Wal-Mart California*
© 11-28-2007 Douglas Lee Sr.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of great values, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a great big blue sign
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I stopped for something to buy
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard their squiggly yell
And I was thinking to myself,
’This could be Heaven or this could be Hell!’
Then she gave me a flyer and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

“Welcome to the Wal-Mart California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely price
Plenty of stuff at the Wal-Mart California
Any time of year, you can buy it here!”

Their minds are certainly twisted, they got their glory fade-ed
They got a lot of pretty, pretty toys, to give their friends
How they dance in the aisles, sweet shopper sweat.
Some buy to remember, some buy to forget

So I found me the Man’ger,
‘Where may I find wine?’
He said, ’We have it down this aisle here for $19.69.’
And still those voices are calling from far away,
calling out in the middle of the night
you can hear them say...

“Welcome to the Wal-Mart California
Such a lovely place . . . Such a lovely price
We’re livin’ it up at the Wal-Mart California
Fill your shopping cart, bring your Visa cards!”

Fixtures for your ceiling,
The Pink record, dry ice
Someone said ’We are all just prisoners here, of our own device!’
And in the Action Alley,
They gathered for the feast
slashed the price with their steely knives,
But they just can’t kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
’relax,’ said the cashier,
‘We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave!’

* Parody of Eagles “Hotel California”