City Ghosts Lyrics

There was a time, a time for secrets
We'd walk together in the forest, hand in hand
We'd look uneasy, cold and pallid
Then we'd find some magic mushrooms
And we'd skip across the clouds

We danced for the old gods
Danced for the new gods
Danced for the ones we never heard about
Danced for the old days, danced for the new ways
Danced for the phase no one talks about

Tonight I feel nostalgic, feeling happy
And the powder in my pocket's crying,
``Eat me! Eat me! Eat me!''
Could be my age, I could be going crazy.
'Cause I know you feel the same way
I can see it in your eyes.

I got my crown, I got my scepter
Letters on my buttons spell Napoleon
I'll give you money, give you power
I'll give you a palace in the Amazon

Do you think that they'll lock us away?
Padded cells, packet-soup on alternate days?
Maybe we should behave in a normal way
Face facts, face the real world

A shadow rests, suggests no entry
A tramp complains, collapses weeping gently
A figure smiles and shines a blade discretely
And the drains ad-libbed a soundtrack
As he picked his victim out

He sang in the rain, he danced in the thunder
Bowed as we bellowed from the balcony
Stepped on a hand, set fire to a handbag
Slipped as the sparks
Skipped across his knees.

The song decayed in suits of amber
Coughing as they burned in glowing embers
A priest held up his hands, said ``It's over.''
We nodded wisely
Scooped the ash and cast it to the wind.

We played in the neon, bade out the paeons
Slobbering in tongues to the subway gods
Just like the old days, rituals and red wine
Hair all tangled and covered in blood
Do you think that they'll lock us away?