oldest dude at the fest

your cradle rocked when the new deal shocked
big business into a muzzle
your first wife wrote you dear john in korea
now we're shotgunning weed through your hol(e)y trachea
and talking paranoid john birch blues

you were the oldest dude at the fest
you don't care about losing your hearing
you were first row, miracle ear on full blast
and your cane never touched the ground
you were the oldest dude at the fest

the sun held us all too close
rays descending and hugging and burning
but your leather face smiled and reminded
awesome and awful share an 'aw'
all youth think their world is ending

we watched bands for hours and minutes
you were like beethoven, man's best friend
the greatest wingman of all time
with faded green betty boop and popeye
your overflow made the pacific a lake

you were the oldest dude at the fest
security guards stocked you with water
and your catheter hid in tow
but we always always got first row
you were the oldest dude at the fest

we crowd surfed to the front of sleigh bells
your skull cracked the steel bars hard
but you laughed and walked off
you said i know im old
but i dont care much for pavement

you were the oldest dude at the fest
there was no point to look east or west
you were the oldest dude at the fest
got your story but not your name
except you were the oldest dude at the fest