Love Song

We walked the beach of Cocoa Beach, Florida
We walked the beaches of Tel Aviv, Israel
We walked the beaches of Centro, Portugal
We walked the beaches of Stinson and Bolinas, California

We walked along the Tuscarawas in Ohio
We walked along the Niagara River in Buffalo
We walked along the American River in Coloma
And along the Sacramento River in California

We've driven through the Sierras
Through Donner's Pass and Truckee through the snow and the pine trees
We've driven down Highway 1 so many times
For fried oysters, green chili soup and Olallieberry pie

I remember our first kiss like it was yesterday
We both said "First I want to brush my teeth first"
At the exact time
And since then I've been yours and you've been mine
And these have been the most beautiful years of my life
These have been the most wonderful years of my life

We've shared beds in St. Malo
And Reykjavik and Tokyo
And in my Dad's extra bedroom in Massillon, Ohio
And in New Orleans at the Monteleone

Yeah I've spent time with others throughout our time
And I've grappled with that duality of my life
That I don't expect civilians to comprehend, understand or know
The complications of my idiosyncratic soul
Home life verses the turbulent of rock 'n' roll
The road is loneliness, emptiness, alienation
A life of temptation, flirtation, and preoccupation
Of jugglin' and compartmentalization
Can't carry this weight anymore, shame, sorrow and frustration

Yeah I didn't marry my high school sweetheart
Didn't get a dog and a 4-door car and a picket fence
I told ya'll all I'm half man I'm half alley cat
On Among the Leaves
And somehow ya'll gave me praise for that
And somehow ya'll gave me praise for that

Now I'm almost 54 and life has intervened
And I've closin' those old doors
And sayin' goodbye to that life and I mean it
And every day I love you more and more and more and more
Every day I love you and can't wait to see you walk inside my door
Everyday I'm grateful to get to know you more

Now and then I dream I'm on stage
Runnin' around tryin' to get from place to place to place
The other night I dreamed Hal Willner was still alive
That I was on stage singin' one of his events and so beautiful was the vibe
The band was shakin' the stage the sound was so alive
The band was shakin' the stage the sound was so alive
And I walked off stage and there you were Caroline by my side

Then I woke up and my god I felt so fucking down
Where did it all go, where did he go, my old music friend Hal?
I think of the world before and I think of the world now
And I just want to take this moment to say, I miss you Hal

Sunny days in San Francisco are so rare
But this mornin' I woke up and so clear was the air
Walked up the hill, sat on a bench at Lafayette Park
Talked to my sister, told her I loved her
She said, I love you too, Mark

And Caroline called and I said can't wait to see you tonight
And share the bed with you and your cat and watch some TV and get a bite to eat
I've been waking up every day next to a pillow
Thinkin' you're there, and then I find myself alone and 10 pounds fatter

Still readin' John Fante's Full of Life
Still writin' words and music for it is my blood
For it is my life
I beat myself that I'm not as good as Henry Miller or John Fante
But like both all I want to be is true
And write a love song for you
That's all I want to do is write a love song for you

Your brown eyes are like a mahogany dream
Your skin is sweet as coffee ice cream
Your lips are as sensual as the freshest Japanese seabream
You lift my spirits, you lift my pride and my self-esteem

Oh we're just back from Kokkari
Places are openin' back up and everybody in the restaurant seemed so jolly
When fall turns to winter I hope the world doesn't get back to its horror story
And gets more divided and more Civil Warry
Either way if I'm with you there's no need for me to worry
Don't know where to go now or what to do with this story
Except to give credit where credit is due
My life lacks inspiration and purpose without you
Don't know where to go now don't know what to do
Except to write this love song for you
Except to write this love song for you