BLUE GOLD

I LIVE IN INA ILLINOIS AND EVERYBODY HERE
THEY ALL WORK AT THE PRISON YOU CAN SEE IT FROM THE HIGHWAY
IT’S AS UGLY AS A SORE BUT IT PAYS THE RENT ALL YEAR
AND IT BUILT UP THIS LITTLE TOWN

AND NOW IT’S INA ILLINOIS AND ALL THE MEN DRINK BEER
THAT’S WHY THEY COME TO CHARLIE’S
WHEN THEY’RE FINISHED WITH THEIR SHIFT
AND THEN THEY WANT SOME DANCING THAT’S WHY I’M PAID TO BE HERE
IT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO ROMANCE IN A PRISON TOWN LIKE THIS

AND MAYBE IF THIS WAS CHICAGO OR MEMPHIS
ST. LOUIS OR NASHVILLE OR NEW ORLEANS
I COULD PRETEND IT WAS SHOW BIZ OR GLAMOROUS
A GIRL IN PURSUIT OF HER DREAM

BUT THIS IS INA ILLINOIS AND ALL THE WOMEN SNEER
IF THEY HAVE TO STAND BEHIND ME IN THE CHECKOUT AT THE GROCERY
EVERYBODY THINKS THEY KNOW WHY I DO WHAT I DO HERE
BUT EVERYBODY IS A PRISONER OF WHAT THEY THINK THEY KNOW
I KNOW INA ILLINOIS

MAYBE IF THIS WAS CHICAGO...

BUT THIS IS INA ILLINOIS AND EVERYBODY HERE
THEY ALL WORK AT THE PRISON YOU CAN SEE IT IN THEIR FACES
EVERYBODY THINKS THEY KNOW WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO HERE
BUT EVERYBODY IS A PRISONER OF WHAT THEY THINK THEIR PLACE IS
MINE IS INA ILLINOIS

MAYBE IF THIS WAS CHICAGO

winter 1997 Illinois
C MYSHKIN 1998