On a gaudy neon street
Not that I care at all
I've always loved this song, and it has been playing in my mind quite a bit this week. Above is a great extended live version, one of the best I've ever heard.
To me, it speaks of a sorrowful victory. Of a sadness in triumph. Of leaving a place, either physically or spiritually, that your instincts have told you is wrong for you, but yet you were still drawn to the promise of fulfillment that is inherent in anything that brings a rush to the psyche...
And I check the odds
And I place my bet
I pour a drink
And I pull the blind
And I wonder what I'll find
... and so you came back again and again, even though you knew going in that the odds would always favor the house, and it would most likely beat you in the end. Still you played, until some defining event happened where you realized that what attracted you in the first place, well, it wasn't really real at all...
Waiting for my ship to come in
But now no joker, no jack, no king
Can take this loser hand
And make it win
... so you finally decide with quiet confidence to make the break ...
At the Lido Des Girls
They had me dealing blackjack until one or two
Such a muddy line between
The things you want
And the things you have to do
... and you swear you won't be back - but the house is betting you will, and they are probably right. And all you can do is smile.
Plus, Sheryl Crow is smokin' hot. Enjoy.