I Can’t Play the Banjo

Verse 1

Bought a five-string wonder with a gleaming maple neck

Calloused up my fingertips till every one of them was wrecked

My buddy said just pick a while and let the music find you

I plucked and strummed and clawed around till every string went twangy-blind

Pre-Chorus

Fingers fumbling every fret

Nothing sounds right yet

Chorus

I can't play the banjo

Fingers all tangled like a briar patch

I can't play the banjo

But I'm gonna try again when morning's back

(Can't play it)

(Can't play it)

Post-Chorus

Pluck-a-pluck no

Pluck-a-pluck no

Pluck-a-pluck no

Verse 2

Neighbor said he'd teach me rolls and slides across the fifth line

I sat there with a frozen thumb and careful counting time

That hammer-on came loose right quick and knocked against the wood

Sounded like a barn door swinging in a summer flood

Pre-Chorus

Strings and splinters everywhere

Nobody here cares

Chorus

I can't play the banjo

Fingers all tangled like a briar patch

I can't play the banjo

But I'm gonna try again when morning's back

(Can't play it)

(Can't play it)

Post-Chorus

Pluck-a-pluck no

Pluck-a-pluck no

Pluck-a-pluck no

Bridge

One day that old neck will learn my way of holding

One day the clatter turns to ringing out a story

Till then I'll sit out on the porch and let the crickets mock me

Crickets mocking

Crickets mocking

Chorus

I can't play the banjo

Fingers all tangled like a briar patch

I can't play the banjo

But I'm gonna try again when morning's back

(Can't play it)

(Can't play it)

Post-Chorus

Pluck-a-pluck no

Pluck-a-pluck no

Ooh ooh-oh-ooh