Line 'Em Up

James Taylor

I remember Richard Nixon back in '74
And the final scene at the White House door
And the staff lined up to say good-bye
Tiny tear in his shifty little eye
He said nobody knows me
Nobody understands
These little people were good to me
Oh I'm gonna shake some hands

Somebody line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up

At that time my heart was all broke 
I looked like ashes and smelled like smoke 
And I turned away from my loving kind 
Try to leave my body and live in my mind 
But it's much too much emotion
To hold it in your hand
They've got waves out on the ocean
They're gonna wear away the land

Somebody line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up

Oh I've seen corn in Kansas 
And I've seen picket fences 
And certain cowboy dances
I've gone lining up for shows 
I've been safely placed in rows 
Sure I know how it goes

Another day goes by 
Little time machine 
I'm breaking my brain 
Over what it might mean 
Just to claim the time 
And to turn away
To make today today

Who waits for you
Lonely tired old toad
It's your life laid out before you
Like the broken white line down the center of the doggone road

Somebody line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up

Yeah, big moon landing
People all standing up
Smiles for the loved ones
They go walking on down the aisles 
Each re-engages stepping into the sun 
I watch them turn like pages 
One by one by one

Somebody line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up
Line 'em up
Line 'em all up