Dory Previn
The Earthquake In Los Angeles (February, 1971)
The telephone rang

My sister calling

I got to run i said

Nonononono

I just want

To tell you

To tell you

Dad is dead

Dad is dead?

Well when did it happen?

Six a.m

Said she

New york time

Or california?

New york time

I see

The telephone rang

The week of the earthquake

Death was still in the air

At six o one

The walls came down

They never had a prayer

Dad is dead?

Well how is mother?

Good as she

Can be

Say i said

When dad was goin'

Did he happen

To ask

For me?

'member the way

I used to time step

Lord it made him proud

He told his friends

(he never told me)

That i stood above the crowd

'member the way

He played the jew's harp

Till he broke a tooth

Why'd he have

To turn against me

He loved me

Once

In his youth

But jesus

I couldn't live his life

Make his fantasies real

I couldn't be him

I had to be me

I couldn't make up

For the deal

The dirty deal

He got in this world

He got in

A treacherous world

Where six a.m

Suddenly breaks

With senseless death

And shocking quakes

Senseless death

And shocking quakes....