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Boardwalk Dreams

from Manifest Destiny by The Gunboat Diplomats

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lyrics

Boardwalk Dreams
If you’re headed east on Sixth Avenue
You’ll hit a stretch of beach where the sky is blue
And the sea is green
Life is so serene

That’s where we ditched all our hassles
Man, we were grand
Kings building mighty castles in the sand
Like it’s always been
Till the tide rolled in
Young kids just chasing boardwalk dreams

Mama and Daddy used to come down here
The big bands would play and they danced on the pier
Swaying slow and nice
Under starry skies

Now there’s just some twisted pilings where it used to be
Ever since Dora swept it out to sea
Like ashes from an urn
Never to return
Two souls just chasing boardwalk dreams

The carousel and the tilt-a-whirl
Spun me ‘round and ‘round
Took the Ferris wheel to the top of the world
Ended up back on the ground
But the things I find turning in my mind
Have all long gone away
Like the sun that shined
All over yesterday

Lord, I remember
Up on the boardwalk at the penny arcade
Madame Zita told our fortune, made in the shade
The old guy wearing a patch over one of his eyes
Said, “Step right up, young man, you could win a prize”
A greasy corn dog and a bottle of pop
Drove the bumper cars, man, we could not stop
No school, no cares, no plans and summer was our friend
We never wanted it to end

Over at The Crab Pot, they were drunk by noon
Sunburned rednecks jamming to a Skynyrd tune
Babes in bikinis, cold beer in hand
Did the flip flop hip hop shimmy shuffle for the band
They’re having a party out on the deck
From the tattooed guy with a snake on his neck
To the sweet young waitresses and all the in-betweens
Just fools chasing boardwalk dreams

The carousel and the tilt-a-whirl
Spun me ‘round and ‘round
Took the Ferris wheel to the top of the world
Ended up back on the ground
But the things I find turning in my mind
Have all long gone away
Leave them all behind
Let go of yesterday

Down at the beach I remember what I could not save
Where the surfers still wait for the perfect wave
They ride them in
Then paddle out again

Well, they tore down the boardwalk and left no trace
So the Crab Pot crowd moved to Ginger’s Place
They always know
Somewhere to go

I see a young couple strolling hand in hand
Heart with initials etched in the sand
Until the tide
Washes it from sight
New lovers chasing boardwalk dreams

credits

from Manifest Destiny, track released October 14, 2021
K. Holmes: Vocals and keyboards
Chuck Nash: Guitars
Ken Nasta: Drums
Eric Brigmond: Piano
Kenny Hamilton: Saxophones

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The Gunboat Diplomats Jacksonville Beach, Florida

The Gunboat Diplomats are a song shop recording pop rock music with a vintage vibe.

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