Bigger On The Inside

© 1991, 2014 Stephen Savitzky. CC-by-nc-sa.

This song is our household anthem. We use it to introduce ourselves to new-found friends, and it's an important part of the opening ceremonies of RainbowCon.

The song was originally about Steve and his wife Colleen, and their house in San Jose called "Grand Central Starport". It was a gathering-place for local fans and filkers. When Steve and Colleen moved to Seattle and added Naomi and her kids, they moved into a huge house they called "Rainbow's End", and Steve added a new verse and modified chorus.

Now, the household is known as "The Rainbow Caravan"; a couple of new verses are definitely in order. But the basics haven't changed.

Lyrics [pdf]

A Asus2 D A
  Our house is bigger on the  inside than it  looks from on the  street
E E7 E6 E A E7
  There must be something  odd  about the  way the corners  meet.
D D5 D A
We  warn our friends ab out  it, but they  always seem surprised,
E E6 E7 E E7 A E A
And I  sometimes can't  imagine how our  stuff  all  fits ins ide.
D A Asus2 A
We have  computers, toys, and  magazines, and quiet co zy     nooks;
E7 A E A Asus2 E7
  The bathroom's lined with ced ar  planks, and the  living room  with  books.
A Asus4 A Asus2 A D A
There's  boxes full of  god-  knows- what   in the  attic up ab ove,
E E6 E7 E6 A
And we  always keep  good  compa ny and  love.
Colleen is halfway buried as she crochets up a quilt
I'm getting in some songs before my voice begins to wilt.
Kids are shouting back in Emmy's room, the pizza's getting hot;
Folks come over every Wednesday whether we're at home or not.

When we moved North to Rainbow's End some things got re-arranged;
The family's gotten bigger, but the main things haven't changed.
Folks are singing in the Great Room, and the chili's getting hot;
They come over every Sunday whether we're at home or not.
D A Asus2 A
We have  computers, toys, and  magazines, and quiet co zy     nooks;
E7 A E A Asus2 E7
  The bathroom's lined with ti les  and the  living rooms  with  books.
A Asus4 A Asus2 A D A
There's  boxes full of  god-  knows- what   in the  cupboards up ab ove,
E E6 E7 E6 A
And we  always keep  good  compa ny and  love.
We moved to Whidbey Island, though we aren't quite certain how;
Our yard has deer and rabbits and sometimes a neighbor's cow.
We're now the Rainbow Caravan, but never mind the name;
No matter where we wander we're a family just the same.
D A Asus2 A
We have  computers, toys, and  magazines, and quiet co zy     nooks;
E7 A E A Asus2 E7
  The bathroom's lined with  cupboards  and the  living room  with  books.
A Asus4 A Asus2 A D A
There are  boxes full of  tools  be low and  full of  beds ab ove,
E E6 E7 E6 A
And we  always keep  good  compa ny and  love.
\S: There's a gallery of science-fiction pictures in the hall,
\N: And something's taped or bolted on to each square foot of wall.
\G: Our children's closets look just like a baby dragon's hoard;
\A: It's true that we're disorganized, but at least we're seldom bored.

\S: There's a guest crashed on the futon couch who's too wiped out to leave,
\N: And something in the fridge that's been there since last Christmas eve.
\G: We're packed in five dimensions, and through the twilight zone,
\A: It's all the friendly clutter here that makes it feel like home.

Inspired by a friend's account of a visit to our house (the first one--Grand Central Starport in San Jos\'e). We keep having to add verses, and some of the original ones have become more inclusive. This song has become our household anthem, and part of RainbowCon's opening ceremonies.