A In the fire forests, faded and forgotten
I through the cotton fields, picking for cotton D The overseer sneered, his whipping was A ecstasy. F#m Im child-like terror I out the tap roots Bm Cards of the lash were calling to suit E7 I dashed for the swamps, the in hot pursuit D a Jealously. C#7 f#m All through the 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 C#7 b And they never would leave until they that I was dead E a But I'd curse their names E a Oh, who am I to E a I I'd do the same B Endlessly. C#m And all the high-born F#m So and so true, B been handed to the soldiers E When in rome do as the do.
Frail and afraid in the mists of the The snakes and the spiders were sadly The bark of the dogs up the warning the wood. Sweating and I crawled from the manger The highway appeared to take me danger Is anyone here who would pick up a stranger? Oh I you could. Then someone "would you like a ride? " "come in" he said. We drove for a while, he gave me a smile and a piece of The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his Then we off in a spin Oh I smashed his again Oh you my good friend, I so good. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been handed to the When in rome do as the do.
Late in the evening I to the city I fell to the sighing for pity A diamond was dropped the hands of the pretty To be so kind. Cowards and corpses were competing The rhymes of the riots were busy I raced to the corner and sped(? ) from the To my mind. Latches and locks, of cops ran from the rain was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores That shone shame. I for a light from a priest in the night Then I the flames. And the all stood still To see if someone had been I was glad to leave a So far behind. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been handed to the in rome do as the romans do.
A monk and his mother dancing so dandy A topless nun was out candy The bishop broke out the brandy The we crave. stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying We fell to our knees, feverishly The salt in the salt-peter seemed to be Be brave, be brave. I reached for a robe, I preached and I probed And I the tune. And the greed for the gills was to the hilt As I doom I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the I took off down the road Laughing like a toad God every soulless soul That be saved. And all the ladies So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
A chorus of children were passing the I joined in fun and gave them my flowers Covered kisses and showered with showers That repaid. Taken and trusting, I be their teacher? She looked so appealing, I wanted to her Just out of reach, to reach her hands were raised. Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, the class They studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to The room was adjourned, the lessons learned, I on the gas And I watched them make their They passed the test ease I gave their degrees, made the grade. And all the high-born So and so true, been handed 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 lowered our lives for the lines of a We danced with the mothers, played with the We followed our fantasies, following It was play. After the war the bullets were bored so we capped the With cynical smiles we put them on trial to the blame Now what kind of beast love such a feast Have you no So we hung the by the Oh, we shot them in the Oh, the victory was On day. And all the ladies So and so true, Have handed to the soldiers in rome do as the romans 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 were staring and stalling Caesar and cassius cursing and calling The empire had and now it was falling Or so it seemed. The crown and the seemed empty and lost in dark despair And lies, death in disguise were everywhere The canvas was cold, the was old, I said my prayers I crowned him on the head Oh, I him as he bled Oh at last, the is dead God the queen. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been handed to the When in rome do as the do.
Now nothing for building or burning The losing of lovers was all I was A time for escape and a time for returning had to me Back through the ashes and through the embers Back through the roads and the ruins I My hands at my side I surrendered Do as you please. The hero was home, proven and grown, I fell on the Mad with romance they started to dance, star was born I like the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for more Oh, me feel sublime me from my mind Oh, kill me one more And set me free. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.