Only A Dream In Rio

(album: That's Why I'm Here - 1985)

More than a distant land over a shining sea
More than the steaming green. More than the shining eyes
Well they tell me it's only a dream in Rio
Nothing could be as sweet as it seems on this very first day down
They remind me, "Son, have you so soon forgotten?"
Often as not it's rotten inside and the mask soon slips away
Strange taste of a tropical fruit, romantic language of the Portuguese
Melody on a wooden flute, samba floating in the summer breeze

It's all right, you can stay asleep, you can close your eyes
You can trust the people of paradise to call your keeper and tender your good-byes

Oh, what a night, wonderful one in a million frozen fire Brazilian stars
Oh, holy southern cross, later on take me way downtown in a tin can
Can't come down from the bandstand, I'm never thrown for such a loss when they say
Quando a nossa mãe acordar, andaremos ao sol
Quando a nossa mãe acordar, cantará pelos sertões
Quando a nossa mãe acordar, todos os filhos saberão
Todos os filhos saberão e regozijarão

Caught in the rays of the rising sun on the run from the soldier's gun
Shouting out loud from the angry crowd, the mild the wild and the hungry child
I'll tell you there's more than a dream in Rio
I was there on the very day and my heart came back alive
There was more, more than the singing voices
More than the upturned faces and more than the shining eyes

But it's more than the shining eye, more than the steaming green
More than the hidden hills, more than the concrete Christ
More than a distant land over a shining sea
More than a hungry child, more like another time
Born of a million years, more than a million years