The Fourth of July

(from the CD Songs from the Bright Side)

It's the Fourth of July
And I'm drinking alone
I'm a long way from heaven
And a long way from home
And I'm still not with God
And I'm sure not with you
But in my own funny fashion
I'll always be true
I'm free as the breeze
But my feet are like clay
I can't move and there's nowhere
To go anyway
I'm a hundred feet up
In the hot summer sky
On a roof in New York
On the Fourth of July.

I'm not blaming Barbara
I'm not blaming Emily
I'm not blaming Helga
I'm not blaming Valerie
I'm not blaming Karen
I'm not blaming Clare
I'm not blaming the new one
With the bows in her hair
I'm not blaming Bethany
I'm not blaming Trudy
I'm not blaming Audrey
I'm not blaming Judy
I'm glad they were there
And that I'm still alive
On this roof in New York
On this Fourth of July.

Rockets exploding
Above Brooklyn Bridge
Old men on the Bowery
Who wish they'd had kids
Warm beer for them
Warm beer for me
And here's one for you
Wherever you are.

I space out at Christmas
At Easter I pray
I always go begging
On Valentines Day
I say goodbye to summer
On the labor weekend
Then I wait for Thanksgiving
And I give thanks again
And I blow you a kiss
Wherever you are
Cross all my fingers and toes
And I wish on a star
I had my arms
Around you tonight
On this roof in New York
On this Fourth of July.