A
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In the fire blue forests, faded and forgotten
|
|
I crawled through the cotton fields, picking for cotton
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D
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The overseer sneered, his whipping was rotten
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A
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With ecstasy.
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F#m
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Im child-like terror I tore out the tap roots
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Bm
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Cards of the lash were calling to follow suit
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E7
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I dashed for the swamps, the hounds in hot pursuit
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D A
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Jealously.
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C#7 F#m
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All through the night a figure of fright, as I hid my head
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C#7 F#m
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And the buried their nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds
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C#7 B
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And they never would leave until they believed that I was dead
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E A
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But I'd never curse their names
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E A
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Oh, who am I to blame
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E A
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I know I'd do the same
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B
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Endlessly.
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C#m
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And all the high-born ladies
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F#m
|
So lovely and so true,
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B
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Have been handed to the soldiers
|
E
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When in Rome do as the Romans do.
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|
Frail and afraid in the mists of the morning
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The snakes and the spiders were sadly performing
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The bark of the dogs kept up the warning
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Inside the wood.
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Sweating and swearing I crawled from the manger
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The highway appeared to take me from danger
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Is there anyone here who would pick up a stranger?
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Oh I wish you could.
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Then someone replied "would you like a ride?"
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"Come in" he said.
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We drove for a while, he gave me a smile and a piece of bread
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The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his head
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Then we took off in a spin
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Oh I smashed his skull again
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Oh thank you my good friend,
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I feel so good.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true,
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
Late in the evening I came to the city
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I fell to the sidewalks sighing for pity
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A diamond was dropped from the hands of the pretty
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To be so kind.
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Cowards and corpses were busy competing
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The rhymes of the riots were busy repeating
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I raced to the corner and sped(?) from the speeding
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To save my mind.
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Latches and locks, companies of cops ran from the rain
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There was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores
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That shone with shame.
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I asked for a light from a priest in the night
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Then I fanned the flames.
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And the traffic all stood still
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To see if someone had been killed
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I was glad to leave a thrill
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So far behind.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true,
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
A monk and his mother were dancing so dandy
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A topless nun was handing out candy
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The beautiful bishop broke out the brandy
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The kiss we crave.
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They stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying
|
We fell to our knees, feverishly praying
|
the salt in the salt-peter seemed to be saying
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Be brave, be brave.
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I reached reached for a robe, I preached and I probed
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And I taught the tune.
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And the greed for the gills was played to the hilt
|
As I promised doom
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I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the room
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Then I took off down the road
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Laughing madly like a toad
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God bless every soulless soul
|
That would be saved.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true,
|
Have been handed to the soldiers
|
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
|
|
A chorus of children were passing the hours
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I joined in their fun and gave them my flowers
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Covered with kisses and showered with showers
|
That they repaid.
|
Taken and trusting, would I be their teacher?
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She looked so appealing, I wanted to touch her
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Just out of reach, unable to reach her
|
Their hands were raised.
|
Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the class
|
They studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to pass
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The room was adjourned, the lessons were learned,
|
I turned on the gas
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And I watched them make their pleas
|
They passed the test with ease
|
I gave them their degrees,
|
They made the grade.
|
And all the high-born ladies
|
So lovely and so true, |