A Chair in the Sky

The rain slammed hard as bars It caught me--by surprise Mutts of the planet And shook me down for alibis I'm waiting For the keeper to release me Debating this sentence Biding my time In memories Of old friends of mine ... In daydreams of Birdland I see my soul on fire Burning up the bandstand Next time I'll be bigger! I'll be better than ever! I'll be happily attached To my cold hard cash! But now Manhattan holds me To a chair in the sky With the bird in my ears And boats in my eyes Going by There are things I wish I'd done Some friends I'm gonna miss Beautiful lovers I never got the chance to kiss... Daydreamin' drugs the pain of living Processions of missing Lovers and friends Fade in and they fade out again In these daydreams of rebirth I see myself in style Raking in what I'm worth Next time I'll be bigger! I'll be better than ever! I'll be resurrected royal! I'll be rich as Standard Oil! But now--Manhattan holds me To a chair in the sky With the bird in my ears And boats in my eyes Going by