She Made Herself A Promise Lyrics - Jerry Jeff Walker

Jerry Jeff Walker 

As a teenage girl in Texas, raised on dust and weeds and cactus 

She first saw pictures of the river Seine 

From her window late at night, she'd pretend the stars were lights 

Of the cafes in the St. Germain des Pres 

Chorus 1: 

And she longed to see the world, and converse with other girls 

As they laughed and talked and walked along the boulevard 

To float to Paris and the lights in a taxi late at night 

Seems like a leap of faith to make from this old farm 

But she made herself a promise that someday she'd celebrate 

Her birthday in the St. Germain des Pres 

After college she got married, she worked in theatre and had some babies 

Her life took on directions of its own 

She became a working mother, she lived her life for others 

For her husband, for the children and her home 

Then one day her grown daughter said, she was off to Europe and 

Have you ever thought about it Mom? 

She said of course I used to honey, a lot when I was your age 

But I hadn't thought about it much until right now 

She remembered the promise, that someday she's celebrate 

Her birthday in the St. Germain des Pres 

She sees how quickly life can pass by, how easily a dream dies 

You can't just live your life for someone else 

So she boards the plane for Paris, she thinks she'll need a new dress 

As she keeps that birthday promise to herself 

Oh she thought she'd do it sooner, seems so important to her 

But life moves on when you're off making plans 

But every now and then it happens, a chance appears for you to grab it 

That's why this time she just couldn't let it pass 

Cause she made herself a promise that someday she'd celebrate 

Her birthday in the St. Germain des Pres 

And later take a walk beside the Seine