Im sittin in this diner suckin down week old coffee
And they didnt have any cream and they didnt have any sugar
And their grits were gritty and their eggs were even grittier
But I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon

Let me tell you something mister, I spent last night with my best girlfriends
Best friend and her sister
The moon was bright and I was tight
Higher than the cliched kite
Man, I was a sight
And I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon

And I went to start my car
But my car wouldnt go
And I didnt have no money
I didnt have no dough
And B. Bumble & The Stingers was playin on the radio
And the river, the river was filled up with silt
You cant even get a boat outa here anymore

I wondered, you know I just wondered why it happened that
way
It all happened so fast
Look out, it was already today
And I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon
I wonder why she wants me any old way

In the mirror, I looked over the bar, man, I looked like a raccoon
Now the radio is playin John Lee Hooker goin Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom
The waitress poured more coffee
It was so thick you could cut it with a spoon
And I looked into her eyes and I fell right into her wound
But I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon
And that time was approaching soon

I stepped outside and the world went by so fast it made my head spin
I decided I had to immediately duck back in
The waitress, she came over and she asked me
Hey, why didnt I like it
Im not eating my food
And I said no, I just dont think I was hungry as I was
The food is really good
And she said youre lying
I said no, Im just trying to be polite
She says now Ive heard everything
Goodnight
And I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon

Man, I looked over my shoulder
And in walked this man who was seven feet tall
And he asks me, he said, are you Nelson Algren
And I said no, son
And he pulled out his gun and he says well then
Give me your wallet
And I said I aint got one
And then he stuck his gun in my face and he just said just in case your lyin
You better stand up and let me take a look
And as he rumbled through my pocket he found a book
And he looked at me and he says whats this and I said it was a book I wrote
And he just laughed man, he just laughed at me
And he gave it back and he said well, then Im gonna take your coat

And I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon
I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon

So I said, I said shoot me, I said shoot me but please make it quick
Cause that stuff I drank the night before, it was, it was makin me really
Frightfully sick
And I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon
I was supposed to be getting married in the afternoon
I was supposed to be getting married in the afterno