Autobiographical tune about the summer I worked as a “sanitary engineer” for the town of West Seneca. I developed a sincere respect for the guys who do this for a living. Back then, we had to lift each can by hand and throw ‘em in the truck. (No hydraulic lifting trucks like they’ve got today)! Yeah, the job stunk, get it?

Not an entirely instrumental tune, but I’ve classified it as such due to the amount of fingerpicking in it.

My favorite part of the song you ask? I liked how the mic picked up my foot stomping while my fingers fondled the fingerboard.

Re-recorded this in 2010

Original Year Composed: 1984

Garbage Man Blues

Wake up it's morning - it's time to face bad luck

Wake up it's morning - it's time to face bad luck

It's getting to me working on the garbage truck

Maggots in the garbage haunt my dreams at night

Maggots in the garbage haunt my dreams at night

Eating rice-a-roni reminds me of that awful sight

Home

Food on my shoes, flies on my face

Find someone to take my place

I wanna tell ya' - it ain't no thrill

But if I don't do it...who will?

Found me a woman and she sure is swell

I found me a woman and she sure is swell

(’cause) she's the only woman who doesn't seem to care...

Driving home from work with garbage in my hair...

She's the only woman who doesn't seem to care that I smell!

Words/music Larry Barron, BMI