We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

What Am I Doing Here

from Into A Prism by David Rovics

/

about

I spend a little more than half of an average year away from home, making a living, and hopefully having a positive impact on the world in some small way in the process. Sometimes I wonder why I bother, though, especially since I had a kid a few years ago, who I don't get to see enough. This was distinctly how I was feeling after a dismal gig in Dublin, Ireland, which featured the most depressing combination of characteristics – the sound system didn't work properly, there was almost no audience, and it didn't pay!

lyrics

I'm sitting on this stool, I can hear the punters talk
I'm looking out the window and I think that I might walk
The monitors don't work, and even if they would
I could turn up the volume but it wouldn't do any good
What am I doing here, I can hear the voices say
Five thousand miles away from home

There's a man in front of me, he is very drunk
He might have been a sailor once but now his ship is sunk
There are nineteen other people, some of them are looking at me
I should sing another song now but I'd really rather flee
What am I doing here at this gig that doesn't pay
Five thousand miles away from home

The last bus is at eleven, I hear someone complain
Half of them get up and walk out in the rain
The only woman in the room is filling up a jar
Looking at the clock as she stands behind the bar
What am I doing here, instead of where you lay
Five thousand miles away from home

credits

from Into A Prism, released July 2, 2013

license

tags

about

David Rovics image

David Rovics Portland, Oregon

Singer/songwriter, writer, podcaster (on Spotify, Substack & Patreon), anarchist, dad, lover of life.

shows

contact / help

Contact David Rovics

Streaming and
Download help

Report this track or account

David Rovics recommends:

If you like David Rovics, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Fabiana Palladino stops by to talk about her mesmeric debut LP.
listen now