Jim Abel's Music Hall

Live at Main Street Coffeehouse October 2007

Dreaming of Harry
Words and Music by Jim Abel

I woke up this morning, dreaming of Harry
He was one of the neighbors way back when.
I dreamed he was walking up by the Courthouse
Hat off to the ladies, hand out to a friend.
We lived on the same road, in the same town
In an big white house with porches all around.
He'd been some kind of big shot, after the War,
He lived with his wife and kid, up by the Square.

I woke up this morning, dreaming of Harry
He was old-fashioned, I was a kid.
Some of the old folks, friends of my parents,
Spoke of him proudly, and the things that he did.
He was stiff as a soldier, soft as an old shoe.
He knew just was he thought of things and he was not afraid to tell you.
He'd been some kind of big shot, I understand,
He was a damned good President.  He was a real fine man.

All through the sixties, though I moved away
People went to see Harry, to hear what he'd say.
They couldn't have known him any more than I
They were dreaming about Harry, and I think I know why.
We learned to believe in him, in our innocent youth,
I wanted to be like him, to speak the plain truth.
When my boy's a grown man, and he looks to the past
I hope he finds his own Harry and a dream that will last.

I woke up this morning, dreaming of Harry
We were back in the fifties, before I was grown.
I like to tell people I really knew Harry,
You see, dreaming of Harry is like dreaming of home.

© 1992 by Jim Abel
All Rights Reserved