Dirty Blue Gene – early version lyrics

Unreleased 1971 version

Uh life(?) turned into a while ‘n’ then into a mile
A shirt to work, a back to ache
And someday we’ll smile,
Oh, I will ‘n’ you will
But that ain’t gonna bend you down ‘n’ tie your workin’ shoe

Don’t you wish you never met her
Dirty Blue Gene

A mile after mile
Stand there bubblin’ like a open cola in the sun
Troublin’ n fizzlin’ in the noonday sun
Wonderin’ if you got the time to get clean
Empty headed handed pockets ‘n’ shoes

A Dirty Blue Gene, boys, is achin’ hard to lose

Don’t you wish you never met her
Oh yeah, Dirty Blue Gene
Stand there bubblin’ like an open cola in the sun
Your back is achin’, man
‘n’ your work is never done ‘n’

Don’t you wish you never met her
Oh Dirty Blue Gene
Dirty Blue Gene
Dirty Blue Gene

Ah Dirty Blue Gene

1972 version

Uh life(?) turned into a while ‘n’ then into a mile(?)
A shirt to work, a back to ache
Someday we’ll smile,
Oh, I will ‘n’ you will
But that ain’t gonna bend you down ‘n’ tie your workin’ shoe

A mile after mile
Standin’ there bubblin’ like a open cola in the sun
Troublin’ ‘n’ fizzlin’ in the noonday sun
Wonderin’ if you got the time to get clean
Empty headed handed pockets ‘n’ shoes

Dirty Blue Gene is achin’ hard to lose

Don’t you wish you never met her
Don’t you wish you wish you wish
Don’t you wish you never met her
Don’t you wish you wish you wish
Don’t you wish you never met her
Dirty Blue Gene
Don’t you wish you never met her
Oh, Dirty Blue Gene
Don’t you wish you wish you wish
Don’t you wish you never met her
Standin’ bubblin’ like an open cola in the sun
Oh, your back is achin’
‘n’ your work is never done

Standin’ there bubblin’ like an open cola in the sun
Troublin’ ‘n’ fizzlin’ in the noonday sun
Wonderin’ if you got the time to get clean
Empty headed
Empty headed
Empty headed handed pockets
Pockets ‘n’ shoes

Dirty Blue Gene is achin’ hard to lose

She goes dirty, I go clean
She goes dirty, I go clean

She says dirty, I say clean

Don’t you, don’t you wish you never met her
Dirty Dirty Dirty Dirty Blue Gene
Dirty Blue Gene
Dirty Dirty

(1971-72)

Transcribed by Steve Froy

Dirty Blue Gene was used for the first time as the title for a song recorded during the November/December 1967 Strictly Personal sessions. Only an instrumental version survives – released on the I May Be Hungry But I Sure Ain’t Weird CD and on the 1999 remastered Safe As Milk.

The versions above:-

• Recorded October/November 1971 – The Spotlight Kid outtake – unreleased. This has a harmonica break in the middle. The song doesn’t really take off, Don and the band seem sluggish.
• Re-recorded summer 1972 – Brown Star sessions. This is a much better version. Don’s vocals really hit the spot and the band attack with the song with some strong playing. Includes a (flanged?) guitar break.