
I never tried my hand at a ballad before, and this may not be the usual subject matter for the form, but it was really fun to write.
they say there’s a corner of heaven reserved
for priests, politicians and barkeeps
we spend our time helping the people we serve
though sometimes their problems run chin deep
I’ve tended this bar for near twenty years
and I’ve seen more than I care to tell
I suppose that I’ve poured out an ocean of beer
and drunk more than my share as well
I’ve heard the confessions of killers and fools
and downed shots with a couple of saints
I’ve had punks strut in who thought they were cool
and watched them leave knowing they ain’t
of all the nights spent with one eye on the till
and one ear with some clown on the make
there’s one magic moment that stays with me still
one memory I can’t seem to shake
a hard rain had pounded the city all evening
and business had been pretty slow
one hand on my coat, I was planning on leaving
when a voice at the door said, don’t go
an old woman entered with slow, measured steps
took a stool at the end of the bar
her gaze when I caught it was none too direct
like the road she had traveled was far
I gave her some time to get settled in
a good bartender knows not to hurry
one good look at her face told me she favored gin
and I could see every bottle she’d buried
I’ve got a small problem, she said in a whisper
I had to lean close just to hear
if you’d pour me a drink I’d be grateful, mister
but I don’t have a penny to spare
the thing is, I’m not one for charity
I can set things right, given the chance
I offer you something of heart stopping rarity
if you stand me that drink, I will dance
I guess my face betrayed my thoughts
and she put me to the test
if you don’t know about it, you shouldn’t scoff
there was a time when they called me the best
the name I was born with is Mary McDevin
but my stage name was Trixie Delight
I gave more than one boy his first glimpse of heaven
and haunted a thousand men’s nights
then she slid off the stool and stood herself tall
walked arrow straight to the jukebox
she punched up one song, leaned back to the wall
and the whole damn place started to rock
she started off slow, just a sway to the beat
like each note was her own private lover
I will swear to this day she was giving off heat
and I thought about diving for cover
she threw off her coat with a flick of one wrist
shimmied out of her dress like a cat
and if someone asked me I’d have to insist
I no longer knew where I was at
I could blame it on the hour, or blame it on the beer
or maybe it was just a trick of the light
but I swear right now on what I hold dear
for that one brief moment she was Trixie Delight
the music faded and she quickly dressed
and an old woman sat down at the bar
I knew in my heart that I’d just seen the best
that I’d been entertained by a star
I poured her a double without saying a thing
and she knocked it right back like a pro
I was thinking about all of the joys this job brings
when Trixie said, it’s time to go
as she opened the door to let herself out
she turned and favored me with a wink
I may never know what that night was about
but I sure as hell know what I think