Phil Ochs - When In Rome Lyrics
Pre>AIn the fire blue forests, faded and forgottenI crawled through the cotton fields, picking for cottonDThe overseer sneered, his whipping was rottenAWith ecstasy.F#mIm child-like terror I tore out the tap rootsBmCards of the lash were calling to follow suitE7I dashed for the swamps, the hounds in hot pursuitD aJealously.C#7 f#mAll through the night a figure of fright, as I hid my headC#7 f#mAnd the buried their nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shredsC#7 bAnd they never would leave until they believed that I was deadE aBut Id never curse their namesE aOh, who am I to blameE aI know Id do the sameBEndlessly.C#mAnd all the high-born ladiesF#mSo lovely and so true,BHave been handed to the soldiersEWhen in rome do as the romans do.Frail and afraid in the mists of the morningThe snakes and the spiders were sadly performingThe bark of the dogs kept up the warningInside the wood.Sweating and swearing I crawled from the mangerThe highway appeared to take me from dangerIs there anyone here who would pick up a stranger?Oh I wish you could.Then someone replied would you like a ride?Come in he said.We drove for a while, he gave me a smile and a piece of breadThe hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his headThen we took off in a spinOh I smashed his skull againOh thank you my good friend,I feel so good.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do.Late in the evening I came to the cityI fell to the sidewalks sighing for pityA diamond was dropped from the hands of the prettyTo be so kind.Cowards and corpses were busy competingThe rhymes of the riots were busy repeatingI raced to the corner and sped(? ) from the speedingTo save my mind.Latches and locks, companies of cops ran from the rainThere was silk in the stores for the whims of the whoresThat shone with shame.I asked for a light from a priest in the nightThen I fanned the flames.And the traffic all stood stillTo see if someone had been killedI was glad to leave a thrillSo far behind.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do.A monk and his mother were dancing so dandyA topless nun was handing out candyThe beautiful bishop broke out the brandyThe kiss we crave.They stuttered and stammered, would I feel like stayingWe fell to our knees, feverishly prayingThe salt in the salt-peter seemed to be sayingBe brave, be brave.I reached reached for a robe, I preached and I probedAnd I taught the tune.And the greed for the gills was played to the hiltAs I promised doomI toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the roomThen I took off down the roadLaughing madly like a toadGod bless every soulless soulThat would be saved.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do.A chorus of children were passing the hoursI joined in their fun and gave them my flowersCovered with kisses and showered with showersThat they repaid.Taken and trusting, would I be their teacher?She looked so appealing, I wanted to touch herJust out of reach, unable to reach herTheir hands were raised.Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the classThey studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to passThe room was adjourned, the lessons were learned,I turned on the gasAnd I watched them make their pleasThey passed the test with easeI gave them their degrees,They made the grade.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do.Feeling my weakness, a coward for companyI joined the ranks of the hot and hungryTo teach what it means to have love for your countryWe marched away.We lowered our lives for the lines of a borderWe danced with the mothers, played with the daughtersWe followed our fantasies, following ordersIt was childs play.After the war the bullets were bored so we capped the gameWith cynical smiles we put them on trial to place the blameNow what kind of beast would love such a feastHave you no shame?So we hung the by the feetOh, we shot them in the streetOh, the victory was sweetOn victory day.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do.The bread and the circuses came to be nearingThe saviour or somebody must be appearingPagans and pageants were all disappearingInside my head.The stones on the statues were staring and stallingCaesar and cassius were cursing and callingThe empire had risen and now it was fallingOr so it seemed.The crown and the cross seemed empty and lost in dark despairAnd luminous lies, death in disguise were everywhereThe canvas was cold, the story was old, I said my prayersThen I crowned him on the headOh, I blessed him as he bledOh at last, the king is deadGod save the queen.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do.Now nothing remained for building or burningThe losing of lovers was all I was learningA time for escape and a time for returning had come to meBack through the ashes and back through the embersBack through the roads and the ruins I rememberedMy hands at my side I sadly surrenderedDo as you please.The hero was home, proven and grown, I fell on the floorMad with romance they started to dance, their star was bornI bled like the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for moreOh, make me feel sublimeRelease me from my mindOh, kill me one more timeAnd set me free.And all the high-born ladiesSo lovely and so true,Have been handed to the soldiersWhen in rome do as the romans do./pre>
