Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore

[ET Awful]

While digesting Reader's Digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped on my window shield,
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I'd tell her how good I feel.

But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.

Well, I went to the bank this morning
And the cashier he said to me,
"If you join the Christmas club
We'll give you ten of them flags for free."
Well, I didn't mess around a bit
I took him up on what he said.
And I stuck them stickers all over my car
And one on my wife's forehead.

But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.

Well, I got my window shield so filled
With flags I couldn't see.
So, I ran the car upside a curb
And right into a tree.
By the time they got a doctor down
I was already dead.
And I'll never understand why the man
Standing in the Pearly Gates said...

But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
We're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.

- John Prine

[leftofthedial]

1. I've been playing this one out lately

usually the place gets real quiet and then about half the people laugh.

[ET Awful]

3. You just have to be careful where you play it :)

Like I wouldn't recommend playing it in a redneck bar for instance. (a la the club in "The Blues Brothers").

But if you were to play it at say . . . Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, it'd probably go over very well :).

[leftofthedial]

6. I play pretty mixed venues, leaning slightly left sometimes

I've not gotten overtly negative responses

you can tell the repukes by the confused, cognitive dissonance, stupid looks on their faces as they try desperately to digest the truth

I also play "For What It's Worth" regularly.

[Sequoia]

2. I've never heard it, but it's GREAT

We have a few guys running around the office witht those flag pins on their collars. Too funny.

[hobbit709]

4. And 35 years later

still just as appropriate.

[Gato Moteado]

5. sam stone......

....would be another good prine song to play.

[Double T]

7. How About An 'I Worship George W. Bush' T-Shirt......

think that will be adequate to open the pearly gates???