This was a song originally called ‘I Gotta Gun’ that I had written with my partner in Lowdogs, bassist Chris Kew. As the meaning of this collection of songs started coming into view it became clear I needed to include Q’s bass playing on this, and rewrite the lyrics to tell this part of the story- how what you used to see in a certain light becomes tarnished or spoiled, something else when something new is added to the picture.
lyrics
Big ball of fire out on the highway between the Freebird and the bay
That’s when I started realizing we weren’t all travelin’ towards the same place
It was poison in the well, shadows ‘cross the floor
Once it’s gone it’s gone and you can’t get it back no more
It used to be so sweet but now it just seems rotten to the core
It started out like all the others did with some faded hopes and narrowed dreams
I found out the hard way people keep it hid and really nothing’s as it seems
It was poison in the well, the moment when it changed
You wake up one fine day to find your whole life rearranged
There hasn’t been clean water since the heavy rains fell
You better not get thirsty when there’s poison in the well
Things just don’t turn out the way you want them to be, and things like that don’t ever change
On best behavior through chaff for the wheat, harvest comes and things get strange
Cuz there was poison in the well and the seeds all went to rust
Relying on the promise just to overlook the trust
I once knew who my friends were but it’s got too hard to tell
You never see it comin’ when there’s poison in the well
I can look back now and try to make some sense of a thousand times where there was none
It was big old disaster in the present tense; it was reckless abandon for the long run
Yeah there was poison in the well, the wolves were at the door
Something in the shadows I had never felt before
I used to call it home but I don’t think I can go back anymore
It was poison in the well, like losing innocence
Kinda happened gradually ‘til one day it was spent
Tried holding it together but it all just went to hell
Nothing is for certain when there’s poison in the well
credits
from Telectro,
released September 28, 2015
written by Kris Kehr & Chris Kew
Kris Kehr/vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitars & harp
Scott Murawski/electric guitar
Cory Heller/piano
Chris Kew/electric bass
Zak Achenbach/drums
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