A
|
In the fire blue forests, faded and forgotten
|
|
I crawled through the cotton fields, picking for cotton
|
D
|
The overseer sneered, his whipping was rotten
|
A
|
With ecstasy.
|
F#m
|
Im child-like terror I tore out the tap roots
|
Bm
|
Cards of the lash were calling to follow suit
|
E7
|
I dashed for the swamps, the hounds in hot pursuit
|
D A
|
Jealously.
|
C#7 F#m
|
All through the night a figure of fright, as I hid my head
|
C#7 F#m
|
And the buried their nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds
|
C#7 B
|
And they never would leave until they believed that I was dead
|
E A
|
But I'd never curse their names
|
E A
|
Oh, who am I to blame
|
E A
|
I know I'd do the same
|
B
|
Endlessly.
|
C#m
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
F#m
|
So lovely and so true,
|
B
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
E
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
Frail and afraid in the mists of the morning
|
The snakes and the spiders were sadly performing
|
The bark of the dogs kept up the warning
|
Inside the wood.
|
Sweating and swearing I crawled from the manger
|
The highway appeared to take me from danger
|
Is there anyone here who would pick up a stranger?
|
Oh I wish you could.
|
Then someone replied "would you like a ride?"
|
"Come in" he said.
|
We drove for a while, he gave me a smile and a piece of bread
|
The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his head
|
Then we took off in a spin
|
Oh I smashed his skull again
|
Oh thank you my good friend,
|
I feel so good.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true,
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
Late in the evening I came to the city
|
I fell to the sidewalks sighing for pity
|
A diamond was dropped from the hands of the pretty
|
To be so kind.
|
Cowards and corpses were busy competing
|
The rhymes of the riots were busy repeating
|
I raced to the corner and sped(?) from the speeding
|
To save my mind.
|
Latches and locks, companies of cops ran from the rain
|
There was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores
|
That shone with shame.
|
I asked for a light from a priest in the night
|
Then I fanned the flames.
|
And the traffic all stood still
|
To see if someone had been killed
|
I was glad to leave a thrill
|
So far behind.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true,
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
A monk and his mother were dancing so dandy
|
A topless nun was handing out candy
|
The beautiful bishop broke out the brandy
|
The kiss we crave.
|
They stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying
|
We fell to our knees, feverishly praying
|
the salt in the salt-peter seemed to be saying
|
Be brave, be brave.
|
I reached reached for a robe, I preached and I probed
|
And I taught the tune.
|
And the greed for the gills was played to the hilt
|
As I promised doom
|
I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the room
|
Then I took off down the road
|
Laughing madly like a toad
|
God bless every soulless soul
|
That would be saved.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true,
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
A chorus of children were passing the hours
|
I joined in their fun and gave them my flowers
|
Covered with kisses and showered with showers
|
That they repaid.
|
Taken and trusting, would I be their teacher?
|
She looked so appealing, I wanted to touch her
|
Just out of reach, unable to reach her
|
Their hands were raised.
|
Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the class
|
They studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to pass
|
The room was adjourned, the lessons were learned,
|
I turned on the gas
|
And I watched them make their pleas
|
They passed the test with ease
|
I gave them their degrees,
|
They made the grade.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
| So lovely and so true, |
