Somewhere Back In Time
There was a haven for a few
Over several Ocean blocks
settled followers of Christ who lived by the testament

Was it Old or was it New
Who were these chosen few?

They settled in a place
that seems almost untouched
by greed, prestige or fame
just abundant blessings from above

These are the people of Ocean Grove

But down the coast less than a mile

a horse of a different color

a different lifestyle, where one's soul

has stepped out for awhile

On the beaches of Spring Lake, and Avon by the Sea

no one looks in the mirror and sees what they want to see

on early August Friday evenings
the happiest hours begin
Thats when Daddy's coming home
the Lexus convertibles all pull in
Children could care less
and don't spring up for a kiss hello
Bronzed Leathered-skinned petite wives
all lined up in a row
with bleached white toothy smiles
their discontent doesn't really even show

Wine glass in hand, and questions that loom
Where for dinner dear?
The Thompsons will join us
Sigh..."ugh, I can't stand his wife June"..
Well, just pretend that you love her
for a couple of hours
There's a deal about to take place
and if you play your cards right
I'll send you some flowers...
and buy you that cottage out on the cape?

There are two beach towns that are so close
but so far away
they couldn't be more different
than night is from Day
When you take the train from the city
Do you get off at Ocean Grove
where your neighbors live in a tent?
No booze..just gospel, and no sin
do you live a life of simplicity and cotton, was your sweetheart heaven-sent?

Or do you stay on the train
one more stop where Evil begins...
In Avon-by-the Sea, or maybe points north
an oceanfront castle built for a king
post divorce property division
now let's see what it's worth..
The merger of two hearts
many easily earned millions ago
is now just another change in dinner settings
to those that are "in the know"
Who got the house in the Hamptons?
Who had the chick out in Queens?

when can we boogy board Daddy?
Why does Mommy wake up with bad dreams?

Wouldn't you rather reside in Ocean Grove
where the focal point of the town
is an auditorium hundreds of years old
build by those looking to worship their Lord
and pass this tent city tradition down
The children of Ocean Grove
happily playing in the Sand
with plastic buckets and shovels in their little tiny hands
the waves crash in
smiling at Dad and Mom
sneak a kiss under the umbrella
acting like they just left their senior prom
Dad got laid off at the plant, the only job he ever knew
Mom might have to go to work now
instead of just teaching Sunday School
and showing us Right from Wrong

Somewhere Back in Time
A tale of two Beach towns
seperated only by large columns and
a couple of hundred grand
lived queens with diamond tiaras and frowns
and Kings who always seemed to forget to wear wedding bands
and women who lived by the book
and feared their husbands, their God, and themselves
and men who never look back
on chances they never took.