Arabian nights

Shrieks of sheiks as they run across the movie screen

A thousand sand-dune soldiers led by an arabian queen

And the harem girls move like fancy (clancys) dancers

In my dirty dreams

And I wake up on the floor clutching the bed-lamp

And mama comes in, she screams

Hey you been out with that tramp again last night

You know that silver-sequined arab black bitch

The one that mama don't like ?

But mama she sings me moontime melodies

With this great top 40 hook

She shrugs her shoulders, she dont care

Papa just stares and says mary, look the girls alright

The girls alright

And theres a tenseness in the air he turns and says

Don't you know, can't you feel it tell me son, whats the word ?

Because theres something hanging there cos you know he cant hear it

Pull back the mist and reveal it but don't go near it

And even if you fear what you near it's criticized as too absurd

Dont conceal it even the animals fear it

cos if what mama feels is too real papa says fetch me my flashlight,

Son

She just claims she don't feel it and she stumbles out the front door

So come out from behind your bunkers

cos the lift-offs been a bust

Oh papas gone and mamas dead

And buried in my rocket dust

You're alone now for the first time

Dont worry, cos thats all right

All fear will completely disappear

Come the arabian night

Well the soundman smiles and turns the dials

To set the meter readin rising

He pulls the singers voice from out of his pocket

To see if the audience likes it

Oh and in the very first row sits sweet jenny rue

With a bell on her shoe and she wants him to make it

He flicks a switch but jenny moves too fast

And the audience sways to the sound of her shotgun blast

The manager comes running out from behind stage and says

Check the bands arms for bullet holes

Make that man roll up his sleeves

The drummer shoots himself with cyanide

And then asks to be relieved

And me, I say well, its too crazy in here

Which is the stage door out, I gotta get up tomorrow morning for work

And the promoter says man, once you're in they all lead out

What's the matter man, ain't you heard ?

Theres a war going on on the outside

And I'm paying you to sing like a bird

So get in and get tough or get up and get out

Because things aren't too tight

I said dont worry, man, everythings gonna loosen up

Come the arabian night

Come the arabian night

So I get back in my bed

But outside my window I hear another gang fight

It's duke and the boys against the devils best man

And both sides have drawn their knives

And duke hes a well-known knife-fighter

And with one quick jab he brings the devil down

He smiles cos he knows theres a high bounty on devils

In any god-fearin town

Well they say duke sold the devil to some priest in pennsylvania

To exhibit on his altar christmas night

But the devils eyes they still burn red with fire

As long as duke walks upright

And he swears theres a going to be a showdown

Come sundown on the arabian night