Dollar Matinee - Eric Taylor, Nanci Griffith

Ronnie stood beneath the movie marquee

His memories all curled up inside

He was trying to remember

Was it August or September

He’d seen her for the last time

He’d heard that she’d become an actress

Lord, she always had the prettiest face

And he stood with his hands

In his pockets and waited

For the dollar matinee

Lord, she’s bigger than life on the screen

There’s a laugh from the balcony, good Lord

And the sun will burn you and blind you

When you step back into the street

The theater, she smelled so familiar

She was a smokey old velvet delight

Yes, and he sat down front

Just like he’d always done

With his feet hanging out in the aisles

And he watched her with eyes disbelieving

Felt something like time on his brain

And he told himself

Don’t you remember it’s only

Just a part that she’s playing

Lord, she’s bigger than life on the screen

There’s a laugh from the balcony, good Lord

And the sun will burn you and blind you

When you step back into the street

She stood by some window in Paris

While the captions translated the scene

Oh, and Ronnie stared back

At her body and breathed

«Christ, that’s the first time I’ve seen it!»

Behind him the people were leaving

Well, the busses, they were humming outside

But old Ronnie never went

To the movies unless

He could stay and see it twice

Lord, she’s bigger than life on the screen

There’s a laugh from the balcony, good Lord

And the sun will burn you and blind you

When you step back into the street