( Verse 1 )

Hemmingway on the shelf but she hasn't got the time,
There's a fashion statement to be made at the local wine and dine
With a Betty Davis' attitude and a voice like Lauren Bacall,
She makes the scene with 14 drinks, desensitized to it all
The waiter's wearing Lucky Strikes and smoke rings in his hair
He tries to gain her confidence with a phony James Dean stare
He serves a tray of images to fit her self esteem
She can sample each one before she picks how she'd like to be seen

( Pre Chorus )

Ohh, it's a long way, back home
Facing the illusions all alone

Chorus:
It's a Hypnotic Paradise, all's not what it seems
You think you know what's going on, but there's more behind the scenes
The streets are filled with mirrors and masks,
you see what they want you to see,
It's a Hypnotic Paradise, you've become what they want you to be

( Post chorus )

Oh oh oh oh, take me home ( 4 times )

( Verse 2 )

The walls are filled with 8 by 10's of 'please remember me's'
That look like what Rod Serling saw in a made for TV dream
The closets are now opened up and repression poured in
Screaming out defiance and professing no sins
The gatekeeper's bed post are now bowed from the strain
He's become so open minded that it's flattened out his brain
His daughter now bears kids for the all star football team
And his son is selling secrets to a third world death regime

( Pre Chorus )

Chorus:

( Post chorus: )

( Verse 3 )

The mayor's bending over in the corner making a deal
To take money from the kid's school fund and give it to Lucille
Who'll give it to her uncle's friend across the state line
Who'll bring back another factory and votes for election time
A ghost is sometimes heard telling stories about the songs
That Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton played all night long
There's an angel with an old blues harp waiting outside the door
Singing tunes about the ones never heard from anymore

( Pre Chorus )

Chorus:

( Post Chorus )

© 2003 Terry G Reed