Foxtrot Uniform
She wrote me a message, on paper that was torn
“Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo
Yankee Oscar Uniform”
I focused on the page … trembling in my hand
It took me a minute
Then it took another minute
It took a lot of minutes for me to understand
It meant that she don’t love me, she don’t love me any more
It meant she wants to break my heart and nail it to the floor
But the only thing that hurts me, that breaks my heart in two
I’m pretty sure the man she loves looks a lot like you (5)
I sent her back a question, got a message in return
“Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo
Yankee Oscar Uniform”
I looked again in silence at the message in my hand
It took me a minute
Then it took another minute
It took a lot of minutes for me to understand
It meant that she don’t love me, she don’t love me any more
It meant she wants to break my heart and nail it to the door
But the only thing that hurts me, that breaks my heart in two
I’m pretty sure the man she loves looks a lot like you
Bridge
I can’t believe she loves you after all that we went through
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
I-O-U (5)
So I’m writing you a message, a message not so warm
“Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo
Yankee Oscar Uniform”
I hope it all confuses you and messes up your plan
That it takes you a minute
That it takes a lot more minutes
A lifetime of minutes for you to understand
If Constellation Rag was my attempt to write a ragtime blues, Foxtrot Uniform was the solution to a puzzle: how do say what you feel in a song, if what you feel is something you cannot say on air? I was thinking about clever songs from the past - "Makin' Whoopee," "Hold on, I'm Comin'," "Take A Whiff On Me" and a zillion others. For some reason the NATO alphabet was lurking at the edges of my mind, so I started spelling out a certain phrase. Then I realized I could make it scan, which meant it could be lyric. From that point forward, the lyrics came out in a rush . . . All I had to do was think about the people who were my "partners" at Silver Lake. I'm a cheek-turner, and I had never told them what I think of them. It was very therapeutic.
Roger McNamee
Audio, video and photos are available for almost every show!
First Played
- Jun 28 2008San Geronimo, CAview »
Last Played
- Nov 25 2018Mill Valley, CAview »
Shows Played 77
- Nov 25 2018Mill Valley, CAview »
- Dec 03 2017Mill Valley, CAview »
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- Jun 28 2008San Geronimo, CAview »
Tribe Comments
I really enjoy hearing this song, a catchy tune.