A In the blue forests, faded and forgotten
I crawled through the cotton fields, picking for D The overseer sneered, his was rotten A ecstasy. F#m Im child-like terror I 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 night a figure of fright, as I hid my C#7 f#m And the their nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds C#7 b And they never would leave until believed that I was dead E a But I'd never their 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 been handed to the soldiers E When in do as the romans 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 to take me from danger Is there 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 of bread The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I his head Then we off in a spin Oh I smashed his skull Oh you my good friend, I so good. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
in the evening I came to the city I fell to the sighing for pity A diamond was dropped from the of the pretty To be so kind. Cowards and corpses were busy The rhymes of the were busy repeating I raced to the corner and sped(? ) the speeding To my mind. Latches and locks, companies of cops ran the rain was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores That shone shame. I asked for a from a priest in the night Then I the flames. And the traffic all stood To see if had been killed I was to leave a thrill So far behind. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been handed to the When in rome do as the do.
A monk and his were dancing so dandy A topless nun was out candy The beautiful bishop broke out the The we crave. stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying We fell to our knees, 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 promised I toyed with their fears, until and tears filled the room I took off down the road Laughing madly a toad God every soulless soul would be saved. And all the high-born So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
A chorus of were passing the hours I joined in their fun and gave them my Covered with kisses and showered 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 hands raised. Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the They the rules of the samurai schools, they had to pass The room was adjourned, the lessons learned, I on the gas And I watched them their pleas They passed the test with I gave them degrees, made the grade. And all the high-born So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
Feeling my weakness, a coward for I the ranks 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 danced the mothers, played with the daughters We our fantasies, following orders It was play. After the war the were bored so we capped the game With smiles we put them on trial to place the blame Now what kind of would love such a feast Have you no So we the by the feet Oh, we shot them in the Oh, the victory was On day. And all the ladies So and so true, Have been to the soldiers in rome do as the romans do.
The bread and the circuses to be nearing The saviour or somebody must be Pagans and pageants were all my head. The stones on the statues staring 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 despair And luminous lies, in disguise were everywhere The canvas was cold, the was old, I said my prayers Then I crowned him on the Oh, I him as he bled Oh at last, the king is God the queen. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
Now remained for building or burning The of lovers was all I was learning A time for escape and a time for had come to me Back through the and back through the embers Back through the roads and the ruins I My hands at my I sadly surrendered Do as you please. The hero was home, proven and grown, I on the floor Mad romance they started to dance, their star was born I like the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for more Oh, make me sublime Release me from my Oh, kill me one time 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.