Heartwood

Bennies for Buddies

by Lindsey Eck

Every two years they come ridin’ in
For 20 hard weeks full of blather and spin
Nights away from the wife full of liquor and sin
Me, I pay to play because I play to win

Bennies for buddies—the pols are back in town
T-bones for Bubbas and fat Cohibas all around
Can I buy you a ’rita? Can I find you a gal?
When you’re there in the chamber, just remember your pal
Bennies for buddies — the pols are back in town

I find ’em VIP passes—Auditorium Shores
And girls so purty you will not call them whores
A box of cigars like you can’t find in stores
For that and 15 Gs one of these can be yours

Bennies for buddies—the pols are back in town
Prime rib for Junior—man, they love them country sounds
Can I buy you a ’rita? Can I find you a gal?
When you’re there in the chamber, just remember your pal
Bennies for buddies — the pols are back in town

Well, they bash evolution with biblical quotes
And demand executions ’cause it brings in the votes
Go light on polluters, kick the poor in the rear
Then it’s back to their well paid consulting career
You can call this a kickback, call it a bribe —
I call it what a working man does to survive:

Bennies for buddies …

Back-slappin’ buddies in a room full of smoke
Barroom bidness over bourbon and Coke
Baby back ribs with some gals at the Spoke
Me, I pay for the perks ’cause you’re a jerk if you’re broke

This song is intended as satire. Any resemblance to an actual legislative body is strictly coincidental.