JAMIE
(Hali Hammer)

Jamie was a good kid from a large family
His Dad brought home the bacon Mom cooked for them to eat
He went to church, he went to school, did what he thought was right
He joined the army & went off to fight

Jamie’d grown up with the movies, all the glory seemed so real
They never meant to show the truth their make-believe concealed
He felt so disillusioned, like so many fine young men
That’s when the drugs became his closest friend

Then Jamie was a veteran, returned from Viet Nam
In the alleys & the shadows he’d shoot away his pain
And the eyes that opened oh so wide to suffering & harm
Shut as the band was tightened ‘round his arm

Early in the 70’s he never was alone
With at least a dozen hippies always crashing at his home
He worked & made good money, he supplied what others lacked
But he always had that monkey on his back

Then Jamie kicked his habit, thought he’d got away so clean
So unaware a dreaded virus crept into his veins
He broke his foot, it wouldn’t heal, the doctor told the news
It was AIDS giving Jamie’s foot the blues

Well, Jamie was an activist, fought many local wars
He knew how fate could close in, so he opened up some doors
He helped out Vets, he set up groups, so many souls were saved
And now he fought his own war against AIDS

I was flying down to Phoenix, so I thought I’d get in touch
He was staying with a sister - New York winters were too much
“This number’s not in service” was the message that I heard
So I called a friend who gave the final word

Jamie was a good man - he was caring, he was kind
Just goes to show you never know who AIDS is gonna find
He did what he could for everyone right up to the end
I was so proud that Jamie was my friend
Yes, I’m so glad that Jamie was my friend