The Blind Bartender

Written by Sid Griffin

Now the greatest soul I ever did see

Was one old man who couldn't see me

No light or dark defined his view

But behind a bar he knew what to do

And what to do was mixing drinks

And pouring beers by a battered sink

And though the orders stayed the same

It was from their voice that he knew their name

For no face he saw or would ever see

He was born that way and was a friend to me

One Tuesday eve in West L.A.

It was getting dark and this guy wouldn't pay

He grabbed this nurse, he smashed a chair

From behind the bar a hand whipped thru the air

Then a low voice growled "friend you'd better beware"

"Or my friend Jack is gonna part your hair"

So the guy paid up and raced out the door

While me and two punks laughed our way to the floor

"Hey Carlo", we asked "how'd you know where to swing?"

"A blind wasp," he said, "still has its sting"

Now the very last time I saw my old friend

I was drinking alone for I had come to an end

It was me and him and a silent TV

And he asked for real what did I want to be?

So I told him out loud "I'm a singer, you see

My songs will feed the poor and set all men free"

Not from a barstool they will go on, get outta this place

Go out and make us proud! Go save the human race

Don't throw your life away don't you live in fear

Yeah, me, I gotta say I'm trapped in here

For I can see him now still holdin' court

Greeting old friends talking about sports

Listening to men slowly breaking in two

Sayin' "c'mon pal, I've got faith in you"

Sayin' "never give in & your dreams will come true

If I had the chance that's what I would do"

Twenty years on I drove back to the bar

Feelin' real good in a dirty new car

Would my friend be there? Would he know me at all?

Would he care that I'd come? Should I stop and call?

The name had changed you could smell split beer

Behind the bar stood a kid with a sneer

"Never heard of the man, never heard of that place,

how could he work here without seeing a face?"

Because he saw into souls like he saw into mine

Because he gave us his love when he gave us his time

For I can see him now so very proud of his bar

Greeting old friends asking how they are

Listening to men who were breaking in two

Sayin' "c'mon pal, I've got faith in you"

Sayin' "never give in & your dreams will come true

If I had the chance that's what I would do"

Yes, I'm older now got a wife and two kids

Don't drink anymore but what if I did

I'd whisper his name and raise a quiet toast

The best man in God's bar now serves the Holy Ghost

I'd pray the Lord would let him see me now

As I walk with my kids as I've taken a vow

Never wrote the song which freed ll mankind

But I tried to write it with the presence of mind

Of an old kind man who never had his sight

But who set me straight and who I thank each night

Published by Coal Train Tunes/Bug Music Ltd