As a kid the summers seemed so long;
The dusk; a never ending song
Too much, too young
He'd never hear it again.
A walk through the dismal streets
The alleys where the junkies sleep
Too much, too young
"That will never be me."
Slow
Hand in hand to the boardwalk's end,
His mother's words like the biting wind
"Please don't leave me."
He'll never hear them again
"Keep quiet, stay out of sight."
Her sunken eyes that used to burn so bright
"Please don't leave me."
"Please don't leave me."
So he hid, pressed against the wall
Under stairs in the darkened hall.
The sound of heartbreak reminded him of home.
Shadows move slow across the floor,
A minute seemed like a day or more.
The end of heartache when she opened the door.
The sights, sounds, smell of burnt out
Shame, pride, spite, love
They all come here to die.
He sobs, "Please take me a away.
Please mother bring us home safe
On nameless streets the way we came."
And suddenly she prayed
For better days
And for redemption.
Sullenly she prayed
To keep from harm's way
And for conviction.
But there's no forgiveness here.
No hope beyond that pier.
No way to get out now,
Not for her in this dead end town.
And that drunk is waiting up,
Him and Jack, the empty cup.
"Where you been? What you on? Who'd you fuck?"
One more drink to toast "Good luck"
And a stiff hand from the old man
Like the bourbon he's been drinking.
Black out.
And a stiff hand from the old man
Like the bourbon he's been drinking.
Black out.
The summers back then seemed so long;
The dawn; was a welcome song
Too much, too young
He'd never hear it again.
A walk through the dismal streets
The alleys where the junkies sleep
Too much, too young
"That will never be me."