A In the fire blue forests, faded and
I through the cotton fields, picking for cotton D The overseer sneered, his was rotten A ecstasy. F#m Im child-like terror I tore out the tap Bm Cards of the were calling to follow suit E7 I dashed for the swamps, the in hot pursuit D a Jealously. C#7 f#m All through the night a of fright, as I hid my head 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 they believed that I was dead E a But I'd never their names 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 Have been to the soldiers E When in do as the romans do.
Frail and in the mists of the morning The snakes and the spiders were performing The bark of the dogs up the warning the wood. Sweating and swearing I crawled the manger The highway appeared to me from 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 drove for a while, he me a smile and a piece of bread The hammer was in the chrome of the car as I cracked his head Then we off in a spin Oh I his skull again Oh you my good friend, I so good. And all the ladies So and so true, been handed to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
Late in the evening I came to the I fell to the sidewalks sighing for A diamond was dropped from the hands of the To be so kind. Cowards and were busy competing The rhymes of the riots busy repeating I raced to the corner and sped(? ) the speeding To my mind. Latches and locks, companies of 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 I fanned the flames. And the all stood still To see if someone had been I was to leave a thrill So far behind. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been to the soldiers When in do as the romans do.
A and his mother 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 fell to our knees, praying The salt in the seemed to be saying 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 played to the As I promised I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the Then I took off the road Laughing madly a toad God bless soulless soul That be saved. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been 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 and showered with showers That repaid. and trusting, would I be their teacher? She looked so appealing, I to touch her Just out of reach, to reach her Their hands 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 were learned, I on the gas And I watched them make their They passed the test ease I gave them degrees, made the grade. And all the high-born So and so true, Have handed to the soldiers When in rome do as the do.
Feeling my weakness, a coward for I joined the ranks of the hot and To teach what it means to love for your country We away. We lowered our lives for the of a border We danced with the mothers, played with the We followed our fantasies, orders 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 would love such a feast you no shame? So we the by the feet Oh, we shot them in the Oh, the victory was On day. And all the high-born So and so true, Have been handed to the When in rome do as the do.
The bread and the came 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 despair And luminous lies, death in were everywhere The canvas was cold, the story was old, I my prayers Then I 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 in rome do as the romans do.
Now nothing remained for or burning The of lovers was all I was learning A time for escape and a for returning had come to me Back the ashes and back through the embers Back the roads and the ruins I remembered My hands at my side I sadly Do as you please. The hero was home, and grown, I fell on the floor Mad with they started to dance, their star was born I bled like the rain, exploded in pain, I screamed for more Oh, make me sublime Release me from my 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.