Jazz At The Bookstore - Ron Sexsmith

Lead Belly’s in the background

Being drowned out by the grind

He’s singing ‘bout 'Rock Island Line'

Nobody seems to pay him any mind

Bestsellers and bookshelves

Full of self-help printed word

Some faint, elegance is heard

Now was that Ellington or Bird?

And has it really come to this?

Can ignorance be bliss?

I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop

Jazz at the bookstore

And Blues in the coffee shop

Jazz at the bookstore

And Blues in the coffee shop

There’s a man standing at the crossroads

With a dark roast in his hand

He’s livin' in white yuppy land

Over by the milk and sugar stand

And have I really come for this

Cup of caffeinated bliss?

So we browse around all over town

Sipping coffees that we can’t pronounce

Meanwhile in the Blues Cemetery

All the coffins commence to bounce, bounce

Lead Belly’s in the cold ground

Rolling over in his grave

The hard road where so many slaved

Is now so smooth and paved

And has it really come to this?

Can ignorance be bliss?

I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop

Jazz at the bookstore

And Blues in the coffee shop

Jazz at the bookstore

And Blues in the coffee shop

Jazz at the bookstore

And Blues in the coffee shop