Epitaph

bad luck just weaves through the city,

but it's keeping away from us

we move at a crawl through the traffic

and water street is humming along

with me and cecilia singing

and banging on the dashboard in time,

we sing the words on her father's gravestone

and he's there in the humid light...singing:

don't let the bastards grind you down

good luck's in town for the weekend

so we stumble around until dawn

daylight just melts through the narrows

and those morning birds are humming along

with me and cecilia singing

and stamping on the asphalt to prove

we are the children of strength and of vigor

we were born in the morning blue...singing:

don't let the bastards grind you down

when you're all, 'Jesus Murphy'

and 'Ave Maria'

and 'send me the courage'

and 'let me be delivered'

cause there's devils among us

there's devils living among us

some have not got their teeth up

and some are ashes and near-dust

and they're riding the freeways

and they're locking their front door at dusk

and they're raising their families

and they're raising their fingers at us

but this is a good town

this here is a heavy ancient thing

this is a new land

this here is a thing they'll never see

when they're all 'Jesus Murphy'

and 'Ave Maria'

and 'send me the courage'

and 'let me be delivered'

but

don't let the bastards grind you down

bad luck just weaves through the city

but it's keeping away from us.