Near to the Wild Heart of Life

The future's under fire
The past is gaining ground
A continuous cold war between
My home and my hometown
I was destined to die dreaming
When one day, my best friend
With passion and pure provocation
Summoned me and said
"You can't condemn your love
To linger here and die
Can't leave your dreams to chance
Or to a spirit in the sky
May your heart always be ardent
Your conscience always clear
And succumb to the city and surrender, baby
I'll be waiting here"

And it got me all fired up
To go far away
And make some music from the sound of my singing, baby
(Oh oh, oh oh)
And it got me all fired up
To go far away
And make some music from the sound of my singing, baby
(Oh oh, oh oh)
So I left my home
And all I had
I used to be good but now I'm bad

It was last call at my local
And I stalled saying goodbye
So the girl behind the bar came over
And she took me aside
She kissed me like a chorus, said
"Give 'em hell for us
The last drink of the night, last night in town
Baby, this one is on the house"

And it got me all fired up
To go far away
And make some music from the sound of my singing, baby
(Oh oh, oh oh)
And it got me all fired up
To go far away
And make some music from the sound of my singing, baby
(Oh oh, oh oh)
So I left my home
And all I had
I used to be good but now I'm bad

It was bedlam in my bed that night
And like a silent scream
My body broke out in a sweat
From seeing you in dreams
You called out to me
I sang back to you
And all I remember was the sound of it being
Like all hell breaking loose

And it got me all fired up
To go far away
And make some music from the sound of my singing, baby
(Oh oh, oh oh)
And it got me all fired up
To go far away
And make some music from the sound of my singing, baby
(Oh oh, oh oh)
So I left my home
And all I had
I used to be good but now I'm bad