Hi Joe.

"Paris" is a really long song, but here goes.


PARIS
(Sharyn Dimmick)

You once lived in Paris:
We didn't have Paris.
You brought Paris to me
Again and again
With your stories of Paris
And writing in Paris
And the lecher you worked for
When you lived there then.

You wanted to write then
When you were much younger.
I wanted to go there.
You went there alone.
You went there again
Without saying, "I'm going."
Yeah, you went to Paris
And I, I stayed home.

Once I hitchhiked through Paris,
At twenty in Paris
Saw black flies in the market
And the road out of town.
In the hot sun I stood
With my thumb and my backpack
And summer around me
And dreams tumbling down.

And I went back to Paris
With a lover one winter.
It was cold in November --
We fought and we cried
And we ate too much cheese
And we watched others' children
And I ate at his table
And slept by his side.

We saw dead bones in Paris,
Catacombs beneath Paris.
We kissed in the chambers
Death bade us come see.
With my love I went walking
The vaults beneath Paris
Where the bones of old lovers
Were staring at me.

And I thought we'd have Paris,
You and I, go to Paris.
You would show me old buildings
And streets that you knew.
We would sit in cafes
And that would be our Paris:
Someday I'd have Paris
Together with you.

You did not even send me
A postcard from Paris
Or one from Hawaii
Or one from Vermont.
I cooked pictures up
In my fantasy fire,
Painted palm trees and hearts,
Spooned them into my want.

They say Mass for old lovers
In the tunnels of Paris:
They are lighting them candles.
They are chanting plainchants.
Well, the last thing I need
Is new thoughts of old lovers --
What I wanted was you
Whether here or in France.

We will never have Paris
Though you tell Paris stories
And though Paris is surely there,
Shining with spring.
We will never have Paris,
Or half what I wanted:
When I dreamed of Paris
You were not listening.

We will never have Paris
Though you tell Paris stories.
When I dreamed of Paris
You were not listening.

Words and Music by Sharyn Dimmick. All rights reserved