I Remember

I remember, I remember
I remember, I remember

I remember raspberry bubblegum
I remember learning to drink soda
I remember the sting on my tongue
I remember warm Coca-Cola
I remember vacation in Italy
I remember camping by Lake Garda
I remember Napoli
I remember the way real pizza was supposed to taste
And how disappointed I was
I remember Venice, I remember souvenirs
I remember "buonasera"s and waiting in the wind
I remember dancing to a backbeat
Dreaming in the backseat
Happy, sunburnt, in love

I remember, I remember

I remember starting school again
I remember hanging out with Benjamin
I remember, "Hey Benji, how have things been?"
I remember, "What did you do for your vacation?"
I remember he said, "Nothing"
I remember his mom had just been working
I remember she was double-shifting
I remember to put food on the table for him and his siblings

I remember a friend from city
I remember saying he wasn't allowed to visit me
I remember he returned respectfully
I remember the invitations to my birthday party
I remember he felt bad for me
I remember, "Where do you live up there?" he asked me
I remember, "You're better than most monkeys"
I remember freeloaders and junkies
I remember when he did hang out with me
I remember his dad would take us to the city
I remember hot guacamole
I remember goat cheese with honey

I remember Benjamin getting caught shoplifting
How shocked I was when I had found out what he'd taken:
Some potatoes and a pack of bacon
I remember being privileged
I remember a place where most were not
I remember the moment I realized
I remember things weren't how I thought
I remember class differences
I remember but the words don't mean their meaning
I remember feeling like Frank in They Live
I remember when John put those glasses on him
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh