The Late John Garfield Blues - John Prine

Black faces pressed against the glass

Where rain has pressed its weight

Wind blown scarves in top down cars

All share one western trait

Sadness leaks through tear stained cheeks

From winos to dime store Jews

Probably don't know they give me

These late john Garfield blues

Midnight fell on Franklin street

And the lamppost bulbs were broke

For the life of me I could not see

But I heard a brand new joke

Two men were standing upon a bridge

One jumped and screamed you lose

And just left the odd man holding

Those late john Garfield blues

An old man sleeps with his conscience at night

Young kids sleep with their dreams

While the mentally ill sit perfectly still

And live through life's in bet weens

I'm going away to the last resort

In week or two real soon

Where the fish don't bite but once a night

By the cold light of the moon

The horses scream the nightmares dream

And the dead men all wear shoes

'Cause everybody's dancing

Those late john Garfield blues