Early Bird Cafe - John Mellencamp

Everybody’s laughin' at the Early Bird Café

I’ve been hidden there since yesterday, and I believe I’ve lost my way

Charlotte’s there in organdy, and Billy’s there in suede

There’s money in their pockets, and all the dues are paid

There’s wine on every table, and food on every plate

Well I hope I get there pretty soon, before it gets too late

Someone asked me what time it was — and I, told him it was now

He asked me just what that might mean, but time would not allow

So I gave away my watch to a passing businessman

Well I hope he understands it now — cause I’ve done the best I can

It was getting early, so I rushed away from there

With that ancient earth beneath my feet

And new dust in my hair

Well I ran on down the road a while, to the other side of town

My clothes were gettin' wrinkled, and my socks were fallin' down

But I could not stop to pull them up, for fear that I’d be late

So I kept on runnin' down the road until I saw the gate —

Of the Early Bird Cafe, glowin' golden like the sun

Everybody kept on singing, saying:

«Come on in, we’ve just begun!»

So I went right in, and I set right down, and I ordered up some wine

The talk was fast & clever, and the women all were fine

Charlotte asked me where I’d been with her jade and ivory eyes

I told her I’d been hung up, with some begger in disguise

Well she laughed like temple bells

Kissed me on the cheek and said:

«You know it’s hard to be alive sometimes…

But it’s easy…

To be dead!»