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Before the Traffic Backs Up

from 6​+​5​+​2 by vonHummer

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about

In it's original form—written circa Summer of 1990—"Before the Traffic Backs Up" was a Ringo kind of song, very chipper. At that time I was living around that brutal Beltway that clogs eternally around Washington, D.C., so leaving before the traffic backs up, was always critical.

Now that I live out West, in a tiny city like Portland, I'm dismayed to see that the traffic is just as bad as the Beltway. And it must have inspired me to dust off this tune and give it a more minor cast and the badass riff at the beginning.

lyrics

"Before the Traffic Backs Up"
[vonHummer]

Honeychild, let’s run wild, let’s go out and drive our cars before the traffic backs up, Honeychild, let’s run wild, let’s go out and drive our cars before the traffic backs up,

We gotta leave this world behind, We gotta leave this world behind, We gotta leave this world behind before the traffic backs up…

Honeychild, flash that smile, we’ll pass each other on the right before the traffic backs up, Honeychild, flash that smile, we’ll pass each other on the right before the traffic backs up,

We gotta leave this world behind, We gotta leave this world behind, We gotta leave this world behind before the traffic backs up…

There’s something bittersweet warm in the belly of my spill-proof travel cup…Oh say can you see in the rearview mirror, it’s the Joneses, they can’t keep up…

Honeychild, we’ve got style and gas and cash and time to burn before the traffic backs up, Honeychild, we’ve got style and gas and cash and time to burn before the traffic backs up,

We gotta leave this world behind, We gotta leave this world behind, We gotta leave this world behind before the traffic backs up…

Honeychild, I’m filled with disgust: everybody had the same idea as us! And now the traffic’s backed up...

credits

from 6​+​5​+​2, released April 16, 2002
Produced by Clark Kent for Therisno Records.
vonHummer: drum guitar and other percussion, bass drone, high guitar drone

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vonHummer Portland, Oregon

vonHummer is a Portland music/cable access legend whose career spanned from Fall of 2001 to Fall of 2011, during which he recorded a hundred or so songs for use in his absurdist show (and feature film) and played only a handful of concerts. Currently retired, his work shines on for the ages. Or will he someday return...? ... more

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