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Fedora (1941)

If I had been around in '41
I feel I would have mattered more
Made a handful less mistakes
And fought for lives on foreign shores
 
I would have championed for freedoms
For colors beyond my own skin
To speak and worship freely
To be free from fears within
 
I would watch my innocence crumble
At Bette Davis and those starlit eyes
How Rita Hayworth would corrupt me
With legs made to victimize
 
The day I’d enlist to serve my country
How scared my mother would be
Sitting in her morning chair all evening
Pretending there were no tears to see
 
Maybe my father would actually notice
A young man that needed his time
A man that needed some guidance
To dream bigger than the painted lines
 
I would have worked til’ my fingers bled
To see Joltin’ Joe hit safe in 56
To witness the magic of Beantown
And Teddy Baseball getting his licks
 
I can only imagine my heartbeat
Holding her hand in the freezing rain
Knowing tomorrow, I’d be off to Hell
Knowing I may never see her face again
 
I would’ve taken the A train with her
Just because Ella and Duke told us to
Danced her up and down Sugar Hill
Til’ there was only one thing left to do
 
We would drive that coupe by starlight
Til’ we were running only on dreams
Break into a farm at the edge of town
And lay silent til’ roosters screamed
 
I would’ve left my fedora in the backseat
Kissed her lips and swallowed my doubt
Waved from a train headed for Carolina
Feeling knots I’d only read about
Other works by Chris Thomas...



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