#acousticonetake #americana #singersongwriter #storysong Last spring my wife and I took a short vacation to Northern California. We visited San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Big Sur. Beautiful area of course. We stayed at a place in Santa Cruz and had dinner one night at this titular place. I just liked the name of of the place, and made up this story. I always loved the Bob Dylan Story songs Like Lilly, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts. So this was my attempt at a short story about a meet-cute that happened all in one night. Tried to do 1-take live and did (mostly) but I had to add a tiny bit of background vocals. I wrote the title and first verse last spring and just re-visited it this week. It was getting out of hand and turning into an 8-minute 12 verse epic, so I had to edit out some verses, just to cut myself off.

He was pouring drinks at the Hula Tiki bar She was a singer/songwriter hoping to go far She was playing on the stage, outside behind the cars Playing for the tourists, for tips put in her jar the scene was Santa Cruz, at the Hula Tiki bar

He had 6 years of college, where he had studied the law at UC Santa Cruz, but never passed the bar one night he caught her eye, as she sang with her guitar she smiled with her eyes, it made him check his heart the scene was Santa Cruz, at the Hula Tiki bar

He introduced himself as Marcus, said she could call him Mark she said her name was Charlotte, but they all call her char they talked after her set, decided to take a walk they started down Elm street, then headed for the park the scene was Santa Cruz, at the Hula Tiki bar

Passing by the boardwalk, he felt her out of reach but then she had decided, they should hit the beach before he could object, she was undressed and bare Mark was in a quandary, he wondered if he’d dared that night in Santa Cruz, at the Hula Tiki bar

The water it was cold, but her embrace was warm the moon was shining bright as they walked arm n arm He was falling fast for her and all of her charms He took her to her doorstep and there she read his palm that night in Santa Cruz, at the Hula Tiki bar

The next night at work, he checked the stage back stairs No music was playing, and no sign of her anywhere walking back home he thought of her long blond hair he never saw her again told himself he didn’t care the scene was Santa Cruz, at the Hula Tiki bar

It was 6 months later, closing time at the bar he spotted her blond hair, as he went to pack his car She approached him slowly, he nearly fell to the floor Said she was sorry, never meant to cause him harm That night in Santa Criz, at the Hula Tiki Bar