Inspector Mills
Written by Gerry Beckley, ©1982
Found on View From The Ground, The Very Best Of America, America In Concert (95), You Can Do Magic, and Highway.

Inspector Mills I'd like to tell you 'bout a girl I saw
At a party just the other night in Beverly Hills
Inspector Mills I hope you find her and it don't take long
Watch my feelings for her growing strong in a war of wills
Inspector Mills

I can't attempt to point you in her direction
I didn't see her walking out of the door
If I had taken my time she'd be standing here still
Inspector Mills

I recall once in my life I felt this way before
But I let her go and close the door, walk away
Inspector Mills I can't attempt to show the hurt in me
And just how much I need the company; search the valleys and the hills
You gotta find her Mr. Mills

I can't attempt to point you in her direction
I was blinded by the look in her eyes
If I had taken my time she'd be sitting here still
Inspector Mills

Oo, someday soon I might be in love with her

Inspector Mills I guess you've taken quite a look around
Yes I've heard the word from underground, she's gone for good
Inspector Mills is it any crime for a fool like me
Try to use your time 'cause I wanna see; you just send me the bill
Inspector Mills, Inspector Mills

I can't attempt to point you in her direction
I didn't see her walking out of the door
If I had taken my time she'd be lying here still
Inspector Mills, Inspector

I can't attempt to point you in her direction
I was blinded by the look in her eyes
If I had just followed through then I wouldn't be calling you

Highway Highlight (from the box set booklet) View From The Ground features another Ballard track, "Jody." Capitol A&R executive Bobby Colomby produced two songs, "Right Before Your Eyes" (a #45 single for the band) and "Desperate Love." The rest of the album was produced by Beckley and Bunnell. Among the more interesting of these tracks was "Inspector Mills," a song by Gerry with a British crime-story scenario. Beckley offers a critique of his composition: "Again, you gotta be careful with these tunes, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing. It was near to a success but kind of involved. You don't want too many of those on an album. I picked 'Mills' because it's a traditional English name. George Martin did the voice on the phone saying 'hello?'."