Jimmy Sparks

Jimmy Sparks went into bars and opened up his mouth Said some things to wounded men that they could not allow When it came to talking, he was always on the run Everyone knew what the man had done Oh, he'll take you for a ride Jimmy believed in the American way A prison guard, he worked hard and made the minimum wage He found his freedom like a man in a cage, oh Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a kid A baby boy, but the mother had other reasons to live She left the baby with a note on the bed, oh It was a struggle just to cover the rent His jail cut hours and hours little baby was sick He needed money and he needed it quick It was 3 A.M. Oh my love, oh my love Could you spare my blood, spare my blood? Jim woke his son and buckled him in the car They drove an hour from town and found a gambling hall The waitress babysat the boy at the bar, oh no After an hour, Jimmy doubled his cash He took his kid and his winnings as the dealer just laughed He said, "They leave, but then they always come back, that's a fact" Out on the road, they caught a stranger in the lights His thumb was up and his son asked if the man was alright Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride 'cause it's us or them It was 3 A.M. Oh my love, oh my love Could you spare my blood, spare my blood? Twenty years gone and now the boy is a man Broke Jimmy's habits, got in mountains and mountains of debt And now the sharks are coming back to collect, oh-oh They stripped the jewelry and the boots off Jim's feet They kick him out the car and say we'll give you a week Eight miles from home and only 18 degrees It was 3 A.M. Oh my love, oh my love Could you spare my blood, spare my blood? Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home His graveyard shift had ended and it was starting to snow He sees an old man walking barefoot alone It was 3 A.M. This old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice No, you don't ever give a hitcher a ride 'cause it's us or them 'Cause it's me or him It was 3 A.M., 3 A.M.