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Cover Art

Almost Real Lyrics by Kelli O’Hara

The Bridges of Madison County (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

2014

[FRANCESCA]
When a girl grows up in Napoli
There are roads laid out before her
And you understand, I'm speaking of
The times before the war
When a girl grows up in Napoli
She is more or less a target
For her mamma's expectations
For the boys' infatuations;
All she gets is one decision:
Will she give them what they want?
My sister Chiara wore tight-fitting sweaters
Unbuttoned just so
Chiara would squeeze ev'ry drop of attention
Wherever she'd go
Chiara said, "'Cesca, you must be prepared."
Chiara would act as though nobody cared
Chiara would laugh at me, quiet and scared…
And I dreamed of a flat in Siena
On the market square
With a book and a pot and a window
And a single chair—
Far from lonesome
Far from Chiara
Almost real
Paolo was a boy from down the hill
With silver eyes and hair like coal
And massive hands that trembled
When he looked my way
Paolo was a boy who loved to swim
And who knows why I fell for him
But soon enough I kissed him on a winter's day
Chiara said, "'Cesca, he's dull and he's dumb
You'll end up a farm wife, exhausted and numb
I'm off to the servicemen's club; you should come!"
But I dreamed of the beach at Ancona
Where our kids would play
Paolo right by my side, and the ocean
Only steps away…
Close to heaven
Far from Chiara
Almost real
Chiara went dancing while air raid sirens were shrieking
Chiara would open her legs just as easy as speaking
Paolo went off with the Army and never returned
And all that Chiara could say was
"I hope now you've learned."
And the streets were rubble
And the water was filthy
And there were no cigarettes
And no haircuts
And no thinking about the future
And I sat at the harbor
Watching the American ships
And then…
I looked up and I saw an American smile down at me
And I knew if I just took his hand, I would at least be free
I could love him, I could want him
Only take me from Italia
Far from Chiara!
Far enough that I could feel
Almost real
Credits
Kelli O’Hara

Kelli O’Hara

About “Almost Real” by Kelli O’Hara

Read the complete lyrics to "Almost Real" by Kelli O’Hara from the album "The Bridges of Madison County (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2014. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Broadway, Musicals, Pop.

"Almost Real" is performed by Kelli O’Hara. from the album "The Bridges of Madison County (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2014 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Almost Real", explore more songs by Kelli O’Hara using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Almost Real" is credited to Kelli O’Hara. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Almost Real" appears on "The Bridges of Madison County (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2014.

Visit the Kelli O’Hara artist page at /artist/kelli-ohara for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.