They pulled the stars down one by one
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Hauled up the moon to shine upon
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A velvet curtain rising
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Now her puppet has cut his strings
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The footlights glare
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The trumpets blare
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Why is your face drawn on so glum, old chum
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Paintbrush dragging on a drum
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The rimshot on the punchline that you fumbled
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The crowd went home and left you
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For dead
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My old woodenhead
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Took the thimble and the thread
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Choked back tears like a cymbal
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The breath is slow and shallow too
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The sky is bright Venetian blue
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The cardboard sun is all ablaze
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The air is painted Clifford Brown
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Caressing "Yesterdays"
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The steady gaze of your glass eye
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Head in a basket smiling still
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Free of will, free of wisdom
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Can't feel my fingers anymore
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Can't raise my hand and ask for more
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Dance my doll across the floor
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Or fire a flag from a pistol
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("Bang")
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They pulled the stars down one by one
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Hauled up the moon to wish upon
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The puppet finally cut his strings
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And free at last from earthly things
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He's dancing on the ceiling
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With a showgirl in a feather dress
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Time is meaningless
|
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We carried you on buckled limbs
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Through mournful airs and martyrs hymns
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Then one blue and one more yellow pill
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One keeps you quiet
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One keeps you still
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You sang "The Way You Looked Tonight"
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Your voice is ringing true and clear
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Then you wore them down like candlelight
|
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And in the darkness
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You'd best beware
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And in the darkness
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You'd best beware
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You'd best beware
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You'd best beware
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I used to love him
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When I used to care
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Canopy
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Satin trim
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Slowly closing
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The puppet has cut his strings
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-----------------
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The Puppet Has Cut His Strings
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Elvis Costello |