Prince of Tides

Prince of Tides
By: Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley
1988
Pat Conroy, Doc Pomus and the people of Dafuskie Island have already said it all. I am thankful for such inspiration.
--Spoken:
"The sun, red and enormous, began to sink into the western sky. And simultaneously the moon began to rise on the other side of the river with its own glorious shade of red, coming up out of the trees like a russet firebird. The sun and the moon seem to acknowledge each other and they moved in both apposition and concordance in a breath taking dance of light across the oaks and the palms. My father watched it and I thought he would cry again. He had returned to the sea, and his heart was a low country heart."

African drums are silent and the Wingos are poets at last
Out on Dafuskie Island, the bulldozers bury the past
And the low country sinks, she can not swim
The dogwood feels the hurt
While the foursome plays on borrowed days in their alligator shirts

Chorus:
Now I realize who killed the Prince of Tides
How can you tell how it used to be
When there's nothin' left to see

One night they put a price on the sunset
And that got the whole world shaking
They rose from the grave both the weak and the brave
'Cause history was there for the makin'
And the winos surrounded the condos forming a frail human fence
And they shouted out loud to the roar of the crowd
"Same old story, more dollars than sense"

Chorus:
Now I realize who killed the Prince of Tides
How can you tell how it used to be
When there's nothin' left to see

Paperback novels make young girls dream
And Judy's spending quieter days in the stream
With Goodman, Giovinno, and John Mac D
They were such good friends to me

(instrumental)

Chorus:
Yes and now I realize who killed the Prince of Tides
How can you tell how it used to be
When there's nothin' left to see

Chorus:
Oh, and now I realize who killed the Prince of Tides
How can you tell how it used to be
When there's nothin' left to see
Nothin' left to see

Heaven knows but God decides
Just when to kill the Prince of Tides

You can dance (you can dance) every dance (you can dance)
With the guy (you can dance) who gives you the eye (you can dance)
And wants to hold you tight (you can dance)
You can smile (you can smile) every smile (you can smile)
For the man (you can smile) who holds your hand
Beneath the pale moonlight (you can dance, ba-dum)
But don't forget who's takin' you home
And in whose arms you're gonna be
Save the last dance for me

And beach music, beach music, beach music, just plays on...

-- Spoken:
"The white porpoise comes to me at night, singing in the river of time, with a thousand dolphins in radiant attendance, bringing charismatic greetings from the Prince of Tides."