The three of us stood there reverent and silent
While others went by in a hurry
And we posed for a picture under the sign reading
"Haight and Ashbury"
It was me and Wierd Joe and Sweet Mary Ann
Who spent the night before with a bottle in her hand
And Joe laughed out cause she wasn't the first to throw up there
We stood for a moment and tried to imagine
What life was like on that street
And when I closed my eyes I thought I heard the sounds
Of a thousand marching feet
Then Mary Ann came up and took my hand
And softly she whispered "this is where it began
Peace and free love and free drugs and free minds
How could they leave nirvana behind?"
Her words echo in my mind
Did they leave it all behind?
Ghosts I see ghosts
Ghosts I see ghosts
I see spirits on the street, spirits from the past
Spirits in search of their lost other half
I see ghosts
Mary Ann went shopping for bargains on incense
And crystals and organic food
While Joe and I stopped to question a local
At the risk of sounding rude
He said, "I used to be a hippy, but now I'm just hip,
And I leave the armchair now when I trip,
And though I may be a lawyer, I still don't eat animals."
I said, "Hey mister, I don't trust no one!"
He said, "Neither did I, until I turned thirty-one."
This is the pilgrimage of our disenchantment
This is the place where passion led to contentment
Sweet May Ann I love you, but do we stand a chance?
Maybe every generation is doomed to the Ghost Dance
And as we left I swore upon my youth
That I'd never except a compromise over truth