One of my most Texan songs. The first line that came to me is the first line of the chorus and the rest of the song flowed naturally from there. I had long forgotten that Dylan had written a song about it raining in Juarez, and never thought of the connection until I heard the song again much later. The bearded guy quoting scripture, in my mind, is a false prophet. For some reason, I associate him with David Koresh of Waco Massacre notoriety. Obviously, none of this ever happened.
Lyrics
One Sip at a Time
Sitting here in this bar room, it may as well be my jail;
outside in the gathering darkness I can hear the sirens wail.
The rain is dancing on the tin roof, I'm about to lose my mind;
I've got too many things to remember and I'm falling way behind.
The bartender swears in Spanish as the last light sputters and dies;
The old whores laugh in the shadows and a young man sits and cries.
There's a river of mud rolling down the street, I'll be staying here tonight;
thank God for a shot of Tequila and a dream of morning light.
Now I'm stinking drunk and it's raining in Juarez.
I can shoot as straight as any man, no matter what the old whore says.
So pass me another bottle, you can hold the salt and lime;
I'm taking things slow and living my life, one sip at a time.
A beautiful girl from Dallas, she danced away with my heart.
I can still hear the two-step playing, though we're a thousand miles apart.
She left me under the big city lights, she didn’t even said goodbye;
so I drifted down to the border where the hot sun never lies.
Now I'm stinking drunk and it's raining in Juarez.
I can shoot as straight as any man, no matter what the old whore says.
So pass me another bottle, you can hold the salt and lime;
I'm taking things slow and living my life, one sip at a time.
It's been forty days and forty nights, there seems no end in sight,
but there’s a bearded guy quoting scripture who wants to lead me to the light.
You can take your choirs of angels and leave me here to die;
with a shot of tequila in one hand and a teardrop in my eye.
Now I'm stinking drunk and it's raining in Juarez.
I can shoot as straight as any man, no matter what the old whore says.
So pass me another bottle, you can hold the salt and lime;
I'm taking things slow and living my life, one sip at a time.