Story Behind The Song

Ketchikan is a town that is stripped down and can be brutal with its cold climate. It's a place where one's problems can seem more obvious sometimes. The narrator thinks about his dog, he thinks about how he ran away. Nothing helps.

Song Description

The narrator acknowledges how problematic his drug usage is. He reflects on the sadness in his life, in the seemingly inescapable aspect of drug use. He tries to go south, but like his dog, he can't escape his problems.

Lyrics

Well I left my baby in downtown Ketchikan
Not the finest move if you're fond of plans
But I'm a weak and careless man
I left my baby in Ketchikan

We were down at the end of Washington Street
Said I gotta go find something to eat
And wound up in an alleyway trying to repeat
The first time I shot up on Washington Street

I had a dog once and she loved to play
Her back was bad, they said it would kill her one day
She could've lived forever if she'd only learned to stay
But playing was in her blood so she played

I moved south to shake the cold and snow
I'll tell you the saddest thing I know
No matter what I do, no matter where I go
In my heart I only know cold and snow

We were down at the end of Washington Street
Said I gotta go find something to eat
And wound up in some parking lot, wound up in a room somewhere, wound up in an open field
Trying to repeat the first time I shot up on Washington Street

Top 10 List	Rank
Folk - Contemporary	#3