When I was a boy I knew and old man
who lived in a run down railroad shack
and I used to wave and say
hi how are you
but he never took the time to do it back
Chorus
Cause here I'm surrounded by the springtime
though raindrops fall disguised in clothes of white
and painted clowns with noses red as roses
go sliding home to face themselves at night
a face that never sees the morning light
One day while I was playing in the rail yard
I saw him fall down a steep incline
so I ran around
to see if I could help him
but he just looked at me and started smiling
Chorus
Cause here I'm surrounded by the springtime
though raindrops fall disguised in clothes of white
and painted clowns with noses red as roses
go sliding home to face themselves at night
a face that never sees the morning light
He looked at me and said hi how are you
as if he knew his life was at an end
then he told me what to write
on his headstone
he couldn't stand the chill of winter wind
Chorus
And here I'm surrounded by the springtime
though raindrops fall disguised in clothes of white
and painted clowns with noses red as roses
go sliding home to face themselves at night
a face that never sees the morning light