She came from Providence
The one in Rhode Island
Wher e th e old world shadows hang
Heav y in the air
She pack ed her hopes and dreams
Like a refugee
Just as her father came
Acro ss t he s ea
She hear d about a place
Peop le were smiling
Spok e ab out the red man's ways
How they loved the land
They cam e from everywhere
To t he Great Divide
Seek ing a place to stand
Or a pla ce t o hi de
Down in the crowded bars
Out for a good time
Can' t wa it to tell you all
What it's like up there
They cal led it paradise
I do n't know why
Some body laid the mountains low
Whil e the town got high
When the chilly winds blew down
Acro ss the dessert
Thro ugh the canyons of the coast
To t he malibus
Wher e th e pretty people played
Hung ry for power
To l ight their neon ways
Give 'em things to do
Some ric h man came and raped the land
Nobo dy caught him
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes
And Jesus people bought them
They cal led it paradise
The place to be
They wat ched the hazy sun
Sink ing in t he s ea
We c an l eave it all behind
Sail to Lahaina
Just lik e the missionaries did
So m any years ago
They eve n brought a neon sign
Jesu s is Coming
Brou ght the white man's burden down
Brou ght the whit e ma n's reign
And we'l l provide the grand design
What is yours and what is mine
'Cuz the re is no more new frontier
We h ave got to make it here
We s atis fied our endlees needs
And justified our bloody deeds
In t he n ame of destiny
And in the name of God
And you can see them there
On s unday morning
Stan d up and sing about
What it's like up there
They cal led it paradise
I do n't know why
To c all someplace paradise
Kiss it goodbye