Warm Gulf Coast

I wrote this song after a trip to the Gulf Coast to see a friend’s brother. We met at her wedding, and it was love at first sight. After a beautiful, romantic weekend together, I flew down to Florida to spend more time with him. He picked me up at the airport and dropped me off at his small, dark, dirty studio apartment while he went to work as a waiter at a bar. I decided to surprise him by cleaning his apartment. I walked over to the mountain of dirty dishes in the sink and turned on the water. An army of roaches suddenly flooded out, and my idealized dream turned into a horror movie.

Warm Gulf Coast is about my loss of innocence and the people I met during my stay. When I fell in love with my friend’s brother, I had no idea he was an alcoholic. It was also interesting to meet his friends. In resort towns, we often do not think about the people who live there and tend to tourists. Needless to say, I never saw him again after that weekend.

Warm Gulf Coast Lyrics

Here on the warm gulf coast they sit and drink all afternoon,

Until the evening comes too soon

When they must go to work in restaurants and bars

Serving tourists who have come from far

To relax in the hot gulf sun.

Some of them are soldiers who fought in the war.

Some of them are doctors who cannot heal anymore.

And their stories are all the same. They’ve come to heal their pain, their pain.

Here on the warm gulf coast making love on the hot sand,

Watching sunrise hand in hand

Taking pills, drinking booze,

Whatever works to chase the blues.

They have nothing left to lose, to lose.

Some of them are gamblers who can’t win a game.

Some of them are seekers who cannot find fame.

And their stories are all the same. They’ve come to heal their pain, their pain.

Here on the warm gulf coast you will meet their empty gaze

As they waste away their days.

But they’ll pay for your beer.

And they’ll say, “Hey, what brings you here?

Are you here on holiday or here to stay?”

Are you here on holiday or here to stay?