DURATION BLUES
(Johnny Mercer)


Johnny Mercer - 1943


This modern age we're goin' through
Has got me in a spin
Uh, I ain't too bright to start with
Now here's the seat I'm in
For anything and everything
There's stamps you got to use
The "Ds" and "Gs" are groceries
I think the "Ts" are shoes
You have to be a FBI man
To figure out all the clues
And that's the situation
When you got them Duration Blues

The army and the draft board
Keeps me kind of mixed up too
You're in if you is 1-A
But if you ain't, then who are you
The 3-As is essential
And the 4-Fs all have athsma
2-B gents is in defence
Or else they're givin' plasma
Or else man you ain't go nothin'
That the armed services can use
That is the unfortunate situation
When you've got them Duration Blues

Food will win the war, they say
And that's okay with me
But when I go to the corner store
What do I see
There's Spam and wham and deviled ham
And somethin' new called Zoom
Just take it home and heat it
To the temperature of the room
And you can bake it, flake it, shake it
Make it, take it any way you choose
Jack, that's the situation
When you got the Duration Blues

And then on top of everything
The taxes roll around
I went to see the income man
And this is what I found
Oh, you multiplies the profit
And incorporates the loss
Deducting all expenditures
And anything else you come across
Then if you satisfy the government
It's 10-to-1 the little woman sues
Oh, that's my situation
I got them Duration Blues





(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - September 2015)