Lyrics of 'A Dream' by John Cale

It was a very cold clear fall night
I had a terrible dream
Billy Name and Brigid were playing under my stair case on the second floor about two o'clock in the morning

I woke up because Amos and Archie had started barking
That made me very angry because I wasn't feeling well and I told them I was very cross the real me that they just better remember what happened to Sam the bad cat that was left at home and got sick and went pussy heaven

It was a very cold clear fall night
Some snowflakes were falling
Gee, it was so beautiful
and so I went to get my camera to take some pictures
And then I was taking the pictures
but the exposure thing wasn't right
and I was going to call Fred or Gerry
to find out how to get set it
I was too late
and then I remembered they were still probably at dinner
and anyway
I felt really bad and didn't want to talk to anybody
but the snowflakes were so beautiful and real looking
and I really wanted to hold them
And that's when I heard the voices
from down the hall near the stairs
So I got a flashlight
and I was scared and I went out into the hallway
There's been all kinds of troubles
lately in the neighborhood
and someone's got to bring home the bacon and anyway
there were Brigid and Billy playing

And under the stair case
was a little meadow sort of like the park at 23rd street
where all the young kids go and play frisbee
Gee, that must be fun
maybe we should do an article on that in the magazine
but they'll just tell me I'm stupid and it won't sell
but I'll just hold my ground this time, I mean
it's my magazine, isn't it?

So I was thinking that as the snowflakes fell
and I heard those voices having so much fun
Gee, it would be so great to have some fun
So I called Billy
but either he didn't hear me or he didn't want to answer
which was so strange
because
even if I don't like reunions I've always loved Billy
I'm so glad he's working
I mean it's different than Ondine
He keeps touring with those movies
and he doesn't even pay us and the film
I mean the film's just going to disintegrate and then what
I mean he's so normal off of drugs
I just don't get it

And then I saw John Cale
he's been looking really great
He's been coming by the office to exercise with me
Ronnie said I have a muscle
but he's been really mean since he went to AA
I mean what does it mean
when you give up drinking and then you're still so mean
He says I'm being lazy but I'm not
I'm just can't find any ideas
I mean I'm just not
let's face it
going to get any ideas up at the office

And seeing John made me think of the Velvets
and I had been thinking about them
when I was on St. Marks Place
going to that new gallery those sweet new kids have opened
but the thought I was old
and then I saw the old DOM
the old club where we did our first shows
It was so great
And I don't understand about that Velvet's first album
I mean I did the cover
I was the producer
and I always see it repackaged
and I've never gotten a penny from it
How could that be
I should call Henry
but it was good seeing John
I did a cover for him
but I did in black and white and he change it to color
It would have been worth more if he'd left it my way
but you can never tell any body anything I've leaned that

I tried calling again to Billy and John
they wouldn't recognize me it was like I wasn't there
Why won't they let me in

And then I saw Lou
I'm so mad at him
Lou Reed got married and didn't invite me
I mean is it because he thought I'd bring too many people
I don't get it
could have at least called
I mean he's doing so great
Why doesn't he call me?
I saw him at the MTV show
and he was one row away and he didn't even say hello
I don't get it
You know I hate Lou
I really do
He won't even hire us for his videos
And I was proud of him

I was so scared today
There was blood leaking thought my shirt
from those old scars from being shot
And the corset I wear to keep my insides in was hurting
And I did three sets of fifteen pushups
and four sets of ten setups
But then my insides hurt
and I saw drops of blood on my shirt and I remember
the doctors saying I was dead
And then later they had to take blood out of my hand
'couse they ran out or veins
but then
all this thinking was making me an old grouch
and you can't do anything anyway so
if they wouldn't let me play with them in my own dream
I was just going to have to make another
and another
and another
Gee, wouldn't it be funny if I died in this dream
before I could make another one up

And nobody called

And nobody came