Amagamalin Street

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Robert Hunter

The second part of Robert Hunter's Amagamalin Street Suite.

Chet and Murphy were the best of friends
When it come to Maggie the friendship ends
You can load up that gun but God help you, Chet
You can't pop all the ones Maggie ain't met yet

Once upon a time or two
Maggie came by man, what could I do?
Please understand I didn't make the move
If you knew what I know you might even approve

Hit the pavement and roll
Amagamalin Street
Try to make ends meet

It's only money, Murphy!
What do you mean, Chet?
You may have yours but I ain't got mine yet
See that sign with three balls shaking?
Got everything of mine they thought was worth taking

Say, Chester, where'd you get that hat?
I found it at the laundromat
Say, you have good luck pretty nearly all the time!
I wouldn't say that but I do get mine

Hit the pavement and roll
Amagamalin Street
Try to make ends meet

Take Maggie and go
Got a feeling to roll
Wet my feet
On Amagamalin Street

Corner Potiphar Street and well ...
There's a cozy place underneath the el
Where the touch of saint in the sinner can shine
Don't crowd that place 'cause it could be mine

Chet and Murphy were the best of friends
Ain't nothing doing but to make amends
One good pal is worth a crowd of folks
That don't cry at your bummers or laugh at your jokes

When walking along ... walking along
Amagamalin Street
Trying to make ends meet

Take Maggie and go, got a feeling to roll
Damn your soul - you got it under control
So take her and go - shake, rattle and pray
It's the luck of the roll - they just lay that way

After leaving Roseanne and returning to New York, two new characters enter Chet's life: Maggie, an ingenue from upstate who has succumbed to Chet's charms but retains enough free spirit to cause him uncomfortable jealousy; and his friend Murphy, a decent man who is relegated to the trash-heap of Amagamalin Street due to mental scars from his Vietnam tour, which have left him unable to cope with normal life.

Maggie, abused by Chet, finds a sympathetic friend in Murphy, who cannot help but fall for her. Chet sizes up the situation and, mistakenly believing that Maggie reciprocates Murphy's passion, relinquishes her, believing Murphy's friendship to be of more value--besides, he has no need for a woman to "live off," having finally received his uncle�s inheritance.

This song anticipates some of the events that will be revealed later when Murphy tells his side of the story in Part Two, which begins with "Ithica."