Pick My Pocket

Words and Music by David Harley, copyright 1976

From a time when I was playing mostly blues, and even my own songs were mostly in that idiom. First time I’ve played it in decades, and a different arrangement, so a bit rough, but gives the general idea.

Backup:

Got no fare / For a boat or plane
I got shoes to walk / But I’m here just the same
Buddy, you can pick my pocket / Got no greens to lose
Just a handful of empty / And a head full of blues

I keep looking for a highway / I can make it down alone
With every hobo, sewer rat / And rolling stone
Buddy, you can pick my pocket / Got no greens to lose
Just a handful of empty / And a head full of blues

I’ve got a new way of spelling / Ecstasy
E is for Exit / And the rest is blowing free
Buddy, you can pick my pocket / Got no greens to lose
Just a handful of empty / And a head full of blues
Just a hat full of empty  / And a guitar full of blues

(c) David Harley 1972

Got no fare
for a boat or plane
I got shoes to walk
but I’m here just the same

Buddy, you can pick my pocket
got no greens to lose
just a headful of empty
and a mouthful of blues

I was looking for a highway
I can make it down alone
just like every hobo, sewer-rat
and doggone rolling stone

Buddy, you can pick my pocket
got no greens to lose
just a headful of empty
and a mouthful of blues

Got a new way of spelling
ecstasy
E is for Exit
and the rest is for free

Buddy, you can pick my pocket
got no greens to lose
just a headful of empty
and a mouthful of blues

Oddly enough, the last verse has nothing whatsoever to do with drug abuse/MDMA… (I don’t think I’d heard of MDMA then!)