A Better Place to Be (Harry Chapin song)
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"A Better Place to Be" is a song by Harry Chapin from his 1972 album, Sniper and Other Love Songs.
[edit] Story
The song begins with "a little man" who is at a bar, looking glum. The waitress, who is described as a "big ol' friendly girl", notices this in him and asks him what his problem is. The little man then begins to tell her his story.
The song now takes his point of view. One week earlier, the little man goes to a diner and sees a beautiful girl sitting "two seats from (his) right". Worried she's too good for him, he still thinks he has a chance a walks over to her table. He makes a fool of himself, but the girl takes his offer stating:
"If you want me to come here with you / then that's all right with me / Because I've been goin' nowhere / And anywhere's a better place to be
The little man takes her home and attempts to turn on the lights when he gets in, but the girl tells him to leave the lights off because she claims she doesn't "mind the dark" (In reality, she doesn't really want to see him as they make love). The next day the little man watches her sleep and leaves early to surprise her with breakfast. When he returns, he finds that she's gone and left behind a "six word letter": "It's time that I move on."
The song ends with the waitress crying about the little man's story and wishing that she too was beautiful so she could be with the little man. The little man gives the waitress a "crooked grin" and agrees to her offer for one more glass of gin by stating that "anywhere's a better place to be" making the circle continue.
[edit] Links
- A Better Place to Be Lyrics [1]
