The Great Compromise Songtext
von John Prine

I knew a girl who was almost a lady
She had a way with all the men in her life
Every inch of her blossomed in beauty
She was born on the fourth of July

Well, she lived in an aluminum house trailer
And she worked in a juke box saloon
And she spent all the money that I gave her
Just to see the old man in the moon

I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And awake in the dawn′s early light
But much to my surprise
When I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

Well, we'd go out on Saturday evenings
To the drive-in on Route 41
And it was there that I first suspected
That she was doin′ what she'd already done


She said, "Johnny won't you get me some popcorn?"
And she knew I had to walk pretty far
And as soon as I passed through the moonlight
She hopped into a foreign sports car

I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And awake in the dawn′s early light
But much to my surprise
When I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

Well, you know I could have beat up that fellow
But it was her that had hopped into his car
Many times I′d fought to protect her
But this time she was goin' too far

Now some folks they call me a coward
′Cause I left her at the drive-in that night
But I'd druther have names thrown at me
Than to fight for a thing that ain′t right

I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise
When I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise


Then she writes all the fellows love letters
Saying, "Greetings, come and see me real soon"
And they go and line up in the barroom
Spend the night in that sick woman′s room

But sometimes I get awful lonesome
And I wish she was my girl instead
But she won't let me live with her
And she makes me live in my head

I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise
When I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise