Bay Area Baby

Is it your insides? Do they hurt?

Are you still stiffin' motels, do you still wear that shirt?

In twenty years don’t blame the folks, you know they warned you, don’t kick the golden oracle who told you not to—
and don’t cry, baby, cry when you’re so old your clothes shiver every time you sigh
Roll over on the mattress and see Caribbean calendar from 1933…

Think maybe it’s morning out in Californee-
are those sobbing peaches hanging low?
Although I know I’ve never been myself I’m fairly certain soon I will have to go
when you float away from here, when you butt heads with Hawaii
dear, please remember us for what we was when you cry into your coconut-

Lover, I tried to be true and

Lover it was nothing doing

do you too eat the lemon right down to the rind, bay area baby of mine-

If you talk of your core they will ignore you, and say

“don’t hassle the good doctor anymore, you know he’s a figment
and even if he isn’t
he’ll never put his hands in your hair the way he did before”

And I’ve seen your head in your arms hiding in the crowded clown car
someone’s always gotta do, someone’s always gotta prove,
and baby, I’m willing to pretend to be anything for you-

when I come into your country, baby, how will you have me?
how will you receive me?
will I be received as if I were a stranger?
will you cup the phone and tell me to come back later?
will I be received as if I were a stranger?

will you cup the phone and tell me to come back later?

When you say you hate the cold your hands in my hair white as snow

you stay you can't stand the crowd you know how loud you say

When you say you hate the cold your hands in my hair white as snow

When you stay you can't stand the crowd you know how loud you say

lover don't ask me how hard I try

lover you know I'm prone to lie

If you can't make it like it was before, then my dear I can't afford to love you no more