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John Prine - "Picture Show" featuring Tom Petty
Watch John Prine - "Picture Show" featuring Tom Petty on YouTube

Featured In

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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
John Prine
John Prine
Vocals
Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Background Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
John Prine
John Prine
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Howie Epstein
Howie Epstein
Producer
Joe Romersa
Joe Romersa
Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
A young man from a small town
With a very large imagination
Lay alone in his room with his radio on
Lookin' 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
[Verse 2]
And it's Oh, Daddy! Get off your knees
Mama, why'd you have to go?
Your darlin' Jim is out on a limb
I put my picture in a picture show
Whoa-ho! My picture in a picture show
[Verse 3]
Hamburgers, cheeseburgers
Wilbur and Orville Wright
John Garfield in the afternoon
Montgomery Clift at night
When the static hit the mouthpiece
And gave way to the sound below
James Dean went out to Hollywood
And put his picture in a picture show
[Verse 4]
And it's Oh, Daddy! Get off your knees
Mama, why'd you have to go?
Your darlin' Jim is out on a limb
Put my picture in a picture show
Whoa-ho! My picture in a picture show
[Verse 5]
A Mocca man in a wigwam
Sittin' on a reservation
With a big black hole in the belly of his soul
Waitin' 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
[Verse 6]
And it's Oh, Daddy! Get off your knees
Mama, why'd you have to go?
Your darlin' Jim is out on a limb
I put my picture in a picture show
Whoa-ho! My picture in a picture show
Wah-ha! My picture in a picture show
Let's go!
[Verse 7]
A young man from a small town
With a very large imagination
Written by: John Prine

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