Van Dyke Parks

She slid on her dress under that melancholy moon
Somethin' to impress him hopin' he would be there soon
She gonna run away

He got a Chevrolet
She wanted Nat King Cole
He got a Jelly Roll
Whole lotta heart and soul
Saphron(?) and a river rat are rappin' at her door
Take her to a picture show she sure ain't seen before
She was a debutant
Give it just what she want
You tell her just where to go
Down to the drive in show
You be my riverboat

Movies is magic
Real life is tragic
Fundamental though it seems
When you're livin' in your dream
And you wake up it's over
Movies is magic
Real life is tragic
I regret I gotta say
It is time we get away
To the movies and magic

Cowboy dressed like injun popped right off that silver screen
Scarlet up like a jukebox for a dreamboat Delta Queen
Raindroppin' all around
Put up the top you clown
And turn on the Nat King Cole
Off with the rock and roll
To the movies and magic

Movies is (movies is) magic (magic)

Movies is magic
Real life is tragic
And as time goes by and by
You will often wonder why
To the day that you die
'Cause movies is magic
Movies is magic