Sometimes You Wake Up in Charleston

Sometimes you wake up in Charleston
At the height of summertime
Crack open the window
Hear the bells of Emanuel chime

You seek out the shade when in Charleston
Walk along Meeting and Queen
Live oak and azaleas
And the white crepe myrtle trees

Folks, they hold the door out
And they offer you "God bless"
How you wind up in Charleston
Is anybody's guess

Sometimes you wake up in South Carolina
Rain in the gutter outside
Tapping away like a snare drum
As you wipe the sleep from your eyes

And nothing moves fast, here in Charleston
The cars on the avenue crawl
Like a funeral procession
Barely moving at all

The folks, they hold a hand out
And they offer you "God bless"
How you wind up in Charleston
Is anybody's guess

In the holiest city of Charleston
Where men were once enslaved
They keep the railings polished
Azaleas on the grave

Sometimes you wake up in Charleston
Sometimes you wake up in Charleston