Popcorn And Laughter

The man in the corner

Is singing amazing grace

Looking out the window like he don't belong in this place

He's singing "america, america, home of the free",

Catches me staring, says

"that's what they told me, man".

I hear wall street screaming,

I hear the number three train screeching

I hear too many hearts pushed together and beating

Like all the piles of polished fruit on fourteenth street.

You see, i never noticed i had stains

Until he asked for a discount

So, i almost missed out on

Loving you. who said

"perfection's imitation, that's why it's called a deal,

See, real things have scratches and

I'm looking for real."

You paid full price, never asked for change til i gave it,

You said "baby, save it. you'll need it for something harder than me

You said "i'm easy, i think scars are sexy."

And most times you make sense of things i think are crazy

And that's not why i love you

But it helps.

Like the man in the corner singing amazing grace

Looking out the window like he don't belong in this place,

You say "maybe in his head, he's godzilla

And he's saving all the naked girls.

Or maybe he's fred astaire

And he's got some ginger that he twirls"

You say "we've all got these hidden lives

That's why crazy folk got shining eyes. see,

We take our lies and hold them up as true.

They take what's inside and let it shine through.

And truth,

Is kind of crazy"

Like how we've got this history trying to lose itself,

Prove its self-worth like a theorum.

Well, it don't take a mathematician to see

You can't bully circles

Into two straight lines.

You can't make equal signs

Out of things that ain't equal.

So if this is the end,

I'm demanding a sequel.

I want better actors, and better themes,

And directors that care about behind the scenes.

And if you can't deliver no happy ever after,

At least give me my sad parts with some

Popcorn and some laughter,

I'm looking for popcorn and laughter.

Like the man in the corner, he's laughing this

Jack daniels laugh

Like when the world's so huge, head thrown back

Jaw-dropped, not-notice-slow-spittle laugh

Of desperate quiet.

And the subway doors open and close,

Someone's coat is stuck somewhere down the line

People are rushing, switching trains to make better time.

We all take different routes to the same somewhere,

You gotta grit your teeth and say 'see you there'.

I said "see you there", he said "yeah"

I said "i wonder if i'll ever love a man again like this"

He said "yeah"

I said "i wonder if i'll miss this"

Now, i've missed my stop.

Might as well ride all night long,

Pay the man in the corner to keep singing

His salvation song,

And maybe i'll ask him for a swig of his gin, maybe i'll

Keep listening, maybe i'll

Join in.

Cause if i've gotta watch this mtv generation,

Stocked up and bonded to this wall street nation,

If i can't change this crazy, static station,

I'm gonna watch it with

Popcorn and laughter.