Charlemagne - John Cale

The manager is waiting to be paid

Along with priests and deacons of his court

A quartermaster, quite a mess, a mistress of the line

Has found a last cent avenue of pain

Mardi Gras just passed this way a while ago

Making hungry people of us all

Along the Mississippi you can hear the fiddlers play

Fandangos and boleros to the Lord

Many trials, many tried

Simple stories are the best

Keep in mind, the wishful kind

Don’t want to be like all the rest

My uncle was a vicar in the big parade

Selling fountain pens that never write

San Sebastian gamblers never cheat nor lie

They know good fences make good neighbours

I wish I knew what time of year it was

What kind of people will be there

When gruesome tales of two cities ran

Running all the way

Father might have heard his prayers were answered

Inhibitions all the way from home

Consider now, consider that before the deed is done

The blood of consolation runs so true

Many times, many tried

Simple stories are the best

Keep in mind, the wishful kind

Don’t wanna be like all the rest