Last night I had a dream, I went to Singer/Songwriter Heaven
Jim Croce was at the gate, shook my hand, said, "Well, you've been expected."
"Let me hail you a taxi, to show you these heavenly grounds."
So he flagged down Harry Chapin, who was out just makin' his rounds.

Well, I gave him my best, "How are ya, Harry?" and Harry said, "Up yours!"
"Don't give me your cheap imitation, son. Just get in now and close that door."
He said, "Welcome to a state of mind called "alpha and omega,"
where now is always sooner and sooner is never later."

Well, we took an alternative route, right on past that writers' block
Saw Gram Parsons on his porch, singin' country folk and rock
And nodding over coffee, right outside the Angelic Cafe
Mark Heard, Stan Rogers, Steve Goodman, Nick Drake

Roll down your window, steal a good line if you hear one
Give one away, if you have a spare one
There's a racket goin' on between cloud seven and eleven
On cloud nine is where you'll find Singer/Songwriter Heaven

I said, "Stop the car, Harry. I really got to hear that conversation!"
He said, "All right, just remember the meter's running and you'll be paying"
I heard Goodman say, "You know what the problem is with some songwriters down on earth?"
"Why, mucho pointless chorus, and ditto pretentious verse."

Well, I was sitting two tables down trying to go unnoticed and not to blush
'Cause I knew I had been guilty, of exactly what he was speaking of
Then Rogers made a point that pierced open my whole point of view
He said, "They need an eye for the obvious, and an ear for the god damn truth."

Well, I washed down that thought with a big old cloud nine espresso
Got back into the cab said, "OK, Harry, there's just one thing I'd like to know..."
"Why'd they all die so young? Seems they were all in their prime."
He said, "We need new songs up here, too. Angels tire of singing the same old rhymes."

Roll down your window, steal a good line if you hear one
Give one away, if you have a spare one
There's a racket goin' on between cloud seven and eleven
On cloud nine is where you'll find Singer/Songwriter Heaven

Well we passed a bunch of old coffee houses... Gerdes, Iguana, Club 47
I said, "What are these places doing up here, Harry, in Singer/Songwriter Heaven?"
He said, "Those rooms had a spirit, son. This is where great old spirits go.
You see, all those years of music, why it gave those rooms a soul."

I said, "OK, I'd like to stay here, Harry. Can you get me a room on that writers' block?
He said. "Whoa, no can do kid that, son, and I hate to send you into shock,
But this is only a dream for you. You better let these sweet memories dwell...
'Cause tomorrow morning you'll wake up in Los Angeles...Singer/Songwriter hell."

Well I felt like I'd been choked, just like a capo on the 12th fret.
But I quickly recomposed myself, and re-modulated my breath
Then I said, "Up yours, Harry!" as he brought his taxi to the proverbial stop
and I gave him 2.50 for a 20 dollar fare, just to piss him off

Roll down your window, steal a good line if you hear one
Give one away, if you have a spare one
There's a racket goin' on between cloud seven and eleven
On cloud nine is where you'll find Singer/Songwriter Heaven

Roll down your window, steal a good line if you hear one
Give one away, if you have a spare one
There's a racket goin' on between cloud seven and eleven
On cloud nine is where you'll find Singer/Songwriter Heaven

Words and music by Kevin Faherty © 1996

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