Better Place To Be
Words and Music by Harry Chapin

It was an early morning barroom 
And the place had just opened up
And a little man came in so fast 
And he started at his cups

And the broad who served the whiskey 
She was a big old friendly girl
Who tried to fight her empty nights 
By smiling at the world

And she said "Hey, bub, it's been a while 
Since you've been around 
Where the hell you been hiding 
And why you look so down
Well, the little man sat there 
Like he'd never heard a sound

The waitress she gave out with a cough 
And acting not the least put off she spoke once again
She said "I don't want to bother you 
Consider it's understood
I know I'm not no beauty queen
But I sure can listen good

And the little man 
Took his drink in his hand 
And he raised it to his lips
He took a couple sips 
And then he told the waitress this story

I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's Tool and Die
And I watch the metal rusting, I watch the time go by
A week ago at the diner I stopped to get a bite
And this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right
And Lord, lord, lord,  (Lord, Lord, Lord)   she was alright

You see she was so damn beautiful that she could warm a winters frost
But she looked long past lonely and well nigh onto lost
Now I'm not much of a mover or a pick'em up easy guy
But I decided to glide on over and give her one good try
And Lord, lord, lord,  (Lord, Lord, Lord)   she was worth a try

Well I was tongue tied like a schoolboy, I stammered out some words
It did not seem to matter much 'cause I don't think she heard
She just looked clear on through me to a space back in my head
It shamed me into silence as quietly she said

If you want me to come with you 
Then that's all right with me
'Cause I know I'm going no-where 
And anywhere's a better place to be
Anywhere's a better place to be
	
Well, I drove her to my boarding house 
And I took her up to my room
And I went to turn on the only light 
To brighten up the gloom
But she said, "Please leave the light off, 
Oh, I don't mind the dark"
And as her clothes all tumbled 'round her
I could hear my heart    

The moonlight shone upon her as she lay back in my bed
It was the kind of scene I only had imagined in my head
I just could not believe it to think that she was real
And as I tried to tell her, she said "Ssssh, I know just how you feel

And if you want to come here with me 
Then that's all right with me
Cause I've been so lonely 
Lovin' someone is a better way to be
Anywhere's a better place to be	

Well the mornin' came so swiftly I held her in my arms
And she slept like a baby, snug and safe from harm
I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood
So before she woke I went out to buy us both some food
I came back with my paper bag to find that she was gone
She'd left a six-word letter sayin' "It's time that I moved on"

You know the waitress she took her bar rag and she wiped it across her eyes
And as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh
She said I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind
And I wish I weren't so God-damned fat, I wish that you were mine
And I wish that you'd come with me when I leave for home
For we both know all 'bout emptiness and livin' all alone

And the little man looked at the empty glass in his hand and he smiled a crooked grin
He said "I guess I'm out of gin and I know we both have been so lonely
And if you want me to come with you then that's alright with me
'Cause I know I'm going no-where and anywhere's a better place to be