joan baez – hello in there lyrics

we had an apartment in the city,
me and loretta liked living there.
it’s been years since the kids had grown,
a life of their own left us alone.
john and linda live in omaha,
and joe is somewhere on the road.
we lost davy in the korean war,
still don’t know what for, don’t matter anymore.

ya’ know that old trees just grow stronger,
and old rivers grow wilder ev’ry day.
but old people just grow lonesome
waiting for someone to say, “h-llo in there, h-llo.”

me and loretta, we don’t talk much now.
she sits and stares through at back door screen.
and all the news just repeats itself
like some forgotten dream that we’ve both seen.
someday i’ll go and call up rudy,
we worked together at the factory.
but what’d i tell him if he asks “what’s new?”
“nothing, what’s with you? nothing much to do.”

ya’ know that old trees just grow stronger,
and old rivers grow wilder ev’ry day.
old people they just grow lonesome
waiting for someone to say, “h-llo in there, h-llo.”

so if you’re walking down the street sometime
and spot some hollow ancient eyes,
please don’t just p-ss ’em by and stare
as if you didn’t care, say, “h-llo in there, h-llo,”
say, “h-llo in there, h-llo.”

- joan baez lyrics