The man in the corner
Is singing amazing grace
Looking out the window like he don’t belong in this place
He’s singing “america, america, home of the free”,
Catches me staring, says
"that’s what they told me, man".
I hear wall street screaming,
I hear the number three train screeching
I hear too many hearts pushed together and beating
Like all the piles of polished fruit on fourteenth street.
You see, i never noticed i had stains
Until he asked for a discount
So, i almost missed out on
Loving you. who said
"perfection’s imitation, that’s why it’s called a deal,
See, real things have scratches and
I’m looking for real."
You paid full price, never asked for change til i gave it,
You said "baby, save it. you’ll need it for something harder than me
You said "i’m easy, i think scars are sexy."
And most times you make sense of things i think are crazy
And that’s not why i love you
But it helps.
Like the man in the corner singing amazing grace
Looking out the window like he don’t belong in this place,
You say "maybe in his head, he’s godzilla
And he’s saving all the naked girls.
Or maybe he’s fred astaire
And he’s got some ginger that he twirls"
You say "we’ve all got these hidden lives
That’s why crazy folk got shining eyes. see,
We take our lies and hold them up as true.
They take what’s inside and let it shine through.
And truth,
Is kind of crazy"
Like how we’ve got this history trying to lose itself,
Prove its self-worth like a theorum.
Well, it don’t take a mathematician to see
You can’t bully circles
Into two straight lines.
You can’t make equal signs
Out of things that ain’t equal.
So if this is the end,
I’m demanding a sequel.
I want better actors, and better themes,
And directors that care about behind the scenes.
And if you can’t deliver no happy ever after,
At least give me my sad parts with some
Popcorn and some laughter,
I’m looking for popcorn and laughter.
Like the man in the corner, he’s laughing this
Jack daniels laugh
Like when the world’s so huge, head thrown back
Jaw-dropped, not-notice-slow-spittle laugh
Of desperate quiet.
And the subway doors open and close,
Someone’s coat is stuck somewhere down the line
People are rushing, switching trains to make better time.
We all take different routes to the same somewhere,
You gotta grit your teeth and say ‘see you there’.
I said "see you there", he said "yeah"
I said "i wonder if i’ll ever love a man again like this"
He said "yeah"
I said "i wonder if i’ll miss this"
Now, i’ve missed my stop.
Might as well ride all night long,
Pay the man in the corner to keep singing
His salvation song,
And maybe i’ll ask him for a swig of his gin, maybe i’ll
Keep listening, maybe i’ll
Join in.
Cause if i’ve gotta watch this mtv generation,
Stocked up and bonded to this wall street nation,
If i can’t change this crazy, static station,
I’m gonna watch it with
Popcorn and laughter.