Lyrics: Judy Collins. Paradise. Kingdom Come.
It was seven months since 9/11, the work was almost done
Seven months since 9/11 and the work had just begun
Ground Zero lit the evening sky like a dagger through the heart
The search lights drove through Heaven's doors and blew them far apart
A few miles north on the Hudson river we've gathered for a sort of wake
Nobody felt like celebrating, but the firemen needed a break
They've been to so many funerals and have seen so many terrible sights
They been to Ground Zero from dawn to dust and around the clock some nights
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a sunny day
I was all dressed up like the rest of the crowd at the Roxy Club that night
The men and women in uniform tried hard to keep it light
Kevin Bacon played and sang and people started to smile
Chris Bodi played his silver horn with rhythm and with style
I sang my song 'Amazing Grace' and people hugged and cried
Ronnan Tynan sang 'Danny Boy' and not an eye was dry
Steve Buscemi spoke of life at Engine 55
How those firemen stayed the course and saved so many lives
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a sunny day
A burly man with a handsome face stuck out his hand and smiled
Says 'Meet my wife, we like your songs, we've been with you mile for mile'
And though he had a ragged face I knew I could see the hurt
And he pointed at a spot above the collar of his shirt
'Oh just look here on the back of my neck there's a tattoo, can you see?
Just right there' I got up close and saw the number 343
The number of the firemen that were lost on that black day
The number of those heroes, Ground Zero was their grave
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a sunny day
Those firemen loaded up with gear, climbed to their deaths that day
Along with other hundreds blasted on their way
Police and EMS and those on whom death took its toll
And all those whose dreams won't dawn, about three thousand more
I left the party after that, I couldn't stay my tears
For all our gifts, for all our hopes, for all our nameless fears
For all our heroes, men and women lost on that black day
For the firemen with courage and their hearts so strong and brave
Who made sure in their final hours 33000 souls were saved
They've gone to where there are no tears
And every heart is gay
They will not be forgotten
On a sunny day
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a summer day
Where murder does not break the heart
On a sunny day
Seven months since 9/11 and the work had just begun
Ground Zero lit the evening sky like a dagger through the heart
The search lights drove through Heaven's doors and blew them far apart
A few miles north on the Hudson river we've gathered for a sort of wake
Nobody felt like celebrating, but the firemen needed a break
They've been to so many funerals and have seen so many terrible sights
They been to Ground Zero from dawn to dust and around the clock some nights
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a sunny day
I was all dressed up like the rest of the crowd at the Roxy Club that night
The men and women in uniform tried hard to keep it light
Kevin Bacon played and sang and people started to smile
Chris Bodi played his silver horn with rhythm and with style
I sang my song 'Amazing Grace' and people hugged and cried
Ronnan Tynan sang 'Danny Boy' and not an eye was dry
Steve Buscemi spoke of life at Engine 55
How those firemen stayed the course and saved so many lives
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a sunny day
A burly man with a handsome face stuck out his hand and smiled
Says 'Meet my wife, we like your songs, we've been with you mile for mile'
And though he had a ragged face I knew I could see the hurt
And he pointed at a spot above the collar of his shirt
'Oh just look here on the back of my neck there's a tattoo, can you see?
Just right there' I got up close and saw the number 343
The number of the firemen that were lost on that black day
The number of those heroes, Ground Zero was their grave
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a sunny day
Those firemen loaded up with gear, climbed to their deaths that day
Along with other hundreds blasted on their way
Police and EMS and those on whom death took its toll
And all those whose dreams won't dawn, about three thousand more
I left the party after that, I couldn't stay my tears
For all our gifts, for all our hopes, for all our nameless fears
For all our heroes, men and women lost on that black day
For the firemen with courage and their hearts so strong and brave
Who made sure in their final hours 33000 souls were saved
They've gone to where there are no tears
And every heart is gay
They will not be forgotten
On a sunny day
To Kingdom come, to hell and gone
To somewhere far away
Where murder does not break a heart
On a summer day
Where murder does not break the heart
On a sunny day
Paradise
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