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Alternatively, you can listen to the album’s songs on Bandcamp HERE.
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From the album Another Country Boy by Paul Robert Thomas
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download On One Leg on Bandcamp HERE and the album Another Country Boy on Bandcamp HERE and at all download stores HERE
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On One Leg is a gritty, melancholic country song that paints a bleak yet poetic picture of struggle, disillusionment, and survival. The repeated imagery of “standing on one leg” suggests instability and a desperate attempt to stay upright in a world that seems to be falling apart. The lyrics weave themes of societal collapse, lawlessness, and personal hardship, with lines about rising waters, rusted law enforcement, and overcrowded jails reflecting a world where justice and hope are in short supply.
The song’s title and refrain may also evoke the well-known story of Rabbi Hillel the Elder, who was challenged to explain the whole meaning of the Torah while standing on one leg. Rabbi Hillel responded with a version of the Golden Rule: “What is hateful to you, do not do to others.” In contrast, On One Leg offers no such wisdom or moral clarity—only a grim reality where ideals have eroded, and survival takes precedence over ethics.
The lyrics capture the hardship of trying to stay “clean” while wading through life’s figurative and literal mud. It hints at failed love, missed opportunities, and a harsh reality where survival often trumps morality. The mention of Dawson City and panning for gold evokes the romanticized yet brutal history of fortune-seeking, where the promise of riches often ends in an unmarked grave.
Ultimately, the song embodies a sense of resignation—whether it’s preferring jail over the high cost of freedom or seeking love only to find it slipping away. On One Leg stands as a counterpoint to Hillel’s hopeful message, suggesting that in a broken world, standing on one leg may not be a search for wisdom, but a struggle to remain upright at all.
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On One Leg lyrics
Standing on one leg
Tryna tell you how it is
Standing on one leg
Tryna tell you how it is
The water’s gonna rise
Who’d ever thought it would go down like this?
It’s hard to stay clean
When you’re crawling through the mud
It’s hard to stay clean
When you’re crawling through the mud
The sky’s falling down
Saviours all outta love
I could grow to love you
But maybe it’s too late for that
Could grow to love you
But maybe it’s too late for that
You’d better aim straight
When you’re shooting rats
House is on fire
Streets are full of dust
House is on fire
Streets are full of dust
The sheriff’s pointed badge
Is broken and full of rust
Go to Dawson City
Gonna dig and pan for gold
Go to Dawson City
Gonna dig and pan for gold
Might end up on Boot Hill
With more dust than I can hold
Jails are overcrowded
Can’t stem the tide
Jails are overcrowded
Can’t stem the tide
You’re just a number
Better forget about pride
“Take it like a man”
Is what they said to me
“Take it like a man”
Is what they said to me
I’d rather stay in jail
It’s cheaper than being free
Walking down the road
With my fist deep in my mouth
Walking down the road
With my fist deep in my mouth
Was looking to find love
All the birds are flying south
Standing on one leg
Tryna tell you how it is
Standing on one leg
Tryna tell you how it is
The water’s gonna rise
Who’d ever thought it would go down like this?
Paul Robert Thomas
from Another Country Boy, released March 14, 2025
production and lyrics by Paul Robert Thomas
all rights reserved
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