The Haarlem Straat Blues

(Written at The Hotel Bryon. I recently got email from a Metal band in
Holland that's also called Beyond Belief. I told them that since I wrote
this song I have been unable to find Haarlem Straat on the internet. They
said there is a Haarlemmerstraat which leads from Amsterdam to Haarlem.)

I walked out on the highway, and tried to flag a ride.
My father came beside me and told me I had died.
He reached to touch my shoulder and I dropped my bass
And went into a flashback I can not erase.

I'm just sitting here and wasting time in Amsterdam.
I'm just hanging out and feeling good on Haarlem Street.
I'm just sitting playing music from my balcony.
I can see forever, I can see forever
I can see forever, I can see forever

Incense for my karma; tallow makes it boil.
Half of light is magic; the other half is oil.
Memories will scatter, but, this ball point pen,
I will keep forever, I will keep forever,
I will keep forever, I will keep forever.

Just me and countless others have come with their guitars.
Drumming is illegal; weed is sold in bars.
Psychedelic guilders falling down, down, down.
God, I miss my girlfriend. She's the one who guards my sanity.
I wish that there was some way I could have her standing here with me.

I'm just hanging out and wasting time in Amsterdam
I'm just laughing at the funny cars on Single Street
I can sit here playing music on my balcony.
I can see forever, I can see forever
I can see forever, I can see forever
I could play forever, I could stay forever
I could stand forever, or stay away forever.
I could sing forever, I could sing forever,
I could sing forever, I could sing forever.

Pardon the digression; my teacher, in a lesson,
Said, if this were a session the issue would be pressing.
So if you pack for travel don't fill your bags with gravel.
And don't get settled somewhere unless you're having fun there.

I'm just hanging out and doing time in Amsterdam.
I'm just bumming round and chasing cars on Haarlem Street.
I can sit here all day watching from my balcony.
I can see forever, I can see forever,
I can see forever, I can see forever.

Misty farms and cities, receive my noble stare
Clouds suspended lifeless like dead fish upon the air.
Lands so far below me neither here nor there.
Pressing me to squint my eyes beyond the glare.
I can see forever, I can see forever,
I can see forever, I can see forever.

©1997 Joe Matzzie