn out to be mostly covers), Hawaiian Songs (which are pun filled and ironic), Novelty Songs, Rock Covers, Instrumentals and his Message Songs. These message songs are the weakest part of his catalogue, but he continues to include them in his CD's. I have not heard him play them in concert, which would indicate to me that his fans don't like them. But the way I look at it, I like what he plays, so if this is what he plays, I will listen respectfully, and wait for whatever comes next.

So, read with an open mind.

They Don’t Choose to Live That Way
(J. Brown) Copyright © 1990 Mike Curb Music/Jamieson Brown Music (BMI) All rights reserved / Used by permission
12 SHADES OF BROWN Track 4

Their house is made of cardboard
And the street is where they lay.
Their children beg for money
To make through another day.
When they can find a paying job,
They’ll find a place to stay.
It sad to say that people think
They choose to live that way.

Folks think that if you’re on the street
It’s some big happy family
The drunks, the losers, looney tunes
And demons in the night.
And when good people lose their home
They’re treated like they want to roam.
But all they ever did
Was let the payments get behind.
They don’t choose to live that way,
And you don’t choose to change your mind.

There’s a certain attitude
That some folks seem to have today
Who’ve always had good food to eat
And a decent place to stay.
It really gets me angry
When I hear those people say
That homeless folks don’t want a home,
They choose to live that way.