Talkin’ World War III Blues [Brandeis 1963]

Some time ago a crazy dream came to me I dreamt I was walkin’ into World War Three I went to the doctor the very next day To see what kinda words he could say He said it was a bad dream I wouldn’t worry ’bout it none, though They were my own dreams and they’re only in my head I said, “Hold it, Doc, a World War passed through my brain” He said, “Nurse, get your pad, this boy’s insane” He grabbed my arm, I said, “Ouch!” As I landed on the psychiatric couch He said, “Tell me about it” Well, the whole thing started at 3 o’clock fast It was all over by quarter past I was down in the sewer with some little lover When I peeked out from a manhole cover Wondering who turned the lights on Well, I got up and walked around And up and down the lonesome town I stood a-wondering which way to go I lit a cigarette on a parking meter and walked on down the road It was a normal day Well, I rung the fallout shelter bell And I leaned my head and I gave a yell “Give me a string bean, I’m a hungry man” A shotgun fired and away I ran I don’t blame them too much though, I know I look funny Down at the corner by a hot-dog stand I seen a man I said, “Howdy friend, I guess there’s just us two” He screamed a bit and away he flew Thought I was a Communist Well, I spied a girl and before she could leave “Let’s go and play Adam and Eve” I took her by the hand and my heart it was thumpin’ When she said, “Hey man, you crazy or sumpin’ You see what happened last time they started” Well, I seen a Cadillac window uptown And there was nobody aroun’ I got into the driver’s seat And I drove down 42nd Street In my Cadillac. Good car to drive after a war Well, I remember seein’ some ad So I turned on my Conelrad But I didn’t pay my Con Ed bill So the radio didn’t work so well Turned on my record player— It was Rock-a-day Johnny singin’, “Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa Our Love’s A-gonna Grow Ooh-wah, Ooh-wah” I was feelin’ kinda lonesome and blue I needed somebody to talk to So I called up the operator of time Just to hear a voice of some kind “When you hear the beep it will be three o’clock” She said that for over an hour And I hung up Well, the doctor interrupted me just about then Sayin’, “Hey I’ve been havin’ the same old dreams But mine was a little different you see I dreamt that the only person left after the war was me I didn’t see you around” Well, now time passed and now it seems Everybody’s having them dreams Everybody sees themselves Walkin’ around with no one else Half of the people can be part right all of the time Some of the people can be all right part of the time But all of the people can’t be all right all of the time I think Abraham Lincoln said that “I’ll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours” I said that