END OF INNOCENCE

Remember when the days were long and rolled beneath a deep blue sky.
Didn't have a care in the world, with mommy and daddy standin' by.
But "happily ever after" fails, and we've been poisoned by these fairy tales.
The lawyers dwell on small details since daddy had to fly.
But I know a place where we can go that's still untouched by men.
We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by and the tall grass wave in the wind.
You can lay your head back on the ground, and let your hair fall all around me.
Offer up your best defense, but this is the end.
This is the end of the innocence.
O' beautiful, for spacious skies, but now those skies are threatening.
They're beating plowshares into swords for this tired old man that we elected king.
Armchair warriors often fail and we've been poisoned by these fairy tales.
The lawyers clean up all details since daddy had to lie.
But I know a place where we can go and wash away this sin.
We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by, and the tall grass wave in the wind.
Just lay your head back on the ground, and let your hair spill all around me. Offer up your best defense, but this is the end.
This is the end of the innocence.
Who knows how long this will last? Now we've come so far, so fast.
But, somewhere back there in the dust, that same small town in each of us.
I need to remember this, so baby give me just one kiss,
and let me take a long last look before we say goodbye.
Just lay your head back on the ground and let your hair fall all around me.
Offer up your best defense, but this is the end.
This is the end of the innocence.

Played during the Christmas Holiday shows on 07 and 08 Dec 2001 at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ, with Bruce Hornsby. These lyrics refer to Don Henley's version, very similar to Bruce's version.