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Bedlam

Elvis Costello; Allen Toussaint
Popularity ยท Low
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง English ยท Original

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Lyrics

I got this philosopher's part Trained a gentle Jesus meek and mild I got this harlot that I'm stuck with Carrying another man's child I saw the Paris star renouncing me But she burnt out as we arrived I got this back across the border If they knew that we'd survive They were surprised to see us So they greeted us with palms As they had munition Acts of contrition and small arms And I might recite a small prayer If I ever said them Lay down on an iron frame And found myself in Bedlam I wish that I could take something To drown out the noise Wailing echoes down the corridors I got this imaginary radio And I'm punching up the dial I got the A.C. trained on the T.V So it won't blow up in my eye And everything that I thought merciful And marked as too extreme Must get family entertainment Here in the strange land of my dreams And I've got this in my likeness Of St. Francis of Assisi And I hold my hand outstretched And a little bird comes to me And I might recite a small prayer If I ever said them Lay down on an iron frame And found myself in Bedlam I thought that on through fingers They were stretching through the bars Wailing echoes down the corridors The pale yellow candle peaks out Life goes on The ring drum rang out Jerusalem Into the pit of silence where The wretched plunge We bear with all the innocents We must be re-revenged I got this scared but decorated girl Strapped in a steel trunk of a Mustang Drove her down a Cyprus road The trigger's hanged and the stars still spangled Dangled flags under rags Along a colored thread and twine I dragged that goose-damned purple heart Along the road to Palestine Someone whipped up a dream Mentioned virgin pieces Easter saw a slaughter Each wrapped in blood-stained fleeces My thoughts return to vengeance But I put up no resistance And it seemed a long way from my home But it really was no distance And I might recite a small prayer If I ever said them Lay down on an iron frame And found myself in Bedlam I bow like an actor Acknowledging applause Playing the crusader Who was conquering the Moors And he knew the consequences But he won't accept the cause Wailing echoes down the corridors Bedlam Bedlam Bedlam Ow!