Jim Croce
Operator (Live) [Auditorium Theatre, 15/04/05]
[Intro]
"So, here we go. So a little... martini glasses up. Hold on. This is Duncan's speciality. This is my ginger drink. It doesn't have any martini things in it, but I like it. So there you go. Excuse me while I chew. Heaven. Love you back. This is Heaven in a cup. So that means it's piano bar time. And do you know what these Chicago people have done for me? Nobody's done this yet. They got me a tip jar! So, um, the crazy thing is I was going to bring it up, and Natashya came in the back seat and said 'Money! Mine!' I said 'No, no, no. No, no, no. College fund.' But she took off with it. So I will rescue it for the Texans. Let's see what they'll put in my tip jar. Maybe a bible, ha! So, song, um - for some reason it reminds me of here, and I don't know why - but I love this song and, um, my brother used to sing this to me on the guitar. Poor thing, he- he- he was tone deaf, but he was a fantastic guitar player, and he would pick it out and... think some will remember this."

[Verse 1]
Operator
Oh, could you help me place this call?
You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded
She's living in L. A
With my best old ex-friend Ray
The kind you know you loved and sometimes hated

[Chorus]
Isn't that the way they say it goes?
Oh, let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell him I'm fine
And to show I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
Only wish my words could just convince myself
That it wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels
No, no, yeah, not this time

[Verse 2]
Operator
Oh, could you help me place this call?
I can't read the number that you just gave me
There's something in my eye
You know it happens every time
I think about the love that I thought would save me
[Chorus]
Isn't that the way they say it goes?
Oh, let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell him I'm fine
And to show I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
Only wish my words could just convince myself
But that's not the way it feels

[Verse 3]
Operator
Let's just forget about this call
There's no one there I really wanted to talk to
Thank you for your time
You've been so much more than kind
You can keep the extra dime

[Chorus]
Isn't that the way they say it goes?
Let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell him I'm fine
And to show I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
Only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
That's not the way it feels
No, no
That's not the way it feels