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Rockaway

I stop to look out the window
The sky above the water's turned a bitter grey
The Summer people have packed their station wagons
The city is calling them away

The air is not as warm as it once was
The ocean's not as tempting as before
The seagulls cry a mournful tune now
As I shutter up the windows and the doors

While the trees outside watch their leaves fall to the ground
but these walls inside me, oh they never tumble down

I think of all the chances that have passed me
All the opportunitys I've let slip by
And all the friends along the way I have lost track of
It's enough to make me lay down and cry

And yet I push on blindly toward the future
Though I haven't got a notion of where I am
As I'm moving in some vague direction
There are times when I couldn't give a damn

All the trees outside watch their leaves fall to the ground
Oh But these walls inside me, oh they never tumble down

I'll take one last walk along this angry ocean
Greet the fishermen in my usual way
Maybe stoop to find a pretty piece of beach glass
To remind me of old Rockaway
The salty spray stings my sunburned face now
As I button up my coat against the cold
There's a sorrow I always find in leavin'
That chills me deep into my soul

All the trees outside watch their leaves fall to the ground
But these walls inside me, oh they never tumble down
Tumble down, Tumble down,
Tumble down, Tumble down
Tumble down, Tumble down . . .
Words and Music by Christine Lavin/Flip-A-Jig
Music ASCAP & Happy Valley Music BMI
Copyright 1986, Palindrome Records, Philo