John Prine Picture Show lyrics

A young man from a small town
With a very large imagination
Lay alone in his room with his radio on
Looking for another station
When the static from the mouthpiece
Gave way to the sound below

James Dean went out to Hollywood
And put his picture in a Picture Show
James Dean went out to Hollywood
And put his picture in a Picture Show

And It's, oh, daddy get off of your knees
Mama, why'd you have to go
Your darling Jim is out on a limb
I put my picture in a Picture Show
Whoa, ho, put my picture in a Picture Show

Hamburgers, cheeseburgers
Wilbur and Orville Wright
John Garfield in the afternoon
Montgomery Clift at night

When the static hit the mouthpiece
Gave way to the sound below
James Dean went out to Hollywood
And put his picture in a Picture Show

And It's, oh, daddy get off of your knees

Mama why'd you have to go
Your darling Jim is out on a limb
I put my picture in a Picture Show
Whoa, ho, put my picture in a Picture Show

A Mocca man in a Wigwam sitting on a reservation
With a big black hole in the belly of his soul
Waiting on an explanation
While the white man sits on his fat can
And takes pictures of the Navajo

Every time he clicks his Kodak pics
He steals a little bit of soul
Every time he clicks his Kodak pics
He steals a little bit of soul

And It's, oh, daddy get off of your knees
Mama, why'd you have to go
Your darling Jim is out on a limb
I put my picture in a Picture Show
Whoa, ho, put my picture in a Picture Show
Ya, ha, put my picture in a Picture Show
Here we go

A young man from a small town
With a very large imagination