THE DAY THEY BURIED HERB CAEN

San Francisco is over it will never be the same
All the things that we had can no longer remain.

Our city has vanished to the future we fear
I just have one question, why are we still here?

It was over in the 40s when the soldiers didn't go home
They took away our small town, all the old timers did moan.

It was over in the 50s when the Police clashed with the Beats
All those great poetry readings then suddenly not a peep.

It ended in the 60s when the Haight was overwhelmed
By crime and bad drugs, all the hippies said this is the end.

It was over in the 70s when the Fillmores were closed
I was at the last show and then Winterland was bulldozed.

And then in the 80s Thunder and Lightning broke up
The Chi Chi Club was padlocked and soon North Beach was dust.

San Francisco ended as venues closed like the Civic, the Frost, Kaiser and the Greek
And when John Cipollina died we all could barely speak.

It ended in the 90s with the death of Bill Graham
The sellouts at the Grateful Dead and the parking lot scams. 
 
Then Jerry Garcia died and the music actually did stop
And Herb Caen's passing brought memories of three dots…

But why are we still here?
Where else can we go?

There's something that holds us here
San Francisco.