Lemon Street

A Song of Palatka, Florida
in the 1950s

Words and Music by Ron Ecker

Sung by Dave Johnson

The old City Hall in Palatka

How often in my dreams
I go back to the days
In that friendly town
Where I was born and raised
Stores owned by moms and pops
You'd walk down Lemon Street
And know most all the people you would meet

An old drugstore on Lemon
Charged ten cents for a shake
At Monnie's Restaurant
A dollar bought a steak
The good old Five and Dime
One of my childhood joys
I'd go inside and head straight for the toys

Today Lemon Street
Is Saint Johns Avenue
Everything is gone, all that I knew
When I get to heaven
Where streets are paved with gold
Lord, give me plain old Lemon Street
From home so long ago

The Court House on Lemon Street
(before they remodeled it)

Football Friday nights
Then we all would meet
Down at Angel's Diner
Just off Lemon Street
I had a steady girl
When old enough to drive
As happy then as any kid alive

But now Lemon Street
Is Saint Johns Avenue
Everything is gone, all that I knew
When I get to heaven
Where streets are paved with gold
Lord, give me plain old Lemon Street
From home so long ago

Mellon High School on Lemon Street
(today it's a parking lot)

Relentless is the course years will take
Things change and they don't care
How many hearts they break

That's why Lemon Street
Is Saint Johns Avenue
Everything is gone, all that I knew
So when I get to heaven
Where streets are paved with gold
Lord, give me plain old Lemon Street
From home so long ago

Once more to walk down Lemon Street
Back home so long ago

To hear the song, click here.

Copyright 2007 by Ronald L. Ecker

Contact:
hobrad at outlook dot com
ecker1221 at aol dot com

Top of Page | The Ron Ecker Home Page