No Place, No Time

Intro - slow piano, brushed snare

Dah-dah-dah-dahhh... dah-dah-dah-dahhh...

Verse 1

I stepped through a doorway, Lord,

And the year said nine-teen-two,

Said I stepped through that doorway

And the year said nine-teen-two,

Paris in the morning, and my French came right on through.

Verse 2

I can order the wine, Lord,

I can haggle in the square,

Said I can order the wine

And I can haggle in the square,

But none of these centuries got my people anywhere near there.

Chorus

Every door's the wrong door,

Lord, every door's the wrong door,

I know the language, know the land, know the lore -

But I don't know what time I'm looking for.

Verse 3

Next portal took me, baby, to old Edo in Japan,

Said the next one took me, honey, to old Edo in Japan,

Drank down with the merchants, Lord,

And every man shook my hand.

Verse 4

The cherry blossoms falling, Lord,

They sure were something fine,

Said those cherry blossoms falling, Lord,

They sure were something fine,

But beautiful ain't home, and beautiful ain't mine.

Chorus

Every door's the wrong door,

Lord, every door's the wrong door,

I know the language, know the land, know the lore -

But I don't know what time I'm looking for.

Piano Solo - melancholy, wandering

Oh, like a man circling a door he can't find...

Spoken - over slow piano

"You know... I've stood in the markets of Marra-kesh.

I've argued price in Mandarin. Recited poetry in ancient Greek.

I have tipped my hat in seventeen languages.

But not one of those doors... Not a single one...

opened onto anything that smelled like where I came from."

Verse 5

Wound up in the Viking age, Lord,

Somewhere cold and grey,

Said I wound up with the Vikings, Lord,

Somewhere cold and grey,

Spoke their tongue like a native - still a stranger anyway.

Verse 6

Found a glowing portal, baby, shining by the fjord,

Said I found that glowing portal, shining by the fjord,

Stepped on through and landed, Lord - eighteen-forty-four.

Bridge - key change up, gospel feel rises

Maybe there's a door out there with my name on it still,

Lord, there must be a door somewhere with my name on it still,

One that opens onto Tuesday - mine, if you will.

Not a dynasty, not a decade, not some cobblestone hill -

Just my own sweet Tuesday, Lord, just my own sweet Tuesday,

still.

Final Chorus - full gospel, backing vocals swell

Every door's the wrong door,

Lord, every door's the wrong door,

I know the language, know the land, know the lore -

But I don't know what time I'm looking for.

No, I don't know what time... I'm looking for.

Outro - piano alone, very slow

Mmm... every door...

(Just let me find my Tuesday, Lord...)

Every door's the wrong door...

Mmm-hmm...

Single piano note. Silence.