A In the blue forests, faded and forgotten
I crawled through the fields, picking for cotton D The overseer sneered, his whipping was A ecstasy. F#m Im child-like terror I tore out the tap Bm Cards of the lash calling to follow 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 nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds C#7 b And they never leave 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 know I'd do the B Endlessly. C#m And all the high-born F#m So and so true, B Have been to the soldiers E When in rome do as the do.
and afraid 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 danger Is there anyone here who would pick up a Oh I you could. Then someone "would you like a ride? " "come in" he said. We 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 Then we off in a spin Oh I smashed his skull Oh thank you my friend, I so good. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been to the soldiers in rome do as the romans do.
Late in the evening I came to the I to the sidewalks sighing for pity A diamond was from 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(? ) the speeding To my mind. and locks, companies of cops ran from the rain There was silk in the stores for the whims of the That with shame. I asked for a light from a priest in the Then I the flames. And the all stood still To see if someone had killed I was to leave a thrill So far behind. And all the ladies So and so true, Have handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
A monk and his were dancing so dandy A topless nun was out candy The bishop broke out the brandy The we crave. They stuttered and stammered, would I like staying We fell to our knees, praying 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 was played to the hilt As I doom I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears the room Then I took off the road Laughing madly a toad God bless every soul That be saved. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been handed to the When in rome do as the do.
A chorus of were passing the hours I in their fun and gave them my flowers Covered kisses and showered with showers they repaid. Taken and trusting, would I be teacher? She so appealing, I wanted to touch her out of reach, unable to reach her Their were raised. Charmed by the chalk, the were taught, inside the class studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to pass The was adjourned, the lessons were learned, I on the gas And I watched 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 handed to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
Feeling my weakness, a for company I joined the of the hot and hungry To teach it means to have love for your country We away. We lowered our for the lines of a border We danced the mothers, played with the daughters We our fantasies, following orders It was play. After the war the bullets bored so we capped the game With cynical smiles we put them on trial to place the Now what kind of would love such a feast Have you no So we the by the feet Oh, we them in the street Oh, the was sweet On day. And all the high-born 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 or somebody must be appearing Pagans and pageants were all my head. The stones on the statues were and stalling Caesar and cassius cursing and calling The empire had risen and now it was Or so it seemed. The crown and the cross seemed empty and lost in dark And luminous lies, death in disguise were The was cold, the story was old, I said my prayers I crowned him on the head Oh, I blessed him as he Oh at last, the is dead God the queen. And all the ladies So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
Now nothing for building or burning The losing of lovers was all I was A time for escape and a time for had come to me Back the ashes and back through the embers Back the roads and the ruins I remembered My at my side I sadly surrendered Do as you please. The hero was home, proven and grown, I on the floor Mad with romance they to dance, their star was born I bled the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for more Oh, make me feel me from my mind Oh, me one more time And set me free. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been handed to the in rome do as the romans do.