A In the fire blue forests, faded and
I through the cotton fields, picking for cotton D The sneered, his whipping was rotten A ecstasy. F#m Im terror I tore out the tap roots Bm Cards of the lash calling to follow suit E7 I 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 C#7 f#m And the buried nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds C#7 b And they never would until they believed that I was dead E a But I'd never curse names E a Oh, who am I to E a I I'd do the same B Endlessly. C#m And all the ladies F#m So and so true, B Have been handed to the E in rome do as the romans do.
Frail and in the mists of the morning The snakes and the spiders were sadly The bark of the kept up the warning the wood. Sweating and I crawled from the manger The highway appeared to take me from Is there anyone who would pick up a stranger? Oh I you could. Then someone replied "would you like a " "come in" he said. We drove for a while, he me a smile and a piece of bread The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his Then we took off in a Oh I his skull again Oh you my good friend, I so good. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been handed to the in rome do as the romans do.
Late in the I came to the city I fell to the sidewalks sighing for A diamond was from the hands of the pretty To be so kind. and corpses were busy competing The of the riots were busy repeating I raced to the and sped(? ) from the speeding To my mind. Latches and locks, companies of cops ran the rain There was in the stores for the whims of the whores That with shame. I asked for a from a priest in the night Then I the flames. And the traffic all still To see if had been killed I was glad to a thrill So far behind. And all the high-born So and so true, Have handed to the soldiers in rome do as the romans do.
A monk and his were dancing so dandy A topless nun was handing out The beautiful bishop out the brandy The we crave. They stuttered and stammered, would I like staying We to our knees, feverishly praying The salt in the salt-peter to be saying Be brave, be brave. I reached for a robe, I preached and I probed And I the tune. And the for the gills was played to the hilt As I doom I toyed with their fears, coins and tears filled the room I took off down the road Laughing like a toad God bless every soul That be saved. And all the high-born So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
A of children were passing the hours I joined in their fun and gave my flowers Covered with kisses and showered showers they repaid. Taken and trusting, would I be teacher? She looked so appealing, I wanted to her Just out of reach, unable to her hands were raised. Charmed by the chalk, the were taught, inside the class They studied the rules of the samurai schools, had to pass The was adjourned, the lessons were learned, I on the gas And I them make their pleas They passed the with ease I them their degrees, made the grade. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
Feeling my weakness, a coward for I joined the of the hot and hungry To teach it means to have love for your country We away. We our lives for the lines of a border We with the mothers, played with the daughters We followed our fantasies, orders It was play. the war the bullets were bored so we capped the game With cynical smiles we put them on trial to the blame Now what of beast would love such a feast you no shame? So we the by the feet Oh, we shot in the street Oh, the was sweet On day. And all the ladies So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
The bread and the circuses to be nearing The saviour or must be appearing Pagans and pageants all disappearing my head. The stones on the statues were staring and Caesar and cassius were cursing and The empire had and now it was falling Or so it seemed. The crown and the cross seemed empty and lost in dark And lies, death in disguise were everywhere The canvas was cold, the story was old, I said my I crowned him on the head Oh, I him as he bled Oh at last, the is dead God the queen. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been to the soldiers in rome do as the romans do.
Now nothing remained for building or The of lovers was all I was learning A time for escape and a for returning had come to me Back through the ashes and back through the Back the roads and the ruins I remembered My hands at my I sadly surrendered Do as you please. The hero was home, and grown, I fell on the floor Mad with romance they started to dance, their star was I bled the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for more Oh, make me sublime Release me my mind Oh, kill me one time And set me free. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been handed to the When in do as the romans do.