Scarlet Town

In Scarlet Town, where I was born

There’s ivy leaf and silver thorn

The streets have names that you can’t pronounce

Gold is down to a quarter of an ounce

The music starts and the people sway

Everybody says, “Are you going my way?"

Uncle Tom still workin' for Uncle Bill

Scarlet Town is under the hill

Scarlet Town in the month of May

Sweet William Holme on his deathbed lay

Mistress Mary by the side of the bed

Kissin' his face and puttin' prayers on his head

So brave and true, so gentle is he

I’ll weep for him as he would weep for me

Little Boy Blue come your blow horn

In Scarlet Town, where I was born

Scarlet Town, in the hot noon hours

There’s palm-leaf shadows and scattered flowers

Beggars crouching at the gate

Help comes, but it comes too late

By marble slabs and in fields of stone

You make your humble wishes known

I touched the garment, but the hem was torn

In Scarlet Town, where I was born

In Scarlet Town, the end is near

The Seven Wonders of the World are here

The evil and the good livin' side by side

All human forms seem glorified

Put your heart on a platter and see who will bite

See who will hold you and kiss you good night

There’s walnut groves and maplewood

In Scarlet Town cryin' won’t do no good

In Scarlet Town, you fight your father’s foes

Up on the hill, a chilly wind blows

You fight ‘em on high and you fight 'em down in

You fight 'em with whiskey, morphine and gin

You’ve got legs that can drive men mad

A lot of things we didn’t do that I wish we had

In Scarlet Town, the sky is clear

You’ll wish to God that you stayed right here

Set ‘em Joe, play “Walkin’ the Floor"

Play it for my flat-chested junkie whore

I’m staying up late, I’m making amends

While we smile, all heaven descends

If love is a sin, then beauty is a crime

All things are beautiful in their time

The black and the white, the yellow and the brown

It’s all right there in front of you in Scarlet Town