The California Zephyr

Whistle blowing through the night
The train conductor dims the lights
He likes to keeps his badges shined
And tell me what's been on his mind
And Damien sits across from me
And asks me for my story
But with a smile I decline
And slowly let my seat recline
We're all aboard the California Zephyr
And families dressed in starched black cotton
Speak a language half forgotten
And push against the tidal flow
Of Mississippi afterglow
And Leroy talks of sixty-nine
Of Haight and Ashbury in his prime
Of lighting up with Morrison
See everything was hazy then
He says you know the future waits for no one
And every single moment here is stolen
So all aboard the California Zephyr
Leanna says she loves to sing
Gospel country anything
She says she knows a couple chords
And wears them out til she gets bored
And with her bags and with her pride
She tells me to enjoy the ride
The most important thing in life
Is doing what you love
She says it's not about the destination
See everybody's headed for that station
So all aboard the California Zephyr
But lightning strikes and oil fires
From sea to rising sea
Hand of god reaching out
Looking down on me
Warehouse crumbling by the tracks
And vines that climb the old smoke stacks
A treehouse never meant to last
In every town that we speed past
From falling Appalachian snow
To where the desert roses grow
Following the lake shore line
And ending on pacific time
We're all aboard the California Zephyr
You know I wish that could stay forever