Came up on a worried man, asked him if he had a light.
He reached on down, dug in his shoe, figured in his sock he might.
He asked if he could come and join, at what we was partakin' in.
I says,"Ol' soul if you got a match, you also got yourself a friend".

The smoke drew hard but laid in good, the neon gave us extra shine.
We passed around a flask of Knockando, and a half litre bottle of wine.
The worried man dropped down to his knees, and let out with a somber groan.
He looked up to me and when I asked, he said,"I'm just restin' my bones".

I looked down at him, and him up at me, then a smile rose above his chin.
He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me down, said," Listen to me now my friend".
When I was your age I did it all, more than many men could do,
now my possessions are the ones I wear on my back, and this lighter I keep in my shoe.

That's why I'm restin' my bones.

I'm restin' my bones for the times I fell, fell and hit myself on the ground.
Restin' my bones for the loneliness, of being the only genius around.
I'm restin' my bones for prosperity, in hopes that it'll do me some good.
I'm restin' bones from amphetamines, see they turned teeth to balsa wood.
I'm restin' bones for Johnny Cash, 'cause for me and mine he's wearin' black.
I'll be restin' my bones for Elvis, I seen him last week at the track.
If I'm restin' bones and you come along, just try and tippy toe on by.
'cause when I'm restin' bones I hope to sleep, and maybe slip away and die.