About The Song 
I started writing this song while on the road between Australia's national capital, Canberra, and Adelaide. About 60 kms outside of Canberra is the town of Yass. On a whim I decided to leave the freeway out of Canberra, and pass through Yass just to see what was there. As I drove up the main street I noticed the name of one business in particular. It was a café called, The Liberty Café. I was immediately struck by the name and knew that I must remember it and use it as a place name in a future song. Well, I didn't have long to wait - within ten minutes I had started writing the song. The woman in the song is purely fictional. I didn't even bother to stop the car as I passed through the town. For some reason the name, Liberty Café, resonated in my subconscious, and the result is this song.

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Lyrics

The Liberty Café 
© 2003, Jim Lesses. All Rights Reserved. 

She was working in a truck stop, on the way to who knows where, 
Flipping burgers; chopping onions; washing grease out of her hair. 
I could see she was unhappy; it’s a look I won’t forget, 
She was staring at the future with a heart full of regret.

 When she drifted into town, she said, she was running from the past,
 She was looking for some peace of mind, but it never seemed to last.
 So she stood behind the counter, watching seconds rise and fall,
 Measuring each wasted day, by the clock nailed to the wall.
 
CHORUS 
She said she had a husband; there were kids; a picket fence; 
But the view outside the window, did not seem to make much sense. 
She was looking for her freedom, on the day she ran away, 
Now she spends it taking orders, in the Liberty Café. 

As I left, I could see she had tears in both her eyes,
 She said, It must have been the onions, they still take her by surprise.
 But we both knew she was lying, so she would not feel the pain,
 While she waited for redemption, and swept the floors again (…again)
 
CHORUS
 She said she had a husband; there were kids; a picket fence;
 But the view outside the window, did not seem to make much sense.
 She was looking for her freedom, on the day she ran away,
 Now she spends it taking orders, in the Liberty Café.

CODA 
Looking for her freedom, on the day she ran away,
 Now she spends it taking orders, in the Liberty Café...
 Liberty Café... Liberty Café...