California

Prudence would say to come out and play tonight,
As the sun goes down and the fireflies say hello,
With lime green flashes in the wind,
Children of summer, flashing green with laughter;

A green balloon goes flying by in the sky, it's 1999,
We love to speed down Highway 1 past the palm trees,
Not a cloud goes by, not a day turns night,
The traffic lights always saying go, go, go;

Sunday mornings trying to keep up in town,
Trying to keep still in the breeze,
I'll try the other shoes for a change,
Feels a little strange, this Sunday morning;

Creeping in the sand, on the surf, in the red summer sun,
Body free is a Venice Queen, Queen of Venice Beach,
Where did you come from? Where are you going?
All those dirty brown bags and that shopping cart, but no groceries;

My eyes sometimes get a little rusty,
Just thinking of you, and all that you do,
What will be our anthem for the Year 2000?
When will be the next time I wish I brought a camera?

Taking snapshots of the fires we start,
Drifting upward, gently lifting, lazy on the wind,
Red and yellow sparks, when I stoke the embers,
Turning slowly on my own spit, I burn freedom tonight;

Every day is a Pacific coast party, setting over the waves,
And every day is a holiday in flames in my head,
Nobody can ever take my baby blue away,
The quiet black streets of California, poisoned with purple rain.