Peter Case Follow

It's cold outside, Lord help those
Lost tonight with the freezing toes
In the dark with the rain drenched clothes
She's all the way down

The sky has cleared, stars are bright
Temperature's gonna fall tonight
In the park looking for a light
She's in a hospital gown

Underneath the stars, city by the sea
Headlights of the cars shine but no one sees
It's another world, just five feet away
Look into her eyes, God bless is all she'll say

Some drink wine, some are smokin' crack
This lady all alone wants none of that
In the park with a cart and sack
Afraid she's gonna drown

A choice she made not long ago
Has led to this, how could you know?
The door slammed shut, her children go
To whatever life they've found

Underneath the stars, what's it going to be?
In the house of mars, stranded by degrees
Hunger in the night, answered with a prayer
See the passing cars, there's nobody there

Now the clergy have their doubts
Are they helping lazy layabouts?
Late at night the drunken louts
Terrify the town

The cops are young, well, they're just kids
They don't know about the skids
They just do what the gentry bids
From the other end of town

Underneath the stars, who will crack the seal?
Waitin' here to die, numbers on a wheel
Figures in the dark, crouch against the wall
Out here in the park there's no one to call

Asleep in the park rain or shine
A thousand crows on the telephone line
Ask her how and she'll say fine
She's all the way down

Dew drops shot like cannonballs
Crash on paper prison walls
Her heart stops beating and her breathing stalls
She's dyin' all alone

Underneath the stars, city by the sea
Headlights of the cars shine but no one sees
In another world, just five feet away
Look into her eyes, God bless is all she'd say

So now you ask what can I do?
See and know, they're just like you
You could wind up in the blue
Beneath a pauper's crown

Don't be afraid, you'll be surprised
If when you look into their eyes
You find a soulful feeling rise
You're all the way down

Underneath the stars, city by the sea
Headlights of the cars shine but no one sees
In another world, just five feet away
Look into her eyes, God bless is all she'd say