The Borrowed Bass

The pawnshop bass was out of reach I counted wages every week The old man playing down the hall Said take this case, that's what it's for His thumb had worn the varnish thin He said the first note starts within Pass that low note down Let it shake another town You can borrow what I play Just give the groove away someday I played my first show scared and stiff Then found the room inside a riff He stood behind the mixing desk And nodded when I caught my breath Pass that low note down Let it shake another town You can borrow what I play Just give the groove away someday He told me, keep it, years went past A kid next door was short of cash I tuned the strings and checked the lead And heard his words come out of me Pass that low note down Let it shake another town You can borrow what I play Just give the groove away someday The stairs began to hum that night A new low note, a hallway light