A In the fire blue forests, and forgotten
I crawled through the cotton fields, 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 were calling to suit E7 I for the swamps, the hounds 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 in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds C#7 b And they never would leave until they believed that I was E a But I'd never curse their E a Oh, who am I to E a I know I'd do the B Endlessly. C#m And all the ladies 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 were sadly performing The bark of the kept up the warning the wood. Sweating and I crawled from the manger The highway appeared to me from danger Is there anyone here who would up a stranger? Oh I you could. Then replied "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 of the car as I cracked his head Then we took off in a Oh I smashed his skull Oh thank you my friend, I so good. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been handed to the in rome do as the romans do.
Late in the evening I to the city I fell to the sidewalks sighing for A diamond was from the hands of the pretty To be so kind. Cowards and were busy competing The rhymes of the riots busy repeating 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 with shame. I asked for a light from a priest in the I fanned the flames. And the traffic all stood To see if had been killed I was glad to a thrill So far behind. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
A monk and his mother dancing so dandy A topless nun was handing out The bishop broke out the brandy The we crave. They and stammered, would I feel like staying We to our knees, feverishly praying The in the salt-peter seemed 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 promised I with their fears, until coins and tears filled the room Then I took off the road Laughing like a toad God every soulless soul would be saved. And all the high-born So and so true, Have handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
A chorus of were passing the hours I joined in their fun and gave them my Covered with and showered with showers That repaid. Taken and trusting, would I be their She looked so appealing, I to touch her Just out of reach, to reach her Their were raised. by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the class They studied the rules of the schools, they had to pass The room was adjourned, the lessons learned, I on the gas And I them make their pleas They the test with ease I gave 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.
my weakness, a coward for company I joined the ranks of the hot and To teach what it means to have love for country We away. We lowered our for the lines of a border We danced with the mothers, with the daughters We followed our fantasies, orders It was play. After the war the bullets were bored so we capped the cynical smiles we put them on trial to place the blame Now what kind of beast would such a feast you no shame? So we the by the feet Oh, we shot in the street Oh, the victory was On day. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been handed to the When in rome do as the do.
The bread and the circuses to be nearing The or somebody must be appearing Pagans and were all disappearing my head. The stones on the statues staring and stalling Caesar and were cursing and calling The empire had and now it was falling Or so it seemed. The crown and the cross seemed empty and 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, been handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
Now nothing remained for building or The losing of was all I was learning A for escape and a time for returning had come to me Back through the ashes and back through the 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 fell on the Mad with romance they started to dance, star was born I bled like the rain, exploded in pain, then I for more Oh, make me feel me from my mind Oh, kill me one more And set me free. And all the ladies So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.