Goodbye, Alice in Wonderland...

Ok, so I really like this song by Jewel, if not for the acoustic guitar (which is one of my favorite sounds) then simply for the lyrics of the song. Granted, the first verse is more applicable to Jewel's own life, but she goes on in other verses to say things that very much strike a chord (don't you love the pun?) with my own life. Here's the lyrics (and here are the lyrics along with the actual recording of the first verse of the song).

I'm struck with the honesty of the lyrics, "Goodbye, Alice in Wonderland/Goodbye yellow brick road/there is a difference between dreaming and pretending" and "growing up is not the absence of dreaming/it's being able to understand the difference between/the ones you can hold and the ones you've been sold/dreaming is a good thing cause it brings new things to life/but pretending is an ending
that perpetuates a lie/forgetting what you are/seeing for what you've been told"

This artist, in her element, writes some of the most profound, folk lyrics I've heard. This song is definitely one of those.

Goodbye, Alice in Wonderland, lyrics and music by Jewel Kilcher

Its four in the afternoon
I'm on a flight leaving LA
Trying to think about my life
My youth scattered along the highway
Hotel rooms in headlights
I've made a living with a song
guitar as my companion
Wanting desperately to be belong
Fame is filled with spoiled children
They grow fat on fantasy
I guess that's why I'm leaving
I crave reality

So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Goodbye yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
I did not find paradise
It was only a reflection
Of my lonely mind wanting
whats been missing in my life

I'm embarassed to say
The rest is a rock and roll cliche
I hit the bottom when i reached the top
but I never knew it was you
Who was breaking my heart
I thought you had to love me
But you did not

Yes, a heart can hallucinate
If it's completely starved for love
Can even turn monsters
Angels from above

you forged my love just like a weapon
and turned it against me like a knife
you broke my last heart string
you opened up my eyes

So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Goodbye yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
That was not love in your eyes
It was only a reflection
Of my lonely mind searching
for whats been missing in my life

And growing up is not the absence of dreaming
Its being able to understand the difference between
The ones you can hold and the ones that you've been sold
Dreaming is a good thing
Cause it brings new things to life
Pretending is an ending
That perpetuates a lie
Forgetting what you are
Seeing for what you've been told


Truth is stranger than fiction
This is my chance to get it right
and life is much better
Without all of those pretty lies

So goodbye Alice in Wonderland
and you can keep your yellow brick road
There is a difference between dreaming and pretending
these are not tears in my eyes

they are only a reflection
Of my lonely mind finding
they are only a reflection
Of my lonely mind finding
I found whats missing in my life