Karaoke text písně Phil Ochs - When In Rome

       A

In the fire blue forests, faded and forgotten



I crawled through the cotton fields, picking for cotton

    D

The overseer sneered, his whipping was rotten

     A

With ecstasy.

   F#m

Im child-like terror I tore out the tap roots

Bm

Cards of the lash were calling to follow suit

  E7

I dashed for the swamps, the hounds in hot pursuit

D       A

Jealously.

C#7                                            F#m

All through the night a figure of fright, as I hid my head

        C#7                                             F#m

And the buried their nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds

         C#7                                        B

And they never would leave until they believed that I was dead

         E                   A

But I'd never curse their names

     E            A

Oh, who am I to blame

  E               A

I know I'd do the same

B

Endlessly.

    C#m

And all the high-born ladies

                 F#m

So lovely and so true,

          B

Have been handed to the soldiers

                              E

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



Frail and afraid in the mists of the morning

The snakes and the spiders were sadly performing

The bark of the dogs kept up the warning

Inside the wood.

Sweating and swearing I crawled from the manger

The highway appeared to take me from danger

Is 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 bread

The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his head

Then we took off in a spin

Oh I smashed his skull again

Oh thank you my good friend,

I feel so good.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



Late in the evening I came to the city

I fell to the sidewalks sighing for pity

A diamond was dropped from the hands of the pretty

To be so kind.

Cowards and corpses were busy competing

The rhymes of the riots were busy repeating

I raced to the corner and sped(?) from the speeding

To save my mind.

Latches and locks, companies of cops ran from the rain

There was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores

That shone with shame.

I asked for a light from a priest in the night

Then I fanned the flames.

And the traffic all stood still

To see if someone had been killed

I was glad to leave a thrill

So far behind.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



A monk and his mother were dancing so dandy

A topless nun was handing out candy

The beautiful bishop broke out the brandy

The kiss we crave.

They stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying

We fell to our knees, feverishly praying

the salt in the salt-peter seemed to be saying

Be brave, be brave.

I reached reached for a robe, I preached and I probed

And I taught the tune.

And the greed for the gills was played to the hilt

As I promised doom

I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the room

Then I took off down the road

Laughing madly like a toad

God bless every soulless soul

That would be saved.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



A chorus of children were passing the hours

I joined in their fun and gave them my flowers

Covered with kisses and showered with showers

That they repaid.

Taken and trusting, would I be their teacher?

She looked so appealing, I wanted to touch her

Just out of reach, unable to reach her

Their hands were raised.

Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the class

They studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to pass

The room was adjourned, the lessons were learned,

I turned on the gas

And I watched them make their pleas

They passed the test with ease

I gave them their degrees,

They made the grade.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



Feeling my weakness, a coward for company

I joined the ranks of the hot and hungry

To teach what it means to have love for your country

We marched away.

We lowered our lives for the lines of a border

We danced with the mothers, played with the daughters

We followed our fantasies, following orders

It was child's play.

After the war the bullets were bored so we capped the game

With cynical smiles we put them on trial to place the blame

Now what kind of beast would love such a feast

Have you no shame?

So we hung the by the feet

Oh, we shot them in the street

Oh, the victory was sweet

on victory day.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



The bread and the circuses came to be nearing

The Saviour or somebody must be appearing

Pagans and pageants were all disappearing

Inside my head.

The stones on the statues were staring and stalling

Caesar and Cassius were cursing and calling

The empire had risen and now it was falling

Or so it seemed.

The crown and the cross seemed empty and lost in dark despair

And luminous lies, death in disguise were everywhere

The canvas was cold, the story was old, I said my prayers

Then I crowned him on the head

Oh, I blessed him as he bled

Oh At last, the king is dead

God save the queen.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.



Now nothing remained for building or burning

The losing of lovers was all I was learning

A time for escape and a time for returning had come to me

Back through the ashes and back through the embers

Back through the roads and the ruins I remembered

My hands at my side I sadly surrendered

Do as you please.

The hero was home, proven and grown, I fell on the floor

Mad with romance they started to dance, their star was born

I bled like the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for more

Oh, make me feel sublime

Release me from my mind

Oh, Kill me one more time

And set me free.

And all the high-born ladies

So lovely and so true,

Have been handed to the soldiers

When in Rome do as the Romans do.