Patti Smith – 1959 lyrics

(smith/shanahan)
(c)1997 druse music, inc./slea head music
(ascap)

Listen to my story. got two tales to tell.
One of fallen glory. one of vanity.
The world's roof was raging, but we were looking fine;
'cause we built that thing and it grew wings,
In nineteen-fifty-nine.

Wisdom was a teapot; pouring from above.
Desolation angels
Served it up with love.
Ignitin'[g strife] like every form of light,
Then moved by bold design,
Slid in that thing and it grew wings,
In nineteen-fifty-nine.

****************
It was blood, shining in the sun;
First: freedom!
Speeding the american claim:
Freedom; freedom; freedom; freedom!
******************

China was the tempest; [and] madness overflowed.
[the] lama was a young man,
And [he] watched his world in flames.
Taking glory down by the edge of clouds;
It was a cryin'[g] shame.
Another lost horizon. tibet the fallen star.
Wisdom and compassion crushed, in the land of shangri-la.
But in the land of the impala, honey, well,
We were lookin' fine,
'cause we built that thing and it grew wings;
In nineteen-fifty-nine.
'cause we built that thing and it grew wings;
In nineteen-fifty-nine.

It was the best of times, it's [was] the worst of times;
In 1959; 1959; 1959; 1959; 1959; 1959; 1959.
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
[in] nineteen-fifty-nine.