Dar Williams - Southern california wants to be western new york

^GThere's a part of the country could drop ^Bmoff tomorrow ^Cin an earth^Dquake, ^GYeah, it's out there on the cutting ^Bmedge, the people ^Cmove, the ^Dsidewalks shake. ^EmAnd there's another part of the co^Bmuntry with a land^C that gentl^Dy creaks and thuds, W^Emhere the heavy snows make faucets ^Bmleak in bathrooms w^Cith free-^Dstanding tubs. They'^Gre in houses that are haunted, the^Bm with kids who ^Clie awak^De and think ^Emabout All the generations past who ^Cused to use that ^Ddripping ^Gsink.

^EmAnd sometimes one place wants to sli^Bmp into the ot^Cher just^D to see ^EmWhat it's like to trade its demons^Bm for the restless ^Cghost of Mrs. Ogi^Dlvey, She^G used to pick the mint from her front yar^Bmd to dress the Sun^Cday por^Dk, Som^Getimes southern California wa^Dnts to be^C west^Gern New York.

^GIt wants to have a family business in she^Bmet metal or p^Cower tools,^{D G}It wants to have a diner where the c^Bmoffee tastes like^C diesel fu^Del, ^EmAnd it wants to find the glory of ^Bma town they say h^Cas hit the ^Dskids, A^Emnd it wants to have a snow day tha^Bmt will turn its par^Cents into^D kids, And i^Gt's embarrassed, but it's lusting ^Bmafter a SUNY st^Cudent wi^Dth mousy bro^Emwn hair who is Taking out the compost, makin^Cg coffee in long ^Dunderwear^G.

^EmAnd southern California says to save^Bm a place, I'l^Cl meet y^Dou there, ^EmAnd it tried to pack up its Miata,^Bm all it could fit ^Cwas a^D prayer, Som^Getimes the stakes are bogus, sometimes^Bm the fast lane hit^Cs a for^Dk, Som^Getimes southern California wa^Dnts to be^C western New Y^Gork.

^EmTempe, Arizona thinks the Everglades^Bm are greener ^Cand wett^Der, ^EmAnd Washington, D.C. thinks that A^Bmtlanta integrated ^Cbette^Dr, But^G I think that southern California has ^Bmmore pain that we ^Ccan say^D, 'Ca^Guse it wants to travel back i^D11n time, but^C it just can't leav^Ge L.A.

^GBut now I hear they've got a theme park p^Bmlanned, desig^Cned to make^D you gasp and say, ^GOh, I bet that crumbling mill town w^Bmas a booming mill^C town in i^Dts day, ^EmAnd the old investors scoff at thi^Bms, but the young ^Cones hope t^Dhey'll take a chance, A^Emnd they promise it will make more ^Bmdough than Mickey M^Couse in n^Dorthern France, And t^Ghe planners planned an opening day^Bm, a town histor^Cian will^D host, ^Em And the waitresses look like ^Cwaitresses who wa^Dnt to lea^Gve for the west coast.

^EmAnd they'll have puttering on rainy ^Bmweekends, aut^Cumn days that make you^D feel sad, ^EmThey'll have hundred year old plum^Bmbing and the famil^Cy you never ^Dhad, And^G a Niagara River clean-up concert and ^Bma bundle-bearing s^Ctork, ^D And^G I hear they've got a menu pl^D11anned, it's^C trés western New ^GYork.