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Trouble on the Horizon

by Jimmy Buffett

Appears on “Music for Our Mother Ocean Vol.2” compilation

Lyrics

Spoken:
“This is a song that started a long time ago. Back when there
was just the water world. There was this strange looking fish
that moved along the hidden currents of the deep dark ocean.
He knew he was different because he could sense there was
something else in his nature. He swam in circles for millions
of years and one day he decided it was time to go up. He
was soon in the world of light where he remained a long time
until his eyes allowed him to see color. The world was no
longer a dark place and he moved further up into the light
and one day before he knew it he was no longer in the water
world. His head was above the surface and he felt his gills
turn into lungs and he said “Ah shit! I’m an amphibian!”
Then he slowly swam towards the shallow waters and
marshes of the shore and one day he felt the ground
beneath his feet. There he gathered his wits, checked
his balance, and stood erect. And THAT’S when the
trouble began!”

Well the birds disappeared and the sky began to turn purple
From the skeleton coast to the land of violins
Sailors prayed to the patron saint of lightening
“Please St. Barbara, save our miserable skins.”
They say that God takes care of drunks and fools and children
That leaves the rest of us rummaging for alibis
But friends there’s trouble, trouble on the horizon
And it wears an inconspicuous disguise
You never see it coming
You never have a clue
But there’s trouble on the horizon Bubbling like a roux

You have to taste the weather
You’ve got to touch the storm
There is trouble on the horizon Waiting to perform

You gave us cigarettes, guns, and whiskey
And watch what happens
Then add a little nuclear fusion and some gasoline
We got trouble, trouble right here in River City
Every day’s becoming Halloween
We never see it coming
We never have a clue
But there’s trouble on the horizon waiting for the barbecue

You have to taste the weather
You’ve got to touch the storm
There is trouble on the horizon Waiting to perform

I’ve seen a spaceship built by Howard Hughes
I’ve been a witness to some strange taboos
I’ve seen a storm from deep inside the eye
Of hurricane don’t lie
Hurricane’s don’t lie

In the hour of desperation
You’ll cry like a baby
When it comes right down to merely molecules
Hell, you can pray to Jesus or a flock of pink flamingos
but in the hour of desperation are the fools
I hope that all the greedy bastards in the world Come back as lobsters
You know that life at the bottom of the food chain Suits them well
I think that all of the evil people of the world Come back as horseflies
They want one last bite before they’re sent to hell

You better know it’s coming
You’ve got to have a clue
There is trouble on the horizon Bubbling like a roux

You have to taste the weather
You’ve got to touch the storm
To keep trouble on the horizon
You got to stay informed

Trouble out there, ain’t going no where
Trouble on the horizon
Trouble out there, ain’t going no where
You got to trouble on the horizon
Trouble out there
Trouble out there
I see bad moon arising