The Golden Gardens

Johnny lived a simple everyday
But night time made him wanna run away
The golden gardens weren't very far
But cash was hard to play

People knew about the hills somewhere
But no one took a chance and no one dared
To ride the train and climb the rocky hills
But Johnny wasn't sacred

And the few that made it there
Lead lives of endless joy and happy tears
And they all said it was worth it
Even if it took years

At night he'd close his eyes
And he'd promise that he'd make it on a train
In his dreams he's flying high
Still his friends and family thought he was insane

What about the ride
Might get stuck inside
Never to come out again and see that he survived

But maybe it's a bargain
To make it to the garden
Where all your worries fade and all your dreams can come alive

Every day he'd work for dimes and pennies
And once he found a buck in his dad's old Chevy
And when he'd close his drawer beside his bed each night
The coins would ring and tell him he'd be fine

Then one day he felt his luck had hit it
150 coins could buy a ticket
And in the morning when the sun began to rise
Tears slipped from his eyes

And when the town was still asleep
Johnny ran through the misty empty streets
And a thrill rushed his head
As Johnny took a seat

Colored trees flew by
As he realizes he'll be on the train a while
But Johnny boy felt fine
As an old wise man looked up and shared a smile

What about the ride
Might get stuck inside
Never to come out again and see that he survived

But maybe it's a bargain
To make it to the garden
Where all your worries fade and all your dreams can come alive

Johnny awoke to bright lights in his eyes
The golden gardens mirrored in the skies
And when he saw the people dancing in the wind
He knew had arrived

Years of sweat and tears that he had cried
Looked Johnny in the soul with beaming pride
And as stepped out of the train into his dreams
He waived those tears goodbye

At night he close his eyes
And he thinks back to those ordinary times
So happy that he tried
Now dreamy nights need not stay in his mind

Now he knows for sure
It was worth for the reward
For all the times he feels like he's in heaven on a high

And boy was it a bargain
To make it to the garden
And now he lives among the only few truly alive

Then one day ol' Johnny came to town
And suddenly he's the coolest guy around
People's eyes go wide to hear the life he has
Cuz Johnny took a chance