The Last Time I Saw Richard

The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in '68

And he told me all romantic meet the same fate someday

Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafÄ‚Š

"You laugh," he said, "You think you're immune,

Go look at your eyes, they're full of moon

You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you

All those pretty lies, pretty lies

When you gonna realize they're only pretty lies

Only pretty lies, just pretty lies



He put a quarter in the Wurlitzer,

And he pushed three buttons and the thing began to whirr

And a bar maid came by in fishnet stockings and a bow tie

And she said, "Drink up now it's getting' on time to close"

"Richard you haven't really changed," I said,

"It's just that now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head

You got tombs in your eyes, but the songs you punched are dreaming

Listen, they sing of love so sweet, love so sweet

When you gonna go get yourself back on your feet?

Oh love can be so sweet, love so sweet."



Richard got married to a figure skater

And he bought her a dishwasher and a coffee percolator

And he drinks at home now most nights with the T.V. on

And all the house lights left up bright

I'm gonna blow this damn candle out

I don't want nobody comin' over to my table

I got nothing to talk to anybody about

All good dreamers pass this way some day

Hidin' behind bottles in dark cafÄ‚Šs, dark cafÄ‚Šs

Only a dark cocoon before I get my gorgeous wings and fly away

Only a phase, these dark cafÄ‚Š days.