Mortal City Lyrics - Dar Williams

She never should have rented this apartment in the Mortal City 

The cold comes though every crack she puts her hand up to 

The radiator's broken so she has to use electric heat 

And tonight was the first date with the brother 

Of the guy she worked next to 

He lived a couple streets away, he listened, he had things to say 

She asked him up for dinner sometime, sometime was tonight 

The radio gave updates on the ice storm while she made the dinner 

They said from all the talk you shouldn't drive or even walk and this just in 

We're asking everyone to turn off their power, they need it at the hospital 

She ran around pulling plugs, then she called him up 

Maybe now they shouldn't meet, he said that he would brave the streets 

She met him at the door with a blanket and a candle 

Saying, "I heard it on the radio, I had to turn my power off" 

He said, "You're not the only one, the streets were dark tonight 

It was like another century 

With dim lamps and candles lighting up the icy trees 

And the clouds and a covered moon" 

She said, "What kind of people make a city where you can't see the sky 

And you can't feel the ground? 

I tell you something, I have this feeling that this city's dying" 

He said, "It's not dying, it's the people who are dying" 

She said, "Yes yes, I think the people are dying and nobody cares 

We had all this technology, our dreams were bold and vague 

And then one city got bad planners, one city got the plague" 

He asked, "Why did you move here?" She said, "For the job, for the job 

And I've been so lonely here, so lonely, there's no one I can talk to 

And I don't even know your brother" 

He smiled and said, "Sometimes at night I walk out by the river 

The city's one big town, the water turns it upside down 

People found this city because they love other people 

They want their secretaries, they want their power lunches" 

"And think about tonight, I heard the same newscast you did 

I unplugged everything, I looked out the window and I think the city heard 

I watched as one by one the lights went off 

So they could give their power to the hospital" 

They ate in silence while she thought this over 

They sat together in a dark room in the Mortal City 

Shifting in their blankets so they wouldn't get spaghetti on them 

Then came the awkward moment after dinner, what to do 

The ice was still falling, the streets were still dangerous 

The cabs were not running and this neighborhood was not the greatest 

They both looked at the space where a couch would've been 

She felt her stomach sink, she felt like she could hardly think 

She said, "I never should have rented this apartment in the Mortal City 

The cold comes through every crack I put my hand up to 

The radiator doesn't work, I have to use electric heat" 

That settled it, they would both sleep in her bed, it was a matter of survival 

She brought out teeshirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, socks, hats 

If there was ever any thought of what would happen in that bed tonight 

There was no question now, they could barely move 

They were wrapped up like ornaments waiting for another season 

They lay in bed, they listened to the pelting ice 

He said, "My brother's not a bad guy, he's just quiet 

I wished you liked this city", she said, "Maybe I do" 

"I think I have a special kind of hearing tonight 

I hear the neighbors upstairs, I hear my heart beating 

I hear one thousand hearts beating at the hospital" 

And one thousand hearts by their bedsides waiting 

Saying that's my love in the white gown 

We are not lost in the Mortal City 

We are not lost in the Mortal City