A Homeless Romance

[Josh]

Mr. Kimes,

I was listening to the latest Swirling Eddies album and I was curious if you've heard Terry Taylor's incisive song "My Cardboard Box"?

Here are the lyrics:

My Carboard Box
from the album "The Midget, The Speck and the Molecule"
Words & music by Terry Scott Taylor
©2007 Terry Scott Taylor music (bmi)

come home with me honey
cuz i like you lots
my place gets a little cold
might want to double your socks

and i will warm you with my lovin’
as the temperature drops
we’ll make it toasty as an oven
in my cardboard box

we’ll cut out nice pictures of
fine food and drink
wash our little paper dishes
in the photo of a sink
i’ll tape an ad to your shoulders
of catalog mink
give ya newspaper roses
and champagne ink

my roommate willie is a good man
he just mostly gets stoned
but willie doesn’t dig it
when i bring somebody home
i’ll say "hey back off fat-man,
i don’t like your tone!"
believe me, willie will turn over
and leave the two of us alone

come home with me honey...

can you possibly resist me?
don’t i ring your bell?
you got that certain look that tells me
this is one hard sell
is it the outfit sweety?
is it the smell?
i’ll slap on eau de cologne
and get you under my spell!

and i will warm you with my lovin’...

when i made the big bucks
and had my moment in the sun,
i only stood two paychecks
between the condo and the slum
in time i grew disgusted
by all the homeless scum
but babe i’ve since adjusted
now that i’m one

i punched out a little window
it’s got a very lovely view
we’ll take in all the action
down on the avenue
and if the natives get restless
and the cops turn cruel
well, that’s the price ya gotta pay for
urban renewal

come home with me sweety
cos i like you lots
my place gets a little cold
might wanna double your socks
and i will warm you with my lovin’
as the temperature drops
we’ll make it toasty as an oven
in my cardboard box
in my cardboard box
in my cardboard box

[stevekimes]

I've heard the song, and while it's not my favorite on the album, it's... interesting. Sometimes Mr. Taylor's tone is difficult to discern. Is he being sarcastic or ironic? Or is it just a story? Can't tell.

[Josh]

It is a hard one to place. Perhaps a bit of all three, but I think if there is any sarcasm it more has to do with the character's realization that his pre-homeless security was a prideful house of cards.