Underneath the Stars

It's cold outside lord help those
lost tonight with the freezing toes
in the dark with the rain drenched clothes
she's all the way down

the sky has cleared stars are bright
the temperature's gonna fall tonight
in the park looking for a light
in a hospital gown

UNDERNEATH THE STARS
      city by the sea
headlights of the cars
      shine but no one see's
in another world
      just five feet away
look into her eyes
      god bless is all she'll say

some drink wine some are smokin' crack
this lady all alone wants none of that
in the park with a cart & sack
afraid she's gonna drown

a choice she made not long ago
has led to this  how could you know?
the door slammed shut her children go
to whatever life they've found

UNDERNEATH THE STARS
      what's it going to be?
in the house of mars
      stranded by degrees
hunger in the night
      answered with a prayer
see the passing cars
       there's nobody there

now the clergy have their doubts
are they helping lazy layabouts?
late at night the drunken louts
terrify the town

the cops are young well they're just kids
they don't know about the skids
they just do what the gentry bids
from the other end of town

UNDERNEATH THE STARS
      who will crack the seal?
waitin' here to die
      numbers on a wheel
figures in the dark
      crouch against the wall
out here in the park
      there's no one to call

asleep in the park rain or shine
a thousand crows on the telephone line
ask her how & she'll say fine
she's all the way down

dew drops shot like cannonballs
crash on  paper prison walls
the heart stops beating the breathing stalls
she's dyin' all alone

UNDERNEATH THE STARS
      city by the sea
headlights of the cars
      shine but no one see's
in another world
      just five feet away
look into her eyes
      god bless is all she'll say

So now you ask what can I do?
see & know they're just like you
you could wind up in the blue
beneath a pauper's crown
Don't be afraid you'll be surprised
if when you look into their eyes
you find a soulful feeling rise
yr all the way down

UNDERNEATH THE STARS
      city by the sea
headlights of the cars
      shine but no one see's
in another world
      just five feet away
look into her eyes
      god bless is all she'll say

from the album 'Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John/ Yep Roc Records
©2007 Peter Case Trumpet Blast Music/ Bug Music BMI

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