← return to lyrics

The Lights Of San Francisco


Recordings


Lyrics

The lights of San Francisco shone on the city floor
Joe worked on in the city ’til the dawn came around once more

He came from Galway, came over recently
And Lucy from the USA smiled at his naivete

In the rocky places of his heart no one had ever seen
Lucy picking cockles and Lucy planting seeds

Came the marching bands of July and their silver shadows flew
Two by two, red and blue, through the summer evening

He said, “All my troubles never wander very far
I like to hear music, but I like it on a blue guitar”

“And there is no end to the money a guy wants to hold in his hand
The sky hung with airplanes and no peace upon the land”

“And the folks on television that lie with every breath
And insult you with visions of cheap life and cheaper death”

“And there is no home for me now, but I’ll go on loving you
‘Til there is no more music and the guitar is no longer blue”