Living the Dream #1
From "The Muse Tree (Demos)"
Julean and the Rai (as Julian Rai)
Copyright 2003 Julian D. Rai (BMI)

VERSE I
See I was stranded in Cincinatti
On the edge of a city grove

And I guess that's where it happened
When I suddenly decided to go ...

I was watching all the cars pass in all the choas
And folks I've never seen before

Pathos, storylines and drama
Bars, coffeehouses and stores

CHORUS I
And I said it's
Too bad I'm stuck in Ohio
Or I'd be living the dream
Never take a chance with my safety
And ruin everything
Besides, I would probably die
Of thirst, or hunger, or snow
Unless I had a grand or two
Before I go

Anyway
What would I do with my stuff?
All of my writings and memories?
But if all I could do was survive here
What kind of a life would that be?
So really, I'm dead either way --
Whether I stay, or leave

VERSE II
So I got to telling all my friends
Had to let 'em know I wouldn't be here long

By a couple of days, they sat me down
Half laughing, half concerned

Funny thing I couldn't tell
If they were talking about them, or me

And I said it's too bad because
I was gonna' seek some company.

CHORUS II
And I said: "Jules,
Too bad you're stuck in Ohio
Or you'd be living the dream
Never take a chance with your safety
And ruin everything
Besides, you would probably die
Of thirst, or hunger, or snow
Wouldn't you need a grand or two
Before you go

Anyway
What would you do with your stuff?
Your dishes, candles, VCR and TV...?
But if all we cand do is survive here
What kind of a life would that be?
So really, we're dead either way --
Whether we stay, or leave

BRIDGE
As the month goes on
I find that I regress
Back to the world of jobs
And safety nets
I keep pushing forward the date
But I 'aint leavin' yet
Started playing in bars
And smoking cigarettes

I figured that I would let myself
Do what I needed to
This was my birth town
It's gonna' be a tough move
And when I'm ready
I'll just slide out, like a silhouette
Perhaps on a greyhound --
I don't really know
It'll be alright
But I 'ain't leavin' yet ...

CHORUS III
And I said its
Too bad I'm leavin' Ohio
Too bad I'm living the dream
I'm leaving the safety
Of these familiar things
Too bad I'll probably die
Of thirst, or hunger, or snow
Too bad I'm a little broke --
I'm still gonna' go

Too bad about that little "fire"
That took out all of my belongings and things
But if you're thinkin' of leavin'
Just go with your pack and your breathin'
And maybe then, your guitar
You just go as you are.

OUT
I'm gonna' take a boat
To Liverpool
Then take on most of Europe
'Cause I know my place is over there
But I've never quite been over there

But I saw it once in a photograph
And I got this feeling in my chest
You said "You don't know,
Don't make me laugh."
So I got my bookbag and I left

And I think I can do this as I am
No need to save up all this cash
'Cause I trust the seeds of confidence
Don't believe in coincidence

You can't always explain what you know
Or how you know what you know you know
But you've got this feelin', gotta' go
'Cause this place no longer
Feels like home.

Lyrics and music copyright 1995, 1996, 2003 Julian D. Rai (BMI), All Rights Reserved.